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RSC-Energia reported two anomalies on Soyuz TMA-02M: During today's rendezvous burn on Soyuz Orbit 17 a lower than expected thrust (~60%) was seen in DPO-B thruster #14 (nominal thrust: 13.3 kgf). A subsequent test on Orbit 20 confirmed this, and specialists suspect FOD (foreign object/debris), perhaps some shaving, in the prop metering line. Thruster #14 acts along x-axis and is also used for yaw control (y-axis). There is no other thruster like this one, but two smaller DPO-M thrusters (nominal: 2.7 kgf each) can perform this function independently of #14. Because even at 60% capacity this thruster still provides more thrust than the two smaller ones together, specialists recommend using the degraded engine after uplinking a software patch to extend the range of its allowable burning time (nominal: 400 sec). The software patch will also account for the case of the thruster becoming completely blocked, in which case the system will switch over to the two smaller thrusters. If #14 should clear, the time range in the s/w patch will allow a return to the nominal configuration. The docking plan will be modified to account for the decreased thrust. RSC-Energia expressed confidence that the docking can still be kept on time, at 5:22 p.m. EDT. The second anomaly were lower than expected CO2 (carbon dioxide) readings of the Soyuz GA (Gas Analyzer) during the first two orbits. On Orbit 3, the data became nominal. Specialists believe that Sokol spacesuit checks prior to liftoff flooded the sensor with O2 (oxygen), suppressing CO2 (the GA in this Soyuz has no screen to protect against this case). Plans are to leave the GA activated for three days after docking to allow specialists to monitor data. Borisenko has turned on the 26S GA and will use it with the ISSA GA to compare the readings for accuracy.
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