Russian Spaceship Plummets to Earth

Progress had entered the wrong orbit and went into a spin after April 28 launch
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted May 8, 2015 6:26 AM CDT
Russian Spaceship Plummets to Earth
In this Feb. 5, 2014, photo provided by NASA, an ISS Progress resupply vehicle approaches the International Space Station.    (NASA via AP)

Russia's space agency says the unmanned cargo ship that went out of control en route to the International Space Station has fallen to Earth over the Pacific Ocean. A brief statement from Roscosmos says the Progress craft entered the planet's atmosphere about 10pm EDT yesterday. Progress was expected to mostly burn up from the friction of the re-entry, and there were no reports of fragments being spotted.

The cargo ship was launched on April 28, but it entered the wrong orbit and went into a spin. The statement said the re-entry was over the central part of the ocean but did not give coordinates. The next launch of a supply ship, by the US company SpaceX, is planned for June. (More Russia stories.)

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