ISS Expedition 18 Progress 31P Separation

ISS018-E-027490 (5 Feb. 2009) --- An unpiloted ISS Progress 31 cargo craft, filled with trash and unneeded items, departs from the International Space Station’s Pirs Docking Compartment at 10:10:44 p.m. (CST) on Feb. 5, 2009. The Progress fired its thrusters to back away from the station for a little over two days of free flight to support engineering tests by Russian flight controllers. It will be commanded into a destructive reentry in Earth's atmosphere high above the Pacific Ocean at 1:32 a.m. (CST) on Feb 8. The departure clears the way for the arrival of the Progress 32 resupply vehicle, which is scheduled to link up to Pirs on Feb. 13.