Progress M-17

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Progress M-17
Type Progress-M 11F615A55
Space station Mir
Station crew EO-13/14
Contractors NPO Energia
Carrier Rocket Soyuz-U2
Launch site Baikonur Site 1/5
Launch date 31 March 1993
03:34:13 GMT
Decay Date 3 March 1994
03:28 GMT
COSPAR ID 1993-019A
Free flight time 205 days
Docked time 132 days
Docking
Docking port Kvant-1 Aft
Docking date 1 April 1993
05:16:18 GMT
Undocking date 11 August 1993
15:36:42 GMT
Orbit
Regime LEO
Periapsis 391 kilometres (243 mi)[1]
Apoapsis 391 kilometres (243 mi)[1]
Inclination 51.6°
Mass
Total 7,250 kg (16,000 lb)
Cargo 2,604 kg (5,740 lb)

Progress M-17 was a Russian unmanned cargo spacecraft which was launched in 1993 to resupply the Mir space station.[2] The thirty-fifth of sixty four Progress spacecraft to visit Mir, it used the Progress-M 11F615A55 configuration,[3] and had the serial number 217.[4] In addition to delivering cargo, Progress M-17 was also used to demonstrate extended duration Progress missions; remaining in orbit for almost a year with a docked phase lasting 132 days.

Contents

Launch and docking [edit]

Progress M-17 was launched at 03:34:13 GMT on 31 March 1993, atop a Soyuz-U2 carrier rocket flying from Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.[4] It docked with the aft port of the Kvant-1 module at 05:16:18 GMT on 1 April, less than 26 hours after launch.[5][6] The rocket had the serial number N15000-069.[4]

The spacecraft carried supplies including food, water and oxygen for the EO-13 and EO-14 crews aboard Mir, as well as equipment for conducting scientific research, and fuel for adjusting the station's orbit and performing manoeuvres. In all, Progress M-17 delivered 2,604 kilograms (5,740 lb) of cargo to Mir.[7] It carried the seventh VBK-Raduga recoverable capsule, however due to the extended duration mission this was returned by Progress M-18.

Extended mission [edit]

Progress M-17 was originally scheduled to conduct a normal length mission, however it remained docked with Mir for 132 days because of a longer than usual gap between missions requiring its docking port.[8] Soyuz TM-16 had docked with the Kristall module in order to test the APAS-89 docking system ahead of its use in the Shuttle-Mir programme, leaving the forward port free for Progress M-18, whose docking marked the first time two Progress spacecraft had been docked to a station simultaneously.[9] It undocked from Mir at 15:36:42 GMT on 11 August.[10]

Due to its extended mission, the spacecraft did not have sufficient fuel remaining to deorbit, and it was therefore kept in orbit for 205 days of free flight, until its orbit had decayed sufficiently for a deorbit burn to be conducted with what fuel remained. During this time, Progress M-17 was used for further tests of the spacecraft's longevity.[9] After being manoeuvred into an orbit away from the station, its systems were deactivated and it was kept in a low-power configuration. On 2 March the spacecraft was reactivated and successfully completed a series of manoeuvres to prove that it could still operate after having been in orbit for so long.[9] The next day, Progress M-17 was deorbited and reentered the atmosphere over the South America, breaking up at around 03:28 GMT.[1][5]

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b c McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 21 November 2010. 
  2. ^ "Progress M-17". NSSDC Master Catalog. US National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved 21 November 2010. 
  3. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Progress-M 1 - 13, 15 - 37, 39 - 67 (11F615A55, 7KTGM)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 21 November 2010. 
  4. ^ a b c McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 21 November 2010. 
  5. ^ a b Anikeev, Alexander. "Cargo spacecraft "Progress M-17"". Manned Astronautics - Figures & Facts. Retrieved 21 November 2010. 
  6. ^ Wade, Mark. "Progress M". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 21 November 2010. 
  7. ^ Hall, Rex D.; Shayler, David J. (2003). Soyuz: A Universal Spacecraft. Springer-Praxis. p. 272. ISBN 1-85233-657-9. 
  8. ^ Hall, Rex D.; Shayler, David J. (2003). Soyuz: A Universal Spacecraft. Springer-Praxis. p. 260. ISBN 1-85233-657-9. 
  9. ^ a b c Harland, David M. (2004). The Story of Space Station Mir. Springer-Praxis. pp. 222–225. ISBN 0-387-23011-4. 
  10. ^ Anikeev, Alexander. "Cargo spacecraft "Progress M-17"". Manned Astronautics - Figures & Facts. Retrieved 21 November 2010.