Russia's Progress MS-11 cargo spacecraft reached the International Space Station (ISS) in record three hours and 22 minutes after launch from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan on Thursday, a Sputnik correspondent reported from the Mission Control Center outside Moscow.
The resupply mission was carried out on a two-orbit, super fast-track rendezvous profile with the orbital outpost.
Usually, the Russian space freighters use a standard two-day or short six-hour rendezvous profiles to reach the ISS.
The launch was initially scheduled for 28 March, however, it had to be postponed for a week. Now the spacecraft is expected to break a record by carrying the cargo to the ISS in just three hours.
earlier report
The launch vehicle with cargo transport vehicle Progress MS-11 has been installed on the launch pad
April 1, 2019
On April 1 launch vehicle Soyuz 2.1a with cargo transport vehicle (CTV) Progress MS-11 was rolled out from the assembly and test facility and erected on launch pad No. 31 of the Baikonur Cosmodrome. The L-2 days processing activities began.
The launch teams of RSC Energia specialists and other enterprises of Roscosmos are performing prelaunch processing operations at the launch site. Prelaunch tests of the rocket and space complex systems and assemblies are being conducted, the onboard hardware and the ground equipment interface is being checked out.
The launch of cargo transport vehicle Progress MS-11 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome is scheduled for April 4, 2019. The purpose of the flight is to deliver propellant, water and other cargo to the International Space Station, which are required for further operation in a man-tended mode.
