Progress MS-32: Russian Soyuz Rocket Launches Cargo Mission To The ISS

Russia's Progress MS-32 (NASA: Progress 93) cargo spacecraft docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 1723 UTC with about 2.8 tons of supplies, including food, fuel, water, oxygen, scientific equipment, and a new Orlan-MKS No. 7 spacesuit for extravehicular activities.

The Soyuz 2.1a carrier rocket launched the Progress MS-32 cargo spacecraft from Site 31/6 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Thursday Sept. 11 at 1554 UTC. The launch was nominal, with the spacecraft successfully inserting into its designated orbit, separating from the rocket's third stage, and deploying its antennas and solar panels as planned.

The flight to the ISS took approximately 48 to 50 hours, with the spacecraft performing a series of maneuvers to rendezvous with the station. Progress MS-32 docked autonomously with the Zvezda module's aft port on the Russian segment of the ISS. The docking was confirmed by Roscosmos and NASA, with the spacecraft arriving over northeastern Kazakhstan at an altitude of 418 kilometers.

The cargo delivered included: 1,800 kg of dry cargo (food, clothing, scientific equipment, and other supplies), 870 kg of propellant for station reboost and debris avoidance maneuvers, 420 kg of water, 50 kg of gases (including oxygen), 2,516 kg of cargo in total, as reported by TASS and Qazinform. The new Orlan-MKS No. 7 spacesuit was delivered for use during spacewalks 

The cargo also included a unique facility for synthesizing high-purity semiconductor materials in space as part of the Ekran-M project, utilizing the advantages of the space vacuum.

The shipment contained about 17 kg of fresh fruits and vegetables, including 5 kg of grapefruit and 500 grams of garlic, along with freeze-dried food, canned goods, and various sauces and seasonings.

The Progress MS-32 spacecraft is part of the long-serving Progress-MS series designed specifically to service orbital stations like the ISS.

The launch was the second major cargo mission to the ISS in September 2025, following the CRS-33 mission, and was scheduled to be followed by the Northrop Grumman Cygnus NG-23 mission which will lift off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket not earlier than September 14.

Prior to MS-32's arrival, the Progress MS-30 spacecraft undocked from the Zvezda module on September 9 and completed a destructive reentry into Earth's atmosphere, carrying trash from the station.

The Soyuz 2.1a rocket, a medium-lift launch vehicle developed by RKTs Progress, is used for both crewed Soyuz missions and cargo deliveries like Progress. Unlike SpaceX rockets, Soyuz is not reusable.