Progress M-15 (Russian: Прогресс М-15) was a Russian uncrewed cargo spacecraft which was launched in 1992 to resupply the Mir space station.[2] The thirty-third of sixty-four Progress spacecraft to visit Mir, it used the Progress-M 11F615A55 configuration,[3] and had the serial number 215.[4] It carried supplies including food, water and oxygen for the EO-12 crew aboard Mir, as well as equipment for conducting scientific research, and fuel for adjusting the station's orbit and performing manoeuvres. It also transported the Mak 2 satellite, which was deployed from Mir on 20 November. TORU manual docking system was first tested in this mission.

Progress M-15
Mission typeMir resupply
COSPAR ID1992-071A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.22203Edit this on Wikidata
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeProgress-M 11F615A55
ManufacturerNPO Energia
Launch mass7,250 kilograms (15,980 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date27 October 1992, 17:19:41 (1992-10-27UTC17:19:41Z) UTC
RocketSoyuz-U2
Launch siteBaikonur Site 31/6
End of mission
DisposalDeorbited
Decay date7 February 1993, 08:03:35 (1993-02-07UTC08:03:36Z) UTC
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude396 kilometres (246 mi)[1]
Apogee altitude399 kilometres (248 mi)[1]
Inclination51.6 degrees
Docking with Mir
Docking portKvant-1 Aft
Docking date29 October 1992, 17:19:41 UTC
Undocking date4 February 1993, 00:44:53 UTC
Time docked97 days

Progress M-15 was launched at 17:19:41 GMT on 27 October 1992, atop a Soyuz-U2 carrier rocket flying from Site 31/6 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.[4] Following two days of free flight, it docked with the aft port of the Kvant-1 module at 17:19:41 GMT on 29 October.[5][6]

During the 97 days for which Progress M-15 was docked, Mir was in an orbit of around 396 by 399 kilometres (214 by 215 nmi), inclined at 51.6 degrees.[1] Progress M-15 undocked from Mir at 00:44:53 GMT on 4 February 1993, however it remained in orbit to conduct the Znamya 2 experiment, and research into autonomous flight.[6] It was deorbited on 7 February, and burned up during reentry over the Pacific Ocean at around 08:03:35 GMT.[1][5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d McDowell, Jonathan. "Satellite Catalog". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
  2. ^ "Progress M-15". NSSDC Master Catalog. US National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
  3. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Progress-M 1 - 13, 15 - 37, 39 - 67 (11F615A55, 7KTGM)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
  4. ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
  5. ^ a b Anikeev, Alexander. "Cargo spacecraft "Progress M-15"". Manned Astronautics - Figures & Facts. Archived from the original on 2007-10-09. Retrieved 2009-08-31.
  6. ^ a b Wade, Mark. "Progress M". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2009-07-10. Retrieved 2009-08-31.