shock absorption-drive design. Tn both assemblies the ring with the guides was installed on six moving rods; however, on the Apollo APDA these rods were independent spring-hydraulic shock absorbers, and on the Soyuz APDA the rods were screws with bearing-screw converters, linked together and to the drive by differential joints. The compatibility of such substantially different structures was insured by the execution of the requirement on the position and size of the directly interacting elements of the structure, such as the guide protrusions, the latches, the clamps of the locks, the seal of the joint, etc. (see section 2.4). The docking device for the Apollo-Soyuz project was intended for multiple docking with the formation of an accurate and rigid connection of the spacecraft with a hermetic tunnel, joint flight of the craft, and subsequent undocking. After docking occurred the electrical connections for a number of auxiliary spacecraft systems were manually connected. Docking mechanism elements were installed on the hull of the assembly (six rods, latch catches, drive, elements of mechanical connections, etc.). Rings contain latches, sensors, and other elements. The docking frame houses the system of locks with a drive, sensors, push rods and other elements. On the end of the frame are sealing rings, guide rods and sockets. The transition tunnel is closed by hatches. Electrical connections for inter-ship communications are installed on the inner wall of the tunnel. Docking occurs as follows. After contact, the ring with guides of the active APDA interacts with the ring of the passive APDA. Shifting of the moving ring absorbs the collisions of the spacecraft and alignment of the rings until their faces touch. Then the latches of the ring of the active assembly links with the matching catches on the hull of the passive assembly. After linkage the shock absorbers absorb the energy from the residual linear and angular velocities of the spacecraft. Then the springs of the shock absorbers equalize the moving ring. The ring is retracted by the drive of the active docking mechanism until the faces of the docking frames touch. In the last part of the coupling the frames are finally equalized by rods and sockets. Rigid connection of the frames is done by locks, which compress the sealing rings and create a preliminary waisting in the joint. The frames are connected by a drive which, using the closed cable connection, rotate the
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