Launch News Soyuz TMA-01M atop Soyuz-FG on October 7, 2010

[Star Voyager]

And more from my hometown newspaper, Florida Today!

http://space.flatoday.net/2010/10/red-headed-russian-spy-sends-off-new.html

 

[N_Molson]

From Roscosmos :

Soyuz TMA-M to Dock to the International Space Station on Oct. 10
:: 09.10.2010

On Oct.8, at 03.10 a.m., Soyuz-FG rocket blasted off from Baikonur with Soyuz TMA-M crew vehicle.

Soyuz-FG rocket orbited the vehicle to LEO with the following parameters:

• min altitude – 199,85 km;
• max altitude – 258,77 km;
• revolution – 88,81 min;
• inclination– 51,63 deg.

Moscow MCC began controlling the vehicle after its separation from the upper stage of the rocket. Soyuz TMA-M is the 85th vehicle controlled from MCC-M.
Telemetry data confirm nominal status of the vehicle. According to the Soyuz commander’s report, health status of the crew is OK.

The Soyuz is due to dock to the International Space Station on Oct.10, at 04.02 a.m. TMA-M crew – commander Alexander Kaleri, Oleg Skripochka and Scott Kelly- will join ISS commander Doug Wheelock, Fiodor Yurchikhin, Shannon Walker to start the 6-crew stage of increment 25.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Soyuz TMA-01M will dock to MRM-2 at 8:02 PM EDT Sat./12:02 AM GMT Sun. NASA TV coverage will begin at 7:30 PM EDT/11:30 PM GMT Sat.

12:02 - that isn't a good time for a new digital system! Remember the 1202 alarm computer troubles on Apollo 11?!

SPACE.com: "New U.S.-Russian Crew Headed for Space Station".

---------- Post added at 01:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:25 AM ----------

Yest kasaniye! TMA-01M has docked to MRM-2! :thumbup:

My second NASASpaceFlight article:
Soyuz TMA-01M docks with ISS as crews conduct hardware installation.

Spaceflight Now: "Digital Soyuz arrives at the International Space Station".

SPACE.com: "Soyuz Spacecraft Docks at Space Station With New Crew".

BBC News: "Soyuz capsule docks with International Space Station".


Current ISS configuration.

Hi-res version.

---------- Post added at 03:37 AM ---------- Previous post was at 01:04 AM ----------

Hatch opening coverage has now begun.

Apparently, Mark Kelly is going to get to speak to Scott via the TSuP! :thumbup:

Also, according to NTV PAO Rob Navias, Scott Kelly is the first ever Shuttle CDR to arrive at the ISS via a Soyuz!

---------- Post added at 04:24 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:37 AM ----------

Hatches now open.


Some funny comments from the welcome ceremony:

Mark: "Hi Mark, this is Scott. 6 months is a long time in space. Thanks for switching places with me. I hope I can remember how to fly that Shuttle"!

Doug: "Mark, good to see you've shaved your moustache"!

Scott's daughter: "Dad, I have one thing to ask you: Can I have an iPhone to keep up with your mission....pleeeeeease"?

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[N_Molson]

Hurrah for the cyber-Soyuz ! :lol:

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

NASA TV Video: Expedition 25 Crew Unites Aboard ISS.​

----------

SPACE.com: "Space Double Play: Identical Twin Astronauts Share Jokes Across Final Frontier".

---------- Post added at 09:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:28 PM ----------

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 10/10/2010.

Yest kasaniya! Soyuz TMA-01M/24S docked successfully this morning at 12:01 AM GMT at MRM-2 Zenith, 1 minute ahead of schedule, on Soyuz orbit #33 (DO-1), 5 minutes before local sunset. This doubles the station crew size to 6 persons and brings the total number of currently docked Russian VVs (Visiting Vehicles) to 4:
• Soyuz TMA-01M/24S (#701) at MRM-2 Zenith.
• Soyuz TMA-19/23S (#229) at MRM-1 Nadir.
• Progress M-05M/37P (#405) at DC-1 Nadir.
• Progress M-07M/39P 39P (#407) at SM Aft.

It was also the 67th Russian flight to ISS (out of a total of 103 missions).

TMA-01M/24S delivered Expedition 25 crewmembers FE-2 Alexander "Sasha" Kaleri, FE-3 Oleg "Alik" Skripochka & FE-4 Scott Kelly. [For Skripochka, it is the first spaceflight, for Kelly, who flew on STS-103/Hubble Repair & STS-118, it is the third, and for Kaleri, past crewmember of ISS Exp-8 and Mir expeditions 11, 22 & 28, it is the fifth, making him currently one of the most experienced space fliers in the world.]

The newcomers joined CDR Doug "Wheels" Wheelock, FE-5 Fyodor "Fedya" Yurchikhin & FE-6 Shannon Walker. After 3 hours 1 minute spent in Soyuz on pre-transfer activities, hatches were opened at 3:10 AM GMT and the crew transferred to the ISS. This was followed by the traditional welcome event and the installation of the BZV QD (Quick Disconnect) clamps of the docking & internal transfer mechanism (SSVP) by Alexander, to rigidize the joint. [The Soyuz TV system was activated at ~11:17 PM GMT; final approach on automatic KURS pilot began at ~11:52 PM GMT. Shortly after "kasaniya" (contact), automatic "sborka" (closing of Soyuz & SM port hooks & latches) took place at ~12:11 AM GMT with ISS in free drift. Attitude control authority had been handed over to the Russian MCS (Motion Control System) thrusters at ~9:08 PM GMT and returned to US CMG (Control Moment Gyroscope) control at ~1:25 AM GMT. For the docking, Russian thrusters were disabled (1:45 AM to 3:50 AM GMT) during Soyuz volume pressurization & clamp installation and afterwards returned to active attitude control. Before hatch opening, the crew performed leak checks of the Soyuz modules and the Soyuz/MRM-2 interface vestibule. They then doffed their Sokol suits, and Oleg & Alexander set suits and gloves up for drying. Alexander also deactivated the BOA/Atmosphere Purification Unit in the SA/Descent Module, replaced the Soyuz ECLSS LiOH cartridges, equalized Soyuz/ISS pressures, and put the spacecraft into conservation mode on ISS integrated power. Note: During final approach, the Soyuz crew reported that the Neptun InPU-1 (Display Panel #1) performed an uncommanded reboot. Specialists will be reviewing this discrepancy.]

Sleep cycle shift:
To accommodate last night's arrival of Soyuz TMA-01M, crew wake/sleep cycle changes were put in effect, featuring a two-part Saturday workday and a workfree Sunday:
• Wake (Saturday) – 6:00 AM GMT.
• Lunch (Saturday) – 1:00 PM GMT.
• Sleep 1 (Saturday) – 2:00 PM GMT.
• Wake 1 (Saturday) – 6:00 AM GMT.
• Sleep 2 (Sunday, today) – 8:30 AM GMT (work free).
• Wake 2 (Monday, tomorrow) – 6:00 AM GMT – returning to nominal.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

A docking photo from Doug Wheelock via Twitter.

And here's a nice behind-the-scenes look at the pre-launch process from Ron Garan's "Fragile Oasis" blog.

 

[clickypens]

are there any pictures of the inside showing the difference between TMAM and the prior generation? I keep hearing it's much better from a pilot point of view (and I believe them), but I haven't seen any pictures yet.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

are there any pictures of the inside showing the difference between TMAM and the prior generation? I keep hearing it's much better from a pilot point of view (and I believe them), but I haven't seen any pictures yet.

Inside, both TMA and TMA-M look the same.

If you want some interior shots of the TMA Orbital Module (BO), here they are.

Hi-res version.

Hi-res version.

Hi-res version.

Hi-res version.


And here's some images of the interior of the TMA Descent Module (SA).

Hi-res version.

Hi-res version.

Hi-res version.

Hi-res version.

 

[SiberianTiger]

Comparison of looks of the old TMA's computer Argon-16 (designed for Soyuz-T in 1974) and the new TMA-M's TSVM101:

 

[clickypens]

Oh okay. I thought the interfaces were updated or something. Thanks guys.

 

[SiberianTiger]

I think it's best to link the information on the upgraded Soyuz avionics I posted on this forum 2 years ago, to this topic:
http://orbiter-forum.com/showpost.php?p=54023&postcount=10

Also, there's a website of the company that produces the CPU (RISC 3081):
http://www.module.ru/serv/sc.shtml

Technical Parameters

Linear overloads|up to 10 G;
Shock overloads|up to 100 G;
Operating temperature|-60 C to +60 C;
Atmospheric pressure|up to 10-9 mm of mercury;
Radiation TID (Total Integrated Dose)|up to 100 krad;
Volume|2.5 to 7 liters;
Weight|2 to 6.5 kg;
Power consumption|10 to 24 W (typical);
The nominated lifetime|15 years;
Reliability|250 to 500 thousand hours.

If your laptop had this CPU, it would be good for kicking around...

 

[Urwumpe]

As small correction: The unit of volume used is liters not "litters". The homepage has a typo in the translation.

 

[SiberianTiger]

As small correction: The unit of volume used is liters not "litters". The homepage has a typo in the translation.

Looks like they hired a C student to make their website's translation to English.

 

[Urwumpe]

Looks like they hired a C student to make their website's translation to English.

At least somebody with a creative way of making units. Are you sure they didn't hire a BBC reporter for it?

Litters almost sounds like measuring the power consumption in lightbulbs.

 

[SiberianTiger]

[/COLOR]

Litters almost sounds like measuring the power consumption in lightbulbs.

The oddest comparison unit I recently met was one Tirpitz (used for comet nuclei size measurement):

 

[Wishbone]

With Длинна (lenngth) they lose my sympathy forever.

 

[orb]

NASA: NASA TV To Cover Soyuz Landing And Launch Events:

HOUSTON -- NASA Television will cover the March 16th return of three crew members who have called the International Space Station home for more than five months.

{...}

NASA's Expedition 26 Commander Scott Kelly, Soyuz Commander Alexander Kaleri and Russian Flight Engineer Oleg Skripochka are scheduled to land the Soyuz TMA-01M spacecraft near the town of Arkalyk in northern Kazakhstan at 2:48 a.m. CDT (1:48 p.m. Kazakhstan time) on March 16. Before departing, Kelly will hand over command of the station to Russian cosmonaut Dmitry Kondratyev during a ceremony at 3:45 p.m. on March 14.

{...}

NASA TV's scheduled coverage includes (all times Central) [and added UTC times in square brackets* /orb]:

{...}

Tuesday, March 15

• 7:30 p.m. [00:45 on 16th] -- Soyuz TMA-01M crew farewells and hatch closure (hatch closure at 8 p.m. [01:00 on 16th])
• 11 p.m. [04:00 on 16th] -- Undocking coverage (undocking at 11:24 p.m. [04:24 on 16th])

Wednesday, March 16

• 1:30 a.m. [06:30] -- Deorbit burn and landing in Kazakhstan (deorbit burn at 1:57 a.m. [06:57], landing at 2:48 a.m. [07:48])
• 11 a.m. [16:00] -- Video File of the undocking and landing
• 4 p.m. [21:00] -- Video File of the landing and post-landing activities; including post-landing interview with Kelly and the cosmonauts' return to Chkalovsky Airfield, Star City, Russia

{...}

[* - Daylight saving time (CDT) is starting on Mar. 13 /orb]

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 10/03/2011.

Soyuz 24S Post-Undock Tests:
Teams in Moscow and Houston are conducting final analyses of some tests being planned by RSC-Energia/TsUP for the new-design Soyuz TMA-01M/24S immediately upon undocking next Wednesday (16/03), particularly in view of the on-orbit installation of new M4294M Microamperemeter rate measurement assemblies ("ammeters") by Alexander Kaleri on 02/02 in the
Neptun-ME crew console (PKSA) in response to an instrumentation failure during 24S ascent last year. There will be two types of post-undock tests:

• Test of the manual LVLH (Local Vertical/Local Horizontal) attitude-keeping mode of the new digital Soyuz avionics systems.
  o The test takes 5 minutes or less. The crew and ground will monitor thruster activation. LVLH is not the most important part of this test, the most important is that the hand controllers work and the thrusters fire.
  o This test will not affect entry and landing regardless of the outcome.
• Ammeter test of the data from the new on-orbit installed roll rate instruments.
  o If test is nominal, the crew will have all 4 landing modes available (two automatic, two manual); but if we can’t do an automated entry for any reason (based on miss distance, not the ammeter test) the crew can then do a manual entry.
  o If the rate gyros in the ammeter test are not operational then we will go into a ballistic descent. If there are issues with 2 of 3 ammeters then we will go into the reserve ballistic mode.

 

[orb]

Here's calendar event for undocking and landing. Here you can request a reminder for that event.

With added seconds, deorbit burn is scheduled at 06:57:30 UTC, and landing at 07:48:23 UTC.

 

[garyw]

Russia warn that TMA-01M could have a ballistic landing

WASHINGTON DC. March 14 (Interfax-AVN) - The first modernized manned spaceship Soyuz TMA-M may have a ballistic landing on Wednesday, NASA said.

Soyuz TMA-M commander Alexander Kaleri will test angular speed sensors after the ship undocks from the International Space Station (ISS). The other crewmembers of Soyuz TMA-M are Oleg Skripochka and Scott Kelly.

If a problem occurs, the astronauts may experience G8 to G10 in the ballistic return, NASA said.

Astronauts experience G3 to G4 in the case of a regular return.

NASA explained the planned check of angular speed sensors with the failure of the landing capsule's analog signal processing system, which happened on October 9, 2010, on the second day of Soyuz TMA-M's flight to the ISS. As a result, data from angular speed sensors stopped being displayed on the Neptun-ME console.

In early February 2011 Kaleri installed new angular speed sensors, which were supplied by the Progress M-09M cargo spaceship in late January, NASA said.

Meanwhile, a source at the Russian mission control center told Interfax-AVN that the Soyuz undocking from the Poisk unit of the ISS Russian segment was due at 7:27 a.m. Moscow time on March 16.

The descent will begin at 9:58 a.m. Moscow time, and the landing is due at 10:49 a.m. northeast of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan.

Soyuz TMA-M is the first manned spaceship of the new series. It was designed at the Energia Aerospace Corporation on the platform of Soyuz TMA, which had performed 20 space flights since October 2002.

The new spaceship has digital motion control, navigation and telemetric systems, including the CVM-101 computer replacing the obsolete Argon-16.

The above also explains some of the reluctance of Russia to use this vessel for the NASA suggested flyabout during STS-133's docked stay.

Source: http://www.interfax.com/newsinf.asp?id=228309