[FPSPACE] Baikonur almost ready to launch Progress M-53 to ISS

[Jim Oberg]

Jim asks: sometimes there is a fact-filled detailed pdf pamphlet
in Russian and English about the 'next-to-go' Progress mission,
on a Russian official website. Has anybody seen the one for THIS flight?


Baikonur almost ready to launch Progress M-53 to ISS
14.06.2005, 17.12

MOSCOW, June 14 (Itar-Tass) -- Baikonur is almost ready to launch a Progress
cargo spaceship to the International Space Station (ISS). A state commission
permitted to install the freighter on the launching pad on Tuesday, a source
in the Federal Space Agency told Itar-Tass.
"A Soyuz-U rocket with the Progress M-53 cargo spaceship is ready for being
transported to the launching pad. It is planned to begin the installation
early on Wednesday morning," the source said.
The Progress launch is scheduled for 3:09 a.m. Moscow on June 17. The
freighter will deliver fuel, equipment, food, water and oxygen to the ISS.
"Spares for the Elektron oxygen generation system, which has been having
problems, will be delivered as well," the source said. All in all, the
freighter will have about 2.5 tonnes of cargo onboard.
Four launches to the ISS from Baikonur are planned before the end of this
year - the spaceport will launch one Soyuz-TMA manned spaceship and three
Progress freighters, the source said.
There have been two successful launches in 2005. A Soyuz delivered a new
crew to the ISS in April, and a Progress was launched in February. The
Progress M-52 and litter from the ISS will drown in the Pacific Ocean on
June 16 to prepare the Station for docking with the Progress M-53.