Russians still oppose allowing Dragon to berth with ISS on its January test flight
The Russians still oppose allowing Dragon to berth with ISS on its next test flight in January.
Tag: ISS
Blurred vision a risk for astronauts who spend months in space
Blurred vision is now considered a serious risk for astronauts who spend months in space.
According to one NASA survey of about 300 astronauts, nearly 30 percent of those who have flown on space shuttle missions – which usually lasted two weeks — and 60 percent who’ve completed six-month shifts aboard the station reported a gradual blurring of eyesight.
This story is a followup on information contained in an earlier National Academies report on astronaut staffing.
Soyuz crew returns safely to Earth, despite radio problems
One of the two three-man crews on ISS have returned safely to Earth, despite an unexpected communciations blackout during their descent.
In related news, the Russians have slightly delayed the launch dates for the next manned flights to ISS, which also means that the next test flight of Falcon 9/Dragon will have to be delayed until 2012. Moreover, the Russians are once again balking at allowing Dragon to dock with ISS on this first flight.
Russia announces October and November dates for next Progress and Soyuz launches
Russia has announced October, November, and December dates for the next Progress and Soyuz launches.
More Progress freighter crash investigation results
More Progress freighter crash investigation results: it appears there was something that blocked the fuel supply.
“The exposed production defect was accidental,” [the investigation] said, adding the reason may be qualified as an isolated case only after checking all available engines.
This suggests that the problem was an isolated error and that, once they have cleared the available engines, they can start flying relatively quickly.
The dangerous environment of space
A just released report from the National Academies, Preparing for the High Frontier: the role and training of NASA astronauts in the post-space shuttle era, describes the challenges that NASA faces in staffing its astronaut corps in the coming years. More important, however, is some new information buried in the report about the hazards of long term exposure to weightlessness.
For example, it seems a significant number of astronauts have come back from spending months at ISS with serious vision problems, caused by a newly discovered condition dubbed papilledema, the swelling of the optic disk.
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Station astronauts optimistic station will not be evacuated in November
In a press conference yesterday, the astronauts on ISS expressed confidence that the station will not be evacuated, and that the Russians will solve their rocket problems in time to launch the next crew by November.
Some suggestions for keeping ISS occupied
Some suggestions for keeping ISS occupied.
I especially like Harman’s suggestion that the Russians consider landing in the U.S. during the winter, thereby allowing them to extend one crew’s occupancy of ISS into December, January, or even February. Also, he proposes the Russians send an unmanned Soyuz to ISS during testing of the rocket, thereby providing the crews onboard a fresh lifeboat. This is something they have done in the past on their previous space station Mir.
Adjusting the flight manifest to ISS
Pete Harding at NasaSpaceflight.com has written a very thorough review of the changes to the flight manifest to ISS expected due to the August 24 failure of the Soyuz-U rocket.
Russians are considering reducing their participation in ISS
Uh-oh! The Russians are considering reducing their participation in ISS. Their government might also take over entirely the private portion of their space industry.
More information on why the Soyuz-U rocket failed
More details on why the rocket carrying the Progress freighter to ISS failed last week.
Ground controllers replace a failed circuit box on ISS, using the robot Dextre
Ground controllers successfully replaced a failed circuit box on ISS this weekend, using the two-armed Dextre robot.
Up to now, exchanging the boxes was done by spacewalkers, which always carries a certain level of risk. Dextre was designed to reduce the need for astronauts to conduct spacewalks for routine maintenance, therefore freeing up the crew’s time for more important activities, like conducting science.
If ISS becomes unmanned, the first test of Dragon will also be delayed
More possible consequences if ISS becomes unmanned: the first test of Dragon will be delayed.
An unmanned ISS will also delay the first launch in February of Orbital Sciences Cyngus cargo vehicle, as this vehicle is like Dragon in that it requires astronauts on board ISS to control the robot arm that grabs and berths the spacecraft.
A preliminary cause for the Russian launch failure has been found
Good news: The Russians have pinned down a preliminary cause for the Progress launch failure last week.
Solving this quickly appears essential, as the space station was not really designed to fly unmanned.
Past NASA risk assessments show there is a one in 10 chance of losing the station within six months if astronauts and cosmonauts are not onboard to deal with any critical systems failures. The probability soars to a frightening one in two chance — a 50-percent probability — if the station is left without a crew for a year.
Russians delay next manned launch to ISS
It’s now official: The Russians will postpone the launch of the next crew to ISS, as well as delaying the return of one crew presently on board.
Space station could be abandoned in November
The space station could be abandoned in November if the Russians haven’t solved their rocket problems by then.
Russia plans two unmanned test launches of Soyuz rockets before using them to deliver crews to the ISS
Because of this week’s Progress freighter launch failure, Russia plans two unmanned test launches of its Soyuz rockets before flying crews on them to ISS.
One of these test launches will carry a new Progress freighter, with supplies for ISS.
The immediate consequences of the Progress freighter failure
The immediate consequences of the Progress freighter failure:
- The next manned space ship launch from Baikonur likely to be postponed.
- ISS crew may be cut to 3 until Progress situation clarified.
- Russia postpones Soyuz rocket launch after crash (different launch than the manned mission above).
The longer term consequences? Congress will anguish over the lack of a shuttle. Some will demand more money for the program-formerly-called-Constellation, while others will demand more money for the new commercial companies. In either case, they will ignore the reality of a bankrupt federal government that simply can’t afford either at the moment.
Progress freighter launch fails
The launch of a Progress freighter to ISS today has failed, with the freighter ending up crashing into Siberia.
This is very bad news for the station. Everyone in the space industry knows that with the shuttle gone, it will be a challenge to maintain supplies to the station’s the six-person crew. Losing just one supply ship will strain the station’s supplies, if not now in the long run for sure.
Worse, this is the first launch failure of the Soyuz rocket that puts both Progress and manned Soyuz capsule into orbit in more than eleven years. The next manned crew is scheduled for launch on September 21. Whether this failure will delay that launch remains unknown.
Bigelow in negotiations to supply privately-built modules to ISS
Bigelow Aerospace is in negotiations with both NASA and Japan to supply ISS with privately-built modules
The module could be rented out as an ISS storage unit, making the station less dependent on frequent resupply flights, says Hiroshi Kikuchi of JAMSS. To show that the modules are capable of safe, crewed operation, Bigelow is also negotiating with NASA to attach one to a US-owned ISS module.
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