On June 29 at 23:27 UTC, a Russian Soyuz 2.1a launched the Progress MS-17 cargo resupply from Baikonur. It will dock at the International Space Station on July 2 at 01:02 UTC.
Progress MS-17 will deliver three tons of food, repair tools, scientific experiments, and propellant. One of the more interesting payloads is the food, some of which is freshly made by the ISS Crew Nutrition Department of the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems (IMBP) of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Each of the crew members gets to choose what food they like. The options included things like goulash, borscht, and mixed nuts.
We’ve put a full list of the food that was delivered on our website, DailySpace.org.
Progress MS-17 also carried many science experiments. One experiment will investigate countermeasures for bone fractures in zero-g. This experiment is important because bones lose density in zero-g as they are no longer subject to the mechanical stress of gravity. When astronauts return to Earth, they are at increased risk of breaking bones because of that lower density. An effective way to prevent bone loss in zero-g is to induce mechanical stress on the body through exercise, such as by running on a treadmill.
The Biorisk experiment will investigate the impact of spaceflight on blood plasma compounds. And one final experiment will investigate the production of medication in zero-g that can modify the immune system.
Progress also delivered 470 kilograms of propellant for the station’s orbit-raising engines, 420 liters of drinking water, forty kilograms of bottled air, and 1,509 kilograms of other equipment.
More Information
Roscosmos press release (Russian)
Roscosmos pre-launch press release
Progress will deliver Russian food to American and Japanese astronauts on the ISS (TASS)
What happens to bones in space? (Canadian Space Agency)
Launch video
