LIVE: Soyuz TMA-19 Launch and Docking, June 15-17, 2010

[Ronsmytheiii]

Have eto love the Soyuz clothing, crew setting up for press conference

[Space Pete]

Gerst & Mike Coats are there!

[Space Pete]

Astronaut Cady Coleman just spoke to the crew.

[Alpha Control]

I'm enjoying the crew conference & welcome. Lots of humorous remarks from Gerst, Coats, & the Russian program director, and some touching remarks from family members, particularly Fyodor's.

[Space Pete]

The welcome ceremony has now ended. And that's that - the ISS is back up to a 6 person crew - the first ever long-duration crew to include 2 women!

I think Mike Coats might have gone to Russia just to get away from JSC for a while!

[Alpha Control]

I got quite a chuckle, during a slight lull after most everyone had taken turns to speak.  MCC-M says "We've heard from mostly the men. How about the women?"

Crewmember (probably Fyodor) says "Shannon's already talked, Tracy, I think we've all talked."

MCC-M says "Well put a women on, if you can find a third one up there!" 
 

[John44]

 Expedition 24 - Docking to the ISS
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6058

Expedition 24 - Post-Docking News Conference
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6059

Expedition 24 - Hatch Opening and Welcoming Ceremony
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6060

[Space Pete]

Here's the NASA TV docking & hatch opening video.

[Space Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 18/06/2010:

Soyuz TMA-19/23S docked successfully to the SM Aft port yesterday evening at 10:21 PM GMT, 4 minutes ahead of schedule. After about 2 hours 30 minutes spent in the Soyuz on pre-transfer activities, the hatches were opened at 12:52 AM Fri. 18/06 and the crew transferred to the ISS. This was followed by the installation of the BZV QD clamps of the docking & internal transfer mechanism (SSVP) by CDR Skvortsov to rigidize the joint.
[The Soyuz TV system was activated at ~9:45 PM GMT and final approach on automatic KURS pilot began at ~10:12 PM GMT. Shortly after "kasaniya" (contact), automatic "sborka" (closing of Soyuz & SM Aft port hooks & latches) took place at 10:31 PM GMT with ISS in free drift. Attitude control authority had been handed over to the Russian MCS (Motion Control System) thrusters at ~6:50 PM GMT and returned to US CMG control at ~11:20 PM GMT. For the docking, Russian thrusters were disabled (11:20 PM to 12:20 AM GMT) during Soyuz volume pressurization & clamp installation and afterwards returned to active attitude control. Before hatch opening, the crew performed leak checks of the Soyuz modules and the Soyuz/SM interface vestibule. The Soyuz TMA-19 crew then doffed their Sokol suits, and Yurchikhin set suits and gloves up for drying. Yurchikhin also deactivated the BOA/Atmosphere Purification Unit in the SA/Descent Module, replaced the Soyuz ECLSS LiOH cartridges, equalized Soyuz/ISS pressures, and put the spacecraft into conservation mode on ISS integrated power. Note: Prior to the rendezvous the Soyuz crew reported several discrepancies that occurred with the Neptune display panel, including erroneously illuminated command selection frames on KSP formats, slight differences in times between MCS (Motion Control System) display and InPU (Integrated Control Panel) displays, display characters being partially cut off at the top of the display, and erratic display performance plus subsequent automatic reset following sensor calibration. Specialists will be reviewing these discrepancies.]

Following the safety briefing, FE-4 Wheelock & FE-6 Walker prepared their CQs (Crew Quarters), Doug in the Node 2 Starboard 5 location and Shannon in the JPM Deck 3 location.
CQ locations for the other four crewmembers are:
. CDR Alexander = SM Port.
. FE-2 Tracy = Node 2 Port 5.
. FE-3 Mikhail = Node 2 Overhead 5.
. FE-5 Fyodor = SM Starboard.
Since Wheelock’s & Walker’s CQ have no ATU (Audio Terminal Unit), Doug & Shannon need to be alerted by a crewmate in case of a CW (Caution/Warning) event when asleep.

Before "calling it a day", Wheelock & Walker put on their Actiwatches to join Caldwell-Dyson in the post-wakeup experiment SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight), their first. [To monitor his/her sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, the crewmember wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him/her as well as their patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition, using the payload software for data logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment’s laptop session file on the HRF-1 (Human Research Facility-1) laptop. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days.]

[steveS]

What did they say?

Some mildly colorful language from one of the Russian cosmonauts.

Yes, I thought I heard that, but I wasn't sure!

[Space Pete]

What did they say?

Some mildly colorful language from one of the Russian cosmonauts.

Yes, I thought I heard that, but I wasn't sure!

I don't think I can post it here!

[Space Pete]

Here's some photos of the hatch opening & welcome ceremony.


Hi-res version: www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-24/hires/iss024e006205.jpg


Hi-res version: www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-24/hires/iss024e006182.jpg


Hi-res version: www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-24/hires/iss024e006194.jpg


Hi-res version: www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-24/hires/iss024e006213.jpg

[Space Pete]

From Doug Wheelock via Twitter - Soyuz TMA-19 approaches the SM Aft port.