A Progress M1-5 cargo ship, likely the last mission to the Mir space station, left Baikonur Cosmodrome Jan. 23 at 11:28 p.m. EST (Jan. 24 at 04:28 GMT; 7.28 a.m. Moscow time).
The Progress M1-5 blasted off flawlessly, beginning a three-day flight to the aging Russian outpost. The ship carries a payload of fuel to be used while Progress is docked with Mir to force the station out of orbit.
The first stage separated successfully at 7.30.41 local time. The fairing was jettisoned at 7.31.23 and the second stage separated at 7.33.29. The Progress spacecraft separated from its Soyuz LV booster rocket at 7.37.31.
Of the fuel payload, 1,940 pounds (880 kilograms) have been allocated to chase the station and 3,962 pounds (1,797 kilograms), plus any left over after the chase, will be used to send Mir plunging into the sea.
According to mission controllers in Korolev near Moscow, when Progress docks with Mir the outpost will be orbiting Earth once every 90.4 minutes at an altitude of 184 by 195 miles (296 by 313 kilometers).
Delays pushed mission back
The launch of the Progress supply craft was pushed back from Jan. 18 due to a weekend malfunction of Mir's orientation system. The system has been partially repaired. Progress flight to Mir will be cut from four to three days due to the station's different orbital position at the new docking time.
A Progress M-43 spacecraft that is currently attached to Mir was supposed to undock on Jan. 22 before the station docked with Progress M1-5, however it will remain with the station until the refueling vessel is safely docked.
Progress M-43 will undock tomorrow, Jan. 25, from Mir and will drift near station until Progress M1-5 is safely docked to the outpost. If anything wrong goes with the docking, then Progress M-43, which carries food reserves, will be re-docked to the station for use by the emergency crew.
If necessary, Progress M1-5 and Mir can drift safely in space until April.
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