An unmanned Russian spacecraft, which has gone out of control, is plunging back to Earth and scientists do not know where.
The Progress 59 spacecraft was launched on April 28 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The spacecraft was scheduled to arrive at the International Space Station (ISS) with food, oxygen and equipment. However, the spacecraft developed problems soon after entering the orbit.
Scientists confirmed that the spacecraft is out of control and spinning in the orbit. Russian ground scientists continued to bring back the spacecraft under control but all their attempts have failed.
"The Russian flight control team attempted to command the vehicle over four orbits flying over Russian ground sites with no success," per a NASA blog.
While scientists have confirmed that the spacecraft has gone out of control they have not announced that it is descending towards the Earth.
"It has started descending. It has nowhere else to go," per an official familiar with the matter. "It is clear that absolutely uncontrollable reactions have begun."
The anonymous official also revealed that the Russian Federal Space Agency, or Roscosmos, is expected to release an official statement about the spacecraft's descent soon.
The spacecraft carrying supplies was expected to dock with the ISS so that astronauts at the space station can collect the resupplies. However, NASA has confirmed that the docking has been called off.
If ground control team is unable to maneuver the spacecraft, it will re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and destroy itself. Debris may fall on our planet but the location remains unknown.
The Progress 59 ISS resupply spacecraft is not the first one that has gone out of control. A few months back a U.S. Cygnus freighter that is operated and owned by Orbital ATK was also destroyed in a launch accident in October 2014. The freighter went out of control soon after take-off and it was destroyed. NASA released a statement soon after confirming that no personnel were injured due to the destruction of the spacecraft.
The ISS has six crew members and has enough food that will last for over four months. A few resupply missions are already planned in the coming months.
