The Progress is an unmanned cargo version of the Soyuz - akin to a cargo SpaceX Dragon (6 tons up-cargo/3 tons down-cargo) but much smaller in up-cargo capacity (2.5 tons) and with no down-cargo capability. Another reason for having more than one LEO spacecraft operational at a time.
Unmanned capsule misses space station
Progress 38 spacecraft is packed with nearly 2.5 tons of supplies
An unmanned Russian cargo ship sailed past the International Space Station instead of docking on autopilot, as engineers on Earth struggle to determine what went wrong.
A telemetry lock between the Russian-made Progress module and the space station was lost and the module flew past at a safe distance. NASA said the crew was never in danger and that the supplies are not critical and will not affect station operations.
NASA said that it will not attempt another docking today. Russian flight controllers don't know yet what caused the failure in the unmanned modules automated docking system.
The robotic cargo ship Progress 38 was slated to dock at the space station at 12:58 p.m. ET (1658 GMT) but lost its navigational lock on the orbiting lab about 25 minutes before the rendezvous.
"The Progress literally flew past the station, but at a safe distance from the outpost," NASA commentator Rob Navias said. "The station crew reported seeing the Progress drift beyond their view, as they worked to reestablish telemetry with the spacecraft."
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Progress 38 spacecraft is packed with nearly 2.5 tons of supplies
An unmanned Russian cargo ship sailed past the International Space Station instead of docking on autopilot, as engineers on Earth struggle to determine what went wrong.
A telemetry lock between the Russian-made Progress module and the space station was lost and the module flew past at a safe distance. NASA said the crew was never in danger and that the supplies are not critical and will not affect station operations.
NASA said that it will not attempt another docking today. Russian flight controllers don't know yet what caused the failure in the unmanned modules automated docking system.
The robotic cargo ship Progress 38 was slated to dock at the space station at 12:58 p.m. ET (1658 GMT) but lost its navigational lock on the orbiting lab about 25 minutes before the rendezvous.
"The Progress literally flew past the station, but at a safe distance from the outpost," NASA commentator Rob Navias said. "The station crew reported seeing the Progress drift beyond their view, as they worked to reestablish telemetry with the spacecraft."
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