Author Topic: Expedition 24 thread (June 2 - September 24, 2010) - Includes ETCS Updates  (Read 291194 times)

Offline John44

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« Last Edit: 08/31/2010 05:49 pm by John44 »

Offline Space Pete

NASA TV Video: "Hurricane Earl as Seen from ISS".

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Offline Space Pete

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 31/08/2010:

Progress M-06M/38P successfully undocked from the SM Aft port on time at 11:21 AM GMT after hook opening command at 11:18 AM. 38P will free-fly for about one week on autonomous mission and is scheduled to re-enter destructively on 06/09 (deorbit ~12:06 PM GMT). [Earlier, FE-4 Doug Wheelock closed the protective shutters of the Lab, JPM & Cupola windows, until about 11:46 AM GMT, while FE-6 Shannon Walker turned off the amateur/ham radio equipment, later back on. FE-5 Fyodor Yurchikhin monitored the undocking with the NIKON D3 camera with a f80-200 mm lens through SM window 26, focusing in particular on the Progress docking mechanism (STA) to verify that there were no missing or damaged O-ring seals on the docking interface. FE-3 Mikhail Kornienko used the Progress undocking for a test of the external Klest (KL-154M) TV camera, recording footage on the SONY HVR-Z1 camcorder for playback and downlink tomorrow. Later, Mikhail switched the SM-to-Soyuz PEV (Pressure Equalization Valve, Russian: KVD) manually to its Closed position, a standard post-undocking procedure.]

For protecting CIR (Combustion Integrated Rack) and its PaRIS (Passive Rack Isolation System) from external dynamic disturbances during the Progress undocking, FE-2 Tracy Caldwell-Dyson had installed the lock-down alignment guides (4) on the FCF (Fluids & Combustion Facility) early in the morning.

Structural Vibrations Issue:
Over the weekend, ground controllers observed a small oscillation on the Starboard Truss in the down-linked images of ISS external camera views (S1LOOB/lower outboard video camera on S1 Truss and JPM external aft camera). Ground engineers reviewed available accelerometer data yesterday, but no source of the vibrations has as yet been determined. Assessments are being held today to determine whether these vibrations are acceptable for the MT translation scheduled tomorrow from WS-2 (Worksite-2) to WS-4.
« Last Edit: 08/31/2010 07:53 pm by Space Pete »
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Offline Space Pete

Check out these great photos from Doug Wheelock via Twitter: :)

Quote
The 'Cupola', attached to the nadir side of the Space Station, gives a panoramic view of our beautiful planet. Fyodor took this picture from the window of the Russian Docking Compartment (Airlock). Here I am in the Cupola preparing a camera for our late evening Hurricane Earl flyover…trying to capture the moment…

Quote
Hurricane Earl is gathering some serious strength. It is incredible what a difference a day makes when you're dealing with this force of nature. Please keep a watchful eye on this one...not sure if Earl will go quietly into the night like Danielle. Earl – "Go placidly amid the noise and haste…and remember what peace there may be in silence…"
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Offline Space Pete

Skvortsov: New Russian Module Rassvet is the Noisiest in the ISS.

Mini Research Module-1 (MRM-1), also called Rassvet (Dawn), is the most noisy unit of the International Space Station, Alexander Skvortsov, station commander said, answering the question sent through the ISS Mail Box.
The Box available in Memorial Space Museum for any visitor to send a letter to the ISS, is supported by Roscosmos PAO.
"There is noise in the station, din of the working equipment. You get used to it easily… But each module has its level of noise, and Rassvet is the noisiest one...", - ISS commander stated, RIA Novosti informs.

www.roscosmos.ru/main.php?id=2&nid=10225&lang=en
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Offline robertross

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Check out these great photos from Doug Wheelock via Twitter: :)

Quote
The 'Cupola', attached to the nadir side of the Space Station, gives a panoramic view of our beautiful planet. Fyodor took this picture from the window of the Russian Docking Compartment (Airlock). Here I am in the Cupola preparing a camera for our late evening Hurricane Earl flyover…trying to capture the moment…

Quote
Hurricane Earl is gathering some serious strength. It is incredible what a difference a day makes when you're dealing with this force of nature. Please keep a watchful eye on this one...not sure if Earl will go quietly into the night like Danielle. Earl – "Go placidly amid the noise and haste…and remember what peace there may be in silence…"

Great pics.

Not too keen on Earl, or Fiona (behind it)...another hurricane heading straight for Nova Scotia...and when I'm on my vacation  :(

Offline robertross

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Skvortsov: New Russian Module Rassvet is the Noisiest in the ISS.

Mini Research Module-1 (MRM-1), also called Rassvet (Dawn), is the most noisy unit of the International Space Station, Alexander Skvortsov, station commander said, answering the question sent through the ISS Mail Box.
The Box available in Memorial Space Museum for any visitor to send a letter to the ISS, is supported by Roscosmos PAO.
"There is noise in the station, din of the working equipment. You get used to it easily… But each module has its level of noise, and Rassvet is the noisiest one...", - ISS commander stated, RIA Novosti informs.

www.roscosmos.ru/main.php?id=2&nid=10225&lang=en

Hmmm...interesting. Thanks for that note. They'll have to work around that...or close it up and jetison it  ;)  :)

Offline Space Pete

Hmmm...interesting. Thanks for that note. They'll have to work around that...or close it up and jetison it  ;)  :)

This is what happenes when you try to build modules on the cheap! ;D
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Offline John44

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Offline Space Pete

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 01/09/2010:

More catching up on Science!

At ~9:00 AM GMT, the Russian Elektron O2 generator was reactivated by ground commanding with FE-3 Mikhail Kornienko monitoring the external temperature of its secondary purification unit (BD) for the first 10 minutes of operations to ensure that there was no overheating. [The gas analyzer used on the Elektron during nominal operations for detecting H2 in the O2 line (which could cause overheating) is not included in the control algorithm until 10 minutes after Elektron startup. Elektron had to be turned off while the BITS2-12 onboard telemetry measurement system & VD-SU control mode were temporarily deactivated for the KOB1 3SPN1 panel maintenance.]

MT Translation:
At ~5:20 PM to 7:20 PM GMT, the MT was moved by ground command (S-band) on its rails on the main truss from WS-2 (Worksite-2) to WS-4. Russian thrusters were disabled for this event, and no unisolated crew exercised was allowed during the roll-over.
« Last Edit: 09/01/2010 07:38 pm by Space Pete »
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Offline Space Pete

Photos of the Progress M-06M/38P undocking.

Image 1 hi-res.

Image 2 hi-res.
« Last Edit: 09/01/2010 08:57 pm by Space Pete »
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Offline Space Pete

Russian Crew of the ISS to Get New Meals.

Food rations for the Russian crew of the International Space Station will become more varied next year. IBMP official told Izvesia that the Institute prepares 16-day rations to replace 10-day ones.
The rations are set up on the basis of scientific calculations for calories and micro-elements required for humans during long-term space missions.
The menu includes dehydrated soups, meat and fish dishes, desserts, sweets, etc. Each cosmonaut feels a special polling list, to make it possible for the experts to define individual rations.

www.roscosmos.ru/main.php?id=2&nid=10235&lang=en
« Last Edit: 09/01/2010 09:39 pm by Space Pete »
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Offline John44

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Offline Space Pete

RIA Novosti: "Russian cosmonauts long for hot showers on ISS".

A team of Russian cosmonauts working at the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS) are unhappy about the absence of hot showers onboard, a Russian cosmonaut said on Thursday.

The U.S. segment of the station has a shower cabin that was delivered by the Endeavor shuttle in 2008.

"There are wipes and towels onboard instead of a shower. It is not so easy to do without it for six months. Besides, it turned out that the towels we wipe ourselves with are not only damp, but also cold. Even if they are heated up a bit, they cool down very quickly," said Oleg Kotov, who recently returned from the orbiting platform.

Kotov's colleague, Alexei Lazutkin, said he had not faced a similar problem in the Russian Mir space station. Unlike the Russian ISS section, Mir was equipped with a shower booth, he said.

Source.

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Roscosmos PAO: "Russian Cosmonauts Wish to Have Internet in the ISS".

Russian crew members of the International Space Station would like to have full-capable internet access in their segment, but they can survive without this opportunity, ISS Commander Alexander Skvortsov said answering the question asked through the ISS Mail Box available in Memorial Space Museum with support of Roscosmos PAO.
"I can't say if or when we would have internet access in our segment. This is not an issue of my level, it should go to the officials. We wouldn't be against it, that's true. But we can easily survive without it", Skvortsov said, RIA Novosti informs.

Source.

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Roscosmos PAO: "ISS Crew Doesn’t Feel Uncomfortable Because of Oxygen System Problems".

International Space Station crew does not feel any discomfort linked with periodical failures of Russian and US oxygen regeneration systems Electron and OGS, ISS Commander Alexander Skvortsov said answering the question asked through the ISS Mail Box available in Memorial Space Museum with support of Roscosmos PAO.
"We can breathe easily… We don't feel any discomfort, because two redundant oxygen generation systems are available onboard. If one of them fails, the other one maintains proper functionality", Skvortsov noted, RIA Novosti informs.

Source.

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NASA TV Video: "Station Cameras Obtain Birds-Eye View of Earl and Fiona".

« Last Edit: 09/03/2010 11:57 am by Space Pete »
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Offline brahmanknight

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Shower cabin?  I don't remember ever hearing mention of a shower cabin on the ISS.  When did I miss this?

Offline Space Pete

Shower cabin?  I don't remember ever hearing mention of a shower cabin on the ISS.  When did I miss this?

They are referring to the WHC (Waste & Hygeine Compartment) in Node 3. It's not really a shower - in the words of Garrett Reisman "It's just a glorified sponge bath". ;)
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Offline Space Pete

Some nice photos of Hurricane Earl from Doug Wheelock via Twitter.

Image 1 caption.
Quote
Approaching Hurricane Earl, a little after 5:00 PM EDT (9:00 PM GMT) on Thursday…in the gap between ISS structure you can clearly see the state of Florida, Lake Okeechobee, the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and Cuba (behind the starboard solar arrays). Looks like a gorgeous summer day in south Florida…such a contrast to what lies just off shore…

Image 2 caption.
Quote
Just moments after the previous photo…caught this image of the eye of the storm as we flew over Hurricane Earl just to the east. It looks like magnificent chaos from up here on the Space Station…an incredibly breathtaking sight to see this storm. Many prayers from space going out to those in the path…please stay alert.
« Last Edit: 09/03/2010 04:15 pm by Space Pete »
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Online jacqmans

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MEDIA ADVISORY: M10-126

SPACE STATION CREW TALKS WITH STUDENTS AT FLORIDA SCIENCE CENTER

WASHINGTON -- Approximately 500 middle school students and teachers at
the Pinellas County Science Center in St. Petersburg, Fla., will have
an out-of-this-world phone conversation with NASA astronauts aboard
the International Space Station.

Flight Engineers Doug Wheelock, Tracy Caldwell Dyson, and Shannon
Walker will make the long-distance phone call on Thursday, Sept. 9,
from 11:45 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. EDT.

Students have prepared for the downlink by using data from NASA's
satellite network to complete lessons in robotics and marine science.
NASA astronaut Robert Springer will be on hand at the center to speak
with the students and answer questions. NASA education staffers also
will conduct experiments with the students.

The downlink is one in a series with educational organizations in the
U.S. and abroad to improve teaching and learning in science,
technology, engineering and mathematics. It is an integral component
of Teaching From Space, a NASA Education Office program. It promotes
learning opportunities and builds partnerships with the education
community using the unique environment of human spaceflight.

The center is celebrating its 50th year as a non-profit educational
facility with programs focused on science, technology, engineering
and mathematics. The center houses an observatory, planetarium,
marine touch tank, weather station, wetlands and labs for cyber
security, forensics, chemistry, robotics, energy, petrology and
computers.

NASA Television will air video from the station during the event. For
NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


For information about NASA's education programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/education
Jacques :-)

Offline robertross

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Some nice photos of Hurricane Earl from Doug Wheelock via Twitter.

Image 2 caption.
Quote
Just moments after the previous photo…caught this image of the eye of the storm as we flew over Hurricane Earl just to the east. It looks like magnificent chaos from up here on the Space Station…an incredibly breathtaking sight to see this storm. Many prayers from space going out to those in the path…please stay alert.

Great images.

Yeah, we're bracing for it here, where it is expected to make landfall southwest of us. Oh joy. Might lose a few more trees. My parents are a little too close for comfort.

Offline Space Pete

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 03/09/2010:

After removing all cables of the EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System) in the COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory) to allow tilting of ER-3 (ExPrESS Rack-3) away from the wall, and setting up the VCA-1 (Video Camera Assembly-1) for activity monitoring by the ground, FE-2 Tracy Caldwell-Dyson accessed the WOOV-8 (Water On-Off Valve-8) and worked on it to free the movement of the stuck valve. [Access required the temporary removal of the G1 camcorder & Shure microphone installed in the COL port cone/aft. Afterwards, ER-3 was rotated back, connected to its cabling (umbilicals for GN2 supply, vacuum exhaust) and the EMCS cables were re-connected.]

FE-6 Shannon Walker cleared out food items from the LAB1S1 (Lab Starboard 1) location to make room in preparation for the planned ARS (Atmosphere Revitalization Systems) Rack swap between the Lab and Node 3.
« Last Edit: 09/03/2010 08:36 pm by Space Pete »
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