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Progress-M-VDU 14, 38 (11F615A55, 7KTGM)

Progress-M 48 [NASA]
Progress-M-VDU similar

Two units of the standard Progress-M craft were modified as the Progress-M-VDU to carry the VDU thruster units to the space station Mir.

The Progress cargo module is similar in construction to the Soyuz orbital module. The cargo module carries pressurized cargo which the crew transfers into the station through the docking hatch. After the cargo module is unloaded, trash, unwanted equipment, and waste water can be loaded into the Progress for disposal when the spacecraft leaves the Station.

In place of the Soyuz descent module, the Progress has a module containing propellant tanks. For this special modification, the propellant module was replaced by a special structure to carry the VDU thruster module. This was removed by the cosmonauts during a EVA to be mounted on the Sofora mast. Due to this modification, these two Progress-M craft did not carry fuel for the space station.

The Progress instrument-service module is similar to the module on Soyuz but the pressurized instrument section is twice as long and contains additional avionics equipment. The larger instrument section carries avionics which would be contained in the descent module in the case of the Soyuz.

Nation: Russia
Type / Application: Cargo
Operator: RKK → RAKA
Contractors:
Equipment:
Configuration:
Propulsion: KTDU-80 (S5.80)
Power: 2 deployable fixed solar arrays, batteries
Lifetime:
Mass: 7250 kg
Orbit:
Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
Progress-M 14 (№209) 1992-055A 15.08.1992 Ba LC-31/6 Soyuz-U2 with VBK-Raduga 6, VDU 1
Progress-M 38 (№240) 1998-015A 14.03.1998 Ba LC-1/5 Soyuz-U with VDU 2

References:

  • NASA website

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