"Progress M-16M" completed a flight in the Pacific Ocean

On February 9, at 21.05 Moscow time, in the estimated area of ​​the southern part of the Pacific Ocean, the inconsistent residues of the transport cargo ship (TGK) “Progress M-16M” were flooded.

At 20.19 Moscow time, in accordance with the program laid in the ship’s on -board computer by specialists of the Flight Management Center (TsPU), FSUE TsNIIMASH, the “space truck” was included in the “space truck” for braking, after which the controlled information of TGK from the orbit began.

The Progress M-16M started to the international space station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on August 1, 2012, delivering a load of food, fuel, water and necessary equipment, the press service of Roscosmos reports.

This was the first in the history of flights to the orbital stations "Fast Fill". It should be noted that for the first time the docking with the ISS was made on the first day after the launch, it usually occurs on the second or third day (“two- or three-day scheme”). This time, Progress came up with the station already at the fourth round of flight.

Earlier in the history of cosmonautics, quick docks produced the Cosmos -186 and Cosmos 188 ships (such as Soyuz, in unmanned test flight) after 77 minutes and Cosmos 212 and Cosmos 213 (the same type) - 38 minutes after the excretion of the second ship.

It is planned that in the future both the Progress ships and the manned unions will be transferred to a new fast scheme.