Oops, they did it again – rogue Soyuz spurt gave ISS an attitude problem

The International Space Station has again had to compensate for unexpected thrusting by a Russian spacecraft. Readers may remember that Russia's Nauka module unexpectedly fired its thrusters upon arrival at the ISS in July 2021. The space station tilted 45 degrees and required restorative action to resume its intended …

[John Doe 12]

Re: Previous Incident

"Readers may remember that Russia's Nauka module unexpectedly fired its thrusters upon arrival at the ISS in July 2021.

The space station tilted 45 degrees and required restorative action to resume its intended orbit."

Didn't it turn out to be more like 540 degrees once the dust settled?

[pavel.petrman]

Re: Previous Incident

It's not 45 degrees, it's 60,000? (Mine is the white one with a dosimeter.)

[EricB123]

Re: Previous Incident

The f-ups alone could make an engrossing movie.

[Gene Cash]

So what would have happened if the thrusters used up all the fuel, if they had a Boeing-style stuck valve? I know Progress can transfer fuel, but I don't think the manned Soyuz have the plumbing.

[42656e4d203239]

IIRC Soyuz "return to earth" trips don't actually need that much fuel other than for the initial departure from the ISS - it gets a trifle bumpy for the meat sacks, but is entirely survivable; the capsule is designed "self right" on re-entry and, as long as the parachutes work, the crew get away alive...

This has been tested...I can't remember which one it was, but there was a fairly recent return to sender that came in a bit hot because (many)things didn't work as expected on the way back.

[Doctor Syntax]

Yes, but they do need that much fuel. If a thruster doesn't turn itself off in time there might not be any left at all. OTOH if, after initial departure the thruster continues to burn there are all sorts of extra problems there, such as landing a few thousand miles from the ground crew.

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

> landing a few thousand miles from the ground crew.

Ground crew? This is Russia

You get to hitchhike to the nearest town and then get a bus.

The early Soyuz capsules had messages on the outside in the languages of the various -stans, saying "These are Soviet heroes, please help them".

[Mark 85]

The early Soyuz capsules had messages on the outside in the languages of the various -stans, saying "These are Soviet heroes, please help them".

And the cosmonauts had guns for dealing with locals who might be hostile.

[Yet Another Anonymous coward]

>cosmonauts had guns for dealing with locals who might be hostile.

Presumably why American Apollo missions landed in the safety of the ocean

[Spherical Cow]

>cosmonauts had guns for dealing with locals who might be hostile.

>>Presumably why American Apollo missions landed in the safety of the ocean

And why the astronauts had mirrors for dealing with local sharks who might be equipped with frikkin "lasers".

[Inventor of the Marmite Laser]

So is Boeing building stuff for the Ruskis?

[Sgt_Oddball]

Nah..

The Ruskis forgot to apply the obligatory percussive maintenance at the correct time.

[Kane]

unexpected thrusting

Hur hur!

[Robert Carnegie]

Re: unexpected thrusting

Just what kind of movie is this...

[Clunking Fist]

Putin did it deliberate like

I think Putin is sick of hearing that he has been stealing the elections, hacking the DNC, peeing on Trump and invading Congress on 6th January?

[bombastic bob]

* Tilt *

obligatory pinball reference