Progress MS-31 Launches from Baikonur Carrying Fuel, Water, and Scientific Cargo

A Soyuz-2.1a rocket carrying the Progress MS-31 cargo spacecraft successfully lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Orda.kz reports.

The launch took place at 00:32 local time from launch pad No. 31. The spacecraft is en route to the International Space Station (ISS) with more than 2.6 tons of supplies on board. The cargo includes 950 kg of fuel for ISS refueling, 420 kg of drinking water, 50 kg of nitrogen for pressure regulation, and 1,205 kg of dry goods, ranging from food and medicine to hygiene products for the 73rd expedition crew.

Progress MS-31 is also delivering equipment for a range of scientific experiments, including projects titled "Fullerene," "Biodegradation," "Biopolymer," "Impulse," "Virtual," and "Mirage." These experiments will examine material resilience in space, biological system behavior, and the cognitive state of humans during extended missions.

The rocket’s body featured commemorative artwork marking the 50th anniversary of the historic Soyuz-Apollo mission — the first joint spaceflight between two nations. On July 15, 1975, the Soyuz-19 launched from Baikonur with Soviet cosmonauts Alexei Leonov and Valery Kubasov. Hours later, NASA’s Apollo spacecraft lifted off from Cape Canaveral with astronauts Thomas Stafford, Donald Slayton, and Vance Brand.

Two days later, on July 17, the two spacecraft performed the first-ever docking in orbit. The crew members transferred between vehicles, exchanged national flags, shook hands, and conducted joint scientific experiments.

The mission marked a turning point in the history of space exploration — not just technologically, but as a symbolic act of diplomatic trust during the height of the Cold War. The Soyuz–Apollo docking is widely seen as the forerunner to future international cooperation in space, ultimately realized in the International Space Station program.

Original Author: Kamila Yermakhanova