Moscow. October 16. INTERFAX.RU – The change in orientation of the International Space Station (ISS) after testing the engines of the Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft was due to a failure of ground equipment on the Russian side, the issue of transferring the return of the spacecraft to Earth was not considered, NASA reported.
“We want to tell you the status of the situation with the loss (orientation – IF) that occurred this morning. Moscow is engaged in the situation, it was found that the cause of the problem lies in the failure of ground equipment, and not equipment (in orbit – IF) ,” said the ground specialist during negotiations with the ISS, broadcast by NASA.
The representative of the American Mission Control Center (MCC) in Houston indicated that the Russian side is going to undo the Soyuz as planned.
The day before, Roskosmos reported that during testing of the spacecraft's engines, “a temporary change in the orientation of the ISS” took place.
“The orientation of the station was promptly restored thanks to the actions of the personnel of the ISS RS Main Operational Control Group. Nothing threatens the station and the crew,” the message said.
NASA said that the orientation was restored 30 minutes after the incident.
According to Vladimir Solovyov, Flight Director of the Russian Segment, the ISS turn during testing of the Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft was 57 degrees.
The previous time the ISS lost its orientation in space on July 30.
Then, after docking to the station of the “Nauka” module, an abnormal activation of the module's engines occurred, due to which the station was turned 45 degrees. To compensate for the impulse, the engines of the Zvezda module and the Progress cargo vehicle had to be used. Roskosmos explained the incident with work with fuel leftovers in the Science module.
On October 17, the Soyuz MS-18 manned spacecraft is to return to Earth a crew consisting of director Klim Shipenko, actress Yulia Peresild and spacecraft commander Oleg Novitsky.
According to preliminary data from the ballistic and navigation support service of the TsNIIMash Flight Control Center, the closing of the transfer hatches between the Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft and the Nauka module of the Russian segment of the International Space Station is scheduled for October 17 from 00:45 to 01:05 Moscow time. Undocking of the spacecraft and the ISS is expected at 04:14, and at 07:36 the descent vehicle is expected to land 146 km southeast of the city of Zhezkazgan (Kazakhstan).
Peresild and Shipenko, who arrived at the ISS on October 5, are filming a film with the working title “Call” – about a girl-doctor who, due to dramatic circumstances, will have to prepare for a flight in a month and go to the ISS to rescue an astronaut.
