Progress in trouble

[Kryten]

The Progress-M27-M cargo craft was launched to the ISS earlier today, and, while exact details are unclear, it seems to be experiencing major issues in orbit and likely won't be able to rendezvous or dock. From what information we do have, the spacecraft is in an uncontrolled spin, uplink of commands and receipt of telemetry are erratic, and the antennae for the Kurs docking system hasn't deployed. On the last pass over the russian ground systems before this post, no telemetry was received at all.

Some video retrieved from the Progress earlier, showing rapid spin;

[SubzeroSpartan7]

Well. I don't think that this is recoverable. That's a seriously fast spin. I wonder what could have caused it to lose control like that. It just seem to get worse.

[Sigma88]

reminds me of certain "technical difficulties" I had with RemoteTech flight computer

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also, the computer OS seems broken. displaying random symbols instead of words

N O T - S E R I O U S.

Edited April 28, 2015 by Sigma88

[Scotius]

What's the payload?

[Kryten]

What's the payload?

Full list here. Doesn't seem to include anything important.

Oribt is a nominal Progress insertion orbit, lifespan could be anything from 3 days to 2 weeks depending on atmospheric conditions. No passes over ground control stations for further attempts to regain control until 'late afternoon' US time, i.e. in about 10 hours.

[Enterprise0709]

All i can think after seeing this:

[StuntMax]

Did they upgrade to 1.0 in Baikonur?

[PakledHostage]

also, the computer OS seems broken. displaying random symbols instead of words

Lemme guess? In the immortal words of Miriam Ferguson "If English is good enough for Jesus Christ, its good enough for you"?

N O T - S E R I O U S

[Jeez]

Shame really. Would be nice if in reality SAS was as powerful at in KSP.

[Kerbart]

This is what happens when you don't press F5 before launching. Otherwise they could have F9'd and try again!

[vger]

That's a seriously fast spin. I wonder what could have caused it to lose control like that. It just seem to get worse.

Maybe someone blew the airlock?

[NovaSilisko]

N O T - S E R I O U S.

You're a jerk, sir, and made me mad until I tried to quote you.

[WinkAllKerb'']

it's not exactly the same white anyway nova ; )

[Frida Space]

Mission Control Moscow reports a 193.8 by 278.6 km orbit, USSTRATCOM latest data says 120 by 316 km. Targeted orbit was 193 by 238 km. A lot of confusion!

To sum things up for those who haven't followed the story: third stage of new Soyuz rocket (2nd launch for a Progress) delivers Progress into orbit 8:48 minutes after launch, apparently with an overshot apogee. Progress telemetry immediately becomes sporadic, the few signals show that the 2 solar panels deployed correctly, 2-3 Kurs antennas didn't and propulsion system is still safed (not pressurized). Progress can only communicate with the ground when flying over Russian territory. At 4th pass, video data (which is transmitted separately from telemetry, hence why telemetry doesn't work but video does) shows Progress is flipping all over the place at 60 degrees per second.

[jara_]

Is there a decent chance of regaining control?

[Kryten]

The USSTRATCOM data is definitely erroneous. It would already have re-entered with a perigee that low.

[Frida Space]

The USSTRATCOM data is definitely erroneous. It would already have re-entered with a perigee that low.

That's exactly what I thought. It has already completed five (or six?) passes, can't be as low as 120 km.

[GeneCash]

reminds me of certain "technical difficulties" I had with RemoteTech flight computer

also, the computer OS seems broken. displaying random symbols instead of words

Ha! The even funnier part is that on the last Progress docking video, I found a Cyrillic input keyboard, typed stuff from the display, and pasted it into Google Translate.

I was doing good with things translating to "course", "filter", "slew", and... er... "condiments"

I guess the Russians are experienced enough to keep enough snacks on hand!

[Frida Space]

However, other sources are saying reporting similar data to USSTRATCOM:

"Space-Track tracking two objects in 126 x 251 km x 51.6 deg and 123 x 302 km x 51.7 deg, compared to circa 185 km planned perigee" (source)

Here is a list of the full cargo onboard the Progress spacecraft.

[Kryten]

Space-Track simply reports USSTRATCOM data.

[RuBisCO]

My response to the video: weeeeeee!

[Albert VDS]

At least it wasn't already on course to rendezvous with the ISS or in other word: on a collision course.

[zarakon]

At least it wasn't already on course to rendezvous with the ISS or in other word: on a collision course.

I imagine the rendezvous is broken into several steps in order to avoid that

[Kibble]

I imagine the rendezvous is broken into several steps in order to avoid that

I believe Progress uses a standard nadir R-Bar approach - without consistent prograde corrective maneuvers, it will naturally drift away.

[Fel]

also, the computer OS seems broken. displaying random symbols instead of words

Then put your hidden text as visible if you're "not serious." Yes, it's russian, yes they're using mathematical notation at points.

http://mathinsight.org/spherical_coordinates

Edited April 28, 2015 by Fel