[sarex] ISS STAT ION STATUS REPORT #04-44

[Arthur Z Rowe <n1orc@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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

*International Space Station Status Report #04-44*
*3 p.m. CDT Friday, Aug. 6, 2004*
*Expedition 9 Crew*

Aboard the International Space Station this week, Expedition 9 Commander 
Gennady Padalka and NASA ISS Science Officer Mike Fincke resumed 
scientific investigations, routine maintenance, and preparations for the 
arrival of a new cargo ship – all following a spacewalk on Tuesday.

During the 4 ½ hour Extravehicular Activity (EVA) – or spacewalk – 
Padalka and Fincke replaced experiments on the outside of the Zvezda 
Service Module and installed navigation aids for next year’s arrival of 
a European cargo craft. Their fourth and final planned spacewalk is 
targeted for early September.

Wednesday, the crew cleaned and stowed their spacesuits and spacewalking 
tools, recharged batteries, and filled water tanks for the suits' 
cooling units. They also conducted debriefing sessions with Russian 
spacewalk specialists. Also Wednesday, ground controllers in Houston 
repressurized the Station with nitrogen from the High Pressure Gas Tanks 
on the Quest Airlock after the spacewalk.

Earlier today, the crew started assembling the cover that will protect 
the new flex hose on the window of the Destiny Laboratory to ensure it 
will not be inadvertently damaged by crew activity in the research module.

The crew wrapped up its week with Fincke conducting more experiments 
with the advanced ultrasound equipment as well as updating software for 
the Station Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) that collects 
information on the effect of crew activity on delicate microgravity 
experiments housed on board the complex. At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in 
Kazakhstan, final preparations are under way for next Wednesday’s launch 
of the Russian ISS Progress 15 cargo ship that will transport almost 
three tons of food, fuel, water and supplies for Padalka and Fincke as 
well as clothing and supplies for the Expedition 10 crew, Commander 
Leroy Chiao and Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov, 
who are scheduled to launch to the Station Oct. 9 to replace Padalka and 
Fincke.

The Progress 15 craft is scheduled to lift off at 12:03 a.m. CDT (503 
GMT) Wednesday for a three-day trip to the Station. Docking is scheduled 
at 12:02 a.m. CDT (502 GMT) Aug. 14. NASA Television will provide live 
coverage and commentary of the docking beginning at 11 p.m. CDT Aug. 13.

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/

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 on Wednesday, Aug. 11, after 
the launch of the Progress resupply craft, or earlier, if events warrant.

###
----
Via the sarex mailing list at AMSAT.ORG courtesy of AMSAT-NA.
To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe sarex" to Majordomo@amsat.org