Updates ISS UPDATES

[Orbinaut Pete]

Roscosmos PAO: "ISS Cosmonauts Begin Pre-EVA Activities".

Cosmonaut onboard the International Space Station begin preparations for the EVA to take place on Jan. 21.
The EVA by Oleg Skripohcka and Dmitry Kondratiev has several objectives, including dismounting of the impulse plasma injector from the Zvezda’s outer surface, and installation of Russian high-speed data transmission equipment Photon-Gamma intended to study gamma-bursts and optical radiation during thunderstorms.
These days, Kondratiev and Skripochka study the timeline, prepare EVA equipment and check replaceable items in the Orlan-MK space suits.
The third Russian crew member Alexander Kalery runs a set of experiments, including the educational ones. Coulomb Crystal implies study of the charged particles dynamics under magnetic field in microgravity; Shadow Beacon includes UHV-signal acquisition/transmission in the ISS RS beacon mode via world amateur RF network, with the further aim to apply the results in the lab works of the Russian universities.
In addition, Russian cosmonauts continue accommodation of the cargo to be disposed in Progress M-08M. The process was described in details by Dmitry Kondratiev through his photo report published in his blog in Roscosmos web.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

For those of you that aren't already doing so, you should definitely follow Dmitry Kondratyev's blog on the Roscosmos web site.

Unfortunately, it's only available in Russian at this time, but even if you can't read Russian, the pictures pretty much speak for themselves!

Here are some photos of the Cupola RWS from Dimitry's blog. :thumbup:

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

BBC News: "Campaign to wave at International Space Station".

------------------------------​

Check out these photos of the ISS transiting the Moon on 20th December!!! :OMG:


(Click on image to enlarge.)

© Thierry Legault 2010.

Source.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 29/12/2010.

In support of ER-6 (ExPrESS Rack-6) troubleshooting by the ground, FE-6 Cady Coleman checked out four "Quatech" card connections on the ER-6 ELC (Express rack Laptop Computer), copied log files to a jump drive and transferred them to an SSC (Station Support Computer) for OCA downlink. [After a remote software load by ground controllers yesterday, the ELC failed to reboot, resulting in a loss of the rack's health and status data to the ground. Ground teams decided to leave ER-6 running overnight, since it contains the crew galley and still has functional smoke detection capabilities.]

CDR Scott Kelly had ~2.5 hours set aside to perform IFM (In-Flight Maintenance) on the FIR (Fluids Integrated Rack), with FE-5 Paolo Nespoli assisting by physically restraining the FIR while it was in a free-floating condition as Scott worked on it. [The overdue R&R (Removal & Replacement) of a damaged snubber at the lower left of the FIR required a realignment of FIR snubber & snubber cups to support ARIS (Active Rack Isolation System) pushrod operation. Paolo's rack restraint was necessary to prevent damage to the pushrods. Activities also included verification of pushrod locking sleeves being in the unlocked position.]

FE-4 Dmitri Kondratyev & FE-2 Oleg Skripochka joined up for another 3 hours 30 minute period of preparations for the next Russian spacewalk, EVA-27, on 21/01. [The equipment, which includes various external covers, a cable reel & kit, the SVPI high-speed data transmission system and numerous tools, were gathered and staged in DC-1 (Docking Compartment-1). Dima & Oleg also reviewed in detail the translation path they are to take from the FGB to the MRM-1 (Mini Research Module-1) for the TV camera installation.]

 

[orb]

Roscosmos:
ISS Cosmonauts Begin Pre-EVA Activities
:: 29.12.2010

Cosmonaut onboard the International Space Station begin preparations for the EVA to take place on Jan. 21.

The EVA by Oleg Skripohcka and Dmitry Kondratiev has several objectives, including dismounting of the impulse plasma injector from the Zvezda’s outer surface, and installation of Russian high-speed data transmission equipment Photon-Gamma intended to study gamma-bursts and optical radiation during thunderstorms.

These days, Kondratiev and Skripochka study the timeline, prepare EVA equipment and check replaceable items in the Orlan-MK space suits.

The third Russian crew member Alexander Kalery runs a set of experiments, including the educational ones. Coulomb Crystal implies study of the charged particles dynamics under magnetic field in microgravity; Shadow Beacon includes UHV-signal acquisition/transmission in the ISS RS beacon mode via world amateur RF network, with the further aim to apply the results in the lab works of the Russian universities.

In addition, Russian cosmonauts continue accommodation of the cargo to be disposed in Progress M-08M. The process was described in details by Dmitry Kondratiev through his photo report published in his blog in Roscosmos web.

________________________________________

Roscosmos:
Photo of the Day by Dmitry Kondratiev
:: 30.12.2010

Russian cosmonaut Dmitry Kondratiev published one more photo in his gallery in Roscosmos web. Dmitry called it ‘ISS Planes’.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Florida Today: "Our Views: Spotlight on station".

Could 2011 be the year of the International Space Station?

Pete's Views: Yes! :thumbup:

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

NASA TV Video: Dining on the Space Station.​

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

NASA Awards Systems Engineering Contract For In-Space Servicing.

NASA has awarded a sole source contract to Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (LMSSC) of Greenbelt, Md., for Systems Engineering for In-Space Servicing (SEISS). This cost-plus-fixed-fee, 18-month contract has a value of $31.2 million.

LMSSC will provide systems and discipline engineering support to develop and execute two demonstrations to test and verify new robotic servicing capabilities using the Dextre robot aboard the International Space Station. The Canadian Space Agency's Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or Dextre, is a two-armed robotic system designed to perform intricate maintenance and servicing tasks, which previously would have required spacewalks.

The first demonstration will use a customized payload task box, Dextre and specialized tools to robotically demonstrate refueling and repair tasks in orbit. Tasks will include locating, accessing and uncapping valves and transferring simulated liquid fuel. During the second demonstration, Dextre will test and evaluate a variety of tools, sensors and instruments to support autonomous rendezvous and capture capabilities for orbiting spacecraft systems.

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., is developing both demonstration payloads. These demonstrations are intended to increase NASA's technical capability to conduct robotic in-space servicing. The contract encompasses requirements definition and verification, hardware design, support of flight and ground hardware/software development, and mission planning support.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Happy New Year from the ISS!

 

[orb]

SPACE.com: Astronauts Ring In New Year With Some Time Off.

 

[GoForPDI]

Back on it today with some EMU preperation, station maintenance, and other preperation for more station maintenance among other things.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 03/01/2011.

Tasks worked by FE-6 Cady Coleman included:

• Installing new software on ER-6 (ExPrESS Rack 6) RIC (Rack Interface Controller) [after first making sure that ER-6 laptop PCMCIAQ harness/card are properly seated and RS-232 data cable connections are correctly in place, and then starting RIC boot auto loader process].
• Supporting JAXA by checking out CTBs (Cargo Transfer Bags) in the JPM (JEM Pressurized Module) for possible room to stow two LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights to be unloaded from the HTV-2 (H-II Transfer Vehicle-2).

CDR Scott Kelly had ~1 hour 25 minutes set aside to perform more IFM (In-Flight Maintenance) on the FIR (Fluids Integrated Rack), with FE-5 Paolo Nespoli assisting by physically restraining the FIR while it was in a free-floating condition as Scott worked on it. [Work at the Lab Deck 4 location today consisted in lower left snubber R&R (Removal & Replacement) and alignment to support ARIS (Active Rack Isolation System) pushrod operation, visual locking sleeve inspection dental mirror and mini-maglight, and installation of a spare microgravity rack barrier post at the upper right corner of the FIR. Paolo's rack restraint was necessary to prevent damage to the pushrods.]

In preparation for the upcoming 2 year maintenance/overhaul of the WHC (Waste & Hygiene Compartment), Scott pre-gathered necessary equipment and tools from stowage, readied the urine & water valve block ORUs (Orbital Replacement Units) and reviewed procedural material for the WHC 2 year Changeout activities. The review was followed by a WHC Maintenance teleconference with ground specialists via audio at ~6:00 PM GMT. [For the WHC 2 year Changeout, the crew will replace urine lines, pressure sensors and the Urine Valve Block; these are yearly tasks and were performed last year. The crew will also replace water lines, pressure sensors, and the Water Valve Block; these 2 year tasks have never been performed on WHC as yet. The procedure includes a corrective maintenance activity to remove the internal UMS (Urine Monitoring System) line that was found to be contaminated with microbial growth during Increment 24. UMS will arrive on STS-133/ULF-5, along with a new adapter. Finally, the piping between the Pretreat & Water Pump and the Pump Separator needs to be changed out.]

Paolo also began with setting up the new EEGS (Emergency Egress Guidance System) in the ISS interior, today installing glow-in-the-dark decals near hatches on the emergency egress path in the US modules. [COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory) and JPM decals will be installed at a later time.]

 

[dougkeenan]

Paolo also began with setting up the new EEGS (Emergency Egress Guidance System) in the ISS interior, today installing glow-in-the-dark decals near hatches on the emergency egress path in the US modules. [COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory) and JPM decals will be installed at a later time.]

Any images of said glow-in-the-dark decals?

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Any images of said glow-in-the-dark decals?

Not at the moment, but give me a few days, and I'm sure I'll find an image somewhere.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Some images of Dimitry Kondratyev's ARED workout. :thumbup:

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 04/01/2011.

CDR Scott Kelly & FE-5 Paolo Nespoli had ~2 hours set aside for resizing their spacesuits, to have them ready in case a spacewalk is required for the arrival & berthing of the HTV-2 (H-II Transfer Vehicle-2) on 27/01. [EMU 3010 is Kelly's suit; EMU 3005 is Nespoli's suit.]

After making preparations & reviewing instructional material yesterday, Scott started the 2 year maintenance/overhaul of the WHC (Waste & Hygiene Compartment), today using ~1 hour 15 minutes for replacing piping (urine lines).

After retrieving the two CSA-O2 (Compound Specific Analyzer-Oxygen) instruments (#1041, #1045) from Soyuz TMA-01M/24S, Scott activated them in the Lab for their weekly checkout, taking readings, then turning them off again and returning them to 24S. [The oxygen sensors in the CSA-O2s (and CSA-CPs/CSA-Combustion Products) have exceeded their shelf life due to resupply delays. The new weekly calibration checks will permit continued use of these units until new ones arrive on STS-133/ULF-5.]

Robotics Update:
MT (Mobile Transporter) has moved from WS-2 (Work Site-2) to WS-5. The SPDM (Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator) "Dextre" will be stowed, and the crew will perform SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator System) practice operations later this week. Congratulations have been extended to the CSA (Canadian Space Agency) for the highly successful SPDM operations which met all FRAM (Flight Releasable Attachment Mechanism) grappling/repositioning/ungrappling objectives without a human spacewalker needed. This is a "signature moment" for the ISS.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

The Voice of Russia: "ISS project – to be continued".

Check out the ISS image they used - a screenshot of Orbiter by O-F's very own FlyingSinger! I see some of Don's models there, too! :thumbup:

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 05/01/2011.

In Node 3, CDR Scott Kelly continued the 2 year maintenance/overhaul of the WHC (Waste & Hygiene Compartment), which took most of his working hours today. Before commencing work by powering down the WHC and removing panels, Scott installed the T2 COLBERT alignment guides to secure the treadmill for the following removal of the WHC Kabin enclosure. FE-5 Paolo Nespoli assisted during the Kabin removal & temporary transfer to Node 1, and also later with its re-installation. After the IFM (Inflight Maintenance), the T2 guides were removed, and FE-6 Cady Coleman performed WHC closeout by replacing its panels.

Continuing readiness preparations for a contingency EVA to support HTV-2 (H-II Transfer Vehicle-2) berthing on 27/01, Paolo & Cady had an hour set aside to review ECWS (EMU Caution & Warning Simulator) OBT (Onboard Trainer) procedures & material and use the ECWS trainer for a refresher.

Afterwards, Paolo worked in the US Airlock on EMUs #3005 & #3010 to perform the regular Week 15 loop scrub, i.e., setting them up with their SCUs (Service & Cooling Umbilicals) and initiating the standard one hour scrubbing process on the spacesuits' and Airlock's cooling water loops, filtering ionic and particulate matter (via a 3-micron filter), then reconfiguring the cooling loops and starting the ~2 hour biocide (iodination) filtering. [The activity checked out and prepared the suits for a contingency HTV-2 EVA and met their periodic maintenance requirements. Loop scrubbing, including iodination of the LCVGs (Liquid Cooling & Ventilation Garments) for biocidal maintenance is done to eliminate any biomass and particulate matter that may have accumulated in the loops.]

Robotics Update:
The SPDM (Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator) "Dextre" has now been stowed on MBS (Mobile Base System) PDGF-2 (Power & Data Grapple Fixture-2) via ground control. These operations were in preparation for HTV-2 operations later this month. All checkouts were completed successfully, although several of SPDM arm joints reported failures of their brake friction tests. This was not unexpected based on the past history of SPDM brake friction tests, and a real-time engineering review of the joint motor currents confirmed all joint brakes were meeting their minimum holding requirements; system performance was otherwise nominal.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

SpaceRef: "NASA JSC Solicitation: Procurement of Crew Transportation and Rescue Services from Roscosmos 4 Jan 2011".

NASA/JSC has a requirement for crew transportation
services including launch, return, and rescue of US or US-designated astronauts and associated services.

NASA/JSC intends to contract with Roscosmos for these services on a sole source basis for up to 12 Soyuz seats and associated services beginning in 2014 for a period up to 2 years and 6 months, through June 30, 2016.

 

[Carmen A]

A wonderful read!

Thanks Pete