[sarex] ISS STATUS REPORT #04-59

[Arthur Z Rowe <n1orc@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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

*International Space Station Status Report #04-59*
*3 p.m. CDT, Friday, Oct. 29, 2004*
*Expedition 10 Crew*

The latest crew to live and work aboard the International Space Station 
took a brief break early this week following handover from its their 
departing colleagues, then began in earnest to acclimate themselves to 
their new home and orbiting laboratory.

Expedition 10 Commander Leroy Chiao and Flight Engineer Salizhan 
Sharipov activated one experiment, the Earth Knowledge Acquired by 
Middle Schools (EarthKAM), participated in several ongoing medical 
studies related to lengthy stays in microgravity and performed routine 
maintenance tasks. Their six-month mission will include two spacewalks 
and preparations for the resumption of Space Shuttle flights, and end 
with a scheduled return to Earth on April 25, 2005.

Early in the week, the pair received word from Mission Control that the 
Elektron oxygen generation system’s telemetry readings were normal and 
that the device had been approved for around-the-clock operation. 
Elektron had been used only when the crew was awake until Sharipov and 
departing Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka were able to install 
several replacement parts during joint crew operations.

The return to normal operations came after engineers in Russia used the 
new hardware to verify that the Elekton was successfully separating 
oxygen and hydrogen atoms from recycled water after the repairs, and 
Mission Management Team members reviewed and validated the 
recommendation on Monday. A software adjustment was uplinked by Russian 
flight controllers on Tuesday to implement the decision.

Later in the week, Chiao and Sharipov received on-board training in 
emergency departure procedures and equipment, as well as window 
inspection techniques. These training sessions were in addition to an 
hour a day reserved for general familiarization with Space Station 
systems and procedures; something afforded each new crew as it settles in.

Chiao took time Wednesday for his first solo interviews aboard the 
Station, answering questions about his plans to vote by secure 
electronic mail in upcoming local, state and national elections. He 
spoke with reporters from ABC and CNN.

Meanwhile, Expedition 9 Science Officer and Flight Engineer Mike Fincke, 
Padalka and Russian Space Forces Test Cosmonaut Yuri Shargin returned to 
the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, where they 
began rehabilitation and debriefings. Padalka and Fincke will remain in 
Star City for several weeks of post-flight debriefings and medical exams 
before returning to Houston in mid-November.

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 Friday, Nov. 5, 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