Re: ISS Service Module Thruster Test Fails -- first story on line

John Doe wrote:

With ATV , Progress and Shuttle, loss of those engines isn't a big deal.
But consider the time when the station's funding is cut, and the
station is left unmanned up there without a Progress. The engines and
thrusters are critical to keeping teh station in altitude and attitude
that would allow Progress/Soyuz to dock to either re-activate the
station or dock to it for a last de-orbit burn.

Atttude thrusters are used regularly tro desaturate the CMGs. So their
failure is more critical, but also noticed faster.

If you lose attitude thrusters, you're in trouble. You can't dock to a station that has lost attitude control. If it was critical (i.e. to prevent an uncontrolled reentry), a "cowboy solutions" might be possible, but even an uncontrolled reentry may be a better option.

Consider a situation where the Progress's engines have failed and
Progress cannot undock. The stations's main engines are the only source
of reboosts until they can fix the rpoblem and undock the old progress.

Assuming there is some level of attitude control[1], you could use an APAS-equipped ship (shuttle, CEV, modified Soyuz or Progress) to dock to the other end and perform a reboost. You'd be looking at at most a year to do this, and the station isn't going to reenter in that time. Such a rescue craft could also carry equipment to remove the damaged Progress.


[1] You talk about doing reboosts, and you need attitude control to do a reboost.

--Chris
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Relevant Pages

  • International Space Station Status Report - October 26, 2006
    ... INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: ... unpiloted Russian cargo spacecraft docked to the aft port of the ... the ISS Progress 23 automatically docked to ... Following the initial docking, the final latching of the Progress ...
    (sci.space.news)
  • International Space Station Status Report - October 23, 2006
    ... INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: ... A shipment of supplies began its journey to the International Space ... It will be the 23rd Progress to visit the station. ...
    (sci.space.news)
  • INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: SS06-021
    ... INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: ... The 13th crew of the International Space Station this week began ... The ISS Progress 21 cargo spacecraft, ... Early in the week, Williams replaced a Remote Power Control Module, a ...
    (sci.space.station)
  • INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: SS06-030
    ... INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: ... Filled with 2.5 tons of food, fuel and supplies for the station's ... the ISS Progress 22 automatically docked at 12:25 ...
    (sci.space.station)
  • Re: OptiPlex 210L as a DVR
    ... recorded shows (or games in progress) from the porch or anywhere else. ... I may even run coax down to the dock and install an Access Point on ... Ever try those cheap UHF transmitters? ...
    (alt.sys.pc-clone.dell)