8 May 2015

Russian spacecraft burns up over Pacific Ocean

4:55 pm on 8 May 2015

An out of control Russian spacecraft has burned up on re-entry over the Pacific Ocean.

The un-manned supply ship had been on a descending orbit since a communications failure soon after its launch from Kazakhstan.

The Russian space agency Roscommon says the Progress spacecraft "ceased to exist" early this afternoon.

Russia's Progress M-27M cargo ship blasts off in Kazakhstan on 28 April.

Russia's Progress M-27M cargo ship blasts off in Kazakhstan on 28 April. Photo: AFP

It gave the location as above the central part of the Pacific Ocean.

The Progress M-27M was carrying more than three tonnes of supplies, including food, water, fuel, oxygen and clothing, to the International Space Station which orbits about 420km above Earth.

A special commission has been set up in Russia to investigate why Progress was lost.

In 2011, one of its predecessors was destroyed when it crashed soon after take-off in Siberia.

Even after Progress' loss, the astronauts have enough supplies to keep them going until the next expected delivery on 19 June.

A Roscosmos spokesperson said that the loss was valued at $US50.7 million.