Today, March 16, the Russian transport ship «Progress MS-31» will complete its mission in orbit and undock from the International Space Station. Roscosmos reported that the separation from the «Poisk» module is scheduled for 16:24 Moscow time. After that, the spacecraft will switch to autonomous flight mode to prepare for deorbiting.
Approximately at 19:42 Moscow time, the ship will activate its engines for braking. The maneuver will direct «Progress» into the upper layers of the atmosphere, where most of the structure will burn up. The remaining fragments, according to experts' calculations, will fall into a safe, non-navigable area of the southern Pacific Ocean.
The ship was launched from Baikonur on July 3, 2025. During the mission, it delivered about 2.5 tons of cargo to the station: food, equipment for experiments, items for the crew, and technical materials.
The «Progress MS-33» cargo ship will dock in place of «Progress MS-31». The launch is scheduled for March 22, and docking with the ISS is scheduled for March 24. The flexible schedule allows for continuous supply of the station and timely replenishment of supplies.
The «Progress MS» series cargo ships regularly deliver fuel, oxygen, water, food, and scientific equipment to orbit. These vehicles also perform station orbit corrections, compensating for the effects of atmospheric drag.
