Spektr
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Spektr (russian: Спектр; en, Spectrum) (TKM-O, 77KSO, 11F77O) was the fifth module of the
Mir ''Mir'' (russian: Мир, ; ) was a space station that operated in low Earth orbit from 1986 to 2001, operated by the Soviet Union and later by Russia. ''Mir'' was the first modular space station and was assembled in orbit from 1986 to&n ...
Space Station. The module was designed for remote observation of Earth's environment containing atmospheric and surface research equipment. Spektr also had four solar arrays which generated about half of the station's electrical power.


Development

The Spektr module was originally developed as part of a top-secret military program code-named " Oktant". It was planned to carry experiments with space-borne surveillance and test antimissile defense. The surveillance instruments were mounted on the exterior of the module opposite the docking port. Also in this location were two launchers for artificial targets. The heart of the Spektr payload was an experimental
optical telescope An optical telescope is a telescope that gathers and focuses light mainly from the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum, to create a magnified image for direct visual inspection, to make a photograph, or to collect data through electro ...
code-named "Pion” (
Peony The peony or paeony is a flowering plant in the genus ''Paeonia'' , the only genus in the family Paeoniaceae . Peonies are native to Asia, Europe and Western North America. Scientists differ on the number of species that can be distinguished, ...
). Instrument list: * 286K binocular radiometer * Astra 2 – monitored atmospheric trace constituents, Mir environment * Balkan 1 lidar – measures upper cloud altitude. Used a 5320-angstrom laser source, provided 4.5 m resolution * EFO 2 photometer * KOMZA – interstellar gas detector * MIRAS absorption spectrometer – had to measure neutral atmospheric composition, but couldn't work due to a failure * Phaza spectrometer – surface studies. Examined wavelengths between 0.340 and 285 micrometers, and provides 200 km resolution * Taurus/Grif – monitored Mir's induced X/gamma-ray background * VRIZ UV spectroradiometer These experiments would have been a continuation of the research aboard a top-secret TKS-M module, which docked to
Salyut 7 Salyut 7 (russian: Салют-7; en, Salute 7) (a.k.a. DOS-6, short for Durable Orbital Station) was a space station in low Earth orbit from April 1982 to February 1991. It was first crewed in May 1982 with two crew via Soyuz T-5, and last vi ...
in 1985. However, with the end of the Cold War and the shrinking of Russia's space budget, the module was stuck on the ground. In the mid-1990s with the return of US-Russian cooperation in space, NASA agreed to provide funds to complete the Spektr and
Priroda The Priroda (russian: Природа; en, Nature) (TsM-I, 77KSI, 11F77I) module was the seventh and final module of the Mir Space Station. Its primary purpose was to conduct Earth resource experiments through remote sensing and to develop and ...
modules in exchange for having 600 to 700 kg of US experiments installed. The Oktava military component was replaced with a conical mounting area for two additional solar arrays. The airlock for the Oktava targets to be used instead to expose experiments to the vacuum of space. Once in orbit, Spektr served as the living quarters for American astronauts until the collision in late June 1997.


Collision

On June 25, 1997, the
Progress M-34 Progress M-34 (russian: Прогресс М-34, italic=yes) was a Russian uncrewed cargo spacecraft which was launched in 1997 to resupply the Mir space station, and which subsequently collided with Mir during a docking attempt, resulting in signi ...
spacecraft crashed into Spektr while doing an experimental docking maneuver with the
Kvant-1 Kvant-1 (russian: Квант-1; English: Quantum-I/1) (37KE) was the first module to be attached in 1987 to the Mir Core Module, which formed the core of the Soviet space station ''Mir''. It remained attached to ''Mir'' until the entire space stati ...
module. The collision damaged one of Spektr's solar arrays and punctured the hull, causing a relatively slow leak. The crew had enough time to install a hatch cover and seal the module off to prevent depressurization of the entire Mir station. To seal the module, the crew had to remove the cables that were routed through the (open) hatchway, including the power cables from Spektr's solar panels. An internal spacewalk in the Spektr module in August 1997 by cosmonauts
Anatoly Solovyov Anatoly Yakovlevich Solovyev (russian: Анатолий Яковлевич Соловьёв; alternate spelling "Solovyov") is a retired Russian and Soviet cosmonaut and pilot. Solovyev was born on January 16, 1948, in Riga, Latvia (at that time ...
and
Pavel Vinogradov Pavel Vladimirovich Vinogradov (russian: Павел Владимирович Виноградов; born 31 August 1953 in Magadan, USSR) is a cosmonaut and former commander of the International Space Station. As of January 2023, he has flown in ...
, from
Soyuz TM-26 Soyuz TM-26 was a Russian spaceflight that ferried cosmonauts and supplies to Mir. It was the 32nd expedition to Mir. It was launched by a Soyuz-U rocket from Baikonur Cosmodrome on August 5, 1997. The main mission was to transport two special ...
, succeeded in restoring these power connections by installing a modified hatch cover to allow the power cables to pass through the hatch when it was in the closed position. In a second internal spacewalk in October they connected two of the panels to a computer system to allow the panels to be controlled remotely and align with the Sun. These modifications allowed power generation to return to approximately 70% of the pre-collision generation capability. Spektr was left depressurized and isolated from the remainder of the Mir complex.


Gallery

Image:Spektr before collision - cropped.jpg, Overall view of Spektr before the collision, opposite angle Image:Damaged Spektr solar array.jpg, Damaged Spektr solar array Image:Damaged Spektr radiator.jpg, Damaged radiator on Spektr Image:STS-79 p-060-low.jpg, Interior


References


External links


Spektr module (77KSO) on russianspaceweb.com
containing diagrams, pictures, and background information

with design history and equipment information

on
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
NOVA Online * Gunter's Space Page – information o
Spektr
{{Orbital launches in 1995 Mir Spacecraft launched in 1995 Satellite collisions