# Progress MS-04

> Failed resupply mission to the International Space Station

**Wikidata**: [Q26691771](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q26691771)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progress_MS-04)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/progress-ms-04

Here’s the structured knowledge entry for **Progress MS-04**:

---

## Summary  
Progress MS-04 was a failed resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) launched on December 1, 2016. It was a variant of the Progress MS expendable cargo spacecraft and was destroyed during launch due to a rocket malfunction. The mission aimed to deliver supplies to the ISS but never reached orbit.

## Key Facts  
- **Launch date**: December 1, 2016 ([reference](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6272367)).  
- **Launch vehicle**: Soyuz-U, a Soviet-era rocket variant.  
- **Mission type**: Cargo resupply to the ISS.  
- **Outcome**: Failed during launch; spacecraft destroyed.  
- **Preceded by**: Progress MS-03.  
- **Followed by**: Progress MS-05.  
- **Spacecraft class**: Progress MS, an expendable cargo spacecraft.  
- **Aliases**: Прогресс МC-04 (Russian designation).  

## FAQs  
### Q: Why did Progress MS-04 fail?  
A: Progress MS-04 failed due to a malfunction in the Soyuz-U rocket during launch, causing the spacecraft to be destroyed before reaching orbit.  

### Q: What was the purpose of Progress MS-04?  
A: It was designed to deliver supplies, equipment, and fuel to the International Space Station as part of Russia's resupply program.  

### Q: Did the failure affect ISS operations?  
A: While the loss delayed resupply, the ISS had sufficient reserves, and subsequent missions like Progress MS-05 ensured continuity.  

## Why It Matters  
Progress MS-04 highlights the risks of space logistics and the reliance on expendable cargo spacecraft for ISS operations. Its failure underscored the need for rigorous launch vehicle reliability, especially as the Soyuz-U rocket was nearing retirement. The incident also demonstrated the ISS's resilience, as it could rely on alternative resupply missions. Progress MS-04's loss did not critically disrupt ISS operations but served as a reminder of the challenges in maintaining a continuous supply chain to space.  

## Notable For  
- **Failure during launch**: One of the few Progress missions to be lost due to a rocket malfunction.  
- **Soyuz-U's final years**: Launched on a Soviet-era rocket variant that was later phased out.  
- **ISS contingency planning**: Showed the importance of backup resupply strategies for space stations.  

## Body  
### Launch Details  
- **Launch date**: December 1, 2016.  
- **Launch site**: Baikonur Cosmodrome (assumed, based on Soyuz-U's typical launch site).  
- **Rocket**: Soyuz-U, a variant of the Soyuz family.  

### Mission Failure  
- The rocket malfunctioned during ascent, leading to the destruction of Progress MS-04.  
- No cargo reached the ISS.  

### Aftermath  
- Russia investigated the failure, which contributed to the retirement of the Soyuz-U rocket.  
- Progress MS-05 was launched successfully in 2017 to resume resupply operations.  

## Schema Markup  
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Progress MS-04",
  "description": "Failed resupply mission to the International Space Station launched in 2016.",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q27974162",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progress_MS-04"
  ],
  "additionalType": "Spacecraft"
}

## References

1. Jonathan's Space Report