Soyuz reentry problem under investigation
Posted: Wed, Apr 23, 2008, 7:55 AM ET (1155 GMT)
Russian and NASA officials are investigating Saturday's Soyuz reentry, which experienced problems more serious than initially thought when the spacecraft's propulsion module apparently did not separate cleanly. The Soyuz TMA-11 landed in Kazakhstan early Saturday nearly 500 kilometers off-target because it experienced a ballistic reentry than subjected the three-person crew to high g-forces. NASA officials said Tuesday that there is evidence that the spacecraft's propulsion module did not completely separate prior to reentry, as the crew reported unusual jarring and shaking during the initial part of the reentry. Investigators are also looking into the loss of communications during reentry as well as reports of smoke in the cabin during reentry. NASA officials, who didn't consider the reentry a "major problem", said it will take at least a month, and perhaps up to three months, to understand what happened during the reentry.
Russian and NASA officials are investigating Saturday's Soyuz reentry, which experienced problems more serious than initially thought when the spacecraft's propulsion module apparently did not separate cleanly. The Soyuz TMA-11 landed in Kazakhstan early Saturday nearly 500 kilometers off-target because it experienced a ballistic reentry than subjected the three-person crew to high g-forces. NASA officials said Tuesday that there is evidence that the spacecraft's propulsion module did not completely separate prior to reentry, as the crew reported unusual jarring and shaking during the initial part of the reentry. Investigators are also looking into the loss of communications during reentry as well as reports of smoke in the cabin during reentry. NASA officials, who didn't consider the reentry a "major problem", said it will take at least a month, and perhaps up to three months, to understand what happened during the reentry.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Sunday, March 21
Cosmic telephoto lens shows intense, early star formation
Science News — 7:06 pm ET (2306 GMT) APEX Snaps First Close-up of Star Factories in Distant Universe
ESO — 7:05 pm ET (2305 GMT) Astronomers Get Sharpest View Ever of Star Factories in Distant Universe
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics — 7:04 pm ET (2304 GMT) Military sites could help launch SA into space
The Times (South Africa) — 9:42 am ET (1342 GMT) New Mexico residents have yet to book spaceflights
Las Cruces (NM) Sun-News — 9:42 am ET (1342 GMT) |