[FPSPACE] So what can we make of these stories from Yi?

[Jens Kieffer-Olsen]

-----Original Message-----
From: Geert Sassen [mailto:geert at navtools.nl] 
Sent: Friday, May 02, 2008 4:25 PM
> 
> Did she suffer these injuries from the G-forces during 
> re-entry or from touch-down?
> 
> Despite the landing-rockets a soyuz touch-down is always rough, 
> according most stories, however it sounds like this time it 
> really did touch down very hard.
> On some of the pictures you see officials standing close to what
> looks like a 'crater' or at least a deep dent in the soil, with
> the cabine lying a bit further on, as if it hit very hard, then
> bounced up, and turned up on its side some meters further on.
> The fact that Soyuz 5, who also suffered separation-problems,
> also touched down very hard is food for thought...
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Geert.
> 
> Jim Oberg wrote:
> > So what can we make of these stories from Yi?

 It's as if the reality of 'rough' Soyuz landing comes as a surprise
 each time. When the Soviets/Russians say 'rough', it should be
 interpreted as 'very rough indeed', everything short of permanent
 injury.

 Prior to the Soyuz-TMA 1 landing ( 5 years ago to-morrow ) NASA had
 shunned regular Soyuz landings altogether. Only the Columbia disaster
 forced a change of plans. And in fact, Donald Pettit injured his
 shoulder badly during that landing, very much like Yi did almost
 5 years later.

 How long time did it take Pettit to recover? Is he 100% ok to-day?

--
Jens Kieffer-Olsen
Slagelse, Denmark