Progress MS-12
Progress MS-12, Russian production No.442, identified by NASA as Progress 73P, was a Progress spaceflight operated by Roscosmos to resupply the International Space Station. This was the 164th flight of a Progress spacecraft.
History
The Progress-MS is an uncrewed freighter based on the Progress-M featuring improved avionics. This improved variant first launched on 21 December 2015. It has the following improvements:- New external compartment that enables it to deploy satellites. Each compartment can hold up to four launch containers. First time installed on Progress MS-03.
- Enhanced redundancy thanks to the addition of a backup system of electrical motors for the docking and sealing mechanism.
- Improved Micrometeoroid protection with additional panels in the cargo compartment.
- Luch Russian relay satellites link capabilities enable telemetry and control even when not in direct view of ground radio stations.
- GNSS autonomous navigation enables real time determination of the status vector and orbital parameters dispensing with the need of ground station orbit determination.
- Real time relative navigation thanks to direct radio data exchange capabilities with the space station.
- New digital radio that enables enhanced TV camera view for the docking operations.
- The Ukrainian Chezara Kvant-V on board radio system and antenna/feeder system has been replaced with a Unified Command Telemetry System .
- Replacement of the Kurs A with Kurs NA digital system.
Pre-launch
Launch
Progress MS-12 was launched on 31 July 2019, at 12:10:46 UTC from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, using a Soyuz-2.1a rocket.Docking
Progress MS-12 docked with the Pirs docking module. The docking took place 3 hours 18 minutes 31 seconds into the mission.Cargo
The Progress MS-12 spacecraft delivered of dry cargo.- of water
- of oxygen
- of propellant in the refueling section
- of propellant in the integrated propulsion system to the International Space Station.
- of hardware for onboard systems
- of medical supplies
- of personal protective gear
- of hygiene items
- of repairs and servicing equipment
- of means of crew support
- of food
- of payloads
- of structural components and other hardware
- of NASA cargo.
Undocking and decay