FILE: The International Space Station as seen by Space Shuttle Discovery. Image Credit: NASA
MOSCOW (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s Mission Control center is preparing to adjust the orbit of the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday by raising it 4.2 kilometers (2.6 miles).
The readjustment is necessary to ensure the best conditions for the docking of Russia’s Progress M-09M space freighter and NASA’s veteran Space Shuttle.
“The maneuver will be carried out utilizing eight thrusters on the Progress M-07M cargo spacecraft, which is currently docked with the station’s Zvezda module,” Russian Mission Control said in a statement on Tuesday.
“The station’s orbit will be raised by 4.2 km to 352.9 km [219 miles],” the statement said.
Corrections to the Space Station’s orbit are conducted periodically before launches of Russian cargo ships and U.S. Shuttles to compensate for the Earth’s gravity and to safeguard successful dockings.
Russia’s Progress M-09M space freighter is scheduled for launch on January 28, while Space Shuttle Discovery is expected to depart for ISS on February 3, 2011.
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