Russia's Pirs ISS module scheduled to fall away, much like Moscow's interest in the space station
(2021/07/26)
- Reference: 1627286051
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/07/26/pirs_nauka_update/
- Source link:
Russia's space agency spent the weekend trying to get one module to the International Space Station and deciding to ditch another.
The module Moscow wants is Nauka, which launched last week after decades of delays caused by problems with its propulsion systems, tank contamination, and component expiration.
Nauka quickly found more [1]trouble as its propulsion systems and docking sensors proved problematic.
[2]
Roscosmos Mission Control Center made two course corrections [3]Friday and another two on [4]Saturday in hopes they get the module to the ISS. Assuming all went to plan, further burns will take place on 27 July.
[5]
[6]
Regardless, Nauka seems to be on its way. It was even spotted by a space photographer from his backyard.
Alerted by [7]@spacestationguy to this pass. This is the newly launched Nauka module heading for the ISS as it passed over St.Albans just after 10pm. 222mm hand tracked Dobsonian with 642nm filter, ASI174MM camera [8]pic.twitter.com/h1uuch9S4C — Martin Lewis (@SkyInspector) [9]July 21, 2021
[10]NASA signs $1bn deal with Northrop Grumman to build studio apartment in lunar orbit with room for 3 vehicles
[11]USA's efforts to stop relying on Russian-built rocket engines derailed by issues with Blue Origin's BE-4
[12]Fancy the ultimate no-Air-outside-bnb? NASA willing to rent out ISS for two weeks
[13]Space junk damages International Space Station's robot arm
The module Moscow doesn't want is Pirs, which was bolted to the ISS in 2001 but has become a tad decrepit since.
In a [14]canned statement , Roscosmos said the decision to delay the Pirs module decommissioning was based on "telemetry data and the need to build optimal orbit conditions". Barring any other changes, the physical separation should take place on Monday 26 July with some parts of the structure falling into the Pacific Ocean at 14:51pm UTC.
The cosmonauts onboard the ISS closed the Pirs module's transfer hatches and checked the pressure intensity over the weekend in preparation. The module is docked to the Earth-side port of the ISS, waiting to be the first permanent ISS module to be decommissioned and mostly burn up on re-entry.
[15]
The problems with Nauka echoe Russia's waning commitment to current international space collaborations. In March, Russia and China [16]signed a vague agreement to share knowledge and tools for construction of their own International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) on the Moon's south pole.
In April, Roscosmos [17]said it wanted to launch its own orbiting science lab by 2030 after entering talks with NASA to pull out of the ISS as early as 2025. The date is entirely plausible as the Kremlin's agreement to be involved with the ISS expires in 2024.
In June, Russia's space chief [18]threatened to withdraw from the ISS if the US did not lift sanctions. Withdrawal would end 45 years of Russian/US space collaboration.
[19]Russia's ISS Multipurpose Laboratory Module launches after years sitting on a shelf, immediately runs into issues
[20]Mars race: China dreams of nuclear rockets, manned bases, and space elevators
[21]Your spacesuit ran into a problem and needs to restart
[22]Fancy the ultimate no-Air-outside-bnb? NASA willing to rent out ISS for two weeks
The station is even divided into two sections: one Russian, one American. The situation seems to be headed for what some may consider a very disappointing divorce, leaving us wondering what lingering obligations the parties might have to their joint project. Not to mention what is to become of the partnership should Nauka not complete its journey.
Jack Wright Nelson, a space law researcher from the National University of Singapore Faculty of Law, told The Register :
Before Nauka launched, questions were being asked about the durability of Russia's commitment to the ISS. Launching the module placated many. But if it fails to dock, those questions will just come straight back.
As for Russia's legal obligations to the ISS, Nelson explained that there aren't many. The key document is a 1998 treaty between ISS partners, supplemented by various memoranda of understanding and implementing arrangements.
"This system provides that each partner retains ownership and control of their modules, but also divides up utilization rights based on their contributions to the ISS," said Nelson. He added that contributions can be financial, hardware, or services like launch and resupply – the value of which can be subjective and difficult to calculate. Furthermore, within the ISS there is a strong bartering culture, where partners trade utilisation rights and services among themselves.
[23]
Nelson concluded: "A successful docking of Nauka will give Roscosmos a valuable orbital asset and presumably greater influence and bargaining power within the complex politics of the ISS." ®
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[1] https://www.theregister.com/2021/07/22/nauka_problems/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YP6Hw69Qth@KCNlvtA8cLQAAANI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] http://en.roscosmos.ru/22242/
[4] http://en.roscosmos.ru/22243/
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[7] https://twitter.com/spacestationguy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[8] https://t.co/h1uuch9S4C
[9] https://twitter.com/SkyInspector/status/1417973668102160391?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2021/07/12/halo_nasa_deal/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/22/gao_engine/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/15/nasa_rents_international_space_station/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/01/iss_canadarm2_space_junk_collision/
[14] http://en.roscosmos.ru/22241/
[15] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YP6Hw69Qth@KCNlvtA8cLQAAANI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[16] https://www.theregister.com/2021/03/16/russia_and_china_ilrs/
[17] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/22/russia_iss_2025/
[18] https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2021/06/07/russia-threatens-to-leave-international-space-station-program.html
[19] https://www.theregister.com/2021/07/22/nauka_problems/
[20] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/25/china_mars_plans/
[21] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/17/spacesuit_reboot/
[22] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/15/nasa_rents_international_space_station/
[23] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YP6Hw69Qth@KCNlvtA8cLQAAANI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[24] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
The module Moscow wants is Nauka, which launched last week after decades of delays caused by problems with its propulsion systems, tank contamination, and component expiration.
Nauka quickly found more [1]trouble as its propulsion systems and docking sensors proved problematic.
[2]
Roscosmos Mission Control Center made two course corrections [3]Friday and another two on [4]Saturday in hopes they get the module to the ISS. Assuming all went to plan, further burns will take place on 27 July.
[5]
[6]
Regardless, Nauka seems to be on its way. It was even spotted by a space photographer from his backyard.
Alerted by [7]@spacestationguy to this pass. This is the newly launched Nauka module heading for the ISS as it passed over St.Albans just after 10pm. 222mm hand tracked Dobsonian with 642nm filter, ASI174MM camera [8]pic.twitter.com/h1uuch9S4C — Martin Lewis (@SkyInspector) [9]July 21, 2021
[10]NASA signs $1bn deal with Northrop Grumman to build studio apartment in lunar orbit with room for 3 vehicles
[11]USA's efforts to stop relying on Russian-built rocket engines derailed by issues with Blue Origin's BE-4
[12]Fancy the ultimate no-Air-outside-bnb? NASA willing to rent out ISS for two weeks
[13]Space junk damages International Space Station's robot arm
The module Moscow doesn't want is Pirs, which was bolted to the ISS in 2001 but has become a tad decrepit since.
In a [14]canned statement , Roscosmos said the decision to delay the Pirs module decommissioning was based on "telemetry data and the need to build optimal orbit conditions". Barring any other changes, the physical separation should take place on Monday 26 July with some parts of the structure falling into the Pacific Ocean at 14:51pm UTC.
The cosmonauts onboard the ISS closed the Pirs module's transfer hatches and checked the pressure intensity over the weekend in preparation. The module is docked to the Earth-side port of the ISS, waiting to be the first permanent ISS module to be decommissioned and mostly burn up on re-entry.
[15]
The problems with Nauka echoe Russia's waning commitment to current international space collaborations. In March, Russia and China [16]signed a vague agreement to share knowledge and tools for construction of their own International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) on the Moon's south pole.
In April, Roscosmos [17]said it wanted to launch its own orbiting science lab by 2030 after entering talks with NASA to pull out of the ISS as early as 2025. The date is entirely plausible as the Kremlin's agreement to be involved with the ISS expires in 2024.
In June, Russia's space chief [18]threatened to withdraw from the ISS if the US did not lift sanctions. Withdrawal would end 45 years of Russian/US space collaboration.
[19]Russia's ISS Multipurpose Laboratory Module launches after years sitting on a shelf, immediately runs into issues
[20]Mars race: China dreams of nuclear rockets, manned bases, and space elevators
[21]Your spacesuit ran into a problem and needs to restart
[22]Fancy the ultimate no-Air-outside-bnb? NASA willing to rent out ISS for two weeks
The station is even divided into two sections: one Russian, one American. The situation seems to be headed for what some may consider a very disappointing divorce, leaving us wondering what lingering obligations the parties might have to their joint project. Not to mention what is to become of the partnership should Nauka not complete its journey.
Jack Wright Nelson, a space law researcher from the National University of Singapore Faculty of Law, told The Register :
Before Nauka launched, questions were being asked about the durability of Russia's commitment to the ISS. Launching the module placated many. But if it fails to dock, those questions will just come straight back.
As for Russia's legal obligations to the ISS, Nelson explained that there aren't many. The key document is a 1998 treaty between ISS partners, supplemented by various memoranda of understanding and implementing arrangements.
"This system provides that each partner retains ownership and control of their modules, but also divides up utilization rights based on their contributions to the ISS," said Nelson. He added that contributions can be financial, hardware, or services like launch and resupply – the value of which can be subjective and difficult to calculate. Furthermore, within the ISS there is a strong bartering culture, where partners trade utilisation rights and services among themselves.
[23]
Nelson concluded: "A successful docking of Nauka will give Roscosmos a valuable orbital asset and presumably greater influence and bargaining power within the complex politics of the ISS." ®
Get our [24]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2021/07/22/nauka_problems/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YP6Hw69Qth@KCNlvtA8cLQAAANI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] http://en.roscosmos.ru/22242/
[4] http://en.roscosmos.ru/22243/
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[7] https://twitter.com/spacestationguy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[8] https://t.co/h1uuch9S4C
[9] https://twitter.com/SkyInspector/status/1417973668102160391?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
[10] https://www.theregister.com/2021/07/12/halo_nasa_deal/
[11] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/22/gao_engine/
[12] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/15/nasa_rents_international_space_station/
[13] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/01/iss_canadarm2_space_junk_collision/
[14] http://en.roscosmos.ru/22241/
[15] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YP6Hw69Qth@KCNlvtA8cLQAAANI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[16] https://www.theregister.com/2021/03/16/russia_and_china_ilrs/
[17] https://www.theregister.com/2021/04/22/russia_iss_2025/
[18] https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2021/06/07/russia-threatens-to-leave-international-space-station-program.html
[19] https://www.theregister.com/2021/07/22/nauka_problems/
[20] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/25/china_mars_plans/
[21] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/17/spacesuit_reboot/
[22] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/15/nasa_rents_international_space_station/
[23] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YP6Hw69Qth@KCNlvtA8cLQAAANI&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[24] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: With a whimper, not a bang
elsergiovolador
Probably the reality is slowly sinking in for some, that the US has lost the leadership.
China has masterfully exploited the greed of Western corporations by providing them with cheap labour and factories, while at the same time learning all the technology and R&D that the US put decades of effort to.
The US essentially gave themselves up on a platinum platter for some short term gains.
The handful of people who make billions out of this, essentially rear ended the whole nation and now can retire on some tropical island or in space, whereas the west will soon have to accept hammer and sickle into their homes.
Maybe it's time
Greybearded old scrote
Given the [1]recent pressure [2]leaks, it could be argued that ISS is reaching the end of its service life. Sad but, "Only the rivers run forever." I wouldn't want to be living in an orbital [3]de Havilland Comet.
The decision makers have shown their usual level of foresight over the next step, haven't they?
[1] https://www.theregister.com/2021/03/15/iss_zvezda_leaks/
[2] https://www.theregister.com/2021/01/23/oh_dear_there_may_be/
[3] http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/19/newsid_3112000/3112466.stm
With a whimper, not a bang
After the decades of positivity and science that the ISS has brought humanity, what is happening today is already a tragedy. It's not just a matter of Russian commitment fading either. The US has set a course for a future where in a few years from now the ISS will be de-orbited, or maybe sold to some commercial developer. The ISS is a dead space station orbiting.
What does the future of LEO space stations look like? A Chinese station is in orbit today, and the Chinese government will happily allow other nations to share in the experience from the sounds of it. Can't blame the Russians for eyeing moving their meager resources away from the condemned ISS to the Chinese station. ESA astronauts are also likely to visit this station before long.
So that's it, then? ISS is already fading away amidst squabbling and budgetary deadlines, and in a few years the ISS and the dream of a US-led future in space will be a distant memory.
At least NASA will have a couple of SLS rockets with as much practical use as the Soviet N1, I guess.