Moscow: Russian space agency Roscosmos says the cargo ship that failed in its mission to deliver supplies to the International Space Station will fall from orbit on Friday.
The Progress was launched on April 28, but entered the wrong orbit and went into an uncontrollable spin. Russian flight controllers were unable to bring it under control.
Roscosmos said Wednesday that some fragments from the spacecraft may hit Earth on Friday. Most of it will burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere, as is the case with all Progress carriers once they have delivered their shipments and are filled with trash.
Supplying the space station is mostly handled by the U.S. and Russia. The next launch of a supply ship, by the U.S. company SpaceX, is planned for June.
It said the crash would be similar to a planned descent. Russia sends three or four such spacecraft per year to supply the ISS.
They then fall back to Earth and burn up in the atmosphere above the Pacific Ocean.
