SUMMARY: The Russian Progress cargo ship launched last week caught up and docked with the International Space Station on Saturday. It delivered nearly three tons of food, fuel, water, supplies and scientific gear for the next crew to inhabit the station. The Progress 12 automatically linked up with the Zvezda Service Module at 0340 GMT (11:40 pm EDT Friday). Another Progress ship currently docked with the station will undock on Thursday to make room for the Soyuz that will launch with the Expedition 7 astronauts on October 20.


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I wonder if something else couild be done with these Progress freighters besides loading them up with trash and de-orbiting them? Couild they, for example, be boosted to a higher orbit that wouldn't decay for the next 40 years or so for storage? Could they be stripped for parts or refurbished as a radio controlled research satellite? Could one be broken up and it's mass used to add shielding to the space station's "solar storm shelter"? I realize that (in their current form) the Progress are intended as one way shipping containers but could they be modified for further use after they deliver their cargo to the space station?
Dennis Baer