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Progress MS-15 set out on a free-flight mission

February 9, 2021

On-orbit mission of cargo transportation spacecraft Progress MS-15, which duration was 201 days, is proceeding to completion. According to the Russian Flight Program of the International Space Station on February 9, 2021 at 08:21:30 Moscow time Progress MS-15 cargo spacecraft nominally undocked from the Pirs module of the International Space Station.

On February 8, 2021 at 13:40 Moscow time the hatches between the Russian “cargo truck” and the ISS were closed. On February 9, at 08:20 Moscow time after completing preparations for undocking a command was generated to release the Progress MS-15 hooks, it was undocked from the station and set out on a free-flight mission. After moving the spacecraft to a safe distance from the station specialists of the Lead Operational Control Team of the Russian Segment of the International Space Station (ISS RS LOCT) working at MCC started a controllable de-orbiting of the spacecraft.

By calculations of the station flight ballistic support department the Progress MS-15 thrusters will be fired at 11:30:11 Moscow time and having performed a predefined de-boost burn will switch over the spacecraft to a reentry phase. At 12:13:08 Moscow time the spacecraft incombustible structural fragments will submerge in a specified non-navigational water area of the Pacific Ocean. The estimated impact area of the unburnt spacecraft fragments is located about 1 680 km to the east of Wellington (New Zealand). State Corporation Roscosmos performed all necessary procedures to recognize this area temporarily hazardous for navigation of marine vessels and aircraft flying.

Progress MS-15 formed part of the Russian Segment of the International Space Station since July 23, 2020. It was launched from the Baikonur Launch Site on July 23 at 17:26:21 Moscow time, and 3 hours later at 18 min 31 sec after the launch it docked to the Pirs docking compartment. In so doing, Progress MS-15 cargo spacecraft set up a new record of flight duration to the ISS. The “space truck” delivered to the ISS cargo items with a total mass of more than 2.5 tons required to maintain the ISS flight in a man-tended mode and implement the science and applied research programs aboard the station.