Kurs (docking navigation system)

Kurs (Ukrainian and Russian: Курс, Course) is a radio telemetry system used by the Soviet and later Russian space program.

Kurs was developed by the Research Institute of Precision Instruments (NII TP, Russian: НИИ Точных Приборов) before 1985 and manufactured by the Kiev Radio Factory (Ukrainian: Київський Радіозавод).

Kurs was the successor to the Igla system and today provides navigation beaconing for Russian space vehicles including the Soyuz spacecraft and Progress spacecraft. Kurs provided the automated docking system for all Russian spacecraft that docked with the Mir space station. When used for docking, the Soyuz or Progress vehicle broadcasts radar pulses from multiple antennas. The variation in strength between the antennas allows the system to compute relative position, attitude, and approach rate. The system is designed for automatic rendezvous and docking, but in an emergency cosmonauts may take command of the vehicle either locally, or from the International Space Station.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Kurs system became the property of Ukraine; its manufacturer became a competitor in the space launch business with the Russian Federal Space Agency (RKA). Due to hard-currency problems, Kiev also raised the price of the Kurs system. Consequently, RKA sought to phase out its use in its vehicles.

The Kurs-NA (Russian: Новая Активная, New Active) docking system, requiring only one rendezvous antenna, is replacing Kurs-A, which required five, and will use less power. It was tested by Progress M-15M in July 2012 and by Progress M-21M in November 2013.

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