38051 - CHIBIS-M

Chibis-M is a 40 kg microsatellite built by the Space Research Institute (IKI). The satellite is to conduct ionospheric research. It was launched piggy-back on the Progress-M 13M cargo craft and deployed after the Progress left the ISS.

Chibis-M carries a plasma-wave experiment, aimed at a study of the plasma-wave processes in solar-magnetosphere-ionosphere-atmosphere interactions, and the parameters of space weather in the ionosphere.

Progress M-13M, a Russian resupply satellite, was launched from Baikonur on 30 October 2011 at 10:11 UT by a Soyuz U rocket. The unmanned resupply ship docked to the International Space Station's (ISS) Pirs module at 11:41 UT on 02 November 2011. The craft carried approximately 3 tonnes of cargo which included propellant, food, water, crew provisions, maintenance gear, spare parts and hardware for experiments. It also carried two iPads for personal use by the ISS Russian cosmonauts.

This was the first Soyuz U launch since an identical rocket failed during the launch of Progress M-12M on 24 August 2011. With the success of this launch, manned flights are expected to resume during November 2011, bringing the ISS back up to six crew members by the end of the year.

Facts in Brief

Launch Date: 2011-10-30
Launch Vehicle: Soyuz-U
Launch Site: Tyuratam (Baikonur Cosmodrome), Kazakhstan