1. What changes has Roscosmos implemented to their Soyuz and Progress vehicles?
Rosmoscos Reviews Soyuz and Progress Vehicle; Science and Cargo Ops Keep Crew Busy
The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, has been conducting a review of the Soyuz and Progress vehicles. The review will include operational performance, reliability, and general system health. This review is in part due to recent events concerning two separate incidents.
Recent Issues with the Soyuz and Progress Vehicles
The two recent issues were:
- Issues with a launch of a Soyuz vehicle, in the form of a thing component malfunction
- A fuel leak in a Progress vehicle docked to the International Space Station (ISS).
Roscosmos is now looking into the issues to ensure that there won’t be any negative repercussions. Additionally, they are also attempting to understand why the incidents occurred.
Science and Cargo Ops Keeping the Crew Busy
In the meantime, the crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) is keeping busy with a number of scientific and cargo operations. This includes exchanging experiments through the use of cargo transfer vehicles and robotic arms.
The crew also briefly conducted a spacewalk to check the exterior of the Russian module on the ISS. This is to look for any damage that may have occurred due to a recent spacecraft “firing” incident.
Furthermore, the crew of the ISS is now conducting science experiments to gain further insight into the physics of the universe. These experiments include observations of Galactic Cosmic Rays and studying the correlation between various kinds of quantum particles.
Conclusion
Overall, Roscosmos is reviewing the Soyuz and Progress vehicles to ensure that future operations go as planned. On top of this, the crew of the ISS is conducting a number of scientific and cargo operations. This keeps the crew of the ISS productive and their minds engaged despite the disturbances in the recent weeks.
The Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) recently completed a review of the Soyuz and Progress booster vehicles that help ensure the safety of human spaceflight missions and cargo operations.
The review was conducted by a team led by Roscosmos Director-General Dmitry Rogozin and included experts who assessed the operation and effectiveness of the Soyuz and Progress vehicles. During the review, flight safety requirements, emergency situations, operational together with technical efficiency, operational flight profile and other operational criteria were discussed and studied.
The Soyuz and Progress vehicles, each of which includes three stages, are based on the R-7 intercontinental ballistic missile and have been used extensively in human spaceflight operations since the first manned mission in 1967. The Progress spacecraft, originally designed as a cargo ferry, have been used for a variety of missions such as delivering supplies to astronauts in space and launching satellites.
The review also included discussions on a variety of topics such as cost-effectiveness, scenarios for possible missions, and the development of a new unified control system for the Soyuz and Progress launches.
Meanwhile, the International Space Station crew have been busy with various experiments and cargo operations, both manned and unmanned. The crew has successfully completed repairs and maintenance tasks, including a leak detection and repair process, and have conducted a variety of scientific experiments.
The review by Roscosmos comes at a critical juncture in Russia’s human spaceflight operations. The Soyuz and Progress vehicles are crucial to the success of the many missions the country has planned, and the review will provide valuable insights into how the vehicles are performing. With the findings of the review, Roscosmos can better prepare for future mission success.