Which uncrewed Russian spacecraft, carrying supplies to the ISS, suffered an antenna glitch in March 2026, requiring manual docking?

In March 2026, the uncrewed Russian Progress 94 spacecraft, on a mission to resupply the International Space Station (ISS), encountered an unexpected antenna glitch. Launched aboard a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on March 22, the Progress 94 was carrying approximately three tons of vital supplies, including food, fuel, water, and scientific equipment, for the astronauts on board the orbiting laboratory. Shortly after reaching orbit, one of the spacecraft's two KURS automated rendezvous antennas failed to deploy as planned.

The KURS system is essential for the Progress spacecraft's autonomous docking with the ISS. With the antenna unable to deploy, the automated docking sequence was compromised, necessitating a manual intervention. Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, who was already on the ISS, took control of the Progress 94 using the Telerobotically Operated Rendezvous System (TORU). This backup system, located in the Zvezda Service Module of the ISS, allowed Kud-Sverchkov to remotely pilot the cargo ship to its designated docking port on the Poisk module on March 24, ensuring the critical supplies reached the crew.

Progress spacecraft are a cornerstone of space station logistics, having continuously resupplied various outposts, including Salyut, Mir, and the ISS, since 1978. These expendable vehicles are designed for one-way trips; after delivering their cargo, they are filled with trash and deliberately de-orbited to burn up harmlessly in Earth's atmosphere, typically over the Pacific Ocean. The successful manual docking of Progress 94 highlights the robust contingency procedures and the skilled capabilities of both ground control and the ISS crew in overcoming unexpected technical challenges during critical resupply missions.