Soyuz TM-31 Docks with International Space Station
Today Soyuz TM-31 spacecraft launched on October 31, 2000,
from the Baikonur launch site successfully docked to the International
Space Station following two days flight on the close earth orbit.
The spacecraft reached free port on the Zvezda module,
ISS, located at its longitudinal axis on the aggregate module side.
The vehicle touched each other at 12 h. 20 min. 58 sec. by Moscow legal
time (9 h. 20 min. 58 sec. by GMT) when Soyuz TM-31 and ISS were in
the coverage area of Russian measurement stations.
Souyz TM-31 spacecraft was controlled by the first prime
crew of US astronaut William Shepherd – ISS-1 crew leader, Soyuz TM-31
vehicle onboard engineer-2 and two Russian cosmonauts Yury Gidzenko
– leader of Soyuz TM-31 vehicle, ISS-1 pilot and Sergey Krikalev – ISS-1
and Soyuz TM-31 onboard engineer.
After mechanical docking and contraction of spacecraft,
check the joint for leakage at 13:40, Moscow time (10 h. 40 min. GMT)
crew opened hatches between transport vehicle and service module and
transferred to ISS. With arrival of the first prime crew the station
will always be manned.
As a result there is ISS system of the Souyz TM-31 spacecraft-
Zvezda service module – Zarya FGB and Unity module of total weight 73
tons. The system performs flight on the close to earth orbit with inclination
51,60, maximum altitude 403.8 km and minimal – 379,7 km. One orbit around
the Earth is 92.1 min.
The onboard systems of the transport vehicle and modules
operate normally. ISS crew is about to start flight program which includes:
Undocking Space Shuttle 5A.1 vehicle with ISS-1 crew
aboard is scheduled for February 24, landing at February 26, 2001.
Flight of ISS Russian Segment is performed by real-time
control group in the Mission Control Center in Moscow. Flight manager
is V.A. Soloviev, pilot-cosmonaut. ISS flight control is implemented
in accordance with US MCC-H, Houston.
Following docking process and crew transfer to the ISS,
briefing for Russian and foreign journalists from leading information
agencies and TV programs took place in MCC-M. The journalists briefed
with Yu.P. Semenov (technical manager of Russian manned programs – Designer
General of Korolev RSC Energia, Academician of RAS), V.V. Alaverdov
(First Deputy Director General of Russian Aerospace Agency) and Daniel
Golden (Director of NASA), dr. T. Holloway (NASA ISS Program manager),
J. Feustel Buechl (Director of Manned Space Flight & Microgravity, ESA),
General Lieutenant V.A. Grin (Chairman of Intergovernmental Board) and
N.A. Anfimov (Director of FGUP TsNIIMash).
