I'm still not clear on exactly why the move was made, but one of the reasons brought up was concern for clearance of the MLM. Of course, now the PMM lives down at Unity's nadir, but since its planned to be moved sometime this year, I guess the larger clearance will again be available for MLM should it ever be launched.
If MLM launches, has anyone ever stated reservations about docking (I assume Kurs-style) such a large mass at right angles to the station's main axis?
Quote from: Space Pete on 12/22/2014 07:14 pmI defies belief how a company with so much experience building space station modules (Khrunichev) could spend so long on the MLM, and still get it so catastrophically wrong.Let me put it this way Pete:It defies belief how a company with so much experience building Proton rockets (Khrunichev) got the installation of the first stage angular velocity sensors catastrophically wrong.The cause is basically the same: Khrunichev as a company has been in decay for decades. But until just a few years ago this wasn't noticed because most of the faults were caught at the eleventh hour by the older, Soviet-era workers. Now that most of those have retired the problems are manifesting themselves in a very visible manner. Quote from: Space Pete on 12/22/2014 07:14 pmIf Russia really is going to pull out of the ISS in 2020, then they might as well not bother launching MLM to the ISS at all, and instead use it as the base for a new station.IMO that is exactly what will eventually happen. Finally launching MLM less than three years before the end of ISS makes no sense at all.
I defies belief how a company with so much experience building space station modules (Khrunichev) could spend so long on the MLM, and still get it so catastrophically wrong.
If Russia really is going to pull out of the ISS in 2020, then they might as well not bother launching MLM to the ISS at all, and instead use it as the base for a new station.
Quote from: woods170 on 01/14/2015 01:49 pmQuote from: Space Pete on 12/22/2014 07:14 pmI defies belief how a company with so much experience building space station modules (Khrunichev) could spend so long on the MLM, and still get it so catastrophically wrong.Let me put it this way Pete:It defies belief how a company with so much experience building Proton rockets (Khrunichev) got the installation of the first stage angular velocity sensors catastrophically wrong.The cause is basically the same: Khrunichev as a company has been in decay for decades. But until just a few years ago this wasn't noticed because most of the faults were caught at the eleventh hour by the older, Soviet-era workers. Now that most of those have retired the problems are manifesting themselves in a very visible manner. Quote from: Space Pete on 12/22/2014 07:14 pmIf Russia really is going to pull out of the ISS in 2020, then they might as well not bother launching MLM to the ISS at all, and instead use it as the base for a new station.IMO that is exactly what will eventually happen. Finally launching MLM less than three years before the end of ISS makes no sense at all.and what of the ESA robotic arm designed for use on the ISS MLM; will that be returning to ESA?
Khrunichev will end work on MLM in february 2016.http://ria.ru/space/20150225/1049576138.html
Quote from: Nicolas PILLET on 02/25/2015 05:18 pmKhrunichev will end work on MLM in february 2016.http://ria.ru/space/20150225/1049576138.htmlTo add a bit there is an ongoing discussion that the Module and all of its related work is to be written off and likely will go to the space module grave yard as the more they work on it the more they find damaged or irreparable. should here something at next ISS MMT meetings.
Question: So what happends if they don't launch this Module and USOS fly comercial crew & go to 4 USOS. Where will that Russian member sleep?
Quote from: Tomness on 03/03/2015 12:36 amQuestion: So what happends if they don't launch this Module and USOS fly comercial crew & go to 4 USOS. Where will that Russian member sleep? There is always the Soyuz orbital module.
I'd guess the launch date will have moved to the right by another six months.
Quote from: Nicolas PILLET on 02/25/2015 05:18 pmKhrunichev will end work on MLM in february 2016.http://ria.ru/space/20150225/1049576138.html*bump*It's been six months since this last update. Is there anything new to report?