UPDATE: Some clear color views of the Soyuz-U rocket 3rd stage, which orbited the Progress M-14M. The rocket will have reentered and decayed in meantime. Analyses of the obtained imagery suggest a relatively steady behave of this rocket compared to much more turbulent tumbling observed with other Soyuz launches. This was fairly well confirmed by the reasonable steady visual appearance [...]
Post Tagged with: “Progress M12-M”
Russian Satellite Lost in a Soyuz Mishaps
A Russian dual-use communications satellite crashed just after liftoff on December 23, 2011, following the failure of the Soyuz-2 carrier rocket. ”The space branch is suffering a crisis”, said Vladimir Popovin, head of Roscosmos, “We must resolve this situation and give way to the youth.” The Meridian military communication satellite was launched atop an unmanned Soyuz-2 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome in the north [...]
Progress M13-M Performs Successful Docking
Two days after its October 30 launch, the Progress M13-M unmanned resupply spacecraft has performed a successful docking to the International Space Station. This event was a necessary step for the restoration of manned Soyuz flights that has been suspended because of safety concerns after the Progress M12-M launch failure. Progress M13-M docked with ISS at 07:41 EDT on Wednesday [...]
Testimony of VADM Joseph W. Dyer
Source Science, Space, and Technology Committee: October 12, 2011, Statement of VADM Joseph W. Dyer, USN (Retired), Chairman National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel Before the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics U.S. House of Representatives Chairman Palazzo, acting ranking member Costello, and distinguished Members, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today. As requested, I would [...]
NASA Offers Assurances on Soyuz Return to Flight Plans
Source Science, Space, and Technology Committee: Washington DC – Today, the Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics held a hearing to review the findings of the Soyuz launch vehicle failure investigation in the wake of the recent crash of an unmanned Russian space vehicle called Progress, and the impacts that a short-term loss of crew access has on the safe operation and utilization of [...]
Roscosmos Reprioritizes Space Program
On October 7, 2011, Roscosmos Head Vladimir Popovkin was summoned to speak before the State Duma (Parliament) of Russia on the subject of the recent space failures that plagued the Agency in 2011. Mr. Popovkin made a frank report about the causes and aftermath of the recent anomalies, then proposed a detailed review of the prospects of Russian space industry as far forward as 2050; finally, he [...]
Roscosmos: Soyuz Failure was an Isolated Problem
According to Roskomos head Vladimir Popovkin, an inspection of the Soyuz production line revealed that the accident was not a consequence of a production fault. During a hearing to the parliament, Popovkin said that the failure that lead to the loss of the Progress M12-M unmanned cargo spacecraft was an isolated problem. “We tested all the engines so we can say that the [...]
Russia Achieves Successful Soyuz Rocket Flight
A Russian Glonass-M satellite has reached orbit after a successful launch of a Soyuz 2-1B rocket from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia. This is the first Soyuz launch since the August 23 failure of the Progress M12-M launch. According to the Interministrial Commission that investigated the accident, the reason of the failure of the Soyuz third engine was a faulty gas [...]
Proton Rocket Launched from Baikonour
A Proton-M rocket carying a military spacecraft has been launched on September 21, 2011, from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan. The launch took place at 2:47 Moscow time (22:47 GMT Tuesday), as scheduled. “The spacecraft is scheduled to separate from the Briz-M booster at 11:48 Moscow time [7:48 GMT],” said Col. Alexei Zolotukhin, Russian Space Forces spokesman. This is the [...]
International Space Station Partners Set Tentative Launch Schedule
Source NASA: HOUSTON — NASA and its international partners have agreed to a tentative launch schedule with crew flights to the International Space Station resuming on Nov. 14. The Space Station Control Board, with representation from all partner agencies, set the schedule after hearing the Russian Federal Space Agency’s findings on the Aug. 24 loss of the Progress 44 cargo craft. The [...]
