Tag: MMOD
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Russian EVA examines hole repair area on Soyuz MS-09
A unique spacewalk was conducted on Tuesday, as two Russian cosmonauts examined a hole that was found in the orbital module of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft. Oleg Kononenko and Sergey Prokopyev were tasked with cutting through the insulation of the Soyuz spacecraft to take photos and collect samples, ahead of its upcoming return to Earth later…
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Soyuz/Station atmosphere leak no threat to Crew – Investigation focusing on mystery drill hole
As the six-person Station slept last week, a pressure/atmosphere leak appeared in the Soyuz MS-09 crew vehicle attached to the Station. The leak occurred when a very small breach (only 2 millimeters) opened up in the Soyuz Orbital Module’s hull, allowing a very small amount of atmosphere/pressure to leak into space. The leak was so…
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ASAP still has concerns over Commercial Crew LOC risks
NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) still has a number of concerns over crew safety numbers for the Commercial Crew Program (CCP), notably the guideline Loss of Crew (LOC) metric, based on the threat of MicroMeteoroid and Orbital Debris (MMOD) damage and crew recovery from the ocean after an abort. The plan acknowledged both SpaceX and Boeing…
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ASAP still has concerns over Commercial Crew LOC risks
NASA’s Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (ASAP) still has a number of concerns over crew safety numbers for the Commercial Crew Program (CCP), notably the guideline Loss of Crew (LOC) metric, based on the threat of MicroMeteoroid and Orbital Debris (MMOD) damage and crew recovery from the ocean after an abort. The plan acknowledged both SpaceX and Boeing…
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NASA classes MMOD as primary threat to commercial crew vehicles
NASA has claimed the threat of MicroMeteoroid and Orbital Debris (MMOD) – small pieces of space debris capable of punching bullet hole wounds into spacecraft – is the “primary” threat to the safety of Commercial Crew vehicles. The claim was made as the Agency works on closing the gap between the current analysis of the…
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Debris from old Russian satellite forced ISS crew into contingency ops
Life aboard the International Space Station (ISS) has returned to normal after a late conjunction threat forced the Station’s crew into contingency operations. The implementation of Flight Rule B4-101 – resulting in the crew taking up the “safe haven” of a docked Russian Soyuz vehicle – was required during a close pass of debris from…
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ATV-5 helps ISS dodge Chinese space debris
Europe’s ATV-5 cargo ship helped ‘shove’ the International Space Station (ISS) out of the path of a piece of space debris this week. The Pre-Determined Debris Avoidance Maneuver (PDAM) was required after a tracked object – possibly a lens cap/cover – from the Chinese spy satellite, Yaogan 12, became a “repeating conjunction concern” for the orbital outpost.…
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ISS teams evaluate MMOD strike on Cupola window
A MicroMeteoroid and Orbital Debris (MMOD) strike on the Number 2 window of the International Space Station’s Cupola module appears to be contained within the debris pane, following evaluations by teams on the ground. The small, yet visible, damage to the window is not expected to impact on the operation of the Cupola – the Station’s…
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Cupola hit by minor MMOD strike, shutter closed for evaluations
Window 2 on the Cupola module has been hit by a minor MicroMeteoroid and Orbital Debris (MMOD) strike. With the window’s protective shutter closed, per flight rules, ISS managers are evaluating photos of the damage – downlinked from the International Space Station (ISS) – before they are expected to give the crew clearance to reopen…
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Project ADR: Removal of large orbital debris interests NASA – Study
A study into Active Debris Removal (ADR) has begun laying the foundations of a long term project to remove large pieces of orbital debris from space. The effort, which may grow into an international project, aims to eventually remove around five large pieces of debris – such as the numerous spent Upper Stages from Russian…