Updates ISS Progress flights updates

[Cosmic Penguin]

Ah, so that's why they are pressing with docking: only soft docking will be done right now, without the docking probe being retracted. Since the possible collision only happens during hard docking, this problem will be averted for the time being.

 

[N_Molson]

190 meters and closing in under 0.1 m/s

Confirmed, they will try to soft-dock, then assess if there is enough clearance for hard-dock.

---------- Post added at 12:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:10 PM ----------

70 meters to go.

---------- Post added at 12:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:15 PM ----------

30 meters. Vehicle stable on 3 axis.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

You can see the stuck antenna in here:

 

[N_Molson]

20 meters. The undeployed antenna is clearly visible and seems to overlap a tiny part of the docking collar (see above).

---------- Post added at 12:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:20 PM ----------

10 meters.

---------- Post added at 12:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:22 PM ----------

Speed slowed down to 2 centimeters / seconds (0.02 m/s), to allow the TORU cosmonaut to react if necessary.

---------- Post added at 12:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:23 PM ----------

Less than 10 meters to go and right on target.

---------- Post added at 12:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:24 PM ----------

Speed up to 8 centimeters per second.

---------- Post added at 12:26 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:25 PM ----------

Capture and soft dock ! Well done people ! :thumbup:

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Hmmm they are retracting the probe...... (velllly sllllllooooowly.....) :shrug:

 

[orb]

The contact occurred at 12:25:31 UTC.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Sounds like the hooks were closed, so it seems that hard docking is done after all!

 

[orb]

NASAtelevision:

 

[tl8]

I only just realised, but they came in off centre. With the profile of the docking port structure, this pushed the antenna out of the way by the time it was aligned. This is not a trick you could do with the US docking ports.

---------- Post added at 08:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:28 AM ----------

If that wasn't clear, I can make a short video of what they did...

 

[garyw]

Sounds like the hooks were closed, so it seems that hard docking is done after all!

Just posted on Twitter - Progress 51 Antenna may have damaged ATV laser reflectors

 

[orb]

Further info about it is on ATV-4 & ATV-5 updates thread.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Progress M-19M will undock from the station in about 20 minutes from now. Live coverage now on NASA TV.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Progress M-19M will undock from the station in about 20 minutes from now. Live coverage now on NASA TV.

Breaking news: When the Progress spacecraft separated from the docking port at 13:58 UTC, the stuck antenna suddenly deployed (!) and caused a slight imbalance on the ship's attitude, which it fixed immediately. This must be a jinxed ship...... :shifty:

 

[Scorpius]

Undocking video: shadow of unfolding antenna visible at the first seconds

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Progress M-20M launch, July 27/28, 2013

Well I'm on vacation in Malaysia at this moment (more on that later, as well as another trip to Japan immediately after that, on another thread ), so I don't have much time to write a mission report, but the next Progress flight is on the pad for launch at 20:45 UTC on July 27. Not much cargo of interest is on board so I am leaving additional updates to others interested.

In the mean time, here is the rollout of the rocket to pad 31/6 at Baikonur today:

 

[orb]

Progress M-18M undocked from ISS today at 20:44 UTC.

 

[Scorpius]

Progress M-20M successfully inserted into orbit. Docking is scheduled on 2:26 UTC (28 July).

 

[N_Molson]

The spacecraft will complete only 4 orbits before docking.

 

[boogabooga]

Docking successful.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Progress M-20M successfully inserted into orbit. Docking is scheduled on 2:26 UTC (28 July).

[ISS] Launch of Progress M-20M Spacecraft on Soyuz-U Rocket