14 DAY TRIAL // The Russian Federal Space Agency (RosCosmos) undocked the Progress 47 robotic resupply capsule from the International Space Station (ISS) earlier yesterday, July 30. The vehicle is now set on an orbital course that will see it burn high above Earth's surface.
The maneuver was conducted on Monday, at 5:19 pm EDT (2119 GMT), just one day after the spacecraft docked to the orbital lab for the second time. The purpose of the second docking was to test the new Russian Kurs-NA automated orbital docking system.
Progress 47 is now filled with unneeded material from the ISS, garbage, completed scientific experiments and other objects. It arrived in space on August 1, delivering supplies for the Expedition 31 crew.
Now, it will be replaced by the RosCosmos Progress 48 capsule, which is due to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, in Kazakhstan, on August 1, Space reports.