[sarex] ISS STATUS REPORT #05-12

["ARTHUR Z. ROWE" <N1ORC@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Submitted by Arthur N1ORC - Amsat A/C #31468

*International Space Station Status Report #05-12*
*5 p.m. CST, Friday, March 4, 2005*
*Expedition 10 Crew*

International Space Station crewmembers’ focus this week was the ISS 
Progress 17 cargo spacecraft. Expedition 10 Commander and NASA Station 
Science Officer Leroy Chiao and Flight Engineer Salizhan Sharipov spent 
some of the early part of the week preparing for the arrival of the 
unpiloted Russian cargo carrier, and much of Thursday and Friday 
unloading it.

The Progress docked to the station at 3:10 p.m. EST Wednesday with a 
cargo of 2.3 tons of equipment and supplies. Aboard were propellant, 
oxygen and air, and water.

A 160-day supply of food also is on the Progress, as well as spare parts 
and equipment for the Russian environmental control system and toilet. 
Cameras and telephoto lenses to be used to photograph thermal protection 
tiles of the Space Shuttle Discovery as the return to flight mission 
approaches the Station, and a new heat exchanger for the U.S Quest 
airlock which should allow resumption of U.S. spacewalks from the 
orbiting laboratory.

Early-week preparations involved Sharipov setting up and practicing with 
a manual docking system for use in the unlikely event of a problem with 
the automated docking system. It was not needed. The automated system 
functioned well.

Unloading activities included entering items of the cargo into the 
Inventory Management System. The IMS is a computerized bar code system 
that keeps track of items aboard the station.

In preparation for Progress activities, crewmembers had shifted their 
sleep period later, getting their wakeup tone at about 6:30 a.m. instead 
of the standard 1 a.m. much of the week. They will return gradually to 
their usual schedule.

Chiao and Sharipov continued daily exercise sessions, did scheduled 
maintenance on Station systems and participated in several medical and 
other scientific experiments.

In other activities, the crew talked with high school students in the 
Levelland, Texas, area on Monday. Late Thursday, Chiao radioed 
congratulations to Steve Fossett, who that day completed a three-day, 
non-stop, solo around-the-world flight with a landing in Salina, Kan. On 
the Station, Chiao and Sharipov circle the Earth more than 15 times a 
day, as they have for four months.

Information about crew activities on the Space Station, future launch 
dates and Station sighting opportunities from Earth, is available on the 
Internet at:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/

The next International Space Station Status report will be issued on 
Friday, March 11, or earlier if events warrant.

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