ISS Update: Weekly Recap for April 20, 2012

The International Space Station Weekly Recap for April 16-20, 2012.

• Category

  Science & Technology

[Chuck Norris]

As in Roman Numerals for numbers for example IV is four and 5 is V

[Vas Daniel]

I wish i could travel on spice at least 1 time. :)

[mikejacksonscatflap]

you cant even spell get the fuck off the internet

[CongletonDirector]

Thomas a Rickhoff... i take my hat off to you... thanks for the information..

[Trevan Michael]

roman numeral for 30.

[midstarify]

What dose "X X X" mean ? 0:14

[ThomasARickhoff]

The Soyuz has a greater safety record then the Shuttle. The Shuttle must glide to its target and anything that happens in the upper atmosphere can cause it to break apart. The Shuttle also had only one landing attempt. A capsule is more resilient. If the spacecraft comes in on an off-nominal approach it is designed to put itself into a proper reentry attitude (either the nominal or ballistic). As for Mars right now, capsule landings are easier before space planes.

[CongletonDirector]

Is this method of landing safer then the landing of the Shuttle? It seems to me that relying on a capsule design increases the risk of vehicular failure?? I have read about the Mars Lander 'curiosity' which is just simply the most amazing piece of engineering ever which uses the jets to hover after a series of parachutes... but i bet they would prefer a plane type design to land like the Shuttle did...

[ThomasARickhoff]

The Soyuz will undock from the space station and back away to a safe distance. From there the retrorockets will fire which allow the spacecraft to fall out of orbit. The modules of the Soyuz separate. The Decent module (with the crew and cargo) will reenter the atmosphere. Various parachutes will be deployed to slow the capsule down. Right before landing, jets will fire to cushion the impact. They will land in the steppes of Kazakhstan. The crew will then be extracted from the capsule.