Russia Encounters More Problems Sending Long-Delayed Module and Robotic Arm to Space Station

First Slashdot reader Thelasko quotes the BBC's report Wednesday: A Russian rocket has departed the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan, to deliver a new science module to the International space station (ISS). The 13m-long, 20-tonne [44,000-pound] Nauka laboratory will go on the rear of the orbiting platform, connected to the other major Russian segments, Zvezda and Zarya. The new module carries with it a large robotic arm supplied by the European Space Agency (Esa).

Nauka is much delayed. It was originally supposed to launch in 2007. But it suffered repeated slips in schedule, in part because of budget difficulties but also because engineers encountered a raft of technical problems during development.

The module will result in a significant boost in habitable volume for the ISS, raising it by 70 cubic metres.
It's expected to dock this Thursday (July29), according to CBS News, after which "It will take up to 11 Russian spacewalks over about seven months to electrically connect and outfit the new lab module, providing a new airlock, research space, living quarters, a European Space Agency robot arm and other systems."

But Friday Gizmodo reported the attempt to deliver the module to the Space Station "is still having problems." The first glitch in Nauka's journey happened yesterday, when the spacecraft didn't complete its first orbit-raising burn. This meant that the uncrewed Nauka wasn't on track to actually intercept the ISS, which it's scheduled to dock with on Thursday, July 29. The problem was attributed to a software issue in a computer aboard Nauka, which prevented the spacecraft's main engines from firing. Nauka's team was able to manage a remote course correction, but a second bout of course corrections were deemed necessary, and scheduled for Friday...

Nauka's also been having issues with one antenna and its docking target, and its uncertain how those issues will affect docking attempts, SpaceNews reported. "Apparently there is still an issue with the Kurs rendezvous system, and that is pretty critical for docking," said Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, adding that the spacecraft's TORU system — which allows the astronauts aboard the ISS assist with the docking — is working normally. For now, the Pirs docking compartment is currently sitting in Nauka's assigned dock on the ISS. Pirs' scheduled undocking to make way for the new module was postponed from Friday to Sunday, .

Long term plans

[AmiMoJo]

I wonder what Russia's long term plans are here.

The bits of the ISS that they own are enough to build their own station out of. So when NASA decides it won't fund the ISS anymore Russia can jettison their bits and invite everyone else to continue with them.

I wonder if the Japanese would want to keep their module flying. China might be interested in cooperation once the US is out of the way, since it was only the US blocking them from joining the ISS project.

Re:

[Ostracus]

Maybe Russians keep their "bits" and jettison the rest. The makings of a horror movie in space, or an analogy to the splitting of the internet.

Re:Long term plans

[XXongo]

...The bits of the ISS that they own are enough to build their own station out of. So when NASA decides it won't fund the ISS anymore Russia can jettison their bits and invite everyone else to continue with them.

Except it's the other way around. Russia is threatening to abandon the ISS, not vice versa: https://www.space.com/russia-t... [space.com]

More likely they will use them as kinetic weapons to attack ground targets. Check the declared weight against its actual weight.

That really doesn't work. Space station modules are large and light. They fragment and burn up in the atmosphere. If some parts don't burn up, by the time they've transited the atmosphere they are subsonic. They really aren't good weapons.

Even if there were parts that didn't burn up in the atmosphere, what's the point? Russia could have just launched dedicated kinetic energy weapons if they wanted to do that, and they would be optimized for the job.

Re:

[AmiMoJo]

From the article you linked to:

"Either we work together, in which case the sanctions are lifted immediately, or we will not work together and we will deploy our own station,"

Sounds like just what I said. Had enough of the US dictating terms like not working with their neighbour China. Take their ball (modules) and go play with partners who don't put sanctions on them.

Of course the sanctions are justified given the election interference and Crimea, but it might be the excuse they have been looking for. Particularly now that Space X is starting to take away paying work from them it makes sense to partner with countries that Space X is banned from wo

Re:

[k2r]

Is there really a grown up person out there stupid enough to write this nonsense?
How old are you?

Re:

[Plugh]

This would make sense if the ISS held any particular tactical, industrial, or scientific advantage.

Re:

[rtb61]

Practice numb nuts for a bigger station. That bigger station that can make Lunar Ferries from parts sent up from earth. It takes practice to get there, no practice and ohh look, all kinds of bugs appear.

Yes, we would all like kilometre long star ships that can travel faster than gravity to take us to our new colony world but you know what, it takes an awful lot of practice and space engineering development, trial and error and building upon past designs and skills to get there.

The "tactical, industrial,

Re:

[Plugh]

I was alive at the time. ISS was not billed to the public as the "practice version". IIRC it was widely opposed by astronomers, astrophysicists, and pretty much everyone who wasn't NASA for being a very poor return on a very large investment that starved other work, including the SSC.

Re: Long term plans

[guacamole]

It's unlikely that the russian segment of ISS can become a basis for new space station. Those old modules are pretty much at the end of their usable life.

Re: Long term plans

[guacamole]

Because that how long the expendable parts last. Russian segment already had some kind of air leaks at some point.

Re:

[K. S. Kyosuke]

Ehm...because they built them decades ago? Hell, even Nauka still has components from mid-90s. They've been building it ever since back then.

Real question is ...

[dogsbreath]

... who wants to work/live in a module with such a wonky reliability history?

Most mechanisms future reliability is predicated by past reliability. I think the number and kind of problems they have had and are having are more than initial glitches. They are numerous and mission threatening.

I'd be on my guard all the time in this lemon.

Re:

[geekmux]

I wonder what Russia's long term plans are here.

The bits of the ISS that they own are enough to build their own station out of. So when NASA decides it won't fund the ISS anymore Russia can jettison their bits and invite everyone else to continue with them.

Really?

Would you feel comfortable, stepping into your friends '98 Chevy Cavalier with 275,000 miles on the odometer, to go on a long journey across a continent or two?

Thanks but no thanks. Shits gettin' old...not gonna wait for it to be busted.

Re:

[Rick Schumann]

Sorry for the off-topic, but I thought you'd like to know that there is some malicious user here on Slashdot that is attempting to masquerade as you under the name 'AniMoJo' (note the one character difference).

Re:

[AmiMoJo]

Thanks. I had not noticed them, which I guess at least means that their comments are not getting modded up.

Re:

[Rick Schumann]

As white-knight-ish as it sounds, I was more concerned for someones' reputation being sullied by jackasses pretending to be them. Among other things it's cowardly.
BTW I let site admins know about this, and they told me whoever it was has had that account banned.

Re:

[AmiMoJo]

Thanks Rick. Someone is definitely upset with me lately, getting a lot of random -1 troll mods coming in.

Re:

[Rick Schumann]

It's the neo-conservative CHUDs upset that their anti-hero lost, and then the attempted coup failing. To be fair some of them are just garden-variety trolls doing what trolls do. But you, I, and others tend to be lightning rods for them because we're not bullied into being silent about many important things. Basically, if you're pissing off the CHUDs and the trolls, in this case that means you're doing something right. :-)

How do the Russians blame...

[AlexHilbertRyan]

for this software. hack ?

Re:

[ghoul]

They found out the hack is coming from a Florida condo. Another condo is about to have a mysterious collapse which by coincidence looks just like a airstrike.

Re: How do the Russians blame...

[Anonymouse Cowtard]

^--- this guy does his own research

Re:

[ghoul]

Can you provide a youtube video link of the Russians hacking Solarwinds?

Re:

[AlexHilbertRyan]

i dont need too, im not making the claim.

Re:

[sconeu]

They hired Boeing. Either the 737MAX team or the Starliner team.

Re:

[Malifescent]

And Boeing outsourced the software to the cheapest ISV in India. Go figure.

pariah

[guygo]

So now we have uncontrolled movement of a massive object in space. And they want to dock with something???
I wouldn't let that death trap within 10 km of the ISS.

Re:

[pi_rules]

It is under control and responding to commands.

Re: pariah

[guygo]

Thats why it just fired its thrusters AFTER docking. Totally in control. Yeah, right. And Stalin was Santa Claus.
Cut the death trap loose before it destroys the entire station!

Re:

[iggymanz]

What funny thing you post, when USA just lets massive things fall on inhabited land while Russia does controlled de-orbits. Russia is in control of this big thing, USA might learn a thing or too...

Re: pariah

[guygo]

Roscosmos is a joke, and a dangerous one at that. The death trap "Science" fired its thrusters on its own after docking. It has ZERO reliability and WILL kill someone. Cut it loose and push it away; burning up in the atmosphere is the best thing that could happen to it.

While you were away...

[suss]

Tried to deliver "robotic arms", yes?

Will try again in few years.

Love,
Russian Space Delivery Service.

Whew

[spaceman375]

Private, commercial space launch and delivery systems have arrived in the nick of time. The US retired the shuttles because they were too old to be worth the trouble of maintainung and launching. The Russians are running their old Soyuz because they were the only game in town, so they could charge high prices and gain diplomatic concessions.

Thank God we have Elon! (/troll)

It's a space race, sort of

[Neruo]

Russia's long term plan is to continue what they are doing. Investing in the war machine like it's 1960s and increasing building up the virtual wall around themselves and the rest of the world. The want land, old ways and control. Russia is a relic, a living text book example of progress or die.US and China don't even see Russia as a threat anymore, and never will. No one wants to fight anymore, let along in the world war like fashion. It's been done. So all you have left is Russia, The Middle East and N. K

Re:

[iggymanz]

You're hilarious, USA is the same.