Launched to the ISS a Soyuz reduced to two man crew
The BAIKONUR COSMODROME (Kazakhstan), April 20 — RIA Novosti. The carrier rocket “Soyuz-FG” with manned spacecraft “Soyuz MS-04” and the first reduced from three to two person crew to work on the International space station (ISS) was launched from Baikonur, RIA news from the “Gagarin’s start”.
On Board the Soyuz are Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and U.S. astronaut Jack Fischer. Third place in the “Union” is a 70-pound load of food.
On the ISS a new expedition expect Oleg Novitsky (Roscosmos), Peggy Whitson (NASA) and pesquet (ESA). The flight vehicle passes through chetyrehvalkovoj scheme. Docking with the ISS is scheduled at 16.23 GMT automatic mode.
Preparation and launch of rocket “Soyuz” with comments by Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev. Artemyev said, what are the stages of the launch of the spacecraft that occurs during this time aboard, and what loads are on the crew. The live broadcast was held, the social network Vkontakte.
Previously, Roskosmos reported that from April 2017 and prior to the introduction into the Russian segment of the station for a new multipurpose laboratory module (MLM) “Nauka”, the Russian crew of the ISS will be reduced from three to two. The decision was made to increase the efficiency of the ISS Russian segment, taking into account proposals of the parent organization for manned space complexes “RSC “Energia”.
What constitutes a “Soyuz MS-04”
Transport ships of a new modification of “Progress MS” and “Soyuz MS” development and production RKK “Energy” created as a result of deep modernization of the spacecraft “Progress M” and “Soyuz TMA”.
Onboard radio command system “quantum-In” replaced by integrated command and telemetry system with additional telemetry channel. New command radio link will provide a signal via relay satellites “Luch-5”, which significantly increase the zone of radio visibility of ships — up to 70% of the duration of the round.
Ships new modification equipped with modern on-Board radio system of rendezvous and docking “Rate-AT”. Compared to an earlier version of the “Kurs-a” she has improved weight and size characteristics and eliminating part of the equipment of the ship one of the three radio antennas.
Is the analog television system “Klest” the ships will use digital TV system, which will help to maintain communication between the ship and station through lebortovo radio.
The composition of the onboard equipment of ships modifications “Soyuz MS and Progress MS” instead of the discontinued equipment also includes a new digital control module backup circuit development RSC Energia, upgraded unit sensors of angular velocities of BDUS-3A led spotlight SPOC.
Through the use of new ground and airborne radio system made possible the use of modern protocols of information transmission, resulting in improved stability of the control system of the ship.
Most of the technical solutions underlying the design of spacecraft “Soyuz MS and Progress MS” will be used when creating a manned transport vehicle of new generation which developed by RSC Energia.
LIFTOFF! @Astro2Fish and Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin leave Earth to head to @Space_Station. Watch: https://t.co/mzKW5uDsTi pic.twitter.com/EDkrKo04XZ
— NASA (@NASA) April 20, 2017