NASA Television To Air Upcoming Cargo Ship Launch to Space Station

WASHINGTON, July 30, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA Television will broadcast the launch and for the first time, the same-day rendezvous and docking of a Progress cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS). Coverage begins at 3:15 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Aug. 1.

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ISS Progress 48 is scheduled to launch at 3:35 p.m. from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. It will dock later that day at 9:24 p.m. in a test of an abbreviated launch-to-rendezvous schedule designed to reduce the typical two-day flight between a launch and docking. The goal would be to use this new approach for future Soyuz crew member flights. Progress 48 will dock at the station's Pirs port and deliver about 2 tons of supplies.

NASA TV coverage of the Progress' arrival at the station will begin at 8:45 p.m.

Expedition 32 Commander Gennady Padalka of the Russian Federal Space Agency and his five crewmates, including NASA astronauts Joe Acaba and Sunita Williams, will monitor key events during Progress 48's rendezvous and docking.

Russian flight controllers retain the option to revert to a normal 2-day rendezvous if developments require. If that occurs, the craft will dock Friday, Aug. 3, and NASA TV will provide live coverage.

For NASA TV streaming video, schedule and downlink information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about the International Space Station and its crew, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

SOURCE NASA