Progress MS-33 set to resume Russian flights to ISS from repaired pad
A Roscosmos Progress MS‑33 uncrewed cargo spacecraft successfully launched on 22 March 2026 from Baikonur Cosmodrome’s Site 31/6 in Kazakhstan, resuming Russian resupply missions to the International Space Station (ISS) after repairs to the launch pad that had been damaged late last year. The vehicle, identified by NASA as Progress 94, lifted off at 11:59 UTC atop a Soyuz‑2.1a rocket and entered low Earth orbit carrying around 2.5 tonnes of consumables and supplies intended for the orbiting laboratory’s Expedition 74 crew. Site 31/6 had been out of service following structural damage during a previous Soyuz mission, and its restoration enabled this mission to proceed.
Progress MS‑33 is the 186th flight of the modernised Progress MS cargo series and is scheduled to dock with the ISS’s Poisk zenith port on 24 March 2026 following a roughly two‑day rendezvous. Shortly after liftoff one of the spacecraft’s two automated KURS rendezvous antennas failed to deploy, which could compromise the fully automated docking sequence. Roscosmos and ISS partners are troubleshooting the issue while the craft continues its approach; ISS Expedition 74 commander Sergey Kud‑Sverchkov stands ready to use the TORU manual remote‑control system if required to complete the docking. The mission’s cargo includes propellant, food, water and atmospheric gases to maintain station operations.
The Progress MS‑33 flight reflects continued international logistics cooperation at the ISS despite challenges to Russian launch infrastructure earlier in the year. Repairing Site 31/6 allowed Roscosmos to preserve its independent launch capability for both uncrewed resupply and future Soyuz crewed missions, and maintains a cadence of Russian support for long‑term station operations. The station’s inventory planning has also been adjusted by NASA in anticipation of supply shifts tied to pad availability earlier in the year. Progress MS‑33 will remain attached to the ISS for months before its disposal via controlled reentry, and is followed on the schedule by upcoming Progress MS missions that will support ongoing ISS logistics.
