This thread is intended for comments and questions about the Soyuz TMA-17M mission and the updates published under the topic: Soyuz TMA-17M mission to the space station.
TMA-17M will launch three crew members for Expedition 44 aboard the International Space Station (ISS): Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren and Kimiya Yui of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
TMA-17M is the 126th flight of a Soyuz spacecraft since its first flight in 1967.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 07-22-2015 03:20 PM
The crew's talisman (zero-g indicator) for this launch is a small plush R2-D2.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 07-22-2015 04:15 PM
Soyuz TMA-17M has safely reached orbit.
Only one of spacecraft's two solar arrays deployed automatically as programmed. The crew is now working to execute the manual commands to deploy the second.
Update: Second array deployed.
onesmallstep Member
Posts: 1310 From: Staten Island, New York USA Registered: Nov 2007
posted 07-22-2015 04:18 PM
Nice to see R2 inside a spaceship, and not riding outside like on an X-Wing.
Just curious: They must have an impressive collection of zero-g indicators in a 'talisman museum' somewhere.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 07-22-2015 04:38 PM
The talisman dolls are the personal items of the cosmonauts, and quite often belong to their kids. They take them home after flight as souvenirs or to save for the next mission (a number of them have flown more than once).
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 07-22-2015 06:04 PM
quote:Originally posted by Robert Pearlman: Second array deployed.
Reports now saying that the port side solar array either did not deploy or only partially deployed, but that the crew is still a go for the four-orbit rendezvous and docking tonight.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 07-22-2015 09:25 PM
As Soyuz TMA-17M near a docking with the space station in about 15 minutes, cameras on the outpost show that only one of the Soyuz's solar panels is deployed.
Update: Soyuz TMA-17M docked at 9:45 p.m. EDT (0245 GMT). After docking, the crew reported that the stuck array is now deployed.
posted 07-23-2015 11:09 AM
Bravo! Fine launch and docking.
Pazdravlyayu tovarishchs.
Robert Pearlman Editor
Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
posted 12-11-2015 07:44 AM
The Soyuz TMA-17M crew safely landed in Kazakhstan at about 7:12 a.m. CST on Friday (Dec. 11). Scott Kelly, Expedition 46 commander, caught the craft's re-entry from on board the International Space Station.
The remnants of Soyuz's fiery plunge through the atmosphere. Congratulations on a successful landing.
MSS Member
Posts: 633 From: Poland Registered: May 2003
posted 12-12-2015 04:07 PM
This was the 22nd direct return for USOS crewmembers.
posted 07-21-2015 10:51 PM
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