CNN/AP: Cargo ship has problems docking with space station

[DeepModem Mom]

Cargo ship has problems docking with space station
October 26, 2006

MOSCOW, Russia (AP) -- The international space station's three-man crew faces no danger after a mechanical problem prevented a Russian cargo ship from being fully moored in at the international space station Thursday, the Mission Control said.

"The problem poses no danger to the station's crew," Mission Control spokesman Valery Lyndin told The Associated Press.

A faulty antenna apparently prevented the Progress M-58 cargo ship from hooking up quickly to the station, after a smooth docking at 6:28 p.m. Moscow time (1428 GMT), he said.

The station's current crew members -- Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyrin, U.S. astronaut Michal Lopez-Alegria and German Thomas Reiter -- were in no danger, as the ship was attached securely to the station. The crew cannot unload the ship, however, because of the problem, Lyndin said.

Lyndin said that, while the ship successfully docked at the station on autopilot, trouble appeared later when the docking mechanisms failed to firmly attach the ship to the station -- the process essential before pressurizing the connection to let the crew get access to supplies....

Russian Space Agency spokesman Igor Panarin said the station's crew has enough supplies for a safe stay in orbit, even if the problem could not be fixed quickly. "The station's crew has sufficient reserves of oxygen, food and water in any case," Panarin told the AP....

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/10/26/russia.docking.ap/index.html

[Poll_Blind]

1. This reminds me of a Minsk joke....

Translated from Russian to Yiddish to English THEN changed topically.

  Scientists on Earth were trying to figure out why a cargo ship was having problems docking with the International Space Station. At first, they couldn't line the cargo ship and the station up: Every time they used moved the station-dock right, the cargo ship's thrusters jets would move it left. When they tried moving the station-dock up, the cargo ship's thrusters jets would move it down. Finally, they managed to get a hold on the cargo ship but they still couldn't get the mechanism to work so they could get inside. They tried everything and consulted their own scientists to no avail.

  Because no-one could figure out the situation they decided to call on an older, retired member of the space program to help. Whisps of gray hair bobbed as he walked into the room and they circled around.

  "Sir, " one of the younger scientists began "we have a problem. For the longest time we were trying to dock with the cargo craft but every time we'd try to, it would move away: When we moved the station-dock to the right the cargo ship's onboard computers would move it to the left. When we moved the station-dock up, the cargo ship's onboard computers would fire its thrusters and move it down!"

  "And now that you've gotten ahold of it, I'll bet it still won't let you in!" the old scientist said, stroking a silver beard. They nodded, stunned that he would be able to predict this, latest, problem.

  The elder scientist said simply "This cargo ship was designed and built in Minsk. That's your problem." The young scientists became quiet. Design and construction of the craft was a state secret. However, one of the young scientists talked to the zampolit (the political officer) who made a phone call and nodded that it was true.

  "How do you know this?", asked one of the young scientists.

  The elder scientist replied sadly "My wife is from Minsk."

"The Cow from Minsk", one of my current favorite jokes. They'll be telling that joke (in some form) 500 years from now, in deep space- hopefully better than I have. :P

PB

[YDogg]

4. LOL

:-)

[Eugene]

2. AP: Problem with ISS cargo ship fixed

Problem with ISS cargo ship fixed
POSTED: 2:47 p.m. EDT, October 26, 2006

MOSCOW, Russia (AP) -- Russian Mission Control experts on Thursday succeeded
in latching a cargo ship securely onto the international space station, after
an initial failure to complete the docking, an official said.

"The repeat attempt to hook up the ship with the station has been a success,"
Mission Control spokesman Valery Lyndin told The Associated Press.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/10/26/russia.docking.ap/index.html

[DeepModem Mom]

3. Good news! Thanks, Eugene. nt