Space freighter docked with ISS manually due to docking system's malfunction - source
KOROLYOV, Moscow region. Nov 30 (Interfax-AVN) - The Progress M-21M resupply spacecraft's docking with the International Space Station (ISS) was performed manually by Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov because the new Kurs-NA automatic docking system malfunctioned when the Progress was only about 60 meters away from the ISS, a source with the Russian space rocket industry told Interfax-AVN.
"Kurs-NA was used for approaching the station automatically, but it stopped operating when 60 meters were left to the station. The automated system aborted the docking procedure, and so Commander Oleg Kotov had to assume the spacecraft's control," the source said.
Specialists from the Russian mission control are looking into the causes of the malfunction.
This is the second malfunction of the Kurs-NA system. The system was tested first in 2012, and the testing failed. However, the system was tested again with the Progress M-21M equipment on Thursday, in which the spacecraft automatically approached the ISS within 1.6 kilometers, and this time around the test was found to be successful.
