Space Technology » Spacecraft http://www.contour2002.org All about space research and technology Sun, 28 Aug 2011 02:49:50 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 TKS spacecraft – Designhttp://www.contour2002.org/article/tks-spacecraft-design http://www.contour2002.org/article/tks-spacecraft-design#comments Thu, 11 Aug 2011 02:49:40 +0000 http://www.contour2002.org/article/tks-spacecraft-design

The TKS spacecraft consisted of an 11F74 “Vozvraschaemyi Apparat” (or ”Return Vehicle” commonly referred to as the ”VA”), attached to an 11F77 “Transportniy Korabl Snabzheniya” (”Functional/Cargo Block” module or ”FGB”).

TKS VA

The TKS VA was itself a very compact and efficient spacecraft. Typically it would reenter the atmosphere within 2 orbits, but could fly autonomously for up to 31 hours. The pressurized crew re-entry capsule (similar to the American ”Apollo” but 30% smaller) was equipped with its own environmental control system, and topped with reaction control system, de-orbit braking engine, parachute system, and soft landing engines. Although extensively flight tested, it never flew with a crew on board (due to political rivalry).

The VA was derived from an earlier capsule designed for the Chelomei’s planned LK-1 manned circumlunar spacecraft of the 1960s. It was also the basis for Chelomei’s LK-700 Lunar Lander crew capsule.

TKS FGB

The FGB was entered from the VA capsule via a short tunnel. At the aft end a pilot station was equipped with controls and windows for manual docking with the Almaz space station. The docking port was also located here. Operational TKS would have delivered KSI film return capsules to Almaz stations. These would have been stored around the docking port for transfer to the film capsule airlock for loading.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article TKS spacecraft, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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]]> http://www.contour2002.org/article/tks-spacecraft-design/feed 0 Spaceflight – Introductionhttp://www.contour2002.org/article/spaceflight-introduction http://www.contour2002.org/article/spaceflight-introduction#comments Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:49:52 +0000 http://www.contour2002.org/article/spaceflight-introduction

Spaceflight or space flight is the use of space technology to achieve the flight of spacecraft into and through outer space.

Spaceflight is used in space exploration, and also in commercial activities like space tourism and satellite telecommunications. Additional non-commercial uses of spaceflight include space observatories, reconnaissance satellites and other earth observation satellites.

A spaceflight typically begins with a rocket launch, which provides the initial thrust to overcome the force of gravity and propels the spacecraft from the surface of the Earth. Once in space, the motion of a spacecraft—both when unpropelled and when under propulsion—is covered by the area of study called astrodynamics. Some spacecraft remain in space indefinitely, some disintegrate during atmospheric reentry, and others reach a planetary or lunar surface for landing or impact.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Spaceflight, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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]]> http://www.contour2002.org/article/spaceflight-introduction/feed 0 1972 in science – Astronomy and space explorationhttp://www.contour2002.org/article/1972-in-science-astronomy-and-space-exploration http://www.contour2002.org/article/1972-in-science-astronomy-and-space-exploration#comments Sun, 24 Jul 2011 02:49:56 +0000 http://www.contour2002.org/article/1972-in-science-astronomy-and-space-exploration

* January 5 – President of the United States Richard Nixon orders the development of a space shuttle program.

* February 4 – Mariner 9 sends pictures from Mars

* February 21 – The Soviet unmanned spacecraft Luna 20 lands on the Moon.

* March 2 – Launch of Pioneer 10 spacecraft.

* April 16 – Apollo 16 launched

* July 23 – The United States launches Landsat 1, first Earth-resources satellite.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article 1972 in science, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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]]> http://www.contour2002.org/article/1972-in-science-astronomy-and-space-exploration/feed 0 Progress (spacecraft) – Introductionhttp://www.contour2002.org/article/progress-spacecraft-introduction http://www.contour2002.org/article/progress-spacecraft-introduction#comments Mon, 11 Jul 2011 14:53:08 +0000 http://www.contour2002.org/article/progress-spacecraft-introduction SpacecraftProgress is a Russian expendable freighter spacecraft. The spacecraft is an unmanned resupply spacecraft during its flight but upon docking with a space station it allows astronauts inside, hence it is classified ”manned” by the manufacturer. It was derived from the Soyuz spacecraft, and is launched with the Soyuz rocket. It is currently used to [...]No related posts.]]>

Progress is a Russian expendable freighter spacecraft. The spacecraft is an unmanned resupply spacecraft during its flight but upon docking with a space station it allows astronauts inside, hence it is classified ”manned” by the manufacturer. It was derived from the Soyuz spacecraft, and is launched with the Soyuz rocket. It is currently used to supply the International Space Station, but was originally used to supply Soviet space stations for many years. There are three to four flights of the Progress spacecraft to the ISS per year. Each spacecraft remains docked until shortly before the new one, or a Soyuz (which uses the same docking ports) arrives. Then it is filled with waste, disconnected, deorbited, and destroyed in the atmosphere. Because of the different Progress variants used for ISS, NASA uses its own nomenclature where “ISS 1P” means the first Progress spacecraft to ISS.

It has carried fuel and other supplies to all the space stations since Salyut 6. The idea for the Progress came from the realisation that in order for long duration space missions to be possible, there would have to be a constant source of supplies. It had been determined that a cosmonaut needed consumables (water, air, food, etc.) plus there was a need for maintenance items and payloads for experiments. It was impractical to launch this along with passengers in the small space available in the Soyuz.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Progress (spacecraft), under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

Spacecraft

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]]> http://www.contour2002.org/article/progress-spacecraft-introduction/feed 0 Voskhod spacecraft – Introductionhttp://www.contour2002.org/article/voskhod-spacecraft-introduction http://www.contour2002.org/article/voskhod-spacecraft-introduction#comments Sun, 10 Jul 2011 14:51:02 +0000 http://www.contour2002.org/article/voskhod-spacecraft-introduction SpacecraftVoskhod (, ””ascent””, ””dawn””) was a spacecraft built by the Soviet Union’s space program for human spaceflight (see Voskhod programme). It was a development of and a follow-on to the Vostok spacecraft. The craft consisted of a spherical descent module (diameter 2.3 meters), which housed the cosmonauts, and instruments, and a conical instrument module (mass [...]No related posts.]]>

Voskhod (, ””ascent””, ””dawn””) was a spacecraft built by the Soviet Union’s space program for human spaceflight (see Voskhod programme). It was a development of and a follow-on to the Vostok spacecraft.

The craft consisted of a spherical descent module (diameter 2.3 meters), which housed the cosmonauts, and instruments, and a conical instrument module (mass 2.27 tonnes, 2.25 m long, 2.43 m wide), which contained propellant and the engine system.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Voskhod spacecraft, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

Spacecraft

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]]> http://www.contour2002.org/article/voskhod-spacecraft-introduction/feed 0 1966 in science – Astronomy and space explorationhttp://www.contour2002.org/article/1966-in-science-astronomy-and-space-exploration http://www.contour2002.org/article/1966-in-science-astronomy-and-space-exploration#comments Wed, 06 Jul 2011 14:52:29 +0000 http://www.contour2002.org/article/1966-in-science-astronomy-and-space-exploration Space Astronomy* February 3 – The unmanned Soviet Luna 9 spacecraft makes the first controlled rocket-assisted landing on the Moon. * March 1 – Venera 3 Soviet space probe crashes on Venus becoming the first spacecraft to land on another planet’s surface. * March 31 – The Soviet Union launches Luna 10 which later becomes the [...]No related posts.]]>

* February 3 – The unmanned Soviet Luna 9 spacecraft makes the first controlled rocket-assisted landing on the Moon.

* March 1 – Venera 3 Soviet space probe crashes on Venus becoming the first spacecraft to land on another planet’s surface.

* March 31 – The Soviet Union launches Luna 10 which later becomes the first spacecraft to enter orbit around the Moon.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article 1966 in science, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

Space Astronomy

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]]> http://www.contour2002.org/article/1966-in-science-astronomy-and-space-exploration/feed 0 Orbital mechanics – Introductionhttp://www.contour2002.org/article/orbital-mechanics-introduction http://www.contour2002.org/article/orbital-mechanics-introduction#comments Sun, 03 Jul 2011 14:53:16 +0000 http://www.contour2002.org/article/orbital-mechanics-introduction AstrodynamicsOrbital mechanics or astrodynamics is the application of ballistics and celestial mechanics to the practical problems concerning the motion of rockets and other spacecraft. The motion of these objects is usually calculated from Newton’s laws of motion and Newton’s law of universal gravitation. It is a core discipline within space mission design and control. Celestial [...]No related posts.]]>

Orbital mechanics or astrodynamics is the application of ballistics and celestial mechanics to the practical problems concerning the motion of rockets and other spacecraft. The motion of these objects is usually calculated from Newton’s laws of motion and Newton’s law of universal gravitation. It is a core discipline within space mission design and control. Celestial mechanics treats more broadly the orbital dynamics of systems under the influence of gravity, including both spacecraft and natural astronomical bodies such as star systems, planets, moons, and comets. Orbital mechanics focuses on spacecraft trajectories, including orbital maneuvers, orbit plane changes, and interplanetary transfers, and is used by mission planners to predict the results of propulsive maneuvers. General relativity is a more exact theory than Newton’s laws for calculating orbits, and is sometimes necessary for greater accuracy or in high-gravity situations (such as orbits close to the Sun).

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Orbital mechanics, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

Astrodynamics

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]]> http://www.contour2002.org/article/orbital-mechanics-introduction/feed 0 Vision for Space Exploration – Outlinehttp://www.contour2002.org/article/vision-for-space-exploration-outline http://www.contour2002.org/article/vision-for-space-exploration-outline#comments Sun, 03 Jul 2011 14:52:32 +0000 http://www.contour2002.org/article/vision-for-space-exploration-outline Space ExplorationThe Vision for Space Exploration seeks to implement a sustained and affordable human and robotic program to explore the solar system and beyond; extend human presence across the solar system, starting with a human return to the Moon by the year 2020, in preparation for human exploration of Mars and other destinations; develop the innovative [...]No related posts.]]>

The Vision for Space Exploration seeks to implement a sustained and affordable human and robotic program to explore the solar system and beyond; extend human presence across the solar system, starting with a human return to the Moon by the year 2020, in preparation for human exploration of Mars and other destinations; develop the innovative technologies, knowledge, and infrastructures both to explore and to support decisions about the destinations for human exploration; and to promote international and commercial participation in exploration to further U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests

In pursuit of these goals, the Vision called for the space program to complete the International Space Station by 2010; retire the Space Shuttle by 2010; develop a new Crew Exploration Vehicle (later renamed Orion) by 2008, and conduct its first human spaceflight mission by 2014; explore the Moon with robotic spacecraft missions by 2008 and crewed missions by 2020, and use lunar exploration to develop and test new approaches and technologies useful for supporting sustained exploration of Mars and beyond; explore Mars and other destinations with robotic and crewed missions; pursue commercial transportation to support the International Space Station and missions beyond low Earth orbit

Outlining some of the advantages, U.S. President George W. Bush addressed the following:

One of the stated goals for the Constellation program is to gain significant experience in operating away from Earth’s environment, as the White House contended, to embody a ””sustainable cour

Space Exploration
se of long-term exploration.”” The Ares boosters are a cost-effective approach — entailing the Ares V’s enormous, unprecedented cargo-carrying capacity — transporting future space exploration resources to the Moon’s weaker gravity field. While simultaneously serving as a proving ground for a wide range of space operations and processes, the Moon may serve as a cost-effective construction, launching and fueling site for future space exploration missions. For example, future Ares V missions could cost-effectively deliver raw materials for future spacecraft and missions to a Moon-based space dock positioned as a counterweight to a Moon-based space elevator.

NASA has also outlined plans for manned missions to the far side of the Moon. All of the Apollo missions have landed on the near side. Unique products may be producible in the nearly limitless extreme vacuum of the lunar surface, and the Moon’s remoteness is the ultimate isolation for biologically hazardous experiments. The Moon would become a proving ground also toward the development of In-Situ Resource Utilization, or “living off the land” (i.e., self-sufficiency) for permanent human outposts.

In a position paper issued by the National Space Society (NSS), a return to the Moon should be considered a high space program priority, to begin development of the knowledge and identification of the industries unique to the Moon. The NSS believes that the Moon may be a repository of the history and possible future of our planet, and that the six Apollo landings only scratched the surface of that ‘treasure’. According to NSS, the Moon’s far side, permanently shielded from the noisy Earth, is an ideal site for future radio astronomy (for example, signals in the 1-10 MHz range cannot be detected on Earth because of ionosphere interference.)

When the Vision was announced in January 2004, the U.S. Congress and the scientific community gave it a mix of positive and negative reviews. For example, Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.) said, ””I think this is the best thing that has happened to the space program in decades.”” Though physicist and outspoken manned spaceflight opponent Robert L. Park stated that robotic spacecraft ””are doing so well it’s going to be hard to justify sending a human,”” the vision announced by the President states that ””robotic missions will serve as trailblazers — the advanced guard to the unknown.”” Others, such as the Mars Society, have argued that it makes more sense to avoid going back to the Moon and instead focus on going to Mars first.

Initial return missions as proposed by President Bush and NASA, can be done through space operations using the existing launch infrastructure and assets developed by the shuttle and International Space Station programs, plus existing expendable launch vehicles, with a minimum of new research and development programs. The lessons learned from international cooperation during ISS construction and operations, can be improved upon and extended to human missions to the Moon, Mars and elsewhere. Initial missions could place scientific equipment on the Moon and return samples from areas never explored, such as the polar regions. Extent of water and other volatiles important to lunar industrialization could be determined. As future reusable launch systems begin operations, reducing cost and enabling higher flight rates, Earth-Moon traffic can become routine.

Throughout much of 2004, it was unclear whether the U.S. Congress would be willing to approve and fund the Vision for Space Exploration. However, in November 2004, Congress passed a spending bill which gave NASA the $16.2 billion that President Bush had sought to kick-start the Vision. According to then-NASA chief Sean O’Keefe, that spending bill ”“was as strong an endorsement of the space exploration vision, as any of us could have imagined.”” In 2005, Congress passed S.1281, the NASA Authorization Act of 2005, which explicitly endorses the Vision.

Former NASA Administrator Michael Griffin is a big supporter of the Vision, but modified it somewhat, saying that he wants to reduce the four year gap between the retirement of the Space Shuttle and the first manned mission of the Crew Exploration Vehicle.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Vision for Space Exploration, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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]]> http://www.contour2002.org/article/vision-for-space-exploration-outline/feed 0 Fractionated spacecraft – Introductionhttp://www.contour2002.org/article/fractionated-spacecraft-introduction http://www.contour2002.org/article/fractionated-spacecraft-introduction#comments Fri, 01 Jul 2011 14:50:37 +0000 http://www.contour2002.org/article/fractionated-spacecraft-introduction

fractionated spacecraft is a satellite architecture where the functional capabilities of a conventional monolithic spacecraft are distributed across multiple modules which interact through wireless links. Unlike other aggregations of spacecraft, such as constellations and formations, the modules of a fractionated spacecraft are largely heterogeneous and perform distinct functions corresponding, for instance, to the various subsystem elements of a traditional satellite.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Fractionated spacecraft, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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]]> http://www.contour2002.org/article/fractionated-spacecraft-introduction/feed 0 Space exploration – Related topicshttp://www.contour2002.org/article/space-exploration-related-topics http://www.contour2002.org/article/space-exploration-related-topics#comments Fri, 01 Jul 2011 02:52:19 +0000 http://www.contour2002.org/article/space-exploration-related-topics Space ExplorationSpaceflight ”Spaceflight” is the use of space technology to achieve the flight of spacecraft into and through outer space. Spaceflight is used in space exploration, and also in commercial activities like space tourism and satellite telecommunications. Additional non-commercial uses of spaceflight include space observatories, reconnaissance satellites and other earth observation satellites. A spaceflight typically begins [...]No related posts.]]>

Spaceflight

”Spaceflight” is the use of space technology to achieve the flight of spacecraft into and through outer space.

Spaceflight is used in space exploration, and also in commercial activities like space tourism and satellite telecommunications. Additional non-commercial uses of spaceflight include space observatories, reconnaissance satellites and other earth observation satellites.

A spaceflight typically begins with a rocket launch, which provides the initial thrust to overcome the force of gravity and propels the spacecraft from the surface of the Earth. Once in space, the motion of a spacecraft—both when unpropelled and when under propulsion—is covered by the area of study called astrodynamics. Some spacecraft remain in space indefinitely, some disintegrate during atmospheric reentry, and others reach a planetary or lunar surface for landing or impact.

Satellites

Satellites are used for a large number of purposes. Common types include military (spy) and civilian Earth observation satellites, communication satellites, navigation satellites, weather satellites, and research satellites. Space stations and human spacecraft in orbit are also satellites.

Militarization of space

Militarisation of space took place since the 1960s, and is now evolving into weaponisation of space with actual placement of weapons by space-faring nations for decisive military advantage.

While military activities have certainly taken place in space and space is an operating location for many military spacecraft (such as imagi

Space Exploration
ng & communications satellites) or a temporary transit medium for weapons (such as ballistic missiles), permanent placement of large-scale operational weapons in space has never been conducted.

Space colonization

Space colonization, also called space settlement and space humanization, would be the permanent autonomous (self-sufficient) human habitation of locations outside Earth, especially of natural satellites or planets such as the Moon or Mars, using significant amounts of in-situ resource utilization.

To date, the longest human occupation of space was the space station Mir, which was continuously inhabited for almost ten years, including Valeri Polyakov’s record single spaceflight of almost 438 days. Long-term stays in space reveal issues with bone and muscle loss in low gravity, immune system suppression, and radiation exposure.

Many past and current concepts for the continued exploration and colonization of space focus on a return to the Moon as a “stepping stone” to the other planets, especially Mars. At the end of 2006 NASA announced they were planning to build a permanent Moon base with continual presence by 2024.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article Space exploration, under the G. N. U. Free Documentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki

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