Russia to Deorbit Progress Spaceship Docked at ISS in Coming Days

The Russian Space Agency’s mission control center will deorbit a Progress MS 05 cargo ship and sink it in the Pacific Ocean in the coming days, a spokesperson said Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The official told Sputnik that the "mechanical separation" from the International Space Station (ISS) was scheduled for 8:46 p.m. Moscow time on July 20 (17:46GMT).

The spaceship, which has been docked at the ISS since February 24, will reenter the atmosphere shortly past midnight on Friday and plunge into deep water away from navigation routes at 0:46 a.m. Moscow time.

The Progress MS 05 brought tonnes of scientific equipment and essentials to the ISS crew after another space freighter burned up in the atmosphere in December 2016.