Progress MS-12

Progress MS-12 (Russian: Прогресс МC-12), Russian production No.442, identified by NASA as Progress 73P, was a Progress spaceflight operated by Roscosmos to resupply the International Space Station (ISS).^[3] This was the 164th flight of a Progress spacecraft.

Progress MS-12

Progress MS-12 approaches the ISS
Names	Progress 73P
Mission type	ISS resupply
Operator	Roscosmos
COSPAR ID	2019-047A
SATCAT no.	44455
Mission duration	121 days
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Progress MS-12 s/n 442
Spacecraft type	Progress-MS
Manufacturer	Energia
Launch mass	7392 kg [1]
Payload mass	3434 kg
Start of mission
Launch date	31 July 2019, 12:10:46 UTC[2]
Rocket	Soyuz-2.1a (s/n N15000-035)
Launch site	Baikonur, Site 31/6
Contractor	RKTs Progress
End of mission
Disposal	Deorbited
Decay date	29 November 2019, 14:19 UTC
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Low Earth orbit
Inclination	51.66°
Docking with ISS
Docking port	Pirs
Docking date	31 July 2019, 15:29 UTC [2]
Undocking date	29 November 2019 10:25 UTC [3]
Time docked	121 days
Cargo
Mass	3434 kg
Pressurised	1164 kg
Fuel	850 kg
Gaseous	51 kg
Water	420 kg
Progress flights ← Progress MS-11 Progress MS-13 →

History

The Progress-MS is an uncrewed freighter based on the Progress-M featuring improved avionics. This improved variant first launched on 21 December 2015. It has the following improvements:^[4][5][6][7]

• New external compartment that enables it to deploy satellites. Each compartment can hold up to four launch containers. First time installed on Progress MS-03.
• Enhanced redundancy thanks to the addition of a backup system of electrical motors for the docking and sealing mechanism.
• Improved Micrometeoroid (MMOD) protection with additional panels in the cargo compartment.
• Luch Russian relay satellites link capabilities enable telemetry and control even when not in direct view of ground radio stations.
• GNSS autonomous navigation enables real time determination of the status vector and orbital parameters dispensing with the need of ground station orbit determination.
• Real time relative navigation thanks to direct radio data exchange capabilities with the space station.
• New digital radio that enables enhanced TV camera view for the docking operations.
• The Ukrainian Chezara Kvant-V on board radio system and antenna/feeder system has been replaced with a Unified Command Telemetry System (UCTS).
• Replacement of the Kurs A with Kurs NA digital system.

Pre-launch

In 2014, the launch was planned for 1 July 2018, rescheduled for 5 June 2019 and rescheduled to 31 July 2019. The liftoff had been initially set for the two-day rendezvous profile with the station, but the launch time was later shifted to enable a two-orbit (three-hour) flight to the station.^[8]

Launch

Progress MS-12 was launched on 31 July 2019, at 12:10:46 UTC from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, using a Soyuz-2.1a rocket.^[3][9]

Docking

Progress MS-12 docked with the Pirs docking module. The docking took place 3 hours 18 minutes 31 seconds into the mission (a new record time).

Cargo

The Progress MS-12 spacecraft delivered 1,164 kg (2,566 lb) of dry cargo (in the cargo compartment).^[3]

• 420 kg (930 lb) of water (in the Rodnik-system tanks)
• 51 kg (112 lb) of oxygen (in pressurized bottles)
• 850 kg (1,870 lb) of propellant in the refueling section
• 880 kg (1,940 lb) of propellant in the integrated propulsion system to the International Space Station.

The dry cargo consisted of:^[3]

• 394 kg (869 lb) of hardware for onboard systems
• 27 kg (60 lb) of medical supplies
• 1 kg (2.2 lb) of personal protective gear
• 190 kg (420 lb) of hygiene items
• 7 kg (15 lb) of repairs and servicing equipment
• 20 kg (44 lb) of means of crew support
• 282 kg (622 lb) of food
• 13 kg (29 lb) of payloads
• 38 kg (84 lb) of structural components and other hardware
• 192 kg (423 lb) of NASA cargo.

Undocking and decay

The Progress MS-12 craft undocked from ISS on 29 November 2019 at 10:25 UTC, initiated braking maneuver at 13:39 UTC, re-entered Earth's atmosphere at 14:11 UTC (end of mission), with any remaining debris impacting a remote part of Pacific Ocean at 14:19 UTC.^[3]

See also

• Uncrewed spaceflights to the International Space Station