A Russian rocket packed with 6,000 pounds of food, fuel, and supplies has successfully launched toward the International Space Station. Normally this would not be big news, but given that the previous three missions to the ISS have ended in disaster, we’re breathing a small sigh of relief.
It’s not over yet, though. The Progress 60, which launched at 12:55AM Eastern, won’t arrive at the space station until July 5. Until then, it’s premature to celebrate. There’s a lot riding on this mission going smoothly. Last week, a SpaceX rocket carrying 4,000 pounds of ISS supplies blew up before it could get into orbit. Similarly, Orbital Sciences resupply mission exploded on the launch pad in November. And in April, a Russian cargo ship launched successfully but malfunctioned later, flailing around in orbit until it burnt up in the Earth’s atmosphere. That’s why Progress 60 isn’t out of the proverbial water quite yet.
Given the alarming rate of failure, the astronauts on the ISS haven’t received new supplies since last year. However, NASA says the astronauts currently have enough supplies to last them through October, and the Progress 60 would add another month’s worth of supplies.