May 26 2003
From The Space Library
Nikolai I. Zelenschikov, who had led the investigation into the off-target landing of Soyuz TMA-1, announced that a technical malfunction, rather than crew error, had caused the craft's unexpectedly steep and off-course landing on 4 May, when the craft returned two astronauts and a cosmonaut to Earth. Zelenschikov, Deputy Chief Designer of RSC Energia (S.P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation), stated that specialists had found no problems with the new software on Soyuz TMA-1 and had discovered no errors attributable to the crew. Instead, investigators had found that a 25-year-old instrument had failed to control the spacecraft's descent. Soviet engineers had a plan for modifying the instrument to ensure its reliability. Investigators had also recommended that the Russian Space Agency position more airplanes and helicopters along the trajectory of landing Soyuz craft, but cosmonaut Pavel V. Vinogradov, a member of the commission investigating the accident, noted that chronic underfunding had led to a shortage of aircraft available for this purpose. The commission further recommended equipping Soyuz craft with satellite communication technology. Because several of the craft's antennas had failed, the Soyuz TMA-1 crew had lost radio contact with Mission Control Center in Moscow during landing and had not regained it. Zelenschikov stated that the Russian space industry would make all necessary modifications to the Soyuz TMA-3 craft but could make no repairs to Soyuz TMA-2, which had already docked at the ISS. However, the Russian Space Agency planned to ferry a satellite phone to the ISS aboard a cargo mission, for use on the return flight of to TMA-2. (Mara D. Bellaby for Associated Press, “Rough Soyuz Landing Blamed on Malfunction,” 26 May 2003; Agence France-Presse, “Officials Promise To Fix Fault in Russia's Soyuz Craft Before Next Space Mission,” 26 May 2003.
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