Problems with the start of a Pole’s mission into space. « Risk 20-30 percent »
The flight of the first Pole at the ISS was postponed by the weather from Tuesday, June 10, Wednesday, June 11. This information was confirmed on Monday by the head of the Polish Ignis Mission Dr. Aleksandra Bukała from Poland.
Read also: The Pole will fly into space any moment! Where and when to watch live the mission start?
Sławosz Uznański will fly to the ISS. « 20-30 percent risk of starting the start »
– The delay is, as we unfortunately were afraid, because of the weather, unfortunately the winds in the upper layers of the atmosphere, where the first and second members of the rocket will be disconnected, they are too strong and are simply beyond the safety limits for the crew, as well as for this member of the rocket that will come back – she said during the briefing for Polish media in Cocoa Beach in Florida.
As she said, although forecasts for Wednesday morning – a new date of departure – are better, still There is a risk of starting the start to Thursday, June 12, or the next days. She assessed such a risk at 20-30 percent. And she added that the start certifications are valid until June 15, although the outlet will also be possible at later dates if necessary. The decision whether the start will take place on Wednesday will be made by the weather council around 4pm of Polish time on Tuesday.
Bukała said that apart from the weather, the greatest risk factor is the moment of refueling the rocket that follows just before the start.
Read also: It will be the most difficult moment of flight. Wife of Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski about the risk
Rocket problems appeared
As he said during a press conference after conducting a flight readiness tests, SpaceX Vice President William Gerstenmaier, during the static test of Falcon 9 rocket engines – for which the mission will be the second flight – A leakage of liquid oxygen was detected, which was not noticed during its renovation after the first flight. There was also a problem with the control of one of the rocket engines. He assured, however, that both of these problems would be solved until Wednesday and the vehicle would be ready to take off.
Jimmy Tager, a US weather specialist, said that the forecasts for Wednesday are better in terms of wind strength, but the risk is rain and storms that will not be extensive, but they may appear both just above the starting stand, as well as deep into the land. He estimated that on Wednesday the risk of exceeding security parameters is 20 %, and on Thursday 25 percent.
« Weather forecasting in central Florida is always fun, » he said.
According to Bukła, the Polish astronaut Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski accepted information about the flight delay-the third shift of the date-calmly.
Astronauts are preparing for the mission
– Sławosz says he is used to it and that he was prepared and trained and that it does not affect him. He will have more time to read all these manuals – she said. She added that this is the plan for Tuesday. – Repetitions, replays, replays, because the more times they are repeated by these starting procedures, also what they feel the least when it comes to working at the station, the less stress will be later – she added.
Already on Sunday Uznański-Wiśniewski and the rest of the crew underwent a « dry » test of all starting procedures, including the boarding of the Dragon capsule, which will take astronauts to the ISS. This will be the first flight of this particular vehicle, the tenth and last manned capsule produced by SpaceX.
Sławosz Uznański will be the first Pole at the ISS
The Polish Mission Ignis is part of the wider AX-4 mission, whose crew consists of a veteran-astronaut Peggy Whitson (USA)-commander; Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski (Poland/ESA)-specialist; Shubhanshu Shukla (India) – pilot and tibor kapu (Hungary) – specialist.
This is another commercial crew expedition carried out by the American company Axiom Space. The participation of a Pole in it is the result of a contract signed between the Ministry of Development and Technology and the European Space Agency for the preparation and conduct of the Polish Ignis technological and scientific mission to ISS. The Polish Space Agency (Polsa) as an executive agency of MRIT also takes part in the preparations.
(Source: PAP)
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Sławosz Uznański is to be the first Pole at ISS.
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Jennifer Briggs / Zuma Press
The risk of starting the start is 20-30 percent.
