Kvant-2
Polyus
Crystal
Kvant -2 (Russian Квант -2, quant -2 ' ) is the name of a scientific module, which was docked to the Soviet space station Mir.
Development
After the modules had been removed from the Type 37K for the Mir space station in 1983, they again developed modules based on the TKS spacecraft which is already the basis for the cosmos module delivered in 1686. The fixed combination of TKS - drive part with the piece of equipment a big module of about 19 tons of mass and about 61 cubic meters of pressurized volume was created. Kvant -2 was the first of four modules on TKS - base for the expansion of Me. With Kvant - 2, I should be greatly enlarged and extended to systems important for the operation of the space station. It was the task of improving the living and working conditions for the cosmonauts. Kvant -2 included a digital computer of the type " Salyut -5B " to control the space station, which could not be started with the basic block. Furthermore wore Kwant - 2, a second set of three gyroscopes, which allowed in combination with the gyroscopes of the already docked Kvant module position control of the Mir complex largely without fuel consumption. In addition, the engines of the TKS - drive part could be additionally used for position control of me. It also featured Kvant -2 (as opposed to modules of type 37K ) have their own solar panels and batteries to supply the complex with energy. Instead of a Mercury lander Kvant -2 was equipped with a large airlock of a meter in diameter. By further Schott continued to the storage area was separate from the laboratory area. This allowed the crew to split the module for pressure equalization in three divisions, which allowed the withdrawal of cosmonauts in the free space in large controllable space suits of the type " Icarus ". These carried by Kwant suits installation work on the outer skin of the complex could be performed. Furthermore, Kwant -2 was equipped with new life support systems for recycling water and oxygen production. In order to improve personal hygiene on board the Mir Kvant -2 led next to a toilet with a shower and washing cell for use in zero gravity.
The Mission
The launch of Kvant -2 was originally scheduled for March 1989, but had to be postponed due to disturbances in automatic course - docking. On November 26, 1989 finally saw the launch aboard a Proton rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. During autonomous flight occurred in commissioning and testing of systems to problems during the deployment of the solar sail and the docking system, so that the planned for December 2 docking could not be executed. After elimination of the interference caused by the ground control the docking maneuver succeeded to the front axial docking port of the Mir base block on December 6, 1989. With the help of a robot arm Kvant -2 was two days later moved to the final radial position of the coupling node of Mir, where Kvant -2 remained over the entire useful life of the space station. After about 12 years in space crashed Kvant - 2 together with the other modules of the complex on 23 March 2001 controlled over the Pacific from.
Scientific tasks
In addition to the expansion components for the operation of the Mir space station decreed Kvant -2 also has a scientific equipment. The focus of research were in the areas of biology, astronomy and earth observation. Among other things, an experiment of poultry farming in weightlessness became known. The breeding of quails were as a possible source of meat for long-term missions, such as Mars, tested. Through a large built-in observation windows did take pictures of observation objects using various cameras. Belonged to the equipment, inter alia, a multispectral camera made in the former GDR ( MKF 6M ). There was a movable, remote-controlled platform which autonomously allowed the persecution and scientific observation of astronomical objects on the outer skin.
Conclusions
With Kvant -2 was confirmed that a combined TKS from the driving part and a variable part equipment module having a favorable ratio of take-off mass to volume of use. The high compatibility of the TKS - part allowed by the cultivation of various components of the development of specialized modules to perform different tasks. All other Russian modules of the Mir were built after the success of Kvant -2 according to the same principle. On the basis of TKS ferry modules are designed for permanent retention in the International Space Station (ISS ) (eg Sarja ) until today.
Swell
- Harland, David M.; The story of Space Station Mir, Springer- Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York 2005, ISBN 0-387-23011-4