Space

Russian space freighter to be 'buried' in Pacific

RIA Novosti

08:01 15/11/2010 MOSCOW, November 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Progress M-05M cargo spacecraft will be deorbited and sunk in the remote area in southern Pacific on Monday, after three weeks of autonomous orbital flight.

After undocking from the International Space Station on October 25, the space freighter continued an autonomous flight as a scientific laboratory.

The spacecraft continued two experiments, started by its predecessors and aimed at studying various plasma formations that emerge from its thrusters. Scientists observed the plasma emissions using a ground-based radar in the Siberian city of Irkutsk.

Progress-family freighters have been the backbone of the Russian space cargo fleet for decades. In addition to their main mission as cargo spacecraft, they are used to adjust the ISS's orbit and conduct scientific experiments.