Russia's robotic cargo craft spills its travel record to the ISS

A Russian robotic spacecraft broke the record of the time needed to reach the International Space Station (ISS), managing the feat in just three hours and 40 minutes.

The Cargo Progress MS-09 or Progress 70 -l 'old name is used by the Russian Space Agency, Roscosmos, and the latter by NASA -a only made two orbits of the Earth before 39, dock with the ISS. The previous record time between takeoff and docking was about six hours, which involved four orbits

It was the first Russian cargo mission to demonstrate an "accelerated capability" that will probably reused in the future, NASA said. According to Space.com, the Russians had tried twice to accomplish this quick feat, but had been thwarted each time by takeoff delays, which meant that it was necessary to turn the trips into missions two days. 19659005] The Russian spacecraft was carrying more than two tons of cargo, including fuel, air, maintenance equipment and care and life support packages for astronauts aboard the ISS. Progress MS-09 will remain moored until the end of January

The success of the Russians is a reminder that the ISS is, as its name suggests, an international company. NASA's new director, Jim Bridenstine, is trying to convince a consortium of private companies to take control of the space station, but it's not just up to Americans to do it.

Russia has its own part of the ISS. Progress MS-09 moored-and Japan, Europe and Canada share the US section. When the MS-09 comes out of the ISS, it will take away all the Russian Pirs docking bay. The Russians will replace the compartment with a new "multipurpose laboratory module".