[sarex] ISS STATUT REPORT #04-1

[Arthur Z Rowe <n1orc@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Submitted by Arthur - N1ORC

International Space Station Status Report #04-1
4 p.m. CST, Friday, Jan. 2, 2004
Expedition 8 Crew

The International Space Station's Expedition 8 crew got back to work 
today after a day off to welcome the new year. Mike Foale, commander and 
NASA ISS science officer, and Alexander Kaleri, the flight engineer, 
worked with station systems and science. Foale also delivered a "status 
of the Station" message, looking ahead to future ISS activities and more 
distant space exploration.

Foale worked with the Cellular Biotechnology Operations Support System 
(CBOSS), a bioreactor apparatus capable of growing cell cultures in 
three dimensions, an advantage over the two-dimension cultures typically 
grown on Earth. Meanwhile, Kaleri uploaded software into station computers.

This afternoon Kaleri, helped by experts at Mission Control Moscow, made 
adjustments to the Elektron oxygen generator in the Zvezda Service 
module, which has been operating intermittently. He also successfully 
activated two Solid-fuel Oxygen Generator (SFOG) canisters to enrich the 
station's atmosphere. On Wednesday two other SFOGs were activated, 
primarily as a test to set expiration dates for the more than 140 SFOG 
candles on board. Each SFOG can provide oxygen for one crewmember for 
one day.

Additional oxygen is available on the Progress unpiloted cargo vehicle 
docked to Zvezda. Some of it was introduced into the Station atmosphere 
on Thursday, and more is being added Saturday. More oxygen is stored in 
two high-pressure tanks attached to the Joint Airlock Quest.

On Monday, Kaleri spent three hours removing no-longer-needed attitude 
control equipment from the Zarya module. Much of it will be discarded in 
the Progress, for destruction on re-entry in late January. He also began 
the 48-hour regeneration of the two beds of the Russian harmful 
impurities removal system, which helps purify the Station's atmosphere. 
Foale continued his review of CBOSS experiments.

Both crewmembers took time on Tuesday for a news interview with the 
Internet site space.com. Foale also worked with the soldering in space 
experiment and repacked the station's medical kit with fresh medications 
from the Progress. The following day both crewmembers did the required 
hour-long emergency medical training, and both performed daily exercise 
and station maintenance activities.

Thursday, New Year's Day, was a day off. Their only activity was 
exercise, necessary station maintenance and science activities. Both 
crewmembers talked with family members on Earth via private video 
conferences.

People in many U.S. cities will have an opportunity to see the 
International Space Station as it flies overhead during the next several 
days. For detailed information on sighting opportunities for hundreds of 
cities, as well as viewing tips, visit:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/

Details on Station science operations can be found on an Internet site 
administered by the Payload Operations Center at NASA's Marshall Space 
Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., at:

http://scipoc.msfc.nasa.gov/

The next ISS status report will be issued Jan. 9, or sooner if events 
warrant.


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