Dennis Tito Begins His Space Vacation

Yesterday, after a day of negotiations and another looming standoff over this flight, NASA and Rosaviakosmos came to an agreement regarding the launch of Soyuz TM-32. The mission would be launched on time on Saturday. Soyuz TM-32 was originally scheduled to dock with the International Space Station at 1:10 PM. Moscow time (5:10 AM EDT) on 30 April. That docking time may now slip.

NASA had originally asked that Russia slip the launch of Soyuz mission so as to allow for more time for the combined crews of Endeavour and the ISS to resolve the computer and communications problems that have haunted the crew for several days.

Although NASA had sent a number of updates and requests to Russia as the computer problems continued, Russia opted to continue with launch preparations with the hope that the U.S. could fix its computer problems. Once the Soyuz-U launch vehicle’s launch preparations pass the T-24 hour point, a number of irreversible procedures take place.

Russia is facing schedule pressures of its own. The Soyuz TM-31 spacecraft currently docked with the ISS (as an emergency return vehicle) was launched on 31 October 2000 and reaches the end of its certified useful life time on or around 11 or 12 May. Beyond that point batteries and steering jet fuel supplies may not be sufficient to assure the ability for it to return to Earth. If Russia were not able to launch on 28 April, the next launch window would be on 1 May.

NASA’s main concern was that a Soyuz docking at the nadir (Earth facing) docking port on the FGB would require that the Soyuz pass only several meters away from the Shuttle’s vertical stabilizer. NASA worries that the radar aboard the Soyuz that is used to tell the Soyuz where it is might be affected by having the Shuttle that close to its approach corridor. Any damage to the Shuttle’s control surfaces could have disastrous consequences – hence their conservatism.

The solution to both problems lies in delaying the docking time for the Soyuz. If need be, the Soyuz can “loiter” in orbit for several additional days until the Endeavour has departed the ISS. This would allow more time to make certain that ISS computer systems can be brought back on line. The Soyuz TM-32 mission is also carrying a spare computer drive loaded with software placed on board at the last moment as a back up for possible future problems aboard the ISS.

Now that another crisis has been averted, the focus will start to shift to the focus of this Soyuz mission: Dennis Tito.

As for how much we will or will not see of Mr. Tito, the commander of Expedition 2 has said that Mr. Tito is more or less free to go where he wishes. Given the commander’s comments, is not clear whether the recommendations made by NASA advisory groups that Mr. Tito sleep in the Soyuz or that he only enter the U.S. portion of the station with an escort will be adhered to.

NASA will not be providing any TV coverage of the Soyuz launch or of Mr. Tito’s activities on the ISS. Interviews are reportedly for sale with Mr. Tito for $25,000 each via Rosaviakosmos and will be conducted using the communications systems aboard the Service Module Zvezda. When he’s not doing interviews he has 8 CDs and a CD player to use while looking out the window. 7 of the CDs are opera, the other is the Beatles’ “One” greatest hits compilation.

The crew will of Soyuz TM-32 will return to Earth in the older TM-31 spacecraft. The original plan called for landing on 5 May. It is not certain at this point whether the Soyuz will depart as originally planned or stay docked with the ISS for an extra day or so should it be required to loiter in orbit.

Who knows, Dennis Tito may get several bonus days in space.

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