LIVE: Progress MS (№ 431) – Mission Events – From Dec. 21, 2015

[Artyom.]

Yesterday logistics spacecraft  "Progress MS" was delivered to the Baikonur cosmodrome.

The launch is scheduled on November 21, 2015 at 20:29 UTC.

[baldusi]

Do we have any information on this? Do they still use the KTDU-80, and have re arranged the DPO-B, or are they implementing new propulsion? Are they relying only on KUR-NA? Will they use GPS/GLONASS naviagation? What else is new?

[mtakala24]

What changes have been implemented in the integration of Soyuz-2.1a in the light of the last failure?

[jacqmans]

Upgraded Progress Transport Cargo Spacecraft Getting Ready for Launch

The new upgraded transport cargo spacecraft Progress MS has been delivered to Baikonur cosmodrome.

 Today, Russian space experts have unloaded Progress spacecraft from the railroad car, inspected it and installed it onto the berth.

 Progress MS transport cargo spacecraft is the new upgraded series of the Progress-type transport spacecraft that have replaced the Progress MM series. Progress MS differs from the previous series of transport spacecraft in that it has an additional external compartment. Each compartment on the outside surface of the spacecraft can hold four launch containers. The safety is enhanced due to a backup system of electric drivers of the docking mechanism and the connection airtightness mechanism, and due to additional anti-meteorite protection panels which ensure a higher resistance of the cargo compartment body against breaches from micro-meteorite particles.

 The functional capabilities of the spacecraft’s on-board systems are enlarged due to the possibility to control the spacecraft and monitor its on-board systems outside the radio vision zones of the measuring stations in the territory of Russia by means of an on-board radio system through relay satellites, due to an uninterrupted update of the status vector on board the spacecraft by means of the satellite navigation equipment, which excludes the use of special ground-based orbit-defining means, due to the possibility to define the relative position of the spacecraft and the station through a data exchange by means of a board-to-board radio line, and due to a higher quality of the television image from the docking control TV camera, which is transmitted through a digital radio line. The Kvant V on-board radio system with antenna/feeder devices has been replaced with the new unified command telemetry system (UCTS). Instead of the Kurs A approach/docking equipment, the new Progress MS features the Kurs NA system.

 The launches of the new Progress MS transport cargo spacecraft will be carried out by means of Soyuz U and Soyuz 2.1a launch vehicles.


 Yuzhny Space Center press service 

 10.08.2015

[Artyom.]

Progress MS was transported to the vacuum chamber today.

[Star One]

What changes have been implemented in the integration of Soyuz-2.1a in the light of the last failure?

I was wondering that as well, there must have been some alterations?

[B. Hendrickx]

http://tass.ru/kosmos/2380968

ITAR-TASS reports that the launch has been delayed a month and is now tentatively scheduled for December 21. According to RKK Energiya chief Vladimir Solntsev extra checks are needed to make sure that there is no repeat of the Soyuz-2.1A/Progress M-27M launch mishap last April.

[B. Hendrickx]

http://tass.ru/kosmos/2413100

ITAR-TASS is quoting a source within the Russian Space Agency as saying that the one-month delay of the Progress MS-1 launch will have a knock-on effect on Progress and Soyuz launches next year. The main implication is that the launches of Soyuz MS-1 and Soyuz TMA-20M will be swapped. This is because the Russians want to fly two Progress MS missions before committing Soyuz MS-1 to flight. The schedule reportedly looks as follows now :

- 19 March 2016 : Soyuz TMA-20M launch (moved forward from 20/21 May)
- 31 March 2016 : Progress MS-2 launch (delayed from mid-February)
- 21 June 2016 : Soyuz MS-1 launch (delayed from 19 March)
- 4 July 2016 : Progress MS-3 launch (delayed from mid-June)

Since the Soyuz MS-1 launch will take place a month later than the originally planned Soyuz TMA-20M launch, the mission of the Soyuz TMA-19M crew (Malenchenko, Kopra, Peake) will be extended a month (from 5 May to 5 June).

Although not confirmed in the TASS report, the swap of the Soyuz missions almost certainly means the crews will also be swapped because they're being trained to fly on different types of Soyuz vehicles.

All this is not official yet.

[jacqmans]

RSC Energia held a session of the General Designer’s Review

November 12, 2015

On Wednesday, November 11, RSC Energia held a session of the General Designer’s Review Board for launch readiness of rocket and space complex Soyuz-2.1а"/"Progress МС.

Following the introductory speech of the president of the Corporation, Vladimir Solntsev, RSC Energia General Designer for Manned Space Systems, Sergei Romanov, reported on the proposals for updating the ISS flight program and the progress of transport cargo vehicle Progress MC prelaunch processing.

RSC Energia Center Lead, Igor Khamits reported on rocket and space complex (RSC) Soyuz-2.1а/Progress МС, RSC integrated development test program, RSC flight test program including flight tests of cargo vehicle Progress MC.

Reports on the readiness of the launch site, launch vehicle Soyuz-2.1а and ascent unit for flight tests within RSC, ground control complex, radio control and communication systems, telemetry systems of the vehicle and station, as well as on the readiness of MCC and LOCT equipment and personnel for Progress MC launch activities were made.

The meeting was attended by representatives of Roscosmos, companies of rocket and space industry and some other organizations involved in the ISS program.

Summarizing the results of the session, the General Designer’s Review Board approved some RSC Energia proposals on the ISS flight program and outstanding activities plan associated with the Progress MC vehicle processing.

http://www.energia.ru/en/news/news-2015/news_11-12_2.html

[Nicolas PILLET]

From Roscosmos' Facebook.

[Artyom.]

About the Progress-MS from the TV Studio of Roscosmos.

[eeergo]

About the Progress-MS from the TV Studio of Roscosmos.

Which are the CubeSats shown in the first half of the video? I think I understood that they will be used for Earth observation, but my Russian is quite rusty nowadays.

[asmi]

Which are the CubeSats shown in the first half of the video? I think I understood that they will be used for Earth observation, but my Russian is quite rusty nowadays.

It's just a render. The video is talking about adding cubesat dispensers (8 sats per launch) to Progress starting from MS-3 flight.

[sdsds]

I see that on http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/progress-ms.htm Gunter has adopted a numbering system like, "Progress-MS 1." But why isn't it "Progress M-01S" like e.g. "Progress M-29M"? What "binds" the 'S' to the 'M' more strongly that the two M's were bound together for Progess MM?

[jacqmans]

Progress MS cargo vehicle was delivered to the Spacecraft Assembly and Testing Facility

December 11, 2015

At Baikonur launch site the preparations continue for the launch of Progress MS cargo vehicle under the International Space Station program.

Today Progress MS cargo vehicle fuelled with propellant components and compressed gases was delivered to the Spacecraft Assembly and Testing Facility for final processing operations.

http://www.energia.ru/en/iss/iss46/progress_ms/photo_12-11.html

[jacqmans]

The designer’s inspection of a new series cargo vehicle Progress MC is made

December 16, 2015

Today, on December 16, the RSC Energia specialists made the designer’s inspection of the first cargo transport vehicle (CTV) Progress MC of a new modification and performed technological operations for the launch vehicle encapsulation.

The vehicle pre-launch processing under the International Space Station Program is provided at spacecraft assembly & testing facilities (SC ATF) at the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

According to the preparatory operations schedule the following is planned: transportation of the nose assembly with the Progress MC CTV from SC ATF to launch vehicle assembly & testing facilities (LV ATF) for general assembly with Soyuz 2.1.

The launch of the Soyuz-2.1 launch vehicle with the Progress MC CTV is scheduled on December 21 from site No.31 of the Baikonur Cosmodrome. It will be the first launch of transport vehicle of new series MC.

The cargo vehicle will deliver about 2.5 t of cargo including “dry” cargo, propellant, water and compressed oxygen to the ISS.

Transport vehicles of a new modification such as Progress MC and Soyuz MC have been developed as a result of the great modernization of the Progress-M and Soyuz-TMA vehicles.

 The majority of technical decisions inherent in the Soyuz MC and Progress MC structure will be used when creating a new generation manned transport vehicle (MTV) which is developed by RSC Energia.

http://www.energia.ru/en/iss/iss46/progress_ms/photo_12-16.html

[jacqmans]

December 16, 2015
MEDIA ADVISORY M15-172

NASA TV Coverage Set for Space Station Russian Cargo Ship Activities


NASA Television will provide live coverage of the upcoming launch and docking of an unpiloted Russian cargo spacecraft, Progress 62, to the International Space Station. NASA TV coverage of the Monday, Dec. 21 launch will begin at 3:30 a.m. EST.

The ISS Progress 62 cargo ship is scheduled to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 3:44 a.m. (2:44 p.m. Baikonur time) on a two-day trip to deliver more than three tons of food, fuel and supplies to the station’s Expedition 46 crew.

Progress 62 is scheduled to dock to the station at 5:31 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 23. Docking coverage will begin at 5 a.m.

The two-day rendezvous was deliberately planned to enable Russian flight controllers to test new software and communications equipment on the vehicle that will be standard for future Progress and piloted Soyuz spacecraft.

The Progress will spend more than six months at the station before departing in early July 2016 for its deorbit into the Earth’s atmosphere during which it will burn up over the Pacific Ocean.

The NASA Television schedule is available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

For more information about the International Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

[jacqmans]

The first cargo spacecraft of the new series Progress MS is sent to final integration with the launch vehicle

December 17, 2015

Today, December 17, the first cargo transportation spacecraft of the new series Progress MS developed and built by RSC Energia was transported as a part of the upper composite to the site where it will be integrated with the launch vehicle Soyuz-2.1.

The transportation was done by rail. Final assembly operations are scheduled for December 18 (Friday) in the launch vehicle processing facility with the framework of preparations for a launch under the International Space Station (ISS) Program.

Taking part in the activities at Baikonur launch site are specialists from RSC Energia and other leading companies in the rocket and space industry involved in the development and processing of the Soyuz-2.1/Progress MS stack.

The launch of launch vehicle Soyuz-2.1 carrying the Progress-MS logistics spacecraft is scheduled for December 21 from Area 31 of the Baikonur launch site. This will be the first launch of a transportations spacecraft belonging to the new series “MS”.

The upgraded cargo spacecraft will deliver to the ISS about 2.5 tons of cargo, including dry cargo, propellant, water and compressed oxygen.

The new-series transportation spacecraft Progress MS and Soyuz MS were developed as a result of a radical upgrade of Progress M and Soyuz TMA spacecraft.

Most of the engineering solutions incorporated into the design of Soyuz MS and Progress MS spacecraft will be used in the design of the new-generation Crew Transportation Spacecraft (CTS), which is currently under development at RSC Energia.

http://www.energia.ru/en/iss/iss46/progress_ms/photo_12-17.html

[jacqmans]

http://www.federalspace.ru/21905/

[jacqmans]

http://www.energia.ru/ru/iss/iss46/progress_ms/photo_12-19.html

[input~2]

NOTAM for 1st stage and fairing debris
K2088/15 -  ATS ROUTE SEGMENTS CLSD: 1.B944 GISIR-ZHEZKAZGAN FM 20KM TO 90KM 2.A370 DITSO-ZHEZKAZGAN FM 10KM TO 65KM 3.A359 LEMDU-ZHEZKAZGAN FM 35KM TO 65KM 4.R482 BURIK-ZHEZKAZGAN FM 40KM TO 65KM 5.B156 BANOV-BOKIS FM 10KM SFC/UNL. 21 DEC 08:35 2015 UNTIL 21 DEC 09:40 2015. CREATED: 20 DEC 04:29 2015
NOTAM for 2nd stage debris
P7733/15 -  RESTRICTED AREA ACT: UNR1236. GND - UNL, 21 0840-0940, 22 0820-0920, 21 DEC 08:40 2015 UNTIL 22 DEC 09:20 2015. CREATED: 14 DEC 10:24 2015
P7721/15 -  ATS RTE B156 SEGMENT KUDEB-BOKIS CLSD. SFC - UNL, 21 0840-0940, 22 0820-0920, 21 DEC 08:40 2015 UNTIL 22 DEC 09:20 2015. CREATED: 14 DEC 05:50 2015

[Chris Bergin]

Moved for live coverage!

[Prober]

was a rollout video available?

[Chris Bergin]

Article for launch:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/12/upgraded-progress-ms-iss-launch/

[Satori]

was a rollout video available?

Maybe Monday.

[kch]

NASA TV coverage should be starting in about 2-1/2 hours.

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/

[Steven Pietrobon]

Tsenki coverage has started!

http://www.tsenki.com/306/

[Steven Pietrobon]

Another view.

[Steven Pietrobon]

Progress MS-3 I believe.

[Steven Pietrobon]

Back to the pad.

[Steven Pietrobon]

Some nice graphics from Roscosmos.

[Steven Pietrobon]

Someone answer the phone! (can hear phone ringing)

[Mark McCombs]

A shot of Progress being loaded in the vacuum test chamber.  (I believe)

[Satori]

Hello?! Its me....

[Steven Pietrobon]

Another video.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

[Mark McCombs]

[Steven Pietrobon]

NASA TV should be starting in a couple of minutes.

[Mark McCombs]

Service gantry retracted.

[Steven Pietrobon]

T-15 minutes.

[Steven Pietrobon]

NASA coverage has started.

[Steven Pietrobon]

T-10 minutes.

[jacqmans]

[Steven Pietrobon]

T-9 minutes.

[Steven Pietrobon]

T-8 minutes.

[jacqmans]

meanwhile on ISS

[Steven Pietrobon]

T-7 minutes. NASA talking about upcoming spacewalk.

[Steven Pietrobon]

T-6 minutes.

[Steven Pietrobon]

T-5 minutes.

[Steven Pietrobon]

T-4 minutes.

[Steven Pietrobon]

T-3 minutes.

[Chris Bergin]

Morning

Russian on the loop likes to shout milestones.

T-2 mins.

[Steven Pietrobon]

T-2 minutes. Progress on internal power.

[Steven Pietrobon]

T-1 minute.

[Steven Pietrobon]

Liftoff!

[Chris Bergin]

LAUNCH!!

[Chris Bergin]

[Steven Pietrobon]

T+1 minute.

[Chris Bergin]

Staging, but not visible.

[Steven Pietrobon]

T+2 minutes.

[Chris Bergin]

T+3 mins. 5,000 MPH.

[Mark McCombs]

Launch.

[Steven Pietrobon]

T+3 minutes.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Rob must be tired as he just said "escape tower and launch shroud jettison".   

[Steven Pietrobon]

T+4 minutes.

[Chris Bergin]

Staging. 2-3

[Steven Pietrobon]

Second stage ignition.

T+5 minutes.

[Chris Bergin]

Six mins in. All nominal.

[Steven Pietrobon]

T+6 minutes.

[Steven Pietrobon]

T+7 minutes.

[Steven Pietrobon]

T+8 minutes.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

Good spacecraft separation and solar arrays/antennae deployment! 

[Chris Bergin]

Third stage shutdown and S/C sep!

Antenna and Array deployment!

Good stuff! Thanks again to Steven for great coverage and Mark for a good launch image (that I've used )

[Steven Pietrobon]

Third stage shutdown.

Successful separation and solar array deploy.

[Steven Pietrobon]

All looking good. All antennas have deployed.

Congratulations to Roscosmos for the successful launch!

[mtakala24]

Anyone else take note of the ice(?) cloud the Progress was in? Seen in the KURS camera.

[SimonFD]

Anyone else take note of the ice(?) cloud the Progress was in? Seen in the KURS camera.

Yes, I wondered what that was. Is that a usual sight?

[DaveS]

Anyone else take note of the ice(?) cloud the Progress was in? Seen in the KURS camera.

Yes. I have been watching that.

[Steven Pietrobon]

Tsenki still showing the launch pad.

[Steven Pietrobon]

Docking coverage.

[Steven Pietrobon]

MCC-H. One screen is showing Progress telemetry.

[Mark McCombs]

Congrats to Pockocmoc for a great launch.  Good to see the upgraded vehicles working well.

 

[DaveS]

MCC-H. One screen is showing Progress telemetry.

That's the Klest(?) camera which is incorrectly referred to as "KURS camera".

[Steven Pietrobon]

EVA 34 coverage.

[Steven Pietrobon]

End of NASA coverage.

[DaveS]

Something moving very rapidly across the the FoV of the Klest camera of the Progress:

[Steven Pietrobon]

Launch replay.

[Steven Pietrobon]

A view of the "snowstorm" seen soon after separation.

[Mikhail-G]

What is the nature of this 'snowstorm'?

[Steven Pietrobon]

Full launch video from Roscosmos. Ignition is as 1:45:25.

[mtakala24]

Its probably just normal ice debris from separation shock. Perhaps we just look at it more closely than before due to what happened last time.

[Steven Pietrobon]

Cleanup crew soon after launch.

[InfraNut2]

Cosmonauts was just told all is nominal with the Progress.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

[Prober]

3 1/2 hrs aprox test of systems going well

Update: Progress doing well and has her burns.

[edkyle99]

Any idea of the liftoff mass of Progress MS with its 2,610 kg cargo?

 - Ed Kyle

[JohnWT]

Clear skies here in the East Midlands, UK and a couple of ISS visible passes due this evening.  Any ideas where Progress is in relation to the ISS?

[anik]

Any idea of the liftoff mass of Progress MS with its 2,610 kg cargo?

7284 kg including 2436 kg of cargoes as per http://www.mcc.rsa.ru/progress_mc01.htm

[Chris Bergin]

Clear skies here in the East Midlands, UK and a couple of ISS visible passes due this evening.  Any ideas where Progress is in relation to the ISS?

I'd be interested in that for Yorkshire. Clear skies here too!

Meanwhile, a programming note:

[input~2]

USSTRATCOM has cataloged Object B (Soyuz 3rd stage?)
2015-080B/41178 in 182 x 210 km x 51.66°

[Nicolas PILLET]

First communication session with TsUP via Luch-5B was made 10 minutes after separation from launcher Soyuz-2.1a !

http://tass.ru/kosmos/2546723

[Galactic Penguin SST]

So apparently the Progress-MS series' code is 11F615A61.....

(and according to Nicholas' website Soyuz-MS is 11F732A48)

[Satori]

Launch images from RKK Energia: http://www.energia.ru/ru/iss/iss46/progress_ms/photo_12-21.html

[Satori]

More launch images from RKK Energia.

[Satori]

The last set of launch images from RKK Energia.

[Satori]

Launch images from Roskosmos: http://www.roscosmos.ru/21884/

[Satori]

More launch images from Roskosmos.

[Satori]

And two more from Roskosmos.

[Satori]

Launch images from TsENKI: http://www.tsenki.com/374/

[Prober]

First communication session with TsUP via Luch-5B was made 10 minutes after separation from launcher Soyuz-2.1a !

http://tass.ru/kosmos/2546723

After about 10 minutes after separation from the third stage booster rocket ship for the construction of a turn-oriented spacecraft" Luch-5B "in geostationary orbit at 16 degrees West," - he added.

"Примерно через 10 минут после отделения от третьей ступени ракеты-носителя корабль выполнил разворот для построения ориентации на космический аппарат "Луч-5Б", находящийся на геостационарной орбите в точке 16 градусов западной долготы", - добавил он.

[ZachS09]

So proud that the Soyuz 2-1a finally worked this time. Congrats, Roskosmos.

[jacqmans]

RSC Energia: the first communications session with a cargo spacecraft via a satellite

December 21, 2015

On Monday, December 21, RSC Energia specialists for the first time in the history of operation of the cargo and crew transportation spacecraft of Progress and Soyuz type ran a communications session with the new-series spacecraft Progress MS via a relay satellite.

The launch vehicle (LV) Soyuz-2.1 carrying Progress MS cargo spacecraft was launched from Area 31 of the Baikonur Cosmodrome on December 21 at 11:44:39 Moscow Time. Carried onboard the spacecraft are about 2.5 metric tons of cargos for the International Space Station (ISS).

"For the first time in history, communication with a cargo transportation spacecraft was established via a satellite. Up until that moment, we didn’t have an experience like this neither with manned spacecraft Soyuz, nor with unmanned cargo spacecraft Progress. We got the satellite involved during the first orbit of the mission. About 10 minutes after separation from the third stage of the launch vehicle the spacecraft executed a turn maneuver to establish an attitude pointing at the Luch-5B spacecraft stationed in the geostationary orbit at a longitude 16 degrees West", - said deputy head of a scientific and technical center of RSC Energia Igor Brodsky.

According to him, communication with the spacecraft via satellite became possible after introduction of a new suite of onboard radio equipment EKTS, capable of handling communications with the Luch relay system. The availability of the satellite control and monitoring loop considerably expands the radio visibility zones and makes it possible to exchange data with Progress spacecraft for 83% of a day in orbit, provides all three relay satellites are used.

“The cargo spacecraft of the new series Progress MS is the first spacecraft equipped to handle communications with the Luch system. Before this mission, it was only possible to communicate with spacecraft via ground stations, located on the Russian territory", - explained I. Brodsky.

He pointed out, that regardless of the use of relay satellites, the ground loop continues to be used for uplinking commands and downlinking telemetry data. The onboard computer also stores a program, which, in case communications with the ground are lost, will automatically issue commands to raise the orbit in order to assure 12 days of free flight.

The satellite relay system Luch consists of three spacecraft ("Luch-5A", "Luch-5B", "Luch-5C") in geostationary orbit and three ground radio relaying stations: in Korolev, Zheleznogorsk and Uglegorsk. The system operator is the company Gonets Satellite System. 

The new-series transportation spacecraft Progress MS and Soyuz MS were developed as a result of a radical upgrade of Progress M and Soyuz TMA spacecraft.

Thanks to the use of new ground and onboard radio systems, it became possible to use state-of-the-art data transmission protocols, which resulted in improved operational stability of spacecraft control system.

Most of the engineering solutions incorporated into the design of Soyuz MS and Progress MS spacecraft will be used in the design of the new-generation Crew Transportation Spacecraft (CTS), which is currently under development at RSC Energia.

http://www.energia.ru/en/iss/iss46/progress_ms/photo_12-21_2.html

[the_other_Doug]

Gotta love the Russian spin.  "For the first time in history" applies solely to the Progress and Soyuz vehicles.  Shuttle, and the USOS of the ISS itself, have both used TDRSS to relay comms for, well, decades.

[anik]

Gotta love the Russian spin. "For the first time in history" applies solely to the Progress and Soyuz vehicles

There is no Russian spin at all. Please, read closely RSC Energia press-release. "On Monday, December 21, RSC Energia specialists for the first time in the history of operation of the cargo and crew transportation spacecraft of Progress and Soyuz type ran a communications session with the new-series spacecraft Progress MS via a relay satellite". The same words in Russian variant of press-release. "В понедельник, 21 декабря, специалисты РКК "Энергия" впервые в истории эксплуатации транспортных грузовых и пилотируемых кораблей типа "Прогресс" и "Союз" провели сеанс связи с кораблем новой модификации "Прогресс МС" через спутник-ретранслятор".

[the_other_Doug]

Gotta love the Russian spin. "For the first time in history" applies solely to the Progress and Soyuz vehicles

There is no Russian spin at all. Please, read closely RSC Energia press-release. "On Monday, December 21, RSC Energia specialists for the first time in the history of operation of the cargo and crew transportation spacecraft of Progress and Soyuz type ran a communications session with the new-series spacecraft Progress MS via a relay satellite". The same words in Russian variant of press-release. "В понедельник, 21 декабря, специалисты РКК "Энергия" впервые в истории эксплуатации транспортных грузовых и пилотируемых кораблей типа "Прогресс" и "Союз" провели сеанс связи с кораблем новой модификации "Прогресс МС" через спутник-ретранслятор".

Ah -- different translation from above, which states "For the first time in history, communication with a cargo transportation spacecraft was established via a satellite."  Your translation is far less spinned.  Thanks for the clarification.

[DaveS]

This is from the ISS DPC that is currently in progress: Progress performance is nominal except for the TORU command test, no joy on that. Going to try again just before the actual rendezvous. Nothing else noted.

[DaveS]

The RS is being configured for the Progress rendezvous and docking right now. Mainly they're activating and checking out the TORU system in the SM.

The ISS cameras are  trying find the Progress but no luck yet.

[DaveS]

The Progress is now less than 1 orbit away from the planned docking time.

[DaveS]

View of the Progress Klest camera:

[DaveS]

Here's a shot of the Progress from one of the ISS cameras (it's the white dot in the center).

[Chris Bergin]

Morning

[Chris Bergin]

Tally ho.

[Chris Bergin]

Inside 1 KM.

[Chris Bergin]

[Chris Bergin]

TORU not available, due to a problem with a link (Rob Navias). However KURS is doing fine.

[DaveS]

This is from the ISS DPC that is currently in progress: Progress performance is nominal except for the TORU command test, no joy on that. Going to try again just before the actual rendezvous. Nothing else noted.

This is now a solid NO-GO. No "plan B" in the event of a KURS-NA failure.

[Chris Bergin]

Flyaround.

[Chris Bergin]

MarsScape...

[Chris Bergin]

Camera operator is not on the ball this morning

[Chris Bergin]

[Chris Bergin]

Flyaround complete. Into StationKeeping.

[Chris Bergin]

Final approach.

[Chris Bergin]

Hi new Progress.

[Chris Bergin]

New KURS has a "solid lock".

[Chris Bergin]

Closing in.

[Chris Bergin]

35 meters.

[Chris Bergin]

[Chris Bergin]

KURS retract.

[Chris Bergin]

Too dark too see some of the numbers is the call.

[Chris Bergin]

Contact and Capture!

[Chris Bergin]

Closing in for hard mate.

[Chris Bergin]

There's OA-4 Cygnus.

[Chris Bergin]

Hard mate confirmed.

[Chris Bergin]

End of NASA TV coverage.

[anik]

KURS retract

By the way, there is nothing to retract on Progress MS.

[Chris Bergin]

KURS retract

By the way, there is nothing to retract on Progress MS.

Interesting, thanks! Was only copying what Rob Navias was telling us!

[Prober]

Last Night 6 PM local time Nevada sky's were filled with the burn up of the stage.
Going to list a couple.  Mods move to another place if this is wrong.

http://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/unidentified-flying-object-seen-in-vegas-sky
Whole page of videos
http://www.news3lv.com/content/news/story/Meteor-or-space-debris-flies-across-Las-Vegas-sky/ususXSke3Eu4HS2g-lTZKQ.cspx

http://www.fox5vegas.com/story/30815687/object-seen-streaking-across-las-vegas-sky
http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/las-vegas/reports-streak-light-was-likely-debris-russian-rocket

[Moe Grills]

  The manifest for this Progress cargo-ship indicates Russian food rations; no mention of holiday snacks or goodies.
What is the Russian equivalent for "spam for Christmas"?
It could be worse. Holiday fruitcake?

[MKremer]

That was just a general manifest. ISS updates over the next few days will hopefully detail specifics plus any special last minute stow items (fresh fruit, goodies, Christmas presents, etc).

[zubenelgenubi]

This is from the ISS DPC that is currently in progress: Progress performance is nominal except for the TORU command test, no joy on that. Going to try again just before the actual rendezvous. Nothing else noted.

This is now a solid NO-GO. No "plan B" in the event of a KURS-NA failure.

The docking occurred--was this indeed a violation of procedures to proceed without TORU functional as back-up?

[zubenelgenubi]

Last Night 6 PM local time Nevada sky's were filled with the burn up of the stage.
Going to list a couple.  Mods move to another place if this is wrong.

http://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/unidentified-flying-object-seen-in-vegas-sky
Whole page of videos
http://www.news3lv.com/content/news/story/Meteor-or-space-debris-flies-across-Las-Vegas-sky/ususXSke3Eu4HS2g-lTZKQ.cspx

http://www.fox5vegas.com/story/30815687/object-seen-streaking-across-las-vegas-sky
http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/las-vegas/reports-streak-light-was-likely-debris-russian-rocket

Ted Molczan posts on Seesat-l: Re-entry of Progress MS-01 rocket body seen from U.S. west coast

There are reports and video of sightings from the U.S. west coast of the re-entry of 2015-080B / 41178, on 2015 Dec 23, near 02:10 UTC. It was the rocket body of the recent launch of Progress MS-01. It was the model 11S510, which has an empty mass of 2410 kg.

Further videos and fireball report links are found within.

[russianhalo117]

KURS retract

By the way, there is nothing to retract on Progress MS.

old legacy antennas need retracting, correct???

[anik]

was this indeed a violation of procedures to proceed without TORU functional as back-up?

No.

[anik]

old legacy antennas need retracting, correct???

Retractable antenna was 2AO-VKA. It is not installed on Progress MS type ships. Its functions transferred to new non-retractable antenna AO-753A.

[Star One]

Last Night 6 PM local time Nevada sky's were filled with the burn up of the stage.
Going to list a couple.  Mods move to another place if this is wrong.

http://www.lasvegasnow.com/news/unidentified-flying-object-seen-in-vegas-sky
Whole page of videos
http://www.news3lv.com/content/news/story/Meteor-or-space-debris-flies-across-Las-Vegas-sky/ususXSke3Eu4HS2g-lTZKQ.cspx

http://www.fox5vegas.com/story/30815687/object-seen-streaking-across-las-vegas-sky
http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/las-vegas/reports-streak-light-was-likely-debris-russian-rocket

Before any news on what this was appeared some online were perceiving it as heralding a deadly asteroid.

[jacqmans]

The first new series Progress MS vehicle berthing to the ISS occurred

December 23, 2015

Today, on December 23 the first new modification Progress MS cargo transport vehicle developed and produced by RSC Energia successfully docked to the Russian Segment of the International Space Station (ISS).

The cargo vehicle docking to Docking Compartment (DC1) Pirs of Service Module (SM) Zvezda of the ISS is performed in the unmanned mode on December 23 at 13:27:01 Moscow Time in the 34-th  orbit of the flight. The ISS crewmembers monitored the berthing process from the Station.

The Soyuz-2.1a launch vehicle (LV) with the Progress MC CTV was launched from site No.31 of the Baikonur Cosmodrome on December 21 at 11:44:39 Moscow Time. The vehicle made a two-day rendezvous with the ISS.

Onboard the vehicle there are 2436 kg of different cargo including 1252 kg of “dry” cargo, 718 kg of propellant in the refueling system tanks, 420 kg of water and 46 kg of compressed gases (air and oxygen).

The vehicle delivered to the ISS more than a ton of cargo for Service Module (SM) Zvezda including a life-support system and the individual protection aids for cosmonauts, storage batteries for power supply system, sanitary-hygienic and medical equipment, consumables for gasanalytical equipment and thermal control system, onboard system maintenance and repair aids, fire extinguishers, etc.

For the Station crewmembers the following is prepared: containers with food rations, fresh food kit and parcels with personal things. In the cargo compartment of the vehicle there are sets of onboard documentation, completing parts and power supply components for video and photographic equipment, hard disks, hardware for science research and experiments.

Onboard the Progress MS CTV there are also 127 kg of the U.S and European cargo, in particular the habitable environment monitoring aids, equipment and instruments for extravehicular activity, the weightlessness prevention aids, science hardware, the U.S. food and clothes for the Russian crewmembers.

Transport vehicles of a new modification such as Progress MS and Soyuz MS are developed as a result of the great modernization of the Progress M and Soyuz TMA vehicles. 

The onboard command-radio system Kvant-B is replaced by single command-telemetry system (SCTS) with an additional telemetry channel. A new command radio link provides the signal reception via the Luch-5 relay satellites, due to which the vehicle radio visibility zones will be considerably expanded – up to 70% of the orbit duration.

The new modification vehicles are completed with modern onboard radio system for rendezvous and docking Kurs-NA. As compared with more earlier Kurs-A version, it has the improved weight-dimension characteristics and allows to remove from the vehicle equipment one of three radio antennas.

Instead of analog television system Klest the following is used in vehicles: a digital television system which allows to maintain communication between the vehicle and the Station via board-to-board radio link.

A new digital reserve loop control unit (RLCU) developed by RSC Energia, modernized angular rate sensor unit ARSU-3A and light-emitting diode headlight SFOK became a part of the vehicle onboard equipment of the Soyuz MS and Progress MS modifications instead of the equipment taken out of production.

Due to the use of the new ground and onboard radio systems it became possible to use up-to-date protocols of information transfer, as a result of which the vehicle control system operation stability increased.

 The majority of technical decisions inherent in the Soyuz MS and Progress MS structure will be used when creating a new generation manned transport vehicle (MTV) which is developed by RSC Energia.


http://www.energia.ru/en/iss/iss46/progress_ms/photo_12-23.html

[Lewis007]

Some pics of the Progress-MS docking and Malenchenko & Volkov standing by with the TORU system.
Source: Volkov's blog: http://www.roscosmos.ru/21899/

[Danderman]

So, what is the plan to utilize the CubeSAT deployment system starting with MS-03? Are the slots simply going to be utilized by Russian government satellites?

[jacqmans]

June 24, 2016

MEDIA ADVISORY M16-075

NASA TV to Air Russian Cargo Ship Movement at Space Station


A Russian cargo ship currently docked to the International Space Station will undock for a short test flight on Friday, July 1. NASA Television coverage will begin at 1:15 a.m. EDT.

The Progress 62 cargo ship will automatically undock from the Pirs Docking Compartment of the space station and manually be guided in to re-dock. The maneuver will begin with undocking at 1:36 a.m. and take approximately 30 minutes, with re-docking planned for 2:10 a.m.

This activity will test a newly installed manual docking system inside the station’s Russian segment. The resupply ship will back away to a distance of about 600 feet (about 183 meters) from the station, at which point Expedition 48 cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka of the Russian space agency Roscosmos will take manual control of the spacecraft. They will use a workstation in the Zvezda Service Module to “fly” the Progress back to a linkup with Pirs.

The system test will include verification of software and a new signal converter incorporated in the upgraded manual docking system for future use in both Progress and piloted Soyuz vehicles in the unlikely event the “Kurs” automated rendezvous in either craft encounters a problem.

Progress 62 arrived at the station Dec. 23, 2015 with more than three tons of food, fuel and supplies, and will undock for the final time at 11:48 p.m. Saturday, July 2. The spacecraft, loaded with trash, will be deorbited by Russian flight controllers to burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.

Check out the full NASA TV schedule and video streaming information at:

http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

Keep up with the International Space Station and its research and crews, at:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

[Targeteer]

The Cosmonauts are practicing the movement using a computer simulation.  One of them mentioned he was measuring distance using "ruler".  Not a graphic display ruler, an actual physical ruler, in millimeters.  Not exactly high-tech or state of the art.

[Phillip Clark]

The Cosmonauts are practicing the movement using a computer simulation.  One of them mentioned he was measuring distance using "ruler".  Not a graphic display ruler, an actual physical ruler, in millimeters.  Not exactly high-tech or state of the art.

If it works then don't knock it!!   Remember al the $millions spent by NASA to develop a "space pen" when the Russians just used a pencil ............

[MATTBLAK]

That's been proven to be an urban myth. The Fisher company invented the pressurized pen in the hope they could score a NASA endorsement or contract. The rest of the story gets hazy at best... Some even claiming a cost of billions... With a b...  http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/spacepen.asp

[jcm]

Progress MS-01 undocked from Pirs at 0536 UTC Jul 1 and redocked under TORU control at 0605 UTC.
This was an engineering test of a replaced signal conditioning box in the TORU system on ISS.
Maximum range to Pirs was 180 metres.

[okan170]

Came in at a slightly different angle then fired thrusters quite a bit before gradually swinging back into alignment after contact.  Controllers mentioned a "mishap at contact" while re-capping with the crew that they'll be looking into the root cause of.  Everything seems to be latching fine though.

(gif by Novasilisko)

[Stan Black]

The Cosmonauts are practicing the movement using a computer simulation.  One of them mentioned he was measuring distance using "ruler".  Not a graphic display ruler, an actual physical ruler, in millimeters.  Not exactly high-tech or state of the art.

If it works then don't knock it!!   Remember al the $millions spent by NASA to develop a "space pen" when the Russians just used a pencil ............

And electrically conducting graphite fragments floating free?

[Galactic Penguin SST]

(sorry for forgetting to cover this live, but I remembered the wrong time for this test  )   

[Chris Bergin]

(sorry for forgetting to cover this live, but I remembered the wrong time for this test  )   

Well that swinging after capture is something I've never seen before. But other than Okan, no one seems to be mentioning any issue with it?

[Stan Black]

(sorry for forgetting to cover this live, but I remembered the wrong time for this test  )   

Well that swinging after capture is something I've never seen before. But other than Okan, no one seems to be mentioning any issue with it?

It could have bent the probe. See Kosmos-188 or Soyuz-10 for reference.

[Targeteer]

Came in at a slightly different angle then fired thrusters quite a bit before gradually swinging back into alignment after contact.  Controllers mentioned a "mishap at contact" while re-capping with the crew that they'll be looking into the root cause of.  Everything seems to be latching fine though.

(gif by Novasilisko)

Slightly different angle?  I'd say they were way low.  That target is supposed to be centered at docking.  The ground verified the +X thrusters (I think, I was half asleep) fired after docking.  That cannot be normal.

[Chris Bergin]

No reference from Roscosmos.

http://www.roscosmos.ru/22378/

[robertross]

(sorry for forgetting to cover this live, but I remembered the wrong time for this test  )   

Well that swinging after capture is something I've never seen before. But other than Okan, no one seems to be mentioning any issue with it?

Before the final thrust to dock, it almost looked like the vehicle was drifting a bit (translating to the right). Unfortunately the camera shifted position and the overhead shot had the docking probe out of frame. I wonder if they had a thruster issue.

[Chris Bergin]

Still "Nothing to see here":
http://www.roscosmos.ru/22392/

[DaveS]

This is from the Expedition 48 update thread:

ISS Daily Summary Report – 06/22/16


62P Thruster Test:  Russian ground teams performed a thruster test on 62P.  However, only the X axis thrusters fired, the Z and Y axis thrusters did not.  Ground teams are investigating, and a re-test of the thrusters is expected on June 27.  Following the 62P thruster test, Moscow experienced issues reintegrating the Progress into the control loop.  The maneuver back to the Torque Equalibrium Attitude (TEA) was subsequently performed using thruster configuration SM411.  Thruster configuration will remain SM411 until Moscow has a forward plan for reintegrating the Nadir Progress.  In the meantime, a 62P prop purge is planned for tomorrow.

[John44]

Expedition 48 - Progress 62 Undocking and Redocking Rendezvous System Test
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=9896

[Artyom.]

High-resolution photos from cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka.

[jcm]

Still "Nothing to see here":
http://www.roscosmos.ru/22392/

T

This is from the Expedition 48 update thread:

ISS Daily Summary Report – 06/22/16


62P Thruster Test:  Russian ground teams performed a thruster test on 62P.  However, only the X axis thrusters fired, the Z and Y axis thrusters did not.  Ground teams are investigating, and a re-test of the thrusters is expected on June 27.  Following the 62P thruster test, Moscow experienced issues reintegrating the Progress into the control loop.  The maneuver back to the Torque Equalibrium Attitude (TEA) was subsequently performed using thruster configuration SM411.  Thruster configuration will remain SM411 until Moscow has a forward plan for reintegrating the Nadir Progress.  In the meantime, a 62P prop purge is planned for tomorrow.

Interesting. I gather definitely also had an issue this time for thrusters firing on the wrong axes. A bit scary;
presumably details will emerge.

[okan170]

Better gif of the motion from the video, sped up slightly.  (Not on the NASA video is the nice view we got of BEAM at maximum distance!)

edit: Gah, may have to download the gif to see it animate.

[Nicolas PILLET]

Press release from RKK Energiya. There was a glitch, but it did not interfered with the TORU test, which is considered as fully successful.

http://www.energia.ru/ru/news/news-2016/news_07-01_1.html

[Space Pete]

Wow. Never seen that before.

One speculation I could add is that, when the probe hit the cone, which always causes a change in attitude since the probe rarely hits the cone exactly head-on, perhaps the Progress tried to correct for this attitude change without being aware that contact had already been achieved? Or something along those lines?

[okan170]

Spaceflight101 has this info,

"A small issue came up at the moment of docking when Progress incorrectly fired its DPO thrusters along the X and Y axes, creating a visible oscillation between Pirs and the spacecraft. Normally, only the X axis thrusters are fired to push Progress in at the moment of contact to engage capture latches. Why the Y thrusters were fired on Friday is under investigation."

http://spaceflight101.com/progress-ms/progress-ms-re-docking-test/

[Nicolas PILLET]

One speculation I could add is that, when the probe hit the cone, which always causes a change in attitude since the probe rarely hits the cone exactly head-on, perhaps the Progress tried to correct for this attitude change without being aware that contact had already been achieved? Or something along those lines?

When the probe hits the cone, the four DK1 sensors allow the ABU control system to know that the contact has occured. At this moment, if the speed/angle criteria are correct, the "CONTACT" signal is emitted.
The "CONTACT" signal has one consequence : it orders the firing of DPO thrusters to make the spaceship going deeper into the cone.

We could guess that, if at this moment there is a failure of some DPO, the movement will be non nominal.

BUT, the "non nominal movement" has not occured at this particular stage. It has occured AFTER the DK2 sensors have emitted the LATCHING command, which means that the probe is inside the deep of the cone. At this moment, the DPO thrusters has no reasons to start (if everything works fine, which obviously was not the case yesterday).

[Danderman]

Firing the Y axis thrusters is bad. You don't want to bend the probe.

Firing the X axis thrusters is normal, it drives the probe into the cone.

Firing the Progress thrusters is normal, which is why ISS is in free drift at docking.

[Chris Bergin]

Apologies if I've read over it, but what time is undocking? Supposed to be Sunday, I believe.

[SMS]

Undocking is planned at 3:48 UTC on Sunday/11:48 pm EDT on Saturday night

[Chris Bergin]

Undocking is planned at 3:48 UTC on Sunday/11:48 pm EDT on Saturday night

Thanks! I'll stay up for that one. Thanks also for some good posts in this thread that will help me with the article.

[Chris Bergin]

РОСКОСМОС ‏@roscosmos  1m1 minute ago View translation
Грузовой корабль #ПрогрессМС отстыковался от МКС, затопление несгораемых остатков запланировано в 10:50 мск.

Undocking article:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/07/progress-ms-01-departs-following-off-nominal-test/

[Artyom.]

Re-entry occurred a few minutes ago, with unburnt pieces reaching the surface of the Pacific at around 07:50 UTC

http://www.roscosmos.ru/22394/

[Lewis007]

Video of Progress MS #1 undocking

[ZachS09]

Will future Progress-MS flights be grounded for a while due to the unexpected thruster firings that Progress MS-01 went through?

[Nicolas PILLET]

Will future Progress-MS flights be grounded for a while due to the unexpected thruster firings that Progress MS-01 went through?

No.