At the dawn of astronautics, it was planned to use carousels to test a person's resistance to overloads. Then it became clear that professional centrifuges are a serious business and there are no attractions here. As a result, heavy industry took over the apparatus for the "most sadistic" (John Glenn's expression) part of space training.
Heat and vacuum The TsF-18 centrifuge was put into operation in 1981. The machine is capable of developing overloads of up to 30 units with a maximum gradient of 5 g / s. The design provides for the evacuation of the cabin up to 20 mm Hg. Art., temperature variation from +5 to + 55 ° C, as well as a change in the gas composition of the cabin atmosphere. During the tests, three types of seats are used - regular (from Asea), Kazbek-UN space chairs and seats used in Russian Air Force fighters.
Oleg Makarov
Centrifuge TsF-18 at the Cosmonaut Training Center. Gagarina is a real giant. It is creepy to be next to the dream in an absolutely empty round hall - the size is overwhelming. But the centrifuge cabin is capable of accommodating a maximum of two subjects, why is it necessary to twist 305 tons of metal with them?
“The point is, first of all, in the long arm of the apparatus,” says Veniamin Shvetsov, head of the TsF-18 centrifuge department. - At a rotation radius of more than 16 m, the share of the influence of Coriolis acceleration on the vestibular apparatus becomes insignificant, and the person no longer notices that he is being twisted, it seems to him that he is flying in a straight line. The lack of sensation of rotation makes it possible to present the G-forces in their purest form - as they would be felt during the linear motion of the ship. "
The TsF-18 centrifuge was commissioned in 1981. The machine is capable of developing overloads of up to 30 units with a maximum gradient of 5 g / s. The design provides for the evacuation of the cabin up to 20 mm Hg. Art., temperature variation from +5 to + 55 ° C, as well as a change in the gas composition of the cabin atmosphere. During the tests, three types of seats are used - regular (from Asea), Kazbek-UN space seats and seats used in Russian Air Force fighters.
The construction of a centrifuge with a shoulder (in the form of a tubular truss) with a length of 18 m required special industrial technologies... Without exaggeration, the most interesting unit of the device can be called a huge support-and-guide sliding bearing, on which the ZF-18 arm rotates almost silently. “This bearing is a real work of art,” says Shvetsov. - In fact, the centrifuge is placed on a closed container, into which oil is pressed with the help of rotary pumps. At the start, the centrifuge rises to the height of the oil film - only 40 microns, but this microscopic layer is enough to ensure smooth rotation for high speeds, and even in a very economical mode. "
Swedish mechanics
When the terms of reference for the construction of a new large centrifuge for Star City was drawn up in 1971, it became clear that it would not be easy for the domestic industry to create such a machine. First, this would require stopping two or three aircraft factories for a considerable time. Secondly, technologies for creating large-scale precision mechanics were available only to countries that had experience in creating hydraulic units, and the USSR was by no means a leader in this area. The choice fell on the Swedish company ASEA, which has been successfully building centrifuges for a long time. True, these machines were much smaller, but the Scandinavian machine builders also coped with the mega-order of the Star City perfectly - the TsF-18 still has a decent undeveloped resource.
TsF-18 is a highly functional and in many ways unique simulator, however, of course, it is no longer the last word technology. Nowadays, new approaches, new materials and new technologies are used in the construction of centrifuges. First of all, the structure itself is facilitated - instead of an all-metal tubular shoulder (as in TsF-18), openwork trusses are used. Another important point is that the drive of the auxiliary movements is made gearless. This makes it possible to reproduce the dynamics of overloads much more realistically. And finally, in modern centrifuges, more advanced microprocessor-based control systems are used, while in TsF-18 the main control systems are built on relay logic, the devices of which, although they occupy a dozen cabinets, work, however, quite reliably.
In real flight, the overloads can have different directions, so rotation around one axis is not enough to simulate them. The cockpit with the subjects should be able to rotate in all directions, for which a structure consisting of several steps was created. At the end of the shoulder there is a gimbal with a fork. A ring is attached to the fork using cardan joints, and a cab is inserted into it, which is also capable of rotating relative to the ring. All this together makes it possible to simulate the overload in a precisely specified direction, which is typical for different stages of flight, in particular, during acceleration, maneuvering, and braking.
Circles of wind
For the main movement (that is, rotation of the arm) in the CF-18, a direct electric drive is used. The main motor is installed directly on the centrifuge rotation shaft, and it is controlled through a system of thyristor converters. Auxiliary movements - rotation of the fork, ring and cab - are carried out by means of electric motors through a system of gearboxes, which is to a certain extent a constructive compromise.
Interestingly, the only noticeable noise generated by the centrifuge indoors is the rustling of the wind. While rotating, the TsF-18 works as a centrifugal air pump, and even a few minutes after the car stops in the hall, one can feel the wind blowing in circles.
The centrifuge is one of the ultimate test methods that gives an unambiguous picture of the body's readiness to space flight... Not a single space tourist, be he even three times a millionaire, will be able to go into orbit without training in a centrifuge. But not everyone will be allowed to be tested at the TsF-18. “Sometimes people come to us who want to experience this kind of overload on themselves,” says Veniamin Shvetsov, “but doctors, according to objective indications, can prevent them from being tested, because an early stop of the centrifuge is an emergency for us. During the test, the subject has a tangent in his hands. If a person loses consciousness, he unclenches his hand, releases the button - and immediately the red light comes on automatically. The operator then stops the centrifuge. At this moment, it is necessary to very quickly extinguish the overload, bring the shoulder to its original position, release the platform, and open the gate. All this is not done instantly, but the person, meanwhile, is in an unconscious state, and we do not know what is snapshot. It is very dangerous".
Control room from where operators and medics manage tests on TsF-18
Think, act, hold on ...
Standard tests to verify physiological overload resistance take a minute. The subject lies down in a chair and the chest-back overload with a gradient of 0.1 g / s presses on him. The centrifuge reaches an overload level of 4 g, while the astronaut must work out certain actions within 30 seconds. An ophthalmic arc is fixed inside the cabin, on which a light indicator lights up at the doctor's command. The cosmonaut's task is to react as quickly as possible and turn off the indicator by pressing a key on the tangent. This measures the speed of reaction and the possibilities of peripheral vision, which deteriorates under overload.
In the foreground: a trolley on which a chair rolls up to the TsF-18 cabin; in the background, an open centrifuge cabin. It is clearly seen that the cabin is two-seater.
The manual controlled descent test lasts longer - about ten minutes. The entire planting process is simulated from the moment of separation spaceship in orbit. Next comes the shutdown of the brake motors and entry into the atmosphere. Here the overload increases, the cosmonaut begins to control the roll of the spacecraft (thereby increasing or decreasing the overload) to an altitude of 10 km. The test subject must simulate control of the ship in such a way as not to go beyond the specified parameters of the overload, to get into the specified area and to complete the landing task.
Many in childhood dreamed of becoming astronauts, without even thinking about how difficult the process of preparing for a flight is. The astronaut needs to train a lot, pass various tests, memorize a large amount of information, learn to cope with emotions in emergency situations. On Cosmonautics Day, the RIAMO v Koroleva correspondent looked into the Cosmonaut Training Center and saw with her own eyes a centrifuge training.
Chance to become an astronaut
Test cosmonaut of the ROSKOSMOS cosmonaut corps Sergei Korsakov says that space for many remains a dream, because to become an astronaut, you have to go through a difficult path. Usually you need to become a military pilot or engineer, devote your life to a profession - perhaps then you will have a chance to become an astronaut.
In 2012, many were given such a chance - the first open recruitment to the cosmonaut corps was announced. Anyone who met certain requirements could try their hand and pass the tests. Rocket engine engineer Sergei Korsakov took this chance and got into the cosmonaut corps, which now has 26 people.
“The preparation is very intense. We devote a lot of time to training, obtaining theoretical knowledge. They must also be able to survive in different geographic conditions, undergo flight training, jump with a parachute, undergo tests and training in a centrifuge. There is a lot of work. We are constantly learning, there is no time to relax. It's great! In general, a person has to learn something all his life, and we are already so used to it that we cannot do otherwise, ”says Sergei.
He just has to fly into space, but he already knows what he will do there first.
“I really want to see our entire planet. I am sure it will become one of the brightest impressions. And I plan to try weightlessness. It is interesting to feel it on yourself, to conduct experiments, ”notes Korsakov.
Centrifuge test
One of the most famous tests for astronauts is the centrifuge. Rotation on CF-7 is under medical supervision. First, the therapist performs a general examination, measures blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature. Then you need to go to an ENT doctor and only after a positive conclusion you can go to the centrifuge.
Before starting the test, doctors place electrodes on the tester, put on cuffs, a belt and an ear probe to measure the physiological parameters of the body. The overload regimes for astronauts to determine the resistance to the effects of overloads are in two directions: "chest - back" and "head - pelvis".
During the rotation of the centrifuge, you need to complete the tasks given by the doctor. After all, the astronaut must be able to make the right decision in any emergency and emergency situations.
Depending on the tests, the astronaut is explained what exactly he should do while the centrifuge is running.
Sergei will have to respond to light signals around the perimeter installed in the centrifuge cabin to test his peripheral vision under stress. They also check visual acuity using a special scoreboard with Landolt rings - the astronaut should see breaks in these rings. The image appears on the small screen.
Sergei passed another centrifuge test successfully.
A simulator with a 45-year history
The TsF-7 centrifuge, on which Sergey was tested, has been operating at the Cosmonaut Training Center for 45 years. Despite its considerable age, it regularly serves and surprises with its capabilities not only astronauts, but also astronauts from NASA and ESA. All of them are also tested and trained on this centrifuge.
The head of the department of centrifuges and dynamic simulators of the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, Vladimir Kirshanov, spoke about the features of the TsF-7 centrifuge.
“TsF-7 is a completely domestic development. She has been regularly working at the CPC since 1973. During this period, it underwent a deep modernization and today it meets all the standards that apply to simulators of this type. From the centrifuge, which was accepted for operation at the CPC in 1973, only the farm, the cabin, the rotating contact device and the main engine remained, ”says Vladimir Nikolaevich.
The electric drive, the control system, the system of physiological control over the state of the cosmonaut have been completely modernized, modern equipment and components have been installed. An astronaut from Japan compared our centrifuge to a Mercedes, because the cabin is trimmed with leather, the seat is as comfortable as possible, and the sensors installed on the astronaut do not interfere with the work at all.
According to Vladimir Kirshanov, this centrifuge is like a living organism. She participates in all stages of cosmonaut training, from selection for a detachment to an exam before a flight into space.
The simulator of manual controlled descent, created on the basis of the TsF-7 centrifuge, makes it possible to simulate manual controlled descent in real time, this is the exam that cosmonauts must pass after training.
“They always undergo medical control. Depending on the stage of training the astronaut is at, the frequency and duration of the tests are assigned. And we do everything to make the centrifuge work without failures. We treat her like a woman - with affection and tenderness, and do not forget about the engineering approach, ”says Kirshanov.
TsF-18 - newer and more
The Cosmonaut Training Center also has a larger centrifuge. The length of the TsF-18 arm is no longer seven, like that of the TsF-7 centrifuge, but 18 meters. Its weight is 305 tons, and the diameter of the hall in which it is installed is equal to the diameter of the descent vehicle's parachute. The capabilities of the TsF-18 are wider.
“This centrifuge has four degrees of freedom. In addition to the fact that it simply rotates around the room, inside the head of the centrifuge there is a cabin, a ring and a fork, which can also rotate about their axes. Moreover, during rotation, you can create an overload in any direction, as well as change the pressure, humidity and temperature in the cabin. This simulator allows you to test animals, people and equipment. Technically, the centrifuge has great potential, which has not yet been fully utilized, ”says Vladimir Nikolaevich.
The TsPK specialist is sure that the TsF-18 centrifuge will contribute to the training of cosmonauts for flights to the Moon and Mars. It can be transformed for any task. Two cosmonauts can be in it at the same time, manual controlled descent can be trained, tests and experiments can be carried out. The cabins inside the head can be replaced with those that are needed for certain tasks.
“This centrifuge is at the forefront of technological advances and uses digital technology. I think that it is she who will help a person to reach distant planets, ”concluded Vladimir Kirshanov.
Want to know what overload is? Centrifuge training will show if you are ready for space flights. Feel like a real astronaut!
Centrifuge rotation
During the flight into orbit, as well as when returning from outer space, astronauts are faced with severe overloads. Therefore, the training of astronauts in a centrifuge is included in the mandatory training of the stellar crew. Even space tourists cannot enter orbit without such a test.
Spinning on a centrifuge helps to establish the physical endurance of astronauts, and also trains their ability to steer the spacecraft during overloads. With standard training, astronauts learn to transfer G-forces up to 8 units in the chest-back direction and up to 5 units in the head-pelvis direction. In addition, they train to control the spacecraft during descent from orbit in manual mode and at the same time to independently control the law of change in the overload.
Centrifuge training for beginners
The Cosmonaut Training Center uses special centrifuges CF7 and CF18. The latter weighs three hundred tons and is the largest in Europe.
What is spinning in a centrifuge?
- Dynamic simulators with a radius of rotation of 7 and 18 meters;
- Starting power up to 27 megawatts;
- Maximum acceleration 30g;
- Rotation in a circle and in three planes;
- Speed \u200b\u200bup to 250 km / h;
- More than 36.5 rpm;
- The conditions inside the simulator are as close to natural as possible: in the cabin you can change the pressure, temperature, humidity and composition of the atmosphere.
Tasks for home (delivery day - 12/25/2017):
(If you have any questions about the tasks, on Saturday, December 23, 2017, you can go to room 301 for a consultation)
1. The problem for the basic kinematic equations of uneven motion:
An object fell out from the helicopter, climbing upward with a constant acceleration of 4 m / s 2, 10 seconds after the start of the ascent. Find the time the object falls to the ground. Neglect air resistance. (Solve the problem using the kinematic equations, make a drawing in the solution). (Maximum for the problem 3 points)
2. Problem for the basics of curvilinear motion:
The figure shows the lineMN - trajectory of uniform motion of a material point at a speed of 3 m / s. Draw vectors of speed and acceleration in pointsA and B, lying on curves with radii of 10 cm and 15 cm. Determine the moduli of velocity and acceleration at these points (the sign of the modulus will depend on the direction of the vector). (Maximum for the problem 3 points)
3. The problem of uniform movement of a body along a circle:
Astronauts are trained for overload in special centrifuges. With what frequency should the centrifuge rotate so that the astronaut, located at a distance of 3 m from the axis of rotation, moves with an acceleration of 5g ? (Maximum for the problem 2 points)
4. The problem on the law of universal gravitation:
At what distance from the surface of the Earth is the acceleration of gravity equal to 1 m / s 2? (Maximum for the problem 2 points)
5. The task for the parameters of artificial earth satellites:
The rocket revolves around the Earth at a speed of 5 km / s. After changing the orbit, the rocket began to move at a speed of 4 km / s, find the ratio of the radii of the orbits and the period of the rocket's revolution around the Earth after such a change in speed. (Maximum for the problem 2 points)
How astronaut candidates are tortured before going into orbit
Space flight is associated with fantastic overloads, for which the astronaut must be prepared. Therefore, before the flight, the body of each applicant is subjected to cruel tests - we are talking about the most difficult of them.
Centrifuge
The readiness for overloads is brought up in future astronauts with the help of a centrifuge - a huge installation resembling a carousel with a special capsule at the end. It rotates at an insane speed, reaching 70 rpm. During training in a centrifuge, a poorly prepared person can lose not only the contents of the stomach, but also consciousness. Before launching the Apollo spacecraft, American cosmonauts spent 40 weeks in a centrifuge for up to 10 hours.
Pressure chamber
The astronaut must be prepared to face a lack of oxygen and sudden changes in pressure. This readiness is checked using a pressure chamber - a special compartment in which conditions are created corresponding to an altitude of 5 thousand meters, and the subjects are deprived of an oxygen mask. In such conditions, all latent pathologies of the body are usually revealed.
Thermal camera
The cosmonauts' spacesuits are equipped with a thermal control system, but if it suddenly fails in open space, then the body must be ready for high temperatures. Therefore, all candidates for astronauts are checked in a heat chamber, the temperature in which is 60 degrees Celsius, and the humidity is 50%. You need to hold out in such conditions for one hour.
Isolation chamber
Astronauts are people not only with excellent health, but also with outstanding psyche. To test it, applicants are placed in an isolation chamber - a room with weak artificial lighting and complete soundproofing. Do you think it's easy? Absolute silence is much scarier than you think. The world record for being in an anechoic chamber is only 45 minutes, and the average person begins to rush out after 10 minutes. In addition, history knows many cases when, after being in absolute silence, a person went crazy.
Skydiving
For many, skydiving is entertainment, not a test, but not for astronauts. In the process of free falling from a height of several thousand meters, they must perform various tasks, for example, by the signs laid out on the ground, determine or calculate the opening time of the parachute. It is worth doing this a little earlier than necessary - the exam is overwhelmed. A little later than necessary - and you are a corpse. Of course, a conditional corpse, because if the parachutist does not open the parachute in time, the machine gun will do it for him.
Survival tests
Survival tests - the final stage training, which is no longer associated with space overloads, but with earthly problems that may arise in the event of an astronaut landing in the wilderness. Astronaut candidates are landed in the taiga, in the desert or in the ocean with a minimum supply of provisions and equipment. Their goal is to survive in these conditions for several days and be able to get to the camp, where help awaits them.