The pre-flight preparation of the Transport Cargo Ship “Progress MS-18” continues on the Baikonur cosmodrome to launch under the program of the 79th Logistics Mission of the International Space Station.
Today, October 20, 2021, in the installation and test case of the site No. 254 Specialists Rocket and Space Corporation “Energy” named after S.P. Queen (part of the state corporation “Roscosmos”) and profile enterprises of Roskosmos made a complex of technological operations on docking the ship “Progress MS-18” with a transition compartment of the third stage of the carrier missile.
It is part of the cosmic head, providing a mechanical communication of the ship with a head fairing and integrating the MS-18 Progress Command Interface in the Soyuz-2.1A-2.1a “rocket control system. After the completion of the docking works, the inspection inclusions of the onboard radiotechnical complex and other service systems were held.
On the eve of the ship’s cargo compartment, about 1,490 kg of various equipment and materials were laid, including resource equipment and tools for extracurricular activities, medical controls and sanitary and hygienic support, clothing items, standard diet and fresh products for crew members 66 – I am the main expedition, as well as laying for cosmic experiments “Matreshka-R”, “Biomag-M”, “Aseptic”, “Structure” and “Photobioreactor”. In addition, 560 kg of fuel of refueling, 420 liters of drinking water in the tanks of the Spring system and 43 kg of compressed air in the cylinders of the oxygen supply agents should be delivered to the ISS.
Start of the Soyuz-2.1A carrier missile with transport freight ship “Progress MS-18” is scheduled for the end of October 2021 from the Baikonur cosmodrome.