The Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS) is planned to be equipped with the GLONASS navigation system to assist in the docking of spaceships. This was reported by “RIA Novosti” with reference to the materials of the scientific journal of the rocket and space corporation “Energia”.
The publication explained that on the Russian segment there is an ASN-M device, which does not receive signals from the domestic GLONASS system, but only works on signals from the American GPS satellite system. At the same time, the ASN-K satellite navigation equipment was installed on the Soyuz MS and Progress MS spacecraft, operating on signals from both domestic GLONASS and American GPS.
“At present, new ASN-KM equipment is being developed for the ISS, which, like ASN-K, operates on signals from the GLONASS and GPS navigation systems,” the journal says.
The developers expect that due to the use of two navigation systems GLONASS and GPS at once, the level of error in determining the position of the station will decrease. In their opinion, this will allow spacecraft not to use other sensors, but only by satellite navigation signals to approach the station at a distance of 10-20 m and only after that turn on the lidar and optical sensors to assist in docking.
They also noted that today the safe approach distance of ships to the station using navigation signals is limited by the border of 200-300 m.
Earlier on July 21, the Nauka module was launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome, eight days later, on July 29, it was docked with the ISS. Later, NASA reported that the engines on the module turned on abnormally, after which the entire station turned 45 degrees.
The American space agency, in turn, said that no damage was done to the ISS, and the incident did not become a threat to the station's crew. Nevertheless, NASA postponed the launch of its own spacecraft Starliner to the ISS. “Additional time will be required to check the operation of the Russian module and ensure the station's readiness for the arrival of the ship,” the agency said.
Roskosmos said that the engines were turned on due to the process of transferring the module from the flight mode to the state of docking with the station. They also indicated that the emergency situation arose due to the triggering of the security system. “Apparently, the module itself could not 'believe' that it had already docked. When the control system of the module was brought to its initial state, it decided that it was still in free flight, and did not understand what was happening. The safety algorithm has been triggered to turn on the engine. This should not have happened, the reasons are being investigated by a special commission, ”explained Sergei Krikalev, director of Roskosmos for manned space programs.