Posted on 07/31/2021 12:19:00 AM PDT by blueplum
The International Space Station consists of 16 linked habitats, strung with solar arrays, space debris shielding, and a robotic arm, all spread over an area about the size of a football field. Yesterday, the entire assembly began to tilt and tumble after a newly-arrived Russian module malfunctioned and began firing its thrusters uncontrollably. Only the rapid response of flight controllers in Moscow and Houston, and of the 10 astronauts onboard, kept the $1 billion space lab on course.
“We proceeded to do headstands and cartwheels,” Zebulon Scoville, a flight director on duty in Houston during the episode, said in a tweet. “Olympic judges would be proud.”
Senior NASA officials were quick to downplay the incident, insisting the crew was never in any danger during a roughly 45 minute period when the space station lost attitude control, or the ability to maintain the vehicle’s orientation relative to the planet below. But the team responsible for the space station was clearly worried the ...
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
scary
Yes, read the entire article.
I’m so glad Obama shut down our manned space program making us reliant upon the Rooskies. /sarc
Space travel is a dangerous business. That said I am surprised that the Russian craft wasn’t put into a “safe” mode immediately after arrival.
I think someone was dropping a hint to someone. Keep an eye to the sky...
Only 14 years late...
Per the article:
How Nauka caused the ISS to tumble
The adventure began as part of big project: Adding a new module built in Russia to the ISS. Called the Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) or by the Russian word for science, Nauka, the 42 foot long, 20-ton module was scheduled to arrive at the station in 2007, but faced various delays before launching earlier this month.
Once it reached orbit, reports emerged about problems with its thrusters.
“The station began to pitch over at a rate that reached 0.5 degrees per second, which would led it to flip over completely after twelve minutes. “
Since the ISS is made up of many small parts linked together, I wonder about the stress on the connections during a spin like that.
“Moscow, we have a problem.”
What makes you think Russian equipment has “safe mode”?
Various delays that took 14 years to correct?
Oh my. Really?
Hard to understand or believe.
I’ve watched Russians warships up close, and the sailors are more inept than they are belligerent. Collisions and accidents are the cost of doing business with the hapless Russians.
This was probably the ISS’s closest call for a full abort. I don’t think anyone really knows how close it got.
It delayed Starliner’s launch by almost a week, if that’s to say anything.
was support to be launched in 2007, contamination in the engine propellent tanks, started out life as a backup to the Zaria module
What would a “full abort” be?
Abandoning it and and most likely have to de-orbit.
So like, The End for the whole station and not just the new module?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.