ISS Rescue Mission: May finally have it straight in my mind
Was confused as to who was coming, who was going and who was already there. Since had forgotten that the Chinese have had an occupied Space Station since the end of November 2022 which has 3 people currently aboard—initial search for "how many people are in space" confused me further.
Currently on the ISS are: 3 whose ride is the (now damaged) Russian Capsule (RC MS22); plus 4 from the SpaceX capsule 5 (SX5).
SX6 will launch Monday bringing up 4 more SX astronauts, then return in a week or so with the 4 from SX5
So, for a brief period, there will be ELEVEN people aboard ISS. There are long-term facilities for seven. Thus, this week there will be 14 people in space (11 on ISS, 3 on CSS) which is the most ever!
There were two damaged RC: MS21 (supply ship) and MS22 (crewed). Both of these are said to have suffered damage of/near heat radiators by micrometeors.
RC MS21 was safely detached from the ISS and, as not designed to return to earth, deorbited and burned up on re-entry.
RC MS23 launch was moved up and sent without a crew to return the folk from MS22. However, that crew will now remain in space for the duration of the scheduled MS23 mission ("The Martian"?). MS23 docked with ISS yesterday.
There is still much which must go well for the story to have a happy ending.
Following are links which track this historic event:
https://theconversation.com/chinas-new-space-station-opens-for-business-in-an-increasingly-competitive-era-of-space-activity-195882
https://www.space.com/spacex-nasa-crew-6-astronaut-mission-launch-feb-27
https://www.theregister.com/2023/02/24/iss_crowded_spacex/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/soyuz-launch-to-space-station-unpiloted-flight/
https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/12/heres-what-we-know-and-what-we-dont-about-the-damaged-soyuz-spacecraft/
https://arstechnica.com/science/2023/02/russia-claims-an-external-impact-damaged-its-progress-spacecraft/
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russians-report-depressurization-event-in-cargo-ship-docked-at-space-station/
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/02/soyuz-ms-23-launch/
