[FPSPACE] Conflicting claims on Vozdukh problems

[James Oberg]

Something interesting is going on regarding the problems with the Vozdukh.

According to NASA On-Orbit Status Reports, problems first cropped up on January 21
and kept recurring for several days.Extracts below.

The official NASA ISS daily report made no mention at all of these problems until
January 26. A bit tardy, to be sure.

A Russian newsman read the NASA report and wrote a news story Jan 27.

A few hours later, a spokesman for TsUP-M told Roskosmos that the
story was absolutely false [link and text below]. It claimed that all systems on
the station were functioning normally and that the cosmonauts were
performing planned routine operations.

Why the conflict? Surely NASA's account is accurate (if a bit tardy in
appearing in the daily report). How can Roskosmos claim that NASA's
report is untrue? Did NASA release the information without Russian permission?

I am not concerned about the Vozdukh -- it's a robust time-tested machine
that can be field-serviced again and again (and it has been). If needed,
spare parts can go up on upcoming Progress or shuttle launches.

But I am more than a little concerned over the gap between the
official Roskosmos claims, and the NASA accounts.

How could that gap have arisen, and why?

And when else have we seen such gaps between reality and
Roskosmos assertions regarding normal operation of Russian
equipment on ISS? Or gaps with NASA assertions?

Jim O







ISS On-Orbit Status 01/26/10 -- All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. [snip]
   FE-1 Suraev had several hours set aside in the RS (Russian Segment) to troubleshoot the failed Vozdukh CO2 scrubber. [On 1/22, Vozdukh had shown as failed at 9:49am EST. It was placed into the initial configuration and reactivated in Manual Mode 5 at 12:43pm, but it failed again at 1:00pm. On 1/24, Vozdukh was reactivated per "standard method" in the initial position at 7:53am and failed again at 8:11am. The crew reported that the BVK1 valve was in between the purification and closed positions after failure. The crew also reported that when they deactivated the system, the VN vacuum pump red light was on. SOZh/ECLSS specialists reported that they are still assessing the issue and do not have any recommendations yet. On 1/25 (yesterday), Vozdukh was reactivated again at 5:15am and it failed at 5:39am. TsUP/Moscow was still unsure of the nature of these failures and will continue troubleshooting.]


ISS On-Orbit Status 01/28/10 -- All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. [snip]
   Maxim Suraev had another hour set aside for more troubleshooting of the failed Vozdukh CO2 removal assembly, today testing the vacuum pump pressure of the suspect BU VN Vacuum Pump Control Unit with the VK-316M vacuum pressure gauge. [On 1/22, Vozdukh had shown as failed at 9:49am EST. It was placed into the initial configuration and reactivated in Manual Mode 5 at 12:43pm, but it failed again at 1:00pm. On 1/24, Vozdukh was reactivated per "standard method" in the initial position at 7:53am and failed again at 8:11am. The crew reported that the BVK1 valve was in between the purification and closed positions after failure. The crew also reported that when they deactivated the system, the VN vacuum pump red light was on. SOZh/ECLSS specialists reported that they are still assessing the issue and do not have any recommendations yet. On 1/25, Vozdukh was reactivated again at 5:15am and it failed at 5:39am. TsUP/Moscow is still unsure of the nature of these failures and will continue troubleshooting.]







Роскосмос опроверг сообщения о поломке на МКС

27.01.2010, 15:13:21   http://lenta.ru/news/2010/01/27/dontpanic/

   Роскосмос опроверг информацию о поломке на МКС системы удаления углекислого газа "Воздух", опубликованную некоторыми СМИ. Соответствующее сообщение появилось на сайте агентства. 

   В сообщении Федерального космического агентства со ссылкой на специалистов ЦУП указано, что все системы на борту орбитальной станции работают нормально. Кроме того отмечается, что космонавты Максим Сураев и Олег Котов готовятся к проведению плановых экспериментов. 

   В новостных заметках, появившихся в российских СМИ (в том числе и в сообщении Первого канала) в среду, 27 января, со ссылкой на данные NASA утверждалось, что установка "Воздух" не работает уже четыре дня. Уточнялось, что Максим Сураев пытается починить систему, но его действия к успеху пока не привели. 

   Выход из строя установки по очистке воздуха от углекислого газа, расположенной в российском сегменте МКС, в любом случае не приведет к катастрофическим последствиям. В американском сегменте станции есть еще одна система - CDRA (Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly - установка по удалению углекислого газа). 

   Две недели назад в прессе появились сообщения о еще одной поломке на борту Международной космической станции. Из строя вышла новая система получения питьевой воды из мочи и испарений обитателей станции. Вероятной причиной неисправности стал кальций, который повредил детали системы. Концентрация этого элемента в моче астронавтов повышена. 


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