Updates ISS UPDATES

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Parabolic Arc: Khrunichev Progresses on New ISS Multipurpose Lab Module:

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MOSCOW (Khrunichev PR) – In the Khrunichev Space Center, work is continuing for the flight of the multifunction products laboratory module (MLM) for the International Space Station.

To date, the docking port has been installed on the transition chamber….Equipment layouts for the board layout and the cable network have been installed inside the module. Tests on the temperature control system and the pneumatic hydraulic systems have been undertaken.

After the completion fabrication and assembly of flight products (planned before the end of 2012), the MLM will be transferred to the RSC “Energia” for further comprehensive tests.

Launch on a Russian “Proton” rocket is scheduled for 2013.

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NASA: First Annual International Space Station Research and Development Conference in Review

 

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ESA: ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti set for Space Station in 2014:

3 July 2012

PR 20 2012 - ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti has been assigned to be launched on a Soyuz spacecraft from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in 2014 for a long-duration mission aboard the International Space Station.

ESA’s Director of Human Spaceflight and Operations, Thomas Reiter, and the International Space Station partners board have released the official assignment for the European–Italian flight.

Italy’s space agency, ASI, proposed Samantha for this mission of 6–7 months.

“It is a great satisfaction to see the third astronaut of the 2009 recruited class assigned to a mission to space,” said Director Reiter.

Samantha completed basic training in 2010. She is now training on the Russian Soyuz spacecraft, Station systems, robotics and spacewalks. Samantha, a captain in the Italian Air Force, has logged more than 500 hours of flying time on six types of military aircraft.

Click on images to enlarge​

ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti training for spacewalks in NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Houston, USA. Diving underwater is as close as it gets to experiencing weightlessness on Earth for long periods of time. To simulate floating in space, astronauts don the suits before being lowered into a large diving pool. Should future missions require Samantha to venture outside the International Space Station to install new equipment or collect samples, she needs to know how to use spacesuits.

Credits: NASA/ESA​

ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti during generic robotics training at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany.

Credits: ESA​

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ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti training for spacewalks in NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Houston, USA. Diving underwater is as close as it gets to experiencing weightlessness on Earth for long periods.

Credits: NASA/ESA​

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NASASpaceflight: ISS suffered temporary loss of command and voice comms with Houston:

The International Space Station (ISS) Flight Control Room (FCR) in Houston suffered a primary and backup failure of its Front-End Processor (FEP), causing a loss of the forward command and voice link between the orbital outpost and Houston. The issue – since resolved – caused controllers to move to the Red FCR, per contingency procedures.

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NASA:
MEDIA ADVISORY : M12-127
Coverage Set for Next International Space Station Crew Launch

July 6, 2012

HOUSTON -- NASA Television will provide extensive coverage of prelaunch, launch and docking activities of the next trio of crew members who will fly to the International Space Station.

NASA TV coverage of the Soyuz TMA-05M launch begins at 8:30 p.m. CDT, Saturday, July 14. NASA Flight Engineer Sunita Williams, veteran Soyuz Commander Yuri Malenchenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency and Flight Engineer Akihiko Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will launch to the station at 9:40 p.m. (8:40 a.m., July 15 Baikonur time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

The trio will arrive at the station late Monday, July 16, joining NASA Flight Engineer Joe Acaba and two Russian cosmonauts, Expedition 32 Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Sergei Revin, who have been aboard the orbiting laboratory since mid-May. Williams, Malenchenko and Hoshide, who also will be part of the Expedition 33 crew starting in September, will return to Earth in mid-November.

The full schedule of the Soyuz prelaunch, launch and docking coverage on NASA TV public and media channels includes (all times are Central):

Tuesday, July 10

• 1 p.m. -- Video File of Expedition 32/33 crew activities in Baikonur, Kazakhstan

Wednesday, July 11

• 1 p.m. -- Video File of Expedition 32/33 crew activities in Baikonur, Kazakhstan and Soyuz TMA-05M mating operations

Thursday, July 12

• 1 p.m. -- Video File of Expedition 32/33 Soyuz TMA-05M rollout to the launch pad in Baikonur, Kazakhstan

Friday, July 13

• 1 p.m. -- Video File of Expedition 32/33 Russian State Commission meeting and final prelaunch crew news conference in Baikonur, Kazakhstan

Saturday, July 14

• 8:30 p.m. -- Expedition 32/33 Soyuz TMA-05M launch coverage begins (launch at 9:40 p.m.); includes video B-roll of crew prelaunch activities and launch replays from Baikonur, Kazakhstan
• 11:30 p.m. -- Video File of Expedition 32/33 Soyuz TMA-05M pre-launch and launch video B-roll and post-launch Interviews

Monday, July 16

• 11:15 p.m. -- Expedition 32/33 Soyuz TMA-05M docking coverage begins (docking at 11:52 p.m. followed by post-docking news conference from Mission Control in Korolev, Russia)

Tuesday, July 17

• 2 a.m. -- Expedition 32/33 Soyuz TMA-05M hatch opening and welcoming ceremony coverage begins (ceremony scheduled at 2:25 a.m.)
• 4 a.m. -- Video File of Expedition 32/33 Soyuz TMA-05M docking, hatch opening and welcoming ceremony

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ESA: The worm that feels at home in space

 

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NASASpaceflight: ISS returns to a six person crew following successful Soyuz TMA-05M docking

Aviation Week: ISS Resumes Six Crew Ops with Soyuz Docking

Florida Today: New Crew Arrival Kicks Off Busy Period At ISS



JAXA Press Release:

Astronaut Hoshide Starts
the International Space Station (ISS) Expedition Mission​

July 17, 2012 (JST)
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)​

Astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, who arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) by the Soyuz spacecraft (31S/TMA-05M), has begun his long-duration stay as the 32nd and 33rd expedition crew member. He will remain onboard the ISS for about four months until returning on the Soyuz spacecraft (31S/TMA-05M) in November 2012.

Docking Date/Time:

July 17, 2012 1:51 p.m. (JST)
July 17, 2012 8:51 a.m.(Moscow Standard Time)​

Hatch Open Date/Time:

July 17, 2012 4:23 p.m. (JST)
July 17, 2012 11:23 a.m. (Moscow Standard Time)​

Reference links for further information:

http://iss.jaxa.jp/en/
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html​

Comment by JAXA President
Beginning of Astronaut Hoshide's Long-Duration Stay on the ISS​

The Soyuz TMA-05M spacecraft has succeeded in docking to the ISS today. Now Japanese Astronaut Hoshide's 4-month expedition has begun.

Astronaut Hoshide conducted the assembly of "Kibo" module during the STS-124 (1J) mission (June 1-15, 2008), and has returned to his "home" in space after 4 years' absence. I strongly believe that he will accomplish the duties on the ISS and "Kibo" making the most of his hard training.

I sincerely appreciate the support and cooperation from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Russian Federal Space Agency (FSA), all other domestic and overseas organizations, and all individuals who have granted their effort and helpfulness to us. I wish for your continuous kind support.

Thank you.

July 17, 2012

Keiji Tachikawa
President
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)​

 

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RIA Novosti: Russian Space Lab Launch Delayed Again:

The launch of Russia's "Nauka" (Science) multirole laboratory module (MLM) for the International Space Station has been set back from the end of this year to the end of next year due to technological and organizational problems at the Khrunichev Space Center, the head of Russia's Energia space corporation Vitaly Lopota said on Tuesday.

The launch of the Nauka was initially slated for the first half of 2011, but has since been repeatedly delayed. The module is being constructed by Khrunichev and RKK Energia.

"The MLM should have flown (to the ISS) this year. However, technological and organizational problems at the Khrunichev Center, which we could not sort out in time due to the amount of work needed, led us to 'move the launch to the right.' Today, the recalculated schedule for the launch of the module is the fourth quarter of 2013," Lopota said.

Khrunichev is working on the flight-standard module, and is building the main hull and fitting it out with its equipment, he said.

The flight-ready module is due to be delivered soon to RKK Energia. "We are doing everything possible with Khrunichev to offset these delays," Lopota added.

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NASA: Expedition 32 Crew Expands to Six

Florida Today: Soyuz arrival marks start of a packed ISS schedule

 

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NASA News Release:
MEDIA ADVISORY : M12-133
NASA Holds Briefings To Preview Space Station Expeditions

July 17, 2012

HOUSTON -- NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston will hold two briefings Thursday, July 26, to preview the upcoming Expedition 33 and 34 missions aboard the International Space Station. NASA Television and the agency's website will broadcast the briefings live.

At 11 a.m. CDT, the International Space Station Program and Science Overview briefing will cover mission priorities and objectives, which include hundreds of research experiments, a Russian spacewalk, international and commercial cargo deliveries to the complex and a commercial cargo demonstration flight.

The briefing participants include:

• Dan Harman, International Space Station manager, operations and integration
• Chris Edelen, Expedition 34 lead flight director
• Julie Robinson, International Space Station program scientist

At 1 p.m., Expedition 33/34 crew members Kevin Ford of NASA and Evgeny Tarelkin and Oleg Novitskiy of the Russian Federal Space Agency will discuss their mission. They are set to launch to the space station aboard the Soyuz TMA-06M spacecraft Oct. 15 and return to Earth in March 2013.

Ford, Tarelkin and Novitskiy are three of the six crew members comprising Expeditions 33 and 34. When they arrive at the station, they will join NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko.

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Aviation Week: Russia Looks to Accelerated Progress, Soyuz ISS Flight Profile:

Russia is looking at a possible significant reduction in Soyuz crew transport flight times to the International Space Station -- a six-hour launch to docking as opposed to the current 50 hour transit.

Late Tuesday, the European Space Agency's Automated Transfer Vehicle boosted the station's mean altitude by just over three miles, setting up an Aug. 1 trial run of the prospect with an unpiloted 48 Progress mission.

If the Progress test is successful, a Soyuz crew may attempt the accelerated trajectory next year.

Currently, the two-plus-day trip of the Soyuz with its three-member crews requires a regular "barbecue" roll of the tightly quartered transport, alternating exposure of the capsule's exterior between sunlight and shadow for thermal control.

"That is not the most comfortable thing for the crews," said Kelly Humphries, a NASA space station program spokesman. "One possible solution is to condense the rendezvous timeline down to four orbits instead of the normal 34. This test with the Progress is going to use an unmanned vehicle to test the trajectory they would use for that."

ESA's Edoardo Amaldi Automated Transfer Vehicle, which has been docked at the 252-mi.-high station's aft docking port since late March, fired its thrusters for nearly 20 min. late Tuesday to set up an Aug. 1 Progress test run.

If Russia proceeds with the test, the automated freighter could lift off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Aug. 1 at 3:35 p.m. EDT, followed by a rendezvous and docking at 9:24 p.m. EDT the same day. Under the normal re-supply strategy, the same mission would launch on Aug. 1 at 3:38 p.m., then rendezvous and dock on Aug. 3 at 6:14 p.m.

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NASA: Earth-observing Camera to Launch to International Space Station:

A remote-controlled Earth-observing camera system called ISERV will be launched to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's third H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV-3) this week. Once installed, the system will be directed by researchers on the ground to acquire imagery of specific areas of the globe for disaster analysis and environmental studies.

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NASA News Release:
MEDIA ADVISORY : M12-135
NASA Television to Air Space Station Cargo Ship Moves and Test

July 19, 2012

WASHINGTON -- NASA Television will broadcast the move of a Russian cargo spacecraft at the International Space Station and the demonstration of a new docking system beginning Sunday, July 22.

NASA TV coverage of ISS Progress 47's initial undocking starts at 4 p.m. EDT, July 22. Progress 47 will undock at 4:27 p.m.

Russian flight controllers will command the resupply ship to undock from the space station's Pirs compartment in a test of an updated docking system that will be used for both Progress and Soyuz human spacecraft in the future. The new automated rendezvous system, known as Kurs-NA, will use a single antenna, which will allow four others to be removed. The Kurs-NA-enabled Progress and Soyuz spacecraft will have only three antennas, half as many as the current versions. Kurs-NA also will use less power, improve safety and possess updated electronics.

Progress 47 arrived at the station in April. After it was emptied of its cargo, the space station crew filled it with trash for disposal.

NASA TV coverage of the Progress' re-rendezvous and docking will begin at 9:15 p.m. Monday, July 23. The ship will re-dock to the station at 9:57 p.m.

Coverage of Progress 47's final departure from the station begins at 2 p.m. Monday, July 30, with undocking set for 2:11 p.m. It then will be commanded to re-enter the atmosphere and burn up.

The next Russian cargo spacecraft, ISS Progress 48, is scheduled to launch Wednesday, Aug. 1, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Expedition 32 Commander Gennady Padalka of the Russian Federal Space Agency and his five crewmates, including NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Joe Acaba, will monitor events as the Progress 47 tests unfold.

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[Capt_hensley]

I think there are far too many things aboard ISS, it looks like they need to send an empty ship up, just to serve as a trashcan for a couple kilograms of "unneeded stuff"

See images Before:http://www.boeing.com/companyoffices/gallery/images/space/lab_interior_s403.jpg

and After:

http://searchlightsandicebeams.file.../intlspacestation_inside-view.jpg?w=400&h=362

 

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SPACE.com: Russia Testing New Space Station Docking Gear Tonight

NASA: 'White Stork' Delivers New Research and Technology Investigations to the International Space Station

 

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NASA: A Fish Friendly Facility for the International Space Station

SpaceRef: AMS Experiment Marks 1 Year in Space

SPACE.com: International Space Station | The Most Amazing Flying Machines Ever

 

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Florida Today: Senators hear NASA defense of ISS science

 

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[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Hy-zGC1knc"]Next Station Crew Meet Media - YouTube[/ame]

 

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Aviation week: ISS Research Hampered By Crew Availability:

NASA is pressing to use everything from robots to Russians in an effort to stretch the crew time available for research on the U.S. side of the International Space Station (ISS).

William Gerstenmaier, NASA’s associate administrator for human exploration and operations, says he is “narrowing down” the list of candidates he will select as early as this week for the agency’s Commercial Crew Integrated Capability effort, which will provide substantial seed money for at least three private efforts to deliver crews to the ISS as early as 2015.

A commercial capability would allow the station’s crew to grow from six to seven by providing a four-seat vehicle for emergency departures in addition to the three-seat Russian Soyuz capsules in use today. But until that capability is ready, a backlog is building for the three station crewmembers assigned to work in the NASA-controlled modules of the ISS.

Don Pettit, who returned from his second stint on the ISS July 1 after 193 days in orbit, says U.S.-side crewmembers are averaging about 6.5 hr. per day of research time. Overall the U.S.-side crew is posting 35 hr. per week of research as counted by NASA’s ISS program office at Johnson Space Center.

“Currently crewmembers are working 13 or 14 hours a day, and out of that we can get about 6.5 hours of mission programmatic work done,” Pettit told the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation July 25. “That’s because we’re in a harsh frontier, and we spend 13 or 14 hours a day just to keep the machinery going and keep it possible for human beings to be there. You’ll find this is commensurate with other frontiers that are harsh on the surface of Earth.”

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Universe Today: Fish in Space: Space Station Gets an Aquarium

SPACE.com: Next Space Station Crew to Try 'Fishy' Science

Discovery News: I, For One, Welcome Our New Fishy Overlords