Soyuz MS-10 In-flight Failure - Updates

[Unobscured Vision]

I think it's a safe bet (no pun intended) that NASA will insist on the D2's IFA system being tested and deemed good to go sooner rather than later ...

 

And that's no insult (or meant to be) against the Soyuz platform -- if anything this incident demonstrates why those systems are so crucial. What could have been a very bad day turned into a victory of great Engineering and planning versus physics.  

[Skiver Veteran]

3 hours ago, Unobscured Vision said:

I think it's a safe bet (no pun intended) that NASA will insist on the D2's IFA system being tested and deemed good to go sooner rather than later ...

 

And that's no insult (or meant to be) against the Soyuz platform -- if anything this incident demonstrates why those systems are so crucial. What could have been a very bad day turned into a victory of great Engineering and planning versus physics.  

If I was SpaceX, I'd probably want to demand the test myself. This was a great news story but had the result gone the other way, I'm sure there would be some screaming for heads to roll.

[DocM]

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-launch-russia/new-russian-space-station-flight-planned-for-spring-space-agency-idUSKCN1MM0OK

 

The head of Russia’s space agency said on Friday that two astronauts who survived the mid-air failure of a Russian rocket would fly again and would provisionally travel to the International Space Station (ISS) in spring of next year.

 

[Unobscured Vision]

Good stuff. Wasn't their fault.  

[DocM]

 

[Jim K Global Moderator]

//split out of the ISS/MS-09 threads -- new topic formed.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

It'll buff out...

 

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Well this orbital module of Soyuz MS-10 still looks pretty good (probably OK to savage whatever equipment stowed inside) after the rocket came apart then free falling from 90 km up! Image via Russian social media and relayed to NSF forum via @space_artyom.

https://twitter.com/Cosmic_Penguin/status/1052816414812196864

 

[Jim K Global Moderator]

2 hours ago, Draggendrop said:

It'll buff out...

 

https://twitter.com/Cosmic_Penguin/status/1052816414812196864

 

...and the attention of a rubber mallet.

[Unobscured Vision]

Yup. Just needs some parts off a Lada and a coat of paint. No problem.

[Q-truth]

@DocM Where do the astronauts land in an emergency in these cases? WOW!

[Draggendrop Veteran]

There are 3 sections to the Soyuz...

 

They were in the descent module...

 

 

The abort systems worked as advertised...

 

 

in this field...

 

 

to the east in the designated landing area (a large area)...crews are always on standby for rescue...

 

 

indepth coverage here...

 

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/soyuz-ms-10.html

 

 

[DocM]

1 hour ago, Q-truth said:

@DocM Where do the astronauts land in an emergency in these cases? WOW!

 

After an abort, Astronauts and Cosmonauts riding Russia's Soyuz land on the ground, usually in Kazakhstan.  Those riding SpaceX's Crew Dragon or Boeing's Starliner will land in the Atlantic Ocean off Florida.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

Looks like the preliminary findings are pointing to a damaged sensor, caused by an "assembly ding"....preventing proper stage separation of "booster D".

 

Take with a grain of salt for now....

 

Russian space agency says names of specialists ‘who made mistake’ in Soyuz assembly ‘established’

 

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The Russian space agency Roscosmos said on Thursday that its commission has established the identity of those who were “possibly responsible for damaging one of the sensors” of the Soyuz-FG booster, which could have caused the accident on October 11, RIA Novosti reported. The report cited a source at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, who said that their managers and supervisors were also responsible because their task was “to prevent wrong actions.” Roscosmos Executive Director for Manned Flights Sergey Krikalyov said on October 12 that the collision of elements during the separation of the carrier rocket’s first and second stages was the primary cause of the Soyuz-FG booster’s abortive launch. He said there were “no final versions” yet, according to TASS.

https://www.rt.com/newsline/441651-russian-specialists-soyuz-assembly/

 

 

Rocket stage not so raised

 

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The main version of the accident "Union" - an error during assembly

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On Wednesday, the Roscosmos delegation visited the Progress Samara Rocket and Space Center (RCC), where the wreckage of the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle that crashed on October 11 was delivered. According to “Kommersant”, experts investigating the cause of the emergency, are inclined to the version with the error made during the assembly of the product in the assembly and test case of the Baikonur cosmodrome. The incident itself has already affected the astronauts' exit into space to study another state of emergency, which happened within the framework of the ISS project: the study of the hole in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft, which led to a violation of its tightness, was postponed to the beginning of December.

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An emergency will not only affect the timing of launches of Soyuz-type carrier rockets ( Kommersant reported this also on October 15 ), but will also affect the program for an astronaut on board the ISS. At least the spacewalk to inspect the opening in the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft, which was postponed from mid-November due to the Soyuz-FG missile accident, will take place no earlier than December. Then, according to Mr. Krikalev, “Kononenko will arrive (cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko. - “ Kommersant ” ) and Prokopyev will not fly away (cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev, who is now on the ISS . - “ Kommersant ”), at this moment we will plan. " He added that the next manned flight to the ISS is scheduled for early December. Oleg Kononenko, Ann McClain (NASA) and David Saint-Jacques (CSAA) will fly next in space, as planned. Interfax reported that the Union MS-09 itself will be returned to the earth after December 20. Mr. Krikalev is convinced that the hole will not prevent the return of the apparatus.

https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/3773058

 

 

3 Soyuz rocket launches planned before next manned Soyuz flight – Russian space agency

 

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Three Soyuz rocket launches will be carried out before the next manned Soyuz flight, according to the Russian state space corporation, Roscosmos. Sergey Krikalyov, the executive director of manned space programs at the space agency, said earlier that the next expedition will fly to the International Space Station (ISS) in early December, Sputnik reports. On October 11, the crew of the Soyuz MS-10 manned spacecraft made an emergency landing in Kazakhstan after an accident that took place two minutes after the launch from the Baikonur cosmodrome. The accident was the first failure of a manned space launch in modern Russian history. The first launch since the accident may take place in Plesetsk starting from October 24 to 26, and it will be a Soyuz-2 with a military satellite, according to sources.

https://www.rt.com/newsline/441487-soyuz-rocket-launches-roscosmos/

 

//

Summary

 

Looks like a sensor was damaged due to careless installation of the booster on site.

 

Back to business with the next crew in line during early December. Prior to this, 3 launches will be done...a Progress to ISS, a Russian military sat and an Arianespace Soyuz launch.

[Unobscured Vision]

Good grief that's a hack-job of a translation ... wow ...  ... you can tell that's completely literal and while correct it's not correct. AKA "butchered". Yeesh.

 

Something I've noticed is that automatic translation routines will do that. They don't take into account the equivalent of english "slang" words, but not really slang -- more like "common-use" words -- and regional dialectical words ... I speak enough Russian to get by, and see the bad English translations and be like "that's not what it said ... or at least what it meant".

 

Ugh .. not your fault at all, Doc, and I'm not griping at you. I'm griping at [crappy] translator routines that think they're good when they aren't; and in 2018 there's no effing excuse for it. 1998 maybe, but not now.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

7 minutes ago, Unobscured Vision said:

Good grief that's a hack-job of a translation ... wow ...  ... you can tell that's completely literal and while correct it's not correct. AKA "butchered". Yeesh.

 

Something I've noticed is that automatic translation routines will do that. They don't take into account the equivalent of english "slang" words, but not really slang -- more like "common-use" words -- and regional dialectical words ... I speak enough Russian to get by, and see the bad English translations and be like "that's not what it said ... or at least what it meant".

 

Ugh .. not your fault at all, Doc, and I'm not griping at you. I'm griping at [crappy] translator routines that think they're good when they aren't; and in 2018 there's no effing excuse for it. 1998 maybe, but not now.

You're not reading this upside down are you.......

 

Bit choppy, but I read a lot of translated Russian space articles...and this one is not that bad....then again, I read a lot of translated articles from various countries and I'm just used to piecing it together...😎

[DocM]

 

[DocM]

Hammering square pegs into round holes,  again....

 

RIA Novosti....

 

Twitter translated...

 

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The source told how the Union [Soyuz] block was damaged during the assembly

MOSCOW, October 20 - RIA News. The assemblers at Baikonur forcefully connected the side block of the Soyuz-FG rocket to the central unit, bent one of the mounting lugs and put the lubricant inwards so that it would come out when divided in flight, a rocket and space industry source familiar with the investigation told RIA Novosti.

The source told about the details of the investigation of the accident "Union"

According to him, on the thrust bearing - a special recess on the central unit of the second stage - there are two grooves on the sides, on the spherical bearing of the side unit of the first stage - two projections, and on the front part - a stem, which is clamped when placed in the thrust bearing.

"When it opens, a signal goes to the pyro lock opening the jet nozzle cover of the oxidizer tank to divert the side unit from the central unit. Assemblers during installation, when they connected the steps to the "bag" (four blocks of the first and second steps. - Ed.) the left ledge slightly bent, he didn't immediately enter the groove - and he was driven out with force. When the step fell on him with the whole mass, the ledges, in fact, stood in a strut. To make the step easier to separate when separating, they put grease in the hole," said interlocutor of the agency.

Thus, due to the bent protrusion, the ball bearing of the side unit could not easily get out of the thrust bearing and rammed the central unit during the flight, 😵 and then, at the exit, the stem sensor still worked and the valve opened, but by that time an emergency situation had occurred he explained.

According to the source, at the meeting of the emergency commission at the Progress Rocket and Space Center in Samara, the issue of production culture was raised, but experts said that such deviations from the technological documentation of the rocket assembly occur from time to time. 😲 

A source earlier said that the Roskosmos commission and the investigating authorities identified possible perpetrators of damage to one of the sensors of the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle and the state commission is inclined to the version of the "accidental departure from the documentation" by collectors at Baikonur.
>

[Unobscured Vision]

My, my, my.  

 

A totally preventable QA issue. Yeesh.

 

I'm glad the Russian hardware is tough as nails -- but by GOD they gotta get this [snip] under control.

[DocM]

Crewed Soyuz flights resume in December.

 

https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/10/nasa-chief-says-agency-plans-to-launch-crew-on-soyuz-in-december/

[Draggendrop Veteran]

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The first #Soyuz rocket to fly after the #SoyuzMS10 accident is now on the launch pad in Plesetsk! Integrated tests of the vehicle are completed and specialists are pouring over the data. Stay tuned (file photo), DETAILS: http://www.russianspaceweb.com/2018.html#14F145 …

https://twitter.com/RussianSpaceWeb/status/1054779126048083968

 

 

This one on the 25th...

 

Nov 3rd Glonass

Nov 7th Ariane Space Soyuz launch

Nov 18th Progress MS-10

4th quarter Neitron

Dec 20th MS-11 to ISS

 

All above have the same booster release system.

 

Just like anticipated...they would not be down for long.

 

[Unobscured Vision]

Yup. They know what went wrong and how to deal with it.

[Draggendrop Veteran]

The launch on the 25th (24th here) is within a few hours...mil sat..

 

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Military personnel in #Plesetsk just began fueling of a #Soyuz-2 rocket for a liftoff with a classified payload in a few hours, for the first time since #SoyuzMS10 accident. DETAILS, UPDATES: http://www.russianspaceweb.com

https://twitter.com/RussianSpaceWeb/status/1055209240036548608

 

 

 

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Insurance issues...

 

"Roscosmos" did not find those who want to insure the launch of "Glonass-M" on the "Union"

 

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MOSCOW, October 24 - RIA News. After operation of the Soyuz-FG on October 11, the Center for the Operation of Ground-Based Space Infrastructure Facilities (part of Roscosmos) did not find those wishing to insure the launch of the Soyuz-1.1b launch vehicle with the Glonass-M spacecraft from Plesetsk, public procurement website said.

 

Start of the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle with the Soyuz MS-10 manned spacecraft.

  
The source reported on the re-investigation of the commission on the accident "Union"

Previously, there were no volunteers to insure the launch of the Soyuz-FG rocket planned for November 18 with the Progress MS-10 cargo vehicle.

"Due to the fact that not a single application was submitted for participation in the procurement procedure, an open request for proposals was declared invalid in accordance with clause 14.7.5 clause 14.7 p. 14 space activities "Roskosmos", - stated in the protocol of the commission.

 

Earlier it was reported that Roskosmos announced a tender for insuring risks when a Glonass-M navigation satellite was launched into orbit. The sum insured is set at 2.1 billion rubles, including a sublimit in respect of interrupted ignition, which amounts to 100 million rubles.

 

The launch of the satellite is scheduled from the Plesetsk cosmodrome on November 3. This will be the second this year to update the orbital grouping of the GLONASS system, when the device is sent from the ground reserve to replace the device operating beyond the guaranteed lifetime.

 

Currently, the GLONASS constellation has 26 spacecraft, of which 24 are used for their intended purpose, one is temporarily taken up for maintenance and one is undergoing flight tests. Of these, 14 work outside the warranty period of existence, four more satellites will overcome the milestone in the next six months. The previous replenishment of the group was held on June 17 - GLONASS was replenished with the Glonass-M series.

https://ria.ru/science/20181024/1531336118.html

 

// Looks like most are a bit skittish until a few good launches....self insure for now...

Edited October 24, 2018 by Draggendrop

[Draggendrop Veteran]

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A Soyuz rocket lifted off from Plesetsk! DETAILS: http://www.russianspaceweb.com/lotos-s1-804.html …

https://twitter.com/RussianSpaceWeb/status/1055254986165239809

 

 

 

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Soyuz rocket resumed flights after accident  

 

"The Russian military personnel in Plesetsk prepares to orbit an operational spacecraft for electronic intelligence, known as Lotos-S1 or 14F145. A part of the Liana constellation, the mission is scheduled to liftoff on a Soyuz-2-1b rocket in the first minutes of Oct. 25, 2018, or just two weeks after the failed launch of the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft on a Soyuz-FG rocket."

http://www.russianspaceweb.com/lotos-s1-804.html

 

[Draggendrop Veteran]

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October 31 at 12PM Moscow time (9AM UTC) in the Mission Control Center will host a press conference to announce the results of the state Commission on the accident with #SoyuzFG, which occurred on October 11, 2018. @NASASpaceflight, looks like another sleepless night for you!

https://twitter.com/katlinegrey/status/1055915129898983425

 

Trick or Treat...

[Draggendrop Veteran]

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Dynamic business. This photo shows the Baikonur Cosmodrome, with my friends Alexey and @AstroHague in their rocket on Gagarin's launch pad (lower left corner), a mere 3 minutes before their aborted launch. We launched from the same pad on 6 June this year. #SoyuzMS10

https://twitter.com/Astro_Alex/status/1055496767880486917

 

MS-10 bottom left...N1 site bottom right

 

3 minutes prior to launch of MS-10