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Article: Soviets Orbit First Civilian U.S. Payload
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- December 21, 1989
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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An unmanned rocket called Progress blasted into orbit yesterday
carrying the first U.S. commercial science payload launched aboard a
Soviet booster.
The launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in central Asia took
place in heavy fog, according to the payload's designer, Payload
Systems of Cambridge, Mass.
"The launch was perfect, with no problems," even though
visibility was limited to 10 or 20 yards, said Vinit Nijhawan,
Payload Systems vice president.
The rocket is scheduled to dock with the space station Mir Friday
morning, he said. The scientific experiment designed by Payload
Systems is to be activated on Christmas Day aboard the orbiting
laboratory and run for 56 days. On Feb. 24, the ...