Station Crewman's Work SHERE Science


Image above: Russian Federal Space Agency cosmonaut Sergei Volkov takes a moment for a
photo as he works with equipment in the Zarya module of the International Space Station.
Photo Credit: NASA

The Expedition 17 crew members continued their focus on maintenance and science experiments aboard the International Space Station Thursday.

Crew members worked in the Kibo module deactivating laptop computers and stowing equipment before its hatches were closed to prepare it for a routine leak check with the Harmony module.

They also conducted preventive maintenance on the Zvezda service module’s ventilation system and continued the installation of protective enclosures over racks in the Zarya module.

Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff began work with the Shear History Extensional Rheology Experiment (SHERE) in the Microgravity Science Glovebox. SHERE is designed to investigate the effect of rotation on the stress and strain response of a polymer fluid being stretched in microgravity. The data collected will be used by scientists for a better understanding of containerless processing, an important operation for fabrication of parts using elastomeric materials on future exploration missions.

Throughout the day, crew members performed their daily physical exercise routines to counteract the effects of long-term exposure to weightlessness in space.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Diagnostic Activities and Solar Eclipse Passes for the Station


Image above: Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff sets up an experiment inside the Destiny lab’s
Microgravity Science Glovebox.
Photo Credit: NASA TV

The International Space Station’s treadmill has been taken offline due to a torn belt. With no spare belt on board, experts are reviewing further diagnostics for the exercise device.

Ground controllers also are performing a diagnostic study of snare cables in the Latching End Effector (LEE) of the station’s robotic arm. The LEE is the robotic arm’s hand which attaches to grapple fixtures on the station. The snares have experienced “stickiness” when closing around the grapple fixtures in the past. Photographs and video will be taken of the snare cables to assist with the investigation.

On Friday, the space complex passed through the moon’s shadow twice as a solar eclipse moved from Canada to China. Though the Expedition 17 crew was unable to see the moon’s shadow during both passes the station’s solar arrays temporarily lost some power generation abilities.

Meanwhile, Commander Sergei Volkov and flight engineers Oleg Kononenko and Greg Chamitoff continue science and maintenance activities.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Crew Continues Maintenance, Science; Ground Controllers Test Dextre


Image above: A view of Tropical Storm Edouard from Expedition 17 Flight Engineer Greg
Chamitoff on the International Space Station. NASA's Johnson Space Center is closed due
to the storm.
Photo Credit: NASA
› More Photos

Dextre was in the spotlight Monday aboard the International Space Station.

For the first time since the station’s Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator was assembled and activated during STS-123 in March, controllers on the ground began a comprehensive series of tests on the Canadian-built robotic system, also known as Dextre. Controllers tested one of the system’s shoulder roll joints Monday.

Expedition 17 Commander Sergei Volkov worked to replace an electronics box used to power the orientation of the solar arrays on the Zvezda Service Module.

In the complex’s Russian Segment, Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko performed maintenance on the purification system in the Elektron oxygen generator.

Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff installed and checked out a laptop computer for the Kibo module’s Ryutai rack, which houses fluids physics and material sciences experiments. He also installed additional hardware for the Clean Bench in Kibo’s Saibo rack, a type of glovebox that provides a germ-free environment for biological experiments.

Ground teams continue to analyze the results of Friday’s inspection of the treadmill aboard the International Space Station by Expedition 17 crew members. The crew found a one-inch tear on the outside edge of the exercise device’s belt.

NASA'S Johnson Space Center will be closed from noon Monday through Tuesday due to the approach of Tropical Storm Edouard, which is predicted to cross the Texas coast early Tuesday. Plans call for the center to reopen Wednesday. JSC's Mission Control Center will remain open during the center closure.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Chamitoff Celebrates Birthday Working on Experiments


Image above: A view of Tropical Storm Edouard taken by Expedition 17 Flight Engineer Greg
Chamitoff Monday, Aug. 4.
Photo Credit: NASA
› More Photos

The Expedition 17 crew aboard the International Space Station resumed work Wednesday after a light-duty day due to the closure of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The center was closed Monday afternoon and Tuesday so employees could prepare for tropical storm Edouard’s passage over the upper coast of Texas. It reopened for normal operations Wednesday. Johnson's Mission Control Center remained staffed throughout the storm.

On his 46th birthday, Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff continued working with Kibo’s Ryutai experiment rack. The rack systems can transport, store and support numerous scientific experiments.

Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko continued working to remove electronic components that are no longer required from the Zarya solar array positioning mechanism.

The station's toilet is up and running after a minor problem involving one of the hoses for its pre-treat section. There was an indication of a malfunction of the pre-treat hose Tuesday after some of the toilet's parts were changed out last week during routine maintenance. The hose was replaced and all is working again, but now there is no spare on board. Additional toilet components will be sent to the station on the ISS Progress 30 cargo ship, scheduled for launch Sept. 10.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Experiments and Interviews For Crew; Dextre Tests Continue


Image above:Expedition 17 crew members participate in an interview aboard the International
Space Station on Thursday.
Photo Credit: NASA TV

The Expedition 17 crew members continued their focus on science experiments and maintenance activities aboard the International Space Station Thursday.

Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff spent most of his day working with the Shear History Extensional Rheology Experiment (SHERE) in the Microgravity Science Glovebox. SHERE investigates the effect of rotation on the stress and strain response of a polymer fluid being stretched in microgravity. The data collected will be used by scientists for a better understanding of containerless processing, an important operation for fabrication of parts using elastomeric materials on future exploration missions.

Throughout the day, crew members completed a series of maintenance tasks, including the installation of rack enclosures in the Zarya module. They also performed their daily physical exercise routines to counteract the effects of long-term exposure to weightlessness in space.

Crew members took a break from their activities to talk with reporters from KHOU-TV in Houston and Cal Poly Magazine in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Meanwhile, ground controllers continued a series of diagnostic tests on the station’s Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator. Dextre is a two-armed robot mounted outside the station. It is capable of handling delicate assembly tasks now done by astronauts during spacewalks.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Off-duty Day Before the Weekend


Image above: Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff works inside the Japan Aerospace Exploration
Agency’s Kibo laboratory.
Photo Credit: NASA TV

The Expedition 17 crew had an off-duty day Friday to make up for a busy weekend of operational activities a few weeks ago.

Commander Sergei Volkov and flight engineers Oleg Kononenko and Greg Chamitoff exercised and held a space to ground conference with the Expedition 18 crew.

Throughout the week, the station residents worked on several different science experiments and took some time out to talk with reporters back home. Meanwhile, flight controllers on the ground performed diagnostic tests on Dextre, one part of the station's robotic system. More checkouts for Dextre and the Kibo laboratory's robotic arm are scheduled for next week.

Johnson Space Center was closed at noon on Aug. 4 and all day Aug. 5 in preparation for Tropical Storm Edouard. Mission Control Center remained staffed as normal station flight activities continued. Chamitoff celebrated his 46th birthday on Wednesday.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Dextre Tests Continue; Crew Delves into Science


Image above: The International Space Station’s Canadarm2 moves along the orbital complex’s
truss.
Photo Credit: NASA

Orbiting the Earth aboard the International Space Station, the Expedition 17 crew members began their week with continued robotics activity and more science work in the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Kibo laboratory.

Flight controllers continued testing the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator on Monday, working to validate the robotic joints and systems. The robot, also known as Dextre, was assembled and activated during STS-123 in March.

Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff spent time working on fluids experiments in the Kibo laboratory. He also worked with the Microgravity Clay portion of JAXA’s Education Payload Observation. For this activity, crew members take video and photos of clay figures. The dried figures will be returned to Earth and used as art for a tribute to spaceflight.

Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko worked with the Pneumocard experiment, which looks at adaptation of the cardiorespiratory system and the whole body in long-duration spaceflight.

Commander Sergei Volkov began repairing the station’s treadmill. The crew found a one-inch tear on the outside edge of the exercise device’s belt last week.

Canadarm2 was moved Friday from Worksite 4 to Worksite 6 on the truss. The move provides better camera views for the next phase of checkout activities this week for the new Japanese robotic arm on the forward end of the Kibo pressurized module.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Beautiful work Waspie,I wish everyone knew how much went into all the work you do for the forum,Thanks again. Also do you know if the ISS crew got to be anywhere near china Thur nite or fri nite of the opening games? That might of been seen from there alt ? . Would be great pics too. D

Thank you, that is highly appreciated.


The ISS will certainly have made passes over China during Thursday and Friday, but it is highly unlikely that they would have passed over Beijing at the right time to have seen anything.

Crew on Track With Preparations for Arrivals and Departures


Image above: Expedition 17 Commander Sergei Volkov works with the Treadmill Vibration
Isolation System in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station.
Photo Credit: NASA

The Expedition 17 crew of the International Space Station remained on track Tuesday with hardware repairs and preparations for arrivals and departures.

Commander Sergei Volkov and Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff continued repair work on components of the station’s exercise treadmill, including the belts and roller bearings. The crew found a torn belt in the device during an inspection on Aug. 1.

The crew also spent some time preparing for the departure of the ISS Progress 29 cargo craft on Sept. 2. Volkov tested the Kurs automated rendezvous system on the Progress and the Zarya module to which it is docked. Meanwhile, Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko continued packing trash and other unneeded items into the cargo craft for disposal.

The engines of the docked ”Jules Verne” Automated Transfer Vehicle will ignite at 3:58 a.m. EDT Wednesday for 16 minutes, 35 seconds. It will be another in a series of reboosts to position the station for the arrival of the ISS Progress 30 in September and the Expedition 18 crew aboard the Soyuz TMA-13 in October.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Station Crew Prepares for Visiting Vehicles


Image above: Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff talks to reporters from Texas.
Photo Credit: NASA TV

The International Space Station was boosted to a higher orbit when Europe’s docked Automated Transfer Vehicle fired its engines for over 16 minutes early Wednesday morning. The orbital boost puts the station at the correct altitude for upcoming vehicle dockings. The Progress 30 cargo freighter will dock on Sept. 12 and a Soyuz spacecraft carrying the Expedition 18 crew will arrive on Oct. 14.

Progress 29 will undock from the Zarya module’s Earth facing port on Sept. 1. The docked cargo craft is currently being loaded with discarded items.

Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff talked with journalists from Texas. Chamitoff described science duties inside the station’s international laboratories and mentioned he will be the second astronaut to vote from space in a presidential election.

The treadmill that was experiencing problems had new roller bearing assemblies installed. The refurbished system was tested and is being analyzed before the crew puts it to use again.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Crew Members Do Science, Maintenance and Pack Progress; Station Reboosted


Image above: NASA astronaut Greg Chamitoff prepares to eat a meal near the galley in the
Zvezda service module of the International Space Station.
Photo Credit: NASA

The Expedition 17 crew members packed discards into the ISS Progress 29, serviced spacesuits and worked with science experiments aboard the International Space Station Thursday.

The crew continued to load the unpiloted Progress cargo ship. It is scheduled to undock from the station on Sept. 2, then be deorbited to burn in the Earth's atmosphere.

Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff did routine servicing of a U.S. spacesuit’s umbilical and cooling loops. He also reviewed procedures and set up equipment for Friday’s scheduled checkout of the Kibo laboratory’s robotic arms.

Throughout the day, crew members set up and worked with various science experiments. They also did their daily physical exercise to counteract effects of long-term weightlessness in space.

Two of the four main engines of the European Space Agency’s Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle fired for 16 minutes and 32 seconds Wednesday in the third of a series of four planned reboosts of the station. The reboosts will adjust the station’s orbit to prepare it for the launches this fall of the Progress 30 cargo ship and the Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft carrying the Expedition 18 crew.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Station Crew Caps Busy Week with Commissioning of Kibo Robotic Arm


Image above: Expedition 17 Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff talks with students from the
Outer Space Base science program of the Pima County Public Library in Tuscon, Ariz.
Photo Credit: NASA TV

International Space Station Expedition 17 Commander Sergei Volkov and Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff began the commissioning of the Kibo laboratory’s robotic arm Friday, capping a busy work week. They tested the arm's joints, end effector and software through extensive commanding and maneuvering of the arm's components. The tests were successful and the arm is functioning properly.

Volkov also photographed a tropical wave over Puerto Rico as part of ongoing Earth observation from the station. The focus of Earth observation is documenting climate and environmental change of the planet.

The commander also spent time working with the PNEUMOCARD experiment. This experiment is an integrated study of the cardiovascular systems of crew members in various phases of long durations in space.

The crew members continued packing discarded items into the ISS Progress 29 cargo ship throughout the week. It is scheduled to undock from the station on Sept. 2, then deorbit and burn up in the Earth's atmosphere.

Two of the four main engines of the European Space Agency’s “Jules Verne” Automated Transfer Vehicle fired for 16 minutes and 32 seconds Wednesday in the third of a series of four planned reboosts of the station. The reboosts will adjust the station’s orbit to prepare it for the launches this fall of the Progress 30 cargo ship and the Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft carrying the Expedition 18 crew.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Crew Begins First Full JAXA Experiment in Kibo


Image above: Expedition 17 Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff works in the International
Space Station’s Kibo laboratory.
Photo Credit: NASA TV

The Expedition 17 crew aboard the International Space Station began a new week Monday with the initiation of the first full Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency experiment in the Japanese Kibo laboratory.

Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff began the Marangoni fluid physics experiment, which resides in the Ryutai science rack aboard Kibo. This experiment studies different fluid flows in the microgravity environment of space.

Commander Sergei Volkov and Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko continued to stow unneeded items in the Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV). The ATV is slated to undock from the station on Sept. 5 and be deorbited Sept. 29 for destructive re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.

In addition to their regular exercise activities, all three crew members performed routine body mass measurements.

Source: NASA - Space Station

waspie this might be a stupid question, but you know the ISS, is it possible to change its orbit from an earth orbit to say a orbit around the moon by gently pushing it in the general direction?

Hypothetically yes, in reality no.

To escape the Earth's gravity and reach the moon the ISS would need to be accelerated to in excess of 25,000 mph (an increase of 8,000 mph above it's current orbital velocity). Such a gentle push could be achieved by ion drive propulsion. Ion drive produces a small thrust continuously over weeks or months. Ion drive was used to send the ESA probe Smart 1 to the moon.

However a vehicle as massive as the ISS would require ion engines far bigger than any planned. Even though ion drive uses far less fuel than a conventional rocket to achieve high velocities than a conventional rocket, to send the ISS to the moon would still require vast amounts of fuel.

Worse still ion drive requires electrical power. There are two ways of providing this power, solar power or nuclear. This would require fitting either huge solar panels to the ISS or fitting it with an extremely powerful nuclear reactor (imagine how popular that would be in the event of a launch failure).

Let me put it this way, could you modify a transit van so that it could win the Monaco Grand Prix? In theory yes, but why bother when it would be cheaper and easier to build a Formula 1 car from scratch? It's the same principle with the ISS. It would be cheaper and easier to build a lunar orbital station from scratch. Beside which the ISS is already ageing, parts of it have been in orbit since 1998.

Station Crew Flows Into Science


Image above: A video camera on the International Space Station captured this view of Tropical
Storm Fay on Tuesday, a few hours after the storm made landfall over southwest Florida.
Photo Credit: NASA TV

Science experiments took center stage Tuesday aboard the International Space Station, as the Expedition 17 crew collected data and prepared new hardware.

Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff began his workday by charging the battery in a U.S. spacesuit.

Next, Chamitoff continued configuring the Fluid Physics Experiment Facility for the first science experiment in the Japanese Kibo module on Thursday. It will study the Marangoni effect–the flow of liquids caused by surface tension.

Chamitoff later took a break from his tasks for an amateur radio session with Boy Scouts in Goleta, Calif.

Commander Sergei Volkov and Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko collected data from the Vsplesk experiment they mounted outside the Zvezda service module during a July 15 spacewalk. This experiment monitors seismic effects using high-energy particle streams in the near-Earth environment.

Volkov and Kononenko also set up a laptop computer in the Destiny lab to serve as a remote command post for the Zvezda’s central post computer.

Kononenko continued stowing trash and other unneeded items in the “Jules Verne” Automated Transfer Vehicle, which is set to undock from the station in September and burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Source: NASA - Space Station

thanks for the reply Waspie, great reply has always.

Station Crew Members Do Science, Pack ATV


Image above: Tropical Storm Fay as seen from the International Space Station Tuesday afternoon.
Photo Credit: NASA

+ View high-resolution image

The Expedition 17 crew prepared new hardware and did science experiments aboard the International Space Station Wednesday.

Commander Sergei Volkov connected cables and components to a laptop computer that was set up Tuesday in the U.S. laboratory Destiny. The laptop will serve as a backup for Zvezda’s central post computer.

Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko took photographs while working with the Russian Plants-2 experiment that researches the growth and development of plants in microgravity.

Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff moved the Ku-band forward link transmitter equipment to a more favorable location in the U.S. segment of the station.

Chamitoff also continued stowing trash and other unneeded items in the Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle. It is scheduled to undock from the station Sept. 5 and burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Crew Members Work With Computers, Prep for Kibo Arm Test


Image above: Greg Chamitoff works at the Japanese Remote Manipulator System (JEM-RMS)
work station in the Kibo laboratory of the International Space Station.
Photo Credit: NASA

+ View high-resolution image

The Expedition 17 crew members completed another busy day aboard the International Space Station, setting up computers and hardware, working with science experiments and doing station maintenance.

Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff conducted a routine inspection of the resistive exercise device, or RED. It uses tensioned straps to provide isometric exercise as part of crew exercise routines to counteract effects of long-term weightlessness in space.

Chamitoff also charged the battery in a U.S. spacesuit and performed software upgrades on some of the station’s computer work stations.

Throughout the day, crew members continued their work with various science experiments. They also reviewed procedures and set up hardware to prepare for Friday’s scheduled tests on the Kibo module’s robotic arm.

The crew members took a break from their activities to downlink a birthday greeting for veteran cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, who celebrates his 50th birthday on Aug. 27.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Station Crew Checks Out Robotic Arm


Image above: The Japanese robotic arm (at left) extends outward from Japan’s Kibo laboratory.
Photo Credit: NASA

Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff Friday checked out the robotic arm on Japan’s Kibo laboratory. A brake alarm about halfway through today's process resulted in postponement of the latter part of today's arm activities, which will be completed later. The Japanese Experiment Module Remote Manipulator System is undergoing a comprehensive five-part checkout and Friday’s work was part of that process.

Cosmonauts Sergei Volkov, Expedition 17 commander, and flight engineer Oleg Kononenko congratulated cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev. His 50th birthday is Aug. 27. He served on two previous station crews as a flight engineer for Expedition 1 and the commander for Expedition 11.

Crew members inspected fire extinguishers and portable breathing apparatus and recharged spacesuit batteries. They also installed a docking mechanism in preparation for the upcoming undocking of the Progress 29 cargo craft from the station’s Zarya module.

Other activities include ongoing science experiments and exercise on the treadmill and Resistive Exercise Device.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Crew Begins Week Speaking With Students


Image above: Expedition 17 Commander Sergei Volkov (foreground) and Flight Engineer
Greg Chamitoff (background) work in the International Space Station’s Destiny laboratory.
Photo Credit: NASA TV

The International Space Station's Expedition 17 crew began a new week by speaking with students on the ground, as well as continuing maintenance and science work.

Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff spoke with students at Buchanan High School in Clovis, Calif. He also installed and performed a leak check on the Water Recovery System O2 port.

Commander Sergei Volkov and Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko tested the manual TORU docking system. The TORU system would be used in the unlikely event a problem occurs with the automated Kurs system during the docking of a Progress spacecraft. In addition, the two cosmonauts transferred items to and from the Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle.

Kononenko harvested and planted as part of the Russian PLANTS-2 cultivation experiment. The experiment researches the growth and development of higher plants under spaceflight conditions.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Crew Focuses on Rack, Cargo Transfers


Image above: NASA astronaut Greg Chamitoff, Expedition 17 flight engineer, looks over a
checklist in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station.
Photo Credit: NASA TV

Systems aboard the International Space Station continued performing well Tuesday as the Expedition 17 crew focused on transferring equipment and supplies.

Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff moved two EXPRESS racks from the Destiny Lab to the Japanese Kibo module. Housed in a refrigerator-size container that acts as an exterior shell, each EXPRESS rack enables quick, simple integration of up to 10 payloads.

Commander Sergei Volkov and Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko unloaded additional cargo from the Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle. The crew also stowed station trash in the cargo vehicle, which is set to undock from the station in September and burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Later Volkov replenished the orbital outpost’s oxygen from supplies aboard the ISS Progress 29 supply ship docked to the Earth-facing port of the station's Zarya module.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Station Performs Maneuver; Science and Cargo Transfer Continues


Image above: A view of Cape Farewell, Greenland, photographed by an Expedition 17 crew
member on the International Space Station.
Photo Credit: NASA TV

Two of the four of the Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) engines fired for five minutes and two seconds Wednesday to avoid any possibility of the International Space Station coming too close to a spent Russian rocket. The successful maneuver began about 12:10 p.m. EDT.

Meanwhile, the Expedition 17 crew members aboard the station worked with science experiments and continued the transfer of cargo.

Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko conducted a status check on the PLANTS-2 experiment that researches the growth and development of plants in microgravity. He'd harvested and replanted in that experiment on Monday.

Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff performed maintenance on the station’s stationary bicycle. The cycle is one of several exercise devices crew members use to help counteract the effects of long-term exposure to weightlessness in space.

The crew members also continued to unload cargo from the ATV and stowed station trash in it. The ATV is set to undock from the station in September and burn in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Inspections, Exercise and ATV Preps for Station Crew


Image above: Commander Sergei Volkov works on the station’s treadmill in the Zvezda service
module.
Photo Credit: NASA

Expedition 17 Commander Sergei Volkov inspected windows in the International Space Station’s Russian segment for flaws. Volkov photographed the windows to compare their condition with photos from previous missions and document any new defects such as scratches and discoloration. The photographs will be downlinked to the ground for review.

Volkov and station flight engineers Oleg Kononenko and Greg Chamitoff continue their exercise routines with sessions on the station’s treadmill and Resistive Exercise Device. The exercises, using several devices, are aimed at countering effects of lengthy spaceflight.

Chamitoff talked with the Australian Broadcasting Corp. for its Catalyst science program. Australian participants, who included students from Sydney Girls High School, were at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney. Its Seeds in Space project was among topics discussed.

Europe’s Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) is being loaded with trash and discarded items before leaving the station Sept. 5. The ATV is undergoing final preparations before it undocks from the Zvezda service module and re-enters Earth’s atmosphere to burn up over the Pacific Ocean.

The Progress 29 unpiloted cargo carrier is scheduled to undock from the station with its load of discards Sept. 1. A new unpiloted cargo carrier, the Progress 30, is scheduled to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Sept. 10.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Crew Wraps Up Busy Week, Progress to Undock


Image above: Greg Chamitoff works with the Microgravity Science Glovebox in the Columbus
laboratory on the International Space Station.
Photo Credit: NASA

The Expedition 17 crew members made last minute equipment transfers in the ISS Progress 29 cargo craft before they closed its hatches for the final time Friday.

The Progress, filled with trash and unneeded items, is scheduled to undock from the Earth-facing port of the Zarya module Monday, Sept. 1. The craft will be deorbited a week later to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere. A new unpiloted cargo craft, the Progress 30, is scheduled to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Sept. 10.

Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff collected coolant samples from the Japanese Experiment Module and took water samples in the Columbus module. He also recorded medical data collected during a test using the Portable Clinical Blood Analyzer (PCBA).

Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko unloaded cargo and stowed station trash in the Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV). Earlier this week, crew members tested the station’s manual TORU docking system to prepare for the ATV’s undocking Sept. 5. It would be used in the unlikely event of a failure of the automated Kurs docking system.

Crew members continued their work with various science experiments. They also performed their daily exercise sessions to counteract the effects of long-term exposure to the microgravity environment of space.

Aside from their regular off-duty time, crew members will stay occupied over the holiday weekend with ongoing science experiments and regular station maintenance activities.

Source: NASA - Space Station

i read in the paper that there is a virus on-board the station? a computer virus. it was taken up there by one of the astronauts via a laptop, but non of the critical components were infected. do you know anything about it waspie?

Only the same as you've posted Steve.

HERE is a link to the BBC News story on the incident.

August 30, 2008. Baikonur launch site, branch office of S.P.Korolev RSC Energia.

The Technical Management meeting took place, which made a decision to fuel Progress M-65 cargo vehicle with propellant components and compressed gases.



Source: S.P. Korolev RSC Energia

Crew Focuses on Station Departures and Arrivals


Image above: Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff conducts a function checkout for the Japanese
Experiment Module's Remote Manipulator System in the Kibo laboratory on the International
Space Station.
Photo Credit: NASA

The Expedition 17 crew aboard the International Space Station began a new work week Tuesday, following a Labor Day holiday weekend capped off by the departure of the ISS Progress 29 cargo vehicle.

Commander Sergei Volkov and Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko tagged up with specialists on the ground to review procedures for the undocking of the Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle from the aft port of the Zvezda service module, set for Friday. The Jules Verne delivered more than 7,500 pounds of equipment, supplies, water, fuel and gases when it arrived at the orbiting complex on April 3.

Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff and Volkov conducted periodic medical proficiency training Tuesday, focusing on airway management. These monthly training sessions maintain crew familiarity with medical hardware to be used in critical situations.

The ISS Progress 29 cargo craft, filled with trash and unneeded items, undocked from the Earth-facing port of the Zarya module at 3:47 p.m. EDT Monday and was placed in a parking orbit prior to its planned deorbit Sept. 8.

Progress 29’s departure clears the port for the Oct. 14 arrival of the Soyuz TMA-13 spacecraft carrying the Expedition 18 crew, Commander Mike Fincke and Flight Engineer Yury Lonchakov, and Spaceflight Participant Richard Garriott.

The next unpiloted cargo craft, Progress 30, is scheduled to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan Sept. 10. It is scheduled to dock at the aft port of Zvezda on Sept. 12.

Source: NASA - Space Station

September 2, 2008. Baikonur launch site, branch office of S.P.Korolev RSC Energia

Progress M-65 cargo vehicle 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

Crew Continues Preparing ATV for Undocking


Image above:Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff works in the Kibo laboratory on the International
Space Station.
Photo Credit: NASA TV

The Expedition 17 crew of the International Space Station continued to prepare the Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) for its undocking Friday.

The crew readied and tested the ATV’s proximity communications equipment Wednesday in preparation for its undocking from the aft port of the Zvezda service module. The Jules Verne delivered more than 7,500 pounds of equipment, supplies, water, fuel and gases when it arrived at the orbiting complex on April 3.

Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff worked with plumbing for the new Water Recovery System (WRS) that will recycle wastewater into drinkable water. Equipment for the new WRS is scheduled to fly to the station aboard space shuttle Endeavour on STS-126 in November.

Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko took photographs while working with the PLANTS-2 experiment that researches the growth and development of plants in microgravity.

Kononenko also conducted a computer virus scan on the station’s crew support computers.

Additionally, the crew members took routine body mass measurements as they conducted their daily physical exercise routines to counteract the effects of long-term exposure to weightlessness in space.

Source: NASA - Space Station

September 3, 2008. Baikonur launch site, branch office of S.P.Korolev RSC Energia

Progress M-65 transport cargo vehicle was docked with the transfer compartment in the Spacecraft Assembly and Testing Facility.



Source: S.P. Korolev RSC Energia

Jules Verne to Undock Friday


Image above: Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff and Commander Sergei Volkov relocate an
experiment rack in the Kibo laboratory.
Photo Credit: NASA TV

The Expedition 17 crew members made last minute equipment transfers and final preparations in the Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) before they closed its hatches for the final time Thursday.

The ATV, filled with trash and unneeded items, is scheduled to undock from the aft port of the Zvezda service module on Friday about 5:30 p.m. EDT. Once undocked, it will remain in a parking orbit until it is deorbited to burn up in the Earth's atmosphere later this month.

The ATV arrived at the station on April 3, bringing with it more than 7,500 pounds of equipment, supplies, water, fuel, and gases as well as an increased propulsion capacity.

Crew members continued to conduct virus scans and routine maintenance activities on some of the station’s computers. They also performed their daily exercise sessions to counteract the effects of long-term exposure to the microgravity of space.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Jules Verne Leaves Station, Progress Launches Wednesday


Image above: Hurricane Ike was a category 4 storm when this picture was taken from the
International Space Station on Sept. 4.
Photo Credit: NASA

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The Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) undocked from the International Space Station Friday at 5:29 p.m. EDT. The ATV had been docked to the aft port of the Zvezda service module for five months. During that time the Expedition 17 crew members unloaded cargo and stowed trash and discarded items inside the ATV.

Jules Verne was the first European Space Agency (ESA) cargo craft to visit the orbiting laboratory. The ATV will orbit the Earth for three more weeks after undocking then re-enter Earth’s atmosphere to burn up over the Pacific Ocean. ESA will conduct an imagery experiment with Jules Verne during its re-entry.

The Russian Progress 30 unpiloted cargo craft will launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Wednesday and dock to the station two days later. The Progress 29 (P29) undocked from the Zarya module’s Earth-facing port on Sept. 1. P29 will deorbit on Monday, Sept. 8.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Crew Does Robotics Work, Awaits Progress 30


Image above: Italy’s Aeolian Islands are featured in this photo by an Expedition 17 crew
member on the International Space Station.
Photo Credit: NASA

+ View more Hurricane Ike images

Along with their continued science and maintenance work aboard the International Space Station, the Expedition 17 crew members did a routine fire drill, inspected hatch seals and stowed the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) control panel Monday. They also practiced using the station’s robot arm to maneuver and grapple the External Stowage Platform-3 in preparation for its relocation on a future increment.

The Jules Verne ATV undocked from the aft port of the Zvezda service module Friday, setting the stage for the upcoming launch of the Progress 30 cargo craft. Progress 30, which is slated to launch Wednesday at 3:50 p.m. EDT from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, will carry more than 2.6 tons of food, fuel and supplies to the Expedition 17 crew. The cargo ship is scheduled to dock with the station Friday.

Jules Verne was the first European Space Agency (ESA) cargo craft to visit the orbiting laboratory. The ATV will deorbit on Sept. 29 to burn up over the Pacific Ocean. ESA will conduct an imagery experiment with Jules Verne during its re-entry.

The ISS Progress 29 cargo ship, which undocked from the station a week ago, conducted a deorbit burn Monday at 4:47 p.m.

Source: NASA - Space Station

September 4, 2008. Baikonur launch site, branch office of S.P.Korolev RSC Energia

Designers inspection of the Progress M-65 cargo vehicle was completed.



Payload shroud roll on to the cargo vehicle was performed.



Source: S.P. Korolev RSC Energia

September 5, 2008. Baikonur launch site, branch office of S.P.Korolev RSC Energia

Orbital module of the Soyuz-U launch vehicle, containing Progress M-65 spacecraft was transported from the spacecraft processing facility for the general integration with LV.



Source: S.P. Korolev RSC Energia

September 6, 2008. Baikonur launch site, branch office of S.P.Korolev RSC Energia

Orbital module of the Soyuz-U launch vehicle, containing Progress M-65 spacecraft was integrated with the Soyuz-U launch vehicle in the processing facility.



Source: S.P. Korolev RSC Energia

September 6, 2008. Baikonur launch site, branch office of S.P.Korolev RSC Energia

Technical management meeting and Government Commission meeting were convened. A decision is made to roll out Soyuz-U launch vehicle with Progress M-65 transport vehicle to the launch pad.



Source: S.P. Korolev RSC Energia

Station Cargo Vehicle Set for Launch Wednesday


Image above: The ISS Progress 30 cargo craft rolls out to the launch pad at the Baikonur
Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday.
Photo Credit: Roscosmos

The next cargo craft bound for the International Space Station will begin its journey Wednesday.

The ISS Progress 30 cargo vehicle, carrying more than 2.6 tons of food, fuel and supplies for the Expedition 17 crew, is set to launch Wednesday at 3:50 p.m. EDT from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The vehicle was rolled out to the launch pad Monday for final pre-launch preparations.

To prepare for the arrival and docking of the Progress on Friday, Commander Sergei Volkov and Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko practiced contingency manual rendezvous techniques in the Zvezda service module.

Flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff worked with a Japanese educational experiment, filming the flow of ink through a water sphere suspended in microgravity with an HDTV camera.

The Progress 29 cargo craft, which undocked from the station Sept. 1, conducted a deorbit burn Monday at 4:47 p.m. and burned in the Earth's atmosphere.

The ISS Progress 29 cargo ship, which undocked from the station a week ago, conducted a deorbit burn Monday at 4:47 p.m.

Source: NASA - Space Station

September 8, 2008. Baikonur launch site, branch office of S.P.Korolev RSC Energia

Soyuz-U launch vehicle was rolled out from the integration building to the launch pad. Soyuz-U launch vehicle with Progress M-65 transport vehicle is installed on the launch pad. L-2 days activities have been started.




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Source: S.P. Korolev RSC Energia

Station Cargo Vehicle Set for Launch Today


Image above: The ISS Progress 30 cargo craft rolls out to the launch pad at the Baikonur
Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday.
Photo Credit: Roscosmos

The next cargo craft bound for the International Space Station will begin its journey today.

The ISS Progress 30 cargo vehicle, carrying more than 2.6 tons of food, fuel and supplies for the Expedition 17 crew, is set to launch today at 3:50 p.m. EDT from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The vehicle was rolled out to the launch pad Monday for final pre-launch preparations.

To prepare for the arrival and docking of the Progress on Friday, Commander Sergei Volkov and Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko practiced contingency manual rendezvous techniques in the Zvezda service module Tuesday.

The Progress 29 cargo craft, which undocked from the station Sept. 1, conducted a deorbit burn Monday at 4:47 p.m. and burned in the Earth's atmosphere.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Progress Launches to Space Station


Image above: The ISS Progress 30 cargo craft poised atop its Soyuz rocket on the launch pad
at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Photo Credit: Roscosmos

A new Progress cargo carrier launched to the International Space Station at 3:50 p.m. EDT Wednesday with almost 2.7 tons of fuel, air, water, propellant and other supplies and equipment aboard.

The Expedition 17 crew members set up video cameras and reviewed rendezvous procedures for Friday's docking of the ISS Progress 30 (P30) cargo ship.

The station's 30th Progress unpiloted spacecraft brings to the orbiting laboratory more than 1,900 pounds of propellant, more than 110 pounds of oxygen, almost 465 pounds of water and 2,865 pounds of dry cargo. Total cargo weight is 5,357 pounds.

P30 replaces the trash-filled ISS Progress 29 which was undocked from the Earth-facing port of the Zarya module on Sept. 1 and deorbited for destruction in the Earth's atmosphere on Monday.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Progress Launches to Space Station
A new Progress cargo carrier launched to the International Space Station at 3:50 p.m. EDT Wednesday with almost 2.7 tons of fuel, air, water, propellant and other supplies and equipment aboard.


Image above: The ISS Progress 30 cargo craft
poised atop its Soyuz rocket on the launch pad at
the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
Credit: Roscosmos

The station's 30th Progress unpiloted spacecraft brings to the orbiting laboratory more than 1,900 pounds of propellant, more than 110 pounds of oxygen, almost 465 pounds of water and 2,865 pounds of dry cargo. Total cargo weight is 5,357 pounds.

P30 replaces the trash-filled P29 which was undocked from the Earth-facing port of the Zarya module on Sept. 1 and deorbited for destruction in the Earth's atmosphere on Sept. 8.

P30 will use the automated Kurs system to dock to the aft port of the station's Zvezda service module. Expedition 17 Commander Sergei Volkov will be at the manual TORU docking system controls, should his intervention become necessary.

Once the cargo is unloaded, P30 will be filled with trash and station discards. It will be undocked from the station and like its predecessors deorbited to burn in the Earth's atmosphere.

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

September 10, Baikonur launch site, branch office of S.P.Korolev RSC Energia

At 23:30 Moscow Time a space logistics spacecraft Progress M-65 was launched from the Baikonur launch site.
The objective of the launch is to deliver cargoes to the International Space Station (ISS) that are needed to support the operation of the space station in manned mode and provide living and working conditions for the crew.
In accordance with the mission plan and Russian obligations under the ISS project, the logistics spacecraft is to deliver supplies of oxygen, water and food, consumables, Orlan-MK spacesuit for extravehicular activities, scientific equipment and hardware.
The spacecraft was put into a parking low-Earth orbit with the following parameters: 51.64° inclination, 194.0 km minimal altitude, 243.2 km maximum altitude, 88.57 minutes orbital period.
The onboard systems of the spacecraft operate normally.
At the launch site, the spacecraft prelaunch processing and launch were performed under the direction of the State Commission (chaired by the head of Roscosmos A.N. Perminov). The Commission was basing its decisions to proceed with each next step in processing and launching on the opinions of the Technical Management headed by the President of RSC Energia, Designer General V.A. Lopota.
According to the telemetry data and reports from the crew of ISS Expedition 17, the space station systems operate in normal mode. The station is ready for docking with the spacecraft.
The spacecraft docking with the space station is scheduled for September 13, 2008, at 01:01 Moscow Time.

For reference:

1. Currently working onboard ISS is a crew consisting of: Sergei Volkov (cosmonaut tester of Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, crew commander), Oleg Kononenko (cosmonaut tester of S.P. Korolev RSC Energia, flight engineer-1) and Gregory Chamitoff (NASA astronaut, flight engineer-2).
2. S.P. Korolev RSC Energia is the prime manned space flight organization in the Russian rocket and space industry, responsible for the development of the ISS Russian Segment, its integration into the Space Station and its operation, including development and operation of principal Russian modules (Zvezda, Pirs, etc.), manufacturing, launch and operation of Soyuz TMA and Progress M spacecraft.
3. Progress M-65 is the 30th Russian logistics spacecraft launched to provide logistics support to ISS.
4. Currently conducted at S.P. Korolev RSC Energia are scheduled factory tests on the first Progress-type cargo transportation spacecraft belonging to a new modification

Source: S.P. Korolev RSC Energia

Hurricane Ike Delays Progress Docking

Hurricane Ike has delayed the scheduled Friday arrival of a Russian Progress cargo ship to the International Space Station, orbiting 220 miles above Earth.

The Progress docking was postponed when space station mission control at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston closed Thursday due to the approaching storm.

Control of the space station was handed to flight controllers at backup facilities near Austin, Texas, and Huntsville, Ala. Since Mission Control Center in Houston is solely responsible for some commanding of station systems, U.S. and Russian officials agreed to delay the docking.

Russian flight controllers will execute a maneuver to place the spacecraft into a safe orbit away from the station until docking, which is planned for Wednesday, Sept. 17. If Johnson is not restored to full capability for docking, one of the backup facilities may be used to command station systems.

Station Commander Sergei Volkov and Flight Engineers Oleg Kononenko and Greg Chamitoff are awaiting the arrival of the cargo ship, which is carrying more than 2 tons of supplies including a new shipment of food and fuel.

Source: NASA - Space Station

Progress Docks to ISS

A Russian Progress cargo ship arrived at the International Space Station Wednesday, after being delayed by Hurricane Ike. The ISS Progress 30 docked on time at 2:43 p.m. EDT Wednesday, to the aft docking port of the International Space Station's Zvezda Service Module. Docking occurred one week after Progress launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

The cargo ship brings more than 2 tons of supplies, including a new shipment of food and fuel, to Station Commander Sergei Volkov and Flight Engineers Oleg Kononenko and Greg Chamitoff.

The next major ISS activity will be ESA's deorbiting of the "Jules Verne" Automated Transfer Vehicle on Sept. 29 followed by a Service Module engine reboost of the station on Oct. 2 to set the stage for the launch of the Expedition 18/Spaceflight Participant crew on Oct. 12.

The Progress docking, originally set for Friday, Sept. 12, was postponed when space station mission control at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston closed due to the approaching storm. The center is set to reopen on Monday, Sept. 22.

International Space Station flight control is scheduled to resume from Mission Control in Houston during the morning of Friday, Sept. 19. Station flight control was transferred to a backup facility near Austin, Texas, and later, to another facility at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. The International Space Station continues to be controlled by NASA flight controllers at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alal.

Source: NASA - Space Station

September 17, S.P.Korolev RSC Energia - MCC-M,
Korolev, Moscow region

Russian logistics spacecraft Progress M-65, launched from the Baikonur launch site, after seven days in free flight, docked with the International Space Station (ISS).
The spacecraft docking, originally scheduled for September 13, was postponed at the US request because operations in the primary ISS Mission Control Center in Houston were suspended due to hurricane Ike.
Approach to the space station, its fly-around and docking were performed in automatic mode. The initial contact with the docking port on the instrumentation and propulsion compartment of the Zvezda Service Module of the ISS Russian Segment (RS) occurred at 22:43 Moscow Time.
The spacecraft delivered to the station about 2.5 tons of cargo. It consists of oxygen, water, propellant and food supplies, scientific equipment and hardware for the systems on the ISS Russian segment. Intended for the US orbital segment are 374 kg of cargo, which include food, clothes, equipment for scientific research and activities in open space.
ISS flies in low Earth orbit with minimum altitude of 349.5 km, and maximum altitude of 374.2 km. Its orbital period is 91.5 min.
The mission control and the monitoring of the spacecraft systems status during rendezvous and docking were provided by the Lead Operations Control Team (LOCT), consisting of specialists from S.P.Korolev RSC Energia, Mission Control Center near Moscow, and other organizations in the industry (the Technical Manager is RSC Energia President and General Designer V.A.Lopota, the Flight Director is the First Deputy General Designer of RSC Energia V.A.Soloviev).
Present at MCC-M during the final operations of the spacecraft rendezvous and docking with ISS were: representatives of the State Commission (the Chairman is the head of Roscosmos A,N.Perminov), of Roscosmos, of subcontractor companies and organizations in the industry, managers and specialists of the Corporation.
The spacecraft flight around the station and docking with it were observed by representatives from NASA (USA).
Mission operations at this stage were controlled by LOCT in cooperation with specialists of the US backup Mission Control Center in Huntsville, Alabama, USA The crew of ISS-17 consisting of: Sergei Volkov (cosmonaut tester of Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, crew commander), Oleg Kononenko (cosmonaut tester of S.P.Korolev RSC Energia, flight engineer-1) and Gregory Chamitoff (NASA astronaut, flight engineer-2) continue their work under the mission plan.

For reference:

1. Performing the docking of Progress M-65 after 7 days in free flight had not been provided for in the engineering and flight documentation, which the Russian side had to promptly update in view of the off-nominal situation caused by hurricane Ike. Accomplishment of the updated mission plan and the spacecraft docking has demonstrated high operational and functional performance of the spacecraft and high level of skills of the LOCT and MCC-M specialists.
   
2. At present the ISS Russian Segment consists of: Functional and cargo module Zarya, Service Module Zvezda, docking compartment/module Pirs, manned spacecraft Soyuz TMA-12, cargo transportation spacecraft Progress M-65.
3. The docking port on the instrumentation and propulsion compartment of the Zvezda module to which the cargo spacecraft Progress M-65 was docked, had been vacated on September 6, 2008, by the European cargo spacecraft ATV Jules Vern, which had been staying within ISS RS since April 3, 2008. At present it is in free flight, to be subsequently deorbited and brought down into the Pacific Ocean in late September, 2008.
4. The Russian Progress M-64 cargo spacecraft, which had been working within ISS RS from May 17 to September 1, 2008 docked with the Zarya module, on September 9, 2008 was deorbited and brought down into the ocean after performing Plasma-Progress experiment in free flight.

Source: S.P. Korolev RSC Energia