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

[SMS]

 

from ProjectApollo yahoogroup
Paolo Attivissimo wrote:
"Which spaceflight had the fastest liftoff-docking time? Not Soyuz     

There's been considerable media interest in the Soyuz fast-track flight and its six hours from liftoff to docking at the ISS, so I did a little research into any records in this field.

The fastest liftoff-to-docking time belongs, as far as I know, to Gordon and Conrad in Gemini XI. They took 94 minutes from liftoff to docking with their Agena target.

However, Gemini XI docked with an unmanned target and both spacecraft had just been launched, so it's somewhat different from docking with a space station that follows an essentially non-modifiable orbit and therefore requires the chaser spacecraft to do almost all the maneuvers to fit in with the target's path. So maybe the comparison isn't fair.

So I looked further and found that if you require both spacecraft to be manned but allow non-Earth-orbit dockings, the six-hour liftoff-to-docking time is bested by… you guessed it. Apollo.

Specifically, Apollo 14 is the best, with just 107 minutes.

Here's a full list of MET times (liftoff and docking), based on NASA's Apollo timelines:


• Apollo 11: 124:22:00-128:03:00, 3h 41m 00s
• Apollo 12: 142:03:47-145:26:20, 3h 22m 33s
• Apollo 14: 141:45:40-143:32:50, 1h 47m 10s
• Apollo 15: 171:37:23-173:36:25, 1h 59m 02s
• Apollo 16: 175:31:47-177:41:18, 2h 09m 31s
• Apollo 17: 185:21:37-187:37:15, 2h 15m 38s"

 
 
 

[TJL]

Cool photos of the launch seen from the ISS (see pages 2 and 3):

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-35/inflight/ndxpage3.html

Actually, these would make a good GIF sequence....

Does anyone know if those photos were taken right at liftoff, or after the vehicle gained altitude?
Thank you.

(Thanks, SMS for posting lunar liftoff to docking duration.)

[collectSPACE]

Does anyone know if those photos were taken right at liftoff, or after the vehicle gained altitude?

Hadfield wrote on Twitter these were at the "moment of ignition."
https://twitter.com/Cmdr_Hadfield/status/317420853098848256/photo/1

[Space Pete]

Does anyone know if those photos were taken right at liftoff, or after the vehicle gained altitude?
Thank you.

Per the timestamp on the images, the first one in the sequence was taken exactly at liftoff (8:43 PM GMT), and the last one was taken at 8:44 PM GMT - so they show liftoff and at least the first minute of the ascent.

[Longhorn John]

Pretty amazing, and real (remember the WB-57 images of a Shuttle launch that people thought were from the ISS

[JimO]

Sorry I'm dense -- I missed the announcement of which pad, 1 or 31, was used. Boy do I feel dumb today.

[TJL]

Sorry I'm dense -- I missed the announcement of which pad, 1 or 31, was used. Boy do I feel dumb today.

1

[Nicolas PILLET]

Sorry I'm dense -- I missed the announcement of which pad, 1 or 31, was used. Boy do I feel dumb today.

1

Launch pad n°5, in Area n°1... 

[Artyom.]

[Danderman]

What modifications were tested on board this Soyuz?

[russianhalo117]

What modifications were tested on board this Soyuz?

I am not sure for this SC, but some modifications are planned on next flight.

[Danderman]

What modifications were tested on board this Soyuz?

I am not sure for this SC, but some modifications are planned on next flight.

Could you post that information in the appropriate thread?

[russianhalo117]

What modifications were tested on board this Soyuz?

I am not sure for this SC, but some modifications are planned on next flight.

Could you post that information in the appropriate thread?

I will do so by Friday evening Alaska Time.