The Russian Progress 72 cargo spacecraft has been successfully launched carrying more than three and a half tons of food, fuel and supplies for the International Space Station (ISS).

The Soyuz 2 carrying the Progress 72 spacecraft was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 11:01 UTC (16:01 local time) this morning. Following a successful launch, NASA officials confirmed that the spacecraft had reached its preliminary orbit and had deployed its navigational antennas and solar arrays as planned.

Loaded with three tons of food, fuel and supplies for the residents of the @Space_Station, the Progress cargo spacecraft lifted off at 7:01am ET from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Watch: https://t.co/ZuxLDtzW9c pic.twitter.com/UjgFWBKZS9 — NASA (@NASA) April 4, 2019

Included in the cargo of the Progress 72 spacecraft is 47 kilograms of oxygen and air, 420 kilograms of water, 1,413 kilograms of spare parts and equipment, and 1,530 kilograms of propellant. The spare parts launched aboard the spacecraft will be used during an Expedition 59 spacewalk currently scheduled for Monday, April 8.

The Progress 72 spacecraft is expected to begin docking with the station’s Pirs docking compartment at 14:24 UTC today following a two-orbit rendezvous.

Two more ISS resupply missions are expected to liftoff this month with both additional flights to be launched from US soil. The first will be launched aboard an Antares rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on April 17. This will be followed by the launch of a SpaceX cargo Dragon spacecraft from Cape Canaveral a week later.





