Salo's ISS schedule has a relocation for MS-11 from Poisk to Rassvet in it now, a week or so before MS-12 launches. Not sure what the source is on that, haven't found anything in any of the relevant threads, although maybe I wasn't looking right, but assuming this is true:All three astronauts have to be in the Soyuz, in case something goes wrong and they have to abort and land, correct? In which case:Would you count that as an uncrewed ISS? I guess technically for however long that relocation takes (Anyone remember the last time this was done from the top of their head? And has it ever happened before with the full crew 'leaving' the station to relocate?) the ISS is unmanned, is it not?Or would you say "They can undock, re-dock and stage Space Formula 1 races around the Station, as long as someone is sleeping there every 24 hours it's a manned station!"
With all the (expected) delays regarding commercial crew, what's the current status of NASA contract for Soyuz seats? When will it expire? I suppose there's a transition period in which both Soyuz and commercial crew vehicles will be used for launching American astronauts into orbit, but since the date for the first commercial launch still slipping, how are these delyas going to affect the current and future contract with the Russian side?
"The previous version of the ISS flight program provided for the return of foreign astronauts under a contract with the US side from the station to Earth on the Soyuz space on February 6, 2020. Now this deadline is shifted to December 18, 2019 due to the refinement of the ISS flight program," interlocutor of the agency.He recalled that on June 25 the Soyuz MS-11 ship with Russian Oleg Kononenko, Canadian David Saint-Jacques and American Ann McClain would return to Earth. The Canadian and American will be the last astronauts that Russia brought to the ISS and return to Earth under a contract with NASA.
"On the Soyuz MS-12" ship, on October 3, Russian Alexei Ovchinin and Americans Nick Haig and Christina Cook will return to Earth on March 14, and Alexander Sukvortsov, Italian Luca, starting on July 6, will return to Earth on the Union MS-13. Parmitano and American Andrew Morgan. These four astronauts will be the last ones that Russia will deliver to the station and return to Earth under a contract with Boeing, "the source explained.
According to him, further contracts with NASA to deliver foreign astronauts on the ISS and return to Earth on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft are not signed, and the flights will most likely be carried out on a barter basis: an astronaut on the Russian spacecraft for an astronaut in the US.
The United States will extend the use of Russian Soyuz spacecraft to bring NASA astronauts to the International Space Station and ensure their return to Earth until April 2020, a Russian space industry source told Sputnik.
“The following scheme is planned for now: two NASA astronauts will remain on the ISS for nine months instead of the usual six. So, Nick Hague starts his mission on March 14 [2019] on the Soyuz MS-12 and returns to Earth on 18 December on the Soyuz MS-13, while Andrew Morgan will travel to the orbital station on Soyuz MS-13 on 6 July and will return on Soyuz MS-15 in April 2020", the source said.
According to the source, this will allow NASA to have at least one astronaut in the US segment of the station to maintain it and, therefore, to have a plan B in case of the delay in the start of regular flights of new US manned spacecraft.
Watching the Crew Dragon docking, I've always wondered why the PMAs have an off-axis design. Something to do with shuttle payload bay/docking clearances during the early ISS assembly missions? Thanks
Hi,recently I watched ISS pass by my sky over middle Europe and I spot a bright dot orbiting in front of the ISS, it was orbiting about 20° in front of ISS and about 5-10 times dimmer than ISS. at firs, I thought it is a resuply ship, but when I check it wasn't any resupply ship schedule for the previous week 23. this week I see it twice which has raised my suspicion and I gooogled it and there were no results, so I am asking you to explain what it is ?!!!?
Quote from: Targeteer on 09/21/2019 04:41 amUm, where do 9 people sleep? On any approved surface.
Um, where do 9 people sleep?
Is there a full chart somewhere of the ISS orbital height during its full lifetime? I believe after the latest reboosts the Station is in a higher orbit than ever before, is that so?
As of right now :perigee height: 415 kmapogee height: 421 kmNot sure where you are getting a current 439.1 km for ISS? Back in August September 2012, the ISS was at its highest altitude.