Progress M-04M Explained

Progress M-04M
Mission Type:ISS resupply
Operator:Roskosmos
Cospar Id:2010-003A
Satcat:36361
Mission Duration:148 days
Spacecraft Type:Progress-M s/n 404
Manufacturer:RKK Energia
Launch Date:3 February 2010, 03:45 UTC
Launch Rocket:Soyuz-U
Launch Site:Baikonur, Site 1/5
Disposal Type:Deorbited
Decay Date:1 July 2010
Orbit Epoch:3 February 2010
Orbit Reference:Geocentric
Orbit Regime:Low Earth
Orbit Inclination:51.6°
Apsis:gee
Docking:
Docking Type:dock
Docking Port:Zvezda aft
Docking Date:5 February 2010, 04:26 UTC
Undocking Date:10 May 2010, 11:16 UTC
Time Docked:94 days
Cargo Mass:2686 kg
Cargo Mass Press:1217 kg
Cargo Mass Fuel:880 kg
Cargo Mass Water:420 kg
Programme:Progress ISS Resupply
Previous Mission:Progress M-MIM2
Next Mission:Progress M-05M

Progress M-04M (Russian: Прогресс М-04М|italic=yes), identified by NASA as Progress 36P, was a Russian Progress spacecraft launched in February 2010 to resupply the International Space Station. It was docked with the aft port of the Zvezda module of the station.

Launch

Progress M-04M was launched by a Soyuz-U carrier rocket, flying from Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The launch occurred at 03:45 UTC on 3 February 2010.

Docking

After just over three days of free flight, Progress M-04M docked with the Zvezda module of the International Space Station at 04:26 UTC on 5 February 2010. Its docking marked the first time four Russian spacecraft had been docked to the station at the same time, joining the Soyuz TMA-16, Soyuz TMA-17 and Progress M-03M spacecraft already docked.[1] It remained docked until 10 May 2010, when it departed, allowing Soyuz TMA-17 to be moved to the Zvezda aft port to clear the way for the arrival of the Rassvet module, to be delivered by Space Shuttle Atlantis on STS-132 later that month.[2]

Cargo

The Progress M-04M spacecraft delivered of cargo to the ISS.[3] This included water to be used by systems in the Russian segment of the station, propellant to refuel the station and to perform orbital manoeuvres, food and medical supplies.[3]

Undocking

Progress M-04M undocked from the ISS on 10 May 2010.[4] On 7 May 2010, Russian Space Agency's Mission Control announced that the ISS crew had loaded Progress M-04M with garbage and readied the spacecraft for undocking.[5] The command for undocking was issued at 11:13 UTC, and three minutes later Progress M-04M separated from the Zvezda module. Cosmonauts Aleksandr Skvortsov and Mikhail Kornienko monitored the undocking with photo and video cameras focusing on the Progress docking mechanism to confirm that there were no missing or damaged O-ring seals on the docking interface.

Deorbited

The spacecraft stayed in autonomous flight for 60 days after undocking, taking part in the Reflection geophysical experiment to study reflective characteristics of the freighter's hull and the transparency of the Earth's atmosphere. Progress M-04M was deorbited on 1 July 2010 over the Pacific Ocean.[6] The deorbit burn began at 13:54 UTC and at about 14:40, the remaining parts of the spacecraft which had not burnt during the reentry, fell down in the south area of the Pacific Ocean, 37°47′ South, and 235°09′ West.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Space station receives latest Russian resupply ship. Ray. Justin. 4 February 2010. Spaceflight Now. 25 April 2010.
  2. Web site: ISS On-Orbit Status. 25 April 2010. NASA. 25 April 2010.
  3. Web site: Progress M-04M launches to cost-cutting ISS – STS-135 addition removed. Bergin. Chris. 2 February 2010. NASASpaceflight.com. 25 April 2010.
  4. Web site: Russian space cargoship undocks from ISS. Jiang Yuxia . Xinhua News Agency. 10 May 2010. 10 May 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100512202424/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/sci/2010-05/10/c_13286075.htm. 12 May 2010.
  5. Web site: Russian Space Freighter Ready To Leave Orbital Station. ROSCOSMOS. 10 May 2010. 10 May 2010.
  6. Web site: ISS On-Orbit Status 05/10/10. NASA. 10 May 2010. 11 May 2010.
  7. Web site: Progress M-04M Deorbited. Russian Federal Space Agency . 1 July 2010. 7 July 2010.