The Russian Federation’s state-owned space corporation, Roscosmos, has launched their latest resupply mission to the International Space Station. The supply craft, Progress MS-15, lifted off at 14:26:22 UTC, or 10:26:22 EDT, on Thursday, 23 July from Site No. 31/6 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan.
The craft arrived and docked to the Station via its KURS-NA automated docking system. However, a software issue created several tense moments and concern as Progress was off course and deviating from the flight plan while Russian controllers and crew did not hit the abort button to send the craft away from the Station.
The Progress MS-15 spacecraft will resupply the Expedition 63 crew with supplies and consumables as well as deliver new equipment to help trace the source of elevated benzene levels in the Station’s air.