Kvant-1
Cosmos 1686
Polyus
Kwant (Russian Квант, Quant ',') is the name of a scientific module, which was docked with the space ship, TKS - 5 on the Soviet space station Mir. ( The still popular term Kvant -1 is not official. )
Development
After it was decided that the TKS spacecraft would not be used for manned missions, was sought for the remaining tasks already under construction units. Around the same time a new module to the expansion of space stations under the name 37K was developed in the Soviet Union. Regarding the requirements for the module included the possibility of transport in the payload bay of the Space Shuttle Buran planned. Therefore, the new modules possessed not unlike those on TKS based on a separate drive system and were smaller and lighter. Originally eight units were planned on the type 37K.
This later became known by the name of Kvant module 37KE (E for experimental ) was the first member of the new type and intended for the expansion of the space station Salyut 7. Technical problems with the new design, however, delayed the development, so that you decided to use Kwant no longer the aging station, but in the new space station Mir. The required for use on the Mir conversions and equipment of the module with new scientific instruments delayed the production in addition. As the development of the space shuttle Buran but also delayed, there was no way to maneuver the unpowered module in orbit and to dock with the space station.
Light of experience and the high flexibility of TKS TKS ferry ships -5 was then used to convey Kwant into space. Purpose was to TKS -5 Complete formerly provided for the crew return capsule and associated systems and only the remaining part with navigation system, solar panels, tanks and engines mounted on the rear of Kwant. Due to the enormous weight of the combination were the fuel tanks of TKS -5, even after removing various equipment not required to be filled at the start only to around 60%. Technical conditions of the carrier rocket Proton -related that the combination had to be "backwards" started. Since, therefore, showed Kwant with the docking port for me when starting down a rotation of 180 ° was performed after separation from the launch vehicle in orbit.
The Mission
The launch took place on 31 March 1987. Spite of all the weight reduction, the combination Kwant/TKS-5 was just under 23 tons total weight of the previously heaviest payload ever launched by a Proton rocket into space. The originally scheduled for April 5, 1987 scheduled docking failed due to an error on board TKS -5. After a further docking was not successful, took the crew of the Mir, Yuri Romanenko and Alexander Lawejkin to fathom a spacewalk to the cause. She discovered one of a Progress freighter left behind plastic film that had been caught in the docking port of the Mir. After removing finally succeeded on 9 April, the docking at the rear axial docking port and Kwant was thus the first module to extend the Mir space station. TKS -5 was then separated from Kwant, but could be in space no longer control, since the failed docking maneuver took the entrained fuel almost entirely to complete. It was only on August 25, joined the wrecked TKS -5 uncontrollably into the atmosphere and burned up one.
Kwant itself remained over the entire useful life of the Mir space station in space and was used until the fall of 1989 by walking for experiments. The module added the station added about 40 cubic meters of living and working space and disposal continues to have non-pressurized storage space on the outer wall to accommodate experiments and materials for spacewalks. For equipping Kwant belonged scientific equipment, mainly for astrophysical studies. The module also included three gyroscopes for gasoline- position control of the space station as well as life-support systems and a lodging for a crew member. At the rear of Kwant was a passive docking port for docking of Soyuz ferries and Progress transporters as well as devices to direct fuel delivered by the transporters in the central module of the Mir. After shutdown of Kwant 1989, an extensive renovation of the systems of the Mir Kvant was taken in October 1990, again running without any problems. On the outer wall 1992 two pylons for mounting of experiments in a vacuum and for accommodating attitude control thrusters were attached. Because of the leverage so that the fuel consumption of Mir could be further reduced. Furthermore, a large solar system was implemented in 1992 by the module crystal by Kwant Kwant until finally in 1995 with two complete new solar plants that were delivered with the shuttle docking module, was fitted. Around this time, however, failed gradually the scientific instruments in the interior, so that it was used in the subsequent years mainly as a warehouse.
Conclusions
From the experience with Kwant showed that a coupled combination of a 37K module with a TKS ferry too unfavorable ratio of take-off mass into usable work space had since the TKS ferry could not be used by a crew in this combination and repelled had. The modules of the type 37K were then further developed only for use with the Buran shuttle, which never, however, was used. For the future, it was decided to re modules on TKS - base (similar Cosmos 1686) to develop, in which the work space and the scientific apparatus was fixed to the TKS ferry. This, in addition to an increase in the interior also has the advantage that the engines of the TKS - part can be used for attitude control of the space station. On the basis of TKS ferry further modules have been developed (eg Sarja ) to the permanent disposition of the space stations Mir ( eg Kwant 2) and ISS.