Progress M-18M

Progress M-18M (Russian: Прогресс М-18М), identified by NASA as Progress 50P, is a Progress spacecraft used by Roskosmos to resupply the International Space Station during 2013. Progress M-18M was sent on a four-orbit rendezvous profile that was already demonstrated by the Progress M-16M and Progress M-17M spacecraft in 2012.

Progress M-18M

Progress M-18M approaches the ISS on 11 February 2013.
Mission type	ISS resupply
Operator	Roskosmos
COSPAR ID	2013-007A
SATCAT no.	39082
Mission duration	165 days
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	Progress-M s/n 418
Manufacturer	RKK Energia
Launch mass	6950 kg
Start of mission
Launch date	11 February 2013, 14:41:46 UTC
Rocket	Soyuz-U
Launch site	Baikonur, Site 1/5
End of mission
Disposal	Deorbited
Decay date	26 July 2013, 00:42 UTC
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Perigee altitude	401 km
Apogee altitude	417 km
Inclination	51.6°
Period	92.74 minutes
Epoch	11 February 2013[1]
Docking with ISS
Docking port	Pirs
Docking date	12 February 2013, 20:35 UTC
Undocking date	25 July 2013, 20:43 UTC
Time docked	164 days
Cargo
Mass	2638 kg
Pressurised	1368 kg (dry cargo)
Fuel	346 kg
Gaseous	50 kg
Water	420 kg
Progress ISS Resupply

Launch

The spacecraft was launched on time at 14:41:46 UTC on 11 February 2013 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.[2]

Docking

Oleg Novitsky and Roman Romanenko monitor data at the TORU controls during the Progress M-18M approach to the ISS.

Progress M-18M docked with the Pirs at 20:35 UTC less than six hours after the launch. The successful docking climaxed the third successful Same-Day-Rendezvous in the International Space Station history.[3]

Cargo

Progress M-18M delivered about 346 kilograms (763 lb) of propellant, 50 kilograms (110 lb) of oxygen and air, 420 kilograms (930 lb) of water and about 1,368 kilograms (3,016 lb) of spare parts, science gear and other supplies (dry cargo) to the Space Station.[4]

Undocking and reentry

Progress M-18M departs the ISS on 25 July 2013.

Progress M-18M undocked from the ISS on 25 July 2013. The re-entry procedure started around 23:53 UTC, on 25 July 2013. The destruction occurred at 00:42 UTC, on 26 July 2013 in the Pacific Ocean.[5]

References

1. McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
2. Pete Harding and William Graham (11 February 2013). "Progress M-18M docks with ISS following same day launch". NASAspaceflight.com. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
3. "Progress M-18M Mission Updates". SPACEFLIGHT101. 11 February 2013. Archived from the original on 1 August 2013. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
4. Tariq Malik (11 February 2013). "Robotic Russian Supply Ship Docks With Space Station". SPACE.com. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
5. "Russia's Progress Spacecraft Undocks From Space Station". RIA Novosti. 26 July 2013.