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Mir receives its first cargo

On March 19, 1986, the first supply mission headed to the newly launched Mir space station. The Progress-25 cargo ship successfully docked at the outpost two days later on the opposite side from the Soyuz T-15 spacecraft, which ad delivered the station's original crew.

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progress

Progress-25 mission at a glance:

Spacecraft designation
Progress-25, 7K-TG 11F615A15
Launch vehicle
Soyuz (11A511)
Launch Site
Launch date and time
1986 March 19, 13:08 Moscow Time
Docking date and time
1986 March 21, 14:16 Moscow Time
Docking destinations
Mir, Core Module, aft port
Flight duration
31 days
Reentry date
1986 April 20
Spacecraft mass
~7,150 kilograms (50)

The severe mass deficit accumulated before the launch of the Mir's Core Module in February 1986 meant that a great deal of hardware was left to be delivered to the nascent station with subsequent re-supply missions. Just four days after the inaugural expedition boarded the outpost on March 15, the first of two planned Progress vehicles followed the cosmonauts to the station with 2,482 kilograms of cargo, including propellant for the station's engines, food, water and various equipment. In particular, Progress-25 carried the Elbrus flight control computer intended to replace its misbehaving predecessor.

According to TASS, the Progress-25 cargo ship lifted off on March 19, 1986, at 13:08 Moscow Time and entered a 268 by 189-kilometer orbit.

After two days in autonomous flight, it was reported having automatically docked at the aft port of the Mir's Core Module on March 21, 1986, at 14:16 Moscow Time.

Along with the cargo delivery, the ship's propulsion system was used multiple times to boost the station's orbit.

The Progress-25 remained at the station for a month, until April 20, 1986, when it was undocked at 23:24 Moscow Time to make the way for the next supply mission. It was deorbited on the same day.

 

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Article and illustration by Anatoly Zak; last update: March 19, 2026

Page editor: Alain Chabot; last edit: March 19, 2026

All rights reserved

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official

Progress MS-25 launch announcement carried in the Soviet newspapers on March 20, 1986. Anatoly Zak's archive


docking

Progress MS-25 docking announcement carried in the Soviet newspapers on March 20, 1986. Anatoly Zak's archive


docking

Progress MS-25 end-of-mission announcement carried in the Soviet newspapers on April 22, 1986. Anatoly Zak's archive