Kurs (docking navigation system)

Kurs (Ukrainian and Russian: Курс, lit. 'Course') is a radio control system (type tomahook, etc.) used by the Soviet and later Russian space program.

The Progress vehicle docking to the Pirs module using the Kurs-A docking system

"Kurs" was developed by the Research Institute of Precision Instruments (Russian: НИИ Точных Приборов, romanized: NII Tochnikh Priborov), Moscow, Legostaew, before 1985^[1][2] and manufactured by the Kiev Radio Factory (Ukrainian: Київський Радіозавод, romanized: Kyyivskyy Radiozavod).^[3]

History

Kurs was the successor to the Igla system and today provides navigation beaconing for Russian space vehicles including the Soyuz spacecraft and Progress spacecraft. The main difference between both systems is that Igla requires the space station to collaborate in the docking maneuver by reorienting itself to point the docking port to the spacecraft, while Kurs allows to dock with a fully stationary space station. The main reason for this change was that Mir was to be a much bigger space station than the older Salyut, so the propellant consumption would be excessive. Kurs provided the automated docking system for all Russian spacecraft that docked with the Mir space station.^[4][5] When used for docking, the Soyuz or Progress vehicle broadcasts radar pulses from multiple antennas. The variation in strength between the antennas allows the system to compute relative position, attitude, and approach rate. The system is designed for automatic rendezvous and docking, but in an emergency cosmonauts may take command of the vehicle, either locally or from the International Space Station.^[6]

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Kurs system became the property of Ukraine; its manufacturer became a competitor in the space launch business with the Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA). Due to hard-currency problems, Kiev also raised the price of the Kurs system. Consequently, RKA sought to phase out its use in its vehicles.^[7] A test using the Russian TORU backup system to reduce reliance on Kurs, was responsible for the collision between Mir and Progress M-34 and the damage to the Spektr module, nearly causing Mir to be abandoned. After the collision and recovery, the next Progress ship had a failure of Kurs, and was docked successfully using the same TORU system.^[8]

Kurs-NA

The Kurs-NA (Russian: Новая Активная, romanized: Novaya Aktivnaya, lit. 'New Active') docking system, requiring only one rendezvous antenna and using less power, replaces Kurs-A, which required five antennas.^[9] It was tested by Progress M-15M in July 2012^[9] and by Progress M-21M in November 2013.^[10] It is used on the Progress MS (2015-present).

ISS

ATV

The now Russian-built antenna part of the Kurs system also served as an independent and redundant docking monitoring system for the European Automated Transfer Vehicle.^[11] It served as an additional monitoring system and could not be used to control the approach or docking of the ATV.^[12]

Failures

1. On 18 November 2000 during the docking of Progress M1-4 with the International Space Station the Kurs system failed requiring a manual docking approach by Soyuz commander Yuri Gidzenko. The failure was due to a software glitch that prevented the ship's computer system from smoothly switching from guidance data transmitted by antennas on the Zvezda module to signals transmitted from Zarya. A later redocking had to be done manually, also by Gidzenko, as an antenna required for the final approach was irreversibly retracted during the initial approach.^[13]
2. Immediately after launch of Progress M-01M on 26 November 2008, a Kurs antenna failed to deploy.^[14] The antenna was successfully deployed about three hours later after flight controllers resent the deployment command,^[15] however the spacecraft was docked to the International Space Station using the TORU system,^[16] controlled by Cosmonaut Yury Lonchakov, as a precaution.
3. On 29 July 2009 Progress M-67 was on approach to the International Space Station in an incorrect orientation. The Kurs system was deactivated, and Cosmonaut Gennady Padalka performed a manual docking using the TORU system.^[17]
4. On 1 May 2010 Progress M-05M was about 1 kilometer away from the International Space Station when its Kurs system failed. Oleg Kotov used the backup TORU system to manually control the rendezvous and docking, setting a record for the furthest distance a Progress spacecraft was flown under manual control.^[18][19]
5. On 15 December 2015 during the docking of Soyuz TMA-19M with the International Space Station the Kurs system mis-aligned the spacecraft and failed to dock, requiring a manual docking approach piloted by Soyuz Commander Yuri Malenchenko. This delayed the docking by 10 minutes.^[20]
6. On 24 August 2019 during the docking of the uncrewed Soyuz MS-14 with the International Space Station the spacecraft failed to lock on to the Poisk Module port due to a failure in a Kurs signal amplifier on the Poisk module and failed to dock. Since the backup TORU system was not installed on the vehicle, the docking attempt was aborted. It was decided that Soyuz MS-13 would be manually relocated onto the faulty Poisk port, freeing up the Zvezda aft port for Soyuz MS-14 to dock there successfully three days later on 27 August.^[21]
7. On 17 February 2021 during final approach Progress MS-16 suffered a communication issue 20m from the station. Kurs was deactivated and Sergey Ryzhikov took manual control with the TORU system and docked successfully.^[22]
8. On 5 October 2021 during the docking of Soyuz MS-19 there was a malfunction of the Kurs system on the Rassvet port, requiring the Soyuz spacecraft commander Anton Shkaplerov to take control and dock manually.^[23]

As of May 2022, there have been 83 successful dockings to the International Space Station performed by Kurs with Soyuz & Progress vehicles, and the Nauka station module, giving Kurs a 90.4% success rate.

See also

• TriDAR, a relative navigation vision system used on three Space Shuttle flights to the ISS

References

1. NII TP history (in Russian) Archived 21 April 2008 at the Wayback Machine
2. "Space Measuring Docking Systems". History. Research Institute of Precision Instruments (NII TP). Archived from the original on 24 April 2008. Retrieved 12 October 2008. The first automated docking of "Mir" orbital station with "Soyuz TM1" spacecraft was implemented on May 23, 1986 by means of the "Kurs" equipment. [..] "Kurs-ММ" docking system for short-range spacecraft has been designed for the upgraded spacecraft under the ISS program [..] "Kurs-M" radio-electronic system for "Kurs-ATV", for monitoring of rendezvous and docking ATV- spacecraft (European Space Agency) with the ISS on range and radial velocity
3. "The First Serially Produced Onboard Computer". The European Virtual Computer Museum. The History of Development of Computer Science and Technologies in Ukraine. Archived from the original on 15 June 2008. Retrieved 12 October 2008. The production association Kiev Radio Factory aimed its further development toward the production of equipment for space exploration. In 1966 it started the production of a unique onboard complex named Igla for search, mutual orientation, approach and "docking" of "space" vehicles. [..] In 1985 the Igla was succeeded by the Kurs, a more advanced and reliable system, which is working now on the Mir Soyuz Progress complex.
4. Burrough, Bryan (1998). Dragonfly: NASA and the Crisis Aboard Mir. Fourth Estate. p. 65. ISBN 0-06-093269-4. Since 1985 all Russian spacecraft had used the Kurs computers to dock automatically with the Mir station [..] All the Russian commanders had to do was sit by and watch.
5. National Space Agency of Ukraine / Kurs Research and Production Complex, Public Company Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
6. Hinman, Elaine M; Bushman, David M. (1991). "Soviet automated rendezvous and docking system overview". NASA Automated Rendezvous and Capture Review Executive Summary (PDF) (Technical report). pp. 34–35. Bibcode:1991arcr.nasa...34H. IGLA system was replaced with the current KURS system. Both systems are radar-based. [..] the docking process can be controlled either from the ground or from the active (docking) spacecraft's onboard computer. [..] Soyuz TM and Progress M Series spacecraft incorporated the KURS. The MIR Complex has both systems installed.
7. Linenger, Jerry (1 January 2001). Off the Planet: Surviving Five Perilous Months Aboard the Space Station Mir. New York, USA: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-137230-5.
8. NASA-5 Mike Foale: Collision and Recovery
9. Harding, Pete (28 July 2012). "Progress M-15M re-docks to ISS following resolution of Kurs-NA failure". NASASpaceFlight (not associated with NASA). Retrieved 1 September 2012.
10. Космический грузовик «Прогресс М-21М» испытал систему сближения с МКС
11. Integrated cargo carrier Archived 29 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine Figure 2-3: External Equipment on the EPM Front Cone
12. "Safety and autonomy make the ATV unique". European Space Agency. 12 October 2005. Retrieved 1 September 2012. the crew members cannot manually pilot the ATV by remote control
13. Harwood, William (21 December 2000). "Redocking of station cargo ship will be tricky affair". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
14. Malik, Tariq (26 November 2008). "Russian Cargo Ship on Course for Space Station". Space.com. Retrieved 7 April 2009.
15. "Progress launched to ISS". SpaceToday. Retrieved 7 April 2009.
16. "Unmanned Russian resupply spacecraft docks with ISS". SpaceDaily. 30 November 2008. Retrieved 7 April 2009.
17. William Harwood for CBS news (29 July 2009). "Station gets new cargo ship; shuttle inspections underway". Spaceflight Now.
18. Ray, Justin (1 May 2010). "Cosmonaut takes control of resupply ship's docking". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
19. Tariq Malik (1 May 2010). "Russian Cargo Ship Docks at Space Station Despite Malfunction". SPACE.com. Retrieved 1 May 2010.
20. "Tim Peake begins stay on international space station". BBC. 15 December 2015.
21. Clark, Stephen (24 August 2019). "Station crew to clear new port for second Soyuz docking attempt". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
22. Lee Kanayama & Joseph Navin (16 February 2021). "Progress MS-16 resupply ship manually docked following 2 day flight to Station". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
23. "Soyuz MS-19 docked with ISS manually due to malfunction in auto-docking system". TASS. 5 October 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2022.