Essential part of every launch
"Houston, we are owl systems go".
The three latest additions to the International Space Station crew have blasted off successfully from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Youtube Video Cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka, along with US astronaut Jeff Williams, lifted off aboard the Soyuz TMA-20M rocket at 1428 PT (2128 UTC) and are now on their …
>probably started by Gagarin like so many other traditions.
I like the tradition of cosmonauts and astronauts peeing against the wheels of the crew transporter on the way to the launchpad. Gagarin first did it out of necessity, and subsequent crews have done it because it is lucky. Apparently female cosmonauts bring a pre-filled bottle of pee (cue a Blue Peter style "Here's one I made earlier!") with them to splash on the wheels.
Actually how do the cosmonauts pee against the transporter? I know they supposedly do it and have seen pics but surely there isnt a zip in their spacesuit for them to get their tackle out and have a slash?
AFAIA the merkins wear nappies in their spacesuits, do the ruskies have a cunning alternative?
They all wear nappies, but not at this stage.
The whole "wave to the crowd, get on the bus" furore is mainly for publicity. Crucially, the oversuits they're wearing are not for going to orbit. They would be deemed as contaminated at this stage.
They go through another stage of getting suited-up once they reach the launch pad/tower.
Afaik, peeing on the wheel of the crew bus is only done at baikonur. The russian suit opens at the front with 2 zippers and underneath that a string tied around the loose end of the air tight layer of the suit (yes, really). The opening goes fown quite low, so the men can most likely get their wedding tackle out far enough for a tinkle.
BTW, some may find this full list of traditions interesting
I saw Tereshkova's capsule at the Cosmonauts exhibiution and in it was what looked suspiciously like a car radio, same size, format, same dial and knob placements.
Surely she wasnt listening to corrupt capitilist Radio Caroline etc al when she orbited....
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcKJm4bUsAEMsOW.jpg
You can just about see it on the right hand wall, just above the brown seating(?) material.
@ridley
You're right - it really does look like an old "Two-Knob-Job" from the '70's/'80's!
Never noticed it in the pictures I'd seen before. Nice catch. :)
(Of course, I'm MUCH too young to have ever seen them in newly-built cars at the time... Or remember the truly awesome Radio Caroline "Pirate Radio Station" of which you speak.<cough!> Radio Luxembourg, anyone? )
Thanks, Susi xx
I do think this fluffy, unidentified stuff is 100% proof of Putin's revanchist and even irredentist attitude regarding our new practically po-faced NATO partners some of which are currently orbiting national-socialism like it's going out of fashion, but this shall be hidden by the Curtain of Righthought. Can't something be done, like ordering an additional dozen F-35 or so? That plane is practically done!