Progress 93 Cargo Ship Launch – Thursday, September 11, 2025

The uncrewed Roscosmos Progress 90 cargo spacecraft launched to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Sept. 11 on a Soyuz booster rocket. Progress is filled with nearly three tons of supplies and cargo and will dock to the Zvezda Service Module on Sept. 13. Join NASA as we go forward to the Moon and on to Mars -- discover the latest on Earth, the Solar System and beyond with a weekly update in your inbox. Subscribe at: https://www.nasa.gov/subscribe

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Derrol: you are looking live at the baikonor cosmodrome in the central asian desert with a three-stage 1a booster stands fully fueled ready to launch less than 24 minutes from now on a delivery run to send some 2. 8 tons of food, fuel and supplies to the expedition 3 crew aboard the international space station. Good day from mission control in houston and the international space station flight control room. The soyuz booster was fueled for launch several hours ago. On this late summer evening, it is 70degrees fahrenheit.

Partly cloudy skies over the central asian launch site as the countdown is proceeding on track for a liftoff at 10:54:06a. m. Central time. 8:54:06p. m.

Baikonur time this evening. It is obviously dark at baikonur. Sunset was 1:50 ago once the candle is lit on the soyuz 2. 1a booster will be 8:40 ride to deliver the progress into the preliminary orbit about 125miles above the earth at which point the spacecraft's solar arrays navigational antennas will deploy in a stair step fashion the progress will conduct an automated rendezvous with a series of engine firings programmed into its onboard computers to enable it to arrive in the vicinity of the international space station on saturday afternoon for an automated docking of to the aft port of the zvezda service module the docking is schedule at 12:27p. m.

Central time. The soyuz booster as is commonly the case rolled out of the integration facility at site 31 on monday morning. It rolled to the pad a short distance away horizontally on a railcar, at which point it was vertically raised by hydraulics to the current position to enable technicians to hook up data lines, fuel line, electrical lines in the final several days of processing that has let us to this point, where the countdown is about at the t- 2100 minute mark before liftoff. The aft port of zvezda which will be the port of call for arrival of the unpiloted roscosmos progress 3 cargo craft on saturday. That docking port was vacated on tuesday with the undocking and deorbit of the old 91 progress vehicle that arrived back in march completed the six-month mission, it undocked and several hours later conducted deorbit burn to harmlessly burn up in the earth's atmosphere over the ocean so the aft port of zvezda is ready to accept the new 3 progress cargo craft and its hall of 5,546pounds of food, fuel and supplies for the crew onboard the international space station.

That crew is led by roscosmos cosmonaut sergey ryzhikov. He is in the center of the screen. From left to right oleg platonov, ryzhikov, alexey zubritsky and kimiya yui. In the front row mike fincke on the left and zena cardman on the right. That is the crew.

The countdown highlights are this point are fairly straightforward for the launch of the soyuz booster at the t- 7 minute mark about 12. 5 minutes from now, a launch key will be inserted into the launch bunker at the launch bunker in baikonur. That is a real key transitioning the launch sequences to the final automated mode for the final minutes of the countdown. At the t- 5:30 mark in the count, the launch control at the bunker in baikonur will report that the range is clear. The soyuz rocket is ready to begin its journey.

About a minute and a half later at the t minus 4 minute mark onboard systems will have been switched to onboard control and a few seconds by removing vapors of fuel and oxidizer. Just two minutes and 45 seconds from launch, the booster tanks will be pressurized for flight optimizing the flow of fuel helping to add structure to the rocket on the launchpad. At the t- 1:30 mark in the count, the ground feed will be terminated the soyuz will be on internal power and about at the minus 1 minute mark. There are two umbilicals that are buttressed up against the side of the soyuz 1. A booster they provide the servicing capabilities for the booster once it rolls out to the launchpad.

The first of those two umbilicals will retract at the t- 30 second mark, followed by 15 seconds later, by the disconnection and retraction of the second of the two umbilicals that will initiate the launch command for auto sequence start of the engine ignition, the engines will come up to flight speed, the pull down arms will retract and the soyuz booster will be on the way, again, launch time is scheduled at 10:54:06a. m. Central time. 8:54p. m.

Baikonur time. The timeline once again for those who pay attention to the fine-tuning of the details of that, once the soyuz liftoffs it will arc out to the northeast on the inclined 51. 6degrees to either side of the equator matching inclination of the orbit of the international space station. The time of launch as with all vehicles that are launched to the space station is measured by the moment that the launchpad wherever it may be is in line with the orbital plain or trajectory, basically, the lane on the freeway, if you look at it that way, that the approaching vehicle will launch into moving into a corridor to match the inclination of the earth's rotation and the inclination of the orbit of the international space station. 1:50 after launch, the first stage of the soyuz booster will separate, at the 3:03 into the flight.

The launch shroud and enveloping the progress itself will be jettisoned and at the 4:37 mark into the flight, the second stage of the soyuz 1 point a booster will shutdown. About 10 seconds after that, the skirt and the encompassing the third stage of the soyuz will be jettisoned that will remain the case for about the last three minutes and 46 seconds of powered flight on the singular power of the soyuz's third stage engine. 8:46 after launch, the third stage will shutdown, three seconds later, the progress will separate from the soyuz booster, and that will be followed seconds later by solar array and navigational antenna deployed, the progress then will be on the way to conduct a series of preprogrammed engine firings to increase the altitude matching that of the international space station ultimately resulting in arrival in the neighborhood of the space station on saturday afternoon for its final approach and the link-up to the aft port of the zvezda service module. We are now at t- counting. Against the countdown has gone smoothly.

You see the venting of liquid oxygen from the first stage of the soyuz booster. This is typical of any countdown for a soyuz on the launchpad. This progress is scheduled to be at the international space station for about the next six months. It will depart shortly before the next soyuz crew is launched to the station that will comprise of nasa's chris williams, along with sergey ryzhikov. They will be the soyuz ms-28 crew that will fly to the international space station to begin the eight month visit on the orbital outpost.

Jonny kim and his crew mates sergey ryzhikov and alexey zubritsky scheduled to return to earth on the soyuz ms-27 on december9th. As mentioned earlier, this is the first of two scheduled cargo flights to the international space station over the next three days. Down in florida, the northrup grumman cygnus spacecraft is being prepared on its spacex falcon rocket for its liftoff from pad 40 at the cape canaveral space force station on sunday afternoon. Cygnus will arrive at the space station next wednesday september17th for a grapple by the canardarm2 robotic arm that will be operated by jonny kim and zena cardman. They will grapple cygnus and remove it in place for installation on the nadir or earth-facing port.

This is an extended cygnus spacecraft for the first time launching on a falcon rocket capable of carrying in excess of 11,000pounds of cargo, so between the two vehicles, almost 17,000pounds of cargo progress and cygnus soon to be delivered to the international complex. We are inside t- 13 minutes and counting against the countdown proceeding smoothly about six and a half minutes away from the first major milestone in the terminal count which will be the launch key being inserted if the launch bunker. Once the progress automatically dockings on saturday to the aft port of the zvezda service module. Sergey ryzhikov and alexey zubritsky will carry the lion share of the work to conduct leak checks on both sides of the docking interface at the aft end of the russian segment of the station. Before opening of the hatch and loading the highest priority car ge onboard, one of the elements being carried onboard is a new spacesuit to be warn on future russian spacewalks, but again, the .

8 tons of food, fuel, supplies carry a variety of items including favorite foods for the crewmembers onboard the international space station as well as oxygen nitrogen, water, along with spare parts that are common for any progress delivery run to the orbital outpost. We are now inside of the t- 11 minute mark in the countdown, no issues being reported from the block house in baikonur. Rob: once again a good view on launchpad 6 site 31 in kazakhstan. If you are just joining us, we are at t- 9:50 into the count. Everything proceeding on track.

It will be 8:49 ride to its preliminary orbit for the progress 93 cargo craft after its separate interests the third or upper stage of the soyuz 2. 1a booster. The progress will automatically deploy the navigational antennas to begin its 34 orbit rendezvous. And a drone view of site 31 at the baikonur cosmodrome. Coming up on the t- 8:30 in the count.

There is a good view of the launchpad flame trench. Once again, in the last minute of the countdown, you can just barely make it out, but at the side of the soyuz booster are two umbilical towers that provide servicing to the vehicle for its three days of progressing once it reaches the launchpad following roll-out. The first of the two umbilicals will retract at the t- 30 second mark the continued of the two umbilicals retracts at t- 15 seconds that initiates the engine firings or the auto sequence start for engine ignition and ultimately liftoff once the engines reach flight speed. Once the engines reach flight speed. T- 7:30 and counting.

The ascent phase of this mission is under control of the launch conductor in baikonur. Once the progress separates from the upper stage of the soyuz booster control of the rest of the flight of progress to the station progress to the station is conducted boo the russian mission control center located on the outskirts of moscow in the town of korolyov. There is a good view, a live view of that international space station flight control room in korolyov from a balcony camera. Down in boikonur. The launch key has been inserted in the launch bunker transitioning to the automatic mode for the final stages of the terminal count.

T- 6 minutes and counting. The bunker in baikonur reports the range is clear, the soyuz rocket now ready to begin its journey. It is fully fueled, ready to begin an8 minute journey. Approaching t my us in 5 minutes. Mark t- five minutes and counting.

And the fuel lines are now being purged with nitrogen, fireproofing them by removing vapors of fuel and oxidizer. With everything going per the timeline, we are now at t- 4 and counting onboard systems have been switched to the onboard control. Coming up on the t- 3 minute mark. All ready for on-time liftoff at 10:54:06a. m.

Central time. 8:54:06p. m. Baikonur time. Now 2 my us in 45 seconds the ground propellant feed has been terminated to the vehicle.

We are standing by for the pressurization of the booster tanks. Count, the ground speed will be terminated the soyuz will be on soyuz booster on internal power. And the booster tanks on schedule are being pressurized t- 2:10 and counting. Inside two minutes. We are now at t- one minute and counting.

We are about 20 seconds a he way from the retraction of the first of those two umbilicals t- 45 seconds and counting. And there goes the retraction of the first of the two umbilicals we are a few seconds away the second umbilical that will initiate engine sequence start. T- 20 and counting. And the second umbilical retracking. The engine sequence started.

The engines coming up to flight speed. T- 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Pull-down arms retracted. We have liftoff of the 93 progress resupply ship to the international space station. The soyuz booster has cleared the tower.

20 second has the flight. All perimeters are normal. Pitch in. The booster arcing out to the northeast over the central asian desert. 35 into the flight.

Good first stage performance were from the block house in baikonur. Of good stable vehicle performance. All engine perimeters are in normal range. The combustion pressure is nominal on the first stage. 1:05 into the flight.

Pitch and roll all reported to be nominal from the block house in baikonur. Coming up on pressure from the soyuz booster, 1:30 into the flight. 1:40 into the flight all vehicle perimeters reported to be normal. Standing by for first stage separation. And we have first stage separation.

Strap on boosters falling away second stage now in control16:00 into the plight. Everything reported to be normal. Good trajectory on the soyuz booster. All structural perimeters report to be normal. 2:0050 into the flight.

2:35 into the flight. Good reports coming back from the block house in baikonur as we approach the 3 minute mark into the flight. Good stability on the vehicle, good engine performance from the second stage. Confirmation now of the jettisoning of the launch shroud that has enveloped the progress itself. 3:27 into the flight.

3:40 into the flight. A little over 5 minutes of power flight remaining. Good reporting coming back on vehicle performance. The flight is to be right down the line, right on the prelaunch perimeters for the trajectory of the soyuz booster. And now we are getting video of the camera on the upper stage of the soyuz booster.

4:10 into the flight. The awe, pitch and roll all reported to be normal. Good structural stability on the soyuz booster. 4:30 into the flight. Coming up on second stage shutdown and jettisoning.

Second stage jettison. Third stage up and rubbing. The third stage skirt was just jettisoned as you saw. 5:10 into the flight. About 3:40 of powered flight remaining.

The vehicle reported to have good stability, good structural support. Good third stage performance reported from baikonur. We are 5:45 into the flight. A little over three minutes of powered flight remaining. This third stage engine providing about 30-tons of thrust for the duration of its burn.

We are expecting third stage shutdown at the 8:46 mark into the night about 2. 5 minutes from now. Good pitch and roll. 6:47 into the flight. Two minutes of powered flight remaining.

Everything look good on the soyuz booster. Had a momentarily loss of video are the third stage camera on the soyuz that view is now back as we hit the 7:15 mark into the flight about one and a half minutes of powered flight remaining. Third stage engine continues to hum along in good shape. Good stability on the vehicle. Seven and a half minutes into the flight.

Good structural perimeters being reported by the engineers in baikonur as we approach the 8 minute mark into the flight. 8:10 into the flight. We are 40 seconds a I way from third stage shutdown and separation. We are standing by for third stage shutdown and spacecraft separation. Third stage shutdown now confirmed.

And third stage separation. And we have confirmation the and ten have been deployed as planned so it wases a nominal uneventful ascent for the soyuz booster, liftoff at 10:54:06a. m. Central time. 8:54p.

m. At the launch site in baikonur, all three stages of the soyuz performed as advertised placing the progress in its preliminary orbit about 125miles above the earth. With the solar arrays and navigational antennas having been deployed. Next up is the activation of the external camera. You see this now the cross haired engineering view that will come into play in earnest on saturday when the progress is in the final phase of the approach for the automated docking to the aft port of the zvezda service module.

The progress will execute a preprogrammed sequence of engine firings to incrementally increase the altitude to match that of the international space station placing it in the comparable orbit of the station. Terminal phase of the 34 orbit rendezvous that will lead to the arrival on saturday afternoon. Again, everything went by the book, a perfectly normal ascent for the soyuz. Placing the progress now in its preliminary orbit for the delivery run of 2. 8 tons of food, fuel and supplies for the expedition 736 crew.

So with the soyuz on its way, control of the flight of the progress now in the hands of the russian flight controllers that you see there at the russian mission control center on the outskirts of moscow in the town of korolyov. They will be primed for all of the vehicle functions of the progress leading up to its automated docking on saturday afternoon. We will be back on the air on saturday at 11:30a. m. Central time.

12:30p. m. Eastern time for our rendezvous and dock coverage with the automated link-up to zvezda scheduled at 12:27p. m. Central.

1:27p. m. Eastern time. Once again, a perfect launch, a nominal ascent for the soyuz booster. The progress 93 cargo craft on the way for a safety rendezvous with the international space station.

Until then, until our coverage on saturday afternoon we'll bid you a good thursday afternoon

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