Comments on: Russia successfully launches new Progress freighter to ISS https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/russia-successfully-launches-new-progress-freighter-to-iss/ Fri, 28 Feb 2025 17:07:03 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Robert Zimmerman https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/russia-successfully-launches-new-progress-freighter-to-iss/#comment-1559133 Fri, 28 Feb 2025 17:07:03 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=112481#comment-1559133 In reply to geoffc.

geoffc: No apology required (though I accept it with amusement).

]]> By: geoffc https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/russia-successfully-launches-new-progress-freighter-to-iss/#comment-1559123 Fri, 28 Feb 2025 16:06:47 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=112481#comment-1559123 Robert, I stand accurately corrected. My apologies.

]]> By: Dick Eagleson https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/russia-successfully-launches-new-progress-freighter-to-iss/#comment-1559122 Fri, 28 Feb 2025 15:48:11 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=112481#comment-1559122 Richard M,

Decline is a choice. Russia has chosen to spend its final years in futile wars of expansion chasing the phantom of a Soviet imperial restoration. Everything else has been subordinated to that hopeless iron dream. About all that can be said of this disastrous choice is that it materially hastens the day when, to paraphrase Hugo Drax, Russia will be put out of our misery.

]]> By: Robert Zimmerman https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/russia-successfully-launches-new-progress-freighter-to-iss/#comment-1559116 Fri, 28 Feb 2025 15:29:08 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=112481#comment-1559116 In reply to geoffc.

geoffc: Let me correct you: “Not a single article I read — except Zimmerman’s posts here at Behind the Black — mentioned the leaks.”

]]> By: Richard M https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/russia-successfully-launches-new-progress-freighter-to-iss/#comment-1559108 Fri, 28 Feb 2025 14:51:22 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=112481#comment-1559108 However malign a force Russia might be in current affairs, it’s still melancholy to see how far their space sector has fallen, not just from its Soviet peak, but even from the period of post-Yeltsin recovery in the 00’s and early 10’s. The Soviet peak was 100+ launches per year. Even that Russian peak was busting out 30 or so launches per year.

Now here we are, two months into 2025, and the Russians have a grand total of two orbital launches.

]]> By: geoffc https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/russia-successfully-launches-new-progress-freighter-to-iss/#comment-1559071 Fri, 28 Feb 2025 13:27:37 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=112481#comment-1559071 Interesting that they are actually using the aft port. I guess they need to refuel the station for reboost. That is the only port with the plumbing to refuel I believe.

I bet that the hatch between the core Zvezda and the docking module will be closed, and the crew will be in their Soyuz for the docking as well. Just in case.

This was so frustrating. Not a single article I read, bemoaning Musk’s tweet about ending the ISS mentioned the leaks, which is the primary reason to end it sooner. Kind of a critical detail. End it before they all die, usually is a reasonable discussion point.

]]>