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Author
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Topic: Soyuz TMA-05M: Viewing, comments, questions
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 06-21-2012 07:46 AM
   
Soyuz TMA-05M: mission viewing, questions, comments This thread is intended for comments and questions about the Soyuz TMA-05M mission and the updates published under the topic: Soyuz TMA-05M mission to the space station. TMA-05M will launch three new crew members for the Expedition 32 crew on the International Space Station: Roscosmos cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, NASA astronaut Suni Williams, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Aki Hoshide. TMA-05M will be the 114th flight of a Soyuz spacecraft since its first flight in 1967.
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Larry McGlynn
Member Posts: 1255
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 07-12-2012 03:38 AM
Watched the roll out of Soyuz TMA-05M vehicle today. It passed within 30 feet of us on the way to the gantry. It was erected within 5 minutes. A group of us watched it lock into place for the launch. We stood on the launch pad. It is launch pad one. The pad that launched Sputnik and all manned spaceflights since Gagarin. This will be the last of a continuous string of launches. The site will go through remodeling after TMA-05M. There will be pictures later. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-12-2012 11:20 AM
Larry, were you allowed access to the track before the train arrived to place coins to be flattened (a Russian tradition, as I understand it)? |
BMckay
Member Posts: 3219
From: MA, USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 07-12-2012 11:38 AM
When I was there in November, they were not allowing us so I hope that changed. They might only trust the locals. |
Mr. Apollo 17
Member Posts: 55
From: Ashland, OH USA
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 07-12-2012 12:57 PM
I am going to watch it in my hometown in the company of astronaut Mike Foreman himself!It is so cool! And so happy that Suni's going up! She's from Cleveland and I am so proud that she is going to be the first woman commander of the ISS!
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-12-2012 01:09 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Mr. Apollo 17:
...she is going to be the first woman commander of the ISS!
Suni is going to be the second female commander; Peggy Whitson commanded the station in 2007. |
Mr. Apollo 17
Member Posts: 55
From: Ashland, OH USA
Registered: Feb 2012
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posted 07-12-2012 01:57 PM
Sorry about that  I'm excited that she is the second woman ISS commander! Wasn't Malenchenko flying under Whitson as well on their mission? Anyone else coming to the event? |
Jay Chladek
Member Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007
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posted 07-12-2012 03:03 PM
Yes, he was on Expedition 16 with Whitson. After they landed short due to the ballistic reentry on that flight, it was Malenchenko who had to haul himself out of the spacecraft to call Roscosmos officials with a satellite phone to tell them where they were since the front first reentry burned off the communications antennas.When this bird launches, would you call it a "Sunirise"?  |
BMckay
Member Posts: 3219
From: MA, USA
Registered: Sep 2002
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posted 07-12-2012 03:09 PM
Actually, their call sign is Agate. |
Jay Chladek
Member Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007
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posted 07-14-2012 10:05 PM
That was a beautiful launch. Glad I got to watch it. Rather neat to see Malenchenko wearing glasses (they look good on him). Seeing Krikalev with the gray hair was also pretty neat to see in the press room when the crew was getting their final suit checks (remember the good ole days when he had that vibrant brown hair?).I completely forgot this was an anniversary for ASTP. Wow, 37 years ago today (where has the time gone?). I hope Leonov, Kubasov, Brand and Stafford were able to watch this (and Deke from where ever he is now). |
Larry McGlynn
Member Posts: 1255
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 07-18-2012 10:44 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
Larry, were you allowed access to the track before the train arrived to place coins to be flattened (a Russian tradition, as I understand it)?
Rob, I arrived home late yesterday after an really good trip in Russia.The launch was very intimate. We were about 3/4 of mile away from the pad over a very flat terrain. The sky was clean and the temperature was cool. One small cloud overhead gave us the view of the Soyuz punching a hole in the cloud. Then we caught sight of the rocket downrange again. I can neither confirm or deny getting any flattened coins. It is not allowed any more, but as I said, I cannot confirm or deny the presence of partially flattened coins. We have put in a suggestion that NASA or Roscosmos install a penny flattening machine at the Sputnik Hotel. They could make some extra dough there. Also, I did pick up several rocks (concrete chunks) from Pad 1. I did photo document each piece. We cleaned out the gift shop at Star City, which we believe paid for some extra time for the astronauts in the simulators. We are exhausted and need to get back to work in order to relax after the trip. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-18-2012 10:50 AM
Great to hear, Larry and welcome home. Looking forward to seeing your photos and hearing more stories.(One of the best souvenirs I returned from Baikonur was a model of the Soyuz rocket that was handcrafted out of scrap metal used in the production of the real boosters. One of the local workers produced them and had them on sale at the Sputnik hotel.) |
Larry McGlynn
Member Posts: 1255
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 07-19-2012 03:07 AM
Robert, and there are a lot of stories. While we didn't see the model you describe, let it never be said that the McGlynn's didn't stimulate the local economy. We paid dearly in Customs upon arrival home. I was able to pick up a Soyuz model at the museum gift shop. It's plastic. The best trinket was a framed display made of amber that came from the Amber Room in the Summer Palace. That place had a gift shop. |
Larry McGlynn
Member Posts: 1255
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 11-19-2012 06:32 AM
Here's to Suni, Yuri and Aki and their safe arrival back on Earth. Four and half months have sure past quickly. |
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