MRM2 "Poisk" atop Soyuz-U on November 11, 2009

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Mission: Primary: Delivery of MRM2 Mini Research Module to the ISS; secondary: supplies delivery.

The launch site:Baikonur

The launch time is:
19 : 22 : 05 Baikonur 10.11.2009
17 : 22 : 05 Moscow Time 10.11.2009
14 : 22 : 05 UTC November 11, 2009
9 : 22 : 05 a.m. EST November 11, 2009

Time since launch:
[eventTimer]2009-11-10 14:22:05;%dd% Days %hh% Hours %mm% Minutes %ss% Seconds[/eventTimer]


The expected docking time is:
18 : 43 : 30 ±3 min Moscow Time 12.11.2009
15 : 43 : 30 ±3 min UTC November 12, 2009
10 : 43 : 30 a.m. ±3 min EST November 12, 2009

Time since docking:
[eventTimer]2009-11-12 15:43:30;%dd% Days %hh% Hours %mm% Minutes %ss% Seconds[/eventTimer]



Spacecraft: Progress M-MRM2 (proper name: МИМ2 "Поиск", po'-eesk, meaning Quest, Search, Exploration)

The spacecraft's mass is 7150.0 kg
Delivered payload mass is 850 kg
Pressurized volume 12.5 m^3
Volume for cargo and research equipment storage up to 2 m^3

Poisk, also known as the Mini-Research Module 2 (MRM 2), is a new Russian docking module of the International Space Station. Its original name was Docking Module 2 (Stykovochniy Otsek 2 (SO-2)), as it is almost identical to Pirs already on the station.

It will be added to the zenith port of the Zvezda module, and will serve as an additional docking port for Soyuz and Progress spacecraft and as an airlock for spacewalks. Poisk will also provide extra space for scientific experiments, and provide power-supply outlets and data-transmission interfaces for two external scientific payloads to be developed by the Russian Academy of Sciences. The mass of the module is 4,000 kg. It has a diameter of 2.6 m and length of 4.6, providing 12.5 cubic meters of internal volume.

The instrumentation-propulsion module for MRM2 is the same as used in stock Progress-M vehicles. It's to be jettisoned after docking and proper mating of the spacecraft, opening the new passive docking port for use (with the Pirs, it happened 10 days after docking). The module's independent flight will be controllable from the ground, enabling its deorbiting.

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The self-propelled flight configuration:

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Brief History

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/iss_dc.html

By 2008, Docking Compartment-2 was back on the list of the future modules of the Russian segment but it was bearing a new name: Mini-Research Module-2, MRM-2, or MIM-2 in Russian. The 4,000-kilogram module was scheduled for launch in 2009, as part of a specialized custom-built Progress cargo ship. The MIM-2 would be docked to the zenith (upper) docking port of the Zvezda service module.

Like its older twin -- Docking Compartment-1 -- MIM-2 would feature a passive docking port for the Soyuz and Progress ships on its outer end and provide 12.5 cubic meters of internal volume. It could also serve as an airlock for spacewalking cosmonauts.

However, unlike the DC-1, the new module would sport power-supply outlets and data-transmission interfaces for two external scientific payloads to be developed by the Russian Academy of Sciences, thus justifying its name as a research module.

On its way to the station, MIM-2 was to carry a ton of cargo.

In the meantime, the Docking Compartment 1 would remain on the nadir (Earth-facing) docking port of the Zvezda service module until the arrival of the Multipurpose Laboratory Module, MLM, then scheduled for launch in 2011. A Progress cargo ship would be used to haul away and deorbit the Docking Compartment 1 at the end of its mission.

ISS integration

The MRM2 Poisk module's payload complex will benefit both Russian scientific program aboard the ISS and supporting commertial external payloads operations during EVA. The 10 following experiments will go live aboard MRM2 after its commissioning, which is to begin in December, 2009 and to continue through 2010.


Also, MRM2 will possibly be able to support continued scientific programme in the flow of Bioemulsia, Plasma Crystal, Nanosat, RadioScaph, and some other experiments. Two portholes with diameter of 228 mm each are suitable for observation and filming experiments.

Diagram of the MRM2's position in the Russian Segment after its commissioning.
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Diagram of the final Russian Segment's development.
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Launch vehicle: Soyuz-U

The vehicle's reliability stats up to date:
Code:
================================================================ 
Vehicle     Successes/Tries Realzd Pred  Consc. Last     Dates    
                             Rate  Rate* Succes Fail    
================================================================ 
Soyuz-U         725   745    .97  .97     42    10/15/02 1973-

Mission Profile:

1. Soyuz-U's ascent chart
shema_vivedenija.gif


The expected payload separation time: 17h 30m 54.18s

2. Orbital Parameters of Progress M-MRM2 and the ISS

Parameter|Designation|Prorgess M-MRM2 at 10/15|ISS at 10/18
Orbital Period|T, min|88,59 ±0,37|91,30
Inclination|i, degrees|51,66 ±0,06|51,65
Min altitude|h, km|193 +7 -15|338,5
Max altitude|H, km|245 ±42|356,5

Phase angle between the space ship and the ISS is about 240 degrees
Projected duration of the space ship at the nominal orbit is no less than 20 orbits (~30 hrs)

3. Transfer manoeuvres
(two days long approach scheme applied)

* 1st two-burn manoeuvre
Date|Burn at|Orbit #|Delta V, m/s|Burn duration, s|post-burn T,min|post-burn i,deg|post-burn h,km|post-burn H,km
10.11.09|21 : 01 : 24|3|16,29|40,8|89,14|51,65|217,4|259,3
10.11.09|21 : 55 : 17|4|6,77|17,7|89,37|51,63|227,9|279,6

* 2nd one-burn correction
Date|Burn at|Orbit #|Delta V, m/s|Burn duration, s|post-burn T,min|post-burn i,deg|post-burn h,km|post-burn H,km
11.11.09|18 : 18 : 53|17|2,00|6,2|89,42|51,65|233,7|278,8

4. Approach and Docking

Since November 12, 2009 at 18 hrs 17 min 20 sec ±3 min (at 33-34th vehicle' orbit)
Till November 12, 2009 at 18 hrs 43 min 30 sec ±3 min (at 34th vehicle' orbit)

BACKUP TIMES:
Launch: 12.11.2009, 16 hrs 33 min 51 sec
Docking: 14.11.2009, 18 hrs 04±3 min

The Approach Chart:
shema_mim2.gif


Launch preparation picture chronicles

08-10-2009 Progress M-MRM2 is Tested in the Pressure Chamber

2009_10_08_304.JPG


03-11-2009 Soyuz-U upper composite assembly

photo_11-03-10.jpg


2009_11_03_201.JPG


2009_11_03_207.JPG


08-11-2009 Soyuz-U/Progress M-MRM2 Erected on the Launch Pad

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%D0%9E%D1%81%D0%BE%D0%B1%D0%BE%20%D0%BE%D0%BF%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%8F%20%D0%B7%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B0.JPG


%D0%92%D0%B8%D0%B4%20%D1%81%20%D0%BA%D1%80%D1%8B%D1%88%D0%B8%20%D0%B1%D1%83%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B0.JPG
 
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Progress M-MRM2 mission videos

Pressure chamber testing

Loading MRM2 with supplies

The rest of the mission videos are at http://www.tvroscosmos.ru/frm/video/start58.php

Weather forecast for Baikonur, Kazakhstan for November 10, 2009

cond007.gif

Hi: -3°
Lo: -11°
There is a 0% chance of precipitation. Sunny. Cold. Temperature of -3°C. Winds ENE 23km. Humidity will be 55% with a dewpoint of -11° and feels-like temperature of -8°C.

Sunrise/Sunset and associated twilight times for Baikonur on Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Times are local.
Event|Time
Astronomical twilight begins|05 : 57
Nautical twilight begins|06 : 32
Civil twilight begins|07 : 08
Sunrise|07 : 38
Transit (sun is at its highest)|12 : 31
Sunset|17 : 22
Civil twilight ends|17 : 53
Nautical twilight ends|18 : 29
Astronomical twilight ends|19 : 04

Watching the launch live

TSENKI video streams
http://www.tv-tsenki.com/live.php
http://www.tv-tsenki.com/live3.php

Also, Vesti on-line coverage should be available in Russian (a short video report with narration):

Vesti - High Quality
http://www.vesti.ru/video1.asx?vid=onair
Vesti - Low Quality
http://www.vesti.ru/video1.asx?vid=onair_low

Please post more TV links here if you get to know them.

---------- Post added at 15:46 ---------- Previous post was at 14:09 ----------

Rolling out and erection of Soyuz-U LV one harsh cold Baikonur morning:
 
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Looking good! Can't wait to see footage of the docking, if any is made available.

Glad to see the Russians can do what the US apparently has decided not to work on: unmanned space station construction using automated docking techniques. :)

Thanks for the update.
 
MRM-2 docking

Looks like docking will be covered live on NASA TV.

Thanks for the image links!
 
Woo-Hoo, MRM-2 is gonna launch! :thumbup:

Finally, a new Russian module!! :speakcool:

Good luck, MRM-2! :)

-----

By-the-way, ST: How did you do that countdown text? I tried it before, but it didn't work.

And I agree with Rocketman527 - your threads on Russian launches are better than the NASA website. Great work! :cheers:

---------- Post added at 11:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:09 PM ----------

Also, MRM-2 will have windows (located in the centre of the EVA hatches), so it will be the first and only module to provide views of the zenith side of the ISS! :speakcool:
 
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And I agree with Rocketman527 - your threads on Russian launches are better than the NASA website. Great work! :cheers:

Yeah, but unfortunately, Roscosmos would pay me not a single kopeika for my copy-paste-translate a bit job. :)

---------- Post added at 09:09 ---------- Previous post was at 09:07 ----------

A page at the Energiya site, but not translated into English yet. (Hurry up!!)

I have already used all that information for the essay in the 1st post.

---------- Post added at 15:47 ---------- Previous post was at 09:09 ----------

TSENKI video stream is live (now showing the launch pad activities).
http://www.tv-tsenki.com/live3.php

---------- Post added at 17:10 ---------- Previous post was at 15:47 ----------

Vesti video stream is also live
http://www.vesti.ru/translation.html?id=164

Launching in 12 minutes

---------- Post added at 17:21 ---------- Previous post was at 17:10 ----------

1 minute

---------- Post added at 17:21 ---------- Previous post was at 17:21 ----------

Liftoff!

---------- Post added at 17:23 ---------- Previous post was at 17:21 ----------

This contrail is looking scary!

---------- Post added at 17:24 ---------- Previous post was at 17:23 ----------

Boosters sep

---------- Post added at 17:27 ---------- Previous post was at 17:24 ----------

The rocket has vanished from the view

---------- Post added at 17:28 ---------- Previous post was at 17:27 ----------

Observe live 3d model of the launching craft at
http://www.mcc.rsa.ru/vyved_progress.htm

---------- Post added at 17:39 ---------- Previous post was at 17:28 ----------

Roscosmos has confirmed a good launch.

It should now appear on the TSUP-M's tracking map:
http://193.233.61.44/isstd.html

---------- Post added 11-11-09 at 11:47 ---------- Previous post was 10-11-09 at 17:39 ----------

Launch pictures

photo_11-10-02.jpg


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photo_11-10-06.jpg


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Official Launch Video


Docking is expected at:

18 : 43 : 30 +3 min Moscow Time 12.11.2009
15 : 43 : 30 +3 min UTC November 12, 2009
10 : 43 : 30 a.m. +3 min EST November 12, 2009

Docking countdown:
[eventTimer]2009-11-12 15:43:30;%dd% Days %hh% Hours %mm% Minutes %ss% Seconds[/eventTimer]


Watching the docking live

NASA TV - Windows Media
http://www.nasa.gov/55644main_NASATV_Windows.asx
NASA TV - Real Player
http://www.nasa.gov/ram/35037main_portal.ram
NASA TV - QuickTime
http://www.nasa.gov/qtl/151335main_NASA_TV_QT.qtl


NASA TV Schedule for November 12 morning (the times are in EST):
10 a.m. - Mini-Research Module 2 Docking to the ISS Coverage (docking scheduled at 10:44 a.m. ET) - JSC (Public and Media Channels)
11 a.m. - ISS Expedition 21 Commentary - JSC (Public and Media Channels)
TSUP M's (Moscow MCC's) stream - Windows Media
mms://193.233.61.171/live

Source References

http://www.energia.ru
http://www.federalspace.ru
http://www.mcc.rsa.ru
http://www.tvroscosmos.ru
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv
 
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Schedule of post-docking events involving the Poisk:

December 8 - undocking of propulsion unit;
January 14 - EVA including commissioning activities on MRM2 (egression off the Pirs);
January 20 - Soyuz TMA-16's relocation to the Poisk's zenith port.

---------- Post added at 18:53 ---------- Previous post was at 14:02 ----------

There's a contact and capture! Nice docking.

---------- Post added at 19:05 ---------- Previous post was at 18:53 ----------

Docking video:
 
Woo-Hoo! Go MRM-2! Awesome docking! :thumbup:

Now we have a new Russian module!!! :speakcool:

-----
Here's some more rendezvous & docking videos:

MRM-2 rendezvous & docking timelapse​


MRM-2 docking seen from P1 Truss​
 
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They will begin hatch opening tomorrow.

BTW, Energia decided to decrease the automatic approach speed down to 0.1 m/s (used to be about 0.24 m/s) since the last time contigency manual mode had to be kicked in.
 
Here's an AWESOME photo of Progress M-MIM2/MRM-2 docked to the ISS, taken by an STS-129 EVA crewmember!

iss021e030653.jpg

Hi-res: http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-21/hires/iss021e030653.jpg

---------- Post added 23rd Nov 2009 at 06:17 PM ---------- Previous post was 22nd Nov 2009 at 09:51 PM ----------

The first photos of the zenith side of the ISS, taken from MRM-2's hatch porthole, have been released!
Real nice!!! :)

s129e007533.jpg

Hi-res: http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-129/hires/s129e007533.jpg

s129e007575.jpg

Hi-res: http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-129/hires/s129e007575.jpg

s129e007592.jpg

Hi-res: http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-129/hires/s129e007592.jpg
 
Here's a view of the hatchway between Zvezda & MRM-2.
It is a screenshot I took from an HD video fly-through of the ISS by the STS-129 crew.

Zvezda's hatchway is in the bottom half of the picture, MRM-2's is in the top.

Interestingly, it looks as though the orange insulation material that is present around MRM-2's hatchway has been removed from around Zvezda's hatchway.
You can also see discolouration of the metal around Zvezda's hatchway - I guess that's what happens when you expose metal to space for over 9 years! :P

attachment.php


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Also, here are two other fantastic shots of MRM-2 & the Russian Segment, taken by an STS-129 EVA crewmember.

iss021e031841.jpg

Hi-res: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-21/hires/iss021e031841.jpg

Great view of PMA-3 in this one!
iss021e031842.jpg

Hi-res: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-21/hires/iss021e031842.jpg
 
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