Course (docking system)

Rate ( Russian Курс ) is a telemetry system , which in the navigation and control system for coupling Russian Sojus - and Progress - spaceships on space stations is used.

The system was developed by NII TP ( Russian: НИИ Точных Приборов ) and built by the Kiev Radio Factory. It is the successor to the Igla approach system and was used from August 1986 for navigation during docking maneuvers of the Soyuz and Progress ships to the Soviet Mir space station . Since the construction of the International Space Station began , it has been used there for the coupling of the Progress-M freighters and the Soyuz TMA spacecraft. When approaching, the docking spaceship sends out radar pulses from various antennas. The different strength of the signals at the antennas allows course, the relative position, attitude and approach rate to be determined and the spaceship to be steered accordingly. The course system is designed for automatic rendezvous and docking maneuvers, but allows the docking spaceship to be controlled either from the station or, in the case of Soyuz capsules, from this in the event of an emergency or failure. After the docking, the system from Progress or Soyuz will be expanded and taken back to Earth with a later space shuttle mission so that it can be used in further missions.

The European Automated Transfer Vehicle also used the course system for communication when approaching the ISS, but its own system was used for position determination and control. The ATV could therefore only couple automatically to the station.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, course became the property of Ukraine . Its manufacturer is a main competitor of the Russian space agency Roskosmos . In the meantime the price for the system has increased. Roskosmos is therefore planning to replace the system with its own.

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b NII TP ( Memento from April 24, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) (English / Russian)
↑ Kiev Radio Factory: The First Serially Produced Onboard Computer (English)
^ Bryan Burrough, Dragonfly, ISBN 0-06-093269-4 , page 65, "Since 1985 all Russian spacecraft had used the course computers to dock automatically with the Mir station" ... "All the Russian commanders had to do was sit by and watch ".
↑ Soviet automated rendezvous and docking system overview , bibcode : 1991arcr.nasa ... 34H .
↑ Jerry Linenger: Off the Planet: Surviving Five Perilous Months Aboard the Space Station Mir . Editor: McGraw-Hill. New York, USA 2001, ISBN 978-0-07-137230-5 .

[niitp-1] NII TP ( Memento from April 24, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) (English / Russian)

[2] Kiev Radio Factory: The First Serially Produced Onboard Computer (English)

[3] Bryan Burrough, Dragonfly, ISBN 0-06-093269-4 , page 65, "Since 1985 all Russian spacecraft had used the course computers to dock automatically with the Mir station" ... "All the Russian commanders had to do was sit by and watch ".

[4] Soviet automated rendezvous and docking system overview , bibcode : 1991arcr.nasa ... 34H .

[OffPlanet-5] Jerry Linenger: Off the Planet: Surviving Five Perilous Months Aboard the Space Station Mir . Editor: McGraw-Hill. New York, USA 2001, ISBN 978-0-07-137230-5 .