Progress resupply vehicle

Archive image. An unpiloted ISS Progress resupply vehicle approaches the International Space Station, bringing propellant, oxygen, air, water, spare parts and supplies for the Expedition 21 crewmembers on the Station. Progress 35 docked to the Pirs Docking Compartment on 17 October 2009, after a three-day flight from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Credits: NASA

Bad news! Bound for the International Space Station, Progress 44 was launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome at 15:00 CEST yesterday but failed to reach its target orbit and crashed in Siberia, Russia. Five minutes and 50 seconds after launch, an ‘off-nominal situation’ was reported, with a loss of telemetry. Thomas Reiter, ESA’s Director of Human Spaceflight and Operations, is following the latest developments very closely and will assess consequences to ESA upcoming missions.

More details in ESA web