Progress M-34 collides with Mir
Why Space Exploration Stack Exchange recommends it
Space Stack Exchange users link it as a primary account of the Mir-Progress collision and the total power loss that followed, citing the cosmonauts' own descriptions.
Recommended by 0 people across 0 different months, 2014 to 2018.
What it is
A short documentary-style video about the June 1997 collision between the uncrewed Progress M-34 cargo ship and Russia's Mir space station during a manual docking test. It covers the radar being switched off, the hull breach, the loss of power, and the crew's account of the aftermath.
What people said
Cites LocalFluff · 2014-11 · Space Exploration Stack Exchange · on “What are the tradeoffs of docking multiple small launches in orbit vs a single heavy launch?”
What are the benefits of having a heavy lift launch vehicle, compared to using several smaller launches and assemble the spacecraft in orbit? There must've been more than a hundred successful dockings (and berthings) in space, including in Lunar orbit, and especially for building and supplying the ISS. The only docking failure I know of is the Progress M-34 to MIR [LINK] in 1997 (they seem to have shut down the radar [this video] and looked out of the window holding a laser range finder...) and even then they didn't lose the mission. So docking seems mature and doesn't add substantial risk. How important would the costs of docking systems and fuel for maneuvering in orbit be? Is the logistics of
Cites LocalFluff · 2015-04 · Space Exploration Stack Exchange · on “Has there been any collision between two active spacecrafts?”
I want to link to this this 8 minute video [this video] about that event. *"They switched the radar off".* *"Aiming laser rangers through the portholes"*
Cites Magic Octopus Urn · 2018-12 · Space Exploration Stack Exchange · on “Have there ever been people trapped in a shut down spacecraft?”
Seeing as the answer is "no" (As per @DarkDust), I thought I'd add a situation that's similar. There was a short period aboard Mir after the collision with progress where all astronauts were without power, life support, lights and communication. The cosmonauts were interviewed about it and said something along the lines of "after being in here for so long around the whirring and beeping... something about the absolute silence was terrifying." The video can be found here (the quote is at the end 8:00 in): For the first time I experienced a totally silent, still Space Station. Where there are no fans moving, there is no lights on-- nothing is alive... just our breathing is causing any sound. A
Cites Pavel · 2018-12 · Space Exploration Stack Exchange · on “How did the Mir crew recover from the power outage following collision with Progress 34?”
There are [LINK] several [LINK] accounts [this video] about [LINK] how and why the collision between Mir and Progress 34 happened and that it ended in Mir being completely dark and silent: "'For the first time I experienced a totally silent, still space station where there are no fans moving, there's no light on, nothing is alive. Just our breathing is causing any sound.' With Mir's out of control they couldn't keep the solar panels facing the sun. Everything has shut down." (Quoted from the video [this video] ). I'd like to know more about how the normal operation of Mir was restored afterwards but my web searching skills seem to fail me on this. Is there an account available somewhere on the Interne