RSC Energia: 39 years of the first flight of “cargo truck” Progress

RSC Energia: 39 years of the first flight of 'cargo truck' Progress

January 20, 2016

The very same day 39 years ago, on January 20, 1978, launch vehicle Soyuz carrying the first automatic transport cargo vehicle (TCV) Progress-1 was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome.

The first space 'cargo truck' delivered scientific hardware, crew life support system and fuel components for the propulsion system to the Soviet orbital station Salyut-6. The lift-off mass of the vehicle was 7020 kg, the delivered cargo mass was 2300 kg.

Upon completion of the mission, hardware units with depleted service life, household and other waste were stowed in the cargo compartment. The vehicle undocked from the station and started a short-term free flight, which ended in deorbiting and submersion in the targeted point of the Pacific Ocean.

In terms of design, Progress-1 consisted of three compartments. The volume of the pressurized cargo compartment equipped with a docking assembly was 6.6 m. To reduce the unloading time all small-size cargo items were placed in containers and large-size equipment and instruments were mounted on a special frame. Four fuel tanks, compressed air and nitrogen bottles, sensors, alarm warning devices were installed inside the refueling components compartment. Antennas of radio systems, optical devices, sensors, attitude and motion control system thrusters, light-beam indexes and two television cameras were installed externally on Progress-1.

When developing Progress-1 devices, assemblies and structural elements of Soyuz manned spacecraft were widely used, but in general it was a new space vehicle designed for other purposes.

Throughout history, transport cargo vehicles Progress have been subject to many upgrades, and today they are successfully used for space transportation and engineering support of the International Space Station.

New series Progress MS vehicles are currently being operated. A single command and telemetry system with an additional telemetry channel was installed in these vehicles. A new command radio link receives signals via relay satellites Luch-5, such that the vehicle coverage zones are extended to 70% of the orbit time period. The vehicles are equipped with state-of-art onboard electronic rendezvous and docking system Kurs-NA and digital television system. The onboard equipment of upgraded Progress MS vehicles includes a new RSC Energia-developed digital standby circuit control unit, an upgraded angular-rate sensor unit BDUS-3A and light-emitting-diode headlight SFOK.

Thanks to the new ground and onboard radio systems it is now possible to use modern data transmission protocols, resulting in improved stability of the vehicle control system operation.

RSC Energia: the leader in the rocket and space industry, and the prime contractor for manned space systems. The Corporation conducts work on the development of unmanned space and rocket systems (launch vehicles and orbital transfer vehicles), and high-technology systems for various non-space applications. Since August 2014, the Corporation is headed by Vladimir Lvovich Solntsev.

SC ROSCOSMOS is a State Corporation that was established in August 2015 to implement a comprehensive reform of the Russian space industry. State Space Corporation ROSCOSMOS ensures the implementation of the Russian government's space program and its legal regulation. ROSCOSMOS is also placing orders for the development, manufacture and supply of space equipment and space infrastructure objects. The state corporation is also responsible for international space cooperation and arranging conditions for the future use of results of space activities in the social and economic development of Russia.

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