Third European supply podule docks with space station
Europe's ATV cargo ship Edoardo Amaldi successfully docked with the International Space Station last night, marking the third ATV mission to restock the ISS. The totally automated space freighter hooked up with the Russian Zvezda module's docking cone smoothly at around 22:30 GMT last night. The ATV was monitored from the …
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'Smooth, gentle' mating at 28,000 kph
I trust that is with respect to our earthbound frame of reference, not the speed of the podule with respect to ISS.
Re: 'Smooth, gentle' mating at 28,000 kph
Indeed it is, and this reporting annoys me. It's the relative speed that matters - its like drinking a cup of tea in a plane doing 500mph, not difficult as everything is moving slowly relative to each other.
Should have shelled out for an Advanced Docking Computer
They are only like 1500 Credits.
Re: Should have shelled out for an Advanced Docking Computer
Technically it already has one.
The backup is a ground controller continually mashing the "P" on his keyboard to match rotation.
Dear Author... make your mind up
First it's 28,000 kph, then it's 28,000 km/hr. Try using km/h.
</PEDANT>
Re: Dear Author... make your mind up
Or maybe a more headline grabbing 7777.7778 m/s
And now for Dragon (in a month... or so)
If the docking system works and the docking(s) go smoothly, what was the problem with Dragon? I mean, can't they just copy & paste the docking system software/hardware onto everything that wants to take it?
Dragon, CST-100, Orion (MPCV) etc.
Kudos to the designers, manufacturers, and programmers of the Edoardo Amaldi !
While Reg bloggers would indeed do well to cease insisting on «28000 kph», still the success of the vehicle in getting its velocity in the ISS' reference frame down to zero is no mean feat. Hoping for more of the same !...
Henri
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