Progress 38 docks with ISS after aborted first attempt

by Stevie Smith - Jul 5 2010, 12:09

After failing to connect with the International Space Station two days ago, the Russian cargo freighter ‘Progress 38’ has now successfully completed its docking procedure some 220 miles above the Earth.

“The Progress cargo vessel docked at 2017 (12:17 a.m. EDT),” said mission control spokesman Valery Lyndin. “Everything went smoothly.”

Launched on June 30, the unmanned Progress 38 spacecraft (vehicle designation M-06M) is delivering some 2.6 tons of food, fuel and other important supplies to the orbiting station’s complement of six astronauts.

An initial docking attempt made on Friday went awry following a malfunction in the docking system saw the inbound freighter float past the station.

Russian flight controllers have indicated that the first effort was aborted due to a problematic link between with the Telerobotically Operated Rendezvous Unit (TORU) remote control system aboard the space station and a television camera attached to the incoming vessel.

The station and freighter were separated by a distance of around 300kms over the weekend while mission officials worked out a way to sidestep the remotely controlled approach and instead complete the docking by using the autonomous Kurs navigational system aboard the Progress cargo ship.

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