The orbit of the International Space Station was raised by 1.9 km – the altitude correction was performed by the "Progress MS-34" cargo ship, ensuring precise trajectory adjustment for future crewed operations.
On the evening of July 1, at 23:49 Moscow time, the engines of "Progress MS-34" were switched on and operated for 567.8 seconds. During this time, the station received an impulse of 1.10 m/s, which led to an increase in the average orbital altitude to 419.89 km above the Earth's surface.
The maneuver was performed to create the necessary ballistic conditions before the launch of "Soyuz MS-29", as well as to prepare for the landing of the "Soyuz MS-28" descent module. This involves precise synchronization of orbital mechanics, which is required for the safe launch and return of crewed spacecraft.
Such corrections are considered a routine part of station operations and allow its orbit to be maintained within specified parameters, compensating for the natural decrease in altitude due to the rarefied atmosphere in low Earth orbit. In this case, the emphasis is on the accuracy of the parameters – even changes at the kilometer level are critical for docking and landing scenarios.
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