Progress MS-05


Progress MS-05, identified by NASA as Progress 66P, is a Progress spacecraft that has been used by Roscosmos to resupply the International Space Station.

Pre-launch

The launch of the Progress MS-05 mission was originally planned for 16 October 2016, and by the end of 2016, it was postponed to 21 February 2017, in the wake of the Progress MS-04 accident. The extra time was used to return the third stages of already assembled vehicles to the manufacturing plant for additional inspections of RD-0110 engines, which were suspected in the loss of Progress MS-04. The engine on the third stage of the Soyuz-U vehicle assigned for the Progress MS-05 mission was replaced.
The Soyuz-U rocket for the Progress MS-05 mission and all subsequent launchers carrying Soyuz and Progress spacecraft were retrofitted with onboard cameras capable of transmitting live images during the ascent to orbit. The cameras were installed on the exterior of the intertank compartment of the third stage. The resulting video could help to understand the rocket's behavior during the flight.
The launch of Progress MS-05 was to be ensured for 139.8 million rubles.

Cargo

The Progress MS-05 spacecraft carried about 2640 kg of cargo and supplies to the International Space Station. The spacecraft delivered Orlan-MKS space suit, food, fuel and supplies, including 880 kg of propellant, 51 kg of oxygen and air, 420 kg of water, and an Orlan-MKS spacesuit.

Launch

Progress MS-05 was launched on 22 February 2017 at 05:58:33 UTC from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. It used the 786th and last Soyuz-U rocket.

Docking

Progress MS-05 docked with the Pirs module at 08:34 UTC on 24 February 2017. During the automated docking process, Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Oleg Novitsky were on stand by at the manual control system, TORU, console inside the Pirs service module to take over docking operations if needed. Progress MS-05 will remain docked at the station for almost four months before departing in June 2017 for its deorbit into Earth's atmosphere.

Undocking and decay

After six months at the International Space Station, the Progress MS-05 cargo ship undocked from the Pirs, on 20 July 2017, at 17:46 UTC. The three-minute braking maneuvre with the main engine of the cargo ship was scheduled to begin at 20:58 UTC, followed by reentry into the dense atmosphere at 21:32 UTC on 20 July 2017. Surviving debris of the spacecraft were calculated to impact the remote area of the Pacific Ocean at 21:41 UTC on July 21.