The Progress MS-18 sinking is scheduled for May 31, 2022, the Russian Cosmos magazine said, stressing that the spacecraft was created in a special way to serve orbital stations.

The cargo spacecraft is used to deliver loads of fuel, scientific equipment, oxygen, water, food and others supplies to the ISS, in addition to helping it correct its orbit. The official Roscosmos publication also indicated that to complete flight tests and safety coupling of the Nauka multipurpose lab module to orbital station, eight spacewalks will be necessary in 2022.

The space laboratory is the first module attached to the Russian segment in the last 11 years, as Russia launched the Rassvet to the orbital platform.

pgh/Pll/jcm / mml