[ad_1]
Today, the Russian space agency Roscosmos blamed a sensor for the dramatic failure of launching a Soyuz rocket last month, forcing two astronauts to perform a painful emergency landing.
After the launch's failure on October 11, Roscosmos quickly began to search for the cause. The first speculation was about rocket boosters, one of which did not seem to separate properly from the rest of the spacecraft.
Roscosmos has just published new information from the survey that has been completed this week. The Russian news agency TASS reports that investigators have discovered that a sensor – which monitors the separation of rocket propellers – is deformed and bent about six degrees. Six degrees is not much, but it was enough to prevent the hood from opening one of the nozzles. This propeller then hit the fuel tank of the central part of the rocket, pushing it away from the cape.
The investigation led to the conclusion that the problem occurred during the badembly of the rocket at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, site of Kazakhstan where Russian rockets were launched. At a press conference held today, the head of the investigation, Oleg Skorobogatov, told reporters that two other Soyuz rockets might have the same problem.
The boosters did not quite manage a seamless separation.
The next launch of the Soyuz rocket in the same configuration is tentatively scheduled for November 16, when it should carry a non-screwed [Progress ship bound for the International Space Station. Since the end of the space shuttle program in 2011, the Russian Soyuz rocket system is the only way for astronauts to access the ISS. NASA is working on alternatives with Boeing and SpaceX, but test flights for this commercial crew spacecraft are not expected to take place until 2019.
The next crew launch of the Soyuz is scheduled for December 3rd.
Source link
