The Progress-MS is an uncrewed freighter based on the Progress-M featuring improved avionics. This improved variant first launched on 21 December 2015. It has the following improvements:[2][3][4]
New external compartment that enables it to deploy satellites. Each compartment can hold up to four launch containers. First time installed on Progress MS-03.
Enhanced redundancy thanks to the addition of a backup system of electrical motors for the docking and sealing mechanism.
Improved Micrometeoroid (MMOD) protection with additional panels in the cargo compartment.
Luch Russian relay satellites link capabilities enable telemetry and control even when not in direct view of ground radio stations.
GNSS autonomous navigation enables real time determination of the status vector and orbital parameters dispensing with the need of ground station orbit determination.
Real time relative navigation thanks to direct radio data exchange capabilities with the space station.
New digital radio that enables enhanced TV camera view for the docking operations.
The Ukrainian Chezara Kvant-V on board radio system and antenna/feeder system has been replaced with a Unified Command Telemetry System (UCTS).
Replacement of the Kurs A with Kurs NA digital system.
Progress MS-08 docked on 15 February 2018 with the aft docking port of the Zvezda module, at 10:38 UTC.[1][5]
Cargo
The Progress MS-08 spacecraft delivered 2,494 kg of cargo and supplies to the International Space Station.
The following is a breakdown of cargo bound for the ISS:[3][5]
Dry cargo: 1,390 kg
Fuel: 890 kg
Oxygen and Air: 46 kg
Water: 430 kg
Progress MS-08 also includes two nanosatellites: Tanyusha YuZGU-3 (1998-067PJ) and Tanyusha YuZGU-4 (1998-067PK) (a.k.a. Radioskaf RS-8 and Radioskaf RS-9) with a mass of 2.5 kg, which was developed jointly by RKK Energia and students at the South-Western State University, YuZGU, in the city of Kursk. The satellites will be launched by spacewalking cosmonauts.
Undocking and decay
Undocking on 23 August 2018, at 02:16 UTC. And decay in the atmosphere and its debris entered the Pacific Ocean, on 30 August 2018.
References
^ abcChris Gebhardt; William Graham; Chris Bergin (15 February 2018). "Progress MS-08 docks with ISS". NASASpaceflight.com. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
^Krebs, Gunter (1 December 2015). "Progress-MS 01-19". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 16 November 2018.
^ ab"Progress MS-08 2018-019A". NSSDCA. NASA. 13 February 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^Zak, Anatoly (13 February 2018). "Progress-MS". Russian Space Web. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
^ abZak, Anatoly (15 February 2018). "Progress MS-08 arrives at ISS". russianspaceweb.com. Russian Space Web. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
Launches are separated by dots ( • ), payloads by commas ( , ), multiple names for the same satellite by slashes ( / ). Crewed flights are underlined. Launch failures are marked with the † sign. Payloads deployed from other spacecraft are (enclosed in parentheses).