Engineers of the technical service at the Baikonur Cosmodrome reported the completion of a key stage of pre-launch preparations. The Progress MS-33 cargo spacecraft has taken aboard all necessary fuel components and compressed gases. The vehicle is fully ready for docking with the International Space Station (ISS).
In addition to the standard cargo for cosmonauts — food, water, and scientific equipment — the spacecraft will deliver to orbit a strategic reserve of fuel. The tanks of the refueling system contain about 800 kilograms of propellant. The ISS crew will use these resources to operate the station's engines: maintaining the correct orientation in space and adjusting orbital altitude to avoid collisions with space debris.
The spacecraft will be sent into space from Launch Pad 31, which recently underwent restoration. Repair work was required after an incident that occurred in November of last year during the launch of the Soyuz-2.1a launch vehicle. Engineers repaired damage in the service cabin, and now the complex has once again been approved for operation. The state corporation's management approved the flight schedule after confirming the technical readiness of both the spacecraft and the ground systems.
The rocket launch will proceed without changes, as originally planned — on March 22, 2026.
Read more materials on the topic:
- Roscosmos tested the batteries of the Progress MS-33 cargo spacecraft before flight
- Progress MS-33 is undergoing tests in an anechoic chamber at Baikonur
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