[sarex] ISS STATUS REPORT #05-26

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

Submitted by Arthur N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*International Space Station Status Report #05-26*
*3 p.m. CDT, Friday, May 20, 2005*
*Expedition 11 Crew*

The Expedition 11 crew, now into the second month of its stay on the 
International Space Station, had a varied week highlighted by repair of 
an exercise treadmill, tests of an oxygen supply and preparations for 
the Space Shuttle's Return to Flight.

Commander Sergei Krikalev and Flight Engineer John Phillips began the 
week with the repair of a faulty restraint cable on the Station exercise 
treadmill. The broken cable, which is used to hold the treadmill’s 
gyroscope in place, had been detected during a routine inspection by the 
crew last week. The treadmill is one of three exercise options for the 
Space Station crew and has been operational since the repair.

On Wednesday, after removing contents from Pressurized Mating Adapter 
No. 2, which also serves as the forward docking port for Space Shuttles 
on the U.S. segment, and the Quest Airlock, Phillips depressurized the 
modules. This was done to rehearse procedures that will be employed 
during the STS-114 mission to conserve Shuttle nitrogen supplies during 
the spacewalk.

Throughout the week, Phillips set up and performed his first session of 
the FOOT (Foot Reaction Forces During Space Flight) experiment. He wore 
specially-designed leggings that allow researchers to capture data 
regarding forces and use of the lower extremity muscles. The data will 
help scientists design effective muscle and bone loss countermeasure 
programs for crewmembers involved in long duration spaceflight. The crew 
also worked with a variety of other U.S. and Russian biomedical experiments.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the Station’s atmosphere was repressurized 
with air and oxygen from the remaining supplies in the tanks of the 
docked Russian Progress cargo ship. The Progress tanks were depleted in 
preparation for its undocking next month.

The crew conducted test ignitions of two Solid Fuel Oxygen Generators 
(SFOG) canisters on Friday to verify their performance and activation 
procedures. Beginning Monday, two SFOGs will be burned each day to 
produce oxygen. There are more than 80 usable SFOGs currently on board, 
which can provide 6 weeks worth of oxygen for the two-person crew. 
Another Progress cargo ship is set to arrive on June 18 with additional 
oxygen in tanks and more solid-fuel canisters. Oxygen supplies onboard 
and those manifested on upcoming cargo vehicles can accommodate the crew 
into next year. The Station's Elektron oxygen generation system, which 
converts water into oxygen, remains inoperable.

Earlier in the week, the crew performed routine inspections of emergency 
fire extinguishers and portable breathing apparatus as well as the 
routine monitoring of carbon dioxide and formaldehyde levels.

During the week, Krikalev and Phillips were given information on 
possible photography of Earth sites including the Toshka Lakes in Egypt, 
the Florida coasts, Mexico City, and Hurricane Adrian as it passed over 
Central America. Photographs taken by the crew are available online at:

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/

The crew is scheduled for a light duty weekend, including routine 
housekeeping tasks and family conferences. Next week will include a 
session with the Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity 
experiment and photography of the Station’s solar arrays. 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://www.nasa.gov/station

The next ISS status report will be issued on Friday, May 27, or earlier 
if events warrant.

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