Soyuz capsule had docked with ISS
The Soyuz capsule with three astronauts has successfully docked with ISS.
The Soyuz capsule with three astronauts has successfully docked with ISS.
Tag: Russia
Soyuz capsule had docked with ISS
Russian space agency head says there is still a chance to save Phobos-Grunt
The head of the Russian space agency said yesterday that there is still a chance to save Phobos-Grunt.
“The probe is going to be in orbit until January, but in the first days of December the window will close” to re-programme it, he told Russian news agencies at Russia’s Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
He also said that the probe will not pose a threat, and will burn up in the atmosphere if it should fall to Earth.
The head of the Russian space agency said yesterday that there is still a chance to save Phobos-Grunt.
“The probe is going to be in orbit until January, but in the first days of December the window will close” to re-programme it, he told Russian news agencies at Russia’s Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
He also said that the probe will not pose a threat, and will burn up in the atmosphere if it should fall to Earth.
Soyuz rocket successfully launches three astronauts into orbit
A Soyuz rocket has successfully launched three astronauts into orbit.
This is the first manned launch since the shuttles were retired, and the first Russian manned mission since the failure of a Soyuz rocket in August. If all goes well, the astronauts will dock with ISS in two days.
A Soyuz rocket has successfully launched three astronauts into orbit.
This is the first manned launch since the shuttles were retired, and the first Russian manned mission since the failure of a Soyuz rocket in August. If all goes well, the astronauts will dock with ISS in two days.
First manned Soyuz launch set for Sunday night
The first manned Soyuz launch since the launch failure in August is set for Sunday night.
The first manned Soyuz launch since the launch failure in August is set for Sunday night.
Toxic Russian Mars probe aims for Earth
It now looks like the stranded and toxic Russian Mars probe, Phobos-Grunt, is likely aimed at Earth.
We are looking at an uncontrolled toxic reentry scenario. Phobos-Grunt . . . is fully-laden with unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide; that’s ten tons of fuel and oxidizer. The probe itself weighs-in at only three tons. . . . Phobos-Grunt’s batteries are draining and its orbit is degrading. It looks as if the probe will reenter later this month/early December. NORAD is putting a Nov. 26 reentry date on Phobos-Grunt.
It now looks like the stranded and toxic Russian Mars probe, Phobos-Grunt, is likely aimed at Earth.
We are looking at an uncontrolled toxic reentry scenario. Phobos-Grunt . . . is fully-laden with unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide; that’s ten tons of fuel and oxidizer. The probe itself weighs-in at only three tons. . . . Phobos-Grunt’s batteries are draining and its orbit is degrading. It looks as if the probe will reenter later this month/early December. NORAD is putting a Nov. 26 reentry date on Phobos-Grunt.
It looks bad for Phobos-Grunt
It looks bad for Phobos-Grunt.
“Overnight, several attempts were made to obtain telemetric information from the probe. They all ended with zero result,” Interfax quoted a source in the Russian space sector as saying. “The probability of saving the probe is very, very small,” added the source, who was not identified.
It looks bad for Phobos-Grunt.
“Overnight, several attempts were made to obtain telemetric information from the probe. They all ended with zero result,” Interfax quoted a source in the Russian space sector as saying. “The probability of saving the probe is very, very small,” added the source, who was not identified.
Russia has two weeks to save Phobos-Grunt
Russia has two weeks to save Phobos-Grunt.
Russia has two weeks to save Phobos-Grunt.
More info on the failure of Phobos-Grunt
More info on the engine failure of Phobos-Grunt, and what might still be done to save the mission.
More info on the engine failure of Phobos-Grunt, and what might still be done to save the mission.
Phobos-Grunt appears to be in trouble in Earth orbit
Phobos-Grunt appears to be in trouble in Earth orbit.
In a posting to an online forum for the Phobos-Grunt mission, Anton Ledkov of the Russian Space Research Institute reported that there was “no telemetry” from the spacecraft.
Another report suggests that a variety of engine thrusters did not fire as planned.
Phobos-Grunt appears to be in trouble in Earth orbit.
In a posting to an online forum for the Phobos-Grunt mission, Anton Ledkov of the Russian Space Research Institute reported that there was “no telemetry” from the spacecraft.
Another report suggests that a variety of engine thrusters did not fire as planned.
Russia heads for Mars
Russia heads for Mars: a detailed look at the Phobos/Grunt sample return mission, set to launch on November 8.
I really wish the Russians good luck with this project. Not only would it herald their return to planetary science since the fall of the Soviet Union, success here would break their long string of failures to the red planet. Though their unmanned planetary program had some remarkable achievements during the Soviet era, of the 19 missions they flew to Mars in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, all were failures, producing almost no useful data.
Russia heads for Mars: a detailed look at the Phobos/Grunt sample return mission, set to launch on November 8.
I really wish the Russians good luck with this project. Not only would it herald their return to planetary science since the fall of the Soviet Union, success here would break their long string of failures to the red planet. Though their unmanned planetary program had some remarkable achievements during the Soviet era, of the 19 missions they flew to Mars in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, all were failures, producing almost no useful data.
The 520-day simulated mission to Mars has been completed
The 520-day simulated mission to Mars has been completed.
The 520-day simulated mission to Mars has been completed.
Sailing to Mars
With the end of the Mar500 simulated mission this coming Friday, the Russians are now proposing an eighteen month simulated Mars mission on board the International Space Station.
The Russians have been pushing to do this on ISS for years. Unfortunately, NASA has always resisted.
Yet, as I wrote in Leaving Earth, we will never be able to send humans to any other planets until we have flown at least one simulated mission, in zero gravity in Earth orbit, beforehand. Wernher von Braun pointed out this reality out back in the 1950s, and that reality has not changed in the ensuing half century. Not only will such a mission tell us a great deal about the medical issues of living in weightlessness for years at a time — issues that are far from trivial — it will give us the opportunity to find out the engineering problems of building a vessel capable of keeping humans alive during interplanetary flight, far from Earth.
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Progress freighter has docked at ISS
The Progress freighter launched three days ago has docked successfully at ISS.
The Progress freighter launched three days ago has docked successfully at ISS.
Russians successfully put Progress freighter into orbit
Russians successfully put Progress freighter into orbit.
Russians successfully put Progress freighter into orbit.
Mars500 crew prepare to open the hatch
The Mars500 crew prepares to open the hatch after seventeen months of a simulated mission to Mars.
The Mars500 crew prepares to open the hatch after seventeen months of a simulated mission to Mars.
Progress freighter undocks from ISS
A Progress freighter has now undocked in preparation for the arrival of its replacement, scheduled for launch on Sunday.
Sunday’s launch will be the first test of the Soyuz rocket since the failure in August. A lot rides on this liftoff’s success.
A Progress freighter has now undocked in preparation for the arrival of its replacement, scheduled for launch on Sunday.
Sunday’s launch will be the first test of the Soyuz rocket since the failure in August. A lot rides on this liftoff’s success.
Russia’s next attempt to return to Mars is set for a November 9 launch
Russia’s first attempt in decades to send a probe beyond Earth orbit is now set for a November 9 launch.
Phobos/Grunt is a combined orbiter and lander, and is aimed not at Mars but at the Martian moon Phobos.
Russia’s first attempt in decades to send a probe beyond Earth orbit is now set for a November 9 launch.
Phobos/Grunt is a combined orbiter and lander, and is aimed not at Mars but at the Martian moon Phobos.
NASA negotiating an extension of its deal with the Russians to fly astronauts to ISS
How our government gets Americans in space in the modern era: NASA is negotiating an extension of its deal with the Russians to fly astronauts to ISS.
How our government gets Americans in space in the modern era: NASA is negotiating an extension of its deal with the Russians to fly astronauts to ISS.
A successful first launch of a Russian rocket outside of the old Soviet Union
For the first time, the Russians today successfully launched a Russian rocket from a spaceport outside of the old Soviet Union.
The Soyuz also put into orbit the first two satellites of the European Galileo GPS constellation.
For the first time, the Russians today successfully launched a Russian rocket from a spaceport outside of the old Soviet Union.
The Soyuz also put into orbit the first two satellites of the European Galileo GPS constellation.
First Soyuz rocket launch from South America scrubbed
First Soyuz rocket launch from South America scrubbed.
First Soyuz rocket launch from South America scrubbed.
Russians plan to stick with ISS through 2028.
More Russian space news: They plan to stick with ISS through 2028.
More Russian space news: They plan to stick with ISS through 2028.
Russians look at lunar caves for their lunar bases
Using images from Japanese and American lunar orbiters, the Russians are looking at lunar caves to build Moon bases by 2030.
Using images from Japanese and American lunar orbiters, the Russians are looking at lunar caves to build Moon bases by 2030.
Europe has invited Russia to join the US/ESA ExoMars mission as full partner
Lacking sufficient funds, Europe has invited Russia to join the US/ESA ExoMars program as full partner.
Lacking sufficient funds, Europe has invited Russia to join the US/ESA ExoMars program as full partner.
The space police of Baikonur
I find this quote interesting:
When the status of the city was designated [after the fall of the Soviet Union], the leased Baikonur was monitored by two Interior Ministries, two prosecutors’ offices and two state security organs. But social problems have not disappeared. Engineers and astronauts are not the only ones who live in the city. Baikonur hosts a great deal of people who have local residence papers, including the indigenous Kazakhs. They cannot work on Baikonur objects because mostly Russians are hired to work there. If the Kazakhs are lucky enough to be hired, they are paid far less than the Russians.
In June of this year mass uprisings occurred in Baikonur. A crowd of youths pelted a police patrol car with stones and bottles.
I find this quote interesting:
When the status of the city was designated [after the fall of the Soviet Union], the leased Baikonur was monitored by two Interior Ministries, two prosecutors’ offices and two state security organs. But social problems have not disappeared. Engineers and astronauts are not the only ones who live in the city. Baikonur hosts a great deal of people who have local residence papers, including the indigenous Kazakhs. They cannot work on Baikonur objects because mostly Russians are hired to work there. If the Kazakhs are lucky enough to be hired, they are paid far less than the Russians.
In June of this year mass uprisings occurred in Baikonur. A crowd of youths pelted a police patrol car with stones and bottles.
How to build a Soyuz
Video: How to build a Soyuz rocket.
Video: How to build a Soyuz rocket.
Russia puts off building space lab
More Russian space industry news: Russia puts off building a space lab while announcing that it will use its Soyuz 2 rocket to launch manned missions from its new spaceport in the Vostochny spaceport in Amur, to be opened in 2015.
More Russian space industry news: Russia puts off building a space lab while announcing that it will use its Soyuz 2 rocket to launch manned missions from its new spaceport in the Vostochny spaceport in Amur, to be opened in 2015.
Russia drops plans to build a replacement for Soyuz rocket
Russia has dropped its plans to build a replacement for its Soyuz rocket.
This is not the first time that the Russians have abandoned plans to come up with a new rocket, which suggests once again that — as successful as their space effort has been — they lack the ability to come up with new product. This in turn makes vulnerable the Russians’ market share in commercial space.
Russia has dropped its plans to build a replacement for its Soyuz rocket.
This is not the first time that the Russians have abandoned plans to come up with a new rocket, which suggests once again that — as successful as their space effort has been — they lack the ability to come up with new product. This in turn makes vulnerable the Russians’ market share in commercial space.
Want to become an astronaut? NASA insists you speak Russian
Want to become an astronaut? NASA requires you to speak Russian.
Want to become an astronaut? NASA requires you to speak Russian.
Russia launches its first Soyuz rocket since the failure in August
Russia launches its first Soyuz rocket since the Progress launch failure in August.
This was a launch of a Soyuz-2 rocket, which is not identical to the Soyuz-U rocket that the Progress freighter was on. Nonetheless, the success is a good sign that they are back in business.
Russia launches its first Soyuz rocket since the Progress launch failure in August.
This was a launch of a Soyuz-2 rocket, which is not identical to the Soyuz-U rocket that the Progress freighter was on. Nonetheless, the success is a good sign that they are back in business.
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.
The Russians still oppose allowing Dragon to berth with ISS on its next test flight in January.