[FPSPACE] Soyuz/Progress upgrades

[Bart Hendrickx]

The Russian space magazine "Novosti kosmonavtiki" has an update on planned
Soyuz/Progress upgrades in its July issue. Only two major improvements are
planned before the turn of the decade :

a) the replacement of the Argon-16 computer (introduced on Soyuz-T back in
the 1970s) by the new TsVM-101 computer. The latter is a much more capable
computer, is almost 10 times lighter (8.3 kg vs. 70 kg) and much smaller.
b) the replacement of an analogue telemetry system by a smaller digital
telemetry system called MBITS.

These modifications were originally planned in the late 1990s as part of a
more elaborate Soyuz modification effort (Soyuz-TMS and Soyuz-TMM), which
was shelved for financial reasons. However, production of the old Argon
computer (by the NII Argon design bureau) will soon be discontinued, leaving
RKK Energiya no choice but to speed up the development of the TsVM-101
computer (manufactured by NII Submikron in Zelenograd).

The new systems will first be tested on at least four Progress spacecraft
before being introduced on Soyuz. The Soyuz and Progress vehicles carrying
the new systems will retain their current designators (Soyuz-TMA and
Progress-M/M1), but will have new indexes :
Soyuz-TMA : 11F732A47 (serial numbers beginning with 701)
Progress-M : 11F615A60 (serial numbers beginning with 401)
Progress-M1 : 11F615A70 (serial numbers beginning with 501)

Like Argon-16, the new TsVM-101 computer will be installed in the service
module of both Soyuz and Progress. In addition to the computer in the
service module, Soyuz has a computer in the descent module (KS-020M) for
control during re-entry. Eventually the plan is to do away with that
computer and move TsVM-101 from the service module to the descent module,
where it will take over re-entry control functions from KS-020M and moreover
be reusable. However, that change is currently not planned before 2010.

This is the Soyuz/Progress flight schedule until November 2009 :

2 Oct 2007 : Soyuz TMA-11 (nr. 221)
12 Dec 2007 : Progress M-62 (nr. 362)
12 Feb 2008 : Progress M-63 (nr. 363)
8 Apr 2008 : Soyuz TMA-12 (nr. 222)
Jun 2008 : Progress M-64 (nr. 364)
Aug 2008 : Progress M-65 (nr. 401)
Oct 2008 : Soyuz TMA-13 (nr. 223)
Nov 2008 : Progress M-66 (nr. 365)
Jan 2009 : Progress M-67 (nr. 402)
Mar 2009 : Soyuz TMA-14 (nr. 224)
Apr 2009 : Progress M-68 (nr. 366)
Jun 2009 : Progress M-69 (nr. 403)
Jul 2009 : Soyuz TMA-15 (nr. 225)
Aug 2009 : Progress M-70 (nr. 404)
Sep 2009 : Soyuz TMA-16 (nr. 701)
Oct 2009 : Progress M-71 (nr. 405)
Nov 2009 : Soyuz TMA-17 (nr. 226)

In 2008-2010 there will be a transition period where both "old" and "new"
vehicles will be flown. Currently, RKK Energiya plans to fly five more "old"
Progress-M vehicles (nrs. 362-366) and seven more "old" Soyuz-TMA vehicles
(nrs. 221-227). Beginning in 2009, Energiya will fly four Soyuz-TMA vehicles
per year to enable the station to house a six-person crew.

As can be seen from the serial numbers, the new systems will first be flown
on Progress M-65 in August 2008. If the new systems develop problems
preventing a docking with ISS, a "standard" Progress-M will be on stand-by
to be launched to the station shortly afterwards. Progress-M nrs. 365 and
366 will be the back-up vehicles for Progress-M nrs. 401 and 402
respectively. Similarly, the "old" Soyuz TMA vehicles nrs. 226 and 227 will
be on stand-by if there are any serious problems with the first two modified
Soyuz TMA-vehicles (nrs. 701 and 702). By the way, the first modified
Soyuz-TMA is expected to be commanded by veteran cosmonaut Aleksandr Kaleri,
who has been actively involved in development and testing of the new systems
since 2006.

The next Progress-M1 vehicle (which differs from the standard Progress-M by
having additional propellant tanks for station refuelling) is not expected
to fly until 2010 or 2011, when the next peak of solar activity will require
more frequent station reboosts.

As things stand now, the heavily modified Soyuz with lunar capability
promised by former RKK Energiya chief Nikolay Sevastyanov seems no more than
a distant dream...

Bart Hendrickx