[sarex] ISS STATUS REPORT #05-41 - 26 AUG 2005

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

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*International Space Station Status Report #05-41*
*8:30 a.m. CDT, Friday, Aug. 26, 2005*
*Expedition 11 Crew*

The residents of the International Space Station this week unloaded 
cargo delivered to them last month by Discovery’s astronauts, prepared 
for the arrival of more supplies and repaired a key component of the 
outpost’s environmental control system.

In the fifth month of their six-month mission, Expedition 11 Commander 
Sergei Krikalev and NASA Flight Engineer and Science Officer John 
Phillips completed the unpacking of cargo bags transferred to the 
Station’s Zarya module from the Shuttle Discovery three weeks ago. They 
planned to unload other bags stowed in the Unity and Zvezda modules in 
the days ahead. All of the unpacked items were entered into the 
Station’s computerized inventory system.

On Friday, the crew will begin to fill the ISS Progress 18 resupply 
craft docked at the aft end of Zvezda with trash and unneeded gear. The 
Progress craft will undock from the complex at 5:23 a.m. CDT Sept. 7. It 
will be commanded to fire its engines to enter the Earth’s atmosphere 
and burn up over the Pacific Ocean.

That will set the stage for the 8:08 a.m. CDT Sept. 8 launch of the ISS 
Progress 19 cargo vehicle from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. 
EDT. Filled with more than 2.5 tons of food, fuel, oxygen, water and 
spare parts, Progress 19 will automatically dock to the Station at 9:50 
a.m. CDT Sept. 10. The docking will be broadcast live on NASA Television.

Among the items to be carried aboard Progress 19 is a new liquids unit 
for the Russian Elektron oxygen-generation system that failed several 
months ago. The liquids unit circulates water through the Elektron, 
separating it into hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis. The 
hydrogen is then vented overboard and the oxygen is circulated into the 
atmosphere for breathing.

While Elektron has been inactive, oxygen from the Progress 18 tanks has 
been used to repressurize the cabin atmosphere. Multiple sources of 
oxygen are available for use by the crew with ample supplies available.

On Tuesday, Krikalev repaired the Vozdukh carbon dioxide removal system 
by replacing a faulty valve. Vozdukh shut down late last week, prompting 
the temporary use of another air-scrubbing system, the U.S. Carbon 
Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) in the Destiny Laboratory.

Also on Tuesday, Krikalev and Phillips took time to discuss life and 
work aboard the Station with students gathered at the Cincinnati Museum 
Center in Ohio. The educational event was broadcast to schools in the 
Ohio Valley.

On Wednesday, Phillips replaced a failed laptop computer used to house 
inventory and information about the Station’s medical supplies. The 
computer experienced problems three weeks ago during Discovery’s visit.

They also spent 90 minutes Wednesday practicing emergency procedures 
during an exercise that simulated the rapid depressurization of the 
Station’s cabin. Rehearsals of this nature are conducted periodically to 
maintain proficiency for the crew and flight controllers.

In addition to exercise and routine maintenance, the crewmembers stowed 
spacewalking tools they used last week during their excursion outside 
the Pirs Docking Compartment to retrieve experiments and hardware. The 
spacewalk was the only one planned for Expedition 11.

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 Station status report will be issued on Thursday, Sept. 1, or 
earlier if events warrant.

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