Kontur-2: Two orbits for new experiments
Early Friday evening, the Kontur-2-team and the cosmonaut on the International Space Station were able to successfully conduct more tests with the Joystick.
During two orbits, Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko moved the metallic finger of ROKVISS in all directions and traced contours on the experimental set-up.
“Before every orbit, the whole team waits in anticipation for the assignment: Since the exact duration of the orbits cannot be precisely predicted, the team has to react with lightning speed in collaboration with the cosmonaut to be able to actually carry out the tests. Right now at the beginning of the experiments in particular, we have to learn to handle it,” said project leader Cornelia Riecke. “This is also the very special appeal of this project: one time we’ll have eight minutes or even more for our experiments, another time only five. In today's orbits, we made great progress with almost nine minutes each.”
The team is hoping for new findings about the use of telepresence technologies in space from the orbit this coming Tuesday – also with regard to the planned tele-handshake being prepared for October.