Russian Cargo Ship Launch and Arrival to ISS to be Broadcast on NASA TV

Next week internet and television viewers will have the opportunity to watch live video as Russian ISS Progress 46 resupply rocket launches on its way to deliver supplies to the astronauts currently living on the International Space Station. The event will be broadcast live on NASA TV as it happens this week on Wednesday January 25, 2012.

The NASA Television broadcast will provide live coverage of both the launch and docking of the cargo space craft with the ISS. Onboard, Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank and his crew of five will await the delivery of almost three tons of food, fuel and supplies by the unmanned spacecraft.

Launch of the Progress rocket will take place from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The launch is scheduled for 5:06 p.m. CST on Jan. 25 (5:06 a.m. Baikonur time Jan. 26). According to NASA, the NASA TV coverage will begin at 4:45 p.m. CST.

The next broadcast of the re-supply mission to the ISS will occur 2 days later, on Friday, Jan. 27. At that time, NASA television will carry the live images from space as the Progress 46 will automatically dock to the Pirs Docking Compartment at 6:08 p.m.

In their press release regarding the mission, NASA indicated that an older Progress resupply ship currently at the Pirs docking port will undock on Monday, Jan. 23, to make room for the new cargo ship, but the undocking of Progress 45 will not be broadcast live.

Watch here for NASA TV streaming video or visit the agency’s web site at http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv