ISS to alter orbit altitude before the Russian cargo spacecraft’s arrival

MOSCOW: The International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled to have its orbit adjusted upward by some 1.6 km (0.6 miles) on May 14 before the arrival of the Russian cargo spacecraft Progress MS-20, Sputnik quoted Russian state-owned space agency Roscosmos.

“The next adjustment of the International Space Station’s orbital altitude is planned for May 14, 2022, in order to create ballistic conditions before launching the Progress MS-20 cargo spacecraft,” Roscosmos said on its website.

The adjustment will be performed by the Progress MS-18 cargo spacecraft, which will receive the order to start engines at 21:20 Moscow time (20.20 UAE time) for 546.8 seconds. The station’s altitude will be adjusted by 1.59 km and reach 418.07 km.

The Russian cargo spacecraft Progress MS-20 is scheduled to take off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on 3rd June.