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Posted on 04/29/2015 6:06:57 AM PDT by McGruff
Flight controllers are unable to receive data from unmanned Progress M-27M – and the only way to regain control would be an ultra-risky ‘manual stablilisation’ carried out by the ISS crew.
But a Russian space program analyst said: “Trying to stabilise it manually would be extremely risky. You could destroy the station and kill the crew.”
The spacecraft is carrying more than 6,000lb of food, fuel and supplies for the ISS crew – which is currently home to Russian and American astronauts.
The M-27M was launched via a standard Soyuz rocket at 8.09 a.m. GMT today (1.09 p.m. local time in Baikonur) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, NASA said.
A Russian space official has said attempts to re-establish control of the craft were “unlikely” to succeed .
It is hoped the craft will burn up on re-entry to the atmosphere – but no-one can predict where that will be.
He added: “If we’re honest, only a miracle can save the craft now.
“The only way to save the craft would be for astronauts on board the International Space Station, to which the unmanned craft is carrying supplies, to attempt to take manual control of the runaway spaceship.
“But trying to stabilise it manually would be extremely risky. You could destroy the station and kill the crew.
“It will probably be allowed to gradually lower its orbit until it burns up in the atmosphere.”
Russia's space agency and NASA both said the six crew members on board the orbiting space station have sufficient supplies and are in no danger.
In Moscow an un-named official added: "It has started descending. It has nowhere else to go.
"It is clear that absolutely uncontrollable reactions have begun."
Another source said: "Specialists have recognized that Progress is hopeless. Controlled deorbiting is impossible."
"There have been no improvements," a mission control spokesman told AFP.
Earlier a Russian mission control source said: "Only a miracle can save the spacecraft."
The Russians were initially unable to say when or where the spacecraft will crash to Earth.
"We have scheduled two more communication sessions to soothe our conscience," said the official, but hopes are virtually zero of salvaging the craft which contained supplied for the ISS.
Meanwhile, the Joint Space Operations Centre at the US Vandenberg Air Force in California detected 44 items of debris of unknown origin in orbit close to the ailing Progress space ship.
Spokesman for the Russian space agency, Mikhail Fadeyev, declined to comment on the latest botched launch .
Deputy premier Dmitry Rogozin admitted: "We're all worrying about our cargo spacecraft."
The controllers yesterday sought but failed to change the flight plan and extend the vessel's journey to two days instead of six hours in a bid to fix the glitch.
"It's the first time that we have such a combination of emergency situations."
The Russian Space Agency's Mission Control today ended attempts to contact the Progress cargo spacecraft, and restart its engines, after three attempts failed.
"Today, during Progress' scheduled pass of the Russian zone of visibility such an attempt was made for the first time, but it did not succeed," a source told RIA Novosti.
The Progress craft was due to dock on 30 April
NASA said none of the equipment on board was critical for the US section of the ISS, and that the astronauts have plenty of provisions, enough to last for months.
The Progress was carrying "1,940 pounds (880 kilos) of propellant, 110 pounds of oxygen, 926 pounds of water, and 3,128 pounds of spare parts, supplies and scientific experiment hardware," NASA said.
Other reports suggested the launch of the Soyuz TMA-17M manned spacecraft scheduled for May 26 may be delayed because of the emergency with the Progress M-27M.
"Several elements of the Progress are similar to those of the manned Soyuz. In particular, the Kurs rendezvous and docking system is the same at both spacecraft. It is not ruled out that the launch of Soyuz with new ISS crew may be postponed," said a source.
However, a new cargo launch could be brought forward.
"The next Progress may be dispatched to the ISS earlier, because the cargo the Progress M-27M was carrying apparently has been lost. The crew has enough food and water, but in any case the reserves must be replenished," said the Baikonur source.
Russian experts blamed depressurisation as one of the likely causes of problems with the Progress M-27M cargo spacecraft, which might have followed malfunctioning of the delivery vehicle's engines.
Maybe relying on the Russians for “international” space station access wasn’t such a good idea. Well...at least NASA is concentrating on good moozlum things and gloBULL warming. All is well. Thank Goodness we have our first administration run by a mixed race black/caucasian/middleeasterner.
Call the Space Cowboys of Operation Daedelus!
Spaceballs to the rescue!
Looks like there go the fresh fruits and vegetables.
“Mikhail Fadeyev, declined to comment on the latest botched launch .”
With all the slap downs the Obama has been getting from
Putin, I wouldn’t doubt this is sabotage.
“US Vandenberg Air Force in California detected 44 items of debris of unknown origin in orbit close to the ailing Progress space ship.”
Sounds like something blew up or may be it was shot.
“SpaceX is contracted to deliver cargo to the ISS under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services program, and Dragon began regular cargo flights in October 2012.”
SpaceX Dragon CRS would take Progress’ place and bump
Russia out.
Funny how I seem to expect the worse from my government.
Good post thanks.
While our media is fixated on Baltimore.
Normally, these vessels are jettisoned on controlled re-entry paths over the south Pacific, so that any fragments that survive burnup land in the ocean. This would be an uncontrolled re-entry, so some pieces could make it to land.
But the danger to people is very slim. More than two-thirds of Earth are covered in water and only about 3% of the land is occupied by urban areas.
Sheesh. “Hurtling towards Earth,” “crash into Earth.” It’s orbit is decaying until it burns up in the atmosphere.
The crew of the International Space Station says a Russian supply ship that went into an uncontrollable spin after launch has been declared a total loss.
American astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko told The Associated Press on Wednesday that flight controllers have given up trying to command the cargo carrier.
"What too you so long?"
How about Baltimore? Look! Free sh..., er, stuff!
I don’t get it. Is that a commercial? There’s not one Jimmy Johns in The Peoples Republic of Connecticut. Lot’s of Starbucks and Panera Breads though. We just did get a Chick-fil-A recently.
But the danger to people is very slim. More than two-thirds of Earth are covered in water and only about 3% of the land is occupied by urban areas.
...
Yet every bad weather event is caused by man.
The bad news is that those "sufficient supplies" are all of the packages of beet & asparagus surprise that keep on being shoved to the back of the cabinet for the past ten years. Cannibalism may be the better option.
Their commercials emphasize impossibly fast deliveries of food in lots of improbable situations. They can be quite humorous.
Plus their food is quite good. I wouldn’t mind a Jimmy John’s “Vito” Italian sub right about now.
I wonder if GoFundMe will allow me to crowdsource a fund to pay off the Russians to have the spacecraft nail D.C.?
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