Progress M-56 (Russian: Прогресс М-56), identified by NASA as Progress 21P, was a Progress spacecraft used to resupply the International Space Station. It was a Progress-M 11F615A55 spacecraft, with the serial number 356.[1]

Launch

Progress M-56 was launched by a Soyuz-U carrier rocket from Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome. Launch occurred at 16:03:25 UTC on 24 April 2006.[1] Also carried to the ISS was an experimental MIT students-built picosatellite, named SPHERE, that will float inside the station, strictly maintaining its location inside.

Docking

The spacecraft docked with the aft port of the Zvezda module at 17:41:31 UTC on 26 April 2006.[2][3] It remained docked for 146 days before undocking at 00:28:17 UTC on 19 September 2006[2] to make way for Soyuz TMA-9.[4] It was deorbited at 03:28 UTC on 19 September 2006.[2] The spacecraft burned up in the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean, with any remaining debris landing in the ocean at around 04:14:40 UTC.[2][5]

Progress M-56 carried supplies to the International Space Station, including food, water and oxygen for the crew and equipment for conducting scientific research.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d Anikeev, Alexander. "Cargo spacecraft "Progress M-56"". Manned Astronautics - Figures and Facts. Archived from the original on 2 March 2008. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
  3. ^ Wade, Mark. "Progress M". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 10 July 2009. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
  4. ^ Zak, Anatoly. "Progress cargo ship". RussianSpaceWeb. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
  5. ^ McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 5 June 2009.