On April 24, a Russian cargo ship successfully entered orbit just 9 minutes after being launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, marking Russia’s first cargo launch of the year.
According to the Mission Control Center located outside Moscow, the Progress M-56 spacecraft lifted off at 20:03 local time (16:03 UTC). It reached its designated orbit 9 minutes after launch. At an altitude of approximately 200 kilometers above sea level, the Progress M-56 separated from the Soyuz-U rocket to continue its journey to the International Space Station (ISS).
The Progress M-56 is carrying over 2.5 tons of cargo, including fuel, potable water, oxygen, fresh fruits and vegetables, and essential supplies needed to sustain life on the ISS. It also includes gifts for the 13th Russian-American crew currently working on the station since early April.
The Progress M-56 is expected to dock with the ISS today (April 26).
According to the plan, Russia will launch three more cargo ships and a crewed Soyuz spacecraft to transport the crew of the 14th expedition to the ISS by the end of the year.
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