Progress M-3 (Russian: Прогресс М-3) was a Soviet uncrewed cargo spacecraft which was launched in 1990 to resupply the Mir space station.[2] The twentieth of sixty four Progress flights to visit Mir, it was a Progress-M 11F615A55 spacecraft, and had the serial number 203.[3] It carried supplies including food, water and oxygen for the EO-6 crew aboard Mir, as well as equipment for conducting scientific research, and fuel for adjusting the station's orbit and performing manoeuvres.

Progress M-3
Mission typeMir resupply
COSPAR ID1990-020A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.20513Edit this on Wikidata
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeProgress-M 11F615A55
ManufacturerNPO Energia
Launch mass7,250 kilograms (15,980 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date28 February 1990, 23:10:57 (1990-02-28UTC23:10:57Z) UTC
RocketSoyuz-U2
Launch siteBaikonur Site 1/5
End of mission
DisposalDeorbited
Decay date28 April 1990, 00:52 (1990-04-28UTC00:53Z) UTC
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude378 kilometres (235 mi)[1]
Apogee altitude400 kilometres (250 mi)[1]
Inclination51.6 degrees
Docking with Mir
Docking portKvant-1 Aft
Docking date3 March 1990, 01:04:32 UTC
Undocking date27 April 1990, 20:24:43 UTC
Time docked56 days

Progress M-3 was launched at 23:10:57 GMT on 28 February 1990, atop a Soyuz-U2 carrier rocket flying from Site 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.[3] It docked with the aft port of the Kvant-1 module at 01:04:32 GMT on 3 March.[4][5] During the 56 days for which it was docked with Mir, the station was in an orbit of around 378 by 400 kilometres (204 by 216 nmi), with 51.6 degrees of inclination.[1]

Progress M-3 undocked at 20:24:43 GMT on 27 April[4] to make way for Progress 42. It was deorbited at 00:00:00 GMT the next day.[4] It burned up in the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean, with any remaining debris landing in the ocean at around 00:52 GMT.[1][4]

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 2009-08-26.
  2. ^ "Progress M-3". NSSDC Master Catalog. US National Space Science Data Center. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
  3. ^ a b McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
  4. ^ a b c d Anikeev, Alexander. "Cargo spacecraft "Progress M-3"". Manned Astronautics - Figures & Facts. Archived from the original on 2007-10-09. Retrieved 2009-08-26.
  5. ^ Wade, Mark. "Progress M". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2009-07-10. Retrieved 2009-08-26.