Russia's Robotic Cargo Progress 86 Burns Up After Undocking From International Space Station

A robotic Russian cargo burned up in the atmosphere after it left the International Space Station early Monday.

Russian Cargo Burned Up As Planned After Undocking From ISS

On Tuesday (May 28), an unmanned Russian freight spacecraft crashed and returned to Earth as scheduled. At 4:39 a.m. EDT (0839 GMT), the Progress 86 freighter undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) before returning to Earth.

A few hours later, Progress 86 vanished, burning up over the Pacific Ocean as expected, according to a NASA update. It's normal for a spacecraft making re-entry to Earth to burn.

During the re-entry, the shuttle travels so fast that the air in front of it gets compressed. The air temperature rises to as high as 3000 degrees Fahrenheit due to the rapid compression of the air layers near the shuttle's leading edges! Its contact with the shuttle causes the shuttle's surface to heat up.

Progress 86 was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan atop a Russian Soyuz rocket on Dec. 1, 2023. Two days later, it arrived at the ISS.

Progress 86 transported 2,540 kilos (5,600 pounds) of supplies for the seven crew members who live and work on the International Space Station. The cargo included food, supplies, gear for science experiments, and equipment for long-duration personnel during their six-month stints on the station.

The Progress spacecraft from Russia is one of several that replenish the International Space Station periodically. At the conclusion of their months-long missions, they were intended to burn up in Earth's atmosphere, making them disposable, which is what happened on Monday. Progress 86 didn't end its life empty; in its last moments, it carried trash to be burned in Earth's atmosphere, acting as a garbage truck.

The ISS is also restocked by Northrop Grumman's Cygnus spacecraft and SpaceX's Dragon cargo vehicles. The Dragon capsule, which is operating SpaceX's Crew-8 manned mission for NASA, a Russian Soyuz crew spacecraft, a Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo vehicle, and a Progress 87 freighter are the four spacecraft still stationed at the International Space Station (ISS).

Cygnus, like Progress, is intended to be used only once. However, the Soyuz and the crewed and cargo Dragon variants from SpaceX survive the terrifying flight through our planet's atmosphere. Dragon splashes gently in the ocean, and Soyuz lands on solid terra.

More About Progress Spacecraft

Progress spacecraft are adapted for freight transportation from the Soyuz spacecraft design. They usually have an unpressurized part for fuel and water and a pressurized cargo space for food, supplies, and scientific equipment. The overall load capacity of the model usually ranges from 2,500 to 3,000 kilos.

Progress spacecraft have undergone several improvements throughout time. The Priest in the series, the Progress MS variation, has better safety features, upgraded solar panels, improved thrusters, and a modernized communication system. These upgrades raise the spacecraft's dependability and performance.

The ISS has benefited immensely from the constant human presence in orbit made possible by Progress spacecraft. These spacecraft are vital to the upkeep of space station operations and habitation because they transport necessary supplies and equipment.

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