[sarex] EXP 9 STATUS 13 SEPT. 2004

[Arthur Z Rowe <n1orc@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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

 ISS Crew Begins Preparations for Return to Earth

As they approach their final month aboard the International Space 
Station, Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA ISS Science 
Officer Mike Fincke began preparations for the return to Earth. They 
conducted the first of three two-way radio checks Monday with a VHF 
system in the ISS Soyuz 8 spacecraft and U.S. ground sites. Padalka and 
Fincke are slated to return to Earth aboard the Soyuz on Oct. 18 after 
handing over command of the ISS to the Expedition 10 crew, which will 
arrive at the orbital outpost on Oct. 11.

Elektron maintenance resumed Monday. The Elektron will remain offline 
overnight. It first shut down last Wednesday. After repair efforts, the 
Elektron was restarted Friday, but shut down after an hour of service. 
There has been no impact to ISS operations and there is plenty of oxygen 
on the Station.

Padalka and Fincke also participated in a Russian biomedical assessment 
in which their body mass and calf measurements were recorded. This 
assessment is performed twice a month and is studying the changes of the 
human body in microgravity. Both crewmembers also participated in 
standard medical officer training.

Over the weekend, Fincke captured still images of Hurricane Ivan. Visit 
the Gallery to check out these images. Also, the latest forecast 
information on Ivan is available at the National Hurricane Center's Web 
site.

International Space Station Status Report No. 51.


The Expedition 10 crew

Expedition 10 Crew to Arrive at Space Station in October
The next crew to live on the International Space Station is scheduled to 
arrive at the orbital outpost Oct. 11 aboard the ISS Soyuz 9 spacecraft. 
The Expedition 10 crew -- Commander Leroy Chiao and Flight Engineer 
Salizhan Sharipov -- will launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan 
on Oct. 9 to begin its six-month mission in space. Traveling to the 
Station with Chiao and Sharipov will be Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Shargin.

After eight days of joint operations and handover activities, the 
Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and NASA ISS Science Officer Mike 
Fincke will return to Earth with Shargin aboard the ISS Soyuz 8 spacecraft.

Chiao and Sharipov will spend the next six months is space continuing 
ISS science operations maintaining system. They will also prepare the 
Station for the Space Shuttle's Return to Flight and conduct two 
spacewalks. Two unpiloted Progress cargo ships are slated to arrive at 
the Station during their tour of duty, which will end in April 2005 when 
they are replaced by the Expedition 11 crew.

Expedition 10 will be the first multi-person crew of all Asian 
extraction. The two crewmembers are veterans of Space Shuttle flights. 
Chaio flew on three Shuttle flights, including STS-92 - the mission that 
delivered the Z1 Truss in 2000. Sharipov has one flight, STS-89, under 
his belt. This will be Shargin first trip into space.

Visit the Expedition 10 crew page.
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