International Space Station - Latest News

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Crew Relocating Soyuz

Image above: This view of the International Space Station, backdropped

against a blue and white Earth, was taken shortly after the Space Shuttle

Atlantis undocked from the orbital outpost on Sept. 17.

Photo credit: NASA.

The Expedition 14 crew members have boarded their Soyuz spacecraft docked at the rear of the Zvezda living quarters module today to prepare for a short move. With Soyuz Commander Tyurin at the controls, they undocked from the Zvezda port at 3:14 p.m. EDT and will redock to the Earth-facing Zarya module port around 3:39 p.m. This will free the Zvezda's docking port for the arrival of a new Russian Progress cargo spacecraft later this month. Live coverage is available on NASA TV

+ Watch NASA TV

One of the station's four Control Moment Gyroscopes (CMGs) used to maintain the station’s orientation in space was shut down this morning after exceeding the allowed vibration limit. Only three CMGs are needed to properly maintain the station's orientation. Ground controllers will monitor the CMG and perform additional diagnostic testing.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Edited October 10, 2006 by Waspie_Dwarf

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Crew Relocating Soyuz

Image above: The Soyuz spacecraft, piloted by Mikhail Tyurin, appears

behind one of the space station's solar arrays.

Photo credit: NASA.

The Expedition 14 crew members have boarded their Soyuz spacecraft docked at the rear of the Zvezda living quarters module today to prepare for a short move. With Soyuz Commander Tyurin at the controls, they undocked from the Zvezda port at 3:14 p.m. EDT and will redock to the Earth-facing Zarya module port around 3:39 p.m. This will free the Zvezda's docking port for the arrival of a new Russian Progress cargo spacecraft later this month. Live coverage is available on NASA TV

+ Watch NASA TV

One of the station's four Control Moment Gyroscopes (CMGs) used to maintain the station’s orientation in space was shut down this morning after exceeding the allowed vibration limit. Only three CMGs are needed to properly maintain the station's orientation. Ground controllers will monitor the CMG and perform additional diagnostic testing.

Source: NASA - Space Station

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Crew Relocates Soyuz Spacecraft

Image above: The Soyuz spacecraft, piloted by Mikhail Tyurin, appears

behind one of the space station's solar arrays.

Photo credit: NASA.

The Expedition 14 crew members boarded their Soyuz spacecraft Tuesday for a short move. With Soyuz Commander Tyurin at the controls, they undocked from the Zvezda port at 3:14 p.m. EDT and redocked to the Earth-facing Zarya module port at 3:34 p.m. This relocation frees the Zvezda's docking port for the arrival of a new Russian Progress cargo spacecraft later this month.

One of the station's four Control Moment Gyroscopes (CMGs) used to maintain the station’s orientation in space was shut down early Tuesday after exceeding the allowed vibration limit. Only three CMGs are needed to properly maintain the station's orientation. Ground controllers will monitor the CMG and perform additional diagnostic testing.

Source: NASA - Space Station

[Waspie_Dwarf]

NASA Revives Original Mission Control for Growing Space Station

The Johnson Space Center press release is reproduced below:

10.11.06

Kylie Clem
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111

RELEASE: J06-098

NASA Revives Original Mission Control for Growing Space Station

International Space Station flight controllers have a new home with increased technical capabilities, more workspace and a long, distinguished history.

As NASA embarks on a series of space flights as complex as any in history to complete assembly of the station, station operations facilities needed an upgrade. The previous station control room, designated the Blue Flight Control Room, had been in operation since the first station component was launched in 1998. The newly remodeled facility is just down the hall at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston. Known as Flight Control Room 1, it was first used to control a space flight 38 years ago today, the mission of Apollo 7 launched Oct. 11, 1968. It was one of two original control rooms for NASA's manned missions.

Among historic flights the room controlled during its previous use were missions to America's first space station, Skylab, in the 1970s, and the first space shuttle mission, STS-1, in April 1981. Fittingly, the last full flight controlled from the room was the first time a shuttle visited a space station, the STS-71 mission to the Russian Mir station in June 1995. Following that, shuttle flight control transitioned to a new room, and the last service in FCR-1 was control of the ascent to orbit only of space shuttle mission STS-76 in March 1996. Since then, the room has been a science center.

After nine months of remodeling, including changes to existing hardware to minimize expenses, the station team moved in on Oct. 6. They now staff the room around the clock and will continue to do so throughout the life of the station. The relocation was coordinated by Lead Station Flight Director John McCullough. A team of employees from across Johnson completed the renovations and systems testing on a tight schedule with no interruption of critical station operations. Today, that team gathered in FCR-1 for a ribbon cutting to commemorate the project's completion.

At the ceremony, the team was joined by Johnson Director Mike Coats, Mission Operations Director Allen Flynt and Mission Operations Deputy Director Milt Heflin. Former Johnson Director and Project Mercury Flight Director Christopher Kraft, who is credited with developing NASA's original concepts of human space flight control, was a special guest.

The old room had about 16 consoles for flight control disciplines, such as space station electrical and environmental systems. Several disciplines had to share consoles depending on station activities under way.

"When we were doing complex operations, such as spacewalks, launches or rendezvous and dockings, we had to relocate to the larger shuttle flight control room or use back rooms," said McCullough. "In that configuration the team didn't have the best possible situational awareness of what was going on."

The new room has 20 consoles and more space for safety and comfort. Its existing consoles and individual monitors were updated. Where the old room had only two front screens, the new facility has three large front screens to display information for the entire team and mounted high definition television cameras.

To ensure a smooth transition, the station team has had temporary quarters in the Shuttle Flight Control Room since the last shuttle mission was completed in September. The temporary quarters allowed equipment to be moved and full check out of the new facility without interference to ongoing station expeditions.

The walls of the new room reflect its long history, with 61 mission plaques displayed from flights supported there. New plaques will be added now for each mission the station team supports as the room again makes history.

"I like to hearken back to the Apollo operations and think that the ghosts from that time are still in the room," said Chief Flight Director Phil Engelauf of the new station flight control room. "The symbolism is not lost on the new generation of flight controllers working there."

The first new plaque to be added will be for shuttle mission STS-116, targeted to launch in December. Video of the remodeling work, the operational room and ribbon cutting ceremony will air as a NASA TV Video File beginning tomorrow. Video of the room in operation also is available as part of NASA TV's daily station coverage. For NASA TV streaming video, scheduling and digital downlink information visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/home

- end -

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Source: NASA/JSC press release J06-098

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Station Flight Controllers Give Old Room New Life

Images above: The above photos show the flight control room known as

FCR-1 as it appeared back in 1968, and as it debuts this week as the main

center for flight control of the International Space Station.

Photo credit: NASA.

International Space Station flight controllers are now operating from the new mission control room. The new station room was first commissioned as one of two flight control rooms at Johnson Space Center in 1965. It has been updated to increase technical capabilities and available workspace for the station team as they embark on a series of tasks as complex as any in the history of human spaceflight.

Station flight controllers relocated on Friday to the new control room, which has 20 consoles, liquid crystal displays, three giant display screens and more space in general for safety and comfort.

+ View more images of new control room

On Tuesday, the Expedition 14 crew members boarded their Soyuz spacecraft for a short move. With Soyuz Commander Tyurin at the controls, they undocked from the Zvezda port at 3:14 p.m. EDT and redocked to the Earth-facing Zarya module port at 3:34 p.m. This relocation frees the Zvezda's docking port for the arrival of a new Russian Progress cargo spacecraft later this month.

Source: NASA - Space Station

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Crew Performs Maintenance, Takes a Ride

Images above: Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria uses

a computer in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station.

Photo credit: NASA.

The Expedition 14 crew performed maintenance and experiments and went for a short ride outside their orbital home this week.

On Tuesday, the Expedition 14 crew members boarded their Soyuz spacecraft for a short move. With Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin at the controls, they undocked from the Zvezda port at 3:14 p.m. EDT and redocked to the Earth-facing Zarya module port at 3:34 p.m. This relocation frees the Zvezda's docking port for the arrival of a new Russian Progress cargo spacecraft later this month.

One of the station's four Control Moment Gyroscopes (CMGs) used to maintain the station's orientation in space was shut down early Tuesday after exceeding the allowed vibration limit. Flight controllers are evaluating future plans for the CMG and any changes that might be needed to assembly operations during the next shuttle mission, STS-116, as a result.

After completion of leak checks between the ISS Progress 22 spacecraft and the Pirs docking compartment on Thursday, the crew opened the hatch to the Progress on Friday and moved some unneeded items into the docked cargo craft. The Progress will be undocked from the station later this year to burn up during re-entry into the atmosphere.

Source: NASA - Space Station

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Expedition 14 Continues Experiments, Training and Testing

The Expedition 14 crew members continue scientific experiments, routine maintenance and training on crew medical procedures. On Wednesday they will conduct a test of the Space Video Gateway hardware to be used in November for the first HDTV interactive downlinks with the Discovery Channel and NHK.

Image above: Michael E. Lopez-Alegria,

Expedition 14 commander and NASA

science officer, exercises on the Cycle

Ergometer.

Photo credit: NASA.

One of the station's four Control Moment Gyroscopes (CMGs) used to maintain the station's orientation in space was shut down last week after exceeding the allowed vibration limit. Engineers tested the problematic CMG Monday to gather performance data and conduct diagnostic checks. An initial review of the available data indicated no vibration events. Engineers continue analyzing the data to determine troubleshooting plans.

Source: NASA - Space Station

[Waspie_Dwarf]

NASA Announces New International Space Station Crew

The press release is reproduced below:

Oct 18, 2006

Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-3749

Nicole Cloutier-Lemasters
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111

RELEASE: 06-337

NASA Announces New International Space Station Crew

NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency have named two astronauts and two cosmonauts to the next International Space Station crew, known as Expedition 15. Astronauts Clayton C. Anderson and Daniel M. Tani will travel to the station next year and work as flight engineers. Cosmonauts Fyodor N. Yurchikhin and Dr. Oleg V. Kotov will spend six months aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Anderson will get a ride to the station aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour's STS-118 mission, targeted for launch in June 2007. He will return to Earth on shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-120. That flight will carry his replacement, Tani, to the station. Tani will return on shuttle mission STS-122, targeted for October 2007.

Yurchikhin will command Expedition 15, and Kotov will serve as station flight engineer and Soyuz commander. Yurchikhin and Kotov will fly to the complex aboard a Soyuz spacecraft scheduled to launch in March 2007. Until Anderson arrives, astronaut Sunita L. Williams will serve as Expedition 15's third crew member and flight engineer. She will fly to the station on STS-116 in December.

A native of Nebraska, Anderson was selected as an astronaut in 1998 following a technical career in mission operations at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston. He managed the Emergency Operations Center at Johnson for several years before becoming an astronaut. He has a bachelor's degree from Hastings College in Hastings, Neb., and a master's from Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

A native of Illinois, Tani has a bachelor's and a master's degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass. He was selected as an astronaut in 1996. Tani's first spaceflight was aboard Endeavour in December 2001 on the STS-108 mission. During that flight, he performed a four-hour spacewalk.

Yurchikhin previously visited the space station aboard Atlantis on STS-112 in 2002. He is qualified as a mechanical engineer and has a doctorate in economics. Before he was selected as a cosmonaut, Yurchikhin served as a Russian flight controller and lead engineer for several missions.

Kotov was selected as a cosmonaut in 1996 and has trained for Soyuz, Mir and space station missions. He is a graduate of the Kirov Medical Academy in Russia.

The Expedition 15 backup crew is astronaut Gregory E. Chamitoff for Anderson; Sandra H. Magnus for Tani; Russian cosmonauts Roman Y. Romanenko and Mikhail B. Kornienko for Yurchikhin and Kotov.

Video of the Expedition 15 crew members will air on NASA TV's Video File. For NASA TV downlink, streaming video and scheduling information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more about the station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

For more about upcoming space shuttle missions, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

- end -

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Source: NASA Press Release 06-337

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Expedition 14 Crew Tests the HDTV Space Video Gateway

Image above: the International Space Station against the blackness of

space and Earth's horizon.

Photo credit: NASA.

On Wednesday the crew conducted a test of the Space Video Gateway to be used in November for the first HDTV interactive downlinks with the Discovery Channel and NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai). The hardware was provided by NASA and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency for temporary installation on the space station.

Launch of the ISS Progress 23 cargo craft is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 23, at 9:41 a.m. EDT and docking on Thursday, Oct. 26, at 10:28 a.m. EDT. The cargo consists of propellants, oxygen, food, crew provisions and maintenance gear. Water will not be delivered this time. High-priority items include Elektron parts, research payloads and EVA equipment.

One of the station's four Control Moment Gyroscopes (CMGs) used to maintain the station's orientation in space was shut down last week after exceeding the allowed vibration limit. Engineers tested the problematic CMG Monday to gather performance data and conduct diagnostic checks. An initial review of the available data indicated no vibration events. Engineers continue analyzing the data to determine troubleshooting plans.

NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency have named two astronauts and two cosmonauts to the next International Space Station crew, known as Expedition 15. Astronauts Clayton C. Anderson and Daniel M. Tani will travel to the station next year and work as flight engineers. Cosmonauts Fyodor N. Yurchikhin and Dr. Oleg V. Kotov will spend six months aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Source: NASA - Space Station

[Waspie_Dwarf]

New Progress to Launch to Space Station

A new Progress is scheduled to launch to the International Space Station at 9:41 EDT Monday with almost 2.5 tons of fuel, oxygen, other supplies and equipment aboard.

Image above: The ISS Progress 22 cargo spacecraft as

it approaches the Pirs docking compartment.

Image credit: NASA

The station's 23rd Progress unpiloted cargo carrier will bring to the orbiting laboratory more than 1,900 pounds of propellant, about 110 pounds of oxygen, and 2,784 pounds of dry cargo.

P23 will launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. It is scheduled to reach the station after a flight of just over three days. Docking is to be on Oct. 26 at 10:28 a.m.

The spacecraft will use the automated Kurs system to dock at the aft port of the Zvezda service module. Expedition 14 flight engineer Mikhail Tyurin will stand by at the manual Toru docking system controls, should his intervention become necessary.

Expedition 14 crew members, Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria, Tyurin and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter of Germany, cleared the P23 docking port on Oct. 10. They boarded their Soyuz TMA spacecraft and moved it from Zvezda's aft port to the Earth-facing port of the Zarya module.

P23's sister cargo carrier and predecessor at the station, ISS Progress 22, remains at the Pirs docking compartment. It is scheduled to be undocked after it is emptied and subsequently filled with station discards. It will be deorbited with its load of trash and burn in the Earth's atmosphere on re-entry.

Image above: The ISS Progress 22 cargo spacecraft as

it approaches the Pirs docking compartment.

Image credit: NASA

After its unloading P22 was used as a storage area for a while. Many items brought to the station aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-121 in July eventually found a temporary home there until crew members could unload and place them in more permanent places.

The Progress is similar in appearance and some design elements to the Soyuz spacecraft, which brings crew members to the station, serves as a lifeboat while they are there and returns them to Earth. The aft module, the instrumentation and propulsion module, is nearly identical.

But the second of the three Progress sections is a refueling module, and the third, uppermost as the Progress sits on the launch pad, is a cargo module. On the Soyuz, the descent module, where the crew is seated on launch and which returns them to Earth, is the middle module and the third is called the orbital module.

Source: NASA - Station - Expeditions

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Expedition 14 Awaits New Cargo Craft

Image above: Astronauts Michael E. Lopez-Alegria (right) and Thomas

Reiter share a meal in the Zvezda Service Module.

Photo credit: NASA.

Launch of the ISS Progress 23 cargo craft is on schedule for Monday, Oct. 23, at 9:41 a.m. EDT with docking on Thursday, Oct. 26, at 10:28 a.m. High-priority items include the delivery of Elektron parts, research payloads and Extravehicular Activity equipment.

On Friday, Commander Lopez-Alegria replaced equipment in the Carbon Dioxide Removal System, which is used to remove impurities from the station atmosphere. Only one of its two systems has been operating due to particulate matter clogging an air valve. Also the NASA science officer, Lopez-Alegria collected samples for the Nutrition Experiment, the most comprehensive in-flight study conducted by NASA to date of human physiologic changes during long-duration spaceflight.

Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter began Analysis of a Novel Sensory Mechanism in Root Phototropism, or TROPI experiment. This study will increase the understanding of the different systems plants use to determine what direction their roots and shoots should grow, and which genes are responsible for successful plant growth.

Engineers continue analyzing the Control Moment Gyroscope (CMG) test data to determine troubleshooting plans for CMG-3 which was shut down earlier this month due to high vibrations.

NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency have named two astronauts and two cosmonauts to the next International Space Station crew, known as Expedition 15. Astronauts Clayton Anderson and Daniel Tani will travel to the station next year and work as flight engineers. Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Dr. Oleg Kotov will spend six months aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Source: NASA - Space Station

[Waspie_Dwarf]

New Cargo Craft Launches from Kazakhstan

Image above: Astronauts Michael E. Lopez-Alegria (right) and Thomas

Reiter share a meal in the Zvezda Service Module.

Photo credit: NASA.

The ISS Progress 23 cargo craft launched on schedule Monday, Oct. 23, at 9:41 a.m. EDT. Docking is planned for Thursday, Oct. 26 at 10:28 a.m. High-priority items include the delivery of Elektron parts, research payloads and Extravehicular Activity equipment.

Last week, Commander Lopez-Alegria replaced equipment in the Carbon Dioxide Removal System, which is used to remove impurities from the station atmosphere. Only one of its two systems has been operating due to particulate matter clogging an air valve. Also the NASA science officer, Lopez-Alegria collected samples for the Nutrition Experiment, the most comprehensive in-flight study conducted by NASA to date of human physiologic changes during long-duration spaceflight.

Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter began Analysis of a Novel Sensory Mechanism in Root Phototropism, or TROPI experiment. This study will increase the understanding of the different systems plants use to determine what direction their roots and shoots should grow, and which genes are responsible for successful plant growth.

Engineers continue analyzing the Control Moment Gyroscope (CMG) test data to determine troubleshooting plans for CMG-3 which was shut down earlier this month due to high vibrations.

NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency have named two astronauts and two cosmonauts to the next International Space Station crew, known as Expedition 15. Astronauts Clayton Anderson and Daniel Tani will travel to the station next year and work as flight engineers. Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Dr. Oleg Kotov will spend six months aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Edited October 24, 2006 by Waspie_Dwarf

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Progress Launches to Space Station

A new Progress launched to the International Space Station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 9:41 a.m. EDT Monday with almost 2.5 tons of fuel, oxygen, other supplies and equipment aboard.

The station's 23rd Progress unpiloted cargo carrier will bring to the orbiting laboratory more than 1,900 pounds of propellant, about 110 pounds of oxygen, and 2,784 pounds of dry cargo.

P23 is scheduled to reach the station after a flight of just over three days. Docking is to be on Oct. 26 at 10:28 a.m.

The spacecraft will use the automated Kurs system to dock at the aft port of the Zvezda service module. Expedition 14 flight engineer Mikhail Tyurin will stand by at the manual Toru docking system controls, should his intervention become necessary.

Expedition 14 crew members, Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria, Tyurin and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter of Germany, cleared the P23 docking port on Oct. 10. They boarded their Soyuz TMA spacecraft and moved it from Zvezda's aft port to the Earth-facing port of the Zarya module.

P23's sister cargo carrier and predecessor at the station, ISS Progress 22, remains at the Pirs docking compartment. It is scheduled to be undocked after it is emptied and subsequently filled with station discards. It will be deorbited with its load of trash and burn in the Earth's atmosphere on re-entry.

After its unloading P22 was used as a storage area for a while. Many items brought to the station aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-121 in July eventually found a temporary home there until crew members could unload and place them in more permanent places.

The Progress is similar in appearance and some design elements to the Soyuz spacecraft, which brings crew members to the station, serves as a lifeboat while they are there and returns them to Earth. The aft module, the instrumentation and propulsion module, is nearly identical.

But the second of the three Progress sections is a refueling module, and the third, uppermost as the Progress sits on the launch pad, is a cargo module. On the Soyuz, the descent module, where the crew is seated on launch and which returns them to Earth, is the middle module and the third is called the orbital module.

Source: NASA - Space Station - Expeditions

[Waspie_Dwarf]

PRESS-RELEASE

about the launch of transport cargo vehicle Progress M-58

to the International Space Station

October 23, 2006. Baikonur cosmodrome.

Progress M-58 transport cargo vehicle was launched to the International Space Station from the launch pad #1 of Baikonur launch site at 17:41:35 Moscow summer time.

The launch is aimed at delivering cargo to the ISS, which is required to continue the station manned operation, support crew living and working conditions, and re-supply the engine tanks with propellant.

The vehicle carries about 2.4 tones of various cargo, including scientific hardware and equipment to perform onboard activities under the Russian and foreign partners’ programs.

The vehicle was injected into a reference near-earth orbit with the following parameters: inclination of 51.65°, minimum altitude of 195,0 km, maximum altitude of 256,0 km, revolution of 88.7min. All vehicle onboard systems operate nominally.

During the launch the Baikonur launch site was attended by representatives of the Federal Space Agency, NASA, S.P. Korolev RSC Energia, allied space industry companies and organizations participating in the manufacturing, processing and launch of the vehicle.

Based on the telemetry information and reports made by the ISS Expedition 14 crew: ISS –14 commander Michael Lopez-Alegria (NASA), ISS-14 flight engineer Mikhail Turin (S.P.Korolev RSC Energia) and flight specialist Thomas Reiter (ESA), all station onboard systems operate as designed.

The Orbital Complex is ready for docking with the cargo vehicle, which is slated on October 26, 2006.

For reference: Progress M-58 flight is the 24th flight in the frame of the ISS program and the 114th flight beginning from the operation of Progress vehicles (1978).

Source: S.P.Korolev RSC Energia - Press Release

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Progress 23 on Track for Thursday Docking

Image above: A Progress 22 cargo craft prepares to automatically

dock with the International Space Station on June 26, 2006.

Photo credit: NASA.

After a successful launch Monday morning from Kazakhstan, the Progress 23 cargo craft is on track for a Thursday docking with the International Space Station at 10:28 a.m. EDT. The unpiloted cargo carrier is carrying supplies, equipment, propellant and oxygen.

Though the Progress 23 is programmed for an automatic docking, Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin is prepared to manually dock the cargo carrier in the unlikely event it should be necessary.

Meanwhile, Expedition 14 continues maintenance activities, science experiments and its daily exercise routine.

NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency have named two astronauts and two cosmonauts to the next International Space Station crew, known as Expedition 15. Astronauts Clayton Anderson and Daniel Tani will travel to the station next year and work as flight engineers. Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Dr. Oleg Kotov will spend six months aboard the orbiting laboratory

Source: NASA - Space Station

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Progress 23 Docks With Station, Delivers Goods

Image above: A Progress 22 cargo craft prepares to automatically

dock with the International Space Station on June 26, 2006.

Photo credit: NASA.

An unpiloted Progress 23 cargo craft docked Thursday with the International Space Station at 10:29 a.m. EDT. The Russian spacecraft delivered supplies, equipment, propellant and oxygen.

The Progress 23 automatically docked to the aft end of the Zvezda service module. Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin was prepared to manually dock the cargo carrier in the unlikely event it would have been necessary.

Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineers Tyurin and Thomas Reiter cleared Zvezda's docking port Oct. 10 when they undocked their Soyuz TMA spacecraft then redocked to the Zarya module's Earth-facing port.

NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency have named two astronauts and two cosmonauts to the next International Space Station crew, known as Expedition 15. Astronauts Clayton Anderson and Daniel Tani will travel to the station next year and work as flight engineers. Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Dr. Oleg Kotov will spend six months aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Source: NASA - Space Station

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Progress Docks with Space Station

A new Progress docked to the International Space Station at 10:29 a.m. EDT Thursday with almost 2.5 tons of fuel, oxygen, other supplies and equipment aboard.

The station's 23rd Progress unpiloted cargo carrier brings to the orbiting laboratory more than 1,900 pounds of propellant, about 110 pounds of oxygen, and 2,784 pounds of dry cargo.

P23 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Monday at 9:41 a.m. EDT. It reached the station after a flight of just over three days.

The spacecraft used the automated Kurs system to dock at the aft port of the Zvezda service module. Expedition 14 flight engineer Mikhail Tyurin stood by at the manual Toru docking system controls, but the automated system functioned as designed and manual intervention was not needed.

Expedition 14 crew members, Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria, Tyurin and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter of Germany, cleared the P23 docking port on Oct. 10. They boarded their Soyuz TMA spacecraft and moved it from Zvezda's aft port to the Earth-facing port of the Zarya module.

P23's sister cargo carrier and a predecessor at the station, ISS Progress 22, remains at the Pirs docking compartment. It is scheduled to be undocked after it is emptied and subsequently filled with station discards. It will be deorbited with its load of trash and burn in the Earth's atmosphere on re-entry.

After its unloading P22 was used as a storage area for a while. Many items brought to the station aboard Discovery on STS-121 in July eventually found a temporary home there until crew members could unload and place them in more permanent places.

The Progress is similar in appearance and some design elements to the Soyuz spacecraft, which brings crewmembers to the station, serves as a lifeboat while they are there and returns them to Earth. The aft module, the instrumentation and propulsion module, is nearly identical.

But the second of the three Progress sections is a refueling module, and the third, uppermost as the Progress sits on the launch pad, is a cargo module. On the Soyuz, the descent module, where the crew is seated on launch and which returns them to Earth, is the middle module and the third is called the orbital module.

Source: NASA - Space Station - Expeditions

[Waspie_Dwarf]

ISS supply ship fails to lock on

A Russian cargo spacecraft has failed to dock properly with the orbiting International Space Station.

Mission controllers said the problem was caused by an antenna on the cargo vehicle, which failed to fold away.

The Progress craft was taking water, food and other supplies to the crew, who are said to be in no danger.

A Progress rocket sent up last year had to be docked manually by a crewman after communications failed a few minutes before docking.

A Russian mission control spokesman said that such problems had occurred before.

"There was some problem with achieving a perfect seal," he said. "We have had such incidents before and it is not something extraordinary."

He added that mission control was not currently able to speak to the space station's crew and was waiting for the next communications window to do so.

The supply ship was launched from Russia's Baikonur space station in Kazakhstan on Monday.

The current ISS crew - Russian Mikhail Tyurin, American Michael Lopez-Alegria and German Thomas Reiter - have been on board the space station since September.

Source: BBC News

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Progress 23 Docks With Station, Delivers Goods

Image above: This photograph of the Progress 23 cargo craft taken

by Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter highlights the Kurs Antenna that

concerned flight directors prior to final latching.

Photo credit: NASA.

An unpiloted Progress 23 cargo craft docked Thursday with the International Space Station at 10:29 a.m. EDT. The Russian spacecraft delivered supplies, equipment, propellant and oxygen. Due to concern that an antenna on the Progress 23 was not retracted for docking and could interfere with final latching, flight controllers delayed fully latching the supply ship for about three hours. Russian flight controllers determined the antenna was not a problem and the Progress 23 was latched at 2 p.m. EDT.

Due to the long day, the Expedition 14 crew will wait until Friday before they open the new supply ship.

The Progress 23 automatically docked to the aft end of the Zvezda service module. Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin was prepared to manually dock the cargo carrier in the unlikely event it would have been necessary.

Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineers Tyurin and Thomas Reiter cleared Zvezda's docking port Oct. 10 when they undocked their Soyuz TMA spacecraft then redocked to the Zarya module's Earth-facing port.

NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency have named two astronauts and two cosmonauts to the next International Space Station crew, known as Expedition 15. Astronauts Clayton Anderson and Daniel Tani will travel to the station next year and work as flight engineers. Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Dr. Oleg Kotov will spend six months aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Edited October 26, 2006 by Waspie_Dwarf

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Expedition 14 Begins Unloading Progress

Image above: This photograph of the Progress 23 cargo craft taken

by Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter highlights the Kurs Antenna that

concerned flight directors prior to final latching.

Photo credit: NASA.

The Expedition 14 crew opened the hatches to the new Progress cargo capsule Friday morning and began unloading critical equipment including spare parts for a faulty Russian oxygen generator. The Progress 23 automatically docked to the aft end of the Zvezda service module at 10:29 a.m. EDT Thursday delivering over 2 1/2 tons of propellant, oxygen, spare parts, experiment hardware and life support components.

Russian controllers are analyzing data to determine if an antenna on the Progress supply ship has retracted as commanded. Concern with that antenna prompted flight controllers to delay fully latching the supply ship for about three hours Thursday afternoon. Russian flight controllers determined the antenna was not a problem and the Progress 23 was latched at 2 p.m. EDT.

Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineers Tyurin and Thomas Reiter cleared Zvezda's docking port Oct. 10 when they undocked their Soyuz TMA spacecraft then redocked to the Zarya module's Earth-facing port.

NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency have named two astronauts and two cosmonauts to the next International Space Station crew, known as Expedition 15. Astronauts Clayton Anderson and Daniel Tani will travel to the station next year and work as flight engineers. Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Dr. Oleg Kotov will spend six months aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Source: NASA - Space Station

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Crew Works on Unloading and Repair

Image above: European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Reiter

works with the Plasmakristall Telescience Apparatus in the Zvezda

Service Module of the International Space Station.

Photo credit: NASA.

Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter

had six hours reserved between them Monday for Progress unloading, cargo transfers and inventory logging.

Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin resumed work on the Elektron oxygen-generation unit after it shut down in mid-September. He replaced valves and cables in an effort to bring it back online. The unit should be ready for attempts at reactivation Tuesday.

Mission Control in Houston continues work on troubleshooting the Control Moment Gyroscope 3 (CMG 3) that was taken offline due to a vibration. The CMGs are used to maintain the station’s orientation in space. Plans are being made for a possible CMG 3 swapout on the STS-118 mission.

NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency have named two astronauts and two cosmonauts to the next International Space Station crew, known as Expedition 15. Astronauts Clayton Anderson and Daniel Tani will travel to the station next year and work as flight engineers. Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Dr. Oleg Kotov will spend six months aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Source: NASA - Space Station

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Crew Practices With Robotics, Preps for Tee Off

Image above: Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria works

with the remote power control modules (RPCM) in the Unity node of

the International Space Station.

Photo credit: NASA.

Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria began several days of robotics proficiency work Wednesday. The robotics work included a “walkoff” of the Canadarm2 from one location to another. He also practiced modified grapple and release procedures.

The commander also performed the scheduled lens change on the EarthKAM, going from 50mm to the 180mm-lens configuration. The camera takes pictures by remote operation from the ground by students who submit image requests to conduct geographic research.

Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin will prepare some of the equipment he will use to hit golf balls outside the Pirs Docking Compartment for a commercial endeavor during the Nov. 22 Russian spacewalk.

NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency have named two astronauts and two cosmonauts to the next International Space Station crew, known as Expedition 15. Astronauts Clayton Anderson and Daniel Tani will travel to the station next year and work as flight engineers. Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Dr. Oleg Kotov will spend six months aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Source: NASA - Space Station

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Crew Unpacks, Re-activates Elektron and Practices With Robotics

Image above: European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter wears a

communication system headset while using a computer in the Zvezda

Service Module of the International Space Station.

Photo credit: NASA.

The Expedition 14 crew spent time throughout the week unpacking items, including parts for the Elektron oxygen-generation system, fresh food and other system hardware from the Progress cargo ship. The remaining items will be unpacked as needed or when time permits.

The Elektron oxygen-generation unit that had been shut down since mid-September has been re-activated. Early this week, Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin repaired the unit by installing new valves and cables that arrived on the recent Progress cargo craft. The Elektron is supplying oxygen for the cabin atmosphere once again.

Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria worked on robotics proficiency tasks throughout the week. His robotics exercises included maneuvering the Canadarm 2 robotic arm over to the Mobile Transporter and its operating base. He also practiced modified grapple and release procedures.

The commander also performed the scheduled lens change on the EarthKAM, going from 50mm to the 180mm-lens configuration. The camera takes pictures by remote operation from the ground by students who submit image requests to conduct geographic research.

NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency have named two astronauts and two cosmonauts to the next International Space Station crew, known as Expedition 15. Astronauts Clayton Anderson and Daniel Tani will travel to the station next year and work as flight engineers. Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Dr. Oleg Kotov will spend six months aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Edited November 3, 2006 by Waspie_Dwarf

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ANITA – air quality monitoring for the International Space Station

ANITA flight HW consisting of two standard Middeck drawers: Total mass= 53 kg,
power: ~80 W average with a peak power 170 W (20 msec)

Credits: Kayser-Thred

2 November 2006
The Analysing Interferometer for Ambient Air (ANITA) flight experiment, an ESA developed technology demonstrator for monitoring the quality of the air inside manned space vehicles, is being delivered to NASA for final launch preparation during November 2006.

Once launched on the Automatic Transfer Vehicle ‘Jules Verne’, ANITA will fly onboard the International Space Station (ISS). It will be accommodated in an EXPRESS rack in the US Destiny laboratory. ANITA will remain on orbit for six months, with an initial commissioning and science phase of ten days. Subsequently it will be considered to be an ISS system element.


The International Space Station (ISS) seen from Space Shuttle Discovery during
rendezvous and docking activities on 6 July 2006.

Credits: NASA

The air quality of any manned spacecraft needs to be continuously monitored in order to safeguard the health of the crew. The astronauts have to respond rapidly to any accidental release of harmful gaseous contaminants or degradation of the environmental control and life support system. Air quality monitoring grows in importance as mission duration increases.

Measuring modes


Air sampling in remote places (non-local sampling)

Credits: Kayser-Threde

ANITA is designed to monitor the cabin air for contaminants at concentrations down to the low parts per million (ppm) or high parts per billion (ppb), with high precision. Its fast measurement cycle allows the trend in air quality to be analysed in near real-time.

In normal operational mode, ANITA automatically monitors the local air by filling its gas cell, measuring the sample and storing the analysis data. The gas cell is then flushed back into the cabin and refilled for the next measurement cycle, each of which takes six minutes. This process is possible since the air sample is physically and chemically unchanged by the measurement.

If so desired, the crew can also collect air samples at remote locations using a hand pump and sample bags. The sample bags are then manually connected to ANITA’s inlet for analysis.

Operating principle


ANITA 2.5 1 gas bag and hand pump

Credits: Kayser-Threde

ANITA uses a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) interferometer based on the Michelson principle and supplemented by advanced analysis software. The gas cell is illuminated by an infrared source and the amount of radiation passing through the cell is measured with a room temperature infrared detector. The measurements cover the wavelength range 2.5 to 20 microns (500 to 4000 cm-1).

The resulting absorption spectra allow individual organic and inorganic contaminants to be identified based on their unique spectral fingerprints. The ‘Lambert-Beer’ law, which relates the attenuation of infrared light passing through the sample cell to gas concentration, is applied to calculate the concentrations of the individual contaminants.

To counter possible changes in the instrument, including ageing effects, background measurements are taken periodically by measuring the intensity of the infrared source through the gas cell at low pressure.


ANITA dedicated laptop computer

Credits: Kayser-Threde

Owing to the high degree of spectral overlapping for the different contaminants, combined with measurement noise and imperfections, the identification and quantification process requires advanced software.

The ANITA will be calibrated on the ground before launch. However, if the actual air contaminants and/or the concentrations are outside the calibration range, the calibration models can be updated on-ground and uploaded to ANITA.

During the mission the measurement results are not visible to the crew and will be further processed on ground by the ANITA team.

During operation on ISS, ANITA requires no consumables and no services except electrical power.

Mission objectives

The main objectives of the flight experiment are to:

• simultaneously identify and quantify 32 gaseous air contaminants at low ppm and high ppb concentrations in the International Space Station crew cabin air, including trace gases that up to now can only be detected in gas samples returned to Earth for analysis
• demonstrate that ANITA FTIR trace gas monitoring is effective in a real space environment, including the maintenance of calibration models from the ground
• prove that modified commercial-off-the-shelf hardware provides a sound basis for ANITA

View of the main parts of the FTIR interferometer

Credits: Kayser-Threde

The identification and quantification objective covers the background gases – water, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and methane – currently measured on ISS using NASA’s Major Constituent Analyser (MCA). In addition, it covers 28 organic and inorganic trace contaminants including formaldehyde, perfluoropropane, ammonia, and three siloxanes, which are currently not measured onboard. Homonuclear diatomic gases such as oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen do not have infrared absorption fingerprints and cannot be detected using FTIR spectrometry.

Industrial team

ANITA is an ESA-NASA cooperative programme. The flight experiment has been developed under ESA contract by Kayser-Threde GmbH (Germany), the instrument Prime Contractor and hardware developer, and SINTEF (Norway), responsible for the gas analysis software and instrument calibration.

Source: ESA - News

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Station Crew Preps for Space Shuttle Docking

Image above: Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter cuts Flight Engineer

Mikhail Tyurin's hair in the Zarya module of the International Space

Station. Reiter used hair clippers fashioned with a vacuum device to

prevent freshly cut hair from being scattered throughout the module.

Photo credit: NASA.

The Expedition 14 crew members continue to work this week on scientific experiments, station maintenance and activities related to the anticipated arrival of Space Shuttle Discovery in December.

Over the weekend, Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria concluded Expedition 14's first week-long session with EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students) by shutting down, disassembling and stowing the hardware. Nearly 6,600 students from around the globe participated in this most recent session with EarthKAM, a payload which allows students to submit requests and download images from an electronic still camera mounted in a window of the space station.

Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin revisited the Elektron oxygen-generating system on Monday to perform routine maintenance. Early last week, Tyurin repaired and re-activated the unit, returning it to service for the first time since mid-September.

Also on Monday, Tyurin and Flight Engineer Thomas Reiter practiced photography techniques to be used to capture imagery of Discovery's thermal heat shield during its final approach for docking on the STS-116 mission.

NASA and the Russian Federal Space Agency have named two astronauts and two cosmonauts to the next International Space Station crew, known as Expedition 15. Astronauts Clayton Anderson and Daniel Tani will travel to the station next year and work as flight engineers. Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Dr. Oleg Kotov will spend six months aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Source: NASA - Space Station