Astronaut training

[HAL9000]

(I was surprised to see computer displays in Soyuz, I was expecting something more basic)

I'm not sure he says it in this video, its taken 4 years to train for this mission.
plus
Learn Russian

If you want to become a European space astronaut, this is a good starting point.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2012/09/becoming-astronaut

 

[Crispy]

Soyuz only got its "glass cockpit" in 2003. It used to look like this:

But now it looks like this:

 

[Limejuice]

Interestingly, apart from the "glass" section, the cockpit looks identical.

Sort of reassuringly old school, reliable, it-ain't-broke.

It looks like a spanking new plasma TV in your grandma's living room.

 

[2hats]

Soyuz only got its "glass cockpit" in 2003.

Space shuttle glass cockpit upgrades (MEDS) were 1998-2002. Before and after:

e2a: MEDS = Multi-function Electronic Display System

 

[HAL9000]

In the old style Soyuz, it has a globe. If that's used to aid navigation, that's bound to cause a few inaccuracies.

In the video it shows Chris pressing buttons with a stick. Few ergonomic problems perhaps, if an astronaut losses the stick?

 

[2hats]

In the old style Soyuz, it has a globe. If that's used to aid navigation, that's bound to cause a few inaccuracies.

For manual navigation. Bear in mind that they have a hell of a lot of steppe to land in and aren't aiming for a runway...

In the video it shows Chris pressing buttons with a stick. Few ergonomic problems perhaps, if an astronaut losses the stick?

The stick is called the pointer or Ukazatel. No idea what the procedure is for dropping one but there isn't far for it to drop to - they are effectively lying on their backs on the floor of the Soyuz capsule throughout the ascent. Also, it has quite a large handle which wraps around their wrist. When not used they holster it between their legs.

It's the lower device in this image (though more recent ones have the handle curve to partially wrap around the wrist) alongside one (upper) that used to be used on some shuttle missions.

 

[HAL9000]

http://d3j5vwomefv46c.cloudfront.net/photos/large/453936317.jp[/IMG]

2 hats, I think you should get an award for your encyclopedic space knowledge, very impressive

I still think the ergonomics stuck. If an astronaut needs a stick, then the console should be redesigned to operate without a stick. In the video I posted at the start of this post, Chris had to press two buttons simultaneously within 15 seconds or bad things happen. That's fine, it prevents emergency procedures activating accidentally. But if he's strapped to a couch and has difficulty reaching the buttons...........

 

[2hats]

2 hats, I think you should get an award for your encyclopedic space knowledge, very impressive

Something to do with a childhood spent daydreaming about space travel...

I still think the ergonomics stuck. If an astronaut needs a stick, then the console should be redesigned to operate without a stick. In the video I posted at the start of this post, Chris had to press two buttons simultaneously within 15 seconds or bad things happen. That's fine, it prevents emergency procedures activating accidentally. But if he's strapped to a couch and has difficulty reaching the buttons...........

They do leave something to be desired to some degree but bear in mind that the Soyuz (orbital module) has been slowly evolved (over several generations) from the original that first started flying back in the early sixties. The current version (TMA) was specifically modified to provide more latitude to accommodate cosmonauts of a greater range of heights so (I guess) the need for the pointer arose. The Soviet/Russian space programme has a track record of gravitating towards low tech solutions.

BTW see the pointer in use here by Yuri Malenchenko (nerdfact: first person to marry in space!) about 3m30s to 4m30s into this cockpit video of the flight of Soyuz TMA-05M last summer. You can see him holster it between his legs, the curled pistol grip and how if he did drop it then the flight engineers either side of him could most likely hand it back.