February 2007 - Sarex (INACTIVE)

NASA TV AIRS SHUTTLE CREW MEDIA SESSION AND SPACEWALK THURSDAY
by Arthur Rowe 21 Feb '07

21 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 Feb. 21, 2007 John Yembrick Headquarters, Washington 202-358-0602 James Hartsfield Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 Jessica Rye Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-867-2468 NASA TV AIRS SHUTTLE CREW MEDIA SESSION AND SPACEWALK THURSDAY WASHINGTON - Two human spaceflight events will air simultaneously on separate NASA Television digital channels Thursday, Feb. 22. At 5 a.m. EST(1000 GMT) two crew members of the International Space Station will begin the fourth spacewalk in the last three weeks. During the six-hour spacewalk, Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez Alegria and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin will work to free a stuck antenna on the Progress 23 supply spacecraft. Coverage of the spacewalk on NASA TV's public, education and media channels begins at 4 a.m.(0900 GMT) The media Channel will break away temporarily from the spacewalk coverage to air a question and answer session between reporters and the STS-117 crew at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., at 7:40 a.m. The crew will be in Florida to participate in the launch countdown dress rehearsal, known as the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test. The shuttle crew includes Commander Rick Sturckow, Pilot Lee Archambault and Mission Specialists Patrick Forrester, Steven Swanson, John "Danny" Olivas and Jim Reilly. Coverage of the spacewalk will continue uninterrupted on the public channel and will resume on the media channel immediately following the shuttle crew event. For NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv -end-

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Expedition 14 Continues Feb. 22 Spacewalk Preps
by Arthur Rowe 20 Feb '07

20 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 The Expedition 14 crew continued with preparations for a Feb. 22 spacewalk this week. The spacewalkers have conducted leak checks and have installed lights and additional equipment on their Russian Orlan space suits. The crew conducted its Orlan dry run Tuesday morning. Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin began preparing their Russian suits around 5 a.m. EST and donning their suits for a communications and systems test. Lopez-Alegria and Tyurin will participate in their increment’s fifth spacewalk – a record for station crews. They will attempt to free a stuck antenna on the ISS Progress 23 docked to the aft end of the Zvezda service module. They will also check on navigation systems in preparation for the summer docking of a European cargo craft known as the Automated Transfer Vehicle. + Read more about the Feb. 22 spacewalk <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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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-19 00:45 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 18 Feb '07

18 Feb '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-02-19 00:45 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 Will be covered on Echolink, IRLP, and the web (***) Escola Camilo Castelo Branco, Portugal 2790-096, Carnaxide, 2004-12-22, telebridge via VK5ZAI Mon 2007-02-26 15:51 UTC 56 deg Will be covered on Echolink, IRLP, and the web (***) 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 2007-02-19 00:45 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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ISS Status Report: SS07-09
by Arthur Rowe 17 Feb '07

17 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 > Feb. 16, 2007 > > John Yembrick > Headquarters, Washington > 202-358-0602 > > James Hartsfield > Johnson Space Center, Houston > 281-483-4934 > STATUS REPORT: SS07-09 > > INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: SS07-09 > > HOUSTON - This week, the Expedition 14 crew continued to focus on > preparation for their final planned spacewalk ahead of the space > shuttle Atlantis' arrival in March. This comes following Sunday's > unexpected circuit breaker trip on the International Space Station > and subsequent resetting of affected equipment. > > As Atlantis was moved to the launch pad this week, station Commander > Mike Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin conducted leak > checks of the Russian Orlan spacesuits they will wear for their Feb. > 22 venture outside the station. They installed some additional > equipment on the suits, including lights that will assist in their > tasks. > > Friday, the crew verified the suits' readiness by conducting telemetry > and communications checks with flight controllers in Russia at the > Mission Control Center in Korolev. > > The spacewalk will be the fifth by the Expedition 14 crew, a record > for a station crew. It will be the fourth spacewalk conducted from > the space station in the past three weeks. The spacewalk, scheduled > to begin at approximately 4 a.m. CST, is expected to last six hours. > NASA Television and www.nasa.gov will broadcast the event live, > beginning at 3 a.m. > > The spacewalkers will attempt to free a stuck antenna on the Progress > 23 cargo craft that is docked at the aft end of the station. The > antenna did not properly retract when the supply vessel docked in > October. Securing or removing the antenna is necessary to allow the > Progress to undock in April. > > Additionally, they will survey docking navigation systems for the > European Automated Transfer Vehicle, a cargo spacecraft scheduled to > make its maiden voyage this summer. > > The spacewalk will be the 10th for Lopez-Alegria, a record for a U.S. > astronaut. > > Also this week, robotics ground controllers in Houston commanded the > station's mobile transporter rail car to move to the starboard side > of the station's truss in preparation for the arrival of Atlantis, > which will bring a new, school bus-sized truss segment with a third > set of U.S. solar arrays for the complex, and batteries and other > electronics. > > The crew will spend Monday inside the Destiny laboratory training on > the operation of the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm. > > For more about the crew's activities and station sighting > opportunities, visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/station > > > -end- > > > > >

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Shuttle Atlantis Moves to Pad, Crew Ready for Countdown Test
by Arthur Rowe 16 Feb '07

16 Feb '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 : > Feb. 15, 2007 > > Katherine Trinidad > Headquarters, Washington > 202-358-3749 > > Jessica Rye > Kennedy Space Center, Fla. > 321-867-2468 > > > SHUTTLE ATLANTIS MOVES TO PAD, CREW READY FOR COUNTDOWN TEST > > CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The space shuttle Atlantis arrived at its > launch pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., at 3:09 p.m. EST on > top of the giant vehicle known as the crawler transporter. The next > milestone for the upcoming mission, STS-117, is a full launch dress > rehearsal as the six-member crew prepares to continue building the > International Space Station. > > The crawler transporter began carrying Atlantis out of Kennedy's > Vehicle Assembly Building at 8:19 a.m. It traveled just under 1 mph > during the 3.4 mile journey. > > While at the pad, the shuttle will undergo final testing, payload > installation and a "hot fire" test of auxiliary power units. When > testing is completed, the rotating service structure will be moved > around the vehicle for protection. > > Atlantis' targeted launch date is March 15. During the 11-day mission, > the 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. The > launch marks the first liftoff from Pad 39A in four years. > > The astronauts and ground crews for the mission will participate in a > launch dress rehearsal, known as the terminal countdown demonstration > test, Feb. 21 to 23 at Kennedy. The test provides the crew of each > shuttle mission with an opportunity to participate in various > simulated countdown activities, including equipment familiarization > and emergency egress training. > > > The crew includes Commander Rick Sturckow, Pilot Lee Archambault and > mission specialists Jim Reilly, Patrick Forrester, Steven Swanson and > John "Danny" Olivas. > > Media Events (All Times Eastern) > > Feb. 21 - STS-117 Crew Arrival: The crew will arrive at 1 p.m. at the > Shuttle Landing Facility and make a statement. Media should arrive at > Kennedy's News Center by noon for transportation to the facility. The > arrival will be carried live NASA TV coverage. > > Feb. 22 - STS-117 Crew Media Q&A: The crew of Atlantis will take media > questions at Launch Pad 39A at 7:40 a.m. Media must arrive at the > News Center by 6:30 a.m. for transportation to the launch pad. The > session will be carried live on NASA TV. > > Feb. 23 - STS-117 Crew Walkout Photo Opportunity: The astronauts will > depart from the Operations and Checkout Building at 7:45 a.m. in > their flight entry suits in preparation for the countdown > demonstration test at the launch pad. Media need to arrive at the > News Center by 6:45 a.m. to cover the event. There will be no live > NASA TV coverage. > > > For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming > video, visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/ntv > For information about the STS-117 mission and crew, visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle > > > -end- > > > > > >

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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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