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Proposed ultimate space station photo op rejected
BY WILLIAM HARWOOD
STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION
Posted: March 1, 2011


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Russian mission managers Tuesday rejected a NASA proposal to undock a three-man Soyuz spacecraft for a fly around of the International Space Station to capture unprecedented views of the complex with the shuttle Discovery and a full complement of European, Japanese and Russian spacecraft attached.


This illustration shows the shuttle docked to the International Space Station. Credit: NASA
 
Discovery's mission is the only time such a photograph would be possible before the shuttle fleet is retired later this summer.

"The Mission Management Team has conferred and the program's official decision is the fly about is a no-go," Stan Love radioed the shuttle-station crew from mission control, shortly after the astronauts attached a final U.S. module -- the Permanent Multipurpose Module -- to the space station. "We will keep the (one-day mission extension) for PMM outfitting and transfer to leave the station and crew in the best possible shape when Discovery undocks."

"Station copies, thanks," Expedition 26 commander Scott Kelly replied.

The fly-about proposal would have required Kelly, Soyuz commander Alexander Kaleri and Oleg Skripochka to undock from the Russian Poisk module in the Soyuz TMA-01M spacecraft. Pulling straight away from the lab complex, the Soyuz would stop and the station would change its orientation to present a good angle for photos showing the entire laboratory and all the visiting vehicles.

The Soyuz then would maneuver for a quarter-lap fly around to line back up with the Poisk module and redock with the station. The procedure was expected to take about one hour from start to finish.

But the Soyuz TMA-01M spacecraft is making its first flight with an upgraded avionics system and flight computer. Russian managers told their international counterparts today they could not go along with the fly-about proposal.

"Their primary basis was because this particular vehicle is what they consider to be a new vehicle, it's what we call a series 700 vehicle, and so this is its maiden flight," said Kenneth Todd, chairman of the space station Mission Management Team. "They had a flight program set aside for that vehicle, which had it coming to station, serving its six-month term there and then returning."

Given the short time available to assess the fly-about maneuver, along with contingency scenarios and other factors, "they came back to us and said they're recommending not doing it."

"It wasn't necessarily what we were hoping to get back, but at the same point I applaud the Russians for doing the right thing, not disregarding their own processes and making sure they do their own due diligence the way they should," Todd said. "I accepted the recommendation."

Support for the exercise was not unanimous on the U.S. side, with some engineers arguing the risks outweighed whatever benefits the unique photos would have provided.

A second Soyuz -- TMA-20 -- is docked to another port on the opposite side of the station. But that capsule's departure "cone" is very close to Discovery's vertical tail fin and Todd said NASA managers never considered using that vehicle.

Using the Soyuz TMA-01M spacecraft, thruster pluming was not an issue for Discovery because of the presence of a Japanese cargo ship just in front of the shuttle's nose that would have provided shielding.

UPDATED: The official embroidered crew patch for shuttle Discovery's final flight is available in our store. Free shipping to U.S. addresses!
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VIDEO: TUESDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: 'NO GO' FOR SPACE STATION PHOTO OP PLAY
VIDEO: PERMANENT MULTIPURPOSE MODULE ATTACHED PLAY
VIDEO: ROBOT ARM MANEUVERS MODULE TO ITS NEW HOME PLAY
VIDEO: STATION'S NEW MODULE UNBERTHED FROM SHUTTLE PLAY
VIDEO: ROBOT ARM GRAPPLES MODULE ABOARD DISCOVERY PLAY
VIDEO: ORBITAL SUNRISE OVER PMM BEFORE LEAVING SHUTTLE PLAY
VIDEO: TUESDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY
VIDEO: ANIMATED EXPLANATION OF NEW MODULE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF MODULE INSTALLATION PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: LOOKING OUT THE PILOT'S WINDOW PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 5 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: DISCOVERY'S FLIGHT EXTENDED ONE DAY PLAY
VIDEO: EVA NO. 1 CONCLUDES PLAY
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VIDEO: FAILED PUMP COVERED UP WITH THERMAL BLANKET PLAY
VIDEO: GRAPPLE FIXTURE MOVED FROM PUMP TO OTHER SPARE PLAY
VIDEO: AMMONIA VENTING TOOLS ATTACHED TO FAILED PUMP PLAY
VIDEO: BOLTS ENGAGED TO HOLD OLD PUMP IN STORAGE BOX PLAY
VIDEO: FAILED PUMP MODULE FINALLY PUT INTO ENCLOSURE PLAY
VIDEO: ROBOT ARM SWINGS STEVE BOWEN AROUND THE STATION PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKER HOPS ABOARD STATION'S ROBOT ARM PLAY
VIDEO: MONDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF SPACEWALK NO. 1 PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 4 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: CREW'S HOME MOVIES FROM FLIGHT DAY 4 PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: WX CHANNEL, BOSTON, ATLANTA, TAMPA INTERVIEWS PLAY
VIDEO: MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: SUNDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: SUNDAY MORNING FLIGHT DIRECTOR INTERVIEW PLAY

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 3 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: EXPRESS LOGISTICS CARRIER NO. 4 INSTALLED PLAY
VIDEO: SPACE STATION ARM INCH-WORMS TO NEW BASE PLAY
VIDEO: PAYLOAD HANDED FROM STATION ARM TO SHUTTLE ARM PLAY
VIDEO: SPARE PARTS PLATFORM HOISTED FROM SHUTTLE PLAY
VIDEO: STATION ROBOT ARM GRAPPLES ELC 4 PALLET PLAY
VIDEO: SPACEWALKING SUITS MOVED INTO AIRLOCK PLAY

VIDEO: SATURDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
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VIDEO: DOCKING OF SHUTTLE TO STATION AS SEEN LIVE PLAY
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VIDEO: DISCOVERY PERFORMS THE 360-DEGREE BACKFLIP PLAY
VIDEO: BEAUTIFUL VIEWS OF SHUTTLE DURING RENDEZVOUS PLAY
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VIDEO: ANIMATED EXPLANATION OF ELC NO. 4 INSTALL PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF THE DOCKING PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: GUIDED TOUR OF SHUTTLE'S PAYLOAD BAY PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 2 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: FRIDAY'S MISSION STATUS BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: NARRATED PREVIEW OF FLIGHT DAY 2 ACTIVITIES PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: FLIGHT DAY 1 HIGHLIGHTS MOVIE PLAY
VIDEO: PAYLOAD BAY DOORS OPENED IN SPACE PLAY

VIDEO: THE FULL STS-133 LAUNCH EXPERIENCE PLAY
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VIDEO: AERIAL VIEWS AROUND THE CAPE PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: VAB ROOF PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PRESS SITE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD PERIMETER PLAY | HI-DEF
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VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD CAMERA 070 PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD CAMERA 071 PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: UCS-23 TRACKER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PLAYALINDA BEACH PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: PAD FRONT CAMERA PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH REPLAY: WEST TOWER CAMERA PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS LEAVE CREW QUARTERS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW FINISHES GETTING SUITED UP PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: LOOK BACK AT THE LAUNCH DELAYS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: NARRATED REVIEW OF SHUTTLE'S PREPARATIONS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: NARRATED REVIEW OF PAYLOADS' PREPARATIONS PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE OF PAD GANTRY ROLLBACK PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH PAD GANTRY ROLLED BACK PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: INSIDE CONTROL ROOM WHEN COUNT STARTED PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: UNIQUE VIEWS OF SHUTTLE ON THE PAD PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: THE PRE-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE PLAY
VIDEO: DISCOVERY'S COUNTDOWN IS UNDERWAY PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH COUNTDOWN PREVIEW AND WEATHER FORECAST PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE AT LAUNCH SITE AGAIN PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: DISCOVERY CLEARED FOR LAUNCH ON FEB. 24 PLAY

VIDEO: STEVE BOWEN BEGINS CREW TRAINING PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: SUN RISES OVER SPACEPORT AFTER ROLLOUT PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: SHUTTLE ARRIVES ATOP LAUNCH PAD 39A AGAIN PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CROWDS CHEER ON DISCOVERY'S ROLLOUT PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: DISCOVERY RE-EMERGES FROM THE VAB PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH TEAM PRACTICES PROCEDURES PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: FRESH FOAM APPLIED TO EXTERNAL TANK PLAY | HI-DEF

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VIDEO: REPAIRS AND STRENGTHENING TO TANK PLAY | HI-DEF
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VIDEO: SETTING UP ACCESS PLATFORMS AROUND TANK PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: SHUTTLE ROLLED BACK TO ASSEMBLY BUILDING PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: DISCOVERY DEPARTS LAUNCH PAD 39A PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LUNAR ECLIPSE OVER DISCOVERY PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE FUELING TEST PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: RECAP OF THE FUELING EXERCISE PLAY
VIDEO: FUELING TEST COUNTDOWN UPDATE PLAY
VIDEO: COMMENTS FROM SHUTTLE LAUNCH DIRECTOR PLAY
VIDEO: GROUND UMBILICAL CARRIER PLATE CHECKED PLAY
VIDEO: INFO ON EXTERNAL TANK INSTRUMENTATION PLAY
VIDEO: DETAILED INFORMATION ON SPECIAL FUELING TEST PLAY

VIDEO: SHUTTLE DISCOVERY'S LAUNCH DELAYED TO FEBRUARY PLAY

VIDEO: FINAL PREPS FOR INSTRUMENTED TEST PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: STRAIN GAUGES ATTACHED TO TANK PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: BACKSCATTER INSPECTIONS OF TANK MIDSECTION PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: INSTALLING DOUBLERS OVER STRINGERS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: GASEOUS HYDROGEN VENT ARM RETURNED PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: DOUBLERS TO BEEF UP CRACKED BEAMS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: HYDROGEN FITTING IS REINSTALLED PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: OPENING UP TANK'S ENTRANCE DOOR PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: GUCP DETACHED AND SEALS REMOVED PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: BROKEN FOAM REMOVED FROM THE TANK PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: VENT ARM LETS GO FROM LEAKY GUCP PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: DISCOVERY AWAITS REPAIRS TO TANK PROBLEMS PLAY | HI-DEF

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VIDEO: STS-133 MISSION PREVIEW MOVIE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: SHUTTLE DISCOVERY CREW BIOGRAPHIES PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ISS EXPEDITION 25-26 PREVIEW MOVIE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: SPACE STATION CREW BIOGRAPHIES PLAY | HI-DEF

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VIDEO: ANOTHER 24-HOUR DELAY ORDERED TO FINISH REPAIRS PLAY
VIDEO: LAUNCH DELAYED 24 HOURS BY LEAK REPAIRS PLAY

VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS ARRIVE FOR LAUNCH PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW SETS LAUNCH DATE PLAY

VIDEO: SHUTTLE AND STATION PROGRAM BRIEFING PLAY
VIDEO: THE STS-133 MISSION OVERVIEW PRESENTATIONS PLAY
VIDEO: PREVIEW BRIEFING ON MISSION'S SPACEWALKS PLAY
VIDEO: IN-DEPTH BACKGROUND ON ROBONAUT 2 HUMANOID PLAY
VIDEO: THE ASTRONAUTS' PRE-FLIGHT NEWS BRIEFING PLAY

VIDEO: PAYLOAD BAY DOORS CLOSED FOR LAUNCH PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW LEAVES KSC FOR TRIP TO HOUSTON PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS INSPECT THE PAYLOAD BAY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: SHUTTLE EVACUATION PRACTICE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS EGRESS SHUTTLE AS SEEN LIVE PLAY
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS BOARD DISCOVERY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: SUN RISES ON LAUNCH PAD 39A PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LAUNCH DAY REHEARSAL BEGINS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: COMMEMORATIVE WALL SIGNING IN VAB PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW BRIEFED ON EMERGENCY PROCEDURES PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: IN SHUTTLE TRAINING AIRCRAFT'S COCKPIT PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: TEST-DRIVING AN EMERGENCY ARMORED TANK PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH STEVE LINDSEY PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH ERIC BOE PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH AL DREW PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH TIM KOPRA PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH MIKE BARRATT PLAY
VIDEO: PRE-LAUNCH INTERVIEW WITH NICOLE STOTT PLAY

VIDEO: PAYLOADS INSTALLED INTO DISCOVERY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: MISSION PAYLOADS ARRIVE AT LAUNCH PAD PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CANISTER HAULING PAYLOADS TURNED UPRIGHT PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: MODULE HOISTED INTO SHIPPING CANISTER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: WEIGHING NEW SPACE STATION MODULE PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: GANTRY PLACED AROUND DISCOVERY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: SHUTTLE ATLANTIS REACHES PAD 39A PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CROWDS WATCH DISCOVERY'S FINAL ROLLOUT PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: SHUTTLE HOISTED FOR ATTACHMENT TO TANK PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CRANE ROTATES THE ORBITER VERTICALLY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: DISCOVERY DEPARTS ITS HANGAR PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE SHOWS DISCOVERY ASCENDING IN VAB PLAY
VIDEO: TIME-LAPSE SHOWS THE MOVE TO ASSEMBLY BUILDING PLAY

VIDEO: DISCOVERY'S MAIDEN FLIGHT: FIRST TRIP TO VAB PLAY
VIDEO: DISCOVERY'S MAIDEN FLIGHT: ROLLOUT TO PAD 39A PLAY
VIDEO: DISCOVERY'S MAIDEN FLIGHT: TEST-FIRING ENGINES PLAY
VIDEO: DISCOVERY'S MAIDEN FLIGHT: ASSORTED VIEWS OF FRF PLAY

VIDEO: THE HISTORY OF SHUTTLE DISCOVERY PLAY
VIDEO: THE HISTORY OF SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR PLAY
VIDEO: THE HISTORY OF SHUTTLE ATLANTIS PLAY

VIDEO: INSPECTION OF THE MISSION PAYLOADS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ROBONAUT ARRIVES AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: SPACE STATION'S SPARE THERMAL RADIATOR PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: BLANKETING LEONARDO WITH INSULATION PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: RACK INSERTED INTO LEONARDO FOR LAUNCH PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: LEONARDO RETURNS FROM ITS PREVIOUS FLIGHT PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: STATION'S SPARE PARTS DEPOT ARRIVES PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: ORBITER'S PAYLOAD BAY CLOSED FOR ROLLOUT PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: ASTRONAUTS VISIT THEIR SPACECRAFT PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: CREW INSPECTS LEONARDO MODULE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: DISCOVERY RECEIVES ITS MAIN ENGINES PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: FUEL TANK MATED TO SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: HOISTING FUEL TANK INTO CHECKOUT BAY PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: EXTERNAL FUEL TANK UNLOADED FROM BARGE PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: MISSION'S FUEL TANK ARRIVES AT SPACEPORT PLAY | HI-DEF

VIDEO: POST-FLIGHT DESERVICING: OMS POD PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: POST-FLIGHT DESERVICING: OBSS BOOM PLAY | HI-DEF
VIDEO: POST-FLIGHT DESERVICING: ENGINES PLAY | HI-DEF
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