Russia Launches 3‑Ton Cargo Mission to ISS Today

Russia’s Roscosmos announced that the Progress 96 uncrewed cargo spacecraft will launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome’s Site 1/5 on September 16, 2026, at 10:30 GMT. The Progress vehicle, launched atop a Soyuz‑Fregat rocket, is scheduled to rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS) within 48 hours, delivering supplies, scientific equipment and propellant to support the crew’s ongoing experiments and station maintenance. The mission follows the Progress 95 delivery that arrived earlier in the month, continuing Russia’s long‑standing practice of providing regular logistical support to the ISS.

The launch window is set for the morning local time, with the launch pad’s countdown visible from the Baikonur launch control center. Viewers can follow the live feed through Roscosmos’s official website and the agency’s social media channels, where real‑time telemetry and commentary will be provided. The Progress 96 mission is part of the ISS’s routine resupply schedule, ensuring that the international crew has the necessary resources for scientific research, station upkeep, and future exploration initiatives.

Once docked, the Progress capsule will remain attached to the ISS’s nadir port for approximately one month before being filled with waste and de‑orbited for a controlled re‑entry over the Pacific Ocean. The successful launch and docking of Progress 96 will reinforce the collaborative logistics framework that sustains the ISS’s multinational operations.