Progress

PROGRESS SPECIFICATIONS

The constant demand by Salyut and its Mir successor for consumables required the introduction of an unmanned supply ferry. Progress is derived from the manned Soyuz vehicle, but with the descent module replaced by a compartment for transporting up to 940 kg of propellants, other liquids and compressed gases for piping inot the station. The current Progress-M design was introduced in Aug-1989, incorporating Soyuz-TM's Kurs rendezvous/docking system, computer, propulsion unit and solar arrays. The Soyuz orbital module accommodates up to 1,800 kg of removable cargo such as experimental equipment, food, film and air regeneration cylinders. The crew fill this module with unwanted materials and, after Progress has raised its host's orbit to combat atmospheric drag, the ferry is undocked and retrofire ordered over Russia for destructive reentry over the Pacific.
First launch: 20-Jan-1978 Progress; 23-Aug-1989 Progess-M
OKB Name: 7K-TG
Number manned launches: 76 to end-1995
Principal uses: unmanned LEO space station ferry
Availability: typically launched every 2-3 months during station occupation
Cost: reported at about R10 million/mission
Performance: up to 2,750 kg total. 1,500-1,800 kg in crew-accessible 7.0 m³ Orbital Module and 940 kg in mid-section (870 kg NTO/UDMH in to spheres each; 50 kg O₂). Progress-M can also transfer its own excess propellant. The preceding design carried up to 2,480 kg (up to 1,400 kg in OM + up to 1,200 kg refuelling section)
Overall length: 7.23 m
Launch mass: 7,300 kg; 7,240 kg original Mir design; Salyut variant was 7,020 kg including 2,300 kg cargo
Propulsion: derived from ODU unified propulsion system of Soyuz-T/TM: hypergolic NTO/UDMH is employed with the 3.1 kN main engine and a network of 14 x 98 N (four backup) + 12 x 9.8 N (four backup) thrusters
Power: TM-type solar arrays generating 1.3 kW from 10 m²; batteries carried in pressurized instrument compartment. Augments Mir supply when docked
Avionics/control: Progress M docks with Mir/Kvant's forward or aft port, employing the Kurs approach system. Two external TV cameras are carried and range/range-rate data are transmitted to both mission control and to the space station, who can assist in the docking operation if necessary. Attitude reference provided by Earth horizon sensors + gyro package

RADUGA
Some Progress now deliver a coni-cylindrical reentry capsule among their cargo. Loaded with 80-150 kg of film and samples, the capsule is mounted in Progress' hatch by the crew and released after retrofire by the ferry at about 120 km for recovery by parachute.
Length: 1.40 m
Cargo volume: 0.160 m³
Total mass: 350 kg (168 kg without payload and 0-30 kg balance mass)
Landing system: braking chute deploy barometrically at 15.5 +/-2.5 km (Mach 1.5 +/-0.5); main chute 5.6 m diameter. Antennas on chute lines and cloud of dipole reflectors released. Balloon provides buoyancy for water landings