World Watching After Five Failed Russian Missions In 2011

The International Space Station got a delivery of supllies including water and fuel Saturday, as a Russian Progress M-14M unmanned capsule docked with the station in orbit. The Progress ship had launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan early Thursday, and arrived at its destination at 0008Z, according to mission control sources quoted by AFP News.

The Russian space program has come under increased scrutiny of late, following five failed missions in 2011. In October, following a three-month hiatus in the Progress supply flights, investigators pinned blame for a failed supply mission in August on negligence within the program, after a Soyuz launch vehicle failed at stage separation three minutes after liftoff from Baikonur, causing the Progress supply ship it was carrying to crash in Siberia.

Until commercial services prove ready to provide supply and crew rotation missions to the International Space Station, the world is dependent on the Russian program for transport. The station normally carries a crew of six.

FMI: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/01/progress-m-14m-launch-iss-m-13m-de-orbits-satellite-deploy/