Russian cosmonauts encountered a glitch in the automated docking system for the Progress 86 cargo ship with the International Space Station (ISS). They took manual control to successfully dock the spacecraft carrying tons of supplies. Progress 86 was remotely controlled by Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub using the TORU system, while its Kurs automated rendezvous system was malfunctioning.
The manual docking occurred after Progress 86 had drifted from its expected path, prompting the intervention of ISS crew members. The spacecraft completed its two-day journey and made a successful docking at the ISS. The cargo ship’s docking was supervised by Kononenko, who confirmed the successful capture of the vehicle.
Progress 86 was carrying 5,600 pounds of supplies for the ISS crew, including food, equipment, and science experiment gear. This supply mission aids the long-term stays of the crew on the station.
The Progress spacecraft is designed for disposable use and is intended to burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere upon completing its resupply mission. It is one of the spacecraft used for ISS resupplies, alongside SpaceX’s Dragon and Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft. These different vehicles contribute to maintaining the ISS’ operational capabilities, ensuring a continuous flow of resources for the crew.
