MOSCOW, August 21 (AVN) -- The Progress-M1 automatic transport cargo spacecraft was launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome on Tuesday, a spokesman for the Space Troops Staff told the Military News Agency.
The spacecraft was launched by the Soyuz-U (11A511U) booster rocket at 13.23 Moscow time (0923 GMT), the spokesman said. Its mission is to dock to the International Space Station (ISS).
The launch was effected by specialists of the 1st testing centre under the General Machine-Building Design Bureau, a part of the Russian Aviation and Space Agency. Combat crews of the Space Troops controlled the spacecraft's putting in target object and are currently maintaining stable telemetric communication with it. They will control Progress while it is in orbit.
According to the spokesman, the spacecraft will deliver a stock of fuel, water, air and other life support products to the ISS crew that comprises two Russians. Besides, it has on board equipment necessary for holding scientific experiments at the station.
According to the Space Troops main centre of tests and spacecraft control, the launch was effected in the regular regime. The spacecraft separated from the last stage of the booster rocket and entered the target orbit at 13.30 Moscow time (0930 GMT). The orbit's maximum altitude is 244.96km, minimal altitude 192.98km, declination 51.665 degrees and revolution period 88.59 minutes.
The spacecraft is to dock with the ISS at 22.00 Moscow time (1800 GMT) on Wednesday.