Progress M-16M On Short Trip to ISS

Just two days after cargo ship Progress M-15M departed from the International Space Station for a second time, its replacement is on the way. Progress M-16M launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome on August 1. The ship is testing a shortened route to ISS and due to arrive six hours after it launched. The Progress line of cargo [...]

The Progress M-16M launches aboard a Soyuz-U carrying 2 tons of supplies for ISS (Credits: ITAR-TASS).
Just two days after cargo ship Progress M-15M departed from the International Space Station for a second time, its replacement is on the way. Progress M-16M launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome on August 1. The ship is testing a shortened route to ISS and due to arrive six hours after it launched.
The Progress line of cargo ships provide a regular supply of food, clothing, scientific equipment, and other necessities to the ISS crew. Usually, Progress follows the same approach as the Soyuz crew capsule, taking two days to maneuver into the proper orbital position for a rendezvous with the station. The six hour approach, while not critical for cargo runs, would be a boon for crewed trips, doing away with the extra consumables needed to sustain crew ...