Article Posted on : - Apr 26, 2011

Russian cosmonaut onboard the ISS took images of Progress M-09M departure. Photo: Roscosmos.

MOSCOW (BNS): Russia is planning to sink its unmanned cargo supply vehicle Progress M-09M in the remote area in southern Pacific Ocean later on Tuesday after it undocked from the International Space Station on Friday, RIA Novosti reported.

"The freighter is scheduled to be sunk at the "spaceship cemetery" at 17:23 Moscow time (13:23 GMT)," a spokesman for the Russian Mission Control, was quoted as saying in the report.

Russia had launched the Progress M-09M spacecraft on January 28 this year to deliver oxygen, fuel, food, water and other scientific equipment to the ISS crew.

The spacecraft was manufactured by RKK Energia, and is operated by the Russian Federal Space Agency.

Meanwhile, preparations continued for the launch of next space freighter Progress M-10M from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on April 27.

The spaceship is undergoing final testing at the spaceport after successful prop filling operation which was completed the day before.

The supply vehicle will deliver about 2.5t of cargo to the orbital station.