February 2007 - Sarex (INACTIVE)

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-15 18:45 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 15 Feb '07

15 Feb '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-15 18:45 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Vasant Valley School, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, India, telebridge via WH6PN Sat 2007-02-24 08:50 UTC 82 deg via WH6PN Escola Camilo Castelo Branco, Portugal 2790-096, Carnaxide, 2004-12-22, telebridge via VK5ZAI (***) Mon 2007-02-26 15:51 UTC 56 deg (***) Virginia Run Elementary School in Centreville, Virginia, direct via K4HTA Fri 2007-03-02 16:18 UTC 50 deg (***) Total number of ARISS school contacts is 268. QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's ISS callsigns: DP0ISS, NA1SS, RS0ISS ***************************************************************************** The schedule page has been updated as of 2007-02-15 18:45 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2007-02-12 19:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correctio… tf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf ***************************************************************************** There has been a rumor that the ISS was having direct contacts on the 40 meter band. There is no HF radio equipment on board and available yet. The HF antenna is mounted. Sometimes WA3NAN will retransmit shuttle audio. ***************************************************************************** Expedition 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14/15 on orbit: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-14 21:45 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 14 Feb '07

14 Feb '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-14 21:45 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Vasant Valley School, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, India, telebridge via WH6PN Sat 2007-02-24 08:50 UTC 82 deg via WH6PN Total number of ARISS school contacts is 268. QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's ISS callsigns: DP0ISS, NA1SS, RS0ISS ***************************************************************************** The schedule page has been updated as of 2007-02-14 21:45 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2007-02-12 19:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correctio… tf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf ***************************************************************************** There has been a rumor that the ISS was having direct contacts on the 40 meter band. There is no HF radio equipment on board and available yet. The HF antenna is mounted. Sometimes WA3NAN will retransmit shuttle audio. ***************************************************************************** Expedition 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14/15 on orbit: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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Astronauts Honored at the White House
by Arthur Rowe 14 Feb '07

14 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 TO VIEW IMAGE GO TO:http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts116/multime… Astronauts Honored at the White House 02.12.07 President Bush recognizes NASA astronauts Joan Higginbotham, right, and Robert Curbeam, during a ceremony honoring African-American History Month, Monday, Feb. 12, 2007, in the East Room at the White House in Washington. Curbeam and Higginbotham were crew members of Space Shuttle Discovery's STS-116 mission to the International Space Station in December 2006. It was the first shuttle mission with two African-American crew members. President Bush called STS-116, "one of the most challenging missions in NASA's history" and added, "I really appreciate the fact that they are furthering humanity's path of discovery, and I appreciate the fact that you say loud and clear, our country is unlimited in its opportunities for people from all walks of life." + President Bush's Remarks <http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/02/20070212-5.html> During the 13-day mission -- the 20th shuttle flight to the International Space Station -- the crew rewired the outpost's power system and continued constructing the station by installing the P5 integrated truss segment. As the only STS-116 crew member to participate in all four spacewalks, Curbeam set a shuttle program record for the most spacewalks performed by one astronaut during a single mission. Higginbotham directed the transfer of 5,800 pounds of much-needed supplies and equipment to the station from the SPACEHAB single logistics module in the orbiter's payload bay. Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

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NASA Sets Briefing to Preview Station Spacewalk
by Arthur Rowe 14 Feb '07

14 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 > Feb. 14, 2007 > > Katherine Trinidad > Headquarters, Washington > 202-358-3749 > > James Hartsfield > Johnson Space Center, Houston > 281-483-5111 > > > > NASA SETS BRIEFING TO PREVIEW STATION SPACEWALK > > HOUSTON - NASA will hold a briefing at 1 p.m. CST Friday, Feb. 16 to > preview the fourth spacewalk this month by the residents of the > International Space Station. The spacewalk is set to begin at 4 a.m. > CST Feb. 22. > > The Feb. 16 briefing will originate from NASA's Johnson Space Center, > Houston, and will include questions from journalists at participating > NASA locations. > > Participants in the briefing will include: - Rick LaBrode, > International Space Station spacewalk flight director - Glenda Laws, > lead spacewalk officer for Expedition 14 > > For the spacewalk, Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez Alegria and > Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin will venture outside the station > wearing Russian spacesuits for six hours. They will retract a stuck > antenna on a cargo craft that is docked at the rear of the complex. > The navigation antenna did not retract properly when the ISS Progress > 23 cargo craft docked to the station in October. The antenna needs to > be retracted before the cargo craft is undocked from the complex in > April. Lopez-Alegria and Tyurin also will inspect systems to be used > by a new European Automated Transfer Vehicle cargo craft that is due > to fly to the station this summer. During the spacewalk, Expedition > 14 Flight Engineer Suni Williams will assist from inside the station. > > Coverage of the Feb. 22 spacewalk on NASA Television will begin at 3 > a.m. CST. For NASA TV downlink, schedules and streaming video > information on the Web, visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/ntv > > For more about the crew's activities and station sighting > opportunities on the Web, visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/station > > > -end- > > > > > >

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ISS STATUS REPORT: SS07-08
by Arthur Rowe 14 Feb '07

14 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 Feb. 12, 2007 Allard Beutel Headquarters, Washington 202-358-4769 Kyle Herring Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 STATUS REPORT: SS07-08 INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: SS07-08 HOUSTON - An unexpected circuit breaker trip early Sunday caused a power outage on the International Space Station. All systems were back up by Monday morning with no impact to operations on board. The safety of the Expedition 14 crew and the complex was never an issue. The first indications of a problem came with the loss of communications between the station and mission control just after 12:00 a.m. CST Sunday when an electrical switching unit experienced a brief malfunction that appropriately caused a breaker to trip, protecting the electrical system of the station much like a circuit breaker protects electrical systems and equipment in a home. Expedition 14 Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineers Mikhail Tyurin and Suni Williams - awake since mid-evening Saturday - took immediate action and followed procedures on board to recover the communications link with mission control, Houston, at about 1:35 a.m. During the remainder of Sunday and through early Monday, restoration of systems continued. The systems affected included: One of two redundant communications systems One of four gyroscopes used to maintain the station's position, or orientation Several scientific facilities, including the freezer containing experiment samples The Ku Band high data rate and television system Several smoke detectors and various heaters that maintain a thermal balance of external components, including the robotic arm and its mobile base None of these systems was permanently affected, and the equipment's temporary shut down did not impact research work or upcoming planned activities. In addition to the recovery from the power outage, the crew also began early preparations for the next spacewalk by Tyurin and Lopez-Alegria. During that spacewalk scheduled for Feb. 22, the two will free a stuck antenna on the ISS Progress 23 supply craft and survey navigation systems for the European Automated Transfer Vehicle's docking capability to the Zvezda Service Module. They will try to secure or remove the antenna to preclude any interference during undocking in April. The spacewalk will be the 10th for Lopez-Alegria, which will be a U.S. astronaut record. The two will wear Russian Orlan suits for the excursion out of the Pirs docking compartment. For more about the crew's activities and station sighting opportunities, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station -end-

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ISS Status Report: SS07-08
by Arthur Rowe 14 Feb '07

14 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 > Feb. 12, 2007 > > Allard Beutel > Headquarters, Washington > 202-358-4769 > > Kyle Herring > Johnson Space Center, Houston > 281-483-5111 > STATUS REPORT: SS07-08 > > INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: SS07-08 > > HOUSTON - An unexpected circuit breaker trip early Sunday caused a > power outage on the International Space Station. All systems were > back up by Monday morning with no impact to operations on board. The > safety of the Expedition 14 crew and the complex was never an issue. > > The first indications of a problem came with the loss of > communications between the station and mission control just after > 12:00 a.m. CST Sunday when an electrical switching unit experienced a > brief malfunction that appropriately caused a breaker to trip, > protecting the electrical system of the station much like a circuit > breaker protects electrical systems and equipment in a home. > > Expedition 14 Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineers > Mikhail Tyurin and Suni Williams - awake since mid-evening Saturday - > took immediate action and followed procedures on board to recover the > communications link with mission control, Houston, at about 1:35 a.m. > > > During the remainder of Sunday and through early Monday, restoration > of systems continued. The systems affected included: > > > > One of two redundant communications systems > > One of four gyroscopes used to maintain the station's position, or > orientation > > Several scientific facilities, including the freezer containing > experiment samples > > The Ku Band high data rate and television system > > Several smoke detectors and various heaters that maintain a thermal > balance of external components, including the robotic arm and its > mobile base > > > > None of these systems was permanently affected, and the equipment's > temporary shut down did not impact research work or upcoming planned > activities. > > In addition to the recovery from the power outage, the crew also began > early preparations for the next spacewalk by Tyurin and > Lopez-Alegria. During that spacewalk scheduled for Feb. 22, the two > will free a stuck antenna on the ISS Progress 23 supply craft and > survey navigation systems for the European Automated Transfer > Vehicle's docking capability to the Zvezda Service Module. They will > try to secure or remove the antenna to preclude any interference > during undocking in April. The spacewalk will be the 10th for > Lopez-Alegria, which will be a U.S. astronaut record. The two will > wear Russian Orlan suits for the excursion out of the Pirs docking > compartment. > > > > For more about the crew's activities and station sighting > opportunities, visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/station > > > -end- > > > > To subscribe to the list, send a message to: > hqnews-subscribe(a)mediaservices.nasa.gov > To remove your address from the list, send a message to: > hqnews-unsubscribe(a)mediaservices.nasa.gov > >

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Columbus
by Thomas Frey 14 Feb '07

14 Feb '07

Columbus -------- ESA astronaut Leopold Eyharts of France has today been assigned to fly onboard the International Space Station for the delivery and commissioning of the European Columbus laboratory currently planned for this autumn. Read more: http://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEM4F8O2UXE_index_0.html Also online, an interview - Leopold Eyharts, the man who will bring Columbus to life: http://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEMFG9O2UXE_astronauts_0.html Mit freundlichen Grüssen, Regards, 73 Thomas Frey, HB9SKA ______________________________________________________________________ Thomas Frey, Holzgasse 2, CH-5242 Birr, Tel. + Fax: 056 444 93 41 http://home.datacomm.ch/th.frey/ Packet Radio (AX.25): HB9SKA @ HB9PD.CHE.EU

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ISS Status Report: SS07-08
by Arthur Rowe 13 Feb '07

13 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 > Feb. 12, 2007 > > Allard Beutel > Headquarters, Washington > 202-358-4769 > > Kyle Herring > Johnson Space Center, Houston > 281-483-5111 > STATUS REPORT: SS07-08 > > INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: SS07-08 > > HOUSTON - An unexpected circuit breaker trip early Sunday caused a > power outage on the International Space Station. All systems were > back up by Monday morning with no impact to operations on board. The > safety of the Expedition 14 crew and the complex was never an issue. > > The first indications of a problem came with the loss of > communications between the station and mission control just after > 12:00 a.m. CST Sunday when an electrical switching unit experienced a > brief malfunction that appropriately caused a breaker to trip, > protecting the electrical system of the station much like a circuit > breaker protects electrical systems and equipment in a home. > > Expedition 14 Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineers > Mikhail Tyurin and Suni Williams - awake since mid-evening Saturday - > took immediate action and followed procedures on board to recover the > communications link with mission control, Houston, at about 1:35 a.m. > > > During the remainder of Sunday and through early Monday, restoration > of systems continued. The systems affected included: > > > > One of two redundant communications systems > > One of four gyroscopes used to maintain the station's position, or > orientation > > Several scientific facilities, including the freezer containing > experiment samples > > The Ku Band high data rate and television system > > Several smoke detectors and various heaters that maintain a thermal > balance of external components, including the robotic arm and its > mobile base > > > > None of these systems was permanently affected, and the equipment's > temporary shut down did not impact research work or upcoming planned > activities. > > In addition to the recovery from the power outage, the crew also began > early preparations for the next spacewalk by Tyurin and > Lopez-Alegria. During that spacewalk scheduled for Feb. 22, the two > will free a stuck antenna on the ISS Progress 23 supply craft and > survey navigation systems for the European Automated Transfer > Vehicle's docking capability to the Zvezda Service Module. They will > try to secure or remove the antenna to preclude any interference > during undocking in April. The spacewalk will be the 10th for > Lopez-Alegria, which will be a U.S. astronaut record. The two will > wear Russian Orlan suits for the excursion out of the Pirs docking > compartment. > > > > For more about the crew's activities and station sighting > opportunities, visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/station > > > -end- > > > > > >

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NASA Announces Three ISS Crews
by Arthur Rowe 13 Feb '07

13 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR - N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 > Feb. 12, 2007 > > Katherine Trinidad > Headquarters, Washington > 202-358-3749 > > Nicole Cloutier-Lemasters > Johnson Space Center, Houston > 281-483-5111 > > > > NASA ANNOUNCES THREE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION CREWS > > WASHINGTON - NASA and its international partners have named the crews > that will live and work aboard the International Space Station for > the next two years. The crew members make up three expeditions to the > station and represent four space agencies. > > The assignments include the first long-duration station flight for a > Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut and the second > long-duration station flight for an astronaut from the European Space > Agency (ESA). The JAXA and ESA astronauts will work on the > installation and checkout of the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo and > European Columbus laboratories on the station. > > NASA astronaut and veteran station crew member Peggy A. Whitson will > command Expedition 16, set to begin in fall 2007. The flight > engineers for the mission include cosmonaut and Russian Air Force > Col. Yuri I. Malenchenko, ESA astronaut and French Air Force Brig. > Gen. Leopold Eyharts and NASA astronaut Garrett E. Reisman. > > Malenchenko will command the Russian Soyuz spacecraft that will carry > him and Whitson to the station and return them to Earth in spring > 2008. They will join NASA astronaut Daniel M. Tani aboard the > station. > Eyharts will fly to the station on space shuttle mission STS-122, > which is expected to deliver the Columbus lab this fall. Eyharts will > remain on the station to oversee activation and checkout of the > laboratory, while Tani takes the shuttle home. > Reisman will fly on shuttle Endeavour's STS-123 mission to replace > Eyharts. Reisman will remain on the station for about six months and > return on shuttle mission STS-119, targeted for summer 2008. > Russian Air Force Lt. Col. Sergei Volkov will command Expedition 17. > Expedition 17 flight engineers include cosmonaut Oleg D. Kononenko > and NASA astronaut Sandra H. Magnus. > > Kononenko will command the Soyuz spacecraft that will carry him and > Volkov to the station in spring 2008 and bring them home in fall > 2008. > Magnus will arrive on STS-119 and remain aboard the station. Magnus > will return on the STS-126 mission targeted for summer 2008. > NASA astronaut and station veteran Air Force Lt. Col. E. Michael > Fincke will command Expedition 18. Expedition 18 flight engineers > include cosmonaut and veteran station crew member Russian Air Force > Col. Salizhan S. Sharipov, JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata and NASA > astronaut Gregory E. Chamitoff. > > Sharipov will command the Soyuz that will carry him and Fincke to the > station in fall 2008 and back to Earth in spring 2009. > Wakata will fly to the station on STS-126 to replace Magnus. Magnus > will return to Earth on STS-126. > Chamitoff will fly to the station on the STS-127 mission, targeted for > winter 2008, the third and final flight for assembly of the Japanese > Kibo lab. Wakata will return to Earth on STS-127. Chamitoff will > return home on a later shuttle or Soyuz mission. > Expedition 16 backup crew members: > > Fincke for Whitson > Sharipov for Malenchenko > ESA astronaut Frank DeWinne for Eyharts > NASA astronaut Army Lt. Col. Timothy L. Kopra for Reisman. > Expedition 17 backup crew members: > > Cosmonaut and veteran station crew member Sergei Krikalev for Volkov > Cosmonaut Russian Air Force Col. Maxim V. Suraev for Kononenko > NASA astronaut Nicole P. Stott for Magnus. > Expedition 18 backup crew members: > > NASA astronaut Dr. Michael R. Barratt for Fincke > Cosmonaut Russian Air Force Lt. Col. Yuri V. Lonchakov for Sharipov > JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi for Wakata > NASA astronaut Army Col. Timothy J. Creamer for Chamitoff. > Video of the prime crew members will air on NASA TV's Video File. For > NASA TV downlink, streaming video and scheduling information, visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For complete crew biographies, visit: > > http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/astrobio.html > > For more about upcoming space shuttle missions, visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle > > > -end- > > >

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-12 19:00 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 12 Feb '07

12 Feb '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-12 19:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Hanazono Elementary School, Akashi-city, Hyogo-pref, Japan, direct via 8N3F Successful Mon 2007-02-12 09:05 UTC 35 deg(***) Vasant Valley School, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, India, telebridge via WH6PN Sat 2007-02-24 08:50 UTC 82 deg via WH6PN Total number of ARISS school contacts is 268. (***) QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's ISS callsigns: DP0ISS, NA1SS, RS0ISS ***************************************************************************** The schedule page has been updated as of 2007-02-12 19:00 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2007-02-12 19:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correctio… tf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf ***************************************************************************** There has been a rumor that the ISS was having direct contacts on the 40 meter band. There is no HF radio equipment on board and available yet. The HF antenna is mounted. Sometimes WA3NAN will retransmit shuttle audio. ***************************************************************************** Expedition 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14/15 on orbit: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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ISS Recovers From Power Loss
by Arthur Rowe 12 Feb '07

12 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Station Recovers From Power Loss* Mission control teams are working to assess systems affected by a power loss aboard the International Space Station early Sunday morning. The station's three crew members were not in any danger, but it did turn an off-duty day into a full work shift. About 1 a.m. EST, one of the power channels of the P4 solar array electrical system went down because of a glitch with a device known as a direct current switching unit. It controls power distribution from the solar array to the battery systems and other hardware. The glitch resulted in a temporary loss of communications, and shut down some equipment, including a few science facilities and heating units and control moment gyroscope #2. The station never lost orientation control, but it operated most of the day with two of four gyros. Control moment gyroscope #3 previously had been powered down. Flight controllers restored power to nearly all affected systems and equipment by Monday morning. They are still investigating what caused the glitch, but they believe it was an isolated event.

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EXP 14 - Record Setting Spacewalks
by Arthur Rowe 11 Feb '07

11 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Record Setting Spacewalks* ISS014-E-13326 --- Sunita Williams during a session of extravehicular activity Image above: Astronaut Sunita L. Williams, Expedition 14 flight engineer, uses a digital still camera to expose a photo of her helmet visor. Also visible in the reflections in the visor is a solar array wing. Image credit: NASA TO VIEW IMAGE GO TO: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html With all scheduled tasks accomplished, Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Suni Williams finished a 6-hour, 40-minute spacewalk Thursday. Their completed tasks will allow for the attachment of a cargo platform during the STS-118 mission this summer and relocation of the P6 truss during STS-120 later this year. Connection of remaining cables to the Destiny laboratory will allow future visiting shuttles to derive power from the station to extend their missions. The crew now begins to review Russian procedures for the next spacewalk on Feb. 22. Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin will work on an antenna on the Progress 23 cargo ship docked at the aft port of the Zvezda service module. The antenna did not properly retract when that spacecraft docked in October. They will try to secure or remove the antenna to avoid any interference when the Progress 23 undocks in April. The spacewalk will be the 10th for Lopez-Alegria, a new record for a U.S. astronaut. The three spacewalks from the Quest airlock in U.S. spacesuits and a Russian spacewalk on Feb. 22 will be the most ever done by station crew members during such a short period and will mark five spacewalks in all for Expedition 14, a record for any expedition. + Read more about the spacewalks <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition14/exp14_ev…>

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-10 23:45 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 11 Feb '07

11 Feb '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-10 23:45 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Hanazono Elementary School, Akashi-city, Hyogo-pref, Japan, direct via 8N3F Mon 2007-02-12 09:05 UTC 35 deg Vasant Valley School, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, India, telebridge via WH6PN (***) Sat 2007-02-24 08:50 UTC 82 deg via WH6PN (***) Total number of ARISS school contacts is 267. QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's ISS callsigns: DP0ISS, NA1SS, RS0ISS ***************************************************************************** The schedule page has been updated as of 2007-02-10 23:45 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2007-01-26 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correctio… tf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf ***************************************************************************** There has been a rumor that the ISS was having direct contacts on the 40 meter band. There is no HF radio equipment on board and available yet. The HF antenna is mounted. Sometimes WA3NAN will retransmit shuttle audio. ***************************************************************************** Expedition 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14/15 on orbit: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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STS-117 - Mating to Begin
by Arthur Rowe 10 Feb '07

10 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Mating to Begin * Atlantis is suspended vertically in the Vehicle Assembly Building. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller + View High-res Image <http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/169070main_shuttle_vertical.jpg> TO VIEW IMAGE GO TO www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html Space Shuttle Atlantis hangs suspended in its sling in the transfer aisle of the Vehicle Assembly Building. Preparations are underway to lift the vehicle up into high bay 1, where it will be lowered onto the mobile launcher platform for mating to the external tank and solid rocket boosters. The orbiter was transported to the Vehicle Assembly Building on Wednesday. First motion was at 6:19 a.m. EST. The rollover marks a milestone in the start of the vehicle's journey to Launch Pad 39A, scheduled for Feb. 14. Mission STS-117 will be the first launch at Pad 39A in four years. The flight of Space Shuttle Atlantis to the International Space Station on mission STS-117 has been targeted for March 15, a day earlier than originally planned. On the next space shuttle flight to continue constructing the station, the Atlantis crew will install a new truss segment, retract a set of solar arrays and unfold a new set on the starboard side of the station. Lessons learned from two previous missions will provide the astronauts with new techniques and tools to perform their duties. Commanding the Atlantis team is Frederick Sturckow, a veteran of two shuttle missions (STS-88, STS-105), while Lee Archambault will be making his first flight as the shuttle's pilot. Mission Specialists James Reilly (STS-89, STS-104) and Patrick Forrester (STS-105) will be returning to the station. Steven Swanson and John Olivas, both mission specialists, join the crew for their first flight into space. The mission astronauts will return to Kennedy a few weeks before liftoff to participate in the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. During this time they will practice launch activities, safety exercises, inspect the payload and conclude with a simulated main engine cut-off exercise. *STS-117 Mission* + The Crew <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/index.html> + The Mission <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/mission_ov…> + The Integrated Truss Structure <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/its.html> *Podcasts* + View All Podcasts <http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/podcasting/index.html> + How to Subscribe <http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/podcasting/help.html>

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AMSAT-DC Seminar Coming Soon
by Pat Kilroy 10 Feb '07

10 Feb '07

Interested in cultivating future engineers and scientists? Interested in involving students in amateur satellites as a training ground? Or just happy to promote awareness of and appreciation for technical excellence? Well, if you, or someone you know, is near Washington, D.C. then ... YOU ARE HEREBY INVITED to the next AMSAT-DC Meeting and Space Seminar. The day long event will be held on Saturday, March 24, in the same hall as last year, near BWI airport. Get the meeting announcement at http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/fieldops/eventDetail.php?eID=259 and share it with others. Today. Tomorrow too. In building our agenda, we are lining up one or two presentations from local folks who are building a CubeSat of all things! Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cubesat before coming. We'll take a close look at the brand new AMSAT lab on our eastern shore. Get news on a new S-Band beacon. High-altitude balloons? Yep, we've got that! Lots more will be offered too. OUR NUMBER ONE NEED for success: Publicity ... Please forward the event announcement to one who might like to know about it. Take it to a club meeting. Announce it on a net. Gosh, tell a high school or college student -- and an instructor too. All are invited. Thank you! And see you then! Sincerely, Pat Kilroy N8PK AMSAT-DC Co-host ================================================================= Patrick L. Kilroy WK Integration & Test (I&T) 301-286-1984 Voice NASA Goddard Space Flight Center 301-286-1673 Fax Building 5, Mail Code 568 Patrick.L.Kilroy(a)nasa.gov Greenbelt, Maryland 20771 http://lro.gsfc.nasa.gov/ ================================================================= "Imagination is more important than knowledge." - Albert Einstein

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ARISS event - Hanazono Elementary School, Akashi-city, Japan - Mon (Feb 12) 09:05 UTC
by Ransom, Kenneth G. (JSC-OC)[BAR] 09 Feb '07

09 Feb '07

An International Space Station Expedition 14 ARISS school contact has been planned with students at Hanazono Elementary School, Akashi-city, Japan on Monday, 12 Feb. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 09:05 UTC. The contact will be a direct between stations NA1SS and 8N3F. The contact should be audible in the Japan and Eastern Asia. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in English. Hanazono Elementary, is located in Akashi, the city that Japan Standard time is defined by. Students sometimes go to the planetarium of the astronomical science building in Akashi or observe the starry sky at the playground. Students went to camp at astronomical observatory park in our prefecture when they were 5th grade and looked at stars through a two-meter telescope. We are breeding the Japanese killifish that were on the space shuttle with the astronaut Chiaki Mukai. There are many children interested in outer space in our school. Students will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. Why did you want to become an astronaut? 2. Do you sometimes have arguments with other astronauts? 3. How do you deal with carbon dioxide there? 4. Can you keep animals in space? 5. Can you see the forest destruction and desertification from space? 6. What is beautiful in space? 7. Can you tell when it is night or morning in space? 8. Is it tiring to float? 9. What would you do when you are sick or get injured? 10. What is convenient and what is not in a gravity-free space? 11. Is it true that meteorites are flying around in space? 12. Do you have any hot space food? 13. Do you miss the earth? 14. What smells do you have at the space station? 15. Where do you throw away trash & etcetera? 16. What is the future plan of space station? 17. Is the starlit sky the same in space? 18. How much monthly trash is there in space? 19. Do raw foods get spoiled in space too? 20. What is the hardest experience during the training before going to space? 21. Is it true that you will lose your balance after you come back from space? 22. What do you do at the space station? 23. Have you ever seen an UFO? 24. Is it possible for us to go to space without training? Please note, the amateur equipment on the ISS is not functioning in the automatic modes properly and may be silent more than usual. Information about the next scheduled ARISS contact can be found at http://www.rac.ca/ariss/upcoming.htm#NextContact . Next planned event(s): Vasant Valley School, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi, India, telebridge via WH6PN Sat 2007-02-25 08:50 UTC ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the participating space agencies, NASA, Russian Space Agency, ESA, CNES, JAXA, and CSA, with the AMSAT and IARU organizations from participating countries. ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crewmembers on-board the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, first hand, how Amateur Radio and crewmembers on ISS can energize youngsters' interest in science, technology, and learning. Further information on the ARISS program is available on the website http://www.rac.ca/ariss (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada). Thank you & 73, Kenneth - N5VHO

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Station Crew Wraps Up Successful Spacewalk Series
by Arthur Rowe 09 Feb '07

09 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Station Crew Wraps Up Successful Spacewalk Series* Image above: Expedition 14 crew members work on a task during Thursday's spacewalk. Image credit: NASA TV TOVIEW IMAGE GO TO:http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Suni Williams successfully completed a 6-hour, 40-minute spacewalk at 3:06 p.m. EST Thursday. It was the last in an unprecedented series of three spacewalks in nine days from the Quest airlock. Major tasks of this spacewalk included removing and jettisoning two large shrouds and installation of attachments for cargo carriers. Lopez-Alegria now has nine spacewalks totaling 61 hours, 22 minutes, putting him second on the all-time spacewalking list behind Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Solovyev. Williams has completed four spacewalks with a total time of 29 hours, 17 minutes, more than any other woman in history. + Read more about the spacewalks <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition14/exp14_ev…> + Expedition 14 Mission Status Briefing Materials, Jan. 26, 2007 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition14/exp14_ms…> + Read more about Expedition 14 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition14/index.ht…> + Read more about Expedition 15 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/index.ht…> + View crew's daily timelines <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/timelines/index.html>

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ISS Status Report: SS07-07
by Arthur Rowe 09 Feb '07

09 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 > Feb. 8, 2007 > > Katherine Trinidad > Headquarters, Washington > 202-358-3749 > > John I. Petty > Johnson Space Center, Houston > 281-483-5111 > STATUS REPORT: SS07-07 > > INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: SS07-07 > > HOUSTON - With all scheduled tasks accomplished, International Space > Station Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Sunita > Williams ended a nearly seven hour spacewalk at 2:06 p.m. CST > Thursday. > > It was the last in a series of three spacewalks in nine days from the > Quest airlock. Major tasks of this spacewalk included removing and > jettisoning two large shrouds and installing an attachment for cargo > carriers. > > Lopez-Alegria and Williams moved from the airlock out to Crew > Equipment Transfer Aid carts on the rails of the main truss. Pushing > one cart with their equipment, including a foot restraint, they moved > to the Port 3 truss segment. Their first job was to remove two > thermal shrouds, one from each of two Rotary Joint Motor Controllers > on P3. > > Next, they removed two large shrouds from P3 Bays 18 and 20. The > shrouds, larger than king-size bed sheets, provide thermal shading. > With the station in its present orientation, they are no longer > needed and are being removed to avoid trapping heat. Lopez-Alegria > jettisoned them toward the rear of the station. > > Afterward, the Unpressurized Cargo Carrier Assembly Attachment Systems > on the upper face of the P3 truss was deployed. That was done in > preparation for attachment of a cargo carrier during a future shuttle > mission. While Lopez-Alegria finished work on the assembly attachment > system, Williams moved to the end of the P5 truss to remove two > launch locks in preparation for the relocation of the P6 truss. > > The final scheduled task of the spacewalk was connecting four cables > of the Station to Shuttle Power Transfer System to Pressurized Mating > Adapter-2 (PMA-2) at the forward end of the Destiny laboratory where > shuttles dock. This will allow visiting shuttles to take power from > the station to extend their missions. > > Work began on the system during the Jan. 31 spacewalk, and two of the > cables were routed and connected to PMA-2 on the Feb. 4 spacewalk. > The last four cables were connected to the PMA Thursday. The > astronauts did complete one get-ahead task to photograph a suspect > connector on the outboard end of PMA-2. It carries station shuttle > communications when the shuttle is docked but hatches are closed. > Communications have been intermittent during recent shuttle missions. > > > Throughout the spacewalk, Chris Looper in Johnson Space Center's > Mission Control advised Lopez-Alegria and Williams and monitored > their tasks. Looper is the chief engineer for the Astronaut Office > Spacewalk Branch. > > Approximately 3 hours, 50 minutes into his ninth spacewalk, > Lopez-Alegria set a record for cumulative spacewalk time by a U.S. > astronaut at 61 hours, 22 minutes. Jerry Ross previously held the > title with 58 hours, 32-minutes accumulated during nine spacewalks. > > The three spacewalks from the Quest airlock in U.S. spacesuits and a > Russian spacewalk on Feb. 22 are the most ever done by station crew > members during such a short period. Starting from scratch, it takes > crew members about 100 hours to prepare for a spacewalk. By doing the > U.S. spacewalks just a few days apart, considerable crew time can be > saved by not having to repeat some of the preparation. > > Thursday's spacewalk was the 80th for station assembly and > maintenance. It was the 52nd from the station and the 32nd from > Quest. It was the fourth for Williams, the most for any woman. > > During the Feb. 22 spacewalk, Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer > Mikhail Tyurin will wear Russian Orlan suits to work on an antenna on > the Progress 23 cargo ship docked at the aft port of the Zvezda > service module. The antenna did not properly retract when that > spacecraft docked in October. The spacewalkers will try to secure or > remove the antenna to avoid any interference with the undocking of a > Progress in April. The spacewalk will be the 10th for Lopez Alegria > and will set a new record. > > For more about the crew's activities and station sighting > opportunities, visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/station > > > -end- > > > > > > >

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-08 23:45 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 09 Feb '07

09 Feb '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-08 23:45 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Hanazono Elementary School, Akashi-city, Hyogo-pref, Japan, direct via 8N3F Mon 2007-02-12 09:05 UTC 35 deg (***) Total number of ARISS school contacts is 267. QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's ISS callsigns: DP0ISS, NA1SS, RS0ISS ***************************************************************************** The schedule page has been updated as of 2007-02-08 23:45 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2007-01-26 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correctio… tf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf ***************************************************************************** There has been a rumor that the ISS was having direct contacts on the 40 meter band. There is no HF radio equipment on board and available yet. The HF antenna is mounted. Sometimes WA3NAN will retransmit shuttle audio. ***************************************************************************** Expedition 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14/15 on orbit: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-07 23:30 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 08 Feb '07

08 Feb '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-07 23:30 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Hanazono Elementary School, Akashi-city, Hyogo-pref, Japan, direct via 8N3F Thu 2007-02-15 08:31 UTC 66 deg Total number of ARISS school contacts is 267. QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's ISS callsigns: DP0ISS, NA1SS, RS0ISS ***************************************************************************** The schedule page has been updated as of 2007-02-07 23:30 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2007-01-26 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correctio… tf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf ***************************************************************************** There has been a rumor that the ISS was having direct contacts on the 40 meter band. There is no HF radio equipment on board and available yet. The HF antenna is mounted. Sometimes WA3NAN will retransmit shuttle audio. ***************************************************************************** Expedition 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14/15 on orbit: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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EXP 14 Revved Up for Another Spacewalk
by Arthur Rowe 07 Feb '07

07 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Revved Up for Another Spacewalk* ISS014-E-13301 --- Sunita Williams participates in extravehicular activity Image above: Suni Williams, Expedition 14 flight engineer, participates in the second of three spacewalks in nine days. Image credit: NASA TO VIEW THE IMAGE GO TO: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Suni Williams continue to prepare for Thursday's excursion outside the International Space Station. Using instructional aids, Lopez-Alegria and Williams configured the required tools and gear, reviewed the updated spacewalk procedures and held a space-to-ground conference with Houston specialists to discuss details worked out in Mission Control. On Tuesday, Williams began spacesuit battery charging in the U.S. airlock, while Lopez-Alegria charged the digital camera system battery. Pre-spacewalk medical checkups are also performed. The spacewalk will begin around 9 a.m. EST and last an estimated 6 hours, 30 minutes. By the end of the spacewalk Lopez-Alegria will be in second place for the most spacewalk time by an American astronaut. + Read more about the spacewalks <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition14/exp14_ev…> + Watch NASA TV <http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html> + Expedition 14 Mission Status Briefing Materials, Jan. 26, 2007 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition14/exp14_ms…> + Read more about Expedition 14 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition14/index.ht…> + Read more about Expedition 15 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/index.ht…> + View crew's daily timelines <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/timelines/index.html>

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Thursday's Spacewalk Activities
by Arthur Rowe 07 Feb '07

07 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Thursday's Spacewalk Activities* ISS014-E-12995 --- Suni Williams in the Destiny laboratory Image above: Suni Williams, Expedition 14 flight engineer, uses a communication system in the Destiny laboratory. Image credit: NASA TO VIEW IMAGE GO TO: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Suni Williams will make the last of three spacewalks in nine days on Feb. 8. They will begin by removing shrouds. The shrouds, larger than king-size bed sheets, provide thermal shading. The pair will also lay the groundwork for attachment of a cargo carrier and prepare for the relocation of the P6 Truss during a subsequent shuttle mission. By the end of the spacewalk Lopez-Alegria will be in second place for the most spacewalk time by an American astronaut. + Read more about the spacewalks <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition14/exp14_ev…> + Watch NASA TV <http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html>

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-05 22:45 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 05 Feb '07

05 Feb '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-05 22:45 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Hanazono Elementary School, Akashi-city, Hyogo-pref, Japan, direct via 8N3F Thu 2007-02-15 08:31 UTC 66 deg (***) Total number of ARISS school contacts is 267. QSL information may be found at: http://www.arrl.org/ARISS/arissfaq.html http://www.rac.ca/ariss/oindex.htm#QSL's ISS callsigns: DP0ISS, NA1SS, RS0ISS ***************************************************************************** The schedule page has been updated as of 2007-02-05 22:45 UTC. Here you w ill find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2007-01-26 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/Successful_ARISS_schools.rtf Frequency chart for packet, voice, and crossband repeater modes showing Doppler correction as of 2005-07-29 04:00 UTC http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ISS_frequencies_and_Doppler_correctio… tf Listing of ARISS related magazine articles as of 2006-07-10 03:30 UTC: http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/ARISS_magazine_articles.rtf ***************************************************************************** There has been a rumor that the ISS was having direct contacts on the 40 meter band. There is no HF radio equipment on board and available yet. The HF antenna is mounted. Sometimes WA3NAN will retransmit shuttle audio. ***************************************************************************** Expedition 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14/15 on orbit: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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Astronaut Sunita L. Williams
by Arthur Rowe 05 Feb '07

05 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 TO VIEW PICTURE GO TO:http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_753.html Astronaut Sunita L. Williams, Expedition 14 flight engineer, used a pistol grip tool as she worked on the International Space Station in the first of three spacewalks slated to occur over a nine-day period. During the 7-hour 55-minute spacewalk that took place on Jan. 31, 2007, Williams and station commander Michael E. Lopez-Alegria (out of frame) reconfigured one of two cooling loops for the Destiny laboratory module, rearranged electrical connections and secured the starboard radiator of the P6 truss after retraction.

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ISS Status Report: SS07-06
by Arthur Rowe 05 Feb '07

05 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 > Feb. 4, 2007 > > Katherine Trinidad > Headquarters, Washington > 202-358-3749 > > John I. Petty > Johnson Space Center, Houston > 281-483-5111 > > STATUS REPORT: SS07-06 > > INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: SS07-06 > > HOUSTON - For the second time in four days, two residents of the > International Space Station stepped outside for a spacewalk to > complete connecting cooling loops from a temporary to a permanent > system. This time the excursion lasted just over seven hours. > > Wearing U.S. spacesuits, Expedition 14 Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria > and Flight Engineer Suni Williams began their spacewalk at 7:38 a.m. > CST, a few minutes ahead of schedule. After setting up tools and > tethers outside the Quest airlock, they moved to the area that > connects the Z1 truss to the S0 truss at the middle of the station's > large girder-like truss system. This area is known as the "rats' > nest." > > In these tight quarters, they rerouted a series of two electrical > cables and four fluid quick disconnect lines from the soon-to-be > defunct Early External Active Thermal Control System to a permanent > cooling system in the Destiny Laboratory. The cooling loop > reconfigured Sunday, known as the Moderate Temperature Loop (Loop B), > removes heat from the station's avionics systems and payload racks > through a heat exchanger system in the Destiny Laboratory. On Jan. > 31, Lopez-Alegria and Williams reconfigured a Low Temperature Loop > (Loop A) that rejects heat from the station's environmental systems. > > On Sunday, the spacewalkers also assisted in the retraction of the aft > heat-rejecting radiator on the P6 truss. The radiator had been used > since 2000 to keep station systems at the correct temperature through > the temporary cooling system. They helped tie the radiator down with > a series of cinches. Unlike the starboard radiator, which was > retracted Jan. 31, the aft radiator did not require the installation > of a protective thermal shroud due to the station's orientation to > the sun. During this summer's STS-118 shuttle mission, a third > radiator will be retracted, the only radiator on the P6 truss that > will be redeployed after the truss is relocated to the far port side > of the truss. > > Once the radiator was retracted, Lopez-Alegria and Williams completed > Wednesday's unfinished task of disconnecting and stowing the second > of two fluid lines for the Early Ammonia Servicer, a large tank on > the P6 truss that is no longer needed. The EAS was designed to > replenish ammonia to the temporary cooling system on the station in > the event of a coolant leak. The servicer will be jettisoned during a > spacewalk by the Expedition 15 crew this summer. > > Lopez-Alegria, at the base of the P6 truss, photographed the starboard > solar array and the blanket box into which it folds. Engineers will > analyze the photos and finalize plans to retract that array during > the STS-117 shuttle mission to the station next month. > > After the photographs were taken, Lopez-Alegria and Williams resumed > the stringing of electrical cables from the S0 truss to the Destiny > Laboratory and to its forward docking port, Pressurized Mating > Adapter-2 (PMA-2), to which visiting shuttles dock. The cables > provide electricity for the Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System > (SSPTS). The system will enable docked shuttles to draw electrical > power from the station to extend their missions. SSPTS is scheduled > to debut during STS-118, enabling Endeavour to fly for two weeks. > Three of the six cables were connected Sunday. The others probably > will be connected during a spacewalk Thursday, Feb. 8. > > Lopez-Alegria removed a sunshade from a data relay box on another > pressurized mating adapter that connects the U.S. and Russian > segments of the station. Since the shade is no longer needed, it was > folded up and brought inside to be discarded either on a future > Russian Progress cargo ship or a shuttle mission. Back in the > airlock, Lopez-Alegria and Williams did some precautionary > decontamination procedures after a few ammonia flakes were seen early > in the spacewalk. > > The spacewalk ended at 2:49 p.m. as the crew returned to Quest. It was > the eighth spacewalk of Lopez-Alegria's career and the third for > Williams. He surpassed astronaut Steve Smith to vault into third > place on the all-time spacewalking list for most hours spent outside. > Williams now holds the record for most spacewalking time by a female. > Former astronaut Kathy Thornton previously held that honor. Sunday's > spacewalk was the 79th for station assembly and maintenance and the > 51st done without a shuttle present. > > On Monday, Lopez-Alegria and Williams will recharge batteries and > prepare their spacesuits and tools for the next spacewalk set for > Thursday morning. > > For more about the crew's activities and station sighting > opportunities, visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/station > > > -end- > > > > > >

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