LIVE: Soyuz-FG launch and Soyuz TMA-08M Docking - March 28, 2013

[Space Pete]

What surprised me is the 10 hours wearing the Sokols sitting in the Kazbek couches - is that really better than two days in the cramped SA/BO? Their knees will be on fire after 10 hours in that position. Then there's lactic acid build-up - not good. So I can certainly understand NASA's "let's wait and see" attitude to approving fast rendezvous for future Soyuzes.

What also surprised me is that the BO won't actually be ingressed during the fast rendezvous. And seems as it is shut up prior to undocking, that means the BO on Soyuz TMA-08M won't actually be used at all - which begs the question, if fast rendezvous does become permanent, could the BO be done away with altogether, and replaced with a docking probe/ring adapter that sits atop the SA?

[anik]

So I can certainly understand NASA's "let's wait and see" attitude to approving fast rendezvous for future Soyuzes

It is already approved by Roskosmos for all subsequent Soyuz flights, so it does not really matter what NASA thinks about it.

that means the BO on Soyuz TMA-08M won't actually be used at all

It means that you do not know that BO is actually using for delivery of cargoes to ISS and removal of garbage from ISS.

[Space Pete]

It is already approved by Roskosmos for all subsequent Soyuz flights, so it does not really matter what NASA thinks about it.

So it was a unilateral decision, with no discussion with the paying customer (NASA)? If for example Cassidy told NASA "that experience was awful, I don't want to do that again", then I think they would have something to say about it.

It means that you do not know that BO is actually using for delivery of cargoes to ISS and removal of garbage from ISS.

Yes, of course there is cargo, but things like the toilet, etc. could be removed to make space for more cargo. However, it's all moot anyway, because full BO capability would need to be retained in the event that the 6 hour rendezvous is aborted in favour of the usual two day approach.

[anik]

So it was a unilateral decision, with no discussion with the paying customer (NASA)?

We can listen NASA's points of view but the final decision will be made by Roskosmos. It is not the Space Shuttle, it is the Russian spacecraft. The decision is already made by Roskosmos. And, I am sorry, what does NASA pay for? I thought that NASA pays for delivery of their astronauts to ISS by Soyuz. I thought that there was not agreement about how quickly NASA astronauts will be delivered to ISS.

If for example Cassidy told NASA "that experience was awful, I don't want to do that again", then I think they would have something to say about it

He can wait for US manned spacecrafts to get to ISS. What is the problem? All cosmonauts tell that they can be tolerant to those six-hour difficulties for a quick delivery to ISS.

[Nicolas PILLET]

So it was a unilateral decision, with no discussion with the paying customer (NASA)? If for example Cassidy told NASA "that experience was awful, I don't want to do that again", then I think they would have something to say about it.

I don't think the complaint of an astronaut about his own comfort could change anything about the flight profile of all subsequent Soyuz flights.

If Russian cosmonauts had complained about their comfort in the US Space Shuttle, do you think that NASA would have changed its design ? 

[Targeteer]

So it was a unilateral decision, with no discussion with the paying customer (NASA)? If for example Cassidy told NASA "that experience was awful, I don't want to do that again", then I think they would have something to say about it.

If Russian cosmonauts had complained about their comfort in the US Space Shuttle, do you think that NASA would have changed its design ? 

What could they have complained about?  Too much room, too many windows, too much communication capability?

[Galactic Penguin SST]

I am pretty sure that the astronauts would prefer sitting in a sweat-soaked suit on an economy class seat for 10 hours than trapped in a car sized space for 2+ days anyway. After all, Borman and Lovell did that in a tin can for two weeks...... 

[Galactic Penguin SST]

What surprised me is the 10 hours wearing the Sokols sitting in the Kazbek couches - is that really better than two days in the cramped SA/BO? Their knees will be on fire after 10 hours in that position. Then there's lactic acid build-up - not good. So I can certainly understand NASA's "let's wait and see" attitude to approving fast rendezvous for future Soyuzes.

So there were some comments on that within JSC / NASA's astronaut corps?

[anik]

So there were some comments on that within JSC / NASA's astronaut corps?

Does it really matter? "Eat what others give to you if you do not have your own food. Yes, you have paid for this food, but this kitchen belong to others. But if you do not want to eat this food you can wait for your food". The head of Roskosmos Vladimir Popovkin said to use quick-rendezvous profile for all Russian flights to ISS.

Imagine, two Chinese astronauts and one European astronaut aboard Shenzhou go to Chinese space station. European astronaut says: "Guys, ESA has paid for this flight much money, go and decrease speed of this spacecraft!" Chinese astronauts answer: "Hey, shut up! Or you will do spacewalk without spacesuit"

[edkyle99]

So it was a unilateral decision, with no discussion with the paying customer (NASA)? If for example Cassidy told NASA "that experience was awful, I don't want to do that again", then I think they would have something to say about it.

If Russian cosmonauts had complained about their comfort in the US Space Shuttle, do you think that NASA would have changed its design ? 

What could they have complained about?  Too much room, too many windows, too much communication capability?

No early ascent abort options?

 - Ed Kyle

[Danderman]

I am pretty sure that the astronauts would prefer sitting in a sweat-soaked suit on an economy class seat for 10 hours than trapped in a car sized space for 2+ days anyway. After all, Borman and Lovell did that in a tin can for two weeks...... 

Note the quick rendezvous scenario does not require the crew to remain strapped in their seats for the 6 hours. Once in orbit, the crew is not constrained from floating around the descent module, which does have 4 cubic meters of volume. The DM is really cramped on earth, but in space, there is more available volume at the top of the cabin.

Also, I would imagine that the crew could unzip their spacesuits, remove the helmets, etc.

[John44]

Expedition 35-36 - Crew News Conference at Star City Russia and Visit to Red Square in Moscow
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8120

[jacqmans]

[Prober]

Pavel looks very much like a professor, what is his background?

[collectSPACE]

Once in orbit, the crew is not constrained from floating around the descent module, which does have 4 cubic meters of volume... Also, I would imagine that the crew could unzip their spacesuits, remove the helmets, etc.

According to Chris Cassidy in my interview with him this morning:

"We wind up being in the vehicle for a very, very long time and people just need to use the toilet eventually," Cassidy told collectSPACE.com, "so we'll open the hatch and have access to the BO [Russian Cyrillic, pronounced "vae-oh" meaning orbital module] and be allowed to take our suits not completely off but enough to do any business we need to take care of and just stretch our legs."

http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-030813a.html

[anik]

BO [Russian Cyrillic, pronounced "vae-oh" meaning orbital module]

"bae-oh"

BO = БО
bytovoy otsek = бытовой отсек

[Nicolas PILLET]

Pavel looks very much like a professor, what is his background?

He was an engineer at RKK Energiya.

[collectSPACE]

BO = БО
bytovoy otsek = бытовой отсек

Thanks Anik; made the correction to the article.

[Artyom.]

http://www.gctc.ru/main.php?id=1930

[Artyom.]

Soyuz TMA-08M prime crew arrive at Baikonur.
http://www.federalspace.ru/main.php?id=2&nid=19959 (on Russian)