Progress MS-35 Cargo Ship Reaches Orbit Carrying Teledroid Hardware for Space Station

Key facts

Following a launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, the Soyuz rocket booster propelled the Progress MS-35 vehicle into an initial parking orbit in low-Earth orbit. Shortly after spacecraft separation, flight controllers confirmed the deployment of the vehicle’s two solar arrays and communication antennas, signaling that core power, telemetry, and orientation systems were functioning normally, according to TASS reporting.

The spacecraft was placed on a three-day, multi-orbit flight path to the International Space Station rather than an expedited ultra-fast rendezvous scheme, allowing controllers to conduct systematic health checks and execute precision orbital burn sequences. Over the course of its transit, Progress MS-35 relies on onboard thrusters to incrementally elevate its altitude and refine its trajectory to match the position and velocity of the space station, which orbits Earth at an altitude of approximately 400 kilometers (250 miles).

A central element of the ship's cargo manifest is hardware designated for the Teledroid project. Teledroid is an advanced anthropomorphic robotic platform designed to operate on the exterior surface of the space station's Russian segment. In addition to scientific hardware, Progress MS-35 is loaded with standard logistical supplies essential for maintaining human presence in orbit, including pressurized propellant, drinking water, gaseous nitrogen, medical kits, sanitary gear, personal items for the crew, and replacement units for environmental control systems.

The flight plan calls for Progress MS-35 to arrive at the space station on September 19, where it will initiate its final rendezvous maneuvers using the Kurs-NA automated rendezvous and docking system. The spacecraft will align itself with the zenith (space-facing) docking port of the Poisk module (Mini-Research Module 2), an integral part of the Russian segment’s docking and extravehicular activity architecture.

Why it matters

Uncrewed resupply flights like Progress MS-35 form the logistical backbone that sustains human habitation and scientific inquiry aboard the International Space Station. Beyond delivering consumables like air, food, and water, Progress spacecraft play a pivotal mechanical role in maintaining station operations. Propellant delivered in the ship's internal tanks can be transferred into the main propulsion system of the Zvezda service module or consumed directly by Progress thrusters to conduct orbital reboosts. These periodic engine firings counteract the slight drag caused by the extreme upper atmosphere, preventing the 450-ton space station from decaying in orbit and clearing orbital debris paths.

The delivery of Teledroid components marks a significant step in the evolution of robotic assistants in space exploration. Spacewalks, or extravehicular activities (EVAs), remain among the most hazardous operations human spacefarers undertake, exposing astronauts and cosmonauts to radiation, micrometeoroids, extreme thermal fluctuations, and the physical fatigue of pressurized space suits. Developing capable robotic surrogates that can perform routine exterior maintenance, perform preliminary site inspections, or assist human spacewalkers directly reduces operational risk for crew members. Success with Teledroid testing could establish baseline technologies for future lunar surface operations and deep-space infrastructure, where human extravehicular time will be strictly constrained.

The Progress vehicle line has served as the primary robotic logistical workhorse for Russian space stations since its inaugural flight in January 1978 to support Salyut 6. Over five decades, the design has undergone multiple generational upgrades, evolving from the original Progress through the Progress M and Progress M-M variants to the current Progress MS configuration. First flown in December 2015, the Progress MS variant incorporates modernized digital flight control electronics, improved satellite navigation sensors, updated telemetry systems, and reinforced exterior shielding against space debris impact.

The Poisk module—officially designated Mini-Research Module 2 (MRM-2)—was launched in November 2009 aboard a modified Progress propulsion stage (Progress M-MIM2) and attached to the zenith port of the Zvezda service module. Poisk serves multiple functions within the Russian orbital segment, acting as a docking port for both Soyuz crew vehicles and Progress resupply ships, an airlock interface for extravehicular activities, and an internal workspace equipped for scientific research.

The Teledroid initiative represents the next iteration in Roscosmos’s long-term human-robot collaboration research program. The project builds upon insights gained from the Skybot F-850 (popularly known as FEDOR), an anthropomorphic robot launched to the space station aboard the uncrewed Soyuz MS-14 mission in August 2019. While Skybot F-850 was tested primarily inside the pressurized environment of the station, Teledroid has been designed specifically for exterior operations. Developed by Android Technology in coordination with TsNIIMash (the central scientific research institute of Roscosmos), Teledroid features a torso-like upper body with two dexterous robotic arms and multi-jointed hands. Cosmonauts inside the station—or ground operators on Earth—can control Teledroid using a specialized "master-slave" suit fitted with motion sensors and force-feedback haptic controls, allowing human operators to remotely manipulate tools and hardware on the station's exterior.

Reaction

Following the launch and successful insertion into orbit, flight directors at Roscosmos mission control outside Moscow expressed satisfaction with the nominal performance of the launch vehicle and spacecraft systems, reporting that telemetry parameters remained within expected tolerances.

Aboard the International Space Station, the expedition crew has begun preliminary preparation routines for the arrival of Progress MS-35. Cosmonauts on the Russian segment are tasked with monitoring the automated approach of the vehicle on September 19. Standard operational protocol requires the crew to configure the TORU (Teleoperator Robot Control System) station inside the Zvezda module. TORU serves as a manual backup, allowing cosmonauts to take direct joystick control of the approaching spacecraft via real-time video feeds if the automated Kurs-NA navigation system experiences software or hardware anomalies during the final approach phase.

International partner agencies, including NASA, maintain routine real-time coordination with Roscosmos flight controllers during resupply rendezvous sequences to ensure total orbital safety and situational awareness across all station modules.

What we don't know yet

While key mission dates have been established, several operational details remain unconfirmed in current reporting:

What to watch

This report is based on coverage originally published by Russian state news agency TASS.