[Waspie_Dwarf]

Crew Prepares for Departure of Japanese Cargo Craft


Image above: Expedition 21 Flight Engineer Roman Romanenko poses for
a photo with the current growth experiment on the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2
(Plants-2) payload in the Zvezda service module of the International
Space Station.
Credit: NASA

The Expedition 21 crew members aboard the International Space Station prepared Thursday for the departure of an unpiloted Japanese cargo craft and were busy with a variety of science and maintenance activities.

Flight Engineers Robert Thirsk and Jeff Williams used the station’s robotic arm to grapple the Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) to prepare it for Friday’s release from the station.

Commander Frank De Winne removed the HTV’s fire extinguisher and smoke detector, and with the assistance of Flight Engineer Nicole Stott, closed the hatches between HTV and the Harmony connecting node.

De Winne also set up the HTV control panel for commanding the vehicle once it is released. The actual release is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. EDT Friday with the ship’s deorbit burn planned on Sunday.

The HTV will be disposing of about 1,600 pounds of trash and unneeded equipment when it is commanded to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere at 4:25 p.m. EST Sunday.

Williams worked on spacesuit maintenance in the Quest airlock to prepare for the three spacewalks planned for the upcoming STS-129 mission. STS-129 is set to begin when space shuttle Atlantis launches to the station in November. He also conducted maintenance and plumbing work on the station’s Water Recovery System filter assembly as troubleshooting activities on the system continue.

Flight Engineers Roman Romanenko and Maxim Suraev worked in the Russian section of the station maintaining its systems, performing science experiments and tagging up with specialists on the ground.

Throughout the day, Suraev, Stott, Romanenko and Thirsk had time set aside to complete crew medical officer proficiency training to ensure they are prepared in the unlikely event of an emergency.

Thirsk also had some time scheduled to participate in an in-flight media event for the Canadian Space Agency with reporters at the Ontario Science Center. During the event he answered a variety of questions about life and work aboard the station.

Source: NASA - Station

[Waspie_Dwarf]

October 29, 2009.
S.P.Korolev RSC Energia, Korolev, Moscow region

Baikonur branch of S.P. Korolev Rocket-Space Corporation Energia proceeds with the activities for prelaunch processing of special-purpose cargo space vehicle-module Progress M-MRM2, which is to deliver new Russian Poisk Module to the International Space Station.

Progress M-MRM2 special-purpose cargo space vehicle-module fuelled with propellant components and compressed gases was delivered to the Spacecraft Assembly and Testing Facility for final processing operations.

Source: S.P. Korolev RSC Energia

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Japanese Cargo Craft Leaves Station


Image above: International Space Station camera’s monitor the H-II Transfer
Vehicle before the Canadarm2 releases it.
Credit: NASA TV

Japan’s first cargo vehicle, the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV), has left the International Space Station. Flight Engineer and robotic arm operator Nicole Stott released the HTV from the grip of Canadarm2 at 1:32 p.m. EDT on Friday. The HTV’s thrusters fired about five minutes later separating the craft from the station for a series of three deorbit maneuvers on Sunday into the Pacific Ocean.

Release occurred as the HTV and the ISS flew 220 miles above the Pacific Ocean southwest of Hawaii. The HTV will be disposing of about 1,600 pounds of trash and unneeded equipment when it is commanded to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere at 4:25 p.m. EST Sunday.

+ View video of HTV release

The HTV arrived at the orbiting laboratory on Sept. 17 when it was grappled by Stott using Canadarm2 and berthed to the Harmony node’s Earth-facing port.

Flight controllers had been tracking space debris from a Russian satellite Thursday and determined an avoidance maneuver for the station was not necessary. However, they elected to delay the release of HTV by one orbit to ensure it would remain a safe distance from the debris, since a collision could add to the growing population of debris in orbit around the planet.

Source: NASA - Station

This post has been edited by Waspie_Dwarf: 02 November 2009 - 01:12 AM
Reason for edit:: added link to video.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

HTV-1 released by the station's robotic arm


HTV-1 released by the SSRMS（©NASA/JAXA）

The HTV-1, positioned at 12 m below the ISS called "release point", was released by the station's robotic arm (SSRMS) at 2:32 a.m. October 31, while passing over the Pacific Ocean. At 2:38 a.m., the HTV-1 began its planned maneuvers to leave the ISS proximity. The HTV-1 will gradually depart from the ISS orbit by performing several thruster burns.

*All times are Japan Standard Time (JST).

Source: JAXA - H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV)

[Waspie_Dwarf]

The Japanese Space Exploration Agency (JAXA) press release is reproduced below:

Successful Reentry of
the H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) Demonstration Flight

November 2, 2009 (JST)
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

The H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) Demonstration Flight successfully re-entered the atmosphere after the third de-orbit maneuver at around 5:53 a.m. on November 2, 2009 (Japan Standard Time.)

The HTV Demonstration Flight successfully accomplished its initial objective of shipping cargos to the International Space Station, and completed all its missions of about 52 days by today's reentry.
The estimated times for reentry and water landing are as follows. (Times are Japan Standard Time.)

Estimated reentry time*: around 6:26 a.m. on November 2 (Monday), 2009
Estimated water landing time: around 6:38 to 6:58 a.m. on November 2 (Monday), 2009
*Altitude at 120 km


Reference link: For more details, please refer to the following website.
http://iss.jaxa.jp/en/htv/index.html

---

Mission website:
HTV/H-IIB Special site

Index for 2009/9

Source: JAXA - Press Release

[Waspie_Dwarf]

November 1, 2009. Baikonur Cosmodrome,
branch of RSC Energia after S.P. Korolev

Baikonur branch of S.P. Korolev Rocket-Space Corporation Energia proceeds with the activities for prelaunch processing of special-purpose cargo space vehicle-module Progress M-MRM2, which is to deliver new Russian Poisk Module to the International Space Station.

Progress M-MRM2 special-purpose cargo space vehicle-module was docked with the transfer compartment in the Spacecraft Assembly and Testing Facility.

Source: S.P. Korolev RSC Energia

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Crew Focuses on Science, Oxygen Generation System Maintenance


Image above: Expedition 21 Flight Engineer Robert Thirsk speaks with
representatives of the Canadian Space Agency.
Credit: NASA TV

The Expedition 21 crew aboard the International Space Station spent Monday performing maintenance on the Oxygen Generation System and conducting a variety of scientific experiments.

Flight Engineers Jeff Williams, Nicole Stott and Robert Thirsk worked on replacing part of the station’s Oxygen Generation System (OGS). The OGS produces oxygen for breathing air for the crew, as well as for replacement of oxygen lost due to experiment use, airlock depressurization, module leakage, and carbon dioxide venting.

Thirsk and Williams also participated in the Integrated Cardiovascular experiment, which studies the effects of long-term spaceflight on the size of the heart and the flow of blood in a crew member’s body.

Flight Engineer Maxim Suraev worked with the Russian experiment known as Relaxation, observing radiation patterns from Earth’s ionosphere.

Commander Frank De Winne packed items for return to Earth aboard space shuttle Atlantis during the upcoming STS-129 mission to the orbital outpost. Atlantis’ launch is scheduled for Nov. 16 at 2:28 p.m. EST.

The Japanese H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV) was deorbited Sunday, its maiden flight successfully completed with its destructive entry into the Earth’s atmosphere over the south Pacific Ocean.

The HTV arrived at the orbiting laboratory on Sept. 17 when it was grappled by Stott using Canadarm2 and berthed to the Harmony node’s Earth-facing port. HTV delivered about 4.5 tons of internal supplies and equipment and external experiment packages, and disposed of about 1,600 pounds of station trash. Stott released the HTV from the grip of Canadarm2 at 1:32 p.m. on Friday.

Attention now turns to next week’s launch of the newest Russian module, the Mini-Research Module 2 (MRM2), which is scheduled for liftoff on Nov. 10 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 9:22 a.m. The MRM2 is slated to automatically dock to the space-facing port of the Zvezda Service Module on Nov. 12.

Source: NASA - Station

[Waspie_Dwarf]

November 3, 2009. Baikonur Cosmodrome,
branch of RSC Energia after S.P. Korolev

At Baikonur launch site the preparations continue for the launch of special-purpose cargo space vehicle-module Progress M-MRM2, which is to deliver new Russian Poisk Module to the International Space Station.

Designers inspection of the Progress M-MRM2 special-purpose cargo space vehicle-module was completed.

post continued below...

[Waspie_Dwarf]

...continued from above.

Payload shroud roll on to the special-purpose cargo space vehicle-module was performed.

Source: S.P. Korolev RSC Energia

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Station Crew Prepares for Expansions


Image above: Expedition 21 Flight Engineer Jeff Williams is pictured while
working in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station.
Credit: NASA

The Expedition 21 crew aboard the International Space Station tackled a busy workload Tuesday, making preparations for an upcoming space shuttle visit as well as for additions to the habitable volume of the orbiting complex.

Before the six crew members could begin those tasks, however, a main bus switching unit failure took down about half of the space station systems, none of which were critical. The crew, never at risk from the electrical failure, worked with the flight control team on the ground for a swift and orderly restoration of power. All systems on the station were back up and running within hours, with the exception of the urine processing assembly of the water recycling system, which has been off-line for about a week. The crew will perform further troubleshooting Wednesday, backfilling a portion of the recycling system’s lines in hopes of removing a possible obstruction or further pinpointing what might be causing a problem with the urine processor.

Flight Engineer Nicole Stott began the first of four days of activities to prepare spacewalking tools and equipment for the STS-129 space shuttle mission planned to launch Nov. 16. The crew of Atlantis will conduct three spacewalks at the station to transfer spare parts from the shuttle’s payload bay to the station’s external structures and continue assembly activities.

Commander Frank De Winne spent some time with the new COLBERT treadmill, configuring the hardware and performing some data collection troubleshooting. De Winne also conducted a monthly inspection of the older treadmill aboard the station known as the Treadmill Vibration Isolation System, or TVIS.

Meanwhile, Flight Engineers Robert Thirsk and Jeff Williams removed a bulkhead in the Unity module to move cables into position for the Node 3 module, also known as Tranquility, when it is delivered to the station by the crew of space shuttle Endeavour in 2010. Tranquility will provide a new berthing port as well as additional room for crew members and many of the station's life support and environmental control systems already on board. Attached to the node will be the Cupola, a unique work module with six windows on the sides and one on top.

With the launch of the new Mini-Research Module 2 (MRM2) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan set for Nov. 10, Flight Engineers Maxim Suraev and Roman Romanenko reviewed procedures for manual rendezvous techniques with TORU, the Russian telerobotically operated rendezvous system. The crew can use TORU to monitor MRM2’s approach for docking to the Zvezda service module or take control of the process if difficulties arise. Set to dock Nov. 12, MRM2 will serve as a new docking port for Russian spacecraft and an additional airlock for spacewalks conducted out of the Russian segment.

Source: NASA - Station

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Crew Prepares for Space Shuttle Arrivals


Image above: Expedition 21 Flight Engineers Nicole Stott and Jeff Williams
work in the Quest airlock of the International Space Station.
Credit: NASA TV

The International Space Station's Expedition 21 crew performed a variety of maintenance work Wednesday, preparing the orbiting outpost for future space shuttle visits that will deliver spare parts and a U.S. module.

Flight Engineers Nicole Stott and Jeff Williams resized spacesuits in the Quest airlock in preparation for the STS-129 space shuttle mission planned to launch Nov. 16. The crew of Atlantis will conduct three spacewalks at the station to transfer spare parts from the shuttle’s payload bay to the station’s external structures and continue assembly activities.

Preparations for the upcoming addition of the Tranquility module continued as Commander Frank De Winne and Flight Engineer Robert Thirsk conducted leak checks of the Pressurized Mating Adapter-3 following Tuesday’s work in the Unity module. Tranquility, also known as Node 3, will be delivered to the station by the crew of space shuttle Endeavour in 2010. Tranquility will provide a new berthing port as well as additional room for crew members and many of the station's life support and environmental control systems already on board. Attached to the node will be the Cupola, a unique work module with six windows on the sides and one on top.

Stott, along with Thirsk, continued repair work on the Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) to clear a clog that has caused the system to be off-line for about a week. Analysis is continuing, but early reports indicated that at least some of the suspected plumbing blockage in the system was cleared. The UPA is part of the Water Recovery System that processes urine into purified water.

Williams also spent time working with the Space Linear Acceleration Mass Measurement Device (SLAMMD) experiment that measures the on-orbit mass of station crew members. SLAMMD follows Newton's Second Law of Motion by having two springs generate a known force against a crew member mounted on an extension arm, the resulting acceleration being used to calculate the subject's mass.

Thirsk conducted an amateur radio session with students from Westbrook Intermediate School in Friendswood, Texas.

Meanwhile, launch of the next Russian module, the eight-ton Mini Research Module-2 , is just a week away. Launch of the new docking port and airlock is set for Nov. 10 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Docking with the station is planned for Nov. 12.

Source: NASA - Station

[Waspie_Dwarf]

November 5, 2009. Baikonur Cosmodrome,
branch of RSC Energia after S.P. Korolev

At Baikonur launch site the preparations continue for the launch of special-purpose cargo space vehicle-module Progress M-MRM2, which is to deliver new Russian Poisk Module to the International Space Station.

Orbital module of the Soyuz-U launch vehicle, containing Progress M-MRM2 spacecraft was transported from the spacecraft processing facility for the general integration with LV.

Source: S.P. Korolev RSC Energia

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Crew Busy with Shuttle Preps, Science and Maintenance


Image above: Expedition 21 crew members answer questions during an
in-flight media event for the U.S. Department of Education.
Credit: NASA TV

The Expedition 21 crew members aboard the International Space Station were busy Thursday preparing for the next shuttle mission and performing a variety of science and maintenance activities.

Flight Engineers Nicole Stott and Jeff Williams conducted a training session of rendezvous pitch maneuver photography in advance of the arrival of space shuttle Atlantis and the STS-129 crew later this month. During the shuttle’s approach, they will take detailed digital imagery of its heat shield that will be sent down to Earth to be analyzed by experts at Johnson Space Center.

Stott and Williams also prepared spacesuits and tools for the STS-129 mission. The STS-129 crew will conduct three spacewalks at the station to transfer spare parts from the shuttle’s payload bay to the station’s external structures and continue assembly activities. The STS-129 crew is set to launch aboard space shuttle Atlantis Nov. 16.

Flight Engineers Roman Romanenko and Maxim Suraev worked together on the Russian experiment PILOT-M, which tests piloting skills in conjunction with the stress factors of long-duration spaceflight. They also charged batteries in satellite phones used in the two Soyuz spacecraft docked to the station and worked in the Russian section of the station maintaining its systems.

All six crew members had some time scheduled to participate in an in-flight media event for the U.S. Department of Education. Participants in the event included students from the Washington Mathematics Science Technology Public Charter High School in Washington, D.C., students from the Parkland Magnet Middle School for Aerospace Technology in Rockville, Md., Education Secretary Arne Duncan and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden. During the event the crew members answered a variety of questions about life and work aboard the station.

Troubleshooting work on the Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) continued as crew members worked to get the system back on-line. Wednesday they managed to clear a clog that has caused the system to be off-line for about a week. Once the system was cleared, crew members worked to backwash and drain the liquid in the system in to the waste tank. Analysis by experts on the ground is ongoing as the crew waits for the go ahead to restart the system. The UPA is part of the Water Recovery System that processes urine into purified water.

Meanwhile, launch of the next Russian module, the eight-ton Mini Research Module-2, is less than a week away. Launch of the new docking port and airlock, known as Poisk, is set for Nov. 10 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Docking with the station is planned for Nov. 12.

Source: NASA - Station

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Station Crew Chats With D.C. Students, Education Secretary

05 November 2009

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan hosted Washington area middle and high school students Thursday for a live discussion with Expedition 21 astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

The event was part of the 10th annual celebration of International Education Week, so the students asked the crew members questions in English, French, German and Russian. The week highlights international education and international exchange. This year's theme is "Creating a Vision for a Better Future."

Source: NASA Channel - YouTube

[Waspie_Dwarf]

November 6, 2009. Baikonur Cosmodrome,
branch of RSC Energia after S.P. Korolev

At Baikonur launch site the preparations continue for the launch of special-purpose cargo space vehicle-module Progress M-MRM2, which is to deliver new Russian Poisk Module to the International Space Station.

Orbital module of the Soyuz-U launch vehicle, containing Progress M-MRM2 spacecraft was integrated with the Soyuz-U launch vehicle in the processing facility.

Source: S.P. Korolev RSC Energia