From The Hindu, July 21, 1975: Second link-up a cliff-hanger
Dr. Vladimir Syromyatnikov, the head of the Soviet-American task force which designed and built the docking mechanism used to join the two spacecraft during their flight together through space, said the final link-up had taken place under 'extreme conditions'.
The pitching and tossing about of the two spacecraft between 12:33 and 12:40 GMT had been 'rather unexpected', he said. Space controllers watching the action on their television screens lived through seven emotion-filled minutes, he added.
He said the fact that all went well in the end was proof of the ability of the mechanism to withstand all the shocks to which it was subjected. 'We do not know the exact reasons for yesterday's incident and specialists from the two countries are at work analysing the causes,' Dr. Syromyatnikov said.
The Soviet expert said it would not have been 'tragic' if the mechanism had buckled during the docking operation because the astronauts would have then taken immediate steps to separate the two spacecraft ready for their return to earth.
The docking mechanisms were not directly attached to the space capsules used in the descent to earth, Dr. Syromyatnikov noted.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
4 hours ago
- India.com
5 times bigger than earth, this planet has huge deposits of diamond, its name is...
5 times bigger than earth, this planet has huge deposits of diamond, its name is… Diamond Planet: The universe and space are very vast subjects and we are still learning and studying them. We have made several discoveries, even our unmanned spacecraft has reached interstellar space, but space is still a mystery for us. The American space agency NASA has made significant discoveries in the field of space that have proven to be very helpful for us. Diamonds are very expensive in the world because of their glittery nature and rarity. We have a very limited stock of diamonds, and that is why the prices of this glittery stone continue to increase. But what if we say that there's a planet in space that is full of diamonds? Yes, you read that right. NASA's James Webb Telescope discovered a planet that may be full of diamonds. The planet is five times bigger than our planet and it is only 41 light-years away from us. This discovery has given rise to new possibilities. Planet Full Of Diamonds Known as 55 Cancri-E, the planet has been classified as a super-earth. A large part of which may be made up of carbon structures like diamonds and graphite. According to NASA scientists, the atmosphere of 55 Cancri-E is different from Earth. Scientists have also found signs of the presence of a special atmosphere around it. Temperature Of 2400 Degrees Celsius According to reports, this planet is located very near to its star, due to which its temperature is also very high. 55 Cancri-E completes one revolution of its orbit in just 17 hours and due to which its temperature touches 2400 degrees Celsius. Zero Life Possibility Intense heat has rendered this planet a molten lava world, making the existence of life highly improbable. However, the recent discovery of carbon-based planets suggests new possibilities for future applications. Further research on this planet's composition could reveal valuable resources for future use. However, this discovery of carbon-based planets has given rise to new possibilities. Scientists believe that studying the planet in more depth can open new doors for us and its elements can be used in the future.
NDTV
5 hours ago
- NDTV
Humans Landed On Moon In 1969, Why Conspiracy Theories Still Doubt It
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," said astronaut Neil Armstrong after stepping on the Moon on July 20, 1969. It's been over five decades, but conspiracy theorists still doubt it. On Sunday (July 20), NASA shared a post on Instagram to mark 56 years since the Apollo 11 mission successfully landed on the lunar surface, which was a historic achievement in space exploration. The space agency wrote: "We're going back." View this post on Instagram A post shared by NASA (@nasa) All About The Apollo 11 Mission The primary goals of the mission were to land on the Moon, conduct scientific experiments and return safely to Earth. The Moon landing paved the way for future space exploration and inspired generations of scientists, engineers and astronauts. "56 years ago, NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped onto the Moon, becoming the first humans to walk on the lunar surface," NASA said in the Instagram post. "Now, we're working with international and commercial partners to return to the Moon and establish the first long-term presence there, which is a critical step toward our first crewed missions to Mars." What Do Conspiracy Theories Say About The Moon Landing? The Moon landing conspiracy theory, mostly circulated on social media, suggests that the United States government faked or staged the Apollo Moon landings. Some even claimed that the landings were filmed in a studio or that the astronauts did not actually walk on the Moon's surface. Users on social media also claimed that the American flag planted on the Moon appears to be waving in the wind, even though there is no atmosphere on the Moon. Photos taken by the astronauts on the Moon's surface do not show any stars in the background, which some believe is evidence that the photos were taken in a studio. There are also claims that the astronauts would have been exposed to lethal radiation during their trip to the Moon, making it impossible for them to survive. The theories argue why it is taking so many years to go back to the Moon with far better technology as compared to the 1960s. Scientific Proof To Debunk The Viral Theories Experts have provided evidence and scientific explanations to debunk these claims. Scientists have noted that the flag's motion is caused by the motion from the astronauts as they planted it in the ground, not wind. They also revealed that cameras used by the astronauts were set to capture images of the bright lunar surface, and the stars were not visible due to overexposure. In regard to radiation claims, the experts said that the astronauts wore protective suits and the spacecraft had shielding to minimise exposure. The Apollo astronauts also brought back more than 800 pounds of Moon rocks and soil, which have been extensively studied by scientists and confirmed to have originated from the Moon.
News18
11 hours ago
- News18
Indo-US Earth Radar Mission: NISAR To Finally Lift-Off From Sriharikota On July 30
NISAR has been nearly a decade in the making, with scientists from both India and the United States meticulously developing two scientific payloads for the powerful satellite After a long delay, the much-anticipated Indo-US joint satellite mission, NISAR, is set to launch from Sriharikota at 5:40 pm on July 30, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) confirmed on Monday. The mission will deploy one of the largest and most advanced radar systems in space to provide an unprecedented view of the Earth. The satellite will lift-off on a GSLV-F16 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, and inject it into a 743 km Sun-synchronous orbit with an inclination of 98.4 degrees. Weighing nearly 2392 kg, the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) has been developed jointly by scientists from ISRO as well as NASA. NISAR has been nearly a decade in the making, with scientists from both India and the United States meticulously developing the mission's two scientific payloads — even through the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. While NASA developed the L-band radar for longer-wavelength imaging, ISRO and the Space Applications Centre (SAC) in Ahmedabad built the complementary S-band radar. It is the first satellite to observe the Earth with a dual frequency synthetic aperture radar both using NASA's 12-metre unfurlable mesh reflector antenna integrated to ISRO's modified 13K satellite bus. The powerful satellite will observe Earth with a swath of 242 km and provide high-resolution imagery using SweepSAR technology for the first time, said the space agency. It will scan the entire globe and provide all weather, day and night data at an interval of 12 days. It can even detect small changes in the Earth's surface, any deformation, movement of ice sheets and loss of vegetation. According to the space agency, NISAR will enable a wide range of applications, and help in studies which require classification of sea ice, monitoring of shorelines, changes in soil moisture, mapping and monitoring of surface water resources, as well as characterising storms, and detecting ships in the sea. This will also help in streamlining early disaster response, said ISRO. Initially scheduled for an early 2024 launch, the mission has faced multiple delays after one of its components had to be sent back to the US for corrections. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
