Safe landing

Soyuz TMA-01M landed apparently safely yesterday (16) at 07:54, despite various glitches after its launch – see James Oberg articles “A Digital Soyuz”, September 2010 and “Digital Soyuz Return Could Be Rocky”, 11/3/2011. From the 16/3 ISS On-Orbit Status:

TMA-01M (#701), the first fully “digital” Soyuz, undocked from the MRM2 (Mini Research Module 2) Poisk port early this morning at 12:26 a.m. EDT, after the crew had performed leak checks of the vestibule area between the MRM2 and the Soyuz spacecraft, of their Sokol suits and of the hatch between the Descent Module (SA) and Orbital Module (BO). Three minutes after physical undocking, Soyuz performed the first manual separation burn. This was followed at ~12:33 a.m. by the planned test of the new RODK Manual Attitude Control in Digital Mode which provides automated LVLH (Local Vertical-Local Horizontal) attitude control. After a second manual sep burn (~12:39 a.m.), Kaleri performed the planned test of the ROAK Manual Attitude Control in Analog Mode, which involved the three new orbit-installed rate sensors (“micro ammeters”), designed to provide the crew with information on roll rate & roll angle (officials later pronounced both tests successful). At about 2:56 a.m., the crew activated the spacecraft’s VTsVK MCS (Motion Control System) “Chaika”. The actual de-orbit burn of 4 min 17 sec duration came at 3:03 a.m., resulting in a 115.2 m/sec deceleration. Tri-module separation occurred at 3:28 a.m.. 16 sec after the separation command, software pitched the PAO (Instrumentation/Propulsion Module) in the rear to a specific angle (-78.5 deg from reference axis) which, if PAO would have remained connected to the SA/Descent Module, would have resulted in enough heating on the connecting truss to melt it, thus ensuring separation. Atmospheric entry followed at 3:31 a.m. and nominal parachute deployment at 3:40 a.m.. Following initial observation by Russian SAR personnel in two helicopters, the Soyuz vehicle landed in snow at 3:54 a.m., tipping over in the wind.

“Star City at 50”, Air & Space Magazine, 1/3/2011. Article by Michael Cassutt giving an overview of where the Cosmonaut Training Center is now, and the challenges it faces (mainly chronic underfunding). It is rather disappointing the Russian Air Force does not seem interested in manned spaceflight; this surely would have some strategic value:

Though Roskosmos owns Star City, the agency doesn’t necessarily like the arrangement. According to former cosmonaut Yuri Baturin, “Roskosmos did not plan to absorb GCTC. But the Ministry of Defense specified reductions in armed forces, and simply included GCTC in that.” Apollo-Soyuz astronaut Tom Stafford put it more directly: “The Russian air force couldn’t afford to keep paying the bills. They don’t have an interest in manned spaceflight—they never really did.”

The cosmonaut-pilots also seem to have lost their training aircraft:

Under military control, the training center’s flight support unit, the Seregin Wing, had 16 aircraft, from Aero L-39 training jets to Tupolev Tu-154 transports. These were used by the cosmonauts to maintain pilot proficiency, and for weightlessness training. But in late 2009, the Russian air force disbanded the wing and dispersed the airplanes. “Except for one,” Krikalev notes, “a Tu-154 with glass hatches in its fuselage,” which was formerly used by the Ministry of Defense in NATO’s “Open Skies” program.

12 April marks 50 years since Yurii Gagarin’s first and only spaceflight, and the first manned spaceflight. The problem with these anniversaries is that, with the Russian space program at least, a lot of energy seems to be spent looking nostalgically backward, rather than planning missions for the future. Countries such as China (well, it’s the only other country outside of Russia and the USA to have independently flown humans into space) seem to be forging ahead in their slow but methodical manner. I would be tempted to wager that China will surprise everyone by announcing a manned Mars mission by the end of this decade!

Anatolii Perminov interview

“Roscosmos Head Anatoly Perminov Answered the Questions of Novosti Kosmonavtiki Magazine”, RK, 22/2. A reprinted interview on the Roskosmos site. As the English version which I linked to may or may not show up because of the peculiar content management system their site uses (and their HTML code is horribly mangled), I have reproduced it below.

Roscosmos Head Anatoly Perminov answered the questions of Novosti Kosmonavtiki magazine

Roscosmos Head Anatoly Perminov answered the questions of Novosti Kosmonavtiki magazine. The interview in Russian is published in the Feb. issue of the magazine.

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Question: Anatoly Nikolaevich, could you please tell about the most significant achievements of the Russian space industry in 2009? How the Federal Space Program objectives were fulfilled?

A. Perminov: Currently, more than 100 states in the world deal with space exploration. However only three of them (the USA, Russia and China) have capabilities to fulfill all the objectives of this business, including human space missions.

Rate of Russian space launches increased in 2009. Totally, 32 were made. 29 national and 20 foreign spacecraft were orbited. This makes up 43% of the number of launches in the world in 2009.

13 spacecraft were launched under the Federal Space Program.

In January 2009, Coronas-Photon spacecraft was orbited under the long-term Russian program which covers solar physics and solar-earth link studies. Russian and foreign scientists carry out their research activities with the help of the data provided by Coronas-Photon.

New-generation spacecraft Meteor-M launched on September 17 provides the opportunity to enhance weather predictions significantly.

Roscosmos industry increased the number of launches for human space vehicles Soyuz TMA and cargo supply vehicles Progress twice.

Reliable navigation support became essential within the recent years. This support is provided by satellite navigation systems. The number of Russian global constellation GLONASS satellites rose. GLONASS provides full navigation coverage for Russia. GLONASS Federal Network operator with definite functions was established in 2009.

Orbital operations of the Resource-DK remote sensing spacecraft launched in 2006 successfully go on. Electro-L and Kanopus-V intended to enhance Russian hydro-meteorological and Earth remote sensing orbital constellations are under production, with most of manufacturing milestones already completed. Launch and orbital operations of these spacecraft will provide weather services with meteorological data, as well as provide prompt detection of emergencies and accidents, and forest fire timely caution and warning. Unfortunately, some problem occurred during Electro-L on-board equipment ground tests made us postpone the launch to the second quarter of 2010.

MKA-FKI small spacecraft intended for fundamental studies now is planned for launch together with Kanopus-V and a Belorussian spacecraft in 2010.

Technological lab Photon-M № 3 launched in 2007 provided the opportunity to perform 105 experiments in such fields as material science, space biology and technology, including 37 European, 2 Chinese, 59 Russian and 7 joint Russian and European experiments.

Design and production of the Express-series new-generation communication satellite are in progress. Due to Express-AM44 and Express-MD orbiting, Russian space communication and broadcasting system experience dynamical evolution. Development of the Loutch-based advanced space relay system and Gonets-M-based personal satellite communication system is in progress.

Under the fundamental space studies program, Russian scientists continue working with Konus-A payload on-board US spacecraft Wind, Rome-Pamela installed on Resource-DK, as well as planet atmosphere research equipment including OMEGA and SPIKA-M aboard European spacecraft Mars-Express, and SPIKA-V aboard European Venus-Express. Most of production activities with Spectr-R and Spectr-RG astrophysical observatories are completed.

Q: What about budget funding in 2009?

A.P.: Russian Federal Space Program, GLONASS Federal Special Program, as well as the other space programs were funded fully by the Government. Despite of the financial crisis, Russian leaders supported national space industry.

Last year, Russian space industry demonstrated better growth factors than the other industries.

Q: What is the progress in fulfilling the decision about construction of the Vostochny space port? What is the status? And what is going on at Baikonur?

A.P.: Vostochny construction is carried out step-wise. Let me remind, in 2008, TSNIIMAsh, in cooperation with other companies, drafted system design for the space port. In 2009, leading design bureaus of the industry developed technical specifications of the mid-class launcher with high lifting capacity, which is to become the key element for the new space port.

Currently, draft design of the new launch site (TSKB-Progress Federal Entity is the prime contractor in the project) is ongoing. Design and search activities are carried out for Vostochny. Design institute Ipromashprom has been picked as the prime designer of the future space port. These activated resulted in defining locations of the ground space infrastructure major elements. Vostochny investment justification documents are being prepared for further submission to State Expertise in 2010.

We plan to complete design and search milestone, and development of design and maintenance documents by 2011. Construction of the engineering and social infrastructure, as well as the first launch pad are to be finished by 2015. The main objects and infrastructure of the second priority are to be completed by 2018. Maiden launch from Vostochny is planned in 2015.

Concerning Baikonur, the following operations are carried out there:

• modification of the Proton launch pads;
• modification of the Soyuz launch pads;
• reconstruction of the filling neutralization station is over.
• modification of the existing engineering facilities for socio-economical and scientific spacecraft;
• modification of the Soyuz, Proton engineering facilities, as well as upper stage engineering facilites;
• modification of the Roscosmos’ measurement systems used to support launches;
• development of the Baikonur object control and monitoring system;
• establishment of the Baikonur object maintenance system, based on new principles which imply readiness for usage and assignment;
• Baiterek project sees progress. Intergovernmental Cooperation Board of Russia and Kazakhstan determined for Russia to allocate Universal Launch Pad which served for the maiden launch of Energia in 1987, for the joint project. Baiterek construction is planned to commence in 2010.

Q: What about Angara development?

A.P.: Development of the Angara launcher and ground launch infrastructure at Plesetsk are in progress. Two firing tests of the universal rocket module for the rocket’s first stage have been completed successfully.

Angara’s launch pad and engineering facility are constructed at the space port with high insensitivity. In accordance with the General master schedule, Angara’s maiden launch from Plesetsk is to take place in 2011. However, due to lack of funding, construction of the launch facility is delayed, thus making the flight tests postponed to 2011.

Q: What is the status of the advanced space transportation system (launcher and vehicle for the new space port) project?

A.P.: In early 2009, following the contest, Russian space industry commenced draft design of the advanced crew transportation system (ACTS) which is grounded on a set of scientific, research and search efforts. The core of the system is the new-generation advanced crew vehicle (ACV) intended to use Russian technologies and industrial cooperation.

In parallel, studies of evolved systems for distant space exploration are carried out. These include definition of the system’s structure, purpose, development milestones, prime features of the new space infrastructure, launchers and ground facilities, scientific, engineering, technological, organizational, economical support of the efforts.

ACV design is to provide basis for further modifications to fly to the Moon and Mars, for automatic cargo and cargo-return vehicles, as well as orbital tugs. In addition, LLO transfer stages for crew and cargo vehicle delivery to the lunar orbits are to be developed.

Q: What is your opinion about GCTC reorganization? Will united Roscosmos Cosmonaut Corps be established, or the existing industry’s corps will remain? When will a new cosmonaut recruitment take place?

A.P.: In general, GCTC reorganization from a military structure into Federal Budget Entity Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center is positive. Sergey K. Krikalev, one of the most famous cosmonauts of Russia, was appointed GCTC Chief. GCTC got its status of a juridical entity in April. At the same time, cosmonaut training continues under the approved schedules.

Proposals on cosmonaut recruitment shall be submitted to Roscosmos in the first quarter of 2010.

Q: Which structural changes occurred in Roscosmos companies? Is there a plan to establish an integrated state corporation?

A.P.: We studied the positive and negative experience of other state corporations, as well as the place of Roscosmos in the international space efforts, and decided to establish several large corporations (public companies with essential share package of the state) instead of one. This will help us to fulfill the tasks we have, and to keep state control of the rocket and space industry assets.

9 integrated structures functioning in the industry (status of late 2009) unite major production funds of the industry. Several integrated structures are still under formation.

The first and the most complicated milestone of the industry’s reforming is to be completed by 2011. It is featured by establishment of the core of 14 integrated structures, which will unite about 60% of the most significant rocket and space industry companies (wrt the number of companies in 2004).

Q: Anatoly Nikolaevich, could you point out the companies which achieved success in employing young specialists and keeping experienced personnel? How do they manage it?

A.P.: Russian Federal Space Agency pays significant attention to the human resource problem on the highest level: meetings of the HR chiefs and workshops are held, HR strategy is developed. Thus, positive results in this branch are achieved.

The number of personnel ran through refreshment or qualification training in the industry increase every year. More than 50 thousand (19,4% of the total number) employees of the industry graduated from professional qualification courses in 2009.

Some HR objectives of the industry are fulfilled by direct contacts with the technical universities and through professional training programs.

For example, 50 students entered “Spacecraft and upper stages, launch facilities and rocket and space launch sites” faculty in the Amur State University.

These students are trained for further work at the Vostochny space port. They will acquire basic knowledge, which is to be followed by their studies at Moscow Aviation Institute and Amur and South Ural Universities.

Major Roscosmos entities establish advanced training departments in various science, engineering, technology branches to provide training for the engineers and workers.

To keep the employees, the entities provide the opportunities to solve social problems, such as housing habitation for the singles or families, kinder gardens, other items of social packet.

At the same time, the situation if more favorable in the regions. There is a positive example Reshetnev Informational Satellite Systems public company. The number of employees under 30 is about 50% there.

Good tendencies are set up in our work with young people, which we consider the most important HR direction.

Compare to 2007, the percentage of young employees increased from 18 to 20% in 2009; the number of young managers under 30 increased by 16% within the same period.

Student and graduates of technical institutes were included into scientific and research working groups for the first time this year under Federal Special Program “Scientific and Educational Human Resources of Innovative Russia”.

In 2008, 267 young employees got real estate subsidies; this makes it 44% more than in 2007. In the first half of 2009, 12 companies provided financial subsidies to 282 young employees under 30.

These examples confirm that the objectives set up by Roscosmos Board are being accomplished.

Q: How did the crisis impact the industry?

A.P.: Despite of the world financial crisis, status indexes of the rocket and space industry and its production continued to enhance in 2009. Production volume is 12,2%, which is twice as big as the same parameter of the national production volume.

Financial stability of the industry improved in 2009. Rocket and space industry maintained accomplishment of all international space commitments, keeping high rates for the national launch services.

Nevertheless, in early 2009 the crisis became visible in the industry. Some reduction of the government-customized production volume is predicted for 2010.

It is also worth saying that about 15% of the work in the industry is carried out by the cooperative companies (~ 550 entities). These are manufacturers of the optics, RF equipment, EEE parts, rubber materials, ferrous and nonferrous materials and alloys, proof compounds, glues, etc. The crisis impacted the partner companies, thus impacted the rocket and space industry.

The crisis of the world and national financial markets slowed down consolidation of the financial and economical status of the industry, deteriorating the status of the companies. Credit opportunities are less affordable for some entities.

Increased crediting rates made negative impact on the pure profits and profitability of the industry. If the companies do not obtain governmental support in 2010, they may turn unprofitable.

Q: What are the new steps made in the frame of Roscosmos cooperation with other countries and agencies?

A.P.: In July 2009, the Presidents of Russia and US approved establishment of the bilateral presidential commission, which consists of 13 cooperation working groups. Working group “Cooperation in space” is chaired by Roscosmos and NASA Heads. New NASA Administrator Charles Bolden visited Baikonur for the first time during the launch of Soyuz TMA-16. Then, we held working meetings in MCC. We discussed space policy, ISS cooperation, as well as prospectives in life science research, etc.

Russia and China signed Space Cooperation Program for 2010-2012. It implies joint work under 53 topics. In particular, it is planned to develop space communication system for the countries of Shanghai Cooperation Organization, joint acquisition of the remote sensing spacecraft data via the network of stations located in Russia and China, cooperation under Russian GLONASS and Chinese Beidou programs. Exploration of the Moon and other planets of the Solar system is another very important branch of the joint program.

Mounting and assembly operations at the Soyuz launch facility in Guiana Space Center are close to completion; next milestone will cover autonomous and integrated tests.

Maiden launch of South-Korean rocket KSLV-1 took place in August 2009. The launch is considered partially successful. The first stage with the RD-191 engine produced in Russia displayed proper functioning during the launch.

Fruitful cooperation with Kazakhstan which covers not only Baikonur, but overall cooperation in space, is enhancing.

Well, there are dozens of examples to illustrate our international cooperation.

The collaboration is developing in different branches: joint research, development and experiments; spacecraft production; launch, transport and other services; data and experience exchange; joint utilization of the space assets and technologies. More than 50 countries are our partners in space programs. Understanding of the fact that no single state can afford maintaining large-scale space exploration, Russia is enhancing space cooperation with all interested world centers. Future full-scale space exploration is feasible only by international cooperation. Due to this approach, space projects and programs of all interested parties and organizations gradually become more and more integrated into the joint space business; due to mutual dependence and complementarity, international collaboration turns into key and strategically significant feature for evolution of the world space exploration initiative.

Q: Coming back to internal Russian business. What are the priorities of the civil space exploration in 2010?

A.P.: Space exploration in Russia enter its new evolution stage, which is featured by full-scale integration of space assets and technologies into national science and economy.

The following priorities of space exploration in Russia have been defined under support of the Russian President and Russian Government:

• maximum satisfaction of the social, economical and scientific needs in space outcome by deploying and effective utilization of the national space satellite constellations for various purposes;
• complete accomplishment of the Russian commitments under various international space projects, including the ISS, as well as deployment of the ISS Russian segment and enhancement of RS utilization effectiveness;
• exploration of planets and bodies of the Solar system aimed at acquiring fundamental knowledge about the world around us, extra-terrestrial resource utilization, study of the Earth climate change mechanism, search of life in outer space, prepare and carry out large-scale lunar and martian projects, including human space missions, etc.

We initiated development of advanced space systems for various purposes.

I’d like to draw your attention first to the International Space Station (ISS)- the most outstanding space habitation ever built by the mankind. Russia improves its segment and performs space experiments, and maintains ISS transport and supply support by Soyuz TMA and Progress vehicles in parallel. Russia also provides Soyuz TMA crew rescue opportunities in case of emergency.

Due to upcoming Shuttle retirement, NASA and Roscosmos signed a contract which covers transportation / return of the US astronauts to the ISS by Russian crew vehicles.

ISS RS evolution plan is being implemented. New Russian Mini Research Module MRM-2. MRM-1 will join ISS RS in 2010, and Multipurpose Laboratory Module will come in 2011. Both modules undergo intensive preparatory operations.

With these modules, Russia will enhance research and experimental program onboard the ISS, improve conditions for the crew inside the station and on its outer surface.

Concerning priorities of the human spaceflight program, these are the following:

• fulfillment of the national research and experimental program onboard the ISS RS;
• ISS RS operations, including transport and cargo supply support, mission control, maintenance, etc.;
• fulfillment of the international commitments wrt ISS partners on cargo delivery and crew transportation, station 6 crew rescue;
• design and development of the advanced crew transportation system;
• development and construction of the Vostochny space port.

Currently, there is a positive tendency of GLONASS qualitative enhancement. A set of measures aimed at achievement of the competitive status for the national Global Navigation System is being carried out. Russian navigation user equipment and technologies are developed and introduced.

Q: A bit untraditional question: what are your dreams?

A.P.: Speaking about my work and the state, I only dream and wish our state to modify, become entirely civilized. I wish our industry to accomplish the objectives set up by the government of our country.

Q: What are your wishes to the readers of Novosti Kosmonavtiki in 2010?

A.P.: I wish them anything they want: happiness, good health, optimism, confidence in the future.

The Hydrolaboratory (Gidrolaboratoriya, Гидролаборатория) where cosmonauts and astronauts train for EVAs at Star City marked 30 years of operations on 18/2. I have a page about it on my website.

Scandal in Star City

Former cosmonaut Aleksandr Volkov became Head of Star City Administration on 22/10. Coincidentally, he did two long space missons with Sergei (Mir Principal Expeditions 4 and 10). (Roskosmos interview, only in Russian). There was a scandal surrounding the initial candidate, as described in this news article (reproduced below), where Colonel of the FSB Nikolay Rybkin was arrested for allegedly organizing the illegal delivery of an exceptionally large contraband of Chinese goods through Baltic Customs. This caused much indignation in Star City as he was a popular figure, and some thought the arrest a set-up.

The Star City scandal

By: Aleksandr Emelianikov, Vladimir Bogdanov

Yesterday, Star City held mayoral elections for the first time. The elections took place in scandalous and highly strung conditions related to the recent arrest of the main candidate, resigned Colonel of the FSB Nikolay Rybkin.

The situation got so heated that many respectable residents of Star City wrote to the president, asking him to support the free will of the citizens. 63-year-old Rybkin was detained late night on the territory of Star City on June 24. The next day, Basmanny Court gave orders for his arrest.

Rybkin is suspected of organizing the illegal delivery of an exceptionally large contraband of Chinese goods through Baltic Customs. A dummy organization was used, Rosmoravia, and Rybkin, a former chekist (KGB serviceman), is one of the founders of the company. These goods, with an estimated cost of 10 million roubles, were later sold on the Russian market. The judicial investigation suggests that part of the contraband was directed to Moscow’s Cherkizovo market.

The criminal case against the members of Baltic Customs involved in the smuggling from China and selling the goods on the markets of Moscow Oblast and other regions, including on markets the group of companies of ACT, was initiated in February of this year. The cofounders of LLC Rosmoravia, Tarakanov and Potocky, have also been arrested.

The Head of the Investigation Committee, Aleksandr Bastrykin, announced that he will be fighting to eliminate the Cherkizovo market:

“We have been searching for those responsible for these illegal goods in the amount of $2 billion. No one knows who had delivered these products here,” he commented on the outcomes of the investigation for the first six months of the investigation during the board meeting of his committee. He continued to say that “this pigsty needs to be shut down, and we will bring it to an end in the near future. Though not everything is so simple. When one digs deeper into the problem, protection rackets come to light that one cannot even dream of.”

Rybkin’s arrest provoked a huge response in Star City. The suspect was considered a respectable figure of authority who did many things for Star City’s residents. He was considered a great sponsor of the town. One of his widely known acts was reintroducing twelve swans that inhabit the town’s lake. There was a time when Star City was proud of these birds, but during perestroika, someone ate the swans and sent the bones to the town’s administration. Rybkin, once again, ordered the swans from abroad. He restored fountains. Near his house, he built an exact copy of the home where Yury Gagarin was born and raised in the Smolensk Oblast, and opened a museum named after Gagarin.

According to our sources in the special services, the chekist headed the local counterintelligence department for the last 25 years. In his youth, for several years he was a radio-gunner on a Tu-16 bomber. He then graduated from the KGB school, and in 1976 began working at the cosmonaut training center where he ensured the protection of classified government intelligence on human spaceflight.

In his line of work with counterintelligence, he got promoted to the post of Deputy Chief of the Center. He completed missions abroad. In particular, he took part in rescuing hostages in Somalia and Ethiopia, for which he was awarded the Order of the Red Star. In 1995 he stopped a dangerous criminal who was responsible for 200 crimes, including 28 murders. For that, the former KGB man was awarded the Order of Courage.

Right after the arrest over the scandal, his attorney Roman Smadych announced that his client would be prepared to go on hunger strike if there was not going to be an impartial investigation into his case, or if he isn’t granted the constitutional right to participate in the Star City mayoral election. Rybkin, however, did not go on a hunger strike after all, and his surname can still be found on the list of mayoral candidates.

Many residents of Star City are connecting Rybkin’s arrest with the elections. They think that someone is trying to eliminate the leading candidate from the race.

Aleksandr Volkov, Commander of the Cosmonaut Corps (1991-1998), and Hero of the Soviet Union: “I’ve known Nikolai Rybkin for more than 30 years. I doubt I will be mistaken if I say that no one worries about Star City more than he does: he worked with pensioners, cared for the veterans of the Great Patriotic War and those of the Afghanistan war. This is a person who cares about the future of this town, and the people who live here.

“One ought to consider that many people cast their votes well before the court ordered his arrest. I know that Aleksey Leonov cast an early vote. He especially went to Shchyolkovo to vote. And if one were to judge from our two houses, the election day turnout must have been high as well. Everyone perfectly understands that the decision of who will lead Star City depends on our vote.”

A curious bit of trivia noted in the article is that some Australian black swans (one of which can be seen in this Roskosmos news report) inhabit the Star City lake! (Some hapless swans got eaten.)

«Звездный с трудом снимает погоны» (“Star City difficult to demilitarize”), Roskosmos, 23/10 (only in Russian). Interview with Sergei Krikalyov on the problems of administrating Star City and transferring it from military from civilian control. A lot of the infrastructure is old and needs upgrading. The Russian Air Force/Defence Ministry seems eager to secede control over Star City – I thought it would have been an asset? One reason for the transfer is cost-cutting by Minister of Defence Anatolii Serdyukov (source). Something they may regret?

Soyuz TMA-14 landed on 11 October. Guy Laliberté was still wearing that blasted red nose! (I really hate clowns.)

Digital Soyuz and other news

My main website, SuzyMcHale.com, is still not online (server failure). Hopefully back soon…?

“Russia’s Dark Horse Plan to Get to Mars”, James Oberg, Discovery Magazine, 21/5. On the Phobos-Grunt mission. Another article at IEEE Spectrum by Anatoly Zak is “A Russian Return to a Martian Moon”, June 2009. The Chinese microsatellite that will ride onboard is to be delivered to the probe manufacturer, NPO Lavochkin in Russia, on 17 June.

Soyuz TMA-15 launched last week (27/5) with Expedition 20, so there is now a crew of 6 onboard the ISS for the first time, all from the different space agencies involved.

Contradicting earlier media reports, Roscosmos representatives said that there are no plans to disconnect the Russian segment of the ISS from 2015 and turn it into an autonomous space station. Instead, there are plans to extend the lifetime of the ISS as much as its technical capabilities will allow.

From NK №786:

02/06/2009 / 00:05 – Russia has no plans to disconnect its segment of the ISS after 2015

Roscosmos has no plans to disconnect the Russian segment of International Space Station from the U.S. and create an autonomous station from 2015. “There are no plans for disconnecting us from the ISS. On the contrary, we have a plan for extending the operation of the Station, as far as its technical capabilities will allow,” said Aleksei Krasnov, the supervisor of manned programs at Roscosmos, on Friday at a news conference at TsUP mission control center.

“There is no reason to have the segments of the ISS partner countries taken apart,” added, in turn, the president of Rocket-Space Corporation Energiya, Vitalii Lopota.

They commented on reports by some Russian and foreign media that Russian specialists are discussing the possibility of removing the ISS Russian segment in the event that other participating countries of the project did not prolong the operation of the station until 2020. According to current plans, the ISS is planned to be in use up to 2015.

At the same time, A. Krasnov noted that even before the deorbiting of the station Mir, the possibility of using part of its modules as part of the International Space Station was explored. It is a similar situation in the case of the ISS.

“We do not exclude that we will explore the possibility of using the modules of the ISS assembly, consisting of orbital research complex in low orbit that would allow the Russian space program to develop further,” said Aleksander Krasnov.

Earlier, representatives of Roscosmos has been reported on the possibility of construction in orbit from 2020, a new space station that would become an orbital plant for the production of unique materials, as well as a trans-shipment base on the way to the Moon and Mars.

A ceremony was held for the lowering of the TsPK flag, but it attracted little official or media interest (the translation is a bit incoherent):

02/06/2009 / 00:05 – In Star City the unit banner has been farewelled

On 29 May 2009 in the town of Star City a farewell ceremony was held for the banner, writesYurii Baturin. The famous Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, established in 1960 as a military unit, was eliminated in accordance with a governmental order (№1435 from 1/10/2008). In its place there will be a new organization to train cosmonauts, but as a civilian federal government budgetary institution.

A monument to Yuri Gagarin Cosmonauts Alley to put members of the part. There were present family members of the military and the center, many with children. We cosmonaut veterans shed copious tears. And now, the last solemn march. Then the photographs of the flag. The standard-bearers probably have, as expected, began packing the banner for shipment, and the assembly did not disperse, but remembered, remembered… The mood for all was sad.

Representatives of NASA and the European space agency paid a tribute of respect to the banner and TsPK. But no-one from the Military-air forces command attended the farewell ritual. And after all the military unit as the Center of preparation of cosmonauts of the Air Forces was formed and for half a centur has made considerable glory for this kind of Armed forces of the country. There was nobody from the Ministry of Defence, nor from the Joint Staff, as if only an ordinary battalion of air field service was being disbanded. And this is a unique military division. It was not counted a significant event and in Russian Space Agency, under whose command TsPK now falls. Usually, generals from the Air Forces, and the management of the Federal Space Agency liked to address Star City from a podium and say high words to the heroes of space. Now words for some reason were not found, probably, it was difficult to look in the faces of the gathered. Probably, such a general lack of official attendance was an indirect recognition of the inaccuracy of the decision to reform TsPK.

Unfortunately, the press, except Novoi, «Новой» and Cosmonautics News, «Новостей космонавтики», has not been interested. There was no TV (possibly because there were no space tourists – a favourite central theme of space reportings).

Maybe this was for the better: no hypocrisy, had only their own flag.

Cosmonaut Aleksandr Kaleri will be the first to command the new digital Soyuz in September 2010, along with Cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka and the American astronaut Scott Kelly. (Sergei Krikalyov was at one time to be the first to pilot the digital version, but he now has other duties.) From NK №785:

28/05/2009 / 17:15 – Cosmonaut Kaleri will test the new Soyuz version

Flight tests of the “digital” piloted ship Soyuz are entrusted to the experienced Russian cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri.

“Flight of the first ship in the new Soyuz series, which is equipped with a digital control system, is scheduled for September of next year. Cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri has been entrusted to pilot the ship, having had experience of four space flights,” the space-rocket industry interlocutor said. According to him, the appointment of the flight commander was preceded by a long dispute about who to entrust the management of the new machine.

Experience in piloting of the Soyuz ships was the basic requirement during selection of candidates. “On the list were many surnames, but eventually Kaleri was appointed as the commander of the ship,” the agency interlocutor said.

In the crew of the “digital” Soyuz, the Russian cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka and the American astronaut Scott Kelly are appointed as flight engineers.

In April, 2008 the president of Rocket & Space Corporation Energiya, Vitalii Lopota during a scientific conference in Moscow said that the first “digital” Soyuz would go to space in the spring of 2009. But the launch did not take place in the announced time. In connection with necessity of carrying out of additional tests of the ship, the launch was delayed to autumn of 2010.

According to V. Lopota, installation of digital systems on the piloted ship Soyuz will require a crew of one professional cosmonaut, instead of two, as now. In that case, two nonprofessional cosmonauts can fly at once.

The modernisation of spaceships, according to V. Lopota, will bring Russian astronautics to a new technological level and to raise the safety of space flight. For the docking of the new ship to the International Space Station it is planned to use the standard scheme of docking. “We cannot afford to risk anything. Even though the ship systems were analogue, and are now digital. In no event will use of the new modernised systems change the planned algorithm,” said V. Lopota. The docking of the ship to the ISS will continue under the standard scheme, that is on the second day of flight, he has added. Visually, the president of RSC Energiya admitted, the digital Soyuz will not differ from previous versions of the ship.

The basic difference of the new ships is in the digital control systems. The control system of movement and system of onboard measurements has undergone modernisation. Innovations have allowed to increase speed and to lower weight of equipment. In contrast with the previous version, the digital cargo ship is capable to take aboard on 80 kg of more cargo, than its predecessors.

Star City meeting

Roskosmos news: “Anatoly Perminov, Head of the Federal Space Agency, Held a Meeting with GCTC Management” concerning the reorganization of the Center from military to civilian control. Sergei Krikalyov, the new civilian chief of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, appears in two of the photos.

On April 27, Anatoly Perminov, Head of the Russian Federal Space Agency, held a meeting with the management of Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.

The meeting was attended by Alexey Panteleev, Vice Governor of the Moscow region, Valery Chernov, Territorial Settlement Minister of Government of the Moscow region, Vitaly Davyidov, State-Secretary-Deputy Head of Roscosmos, and the heads of Roscosmos Directorates.

Anatoly Perminov opened the meeting. In particular, he said:

“…GCTC history is linked tightly with foundation and evolution of the Russian and world human space programs. GCTC has everything required for crew training: modern unique labs and simulators, validated methods, high-quality expertise. The renewed Center will face more achievements in space exploration.

“Following the Order of the Russian Government, Roscosmos and Ministry of Defense now carry out the reorganization work to establish a Federal State Budget Entity under Roscosmos. There are some problems connected with GCTC hand-over to Roscosmos, and we discussed those with D.A. Medvedev, Russian President, at the meeting devoted to the Cosmonautics Day.

“The Act of the Russian President dated Jan. 19 also defines reorganization of the military city into a Restricted Administrative Territorial Settlement. Here, we appreciate the support provided by the Governor and the Government of the Moscow region a lot…

“Roscosmos and Ministry of Defence still have to do much to finalize liquidation process until July 2009. All the assets are to be handed over to Roscosmos, personnel is to get new appointments in the Federal State Entity, etc.

“All the issues regarding social protection of GCTC personnel will be solved.

“We have to work hard to establish a renewed Center, and to found a new City, which deserves its name of the Cosmonaut Training Center.

“I am sure that the personnel will support implementation of all current and future tasks related to cosmonaut training, and add more pages to the history book of the Russian space exploration.”

I wonder what this means for military cosmonauts – will they still be in the Russian Air Force, as NASA military astronauts are on assignment to NASA from their military services?

Grim City

“Russia’s cosmonauts prepare for letdown”, LA Times, 10/4. A rather gloomy account by a reporter who was given a (paid) tour of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, portraying it as a mordant and run-down place. Cosmonaut Yurii Baturin had some pointed remarks about the space program:

Yuri Baturin is the only cosmonaut authorized to speak with reporters. He has cotton-white hair, tinted glasses and the calm presence of a man who, after two voyages into space, has lost the capacity to worry over details. You ask him about the Russian program and prepare yourself for exuberance.

Instead, Baturin pauses and sighs.

“This is a very difficult and painful question, because it’s not very proper to criticize your own government, especially in a foreign newspaper,” he says. “But our politicians who talk about the space program don’t understand a thing about it. I state today that Russia does not have a real space program.”

You remember when you’d just gotten to Moscow and your Russian-language teacher mentioned Yuri Gagarin. She stared, stupefied, at your blank face, as if contemplating whether she could teach her language to a cretin who didn’t recognize the name of the first man to soar into space.

And now here you are, eyeball to eyeball with an heir to Gagarin’s heroic legacy, and the more he talks, the more disappointed he sounds.

“Our space agency for several years is not calling the tender for a new ship,” he says. “They don’t know what for and where to fly.”

And: “The politicians don’t understand the complexity of the task. They announce Russia will land on Mars by 2030, which creates the illusion that Russia has a mission to Mars… [but] the government should not just try to be the first to put a flag on Mars.”

Finally: “Space tourism is only harmful to the Russian space program, in my opinion. In the corridors here you can find dozens of cosmonauts who would have accompanied a flight in the past seven years but didn’t because their seat was occupied by a tourist. It leads us into a dead end.”

[…]

Later, you’ll try to figure out whether what he said was true: whether, behind the screen of extravagant political statements, high-rolling space tourism junkets and U.S. dependence on Russia for lifts to the space station, there is a vacuum of purpose and projects. You ask around, and others agree.

“Unfortunately, we can’t say right now that Russia has a powerful space program,” Igor Marinin, editor in chief of Space News magazine, says when you call. “For a very long time we simply lived on the verge of extinction.”

“Russia to start flight-testing new cargo spacecraft in 2016-17”, 13/4, RIAN/Space Daily. Announcement by Energiya chief Vitalii Lopota on the spacecraft-rocket transport system to be designed by Energiya for Roskosmos’ Advanced Crew Transport System (PPTS). The spacecraft is to be launched at the Vostochnyi, Восточный space center (near Uglegorsk in the Amur region of eastern Russia), this to be completed in 5 years and operational in 2015.

TMA-13 launched

Soyuz TMA-13 launched on 12/10 at 7:01:33 UTC and docked on 14/10 to the Zarya module at 8:26. TMA-12 is due to land on 24/10; its main issue is whether there will be another ballistic landing or not! Depending upon what counting method is used, this is the 100th Soyuz flight (What is the Number of Soyuz TMA-13 Mission to be Launched Soon?, Roskosmos site; also a CollectSPACE article).

Information about Soyuz space missions (for all Soyuz modifications).

Soyuz – the following vehicles bearing this name flew into space:

1. Soyuz: 40 vehicles (Soyuz-1 – 23/4/1967, Soyuz-40 – 14/5/1981). Among these vehicles, Soyuz-2 (25/10/1968), Soyuz-20 (17/11/1975) and Soyuz-34 (06/6/1979) were launched unmanned. Though Soyuz-34 returned cosmonauts V. Lyakhov and V. Ryumin, who were launched in Soyuz-32, which returned to the Earth unmanned. In addition, one Soyuz launch – 5/4/1975 – failed; this vehicle followed suborbital trajectory during its mission (numbered Soyuz-18-1).
2. Soyuz Т: 15 vehicles (Soyuz Т-1 – 16/12/1979, Soyuz Т-15 – 13/3/1986). In this row, Soyuz Т-1 (16/12/1979) was unmanned. A launcher exploded during prelaunch processing of one Soyuz Т-type vehicle (26/9/1983), and the cosmonauts escaped due to proper triggering of the launch escape system (numbered Soyuz Т-10А).
3. Soyuz ТМ: 34 vehicles (Soyuz ТМ-1 – 21/5/1986, Soyuz ТМ-34 – 25/4/2002). Soyuz ТМ-1 (21/5/1986) was launched unmanned.
4. Soyuz ТМА: 12 vehicles (Soyuz ТМА-1 – 30/10/2002, Soyuz ТМА-12 – 8/4/2008).

Totally, 101 Soyuzes were orbited from 1967 up to now. Out of this number, 97 vehicles were manned, (95 – up and down, 1 – only up, 1 – only down).

In addition to official Soyuzes, Kosmos vehicles (unmanned) were also launched.

If Kosmos vehicles are taken into account, we have even more Soyuz missions. Soyuz mission 100 can result from the count if we include:

• 37 vehicles of Soyuz type (1, from 3 to 19, from 21 to 33, from 35 to 40)- launched manned
• + 1 vehicle of Soyuz type (34) – returned manned
• + 1 vehicle of Soyuz type – which made suborbital mission
• + 14 vehicles of Soyuz Т type – launched manned
• + 1 vehicle of Soyuz Т type (in which LES was triggered during a blow-up at the launch pad)
• + 33 vehicles of Soyuz ТМ type – launched manned
• + 12 vehicles of Soyuz ТМА type – launched manned.

Total: 99. In other words, Soyuz ТМА-13 can be considered the 100th mission in this case. However such estimation looks doubtful, and such procedure/method has never been used. I do not recommend to use this counting method, since it would be difficult to explain the way to obtain this number (100). Moreover, this number is not reasonable.

(Following the request from Roscosmos site, Mr. Aleksander Zheleznyakov prepared this answer.)

Somewhat alarmingly, the ISS toilet broke down again (same gas-separator issue), but was apparently fixed.

“Space Crew Conflicts Not Expected”, Aviation Week, 6/10. Sergei Krikalyov’s opinions on crew interactions during long space missions. He was in Scotland for the 59th International Astronautical Congress. Best quote:

Asked about disagreements in which one astronaut might consider another’s approach to a problem “stupid,” Krikalev drew applause from the audience when he said “the way we do it in Russian space program, U.S. space program, the European program, we don’t have stupid people in our programs.”

“What Will Flight To Mars Reveal”, RIAN/Space Daily, 13/10. The main challenge for interplanetary missions is creating a sustainable Life Support System (LSS); the ones on the ISS are still dependent upon regular supplies from Earth.

“The Long Countdown”, New York Times, 14/10. Quite a good article about NASA/Americans’ experiences in Star City. International relations there have much improved since the tense and uncertain 1990s.

Those who work side by side with their Russian counterparts say that strong relationships and mutual respect have resulted from the many years of collaboration. And they say that whatever the broader geopolitical concerns about relying on Russia for space transportation during the five years when the United States cannot get to the space station on its own rockets, they believe that the multinational partnership that built the station will hold.

[…]

But the shuttle will soon be out of the picture. Those who are most familiar with the nations’ joint efforts in space say that the controversial pause between American flights can go smoothly, if the politicians would only stay out of the way.

[…]

The American workers at Star City say that on a personal level, geopolitics simply do not matter. Mr. Thiessen said that when such issues came up in conversation with his Russian counterparts, they would say: “That’s politics. Let the government worry about the government. We’re engineers. Let’s solve this problem.”

And this anecdote is rather funny:

Those early days were also marked by wariness and distrust, and the first Americans had a strong impression they were being watched. Mark Bowman, an early contract employee in Russia who is now back in Moscow as deputy director of NASA’s human space flight program in Russia, recalled a weekly teleconference with his boss in Houston. “Thirty minutes into the call the line would go dead,” Mr. Bowman said. “And that would happen every 30 minutes.”

One day during the teleconference, Mr. Bowman warned 28 minutes in that the line was about to go dead and said testily, “I sure wish these damned KGB guys would get longer tapes.”

“The next telecon we had,” Mr. Bowman recalled, “I swear to you, it went 45 minutes and then it went dead.” Apparently, he said, his hosts had upgraded to 90-minute cassettes.

Star City article

I’ve had a head cold since last week, so I haven’t felt much like doing anything. *Snuffle*

“Going to Space? First Stop: Eight Months of Grueling Training in Russia’s Star City”, Wired Magazine, September 2008. An overview of Star City, Звёздный Городок. A somewhat quirky overview of the place from the point-of-view of the space tourists training there.

Marina Driga, a military captain and press liaison, confides what some around Star City think of its high-profile trainees: “People say it is better to send monkey.”

“Mission Possible”, Anatoly Zak, Air & Space Magazine, 1/9. An overview of the Phobos-Grunt probe to be launched in 2009 (hopefully).