Last manual docking training sessions these days before the upcoming exam. With my instructor, Sasha, we’ve been focusing on the most tricky scenarios to make sure I’m ready. So, what makes a scenario more difficult than others?
The type of failure, for example: a “simple” Kurs malfuction, meaning that the Soyuz can’t orient itself to Station any more, or rather a full computer failure? With a functioning computer we can turn on a function that compensates for the rotation of the ISS. When the Station is in its standard attitude with the stack of pressurized modules oriented along the velocity vector, it rotates about 4 degrees per minute as it tracks along the orbit. With the compensation function turned on, the computer automatically fires the thrusters to match that rotation, so that to us the ISS looks as though it was inertially stabilized.
If the computer fails, however, we need to constantly correct to keep the target aligned as we approach. The Service Module and MRM1 docking ports are especially tricky, because the targets are oriented in such a way that rotation occurs in two channels.
Night approaches are also a little bit more difficult. If we’re about to enter eclipse, we station-keep at a distance of about 70 meters and turn on the Soyuz light. At that point we also have to remove a screen we have on our periscope view during illumination, that protects us from being blinded by excessive light. Once that screen is removed, more light comes through and we’re able to see ISS with the rather faint illumination from our Soyuz light, but it’s a bit more uncomfortable to fly the approach. For one thing, without the extra screen you need to have your eyes perfectly aligned at the right distance to see the image: if you move your head a bit, you immediately loose it. Also, as you come in closer for final approach and docking, the light does become somewhat dazing again.
So these are the scenarios Sasha and I have been focusing on. You can see us in the picture together before the sim today. Sasha wants to become a cosmonaut (she’d be a second generation). If you ask me, I’d bet my money that she will make it.
If you celebrate Easter this weekend, happy Easter!
(Trad IT) Traduzione in italiano a cura di +AstronautiNEWS qui:
https://www.astronautinews.it/tag/logbook/
(Trad ES) Tradducción en español aquí:
https://www.intervidia.com/category/bitacora/
(Trad FR) Traduction en français par +Anne Cpamoa ici:
https://spacetux.org/cpamoa/category/traductions/logbook-samantha/
18/04/2014