Earlier, a TASS source reported that the transition from automatic to manual docking of the Progress MS-16 was required due to a damaged antenna installed on the cargo ship
SAMARA, May 14. /TASS/. The commission, which is investigating the reason for the transition of the docking of the Progress MS-16 cargo ship with the ISS from automatic to manual mode in February 2021, will continue to work. This was told to journalists on Friday by the General director of the Rocket and Space Center (RCC) "Progress" Dmitry Baranov.
Earlier, the head of the company reported that the commission will work until April 30.
"No, the work of the commission is not completed. The terms are not clear, I can't say yet, " he said, answering a question about the results of the commission's work and the completion date.
Progress MS-16 was launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome on February 15. Initially, it was planned to conduct the docking in automatic mode, but in the process, the astronauts had to switch to the tele-operator control mode (TORU), when the crew members from the ISS use special equipment to control the movement of the cargo ship. As reported by TASS in Roscosmos, this was required due to a deviation from the mooring axis.
Earlier, the official account of the ISS on Twitter noted that the transition to the tele-operator mode was required due to "the strength of the signal from the automated system "Kurs". At the same time, a TASS source in the rocket and space industry reported that the transition from automatic to manual docking of the Progress MS-16 was required due to a damaged antenna installed on the ship. A second source confirmed the information to TASS. According to him, the damage could have been caused by the rocket's head fairing.