As seen in Gravity, and also in this youtube video:
, the Soyuz main engine is covered by a metal plate that it mechanically moved out of the way before firing. What is the function of this covering?-
1$\begingroup$ Maybe it's to protect the nozzles from space debris. $\endgroup$– Rikki-Tikki-TaviSep 22, 2014 at 13:09
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2$\begingroup$ Could also be to protect the space station's environment from leaking oxidizer. $\endgroup$– Rikki-Tikki-TaviSep 22, 2014 at 13:36
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$\begingroup$ would be a micrometeorite cover. $\endgroup$– hraish kumarDec 11, 2014 at 4:12
1 Answer
It's to protect the engine from the low temperature. The cover is removed before the deorbit burn:
(Source: Kosmonavtika)
$\rightarrow$ During mission Soyuz-32 in 1979, the cosmonauts forgot to open the cover before firing the SKD docked to Salyut-6 space station. This was a test burn. The cover was destroyed, and the engines left unprotected. As a protective measure, the station was reoriented so that the Soyuz temperature variations were limited.