A Russian Guide to Wednesday's Союз Старт (Soyuz Launch)

Posted By Jason Davis

2013/09/24 11:28 CDT

Topics: human spaceflight, International Space Station, Russian human spaceflight

On Wednesday afternoon, the next trio of International Space Station residents will launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Soyuz TMA-10M is scheduled to lift off at 4:58 p.m. EDT (20:58 UTC, 2:58 a.m. Thursday Kazakh time), carrying Oleg Kotov, Sergey Ryazanskiy and Michael Hopkins into orbit for a six-hour journey to the orbital outpost.

Ryazanskiy and Hopkins are rookies. Kotov is a veteran, having first visited the station with current commander Fyodor Yurchikhi for Expedition 15 in 2007. In 2009, Kotov returned for Expedition 22, and became the commander of Expedition 23 in 2010.

If you watch live on NASA TV, you’ll typically hear three sets of voices: Russian communications between the ground and Soyuz, an interpreter, and a NASA Public Affairs Officer. NASA PAOs do a great job of narrating launches, relying on interpreters and launch guides to keep everything straight.

Interpreter Elena Kozhukov, whom I profiled in July, has generously helped put together a guide to common Russian launch phrases. You'll want to listen for the English transliterations. Some of the literal translations are rooted in military terminology, so an English explanation is also given.

Here's to a smooth Подъем!

Cyrillic phrase	English transliteration	English literal translation	English explanation	Time to launch (m:s)
Ключ на старт	Klyuch na start	Key to launch	Launch key inserted (yes, it’s a real key)	6:15
Протяжка 1	Pratyazhka ahdin	Tape feed 1	Ground measurement system is activated by RUN 1 command	5:00
Продувка	Pradoovka	Purge	Combustion chambers of side and central engine pods purged with nitrogen	3:15
Наддув	Nadduv	Repressurization	Booster propellant tank pressurization initiated	2:30
Протяжка 2	Protyazhka dva	Tape feed 2	Onboard measurement system is activated by RUN 2 command	2:30
Дренаж	Drenazh	Drain/Vent	Vehicle oxidizer and fuel drain and safety valves closed, ground oxidizer and nitrogen filling terminated	2:15
Пуск	Poosk	Start	Auto-sequence initiated	1:00
Земля-борт	Zemlya-Bort	Ground-Vehicle	Vehicle to internal power, separation of third stage umbilical tower from booster	1:00
Зажигание	Zazhiganiye	Ignition	Launch command issued for ignition, central and side pod engines turned on	0:20
Предварительная	Pridvaritel’naya	Preliminary	Second stage umbilical tower separates	0:15
Промежуточная	Promezhutochnaya	Intermediate	Engine turbopumps at flight speed	0:10
Главная	Glavnaya	Main	First stage engines at maximum thrust	0:05
Подъем	Pod`yom	Liftoff	Fueling tower separation	0:00

NASA / Carla Cioffi

Союз TMA-10M

Soyuz TMA-10M sits atop its rocket in Baikonur, Kazahkstan following rollout on Monday, Sept. 23. The letters Союз TMA (Soyuz TMA) are stamped on the capsule's payload fairing.

Comments:

Supernaut: 09/24/2013 02:41 CDT

Thank you Jason, this is very useful - However: in your table, in the 'English transliteration' column, you need to put 'Drenazh ' where 'Nadduv' currently is, and vice-versa. Cheers.

Jason Davis: 09/24/2013 05:41 CDT

Thanks for noticing! I fixed it.

George Ellis: 09/25/2013 05:57 CDT

Great stuff, as alwasy! Two comments: 1) Is it "Pratyazhka" or "Protyazhka"? 2) The sequence "Preliminary - Intermediate - Main" seems to be unchanged since the days of the A4 (V2) launches...

Adnyre: 09/25/2013 12:24 CDT

The correct transliteration would be 'protyazhka' but it sounds more like 'pratyazhka' (see 'Akanye' in wikipedia). Similarly 'Pod`yom' sounds more like 'pad`yom'.

Leonidas Papadopoulos: 09/27/2013 05:26 CDT

Great article Jason as always! Keep up the great work, on covering the wonderful and (more important) manned side of space exploration!

Bob Ware: 10/02/2013 11:06 CDT

Thank you Elena Kozhukov & Jason for the great team effort making for a great article!