Updates ISS UPDATES

[SiberianTiger]

Expedition 20 EVA #1 on June 5, 2009

The EVA tasks according to http://www.mcc.rsa.ru/out050609.htm:

• Install Kurs radio guidance system to the zenith docking port of the SM;
• Attach cables to the installed Kurs antennae;
• Checking Kurs installation by taking photographs using the GSt2 cargo boom.

The EVA is performed by Gennady Padalka (Expedition Commander) and Michael Barratt (Exp's Flight Engineer #1). They will test use Orlan-MK computerized space suits for the first time.

The installation of the docking aid system will facilitate arrival and docking of Russian MIM-2 module to the Zvezda's zenith port this autumn.

The EVA begins at:
10:45 Moscow Local 05.06.2009
6:45 UTC June 5, 2009
2:45 a.m. EDT June 5, 2009

The EVA ends at:
16:17 min Moscow Local 05.06.2009
12:17 min UTC June 05, 2009
8:17 a.m. EDT June 05, 2009

The EVA's planned duration is 5 hours 32 minutes.

The event is to be covered by NASA TV live.

 

[tblaxland]

They will test use Orlan-MK computerized space suits for the first time.

Sounds cool. Any more info? In what regard are they "computerized"? Any other new features over the current suit (Orlan-M?)?

 

[SiberianTiger]

Sounds cool. Any more info? In what regard are they "computerized"? Any other new features over the current suit (Orlan-M?)?

There is a bit of information in English here:
http://ruspace.blogspot.com/2009/05/future-russian-spacesuit.html

http://engforum.pravda.ru/showthread.php?p=2814891

Hereditary Russian cosmonaut Roman Romanenko, flight engineer of the ISS-20/21 crew, was satisfied with NPP Zvezda’s new computerized spacesuit Orlan-MK while training in it in the Hydrolab at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.
“It is different from the previous model – in fact, somewhere in between the American EMU and Russian Orlan-M.” The main innovation is its full computerization – the suit itself “suggests” actions for the cosmonaut to take in case of emergencies. It is important that the computer tips can be disabled if you want; the cosmonaut himself can decide which mode of operation is preferable,” said Romanenko at a preflight press conference on Thursday at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.

 

[tblaxland]

Great, thanks!

 

[Suzy]

Sounds cool. Any more info? In what regard are they "computerized"? Any other new features over the current suit (Orlan-M?)?

I've got a page on my website about them. (Website has been offline due to a server failure; hopefully the link remains OK!)

 

[SiberianTiger]

The planned Location of Kurs antennae on the SM:

A model simulation video providing insight into the tomorrow EVA's operations:
http://anon.nasa-global.edgesuite.net/wm.nasa-global/expedition20/korth_exp20_eva22_briefing.wmv

---------- Post added at 17:11 ---------- Previous post was at 02:56 ----------

The Cosmonauts are now safely inside the station, having successfully completed the EVA's tasks.

---------- Post added at 17:21 ---------- Previous post was at 17:11 ----------

Some highlights:

Attaching cables to the Kurs antennae

4AO-VKA installation

Attachment complete

Michael Barratt at the end of the cargo boom

SM view from top

---------- Post added at 12:17 ---------- Previous post was Yesterday at 17:21 ----------

And here it is again, Koichi Wakata flying "the magic carpet" for Japanese audience:

 

[SiberianTiger]

Expedition 20 EVA #2 on June 10, 2009

The EVA tasks according to http://www.mcc.rsa.ru/out100609.htm:

• Replace the protective cover at the +Y (zenith) docking assembly of Zvezda SM with a docking cone. The docking cone is to be taken from the -X docking assembly.

The EVA is performed by Gennady Padalka (Expedition Commander) and Michael Barratt (Exp's Flight Engineer #1). They will use Orlan-MK space suits.

The work will be performed inside the depressurized adapter section of the SM.

The EVA begins at:
10:45 Moscow Local 10.06.2009
6:45 UTC June 10, 2009
2:45 a.m. EDT June 10, 2009

The EVA ends at:
11:22 min Moscow Local 10.06.2009
7:22 min UTC June 10, 2009
3:22 a.m. EDT June 10, 2009

The EVA's planned duration is 37 minutes.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Here's a picture of the Zvezda zenith docking port as it appears currently (note the flat hatch):

The flat hatch will be replaced with a conical docking hatch, as depicted below. The conical docking hatch is required to assist with the arrival of MRM2 in Nov 2009.
Only the Zvezda transfer compartment will be depressurised.

Below is a graphic of the conical docking hatch relocation:

The conical docking hatch is currently strapped to the starboard side wall of the Zvezda transfer compartment (It can be seen at the left hand side of the picture below):

Here is a side view of the conical docking hatch (can be seen at right hand side of picture):

 

[ex-orbinaut]

Yes!!!! I finally saw it, and did not even remotely imagine that it had been the ISS!!!

Last night 8 june, 19:17 Local Time here in Ecuador, was sitting outside looking south, and detected an orange-looking "star" moving east-south-east wards from the southern western horizon. Thought to myself "some satellite or another" and wondered a bit on how much more I understand of them since becoming an Orbiter user.

Looked at Orbitron today to see if I could identify it; lo and behold the one that fits is the ISS itself. What luck!

Sorry if this was a bit off topic, but I wanted to Thank all those forum members who (directly or indirectly) pointed me in the direction of the tracking programs that help identify what you see. I would never have known otherwise.

:speakcool:

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Yes!!!! I finally saw it, and did not even remotely imagine that it had been the ISS!!!

Last night 8 june, 19:17 Local Time here in Ecuador, was sitting outside looking south, and detected an orange-looking "star" moving east-south-east wards from the southern western horizon. Thought to myself "some satellite or another" and wondered a bit on how much more I understand of them since becoming an Orbiter user.

Looked at Orbitron today to see if I could identify it; lo and behold the one that fits is the ISS itself. What luck!

Sorry if this was a bit off topic, but I wanted to Thank all those forum members who (directly or indirectly) pointed me in the direction of the tracking programs that help identify what you see. I would never have known otherwise.

:speakcool:

Congratulations!

I remember my first time - I didn't realise that what I saw was the ISS until afterwards aswell.

The first time is the one you will always remember.

Welcome to the world of ISS spotting!

-Pete

 

[ex-orbinaut]

Congratulations!

I remember my first time - I didn't realise that I saw the ISS until later aswell.

The first time is the one you will always remember.

Welcome to the world of ISS spotting!

-Pete

Thanks Pete, it was really amazing discovering what it was. The first man made orbital object I have ever identified and it was the BIG ONE!

 

[SiberianTiger]

The 20th Expedition EVA #2 is completed in 12 minutes, all objectives accomplished!

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

The 20th Expedition EVA #2 is completed in 12 minutes, all objectives accomplished!

Great work!

Must be the shortest spacewalk in history.

----------
EDIT:

You should be able to see the new docking cone during the upcoming STS-127 flyaround :speakcool:

---------- Post added at 13:46 ---------- Previous post was at 08:57 ----------

I was wondering, what is the current plan for the location of ELC's on the ISS?

The latest plan that I am aware of is for:
. ELC-1 to be mounted on the nadir of the P3 Truss
. ELC-2 to be mounted on the zenith of the S3 Truss
. ELC-3 to also be mounted on the zenith of the S3 Truss
. ELC-4 to be mounted on the nadir of the S3 truss

But isn't the AMS now going to be mounted to the zenith of the S3 Truss also? Surely there aren't enough attachment mechanisms (UCCAS) to mount ELC-2, ELC-3, & AMS all on the zenith of the S3 Truss?

Does anyone know the latest plan?

Thanks.

ELC:

 

[SiberianTiger]

Must be the shortest spacewalk in history.

Actually, you are almost right:
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/station/exp20/090610eva.html

Today's work tied the record for shortest spacewalk, a mark set in 1965 by cosmonaut Alexei Leonov in the first spacewalk ever conducted.

Is anyone caring to measure the duration of the two in seconds?..

 

[SiberianTiger]

http://www.federalspace.ru/NewsDoSele.asp?NEWSID=6542

This Sunday the chief of the first space team of six onboard the International Space Station cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, Hero of Russia, turns 51.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

The Progress 33 is slated to undock from the Pirs Docking Compartment today (June 30) @ 6:30pm GMT/UTC (2:30pm EDT).

Before deorbiting, the Progress will be commanded into a parking orbit, until it will re-rendezvous with the ISS on July 12. Progress will approach to within 10 - 15 meters of the Zvezda Service Module, in order to test new automated rendezvous equipment mounted on Zvezda during the two spacewalks earlier this month.
This equipment will be used to guide the new MRM2 to an unpiloted docking to the zenith port of Zvezda later this year.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

The Progress 33 undocked on time yesterday from the Pirs Docking Compartment.

Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Roman Romanenko photographed the departing cargo craft to assess the condition of its docking assembly.

The Progress will continue to move away from the station until Friday, when the vehicle will perform a retrograde burn to place the spacecraft into a parking orbit. Another burn on July 11 sets up the Progress for its re-rendezvous with the station on July 12.

-----

On a personal note:
Last night, I saw the ISS pass over, and there was a smaller dot trailing it - the Progress! It was very cool to see! :speakcool:

---------- Post added at 19:00 ---------- Previous post was at 18:01 ----------

Tomorrow (Thu 2nd July), the original Expedition 19 crew (Padalka, Barratt and Wakata) will relocate their Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft.

Padalka will undock the Soyuz from the aft port of Zvezda at 9:29pm GMT/UTC, and manually fly the spacecraft around to the nadir of the Russian Segment, to dock with the Pirs Docking Compartment about 30 minutes later. This relocation is being performed to clear the way for the arrival of the next Progress (which will dock to the aft port of Zvezda).

NASA TV will air live coverage of the event, beginning at 9pm GMT/UTC.

 

[ex-orbinaut]

U2 link to ISS (the rock group, not the Lockheed version!) on the 360º Tour.

http://www.news24.com/Content/Entertainment/CelebNews/1048/c2ecdcedfda747f794c7d7da4cf5ae67/01-07-2009%2002-07/U2_link_to_ISS_at_concert

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Here's some pictures of the Progress 33 undocking.

Hi-res: http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-20/hires/iss020e015692.jpg

Hi-res: http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-20/hires/iss020e015987.jpg

---------- Post added ----------

Remember, coverage of the Soyuz TMA-14 relocation starts on NASA TV at 9:00pm GMT/UTC.

---------- Post added ----------

And coverage has now begun.

---------- Post added ----------

The Soyuz TMA-14 relocation was successful.

TMA-14 is now docked to the nadir port of the Pirs Docking Compartment.

---------- Post added ----------

The ISS is now going to be a very busy place until the end of this year, as you can see below.


Significant ISS Events Ahead (all dates/times are GMT/UTC, some changes possible):

11/07/09 -- STS-127 launch (11:39pm)

12/07/09 -- Progress 33 Re-rendezvous with ISS (based on solar constraints)

13/07/09 -- STS-127 docking (if launched nominally 11/7)

24/07/09 -- Progress 34P launch

25/07/09 -- STS-127 undocking

27/07/09 -- STS-127 landing (04:16pm)

29/07/09 -- Progress 34P docking (would be able to dock as early as July 27 depending on STS-127)

18/08/09 -- STS-128 launch (8:25am)

01/09/09 -- H-IIB (JAXA HTV-1) launch – tentative

07/09/09 -- H-IIB (JAXA HTV-1) berth

30/09/09 -- Soyuz TMA-16 launch

02/10/09 -- Soyuz TMA-16 docking (Zvezda aft, until MRM-2 with new port)

08/10/09 -- H-IIB (JAXA HTV-1) unberth

11/10/09 -- Soyuz TMA-14 undock

15/10/09 -- Progress 35 launch

10/11/09 -- MRM-2 (Russian Mini Research Module 2) launch

12/11/09 -- STS-129 launch

07/12/09 -- Soyuz TMA-17 launch

26/12/09 -- Progress 36 launch

 

[tblaxland]

An interesting item from the Daily Report:
http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/somd/reports/iss_reports/index.html

GIVUS Failure: The GIVUS (Guidance Navigation & Control, GN&C) in the RS has failed. GIVUS is used for rate and attitude determination. TsUP-Moscow Motion Control System (MCS) specialists are still reviewing data but suspect that GIVUS is now hard failed. A spare GIVUS will be brought up on Progress 34P, scheduled for launch on 7/24. Meanwhile, the ORT backup up rate sensor has been powered up for determining station attitude, with the U.S. RGA-1 (Rate Gyro Assembly 1) used for attitude determination data as prime, and MCC-Houston has enabled the degraded RGA-2 as a backup to RGA 1. (Note: RGA-2 has a limited life due to one of its three laser gyros being degraded. The RGA 2 condition has been assessed and determined that it may not respond when attempted to be operated at cold condition in certain beta regimes.)

Sounds like they have plenty of backup capability.