[sarex] ISS STATUS REPORT #04-40

[Arthur Z Rowe <n1orc@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Submitted by Arthur - N1ORC - Amsat Mass A/C #31468

*International Space Station Status Report #04-40*
*3 p.m. CDT Friday, July 16, 2004*
*Expedition 9 Crew*

Aboard the International Space Station, the Expedition 9 crew 
concentrated on a host of scientific experiments and routine systems 
maintenance work in its 13th week in orbit.

Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA ISS Science Officer Mike Fincke 
conducted numerous biomedical experiments, including a Russian 
experiment named “Profilaktika” designed to measure Padalka’s 
cardiovascular condition while pedaling on a bicycle ergometer in the 
Zvezda Service Module. Fincke operated a fluid dynamics experiment in 
the Destiny Lab to measure how spheres of liquid emitted from syringes 
migrate in microgravity to form a single sphere. He also conducted an 
experiment to test the properties of foam in a weightless environment.

Details on Station science operations, managed by NASA's Marshall Space 
Flight Center, can be found on the Payload Operations Center’s Internet 
site at http://scipoc.msfc.nasa.gov/

The crew spent part of its week stowing trash in the ISS Progress 14 
resupply craft docked to the aft end of Zvezda. The unpiloted Progress 
will be cast off from the ISS by Russian flight controllers on July 30 
and deorbited to burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere. A new Progress cargo 
ship is scheduled for launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan 
on August 11 for a docking to the Station on August 14. It will carry 
food, fuel, water and supplies for Padalka and Fincke and for the 
Expedition 10 crew that is scheduled to launch to the Station in October.

On Thursday, Russian flight controllers were unable to upload new 
software into the Zvezda’s computers in preparation for next year’s 
maiden launch of the unpiloted European Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) 
cargo ship that will operate in tandem with the Russian Progress 
vehicles. Russian specialists are analyzing what may have caused the 
unsuccessful upload and plan to try again next Wednesday. The computers 
are operating normally with the current load of software.

Earlier today, Padalka replaced a pump assembly in Zvezda that 
malfunctioned on Wednesday, causing the temporary loss of one of two 
redundant loops that provides cooling for Russian segment systems. The 
backup cooling system kept all Russian systems operating at the proper 
temperatures until the replacement work occurred. Both cooling loops are 
now working normally.

Fincke discussed life and work aboard the Station on Wednesday with a 
reporter from the Boston Globe newspaper magazine for an upcoming 
feature article and spent a few minutes in a ship-to-ship call 
discussing deep sea and outer space exploration with a NASA research 
team residing in the underwater ship “Aquarius” as part of the NASA 
Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) activities being 
conducted off the coast of Key Largo, FL.

Padalka and Fincke also participated in a pair of simulated emergency 
drills on board to maintain proficiency in handling medical emergencies 
and the unlikely depressurization of the Station cabin.

Next week, Fincke plans to conduct additional troubleshooting work on 
U.S. spacesuits with help from Mission Control. The Extravehicular 
Mobility Units (EMU) have cooling problems, which have tentatively been 
traced to pumps inside the suits. These pumps circulate water through 
the suit to keep spacewalkers cool or warm. Fincke plans to remove a 
pump from the suit designated for use by Padalka for further 
examination. Repair parts for the suits are to be launched next month 
aboard the next Progress supply craft.

The next spacewalk, using Russian Orlan suits, is planned for Aug. 3. 
During the spacewalk, the crew will retrieve science experiments, 
install others, and prepare the outside of the Zvezda module’s docking 
port for next year’s first flight of the ATV. Next week, the crew will 
begin preparations for the spacewalk and will review procedures for the 
excursion.

Information on the crew's activities aboard the Space Station, future 
launch dates, as well as Station sighting opportunities from anywhere on 
the Earth, is available on the Internet at:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/

The next ISS status report will be issued Friday, July 23, or earlier as 
events warrant.

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