Roscosmos re-inspecting all Progress/Soyuz capsules
The Russians are going to give all Progress and Soyuz capsules being prepared for launch a new inspection following the discovery that the airleak on the Soyuz docked with ISS had been caused by a technician on the ground prior to launch and covered up.
The consequences to Russia’s space industry because of this incident are going to be difficult to measure. It surely signals that they have still not got a handle on their quality control problems. In fact, it provides further proof that the technical work coming out of Russia is shoddy, sloppy, and filled with many forms of corruption, all circumstances that should give pause to anyone thinking of flying a product or themselves on a Russian-made product.
Worse, the centralized government-run space industry created by Putin is exactly the wrong thing for fixing these problems. Russia does not have a competitive and free aerospace industry. Everything is run by the government and based on the ability to wield political power rather the ability to demonstrate skill and quality in how you do your job.
With only five launches expected in 2019, Russia’s space program is sinking to the level of a third world country. This airleak disaster will only help it sink further.
One last note: I predicted this kind of disaster back in 2013, when the consolidation of Russia’s aerospace industry was announced by the Putin government. My prediction was not very difficult, nor especially brilliant, since disasters like this always occur from government-run top-down socialist/communist systems. One only has to be patient. It is only a matter of time before the system fails, and fails badly.
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In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
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The Russians are going to give all Progress and Soyuz capsules being prepared for launch a new inspection following the discovery that the airleak on the Soyuz docked with ISS had been caused by a technician on the ground prior to launch and covered up.
The consequences to Russia’s space industry because of this incident are going to be difficult to measure. It surely signals that they have still not got a handle on their quality control problems. In fact, it provides further proof that the technical work coming out of Russia is shoddy, sloppy, and filled with many forms of corruption, all circumstances that should give pause to anyone thinking of flying a product or themselves on a Russian-made product.
Worse, the centralized government-run space industry created by Putin is exactly the wrong thing for fixing these problems. Russia does not have a competitive and free aerospace industry. Everything is run by the government and based on the ability to wield political power rather the ability to demonstrate skill and quality in how you do your job.
With only five launches expected in 2019, Russia’s space program is sinking to the level of a third world country. This airleak disaster will only help it sink further.
One last note: I predicted this kind of disaster back in 2013, when the consolidation of Russia’s aerospace industry was announced by the Putin government. My prediction was not very difficult, nor especially brilliant, since disasters like this always occur from government-run top-down socialist/communist systems. One only has to be patient. It is only a matter of time before the system fails, and fails badly.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
I work for a sub contractor in this inductry and my work is checked a dozen times by several different people than me. Before it leaves out plant.
Then ALL paperwork and records of everything we do is kept for 7 to 10 years.
If I have to make a change for any reason everyone knows and if I screw up a job everyone knows.
And I have screwed up a big job or two. But I have owned up to it right then and there. And restarted the job.
I could see how this could happen but not how it was NEVER caught after the incident and before the flight.
Back in the 50’sand 60’s guys used to leave beer cans in the fenders and doors of new cars during manufacture.
Are the Russians that far behind the rest of the world?
Another flavor of the story is that a Cosmonaut/ Astronaut? may have committed sabotage in order to come home early.
Sounds as those long stay durations in mico=gravity is not all that fun after a while. This mythos that Cosmo/Astronauts are next to godhood has to go. Time to get rid of government “workers” draining the tax-dollar tit bone dry. As bad as corporate is, fed workers is fine example of oxymoron. Can’t be fired , work is optional.
While this can be attributed to the human condition, how people are managed can reduce this quality issue. If the penalty for drilling a hole, where it should not be (in an expensive piece near the end of its manufacture), is getting fired, the the coverup will also be done. If the management is taking a cut from the profits, they will ensure workers do little or no “rework” as the buffer has already been taken: by management.
I suspect both scenarios are at play here.
Now Russians suggest the leak might’be been a sabotage!
“A Russian MP who is a former cosmonaut suggested that a psychologically disturbed astronaut could have done it to force an early return home.”
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-09-04/russia-says-space-station-leak-may-be-deliberate-sabotage
(A pretty timid sabotage in that case)
Orion 314, should everybody on the space station be fired because they are federal workers and may have committed this sabotage? What if some of them are Republicans?
This even made the UK news… With a different take on what happened..
https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/international/i-was-just-putting-up-a-shelf-admits-russian-astronaut-20180905177011
Lee S: You realize this is a comedy site, don’t you?
@bob…. Of course I do…. ( Its English humour!) I just found it bloody hilarious….. And it’s fun to have a spot of satire poked at very serious matters from time to time ..
If you would rather I didn’t, I won’t… But let’s be honest …. It’s funny!
Lee S: No problems. I sometimes get the exact same question when I post links to other satirical articles. I have found it necessary to give a hint that I know it’s a joke.