Updates ISS Progress flights updates

[Nicholas Kang]

Further News and Report about the Failure of Progress MS-04

Sorry, I hit the sack early yesterday (it was already 11.30 p.m. when the ship is lost), so I did not complete the launch coverage.

Now that the ship is lost, we should not neglect the launch video as well. (perhaps some sharp-eye members can spot some anomalies during the launch.:hmm

Here are some news statement about the failure from ROSCOSMOS and NASA, as well as from Spaceflightnow.com, Spaceflight101.com and Nasaspaceflight.com

(I will remove the redundant information, if possible.)

Official Roscosmos Statement:http://en.roscosmos.ru/20663/

ROSCOSMOS. PROGRESS MS-04 SITUATION
December 01, 2016, 17:57 GMT

December 1, 2016, Soyuz-U launch vehicle (LV) with cargo spacecraft Progress MS-04 was launched from the BAIKONUR Space Center. The LV flight was normal until 382-d seconds. After 382 seconds of flight the receiving Progress MS-04 telemetry data was stopped. Radar stations did not detect the cargo vehicle Progress MS-04 on the calculated orbit.

According to preliminary information, the contingency took place at an altitude of about 190 km over remote and unpopulated mountainous area of the Republic of Tyva. The most of cargo spacecraft fragments burned in the dense atmosphere. The State Commission is conducting analysis of the current contingency. The loss of the cargo ship will not affect the normal operations of the ISS and the life of the station crew.

Official NASA Statement:https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/...aly-international-space-station-crew-is-fine/

Six crew members living aboard the space station are safe and have been informed of the mission’s status. Both the Russian and U.S. segments of the station continue to operate normally with onboard supplies at good levels.

The spacecraft was not carrying any supplies critical for the United States Operating Segment (USOS) of the station.The next mission scheduled to deliver cargo to the station is an H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV)-6 from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on Friday, Dec. 9.

Cargo packed inside the Progress 65 included more than 2.6 tons of food, fuel, and supplies for the space station crew, including approximately 1,400 pounds of propellant, 112 pounds of oxygen, 925 pounds of water, and 2,750 pounds of spare parts, supplies and scientific experiment hardware. Among the U.S. supplies on board were spare parts for the station’s environmental control and life support system, research hardware, crew supplies and crew clothing, all of which are replaceable.

Spaceflightnow.com:http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/12/01/progress-ms04-launch/

Russian mission control said Thursday an unpiloted Progress space station supply ship carrying nearly 5,400 pounds of rocket fuel, food, water and a new spacesuit burned up in Earth’s atmosphere shortly after it blasted off from Kazakhstan, and evidence points to a problem with the third stage of the cargo carrier’s Soyuz booster.

The Russian space agency — Roscosmos — confirmed the demise of the Progress MS-04 cargo craft in a statement, saying the automated spaceship was lost as it flew nearly 120 miles (190 kilometers) over the Tuva Republic in Southern Russia.

Engineers lost telemetry during the Soyuz rocket’s third stage engine burn, and most of the vehicle’s fragments burned up in the atmosphere, Roscosmos said.

But Russian mission control lost contact with the rocket and its cargo payload at around T+plus 6 minutes, 22 seconds, according to Roscosmos. That was more than two minutes before the Progress spacecraft was to arrive in orbit.

The flight proceeded normally until that point, Russian officials said.

But “ratty” telemetry from the spacecraft left ground controllers struggling to verify the status of the Progress cargo freighter. Rob Navias, a NASA TV commentator covering the launch, reported there was some indication the Soyuz third stage and Progress supply carrier may have prematurely separated.

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir gave station commander Shane Kimbrough some “not-so-good news” a few hours after the launch.

“We have some news about the Progress,” Meir radioed from mission control in Houston. “Basically, what we saw was indications of the third stage sep (separation) occurring a few minutes early, and we haven’t had any communications with the Progress at all, so the Russians are, of course, looking into this, and we will inform you when we get more status.”

“OK, thanks, Houston, for the words,” Kimbrough replied. “Please keep us updated whenever you hear something.”

“We’ll continue to keep updating,” Meir said. “The Russians have sent the Progress team home at this point, and they have formed a State Commission.”

“Copy all,” Kimbrough said.

Russian space officials typically form State Commissions to investigate launch failures.

Thursday’s launch failure marks the fourth time in 25 months that a supply ship heading for the space station has fallen short of the complex.

Spaceflight101.com:http://spaceflight101.com/progress-ms-04-lost-soyuz-launch-failure/

Russia’s Soyuz U Rocket blasts off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome carrying the Progress MS-04 Cargo Resupply Vehicle – Photo: Roscosmos

In a statement, Roscosmos reported that contact with the ascending vehicle was lost six minutes and 23 seconds into the flight. At that point, Soyuz was planned to be around 190 Kilometers in altitude, still with two minutes and 23 seconds left in the burn of the rocket’s RD-0110-powered third stage.

Remains of Soyuz & Progress seen from the Altai Region – Credit: Roman Kirsanov/YouTube

Reports later emerged on Russian Social Media of an explosion in the night skies over the Tuva region followed by sightings of falling debris and ground tremors. The timing and location of the reports was a good match as the planned ascent ground track took the Soyuz right over the South Siberian region during operation of the third stage.

Tuva is located around 2,000 Kilometers downrange from the Baikonur Cosmodrome and a relatively sparsely populated area. According to media reports, debris related to Progress MS-04 were found in a remote, wooded area within Tuva.

Roscosmos issued a second statement, confirming that the flight had been normal until T+382 seconds at which point signals from the vehicle were suddenly lost – suggesting a rapid failure mechanism occurred on the ascending rocket.

In response to the Soyuz launch failure, the Russian Space Agency formed a Commission to investigate the exact circumstances of the mishap. At Mission Control Moscow, the Progress Flight Control Team was released and the crew aboard the Space Station was informed that no cargo was inbound on Saturday as had been the plan after a successful launch.

Thursday’s launch was the second-to-last mission of Russia’s Soyuz U rocket that has been in service for over four decades and holds the records for the longest-serving launch vehicle and the most missions performed by an orbital launcher. Although considered one of the most reliable rockets on the market with a success rate of 97.5%, Soyuz U has not been without failure.

Nasaspaceflight.com:https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/12/roscosmos-progress-ms-0465p-to-station/

...final testing of the ground station compatible with the new Unified Command and Control System of the Soyuz MS spacecraft is not yet complete, Progress 65 was to once again scheduled to use the standard, 34-orbit, 2-day rendezvous profile with ISS.

The ground station, located near the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia’s far east, was to be tested earlier this month when Soyuz MS-03 passed overhead after launch.

That test was to verify that S-Band uplink between the ground station and Soyuz could be received by the spacecraft. This was a needed verification step to clear the ground station for operational use.

Confirmation that that test was successful is still outstanding.

After rising vertically from the pad, Soyuz-U performed a pitch maneuver to place itself on an East-Northeast trajectory out of Baikonur and flew along the correct azimuth toward a 51.6 degree inclination orbit.

After what was supposed to be 8 minutes 44 seconds of powered flight, Progress MS-04/65P was to be released into a two-day rendezvous orbit and was to quickly deploy its solar arrays.

However, telemetry issues during third stage flight resulted in a lack of confirmation of the success of the ascent.

Information from Roscosmos pointed to a premature shutdown of the third stage, followed by the release of Progress into the wrong orbit.

A lack of information on the status of the solar arrays and any data on the specific orbital status of the vehicle pointed to a larger issue.

This was then followed by reports in Southern Russia of a fireball and explosion, as the Progress dived towards its doom.

The crew of the ISS has since been informed of the failure.

Progress 65 was also set to deliver five new KTOs (Russian Solid Waste Containers), three new filter inserts and 10 packages of ACY filters for the Russian Waste Management System in the Zvezda Service Module, six EDVs for the EDV + TUBSS (Temporary Urine and Brine Storage System) for the Urine Processing Assembly, and two tanks of pretreat.

Progress MS-04 was also carrying 705 kg (1,554 lbs) of propellant for Station orbit raising maneuvers and 50 kg (110 lbs) of oxygen for ISS.

All of those supplies have now been lost, with a State Commission arranged to discuss the problems that caused its demise.

Don't worry, The crew aboard the Station still have enough supplies:

 

[Urwumpe]

Replaceable? The progress contained the Christmas packages and the booze for New Year. :blink:

This can end in a bad mutiny and the Russian segment setting sails to buccaneer the eight planets.

 

[Donamy]

"Why is the rum gone?"

 

[Nicholas Kang]

Engine-Related Failure likely cause of Soyuz U Mishap with Progress MS-04

Spaceflight101.com:http://spaceflight101.com/progress-ms-04-roscosmos-mishap-report/

Official Roscosmos Press Statement (Russian edition):http://www.roscosmos.ru/23117/

The State Commission was unable to identify a definitive cause of the failure, but worked out a probable failure scenario based on data available to them.

According to Roscosmos, the most probable cause of the accident was the disintegration of the third stage’s Liquid Oxygen tank as the result of the failure of the RD-0110 engine’s oxidizer pump. The destruction of the pump was triggered by a possible ingestion foreign objects or a defect introduced during production of the engine such as clearance between the pump shaft and its mounting sleeve, or unbalanced rotor components that could have caused excessive vibration which then transferred unusual loads into the oxidizer tank.

RD-0110 – Photo: KBKhA

Soyuz 2 Upper Stage Types – Image: Arianespace

Roscosmos said the failure is likely the result of a production-related fault which manifested itself during flight.

 

[boogabooga]

How many production-related faults is this in the last five years now?

 

[Nicholas Kang]

Progress MS-05 (No. 435) Soyuz-U 2/22/17 (05:58 UTC)

NASA:

February 17, 2017

NASA to Televise International Space Station Cargo Ship Launch, Docking

NASA Television will provide live coverage of the launch and docking of a Russian cargo spacecraft delivering almost three tons of food, fuel and supplies to the International Space Station beginning at 12:30 a.m. EST Wednesday, Feb. 22.

Launch of the unpiloted Russian Progress 66 is scheduled for 12:58 a.m. Wednesday (11:58 a.m. Baikonur time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

The spacecraft is set to dock to the Pirs docking compartment at 3:34 a.m. Friday, Feb. 24. NASA TV coverage of rendezvous and docking will begin at 2:45 a.m. Progress 66 will remain docked at the station for almost four months before departing in June for its deorbit into Earth’s atmosphere.

This is the first launch of a Progress cargo ship from Baikonur since the Progress 65 supply craft was lost Dec. 1, 2016.

RSC Energia:

Cargo Vehicle Progress МS-05 is admitted for propellant fueling

February 10, 2016

Today, on February 10, the Technical Management and the State Commission at the Baikonur cosmodrome confirmed the readiness of transport cargo vehicle Progress МС-05 for propellant fueling and compressed gases filling.

In accordance with the decision announced at the end of the meeting, the cargo vehicle combined propulsion system (CPS) and fueling system are admitted for operations on the fueling station. The fueling station equipment is ready for operation.

The launch of TCV Progress МС-05 under the International Space Station (ISS) program is scheduled on February 22, 2017.

The vehicle will deliver about 2.5 tons of various cargo items to the ISS, including dry cargo, propellant in CPS and refueling system tanks, water and compressed gases. Dry cargo was stowed in the vehicle on February 6. A logo dedicated to S.P. Korolev 100th birthday anniversary was stuck on the launch vehicle payload fairing.

Progress MS-05 was fueled with propellant and compressed gases.

RSC Energia: cargo vehicle Progress MS-05 has been filled with propellant components

February 14, 2016

Today on February 14 specialists of RSC Energia (is a part of SC ROSCOSMOS) at the Baikonur Cosmodrome successfully completed a set of technological operations for filling cargo transport vehicle (CTV) Progress MS-05 with propellant components and compressed gases at the filling station.

After this procedure the cargo vehicle has been delivered to Spacecraft Assembly & Testing Facilities (SC A&TF) and installed in the jig for further prelaunch processing.

RSC Energia: cargo vehicle Progress МS-05 is mated to the Transfer Compartment

February 16, 2016

Specialists from RSC Energia (being part of SC ROSCOSMOS) successfully performed a set of processing operations in Baikonur cosmodrome on mating transport cargo vehicle Progress МS-05 to the transfer compartment.

The vehicle prelaunch processing under the International Space Station (ISS) is under way in the spacecraft assembly and testing facility in Baikonur cosmodrome.

Per the preparatory work schedule for the nearest days the designer’s inspection of the vehicle, encapsulation and transportation of the payload module with Progress МS-05 from SC ATF to the launch vehicle integration and test facility (LV ITF) for final assembly with the launch vehicle are planned.

Designers inspection of Progress MS-05 took place on February 17

Orbital module with Progress MS-05 was transported to the MIK 254 on February 17

Progress MS-05 was integrated with the launch vehicle on February 18

Soyuz-U with Progress MS-05 was transported to the Gagarinskyi Start launch pad on the early morning hours of February 20

For more info, please visit:

RSC Energia: Designers’ Inspection of Progress MS-05 Cargo Vehicle.

RSC Energia: Progress MS-05 logistics vehicle has been transported for integration with the launch vehicle.

RSC Energia: The State Commission admitted the launch vehicle with Progress MS-05 to installation on the launch pad.

 

[Nicholas Kang]

LIVE: Launch of Progress MS-05 (66)

NASA:

T-14 minutes.

ISS now crossing Argentina (South Atlantic).

Launch time: 11:58 p.m. CT, 12:58 a.m. ET

T-10 minutes

Launch key inserted.

T-7:30.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

On orbit!

 

[Nicholas Kang]

Progress MS-07

Progress MS-07 Pre-Launch Video:

Live Launch webcast:

Live Docking Webcast:

A Soyuz-2.1a rocket will launch the Progress MS-07 spacecraft to resupply the International Space Station (ISS Progress 68 mission) on 12 October 2017, at 09:32 UTC (15:32 local time), from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Credit: Roscosmos
Soyuz-2.1a ready to launch Progress MS-07
Союз-2.1а / Прогресс МС-07

Note: This Progress will mark the debut of the new two-orbit rendezvous profile. See here for more info.

Flight Profile:

Launch Date: October 12, 2017
T-0 Time: 09:32:06 UTC
Docking: October 12, 2017
Time: 12:56 UTC
Docking Port: Pirs

Progress Insertion Orbit:
Perigee: TBD Kilometers (+/-2 km)
Apogee: TBD Kilometers (+/-7 km)
Inclination: TBD Degrees (+/-0.03°)
Period: TBD Minutes (+/-0.05min)

Space Station Orbit:
Orbit: 401 by 408 Kilometers
Inclination: 51.64 Degrees
Period: 92.66min

Launch Sequence:

Time | Event
T-00:20.00|Ignition Sequence Start
T-00:15.00|Intermediate Thrust Level
T-00.15.00|Second Umbilical Separate from Booster
T-00:10.00|Turbopumps at Flight Speed
T-00:05.00|Full Thrust Level
00:00.00|Fueling Towers Retract
00:00.00|LIFTOFF
T+01:57.48|Strap-On booster Separation
T+04:45.05|Core Stage Shutdown
T+04:46.89|StageSeparation&Third Stage Ignition
T+04:56.20|Third Stage Aft Section Jettison
T+04:56.41|Payload Shroud Jettison
T+08:44.63|Third Stage Cutoff
T+08:47.93|Spacecraft Separation
T+08:56|Solar Panel Deployment
T+08:56|Communication Antenna Deployment
T+08:56|Mission handed over to MCC Moscow
T+08:56|Successful Orbital Insertion

(Updated flight profile by MCC Russia can be found here)

Meanwhile, let's enjoy some pre-launch photos:

 

[GLS]

Russian resupply launch aborted, curbing express trip to station

The launch of a Soyuz rocket with a Progress refueling and resupply freighter was aborted seconds after liftoff Thursday in a rare scrub for Russia’s workhorse rocket, delaying the start of a journey to the International Space Station until at least Saturday and thwarting plans to test out a new automated fast-track rendezvous sequence.

https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/10/12/russian-resupply-launch-aborted-curbing-express-trip-to-station/

(notice all the oxygen tanks start venting after the abort at about 1m20s in the video)

 

[GLS]

Resupply launch scrubbed, thwarting fast-track rendezvous with space station

The launch of a Russian Progress cargo ship aboard a Soyuz rocket was aborted in the final minute of the countdown Sunday, forcing a delay of at least two days in the start of a resupply and refueling mission to the International Space Station.

https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/02/11/resupply-launch-scrubbed-thwarting-plans-for-fast-track-rendezvous-with-space-station/


[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YzoEOh3KAo"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YzoEOh3KAo[/ame]

 

[IronRain]

Running two days later after a last-minute abort Sunday, a Russian Progress resupply and refueling freighter lifted off in a blanket of fog Tuesday from the Baikonur Cosmodrome to deliver three tons of cargo, propellant and water to the International Space Station.

The Progress MS-08 supply ship blasted off atop a Soyuz-2.1a rocket at 0813:33 GMT (3:13:33 a.m. EST; 2:13:33 p.m. Baikonur time) Tuesday from the historic Russian-run spaceport on the steppe of Kazakhstan.

Docking with the International Space Station’s Zvezda service module is scheduled for 1043 GMT (5:43 a.m. EST) Thursday.

Source:
https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/02/13/progress-ms-08-launch/

 

[GLS]

More: https://www.energia.ru/en/iss/iss54/progress_ms-08/photo_02-13.html