International Space Station Status Report #44 - 2004

Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2004 15:15:00 -0500
From:
Subject: International Space Station Status Report #44

2004
Report #44
3 p.m. CDT Friday, Aug. 6, 2004
Mission Control Center, Houston

Aboard the International Space Station this week, Expedition 9 Commander
Gennady Padalka and NASA ISS Science Officer Mike Fincke resumed scientific
investigations, routine maintenance, and preparations for the arrival of a
new cargo ship - all following a spacewalk on Tuesday.

During the 4 ½ hour Extravehicular Activity (EVA) - or spacewalk - Padalka
and Fincke replaced experiments on the outside of the Zvezda Service Module
and installed navigation aids for next year's arrival of a European cargo
craft. Their fourth and final planned spacewalk is targeted for early
September.

Wednesday, the crew cleaned and stowed their spacesuits and spacewalking
tools, recharged batteries, and filled water tanks for the suits' cooling
units. They also conducted debriefing sessions with Russian spacewalk
specialists. Also Wednesday, ground controllers in Houston repressurized the
Station with nitrogen from the High Pressure Gas Tanks on the Quest Airlock
after the spacewalk.

Earlier today, the crew started assembling the cover that will protect the
new flex hose on the window of the Destiny Laboratory to ensure it will not
be inadvertently damaged by crew activity in the research module.

The crew wrapped up its week with Fincke conducting more experiments with
the advanced ultrasound equipment as well as updating software for the
Station Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) that collects information on
the effect of crew activity on delicate microgravity experiments housed on
board the complex.

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, final preparations are under way
for next Wednesday's launch of the Russian ISS Progress 15 cargo ship that
will transport almost three tons of food, fuel, water and supplies for
Padalka and Fincke as well as clothing and supplies for the Expedition 10
crew, Commander Leroy Chiao and Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan
Sharipov, who are scheduled to launch to the Station Oct. 9 to replace
Padalka and Fincke.

The Progress 15 craft is scheduled to lift off at 12:03 a.m. CDT (503 GMT)
Wednesday for a three-day trip to the Station. Docking is scheduled at 12:02
a.m. CDT (502 GMT) Aug. 14. NASA Television will provide live coverage and
commentary of the docking beginning at 11 p.m. CDT Aug. 13.

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://spaceflight.nasa.gov/

Details on Station science operations can be found on an Internet site
administered by the Payload Operations Center at NASA's Marshall Space
Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., at:

http://scipoc.msfc.nasa.gov/

The next ISS status report will be issued on Wednesday, Aug. 11, after the
launch of the Progress resupply craft, or earlier, if events warrant.



--
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Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.info