Discussion
In keeping with the separate threads for different types of spacecraft, I thought that it would be worthwhile starting one purely to cover Soyuz based missions, both manned and unmanned. After all, the Soyuz series and its predecessors have been a very successful series and is currently what keeps the space station project going.
Last night a brand new and upgraded version of thee Soyuz spacecraft made its maiden flight. The new version, known as Soyuz - MS replaces the previous generation Soyuz TMA family.
Video of the launch here -
Last night a brand new and upgraded version of thee Soyuz spacecraft made its maiden flight. The new version, known as Soyuz - MS replaces the previous generation Soyuz TMA family.
Video of the launch here -
The important aspect of any re-entry vehicle is the base to which the heat shield is attached. The rest of the body can be any shape as long as the sides are kept away from the high temperature plasma that surrounds the vehicle.
Apollo (and now Orion) have quite steeply sloped sides because they re-enter(ed) the earth's atmosphere at speeds substantially higher than a spacecraft re-entering from earth orbit i.e. 25,000 mph compared to 17,500. That is what dictates their shapes.
Earlier American earth orbiting capsules (Mercury and Gemini) had sides that were not as acutely tapered as Apollo or Orion.
Soyuz is more akin to Gemini in the heat loads it experiences.
Apollo (and now Orion) have quite steeply sloped sides because they re-enter(ed) the earth's atmosphere at speeds substantially higher than a spacecraft re-entering from earth orbit i.e. 25,000 mph compared to 17,500. That is what dictates their shapes.
Earlier American earth orbiting capsules (Mercury and Gemini) had sides that were not as acutely tapered as Apollo or Orion.
Soyuz is more akin to Gemini in the heat loads it experiences.
Not really now. They definitely re-invented the wheel with the Space Shuttle. However, nearly all the current launchers in use are evolutions of pre-existing technology. Don't forget the Americans also use Atlas and Delta, which have a pedigree as old are the R-7 Semyorka rocket.
The exception is of course, the Falcon family - but even their rocket motor technology is not particularly ground breaking.
The exception is of course, the Falcon family - but even their rocket motor technology is not particularly ground breaking.
That is a very good point. The Soyuz was indeed designed to withstand lunar mission re-entry speeds. In fact, a number of Zond flights which looped around the moon in 1968 (unmanned) were in fact, tests of the Soyuz lunar mission profile.
So the Soyuz re-entry module COULD survive a 25,000 mph re-entry.
Like Apollo, Zond/Soyuz was also ballasted offset so that its angle during re-entry could be altered to achieve a skip glide technique, which reduced aerodynamic loads, heat loads and g-loads on the craft during re-entry.
Some of the Zonds actually splashed down American style rather than landed on land.
As you can see from the picture, Soviet recovery forces were rather less ambitious than those employed by the US.
So the Soyuz re-entry module COULD survive a 25,000 mph re-entry.
Like Apollo, Zond/Soyuz was also ballasted offset so that its angle during re-entry could be altered to achieve a skip glide technique, which reduced aerodynamic loads, heat loads and g-loads on the craft during re-entry.
Some of the Zonds actually splashed down American style rather than landed on land.
As you can see from the picture, Soviet recovery forces were rather less ambitious than those employed by the US.
Some of the best and clearest TV images I've seen on a Soyuz docking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXmiMPmkjX4
The MS-01 craft docked with the ISS on 8 July after two days chasing.
In the past few years, the time for a Soyuz to catch up with the ISS was reduced from a few days to a few hours.
However, because this is the first flight of a new variant of Soyuz, they reverted to the slower catch up routine - presumably to give the Soyuz commander time to wring out any bugs on what was, in effect, a test flight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXmiMPmkjX4
The MS-01 craft docked with the ISS on 8 July after two days chasing.
In the past few years, the time for a Soyuz to catch up with the ISS was reduced from a few days to a few hours.
However, because this is the first flight of a new variant of Soyuz, they reverted to the slower catch up routine - presumably to give the Soyuz commander time to wring out any bugs on what was, in effect, a test flight.
The crew capsule for Voshkod 1 was on display at the Science Museum earlier in the year.
It was seriously cramped. Not only were three men squeezed in to what was effectively a one man Vostok, in order to get three in, they had to rotate the crew sideways on. This meant that the main instruments were to one side of the crew - rather than directly in front of them. It was a real lash-up job and only proceeded with so the Soviets could get three men into space before the Americans launched their first two man Gemini spacecraft.
Soyuz also has a spherical "Orbital Module" attached to the front of the craft which contains storage space and, most importantly, a small loo.
It was seriously cramped. Not only were three men squeezed in to what was effectively a one man Vostok, in order to get three in, they had to rotate the crew sideways on. This meant that the main instruments were to one side of the crew - rather than directly in front of them. It was a real lash-up job and only proceeded with so the Soviets could get three men into space before the Americans launched their first two man Gemini spacecraft.
Soyuz also has a spherical "Orbital Module" attached to the front of the craft which contains storage space and, most importantly, a small loo.
Missed the launch this morning but Soyuz MS-04 is currently station keeping with the ISS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7ndckCXXwE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7ndckCXXwE
Interesting footage from orbit of the recent Soyuz rocket launch -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySbcCOSmQI0
It actually plays better at 1/4 speed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySbcCOSmQI0
It actually plays better at 1/4 speed.
Not something we see too often - today's launch of a Progress resupply craft was scrubbed seconds before main engine ignition -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWa7EX85eng
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWa7EX85eng
The Apollo Command Module is still on display at the Science Museum. It is the craft used on Apollo 12 and the only genuine Command Module on display outside the US.
The Soyuz Descent/Re-Entry Module is much smaller. However, there is more to a Soyuz than just the Re-Entry Module. It is actually a three section spacecraft, two of these sections can be accessed during flight by the crew.
During launch and descent, the crew members are crammed into the Descent Module. Once in orbit, they can also use the Orbital Module.
The Soyuz Descent/Re-Entry Module is much smaller. However, there is more to a Soyuz than just the Re-Entry Module. It is actually a three section spacecraft, two of these sections can be accessed during flight by the crew.
During launch and descent, the crew members are crammed into the Descent Module. Once in orbit, they can also use the Orbital Module.
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