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Soyuz safety: NASA to remove US presense at ISS?
MAJOR fallout from the recent Soyuz TMA-11 re-entry "troubles" wherein a returning crew from ISS came very close to being lost. Leaked documents indicate that the service module has failed to separate before re-entry on several flights over the years, forcing the flight computers to go into what is called a "ballistic re-entry" mode. High G's, off-course and dangerous. One cosmonaut from the latest incident spent over a week in the hospital from his injuries.
Looks like this is a repeating problem, so much so that Russian project managers have weakened the service modules attaching brackets in case the explosive bolts don't to the job. This way increasing drag would tear it off, which IMO is a dicey solution at best. Seems Soyuz isn't the reliable workhorse it's been cracked up to be.
If this is true then SpaceX had better get Dragon's manned configuration up doublequick; the Shuttle will be retired after 2010 and Orion won't be operational until 2015 at the earliest...some say 2016.
NASASpaceflight.com.....
Looks like this is a repeating problem, so much so that Russian project managers have weakened the service modules attaching brackets in case the explosive bolts don't to the job. This way increasing drag would tear it off, which IMO is a dicey solution at best. Seems Soyuz isn't the reliable workhorse it's been cracked up to be.
If this is true then SpaceX had better get Dragon's manned configuration up doublequick; the Shuttle will be retired after 2010 and Orion won't be operational until 2015 at the earliest...some say 2016.
NASASpaceflight.com.....
Soyuz debate considers removing US presence from the ISS
NASA managers have been meeting today to debate the option of removing the US presence from the International Space Station (ISS) when Discovery undocks at the latter part of STS-124.
Meanwhile, STS-124 processing continues to pick up the pace, following the recent replacement of a faulty MDM (Multiplexer/Demultiplexer) card (FA2), and a Russian re-supply ship (Progress 29P) has successfully docked with the ISS.
The discussions relate to confidence levels in the Russian Soyuz - that is currently docked on Station as a rescue vehicle in the event of an evacuation - while an ongoing investigation into Soyuz TMA-11's ballistic re-entry continues.
The 'down moded' option taken by the Soyuz TMA-11's flight computers - commanding the vehicle into a ballistic re-entry - is still in the midst of a Russian investigation, which is not likely to come to a conclusion ahead of STS-124.
The debate focuses around US confidence in the Soyuz as a 'solid rescue vehicle' - as previously reported by this site. The docked Soyuz is the only means of evacuation from the ISS during an emergency in-between shuttle missions.
The options being discussed relate to either changing the crew size riding up on Discovery to six - minus expedition 17's Gregory Chamitoff - and returning Garrett Reisman as planned, or launching with Chamitoff, before bringing him home with Garrett on Discovery.
These options - noted as 6 up/7 down and 7 up/8 down - have been debated since Wednesday, with Friday's meeting relating to the latter option of bringing eight crewmembers home with Discovery. Orbiters are capable of bringing home 10 astronauts - if required
'Many from the STS-124 (team) worked (Wednesday) pulling together story on impacts for six crewmembers up/seven down and seven up/eight down to discuss with (Shuttle Manager) Mr. (John) Shannon,' noted comments on the latest Shuttle Stand-up Integration report.
'Mr. Shannon noted that the meetings (will take place) on Friday to look at charts and flight rationale, and (also) the meeting on how to bring both ISS crewmembers back. He has a Standing Review Board outbrief with Mike Coates on Friday.'
Carrying out such an option would leave Commander Sergey Volkov, and Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko on the ISS - who would use the Soyuz in the event of an emergency evacuation of the Station.
The next shuttle mission due to arrive at the ISS is Endeavour on STS-126, though she is not due to launch until November at present. Atlantis - the next shuttle to launch after STS-124 - will be heading to the Hubble Space Telescope in October.
The next Russian manned mission to the ISS - with Soyuz TMA-13 - is currently scheduled for launch on October 12.
At this stage, the options being considered relate to creating a plan that could be activated if managers decide it is the best form of mitigating any doubts they may have with the Russian vehicle.
Another option would be to delay STS-124 until a time the progress of the Russian investigation has arrived at a point where confidence is high in the ability of using Soyuz for emergency evacuations from the Station.
Monday's Agency Flight Readiness Review (FRR) is likely to debate these options at length.
NASA managers have been meeting today to debate the option of removing the US presence from the International Space Station (ISS) when Discovery undocks at the latter part of STS-124.
Meanwhile, STS-124 processing continues to pick up the pace, following the recent replacement of a faulty MDM (Multiplexer/Demultiplexer) card (FA2), and a Russian re-supply ship (Progress 29P) has successfully docked with the ISS.
The discussions relate to confidence levels in the Russian Soyuz - that is currently docked on Station as a rescue vehicle in the event of an evacuation - while an ongoing investigation into Soyuz TMA-11's ballistic re-entry continues.
The 'down moded' option taken by the Soyuz TMA-11's flight computers - commanding the vehicle into a ballistic re-entry - is still in the midst of a Russian investigation, which is not likely to come to a conclusion ahead of STS-124.
The debate focuses around US confidence in the Soyuz as a 'solid rescue vehicle' - as previously reported by this site. The docked Soyuz is the only means of evacuation from the ISS during an emergency in-between shuttle missions.
The options being discussed relate to either changing the crew size riding up on Discovery to six - minus expedition 17's Gregory Chamitoff - and returning Garrett Reisman as planned, or launching with Chamitoff, before bringing him home with Garrett on Discovery.
These options - noted as 6 up/7 down and 7 up/8 down - have been debated since Wednesday, with Friday's meeting relating to the latter option of bringing eight crewmembers home with Discovery. Orbiters are capable of bringing home 10 astronauts - if required
'Many from the STS-124 (team) worked (Wednesday) pulling together story on impacts for six crewmembers up/seven down and seven up/eight down to discuss with (Shuttle Manager) Mr. (John) Shannon,' noted comments on the latest Shuttle Stand-up Integration report.
'Mr. Shannon noted that the meetings (will take place) on Friday to look at charts and flight rationale, and (also) the meeting on how to bring both ISS crewmembers back. He has a Standing Review Board outbrief with Mike Coates on Friday.'
Carrying out such an option would leave Commander Sergey Volkov, and Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko on the ISS - who would use the Soyuz in the event of an emergency evacuation of the Station.
The next shuttle mission due to arrive at the ISS is Endeavour on STS-126, though she is not due to launch until November at present. Atlantis - the next shuttle to launch after STS-124 - will be heading to the Hubble Space Telescope in October.
The next Russian manned mission to the ISS - with Soyuz TMA-13 - is currently scheduled for launch on October 12.
At this stage, the options being considered relate to creating a plan that could be activated if managers decide it is the best form of mitigating any doubts they may have with the Russian vehicle.
Another option would be to delay STS-124 until a time the progress of the Russian investigation has arrived at a point where confidence is high in the ability of using Soyuz for emergency evacuations from the Station.
Monday's Agency Flight Readiness Review (FRR) is likely to debate these options at length.