Updates ISS UPDATES

[Orbinaut Pete]

NASA And Partners Name Upcoming Space Station Crew Members.

NASA and its International Space Station partners named crew members for missions aboard the complex that begin in 2013.

The crews include NASA astronauts Tom Marshburn of Statesville, N.C., who previously was announced as part of Expedition 34; Chris Cassidy, who was born in Salem, Mass., and considers York, Maine his hometown; Karen Nyberg, a native of Vining, Minn.; Michael Hopkins, who was born in Lebanon, Mo., and grew up in Richland, Mo.; and Rick Mastracchio of Waterbury, Conn.

The 35th crew to live and work aboard the station, Expedition 35, will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 32 in March 2013. Soyuz 34 is scheduled to launch later that month with the three crew members identified below who will join the three station residents already onboard.

-- Canadian Space Agency astronaut Chris Hadfield, station commander (Soyuz 33)
-- NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn, flight engineer (Soyuz 33)
-- Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko, flight engineer (Soyuz 33)
-- NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, flight engineer (Soyuz 34)
-- Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov, flight engineer (Soyuz 34)
-- Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, flight engineer (Soyuz 34)

Expedition 36 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 33 in May 2013. Soyuz 35 is scheduled to launch that month with the three crew members identified below who will join the three station residents already onboard.

-- Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov, station commander (Soyuz 34)
-- Russian cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin, flight engineer (Soyuz 34)
-- NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, flight engineer (Soyuz 34)
-- NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg, flight engineer (Soyuz 35)
-- Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev, flight engineer (Soyuz 35)
-- European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, flight engineer (Soyuz 35)

Expedition 37 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 34 in September 2013. Soyuz 36 is scheduled to launch that month with NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins who will join the three station residents already onboard.

-- Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev, station commander (Soyuz 35)
-- NASA astronaut Karen Nyberg, flight engineer (Soyuz 35)
-- European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano, flight engineer (Soyuz 35)
-- NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins, flight engineer (Soyuz 36)

Expedition 38 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 35 in November 2013. Soyuz 37 is scheduled to launch that month with the crew members identified below who will join the three station residents already onboard.

-- NASA astronaut Michael Hopkins, flight engineer (Soyuz 36)
-- NASA astronaut Richard Mastracchio, flight engineer (Soyuz 37)
-- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Koichi Wakata, flight engineer (Soyuz 37)

Expedition 39 will begin with the undocking of Soyuz 36 in March 2014. At that time, Wakata will serve as station commander, and Mastracchio will be a flight engineer. The remainder of the Expedition 39 crew has yet to be assigned.

Additional Expeditions 37 and 38 crew members will be selected from the Russian cosmonaut corps and will be assigned at a later date.

For complete NASA astronaut biographical information, visit:
www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios

For more information about future space station crews, visit:
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/crews_future_exp.html

For more information about the International Space Station, visit:
www.nasa.gov/station

For a schedule of upcoming flights to the station, visit:
www.nasa.gov/stationflights

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Check out this fantastic, 17 minute HD Expedition 24 highlights video released today via NASA TV! Very, very cool! :thumbup:

Expedition 24: Life in Space.​

 

[orb]

Check out this fantastic, 17 minute HD Expedition 24 highlights video released today via NASA TV! Very, very cool! :thumbup:

Well, I can't check it out: "This video contains content from Sony Music Entertainment, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds.".

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 18/02/2011.

FE-1 Alexander Kaleri continued the re-integration of the Progress M-09M/41P (#409) cargo ship from its EVA-28-required contingency undock configuration by completing the disassembly of the StM docking mechanism (Stykovochnovo Mekhanizma) between DC-1 (Docking Compartment-1) and the cargo ship and installing the two ruchek (handles) on the external hatch door of 41P which he had taken off Progress 39P yesterday.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Roscosmos PAO: "Progress M-07M to Depart from the ISS on Sunday".

Progress M-07M cargo vehicle will undock from the ISS. At 16:09 MSK Sunday the vehicle will be commanded for departure, and undock from the Zvezda’s part in 3 min. The cargo supplies was docked to this port on Sep. 12.
On the same day Progress M-07M will be drowned in the remote area of the Pacific. The retroburn command for deorbiting will the issued at 19:12.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 19/02/2011.

CDR Scott Kelly, FE-5 Paolo Nespoli & FE-6 Cady Coleman reviewed uplinked "Big Picture" material on the upcoming robotics activities during the STS-133/ULF-5 docked period, followed at ~4:00 PM GMT by the first of several planned ULF-5 crew conferences. [At STS-133 arrival, the SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator System) will be based on Node 2, the SPDM (Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator) on the Lab with CTC (Cargo Transport Container) being held by Arm 1, and FHRC (Flex Hose Rotary Coupler) located on the SPDM's EOTP (Enhanced ORU Temporary Platform), and the MT (Mobile Transporter) is at WS-3 (Worksite-3). Node 1 Nadir ACBM (Active CBM) survey and CBM (Common Berthing Mechanism) checkout will be complete. After a final SRMS (Shuttle Remote Manipulator System) checkout after STS-133 launch, ELC-4 (ExPrESS Logistics Carrier-4) will be unberthed & transferred on docking day (FD-3/Flight Day-3). EVA-1 will take place on FD-5. ON FD-6, the PMM (Permanent Multipurpose Module) will be unberthed and installed, followed by EVA-2 on FD-7. The Fly-About of Soyuz TMA-01M/24S for special external documentary/historical photography is planned for 05/03, i.e., FD-10 (in the +1 day scenario) based on a 24/02 launch.]

Progress 39P Undocking:
Progress M-07M/39P undocking is scheduled tomorrow at 1:12 PM GMT. Russian thrusters will be disabled from 1:08 AM to 1:14 AM GMT. After separation, from 1:17 AM to 1:22 AM GMT, US CMGs (Control Moment Gyroscopes) will maneuver the ISS to its post-undock TEA (Torque Equilibrium Attitude). 39P deorbit burn to destructive re-entry is scheduled tomorrow at ~4:12 PM GMT.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Some nice images of RS EVA-28 hardware installed outside the ISS from Dimitri Kondratyev's Blog.

These three images are of the Molniya-GAMMA experiment.

The two are of the Radiometria experiment.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Roscosmos PAO: "Progress M-07M Departed from the ISS".

Progress M-07M cargo vehicle undocked from the ISS today.
At 16:09 MSK, the vehicle was commanded for departure, and undocked from the Zvezda’s part in 3 min. The cargo supplier was docked to this port on Sep. 12.
Progress M-07M will be drowned in the remote area of the Pacific. The retroburn command for deorbiting will be issued at 19:12.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 20/02/2011.

Progress M-07M/39P undocked successfully from the SM (Service Module) Aft port on time at 1:12 PM GMT after hook opening command at 1:09 AM. At 4:12 PM GMT, the deorbit burn braked the trash-loaded cargo ship into its destructive re-entry trajectory over the Pacific Ocean.

For the undocking, FE-5 Paolo Nespoli powered down the amateur/ham radio equipment in the SM to prevent RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) with the cargo ship, and FE-6 Cady Coleman closed the shutters of the US Lab, Cupola and JPM (JEM Pressurized Module) to protect them against thruster effluents. [Cady later turned the ham radio back on.]

After 39P departure, FE-1 Alexander Kaleri manually closed the PEV (Pressure Equalization Valve, Russian: KVD) at the SM Aft port hatch.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 21/02/2011.

FE-1 Alexander Kaleri & FE-2 Oleg Skripochka spent 2 hours in "their" Soyuz TMA-01M/24S Descent Module (#701) to conduct a refresher Soyuz descent drill, preparatory to the Flyabout maneuver planned for 05/03 to acquire external documentary/historical photography of the entire ISS stack. CDR Scott Kelly will join them on that excursion. The exercise was accompanied by a conference with ground specialists at TsUP/Moscow. [The session included a review of the pertinent ODFs (Operational Data Files), specifically the books on Soyuz Ascent & Descent Procedures, Emergency Descents, and Off-Nominal Situations, crew responsibilities when executing the flight program, visual crew recognition of SUS (Entry Control System) failures, spacesuit procedures, etc., with special emphasis on operations with the Neptune-ME cockpit console. The training used a Descent Simulator application (Trenasher Spusk ="descent trainer") on the RSK-1 laptop.]

 

[Wishbone]

Isn't it Scott's birthday?

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Isn't it Scott's birthday?

Yup - you can send him a greeting here!

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 22/02/2011.

CDR Scott Kelly, FE-5 Paolo Nespoli & FE-6 Cady Coleman, with the help of FE-4 Simitri Kondratyev, worked several hours on swapping MELFI-2 (Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS-2) and MELFI-3, by first demating the racks, then moving MELFI-2 from the US Lab (location Starboard 1) to JPM (JEM Pressurized Module, location Aft 1), with temporary hold in COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory), and MELFI-3 from JPM (A1) to the Lab (S1), finally reconnecting the racks a their new positions. Activities were monitored via video camera configured by Cady in the Lab. [This swap results in both functioning MELFI-1 & MELFI-3 being located in the Lab, on separate power loops for fault tolerance.]

FE-1 Alexander Kaleri & Dmitri had ~2.5 hours set aside for an in-depth review of uplinked procedures for the upcoming major IFM (Inflight Maintenance) of removing the BOA Atmosphere Purification Unit, main component of the Vozdukh carbon dioxide (CO2) removal system in the SM (Service Module), and replacing it with a new spare. [R&R activities are scheduled to begin on 28/02 with hardware & worksite setup plus Vozdukh leak check. The actual replacement steps will take place on 01/03, 02/03 and 03/03, requiring repeated shutdown of Vozdukh and of the Elektron oxygen (O2) generator.]

Cady conducted a wiring test of the Ku-band power supply. [Engineers have discovered errors in the engineering schematics for the Ku-band power supply which may result in feeding 120VDC power to the 28 VDC output connector. With today's test, Cady was to measures resistance between input and output connectors to determine if the Ku-band power supply is built correctly.]

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 23/02/2011.

FE-6 Cady Coleman cleared space in Node 1 for PMM (Permanent Multipurpose Module) berthing on FD-6 (Flight day-6) of the STS-133/ULF-5 mission next week, removing remaining stowage items from the Deck 2 hatch location that will not be required for the PMM.

Additional Node 1 preparations by CDR Scott Kelly later consisted of setting the Nadir hatch mechanism to Unlatch, then installing and checking out the CBCS (Centerline Berthing Camera System) at the Nadir port for PMM berthing.

In the US Lab, Scott performed major IFM (Inflight Maintenance) on the CCAA (Common Cabin Air Assembly) air conditioner/dehumidifier in the Starboard 6 rack by replacing its failed water separator with a spare unit. [Activity steps included termination of the THC (Temperature & Humidity Control) LTL (Low Temperature Loop) flow through the CCAA, retrieval of the spare water separator from JLP (JEM Logistics Platform) stowage, moving goods, including SSC (Station Support Computer) laptops, out of the way to temporary stowage, S6 rack rotation down to gain access and replacement of the failed Water Separator. The rack was then rotated up again and stowage and equipment were restored to nominal conditions. FE-5 Paolo Nespoli later re-activated the LTL water flow to the CCAA.]

Paolo had another 2 hours for prepacking equipment for return on ULF-5, going by an uplinked list. [This was the final prepack activity prior to the ULF-5 launch. During this time, the Italian flight engineer performed 3 different tasks: Gathering items for return, reconfiguring Return Bag 408, and removing some items from the prepack pile.]

 

[N_Molson]

Nice pic of the inside of the cupola :

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 24/02/2011.

In preparation for the arrival of STS-133/Discovery on the ULF-5 mission next Saturday (26/02), CDR Scott Kelly & Cady:

• Removed the OA2 panel in the A/L (Airlock) as a get-ahead for the Shuttle-fed O2 (oxygen) setup for EVA campout/prebreathe on FD-6 (Flight Day-6).
• Configured THC (Temperature & Humidity Control) IMV (Intermodule Ventilation) diffusers in the Lab to optimize air mixing in the Lab for CO2 (carbon dioxide) removal, with the additional station occupants on board,
• Installed the Node 2 air duct for increased Shuttle ventilation.
• Temporarily relocated the SSC-5 (Station Support Computer-5) laptop to the Cupola to provide additional robotics viewing during ULF-5.
• Relocated the CUP (Cupola) PCS (Portable Computer System) laptop to Node 3 to support ULF-5.
• Readied two BPSMUs (Battery Powered Speaker Microphone Units, #5244, #5245) for use by the Shuttle crew during the docked phase with the Orbiter [using two A31p laptops in the Lab, one BMPSU was placed at the Lab RWS (Robotic Workstation), the other near the Node 1 Nadir hatch for PMM operations. The long dual drag-through cables will be plugged in at a drag-through QD (Quick Disconnect) assembly at PMA-2 (Pressurised Mating Adapter-2), with one half assigned to the station, the other to the Shuttle.]

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 25/02/2011.

STS-133/Discovery (ULF-5) lifted off yesterday from Pad A at 9:53:23 PM GMT, with only 2 seconds remaining in the launch window. The launch was delayed due to issues that arose late in the count with the Range Safety System. Prelaunch activities through the day proceeded with minimal problems and all vehicle systems worked as designed. Rendezvous with the ISS is on 26/02, with docking at 7:16 PM GMT. At launch time, ISS was well ahead (over the South Pacific at ~43.0 degrees South, ~152.9 degrees West), but Discovery is catching up. We are off to another great mission! This is the last flight for OV-103/Discovery. Two planned Shuttle missions remain (STS-134 & STS-135). [The Orbiter is carrying the six-member crew of CDR Steve Lindsey, PLT Eric Boe, MS-1 Alvin Drew, MS-2 Steve Bowen, MS-3 Michael Barratt, MS-4 Nicole Stott - all of them Shuttle veterans. STS-133 is the 133rd space shuttle flight in history, the 39th for Discovery, and the 35th Shuttle flight to the ISS. Primary payloads for Discovery are the PMM (Permanent Multipurpose Module), converted from the former Italian-built MPLM (Multi Purpose Logistics Module) Leonardo, the first human-like robot in space, Robonaut-2 (or R2), critical station hardware and the ELC-4 (ExPrESS Logistics Carrier-4). The mission includes two spacewalks, each about 6 hours in length, to be conducted on FD-5 & FD-7 by Bowen (red stripes) & Drew (no stripes). Mission duration is 12 days with the possibility of a one-day extension if a Soyuz TMA-01M/24S Flyabout for documentary station photography is inserted on 05/03.]

Scott supported the ground in STS-133 preparations by pressurizing & leak-checking PMA-2 (Pressurized Mating Adapter-2) for ingress, hatch opening and stowage after the Shuttle’s arrival. [PMA-2, at the ISS bow, will be the docking port for Discovery tomorrow. The VAJ (Vacuum Access Jumper) ISA (Internal Sampling Adapter) remains connected to MPEV (Manual Pressure Equalization Valve) for PMA-2 leak check after the docking.]

Soyuz 24S Flyabout:
Roskosmos is still at work determining the feasibility of the postulated Flyabout of Soyuz TMA-01M/24S on 05/03 for one-of-a-kind historical & documentary photography of the ISS from unique aspects and with all international transport ships attached.

 

[Turbinator]

Nice pic of the inside of the cupola :

See that ISS simulation on the far left laptop? Why can't they release that to the public?

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

See that ISS simulation on the far left laptop? Why can't they release that to the public?

Probably ITAR and all that.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 27/02/2011.

In COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory), CDR Scott Kelly disconnected cabling & umbilicals between EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System) and the ER-3 (ExPrESS Rack-3, at location Aft 1) and rotated the rack down for access for the subsequent WOOV-8 (Water On/Off Valve-8) activities.

After adjusting VCA-1 (Video Camera Assembly-1) toward ER-3 in COL to cover his activities, FE-5 Paolo Nespoli went to work on the major IFM (In Flight Maintenance) of removing the failed WOOV-8 with its insulation covers and installing instead a WOOV Manifold in its place on the COL PAM (Photoacoustic Analyzer Module) panel. [WOOV Expander OSE (Orbital Support Equipment) and the WOOV Manifold were delivered on STS-133/ULF-5. The WOOV-8 valve will be returned on Discovery. The IFM included cleaning the worksite with vacuum cleaner and wet wipes, collecting samples of a gel-like deposit from the WOOV-8 valve, taking pictures of the rotated-down ER-3, repairing TCS (Thermal Control System) pipe thermal insulation shells as required. Afterwards, ER-3 was tilted up to its nominal position and umbilicals and cabling were re-connected.]

FE-6 Cady Coleman also worked with Nicole Stott on the controls of the SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator System), walking it off to PDGF-1 (Power & Data Grapple Fixture-1) on the MBS (Mobile Base System) and maneuvering it to the translate configuration. [MT (Mobile Transporter) will translate to WS-3 (Worksite-3) tomorrow.]