Completed his journey from Earth, the Russian cargo ship Progress M-09m reached the vicinity of the international space station on Saturday 30 January docked to Pirs module, automatically, exactly on schedule, the 2:39 UTC. Your system Kurs guided the ship into the docking port, under the supervision of the astronauts orbiting complex, and allowed the union without any difficulty. Alexander Skripochka Kaleri and Oleg, who had been with the system TORU remote control, ready to intervene if necessary, they had to interrupt the automatic process and take charge of the operation. Progress with the new Russian and Japanese Kounotori-2 and "at home", the ISS will now await the arrival of a third vehicle logistics, European ATV-2. Johannes Kepler called, is being prepared on the base in Kourou, French Guiana, from where it departed on February 15 aboard an Ariane-5 rocket. With 22 tons, the ATV-2 alone is docked next to the Zvezda module, where it will remain for several weeks. Transported a total of 7 tons of supplies, Most fuel and other consumables. The rest, about 1,600 kg, were provided by NASA (1,300 kg) and ESA (275 kg) and travel in the pressurized area. It includes 96 kg of equipment for research, 597 kg of spare parts, 636 kg of supplies for the crew, 45 kg in the form of computers and other IT elements, and 26 kg of equipment for spacewalks. They also travel 100 kg of oxygen. About 4,000 kg of fuel is used for the ATC-2 helps to control the altitude of the orbiting complex for about 3 months and another 850 kg will be transferred to the propulsion system of the Zvezda module. If all goes well, after the departure of Johannes Kepler is the first time that the three systems Automatic freight time will be attached to the station. While in Florida, technicians completed the modifications and reinforcements in the Discovery shuttle's external tank and everything was ready to move the vehicle to the launch pad at dawn on 1 February. ( Photo: NASA ) ISS
The second satellite 