Updates ISS Soyuz flights updates

[Cosmic Penguin]

Well first a disclaimer: I don't have too much interest in today's astronaut crews, especially ISS expeditions. After all, their jobs are more or less the same for the foreseeable future.....

.....but hey, at least I like fun crews! :lol:

And the November 2014 - May 2015 crew certainly falls into this category, especially with Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, who certainly is more than eager to start her first ever space trip! The same excitement certain shows very clearly in fellow crew members Terry Virts and Anton Shkaplerov too. I believe that they three (all ace pilots in their respective air forces, I must say!) will certainly continue to fuel our interests in flying humans in space! :lol:

Oh BTW, for the 2nd time in many years the "alternative" Soyuz launch pad, pad 31/6 will be used for crewed flights today, due to what was apparently problems with a leaking roof in the ex-N1/Energia integration facility that is normally used recently, forcing a switch. This is no problem as pad 1/5 is scheduled to be shut down next year for long-delayed upgrades (to conform with the "new" Soyuz-2 rockets), which means at least the next 2 crews after this will go off from 31/6 too.

Launch location:

Baikonur Launch pad no. 31/6 45°59'46.16"N, 63°33'51.29"E

Launch dates and times:

{colsp=6}Launch times

Time Zone |

Australia - Sydney/AEDT (UTC+11) ​

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Baikonur / UTC+6 ​

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Moscow / MSKS (UTC+3) ​

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Universal / UTC ​

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Washington / EST (UTC-5) ​

Launch time (Primary): ​

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08:01:14​

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03:01:14​

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00:01:14​

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21:01:14​

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16:01:14​

on: ​

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Nov. 24, 2014​

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Nov. 24, 2014​

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Nov. 24, 2014​

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Nov. 23, 2014​

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Nov. 23, 2014​

Launch time (Backup): ​

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07:16:04​

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02:16:04​

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23:16:04​

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20:16:04​

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15:16:04​

on: ​

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Nov. 26, 2014​

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Nov. 26, 2014​

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Nov. 25, 2014​

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Nov. 25, 2014​

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Nov. 25, 2014​

{colsp=6}

[highlight][eventTimer]2014-11-23 21:01:14?before|after;%dd% Days %hh% Hours %mm% Minutes %ss% Seconds %c%[/eventTimer] Soyuz TMA-15M Launch[/highlight]​

{colsp=5}Docking times

Time Zone |

Australia - Sydney/AEDT (UTC+11) ​

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Moscow / MSKS (UTC+3)/ ​

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Universal / UTC ​

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Washington / EST (UTC-5) ​

Docking time (Primary): ​

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13:53 +-3 min​

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05:53 +-3 min​

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02:53 +-3 min​

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21:53 +-3 min​

on: ​

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Nov. 24, 2014​

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Nov. 24, 2014​

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Nov. 24, 2014​

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Nov. 23, 2014​

Docking time (Backup): ​

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08:40 +-3 min​

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00:40 +-3 min​

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21:40 +-3 min​

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16:40 +-3 min​

on: ​

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Nov. 28, 2014​

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Nov. 28, 2014​

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Nov. 27, 2014​

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Nov. 27, 2014​

{colsp=5}

[highlight][eventTimer]2014-11-24 02:53:00?before|after;%dd% Days %hh% Hours %mm% Minutes %ss% Seconds %c%[/eventTimer] Soyuz TMA-15M docking to ISS[/highlight]​

Live Coverage Of The Launch:

• NASA TV: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html (coverage starts 3:00 p.m. EST / 20:00 UTC)
• TSENKI Video Streams: http://www.tsenki.com/broadcast/broadcast/ - coverage starts at 21:10 MSKS (18:10 UTC)

Soyuz TMA-15M (industry id 11F747 #715, NASA id Soyuz 41S) manned spaceship

The crew:

|

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Commander Anton Shkaplerov, Roscosmos (previous flight experience: Soyuz TMA-22 / ISS Exp. 29/30)​

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Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti, ESA(previous flight experience: /)​

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Flight Engineer Terry Virts, NASA (previous flight experience: STS-130)​

The mission patch:

Mission Profile

Ascent Chart:

1. Approach and Docking Chart:

The times below are Moscow Time (UTC+3), commas separate fractional part of numbers:

Expected time of spacecraft separation: 00:10:01.38

2. Orbital Parameters of Soyuz TMA-15M and the ISS

Parameter|Designation|Soyuz TMA-15M at 24/11|ISS at 24/11
Orbital Period|T, min|88.64 +-0.367|92.76
Inclination|i, degrees|51.67 +-0.058|51.63
Min altitude|h, km|200 +7 -22|409.04
Max altitude|H, km|242 +-42|434.50

Phase angle between the space ship and the ISS is about 24.6 degrees.
Projected duration of the space ship staying at the nominal orbit is no less than 20 orbits (~30 hrs).

3. Transfer maneuvers
(six hours short approach scheme applied)

* Nominal two-burn maneuver and two-burn orbit phasing 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
26.09.14|0:46:10|1|36.11|89.4|89.89|51.64|231.26|323.4
26.09.14|1:29:55|2|30.11|74.0|90.94|51.64|321.71|344.7
26.09.14|2:05:05|2|7.00|18.1|91.19|51.67|324.64|358.0
26.09.14|2:35:28|2|7.00|18.1|91.44|51.64|344.61|362.3

Autonomous approach program is initiated at 3:46:37.

4. Approach at the Close range

Fly-around, station keeping and docking will be initiated at 5:30:46 on November 24, 2014.

5. Docking

Contact and capture is planned on November 24, 2014 at 05:53 +-3 min.

Docking is performed to MRM-1 Rassvet -Y docking node

Launch Vehicle:

{colsp=2}Characteristics

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{colsp=2}

Soyuz-FG​

Prime contractor:​

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• Samara Space Sentre (Energia Holding enterprise)
  

GRAU Index:​

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• 11A511U-FG

Height:​

| 51.1 m

Diameter:​

| max 10.3 m

Liftoff mass:​

| 313 metric tonnes

Payload mass:​

| 6.95 tonnes at ISS orbit from Baikonur

1st stage (boosters B, V, G, D):​

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• 4 X RD-107A engines
• Propellants (T-1 Kerosene and LOX)
• Thrust/ISP in vacuum - / 316 s
• Thrust/ISP at sea level 79.4 tonnes / 253 s
• Total 1st stage's thrust at sea level: 411.1 tonnes

2nd stage (core A):​

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• 1 X RD-108A engine
• Propellants (T-1 Kerosene and LOX)
• Thrust/ISP in vacuum 102 tonnes / 314 s
• Thrust/ISP at sea level 83.5 tonnes / 257 s

3rd stage (block I):​

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• 1 X RD-0110 engine
• Propellants (T-1 Kerosene and LOX)
• Thrust/ISP in vacuum 30.38 tonnes / 359 s

The vehicle's reliability statistics according to http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/log2014.html#rate:

================================================================ 
Vehicle     Successes/Tries Realzd Pred  Consc. Last     Dates    
                             Rate  Rate* Succes Fail    
================================================================
Soyuz-FG          39    39   1.00  .97     39    None     2001-

Weather forecast for Baikonur, Kazakhstan on November 24, 2014 (3 a.m.)

Clearing. Gusty winds developing later in the day. Morning high of -4C with temps falling to -11 to -13. Winds N at 30 to 50 km/h.

Time|Temps|Dew Point|Relative Humidity|Precip|Snow|Cloud cover|Pressure|Wind|Weather
3 AM|-3°C|-8°C|71%|3%|0%|91%|1015 hPa|18 km/h NNE|

Overcast

References
http://www.mcc.rsa.ru/sojuztma_15m/start.htm
http://www.federalspace.ru
http://tvroscosmos.ru
http://www.tsenki.com
http://www.samspace.ru
http://www.npoenergomash.ru/engines/
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com
http://www.novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru
http://www.spacelaunchreport.com
http://english.wunderground.com/q/locid:KZXX0055

 

[N_Molson]

3 minutes before launch.

---------- Post added at 09:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:58 PM ----------

Start ! We have start !

 

[Artlav]

Livestream:
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/Futura/Watch_Futura_launch_live

Is that Orbiter they use for visualisation? :blink:

 

[Fabri91]

Yep, some time ago a video detailing the ascent of the crewed Soyuz was released and it used Orbiter.

 

[N_Molson]

Soyuz TMA-15M has been safely deployed in orbit, crew is fine. ISS rendezvous and docking in 5 hours.

Spaceflight Now :

2125 GMT (4:25 p.m. EST)
Russian Soyuz commander Anton Schkaplerov, ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti and NASA astronaut Terry Virts have arrived in orbit following a good launch aboard the Soyuz TMA-15M spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Solar arrays have been unfurled aboard the spacecraft to generate electricity, and the first major orbit-adjustment maneuver is planned for 4:43 p.m. EST (2143 GMT) to begin raising the capsule's altitude to match that of the space station.

A second "delta velocity" burn is set for 5:26 p.m. EST (2226 GMT), followed by several more firings over the next few hours to set up for rendezvous and docking.

The 7.9-ton capsule's automated rendezvous sequence, guided by its Kurs radar system, will commence at 7:46 p.m. EST (0046 GMT).

The Soyuz should be in position to start a flyaround maneuver at range of about 400 meters, or 1,300 feet, at about 9:30 p.m. EST (0230 GMT) to line up with the docking port on the space station's Earth-facing Rassvet module. Soyuz commander Anton Schkaplerov will be standing by to take over manual flying of the spacecraft if required. Final approach will begin about 11 minutes before docking, which is scheduled for 9:53 p.m. EST (0253 GMT).

The docking should occur 5 hours and 52 minutes after liftoff.

---------- Post added 11-24-14 at 09:37 AM ---------- Previous post was 11-23-14 at 09:30 PM ----------

We have contact, capture and hard dock ! Congratulations guys ! :thumbup:

Spaceflight Now :

0501 GMT (12:01 a.m. EST)
Welcome aboard! The newest residents have floated into the International Space Station from their Soyuz capsule for a welcoming ceremony. Hatch opening occurred at 12:00 a.m. EST (0500 GMT).

0257 GMT (9:57 p.m. EST on Sun.)
The docking probe on the front of Soyuz has retracted, allowing the hooks and latches to close and form a seal between the capsule and station. Pressure and leak checks will be performed over the next orbit before the hatchway is opened for the crew to enter into the station in a couple of hours.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

There's never too many videos about a fun group of American, Russian and Italian ex-fighter jet pilots going to space. :lol:

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

 

[N_Molson]

Roscosmos :

A number of observers in Hungary spotted the re-entry of the Block I upper stage of the Soyuz FG rocket that launched the Soyuz TMA-15M spacecraft carrying three new crew members to the International Space Station. Witnesses from north-western to south-eastern Hungary reported seeing a fireball moving across the sky at around 4:40 a.m. local time on Wednesday.

Meteor cameras deployed across the country detected the event at 3:39 UTC and data from the observatories indicates that the object was moving at 7.3 +/-0.5 Kilometers per hour [correction : per second], confirming that it was an object re-entering from orbit.

A camera deployed near the town of Szombathely in north-western Hungary registered the event at 3:38:50 UTC while the HUBEC Camera 65km south east from HUGOT shows the event taking place between 3:39:18 and 3:39:30 UTC.

The HUHOD camera located in south-eastern Hungary, 300 Kilometers from the other observatories, shows the event at 3:39:24 UTC

 

[C3PO]

... and data from the observatories indicates that the object was moving at 7.3 +/-0.5 Kilometers per hour, confirming that it was an object re-entering from orbit.

That must have been a Pyongyang Ultra orbit. :thumbup:

 

[N_Molson]

lol yes, that seems a bit slow. :lol:

Or maybe they were serious with that trampoline thing... :hmm:

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

You see....no-one is interested in ISS astronauts/cosmonauts expedition nowadays. Especially when the cosmonauts in question doesn't do too many outreach in English and (some) of the astronauts aren't on Twitter. :rofl:

Unfortunately because of this very reason, I did not pay much attention to the 3 people on the ISS since last September - Barry Wilmore, Elena Serova and Alexander Samokutyaev. And they are already coming back to Earth in half a day's time!

Undocking is scheduled at 22:44 UTC with touchdown planned at 02:07 UTC.

 

[Astro SG Wise]

Praying for safe return. I hope they have good video, like expedition 41.

 

[Treetop64]

Soyuz communication with the ground was lost a little over a minute after starting their de-orbit burn, and has yet to be re-established. They're only two minutes from separating the habitation and utility modules as I write this, so Russian mission control is sending commands in the blind, and sending periodic radio checks.

A bit worrying... Hope everything is OK.


EDIT: Egypt is picking up telemetry indicating separation of the modules occurred on schedule. Still no voice comms. Reentry in one minute.

EDIT II: OK, they're talking again.

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Communications have resumed 2 minutes ago.

 

[Astro SG Wise]

They have Landed!

Они приземлились!

 

[Treetop64]

Hope they dressed warm. :lol:

~S~

 

[Astro SG Wise]

Hope they dressed warm. :lol:

~S~

Welcome to Wisconsin, our own little portion of Northern Siberia .

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

I have no words....

 

[IronRain]

Beautiful shots! Welcome back

 

[indy91]

I have no words....

And I have a new desktop background.