The Russian cargo spacecraft «Progress MS-31» has successfully docked with the «Poisk» module of the International Space Station (ISS). The docking process was broadcast live by Roscosmos.
The «Progress MS-31» was launched aboard a Soyuz-2.1a rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on July 3rd at 22:32 Moscow time. A few minutes later, the spacecraft reached low Earth orbit. The journey to the station followed the standard two-day rendezvous profile, during which «Progress MS-31» completed 34 orbits around the Earth. The spacecraft is scheduled to remain on orbit for a total of 167 days.
The cargo ship delivered a significant amount of vital supplies to the station`s crew. This included 950 kilograms of fuel for refueling the ISS, 50 kilograms of nitrogen to maintain the station`s atmosphere, and 420 kilograms of drinking water. In addition, the spacecraft carried food, clothing, and hygiene and medical supplies for the astronauts and cosmonauts.
Equipment and consumables for station system upgrades and planned maintenance, as well as materials for space research and experiments, totaling over half a ton, were also transported by «Progress MS-31». Specifically, the spacecraft brought inventory for experiments known as `Impulse`, `Mirage`, `Fullerene`, `Biopolymer`, `Virtual`, `Splanchn`, `Biodegradation`, `Orbita-MG`, and `Separation`.
Previously, the «Poisk» module was docked with the «Progress MS-29» spacecraft. That ship arrived at the station on November 23, 2024, and undocked on July 1st, after which it was deorbited and burned up in the atmosphere, with its heat-resistant components falling into a non-navigable area of the Pacific Ocean.
The launch of the Soyuz-2.1a rocket carrying the cargo ship was Russia`s eighth space launch in 2025 and the second launch of a «Progress» series vehicle this year. Another «Progress» spacecraft, «Progress MS-30», is currently docked to the «Zvezda» module. The third Russian spacecraft part of the ISS is the piloted «Soyuz MS-27», which delivered Russian cosmonauts Sergei Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, along with American astronaut Johnny Kim, to the station on April 8th.
