Getting to the International Space Station ( ISS ) used to take several day , as a spacecraft bit by bit catch up to the post before dockage . Not any longer , thanks to Russia .
Yesterday they managed to get one of their Progress cargo space vehicle to the ISS in less than four hours . The MS-09 spacecraftlifted offon a Soyuz rocket at 5.51pm EDT ( 9.51pm GMT ) , and successfully dock to the place at 9.31pm EDT ( 1.31am GMT ) – a total prison term of three hours and 40 minutes . That ’s mightily tight , ready than a trajectory from LA to New York ( at about four hours and 50 minutes ) , and it was even eight proceedings early .
" We have liftoff of the Progress resupply ship , manoeuver into the express lane , bond for the International Space Station , " NASA spokesman Rob Naviassaidin a bouncy commentary shortly after the launching .
The ballistic capsule was capable to reach the ISS in just two orbits thanks to launch just a moment after the ISS passed over the launch site in Baikonur Cosmodrome , Kazakhstan . When it lift off the ISS was 595 kilometer ( 370 miles ) away , but it had to make up about 1,1615 kilometers ( 1,004 mile ) once in orbit , notesSpaceflight Now .
On Twitter , Harvard - Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics astronomer Jonathan McDowell said this was the “ libertine launching - to - tying up in the ISS program and the third fastest ever from Earth to a docking in Earth orbital cavity . ”
The only two faster dockings were the Soviet Union ’s Kosmos-186/188 mission in 1967 , which docked in just one hour and eight minute , and NASA ’s Gemini 11 mission in 1966 , which docked in one minute and 34 minutes .
On board the spacecraft was about 3 short ton of food , fuel , and supply . The six astronauts on board the ISS will spend the next few calendar month unpack everything , while the ballistic capsule itself will stay on docked untilJanuary 2019 . Then it will leave the place , and be send to burn up in Earth ’s atmosphere .
This is n’t in reality the first time Russia has attempted a quick misstep to the ISS . They tried inOctober 2017 , but a last - second delay meant they had to switch back to a two - day journey . And a similar problem come about inFebruary 2018when the launch was abort .
Since 2012 Russia has been place Progress ballistic capsule to the ISS in about six hours after four celestial orbit of Earth . US spacecraft , by comparison , take several days to reach the station . And finally Russia skip to commence sending cosmonauts in the Soyuz ballistic capsule on these quicker trip , reducing the amount of time they take to spend in cramped condition .
