MOSCOW, February 22. /TASS/. Russia’s cargo spacecraft Progress MS-05, orbited earlier on Wednesday, has set course towards the International Space Station, Mission Control near Moscow has told TASS.
#ПрогрессМС05: есть выключение двигателей и отделение боковых блоков ракеты-носителя. pic.twitter.com/pFs7DqA29k
— РОСКОСМОС (@roscosmos) 22 February 2017
"The cargo space vehicle separated from the third stage of the Soyuz-U rocket," the source said.
The spacecraft entered into the designated orbit and its antenna and solar cell panels have been unfolded.
"All external elements of the spaceship have been activated as expected," Mission Control spokesman said.
The Soyuz-U rocket blasted off from the Baikonur space site in Kazakhstan at 08:58 Moscow time. It was the last launch of this space rocket in its flight history. All other cargo spacecraft will be launched towards the ISS by Soyuz-2.1a rockets.
Progress MS-05 will bring to the ISS about 2.5 tonnes of various cargoes, including fuel, water and air, as well as research equipment, medicines and hygiene products.