Progress 54: ISS resupply spacecraft launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome

The Russian Progress 54 ISS resupply spacecraft launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to begin a 6-hour journey to the International Space Station. Image Credit: Roscosmos

The Russian Progress 54 ISS resupply spacecraft, loaded with 2.8 tons of cargo, launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 11:23 a.m. EST Wednesday (10:23 p.m. Baikonur time) to begin a 6-hour, 4-orbit trek to the International Space Station.

At the time of launch of Progress 54 atop its Soyuz rocket, the station was orbiting 262 statute miles over far western Kazakhstan near the border with Russia.

Once the Progress reached its preliminary orbit about nine minutes after launch, it was less than 1,750 miles behind the complex.

A series of thruster firings by the Russian space freighter during the next several hours will adjust the orbit to put the Progress on track for its rendezvous with the station and an automated docking to the Earth-facing port of the Pirs docking compartment at 5:25 p.m.

NASA Television coverage of the docking begins at 4:45 p.m.