Space

ISS orbit adjusted prior to Soyuz spacecraft docking

RIA Novosti

13:18 25/11/2010

MOSCOW, November 25 (RIA Novosti) - The International Space Station (ISS) was moved to a higher orbit prior to the docking of Russia's Soyuz TMA- 20 spacecraft, a Mission Control spokesman said on Thursday.

The maneuver, to raise the station 1.7 km (1 mile), was carried out using eight docking and orientation engines on the Progress M-07M (39P) cargo craft, which is docked to the Zvezda Service Module.

The Soyuz spacecraft is scheduled to blast off from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan on December 15.

Corrections to the space station's orbit are conducted periodically before launches of Russian cargo ships and U.S. shuttles to compensate for the Earth's gravity and ensure successful dockings.