Following proximity maneuvers with the International Space
Station (ISS) in the course of a two-day autonomous on-orbit flight
the Russian 4 Progress M1 cargo transport vehicle docked to the ISS
at 06:47 a.m. Moscow time.
A contact to the side port of the Zarya Functional Cargo Block (FGB)
of the ISS occurred on the shadow part of the orbit, when 4 Progress
M1 and the Space Station were already outside the communications coverage
by the Russian Ground Stations.
The initial approach and stationkeeping were performed in the automatic
mode under control of the Lead Operational Control Team (LOCT) of the
Mission Control Center in Moscow (MCC-M) and the first ISS prime crew
(ISS-1).
At the final proximity stage the Lead Operational Control Team made
a decision to transfer to a backup remote operator mode (TORU). The
crew was recommended to back off the cargo vehicle from the Station,
perform a stationkeeping mode and mate on the shadow part of the orbit.
A high professionalism of Russian cosmonauts Yury Gidsenko (Soyuz TM-31
vehicle commander, ISS-1 pilot) and Sergei Krikalev (ISS-1 flight engineer),
coordinated actions in off-nominal situations based on the General Designer's
documentation allowed them to succeed in performing TORU.
The first long-duration crew, ISS-1 including Russian cosmonauts Yury
Gidzenko, Sergei Krikalev and U.S. astronaut William Shepherd (ISS-1
crew commander) demonstrated a well-defined and coordinated activities
in the off-nominal situation.
The cargo vehicle delivered about 2.2 tons of payload to the Space Station
including propellant for refueling the ISS Russian Segment modules tanks,
crew food products, water, drugs reserves, television system, life support,
thermal control, atmospheric revitalization, power supply, water supply,
personal hygienic, harmful impurities removal systems units and devices.
The Russia's commitments for the ISS assembly in 2000 were successfully
accomplished through this activity.
The ISS currently operates consisting of FGB Zarya, U.S. Unity module
(outfitted with Z1 truss segment), Russian Zvezda Service Module, Soyuz
TM-31 manned vehicle, 4 Progress M1 cargo vehicle. The Station onboard
systems normally operate. The total Station mass is about 80 ton.
During the 4 Progress M1 docking to the ISS the MCC-M was attended by
Yu.P. Semenov, Technical Manager of Russian Manned Space Programs, General
Designer of S.P. Korolev RSC Energia, Academician of the Russian Academy
of Sciences, Grin V.A., Chairman of the Intergovernmental Board, lieutenant
general, Rosaviakosmos, NASA representatives, specialists of S.P. Korolev
RSC Energia, parent enterprise of the ISS Russian Segment, developers
and other organizations participating in the implementation of the cargo
vehicle rendezvous and docking process.
By Yu.P. Semenov's order a committee for the analysis of the off-nominal
situation causes and prevention actions was established for the implementation
of the following ISS assembly and operation phases.
After docking complete a briefing for the Russian and foreign mass media
representatives took place. Yu.P. Semenov, General Designer, Academician
of RAS and P.I. Klimuk, Director of Yu.A. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training
Center, pilot-cosmonaut answered their questions.
The ISS flight control is provided by MCC-M LOCT ( Korolev, Moscow area)
in interaction with the U.S. Mission Control Center in Houston (MCC-H).
At present LOCT is headed by V.D. Blagov, acting Flight Director. According
to LOCT specialists data the ISS flies in a near-earth orbit with the
following parameters: inclination 51.6?, maximum altitude 397.2 km,
minimum altitude 377.9 km, period of revolution of 92.0 min.
After performing the mechanical capture and retraction, operations on
the interface pressurization checks between 4 Progress M1 and FGB Zarya
and preparation for the vehicle transfer hatch opening by the crew for
its unloading were initiated.
