RUSSIA’S PROGRESS MS-30 RESUPPLY SHIP HEADS TO ISS WITH CARGO AND EQUIPMENT

MOSCOW, Feb 28 (Bernama-TASS) -- Russia’s Soyuz-2.1a carrier rocket has taken the Progress MS-30 cargo spacecraft to the orbit, according to a live broadcast by Russia’s state-run space corporation Roscosmos.

Russian News Agency (TASS) reported that the spacecraft is expected to reach the International Space Station in about 50 hours. Its docking with the Zvezda module is scheduled for 2.04 am Moscow time on Sunday (11.04 pm Saturday GMT).

The carrier rocket blasted off from the Baikonur Space Centre in Kazakhstan at 12.24 am Moscow time on Friday (9.24 pm Thursday GMT).

It was the first launch of the Progress space freighter and the first launch from Baikonur in 2025.

The spacecraft will deliver 2,599 kilograms (kg) of various cargo to the ISS, including 1,179 kg of equipment, stowage for scientific experiments, clothing, food, medical and hygienic sets for the crew, 950 kg of refueling propellant, 420 kg of potable water for cosmonauts and 50 kg of nitrogen to replenish the ISS atmosphere.

The cargo also includes new Orlan-ISS No. 6 spacesuit for cosmonauts’ spacewalks under the Russian programme. Currently, Russian cosmonauts use Orlan-ISS No. 4 and Orlan-ISS No. 5 spacesuits for extravehicular activity outside the space station.

The resupply ship will also deliver stowage for conducting the Aseptic, Biodegradation, Virtual, Cascade, Lasma, Mirage, Neuroimmunity and Photobioreactor experiments aboard the station.

-- BERNAMA-TASS