| Newsgroups: sci.space
Path: decwrl!decvax!ucbvax!LL-VLSI.ARPA!glenn
Subject: Solar Panels added to Soviet Mir in EVA
Posted: 15 Jun 87 20:56:26 GMT
Organization: The ARPA Internet
The Soviet cosmonauts on board the Mir space station have started
construction of a third solar panel to increase their station's power
levels. On June 13th the two man crew of Col. Yuri Romanenko and
Alexander Laveikin made a 1 hour 52 minute space walk in which they
constructed a tall tower to which the main solar panels are to be
attached. They then connected up some of the panels, but will leave
the remainder of the work until a second EVA scheduled for June 18th.
The exact size of the array is not stated, but last year the Soyuz
T-15 crew constructed a 20 meter tower during their visit to Salyut 7.
Probably that was a test of the same system, so this will be about
that tall. If so that suggests that the final panels will be about
the same size as the current ones on Mir, adding about 4-5 KW, for a
total of about 13 KW (about twice Skylab's). The materials for this
system were brought up in Progress cargo craft, and possible the Kvant
module. In addition they are said to have connected up more storage
batteries on the inside of the station during the last few weeks.
The Russians do need more power. The Kvant astrophysical module
added to Mir uses large flywheel/gyro systems to obtain accurate
pointing of the telescopes. Those are very power hungry. In addition
they have being doing extensive materials research and the furnaces
they use take about 4KW at maximum. Finally they have just come out
to the period where sun light at their orbital inclination was at a
minimum.
Mir really getting to be a true space station such as people have
talked about for years. The core section was designed to have several
modules added to it, and one expansion has been made. Men have
assembled structures on it in EVA's that were difficult to have on the
core when it was launched. It is refueled and resupplied in orbit.
The one major difference is that it has not yet been manned
continuously for a long duration (years) by different crews for a
"permanent habitation" capability. If the Soviets do not have
troubles this difference too will fall within year or so. Yes it is
smaller than was imagined, but the important thing is it being used to
do the things we all have talked about. Isn't it about time we had a
space station too, not plans for one that might be in orbit by the end
of this century (does anyone really think construction will start by
NASA in '95-'96)?
Glenn Chapman
MIT Lincoln Lab
|
| VNS TECHNOLOGY WATCH: [Mike Taylor, VNS Correspondent]
===================== [Nashua, NH, USA ]
Mir Electrical Power shortage Affects Orbital Science Activity
The Soviet Mir space station has developed an electrical
power shortage that is affecting space science and materials
processing activities on board the facility. The Soviet
station was enlarged to more than 100 ft. long by the docking
May 21 of the Progress 30 tanker to the back of the Kvant
astrophysics module. The shortage is not related to a
malfunction but rather the management of power consumption
compared with the amount of electricity that can be generated
by the station's solar arrays and then stored in its batteries.
The power shortage intensifies the need for cosmonauts Col.
Yuri Romanenko and Alexander Laveikin to conduct an extra-
vehicular activity to install an additional solar array atop
Mir. That EVA had been planned for about a month ago but was
postponed after the crew had to perform an emergency EVA to
assist in the docking of the Kvant module. Over the last
several weeks Mir's orbit in relation to Sun angles has
resulted in significantly less daylight for the vehicle for
any given orbit, according to Geoffrey Perry of the Kettering
Space Observer Group. The Sun angle situation has provided
less time for the solar arrays to recharge batteries and also
less daylight time for EVAs.
The space station "has begun to experience a shortage of
electricity" the Soviets said on May 28. They said the power
problem specifically became noticeable when the crew tried to
process a semiconductor materials sample in a space
processing furnace, which draws substantial electrical power.
the furnace combined with power requirements of the other
systems and the Kvant module has begun t outstrip the
station's overall 10kw power capability, the Soviets said.
Once the crew is able to erect the third Mir solar array the
electrical power problems will be reduced. Until then mission
managers will be carefully budgeting the electrical usage.
In addition to managing Mir on which the crew is now
beginning their 17th week aloft, [as of June 1 --mjt] the
Soviets also launched new Earth resources and military
reconnaissance satellites. The Soviets also continued to
highlight the May 15 launch of the new Energia Saturn % class
booster. Guriy Marchuk, president of the Soviet Academy of
Sciences, said last week the Energia will be used to launch
heavy communications satellites into geosynchous orbit, large
planetary missions, large new space station elements, and
experimental solar power satellites that could beam
electricity to Earth.
{AW&ST June 1, 1987}
Soviet Union Outpaces U.S. In Station, Launch Capabilities
Soviet Energia booster and Mir space station have demonstrated
capabilities in the last month that U.S. will be unable to
duplicate for at least 6-8 years. The Energia vehicle,
which is capable of placing at least 220,000 lb. into orbit,
a capability the U.S. will not regain until about 1993 - 20
years after abandoning Saturn 5 operations. The Mir complex
in its current configuration has a the new Progress 30 tanker
docked to the Kvant module, and the Soyuz TM-2 transport still
docked to the forward hub of the station. The U.S. will be
unable to undertake manned space station operations until at
least 1994-95 - 20 years after abandoning Skylab operations.
{AW&ST June 1, 1987}
<><><><><><><> VNS Edition : 1343 Monday 22-Jun-1987 <><><><><><><>
|