[sarex] ISS STATUS REPORT #04-57

[Arthur Z Rowe <n1orc@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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


*International Space Station Status Report #04-57*
*2:30 a.m. CDT Saturday, Oct. 16, 2004*
*Expedition 9 Crew*

A 10th crew has arrived at the International Space Station to begin a 
six-month stay.

Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov smoothly guided his Soyuz craft to a 
linkup with the Station’s Pirs Docking Compartment at 11:16 p.m. CDT 
Friday. Sharipov took over manual control of the Soyuz' flight part way 
through the approach when problems were experienced with an automated 
docking system.The docking proceeded flawlessly under Sharipov's control.

Sharipov, Expedition 10 Commander and NASA Science Officer Leroy Chiao 
and Russian Space Forces Test Cosmonaut Yuri Shargin launched from the 
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan on Thursday. The docking occurred about 
225 statute miles above western Russia.

Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer and NASA 
Science Officer Mike Fincke watched from the Station, photographing the 
Soyuz as it approached. After leak checks, hatches were opened at 2:13 
a.m. CDT, and Padalka and Fincke greeted their first visitors since April.

The ISS Soyuz 8 craft that has been at the Station since April will 
serve as the return vehicle for Padalka, Fincke and Shargin. Shargin 
will spend eight days aboard Station conducting science experiments. 
Today marked the 180th day in space for Padalka and Fincke and their 
178th on the complex. Padalka and Fincke will hand over Station 
operations to Chiao and Sharipov, depart the Station and land in north 
central Kazakhstan with Shargin on Oct. 23.

The new Soyuz will be relocated from Pirs to the Zarya module docking 
port by Chiao and Sharipov in November.

Watching the activities at the Russian Mission Control Center in Korolev 
were NASA Deputy Administrator Fred Gregory, NASA Deputy Associate 
Administrator for Space Station and Space Shuttle Michael Kostelnik, and 
ISS Program Manager William Gerstenmaier.

Over the next week, Chiao and Sharipov will familiarize themselves with 
Station systems and stowed equipment, conduct robotics training with the 
Canadarm2 robot arm, and receive detailed briefings on scientific 
payloads. Sharipov and Padalka will perform maintenance work on the 
oxygen-generating Elektron system, using spare parts carried aboard the 
new Soyuz. Chiao and Fincke are planned to repair the cooling system of 
a second U.S. spacesuit.

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 Friday, Oct. 22, or earlier, 
if events warrant.

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