Progress M-12M

This article is about the failed cargo mission to the International Space Station. For the periodic comet, see44P/Reinmuth.

Progress M-12M

A Progress-M spacecraft
Mission type	ISSresupply
Operator	Roskosmos
Mission duration	Failed to orbit
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	Progress-Ms/n 412
Manufacturer	RKK Energia
Start of mission
Launch date	24 August 2011, 13:00:11 UTC
Rocket	Soyuz-U
Launch site	Baikonur,Site 1/5
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric (Failed to orbit)
Regime	Low Earth
Inclination	51.6°
Epoch	24 August 2011
Docking withISS
Docking port	Zvezda(planned)
Docking date	26 August 2011, 14:40 UTC
Undocking date	5 March 2012
Time docked	192 days
Cargo
Mass	2670 kg
Pressurised	1204 kg (dry cargo)
Fuel	996 kg
Gaseous	50 kg (oxygen)
Water	420 kg
Progress ISS Resupply

Progress M-12M(Russian:Прогресс М-12М), identified byNASAasProgress 44P,was an uncrewedProgressspacecraft that was lost in a launch failure on 24 August 2011, at the start of a mission to resupply theInternational Space Station.It was the twelfth modernisedProgress-Mspacecraft to be launched. Manufactured byRKK Energia,the spacecraft was to have been operated by theRussian Federal Space Agency.

Planned mission

A Progress spacecraft

Progress M-12M's planned mission had included resupplying ISS with 2670 kg of supplies, including oxygen, food and fuel. The planned mission also included threerebooststo the ISS.

Progress M-12M was due to dock with the aft port of theZvezdamodule of the International Space Station at around 14:40 UTC on 26 August 2011, just over two days after launch.It would have remained docked for six months, before undocking on 5 March 2012.

Cargo

Progress M-12M was carrying 2,670 kilograms (5,890 lb) of cargo to the International Space Station. This included 420 kilograms (930 lb) of water, 50 kilograms (110 lb) of oxygen, and 996 kilograms (2,196 lb) of fuel. Of the fuel, 746 kilograms (1,645 lb) would have been used to refuel the ISS, and the remaining 250 kilograms would have been expended by the Progress spacecraft whilst docked, in its three reboost manoeuvres.

The spacecraft also contained 1,204 kilograms (2,654 lb) of dry cargo, which consisted of parts for the station's air, water, power, lighting and thermal regulation systems, its control panels, and power supply system. Amongst the rest of the cargo was a further 4 kilograms (8.8 lb) of spare parts, 94 kilograms (207 lb) of hygiene supplies, 17 kilograms (37 lb) of protective equipment for the crew, 267 kilograms (589 lb) of food and 66 kilograms (146 lb) of medical and personal hygiene supplies, including air purification systems and new clothes for the crew. The spacecraft would also have delivered 139 kilograms (306 lb) of personal supplies for the crew, including letters, parcels and cameras. Of this, 37 kilograms (82 lb) was for the entire crew, and the remaining 102 kilograms (225 lb) was for the Russian crewmembers only.

Equipment to be installed in the various modules of the ISS was also aboard the Progress, with 31 kilograms (68 lb) to be installed in theZaryamodule, 10 kilograms (22 lb) forPirs,77 kilograms (170 lb) forRassvet,and 367 kilograms (809 lb) for installation in US modules. A further 38 kilograms (84 lb) of the cargo consisted of twelve scientific experiments to be performed aboard the station.

Launch failure

Progress M-12M was launched by aSoyuz-Ucarrier rocket, flying fromArea 1/5of theBaikonur Cosmodrome.Liftoff occurred at 13:00:11 UTC on 24 August 2011.

Approximately 325 seconds into flight, a malfunction was detected in theRD-0110engine powering theBlok Ithird stage of the Soyuz-U rocket, which caused the onboard computer to terminate the flight throughthrust termination.As a result, the vehicle failed to achieve orbit, reentering over theAltai Republicregion ofRussia.It was the first failure of a Progress spacecraft since launches began in 1978,and the third consecutive orbital launch failure worldwide, following the failures ofEkspress-AM4andShijian XI-04less than a week prior.

As a precaution, the launch of aGLONASSsatellite on aSoyuz-2.1b/Fregat,which had been scheduled for 26 August 2011, was delayed until the engines could be inspected.

On 9 September 2011, theFKAannounced that the loss was caused by a blocked fuel duct, which caused the engines to shut down prematurely.The failure was not expected to have any immediate effect on the crew of theInternational Space Station,as the outpost was stocked with reserves of food, water andoxygen.The spacecraft was insured for three billionrubles(US$103 million).

See also

• 2011 in spaceflight
• List of Progress flights
• Uncrewed spaceflights to the International Space Station