The unpiloted Russian Progress M-25 cargo ship successfully docked at the International Space Station on Saturday at 9:44 a.m. EDT. The spacecraft utilized the automated Kurs rendezvous system to connect with the Poisk module while orbiting 260 miles above the Black Sea.
Cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina monitored the docking process, prepared to intervene with manual controls if necessary. The mission, designated by NASA as Progress 96, delivered 2.8 tons of essential supplies, including food and fuel, to the orbital outpost.
The freighter launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on September 16, 2026, at 9:33 a.m. EDT using a Soyuz-2-1b rocket. This launch was delayed by one week due to an undisclosed technical issue with the rocket's third stage, which required the vehicle to be returned to its hangar.
This mission marked the first time the Soyuz-2-1b variant was used for a Progress flight. Due to specific orbital mechanics, the spacecraft followed a three-day, 49-orbit rendezvous profile, which is longer than the standard two-day sequence. The ship will remain docked for five months.
