Expedition 30 thread (November 22, 2011 - April 27, 2012)

[rdale]

I think because this is an Exp30 thread, it made more sense to post in the ISS generic thread due to the timeline. But I like your recap too

[ChrisC]

Thanks   I don't usually do this but I was listening anyway, and it seemed short notice, so I decided to contribute.  I love listening to Suffredini, he's the best!

[John44]

NASA Media Teleconference on Space Station Status - Feb. 2
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7298

[robertross]

AAARGH I can not keep up with where you guys decide to post things :/

Thanks though, I got to read it through. Some interesting tidbits!

[rdale]

After some bitching about sequence, the AP's Seth Borenstein finally gets his questions in, and they're about politics and drama from the Russian press.

Ahh - I wondered what the unprofessional tweet from a NASA PAO about unprofessional reporters was referring to...

[bobthemonkey]

Or none of them realising they were on a hot mic for about 10mins before it started. Moaning about having to cover politics and something about having dirty dreams with Rob Navais.

[rdale]

Oh they knew. Just didn't care.

[AnalogMan]

Upcoming ground supported robotic activities currently pencilled in for February:

10 Feb 2200Z - 11 Feb 0700Z    SPDM SEAMLESS TRANS CK OUT
17 Feb 1400Z - 2300Z              MT TRANSLATION/WALKOFF TO LAB
20 Feb 1400Z - 2230Z              SPDM OPS & MT TRANSLATE
22 Feb 2015Z - 23 Feb 0445Z   SPDM OPS & SSRMS WALKOFF
23 Feb 2015Z - 24 Feb 0445Z   SPDM OPS & SSRMS WALKOFF
25 Feb 1400Z - 2000Z              MT TRANSLATE

Also real-time ground support for this activity:

21 Feb 1715Z - 22 Feb 0145Z   FGP SA PHOTOS

I'm thinking FGP may be a typo, and is meant to be FGB (Zarya) Solar Array Photos.  No indication of a connection with robotics work.

[jacqmans]

We regularly check that ISS systems are working properly. Here I am measuring the airflow speed of the Cupola ventilator.
 Credit: ESA/NASA

[Space Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 05/02/2012.

Conjunction Alert:
Flight Controllers are tracking a conjunction with Object 27098 (PSLV debris) with two TCAs (Times of Closest Approach) on Tuesday, 02/07, at 3:50 PM & 5:22 PM GMT. Controllers are currently logging this conjunction as a low-concern level because the debris object does not exhibit extremely high drag characteristics (although it is draggier than ISS, which is typical) and the predicted space weather is expected to be quiet for the next three days. These features should lead to fairly stable miss distances overall. If a DAM (Debris Avoidance Maneuver) should become necessary, it would have an estimated TIG (Time of Ignition) of 1:32 PM GMT on Tuesday. [PSLV = Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, an Indian four-stage launcher. This object is a piece from the fragmentation of the fourth stage of the 2001 launch of this launcher type. The breakup occurred approximately two months after its successful launch and payload deployment.]

[jacqmans]

MEDIA ADVISORY: M12-043

ASTRONAUT DON PETTIT SHARES PASSION FOR SCIENCE FROM SPACE

HOUSTON -- NASA and the American Physical Society (APS) have begun a
partnership to share videos from the International Space Station with
students, educators and science fans around the world. NASA astronaut
Don Pettit, currently on the orbiting outpost as a member of the
Expedition 30 crew, will use everyday objects from Earth to
demonstrate physics through "Science off the Sphere" presentations.

Space fans know Pettit from his previous science demonstrations
performed in space, such as the "Zero G Coffee Cup" from the space
shuttle's STS-126 mission in 2008. This time he has added a physics
challenge for viewers. Some episodes of "Science off the Sphere" will
end with a question. APS will review the responses and identify a
winner. Pettit will announce the winner from aboard the station.

APS, the professional society for physicists, plans to ignite interest
in science, technology, engineering and mathematics by sharing the
"Science off the Sphere" videos on its outreach website, Physics
Central. The website also will feature the physics challenges and
educational content on topics Pettit demonstrates.

Pettit spent more than five and half months on board the station
during Expedition 6 in 2002 and 2003. He returned to space during
STS-126. Most recently, Pettit launched to the orbiting laboratory
Dec. 23 with Russian Flight Engineer Oleg Kononenko and European
Space Agency Flight Engineer Andre Kuipers. The crew joined
Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank of NASA and Russian Flight
Engineers Anton Shkaplerov and Anatoly Ivanishin, who have been on
the station since Nov. 16.

Pettit, Kononenko and Kuipers will remain on the station until May as
members of the Expedition 31 crew. The crew members will support
dozens of experiments during their time aboard the station.

To view Pettit's science experiments performed during Expedition 6,
visit:

http://go.nasa.gov/spacechronicles

To view Pettit's "Zero G Coffee Cup" video from STS-126, visit:

http://go.nasa.gov/pettitcoffee

For more information about the International Space Station and its
crew, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

To view APS' Physics Central website, visit:

http://www.physicscentral.com/sots

[Space Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 06/02/2012.

Conjunction Update:
Flight Controllers continue to track a conjunction with Object 27098 (PSLV debris) with two TCAs (Times of Closest Approach) on Tuesday, 02/07, at 3:50 PM & 5:22 PM GMT. The debris has moved into the Green zone and is currently no longer of concern.

[jacqmans]

Working behind the panels of the ISS. Laying down new fibre optic cables.

Credit: ESA/NASA

[jacqmans]

You can see the snow at night in These photos of the Netherlands. 6-2-2012 23:04. (The arrow points to the city -Houten- where I -(Jacques)- live)
 
Credit: ESA/NASA

[Space Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 07/02/2012.

RS Propellant Transfer:
After yesterday's transfer of fuel (UDMH/unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine) transfer from the Progress M-14M/46P cargo ship to the SM BG1 tank (3:22 PM-12:43 AM GMT) with compressor K3 and today's transfer of oxidizer (N2O4 or NTO, nitrogen tetroxide) to SM tank BO2 (2:25 PM-11:47 PM GMT) with compressor K2, another fuel transfer will take place tomorrow (1:28 PM-10:50 PM GMT) to BG1, followed later by oxidizer transfer to BO2, with BITS2-12 onboard realtime telemetry system and VD-SU mode off. [When VD-SU mode is deactivated and BITS is powered down, affected equipment must be turned off to avoid operation in the absence of real-time telemetry. The most notable impacts are:
1. Elektron oxygen generation system (shutdown by crew or ground).
2. SKV air conditioning system (shutdown by crew or ground).
3. Vozdukh carbon dioxide removal unit (no telemetry if in automatic
    mode, no impact if in manual mode).
4. BMP micropurification unit (automatically shutdown).
5. SRV-K condensate water processor (can be shut down by crew or
    ground, usually not required).
6. BRI data conversion unit (smart router) is power cycled when VD-SU
    mode is cycled. After VD-SU activation, the crew may execute a test
    to assess the impact of VD-SU mode cycling on the BRI.
7. No dP/dt (pressure change) detection in RS due to the lack of
    telemetry.
8. Fire & smoke alarms (audio only) will annunciate onboard in the SM
    through the C&W panel (PSS) speaker.
9. Total pressure alarms (audio only) will annunciate onboard in the SM
    through the C&W panel (PSS) speaker.]

[Space Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 08/02/2012.

RS Propellant Transfer:
TsUP-Moscow continued transferring propellants from the Progress M-14M/46P cargo ship's SD tankage today, pumping fuel (UDMH/unsymmetrical dimethyl hydrazine) to the SM BG2 tank (1:28 PM-10:50 PM GMT) with compressor K3. This will be followed tomorrow by transfer of oxidizer (N2O4 or NTO, nitrogen tetroxide) to SM tank BO2 with compressor K2, with BITS2-12 onboard real time telemetry system and VD-SU mode off.

[jacqmans]

SOUTH CAROLINA STUDENTS TO SPEAK LIVE WITH SPACE STATION ASTRONAUTS WEDNESDAY

WASHINGTON -- Students at Crayton Middle School in Columbia, S.C.,
will speak with NASA's Expedition 30 Commander Dan Burbank and Flight
Engineer Don Pettit aboard the International Space Station at 9:55
a.m. EST on Wednesday, Feb. 15. Reporters are invited to attend.

The event will be broadcast live on NASA Television. During the
question-and-answer session, students will ask Burbank and Pettit
about living and working on the space station. To attend, media
representatives must contact Edith Caudle at [email protected]
or 803-231-7510. Crayton Middle School is located at 5000 Clemson
Ave. in Columbia.

Burbank and Russian cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Anatoly Ivanishin
arrived at the station Nov. 15. Pettit, European Space Agency
astronaut Andre Kuipers and cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko joined them Dec.
23.

This in-flight education downlink is one in a series with educational
organizations in the U.S. and abroad to improve STEM teaching and
learning. It is an integral component of NASA's Teaching From Space
education program, which promotes learning opportunities and builds
partnerships with the education community using the unique
environment of space and NASA's human spaceflight program.

The exact time of the downlink could change. 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

For information about the International Space Station, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/station



To follow Twitter updates from Burbank and Pettit, visit:


http://twitter.com/AstroCoastie

and


http://twitter.com/Astro_Pettit

[Space Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 09/02/2012.

For the Russian EVA-30 from the DC-1 (Docking Compartment-1) airlock, Anton Shkaplerov & Anatoly Ivanishin prepared the Progress M-14M/46P cargo ship, docked at DC-1, for unscheduled (contingency) undocking by ground commanding if required, by removing the two handles (ruchek) from the Progress hatch door and installing the StM docking mechanism in the port.

RS Propellant Transfer:
TsUP-Moscow finishes up today pumping propellants from the Progress M-14M/46P cargo ship's SD tankage, pumping oxidizer (N2O4 or NTO, nitrogen tetroxide) to SM tank BO2 with compressor K2 (12:31 PM-9:54 PM GMT), with BITS2-12 onboard real time telemetry system and VD-SU mode off. This concludes prop transfer operations, during which a total of 540 kg propellants were transferred to the ISS.

[Chris Bergin]

Will be a live event thread.

MEDIA ADVISORY: M12-024

NASA TV TO BROADCAST SPACE STATION SPACEWALK FEB. 16

HOUSTON -- Two cosmonauts will conduct a five-and-a-half-hour
spacewalk Thursday, Feb. 16, to continue outfitting the International
Space Station. NASA Television will broadcast the spacewalk beginning
at 7:45 a.m. CST.

Expedition 30 Russian Flight Engineers Oleg Kononenko and Anton
Shkaplerov will move one of the two Strela cranes from Pirs, the
oldest Russian airlock and docking module, to the newer Poisk docking
module. The 46-foot boom will be used for future assembly and
maintenance work. The duo also will install five debris shields on
the Zvezda service module and, if time permits, a small experiment on
the forward section of the module, an experiment sample pack on Poisk
and support struts on the Pirs ladder.

Both spacewalkers will wear Russian Orlan suits bearing blue stripes
and equipped with NASA helmet cameras. They will emerge from the Pirs
airlock at about 8:15 a.m.

This spacewalk will be the 162nd in support of space station assembly
and maintenance. The last spacewalk occurred Aug. 3, 2011. For
Kononenko, it will be his third spacewalk following two in July 2008
during Expedition 17. His two previous spacewalks lasted a total of
12 hours and 12 minutes. It will be Shkaplerov's first spacewalk and
the only one scheduled during Expedition 30.

Because of the location of the activities, Expedition 30 Commander Dan
Burbank of NASA and Russian Flight Engineer Anatoly Ivanishin will be
isolated in their Soyuz TMA-22 spacecraft, which is attached to the
Poisk module, for the duration of the spacewalk. NASA Flight Engineer
Don Pettit of NASA and European Space Agency Flight Engineer Andre
Kuipers will be free to move about the U.S. segment of the complex.
Their Soyuz TMA-03M is attached to the Rassvet module.

For NASA TV streaming video, schedule and downlink information, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about the International Space Station and its
crew, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

[rdale]

Weekly Planning Conference (it's long) starts at 3:50 in to http://www.kevin-cohen.com/nsf/iss/iss_20120211-070000-005.wav