Live Launch: Soyuz -> ISS

[Kerbin Dallas Multipass]

Live coverage will begin in ~15 min

Launch in ~1h 15 min

Live Stream: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#.UzHeHfldW58

Thread about Preparation: http://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/threads/73483-Preparing-the-Soyuz-for-launch

____________

Info by NASA:

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Steve Swanson of NASA and Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev of the Russian Federal Space Agency are preparing for their launch to the International Space Station. Their journey to the station will begin with a 5:17 p.m. EDT liftoff. NASA TV will broadcast launch coverage live at http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv beginning at 4:15 p.m.

Below is the crew's launch timeline, from wakeup to docking.

Tuesday, March 25

EDT Event

8:47 a.m. Crew wakeup at Cosmonaut Hotel

9:17 p.m. Final countdown begins; Soyuz systems checks (L-8 hrs)

11:17 a.m. Crew departs Cosmonaut Hotel

11:32 a.m. Batteries installed in booster

12:02 p.m. Crew arrives at Site 254

12:17 p.m. Tanking begins

12:47 p.m. Crew suit up

1:12 p.m. Booster loaded with liquid Oxygen

1:47 p.m. Crew meets family members on other side of the glass

2:12 p.m. First and second stage Oxygen fueling complete

2:17 p.m. Crew walkout and readiness report to the State Commission

2:22 p.m. Crew departs for launch pad (Site 1)

2:42 p.m. Crew arrives at launch pad

2:52 p.m. Crew boards Soyuz; strapped in to the Descent module

3:42 p.m. Descent module hardware tested

3:57 p.m. Hatch closed; leak checks begin

4:15 p.m. NASA TV: LAUNCH COVERAGE BEGINS

4:17 p.m. Launch vehicle control system prep; gyro activation

4:32 p.m. Pad service structure components lowered

4:33 p.m. Clamshell gantry service towers retracted

4:40 p.m. Suit leak checks begin; descent module testing complete

4:43 p.m. Emergency escape system armed

5:02 p.m. Suit leak checks complete; escape system to auto

5:07 p.m. Gyros in flight readiness and recorders activated

5:10 p.m. Pre-launch operations complete

5:11 p.m. Launch countdown operations to auto; vehicle ready

5:12 p.m. Commander’s controls activated

5:13 p.m. Combustion chamber nitrogen purge

5:14:23 p.m. Propellant drainback

5:14:38 p.m. Booster propellant tank pressurization

5:15 p.m. Ground propellant feed terminated

5:16:23 p.m. Vehicle to internal power;

5:16:48 p.m. First umbilical tower separates

Auto sequence start

5:16:53 p.m. Ground umbilical to third stage disconnected

5:17:08 p.m. Second umbilical tower separates

5:17:11 p.m. Launch command issued

Engine Start Sequence Begins

5:17:13 p.m. Engine turbopumps at flight speed

5:17:18 p.m. Engines at maximum thrust

5:17:23 p.m. LAUNCH OF SOYUZ TMA-12M TO THE ISS

5:26 p.m. Third Stage Shutdown / Orbital Insertion

8:54 p.m. Automated Rendezvous start

8:55 p.m. Space Station maneuvers to docking attitude

9:26 p.m. Soyuz Kurs-A activation

9:28 p.m. SM Kurs-P activation

10:30 p.m. NASA TV: DOCKING COVERAGE BEGINS

10:39 p.m. Flyaround mode start

10:49 p.m. Stationkeeping start

10:53 p.m. Final Approach start

11:05 p.m. DOCKING OF SOYUZ TMA-12M TO THE ISS

11:17 p.m. Soyuz & station hooks closed

Wednesday, March 26

EDT Event

12:15 a.m. NASA TV: HATCH OPENING COVERAGE BEGINS

12:45 a.m. Hatches between Soyuz and station open

To learn more about Expedition 39, visit: http://go.nasa.gov/OF6aUI.

To follow Twitter updates from NASA's Expedition 39 astronauts, visit:

http://twitter.com/AstroRM

http://twitter.com/Astro_Wakata

Swanson will be chronicling his time aboard the space station using Instagram. To follow and see images of him and his crewmates living and working in space, vist:

http://instagram.com/iss

To join the online conversation about the International Space Station and Expedition 39 on Twitter, follow the hashtags #ISS, #Exp39 and #Soyuz. To learn more about all the ways to connect and collaborate with NASA, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/connect.

[Moon Goddess]

I wasn't aware that Soyuz rendezvoused so quickly I thought they took a day or so of orbits first, I mean yes I know that 3:30 hours is serveral orbits I just remember older trips to the ISS took longer.

[CaptainKipard]

Watching

[Kerbin Dallas Multipass]

I wasn't aware that Soyuz rendezvoused so quickly I thought they took a day or so of orbits first, I mean yes I know that 3:30 hours is serveral orbits I just remember older trips to the ISS took longer.

Yea thats relatively new. Before last year it took 2 days

[magnemoe]

Yea thats relatively new. Before last year it took 2 days

Think the reason for staying a day before docking with IIS is because it take almost an day from the crew wake up to they dock anyway and its a pretty stressful day so they used to sleep in the Soyuz before docking.

Its just an timing so its easy to change

[hugix]

This is the 5th manned flight with a short launch->docking period.

[Kerbin Dallas Multipass]

Think the reason for staying a day before docking with IIS is because it take almost an day from the crew wake up to they dock anyway and its a pretty stressful day so they used to sleep in the Soyuz before docking.

Its just an timing so its easy to change

Are you saying they regarded it as favourable for three cosomonauts to spend 2 whole days locked in 3x3m tin can because they were tired from putting on their suits and the 8 minute trip to space?

[hugix]

When they are in orbit they have to complete a huge checklist and have to check, double, and triple check a lot of data. Real life space exploration isn't like KSP. Every part that you put on the spacecraft can break and will have to be checked in orbit.

Pay attention after they are in orbit. The first thing they do is start checking things on the checklists.

[hugix]

Quack the Duck

[Kerbin Dallas Multipass]

T minus 4 mins

[Agamemnon]

basically...

it is not so simple...

this shortened randezvous profile needs better (more precise) orbital insertion from the launcher and usually needs an iss maneuver to better align the orbit before the launch... the launch time/date needs to be more precise to correctly align the phase angles... etc

and btw -

during the two day profile the cosmo/astronauts can use the orbital part of the soyuz - provides additional space, some sleeping space, wc, etc...

[hugix]

60 secs! Soyuz internal.

[CaptainKipard]

Liftoff!!!!!

[hugix]

I really want to see this in person some time! That looks magnificent

.

[goldenpeach]

Oh my god!

Just in time to see the end of the launch!

And I didn't even knew there was a launch today!

[Kerbin Dallas Multipass]

Hang in there, Quack!

[CaptainKipard]

Looks really cramped in there. Good thing the trip is only a few hours.

[Agamemnon]

I really want to see this in person some time! That looks magnificent.

there is one company (or two maybe, not really sure now) which takes tourists to these launches from baikonur

[Agamemnon]

Looks really cramped in there. Good thing the trip is only a few hours.

there is another section in soyuz - called orbital section - where they can go after soyuz is in orbit

[hugix]

Quack!

[goldenpeach]

There is a company that offer trip in "0 g".

They take you in a plane, go high, then dive: it's like being in a 0 g environment; it look quite fun, if I have enough money one day, I will try that!

PS:if you want the link for the company(where you can make reservation(lucky you)) : https://www.gozerog.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=NASA_Research.welcome

[Agamemnon]

they are successfully in orbit... solar arrays and antenas deployed as planned

[CaptainKipard]

He just said they're already orbiting. So they don't coast to apoapsis?

[Agamemnon]

He just said they're already orbiting. So they don't coast to apoapsis?

real launchers do not coast.. they launch in one go and the engines shutdown occur in apoapsis usually...

there is one exception - antares - and that is caused by the solid upper state

[hugix]

No it's a one burn into orbit profile.

You can do the same in KSP Bij pointing you're rocket a bit downwards where you normally would coast to the apex. when you fire your engine you push the AP down and the PE up.

The reason they do this because real life rocket engines are hard to re ignite, so they prefer a one burn does al method above designing a more complicated engine.