Russia Sends Progress Supply Ship to ISS on Valentine’s Day

New supplies are being transported to the International Space Station.

Tonight, on February 14, Russia launched its robotic Progress 87 cargo ship toward the International Space Station on a Valentine’s Day delivery mission.

The freighter took up atop a Soyuz rocket at 10:25 p.m. EST (03:25 GMT and 8:25 a.m. local time on February 15 in Baikonur), from the Russian-run Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
About three tons of food, propellant, and other supplies are being carried by Progress 87.

The freighter is scheduled to arrive at the orbiting lab early on Saturday, February 17, and dock with the Russian Zvezda service module at 1:12 a.m. EST (0612 GMT), if all proceeds as planned. On Saturday, the coverage will start at 12:30 a.m. EST (0530 GMT).

Along with SpaceX’s Cargo Dragon capsule and Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus vehicle, Progress is one of three robotic spacecraft that currently conduct resupply trips to the International Space Station.

When their orbital mission is over, Progress and Cygnus are disposable spacecraft that burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere. However, Dragon is made to be reused; it may return science samples to Earth by safely splashing down in the ocean while wearing parachutes.