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Crew Conducts Maintenance, Unpacks Supplies


Image above: Expedition 13 Flight Engineer Jeff Williams prepares to
take photographs of the Earth from a window in the space station's
Zvezda Service Module.
Credit: NASA

Commander Pavel Vinogradov and Flight Engineer Jeff Williams resumed work aboard their orbital home this week after a weekend of light duty. The crew performed maintenance on equipment for pre-breathing pure oxygen during spacewalk preparations and resumed unpacking supplies from the Progress cargo craft that docked with the station on April 26. Tuesday was another off-duty day for the crew to celebrate Victory Day, a Russian national holiday.

The engines of the Progress cargo craft were fired last Thursday, raising the station's altitude about 1.7 miles.

NASA astronauts Michael Lopez-Alegria and Sunita Williams and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin have been named as the 14th crew of the International Space Station. Expedition 14 is scheduled to begin this fall.

Source: NASA - Space Station

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Crew Conducts Maintenance, Unpacks Supplies


Image above: Expedition 13 Flight Engineer Jeff Williams prepares to
take photographs of the Earth from a window in the space station's
Zvezda Service Module.
Credit: NASA

Expedition 13 Commander Pavel Vinogradov and Flight Engineer Jeff Williams focused this week on science experiments, maintenance tasks and unpacking cargo on the International Space Station.

Williams began the second of three sessions Wednesday with an experiment that studies bubbling that occurs in weightlessness as liquids cool and solidify. On Thursday, Williams practiced with the station's robotic arm, conducting a video survey of the site of a future spacewalk.

Vinogradov turned off the Elektron oxygen-generating system last weekend so Russian flight controllers could analyze a small nitrogen leak in the unit. The Elektron will remain deactivated until after a June 1 spacewalk. Meanwhile, oxygen from tanks in the ISS Progress 20 cargo vehicle is being added to the station's cabin.

NASA astronauts Michael Lopez-Alegria and Sunita Williams and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin have been named as the 14th crew of the International Space Station. Expedition 14 is scheduled to begin this fall.

Source: NASA - Space Station

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Crew Continues Experiments, Prepares for Spacewalk


Image above: Astronaut Jeff Williams conducts the first run of the Pore
Formation and Mobility Investigation in the Microgravity Science Glovebox.
Credit: NASA

Expedition 13 Commander Pavel Vinogradov and Flight Engineer Jeff Williams continued working with the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) facility, which includes the Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation experiment.

The crew also began reviewing procedures today for the upcoming spacewalk scheduled for June 1.

NASA astronauts Michael Lopez-Alegria and Sunita Williams and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin have been named as the 14th crew of the International Space Station. Expedition 14 is scheduled to begin this fall.

Source: NASA - Space Station

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Station Crew Works Toward Spacewalk, Shuttle Arrival


Image above: Astronaut Jeff Williams conducts the first run of the Pore
Formation and Mobility Investigation in the Microgravity Science Glovebox.
Credit: NASA

International Space Station astronauts spent a busy Wednesday preparing for the arrival of the space shuttle Discovery and working on components of the Russian oxygen-generating Elektron in preparation for a June 1 spacewalk.

Expedition 13 Commander Pavel Vinogradov spent several hours routing a line that dumps hydrogen overboard. The Elektron breaks down water into oxygen for use in the station and vents hydrogen into space.

During the spacewalk, they will install a new vent on the outside of the Zvezda service module. The line Vinogradov worked on leads to the interior opening of that vent.

Meanwhile, NASA Science Officer Jeff Williams spent several hours packing material and experiment results for transport home on Discovery. The spacecraft is scheduled to launch on the STS-121 mission no earlier than July 1.

On Thursday crewmembers will review procedures and gather equipment for the spacewalk. Williams also will spend an hour working with the SPHERES experiment. The experiment involves small satellites preprogrammed to perform specific maneuvers, in this case inside the station.

Source: NASA - Space Station

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May the Force Be With Them

If there are bowling-ball size satellites flying in formation inside the International Space Station, where's Luke Skywalker?

What may sound like a scene straight from a "Star Wars" movie is actually an experiment that will test how well spacecraft can fly in formation and then rendezvous and dock without the aid of a human pilot.


Image above: Expedition 8 Commander Michael Foale
holds the SPHERES Beacon / Beacon Tester.
Credit: NASA

Astronaut Jeff Williams won’t need the Force or a lightsaber May 18 when he unveils the first of three free-flying nano-satellites and releases it for a test flight inside the U.S. Destiny Lab.

Developing autonomous formation flying and docking control algorithms is an important step in making future space missions possible. Today, the ability to coordinate and synchronize multiple unmanned spacecraft in tightly controlled spaces can only be done through the magic of movies. But, SPHERES could someday make it a reality.

SPHERES stands for Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Re-orient Experiment. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Space Systems Laboratory in Cambridge, Mass., developed the experiment to test formation flying and multi-spacecraft control algorithms for the Air Force and NASA.

The first SPHERES satellite arrived aboard the 21 Progress vehicle on April 26.

Each satellite is about 8 inches in diameter, weighs about 7 pounds, and has its own internal avionics, software, and communications systems. They are powered by two AA batteries and will use carbon dioxide gas thrusters to maneuver through the Destiny Lab.

As the satellites fly through the station, they will communicate with each other and an ISS laptop through a wireless link.


Image above: The SPHERES Beacon / Beacon Tester
floats in the Unity node of the space station.
Credit: NASA

During Expedition 8 and 9, ISS crewmembers performed tests without the satellite to evaluate the ultra-sound and infrared beacons the satellites will use to determine their position.

During Expedition 13, Williams will initiate and monitor a series of test flights in which the satellite performs 10 to 15 pre-planned maneuvers, each lasting 5 to 10 minutes.

Between test flights, Mission Control and the MIT ground team will evaluate the satellite’s flying performance and make any needed software modifications. It will be tested for attitude control, station keeping, re-targeting, collision avoidance and fuel balancing algorithms. A simple Velcro docking system will be used to test its rendezvous and docking capability.

Williams also may manually fly the satellite using keyboard commands issued from a laptop.

The lessons learned from this experiment could also be used to develop free-flying robotic assistants capable of helping astronauts on future spacewalks.

The second satellite is scheduled to launch to the station on STS-121 in July 2006. The third will be launched on STS-116. Three will also remain on the ground for testing.

Source: NASA - Space Station - Expeditions

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STS-121 Payload Carries Breath of Fresh Air

A device roughly the size of a refrigerator could allow larger crews than ever to live on the International Space Station, increasing research that benefits life on Earth and supports future exploration.

The new Oxygen Generation System (OGS) can provide 12 pounds of oxygen during a normal day aboard the station, enough to support six crew members -- double the size of the largest crews in the past. Space Shuttle Discovery will carry the system to the station during the STS-121 mission, set to launch in July from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla.


Image above: At NASA's Kennedy Space Center,
the new Oxygen Generation System is moved
into the Space Station Processing Facility after
being removed from its shipping container in
January 2006.
Image credit: NASA/KSC

When circumstances call for more oxygen -- for example, if additional people are aboard during a space shuttle mission or crew exchange, or if oxygen is lost through experiments or airlock depressurization -- the system could provide an extra eight pounds of oxygen per day, bringing the total maximum output to 20 pounds.

Like the Elektron system currently used on the station, the OGS relies on a process called electrolysis, in which water is split into oxygen and hydrogen. The oxygen is released into the station atmosphere, and the hydrogen then is discarded into space. The OGS offers a higher oxygen production capacity than Elektron and will provide important backup capability for supplying oxygen to the station crews.

Initially, the OGS will use water carried up to the station from Earth. Ultimately, the device will draw water from the Water Recovery System which will be launched and operational before the first six-person crew arrives in 2009. Together, they will form a "closed-loop" regenerative life-support system in which wastewater generated on the station will be recycled and used as a source of additional drinking water and to supply water to the OGS.


Image above: NASA astronaut Peggy A. Whitson, Expedition Five
flight engineer, works with the Advanced Astroculture soybean plant
growth experiment in the Destiny laboratory on the International Space
Station in July 2002. The new Oxygen Generation System to be
delivered during the STS-121 mission can help make up oxygen lost
through such experiments.
Image credit: NASA/JSC

"Once complete, the regenerative life-support system will sustain additional crew members onboard that can conduct more scientific research," explained Mike Suffredini, station program manager. "It also will give us experience operating and sustaining a closed-loop life support system similar to that necessary for future human spaceflight missions farther from Earth."

During the STS-121 mission, astronauts will move the OGS from the multi-purpose logistics module Leonardo into the U.S. laboratory module, Destiny. The new system could be up and running as early as spring 2007, supplying a new breath of fresh air to explorers living and working in orbit.

Anna Heiney
NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center

Source: NASA - Space Station - Behind The Scenes

This post has been edited by Waspie_Dwarf: 18 May 2006 - 06:56 PM

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Station Crew Works Toward Spacewalk, Shuttle Arrival


Image above: Astronaut Jeff Williams conducts the first run of the Pore
Formation and Mobility Investigation in the Microgravity Science Glovebox.
Credit: NASA

Flight Engineer and Science Officer Jeff Williams "piloted" a unique spacecraft in three dimensions for the first time around the pressurized Destiny module. The experiment is called SPHERES - Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Re-orient Experimental Satellites. For the first tests only one satellite and two beacons were used. The first test flight consisted of a series of 10 - 15 pre-planned maneuvers each lasting up to 10 minutes.

Jeff Williams continued packing material and experiment results for transport home on the space shuttle Discovery. The spacecraft is scheduled to launch on the STS-121 mission no earlier than July 1.

Experiments, maintenance and spacewalk preparations continued this week. The spacewalk is scheduled for June 1. This week the crew also talked with school students in Wisconsin.

Source: NASA - Space Station

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Crew Prepares for June 1 Spacewalk


Image above: Astronaut Jeff Williams conducts the first run of the Pore
Formation and Mobility Investigation in the Microgravity Science Glovebox.
Credit: NASA

Commander Pavel Vinogradov and Flight Engineer Jeff Williams have shifted their schedule in preparation for their first spacewalk on June 1. They will begin their sleep shift at 11:30 p.m. EDT and wake up at 8 a.m. from now until May 31. Vinogradov and Williams will also continue to set up equipment and review their activities with spacewalk specialists on the ground.

Jeff Williams, who is also the crew's science officer, continued testing a miniature satellite inside the station over the weekend. The experiment is called SPHERES or Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites.

Source: NASA - Space Station

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Crew Prepares for June 1 Spacewalk


Image above: This picture of Washington, D.C. was taken from the
International Space Station by an Expedition 13 crewmember.
Credit: NASA

Commander Pavel Vinogradov and Flight Engineer Jeff Williams have shifted their schedule in preparation for their first spacewalk on June 1. They will begin their sleep shift at 11:30 p.m. EDT and wake up at 8 a.m. from now until May 31. Vinogradov and Williams will also continue to set up equipment and review their activities with spacewalk specialists on the ground.

Jeff Williams, who is also the crew's science officer, continued testing a miniature satellite inside the station over the weekend. The experiment is called SPHERES or Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites.

Source: NASA - Space Station

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Crew Readies Spacesuits and Gear for Spacewalk


Image above: Cleveland Volcano erupts on the Aleutian Islands of Alaska.
Credit: NASA

Commander Pavel Vinogradov and Flight Engineer Jeff Williams are setting up the two Russian Orlan spacesuits they will wear for their first spacewalk on June 1. They completed recharging the batteries that will power the spacesuits and installed U.S. lights on their helmets. They are also setting up hardware, communications and life support gear.

As the International Space Station orbited the Earth, Williams photographed Cleveland Volcano erupting on the Aleutian Islands of Alaska.

Source: NASA - Space Station

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Repairs, Experiments Focus of June 1 Spacewalk

Repair of a vent for the International Space Station's oxygen-producing Elektron unit, retrieval of experiment results and replacement of a camera on the orbiting laboratory's main truss are among activities scheduled for a 5-hour, 37-minute spacewalk June 1.


Image above: Computer-generated artist’s rendering of
the International Space Station. This angle shows the
port side view of the orbiting complex.
Credit: NASA

Station commander Pavel Vinogradov and NASA Science Officer Jeff Williams are scheduled to leave the airlock of the Pirs Docking Compartment at 6:40 p.m. EDT. They will wear Russian Orlan spacesuits.

Vinogradov is designated lead spacewalker, or EV1. With Williams, EV2, he will move out of the airlock and to the Strela hand-operated crane. The crewmembers will use it to move about the station's Russian segment.

Repair of the Elektron vent is the first task. Because of a problem with that vent, Vinogradov had to reroute Elektron's hydrogen vent line to a vent also used by the Vozdukh carbon dioxide removal system. This repair will enable them to re-establish the original vent line.

The Elektron breaks down water into its components, hydrogen and oxygen. The oxygen is used in the station and the hydrogen is vented overboard. The repair, involving installation of a nozzle on the neck of a valve, should take about 35 minutes, followed by 10 minutes to photograph the area.

Next Vinogradov and Williams will remove a plate from the Kromka experiment and then a Biorisk experiment container for return to the inside of the station. Kromka looks at contamination from thruster jet firings and devices to protect the station's exterior from them. Biorisk studies the effect of spaceflight on microorganisms.

Vinogradov then will remove slack in a cable of an antenna on the Zvezda Service Module designed for docking of the unpiloted European Automated Transfer Vehicle, scheduled for its first launch next year. Meanwhile, Williams will retrieve a contamination monitoring device from Zvezda.

The spacewalk's final and longest major task is replacement of a malfunctioning camera on the Mobile Base System, which moves the Canadarm2 robotic arm along the rails on the station's main truss. Both spacewalkers will work on that job, scheduled to take an hour and 25 minutes.

Vinogradov and Williams will secure the Strela before re-entering Pirs to conclude the spacewalk.

Source: NASA - Space Station - Expeditions

[Master Sage]

Good stuff!

[ROGER]

Quick Question for anyone. On a previous Space walk a crystalline like substance was seen on and around the Hydrogen vent from the Elektron. Have they discovered what it was and is the valve extension an attempt to eliminate the problem?

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Crew Prepares for Spacewalk; NASA TV Will Cover


Image above: Cleveland Volcano erupts on the Aleutian Islands of Alaska.
Credit: NASA

Commander Pavel Vinogradov and Flight Engineer Jeffrey Williams continue preparations for the June 1 spacewalk. The crew climbed into their Orlan spacesuits for their “dry run” exercise Tuesday, testing their mobility and checking out the suits’ systems. Thursday's spacewalk will be Vinogradov’s sixth and Williams' second. At 5:30 p.m. EDT on June 1, NASA TV will begin spacewalk coverage.

+ Watch NASA TV

As the International Space Station orbited the Earth, Williams photographed Cleveland Volcano erupting on the Aleutian Islands of Alaska.

Source: NASA - Space Station

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Crew Begins Spacewalk


Image above: The Expedition 13 crew conducts a spacewalk.
Credit: NASA TV

International Space Station Commander Pavel Vinogradov and NASA Science Officer Jeff Williams have left the airlock of the Pirs Docking Compartment for a spacewalk focusing on repairs and retrieval of scientific experiments. Today's spacewalk is Vinogradov’s sixth and Williams' second.

Source: NASA - Space Station

This post has been edited by Waspie_Dwarf: 02 June 2006 - 12:48 AM