March 2007 - Sarex (INACTIVE) - mailman.amsat.org

ISS Module From Japan Arrives at NASA
by Arthur Rowe 12 Mar '07

12 Mar '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 > Mar. 12, 2007 > > John Yembrick > Headquarters, Washington > 202-358-0602 > > Tracy Young > Kennedy Space Center, Fla. > 321-867-2468 > > Lynnette Madison > Johnson Space Center, Houston > 281-483-5111 > > RELEASE: 07-63 > > INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION MODULE FROM JAPAN ARRIVES AT NASA > > CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - After traveling thousands of miles, a major > component of the International Space Station is set to begin > preparations for launch. The Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized > Section for the Japanese Experiment Module arrived at NASA's Kennedy > Space Center in Florida early Monday, March 12. The Japanese > Experiment Module is composed of three segments and is known as Kibo, > which means "hope" in Japanese. > > Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary > contribution to the station. It will enhance the unique research > capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional > environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The > Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section will serve as an > on-orbit storage area for materials, tools and supplies. It can hold > up to eight experiment racks and will attach to the top of another > larger pressurized module. > > The ship carrying the module departed Feb. 7 from Yokohama, Japan, for > the United States. Kibo's various components will be assembled in > space during the course of three shuttle missions. The first of those > three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module > Pressurized Section aboard the space shuttle Endeavour, targeted for > launch in 2007. > > For more information about the station and Kibo, visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/station > > > -end- > > > > > >

1 0

STS-ORBIT DOWNLOAD
by Arthur Rowe 12 Mar '07

12 Mar '07

CAN ANYONE HELP ME? N1ORC > I GOOFED IN TRYING TO UPDATE DAVID RANSOME'S > STS PLUS ORBIT PROGRAM. DO YOU KNOW OF ANYONE > THAT MIGHT HAVE IT ON A CD?? IT IS NO LONGER ON > THE WEB SITE. ARTHUR >

2 2

ISS Status Report #07-13
by Arthur Rowe 11 Mar '07

11 Mar '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *International Space Station Status Report #07-13* *3 p.m. CST, Friday, March 9, 2007* *Expedition 14 Crew* Science and setup for assembly highlighted the week on board the International Space Station, where the Expedition 14 crew members performed experiments related to human adaptation to space and made preparations for upcoming additions to the orbiting outpost. Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Suni Williams completed the last of the internal assembly tasks for the startup later this year of the new Oxygen Generation System (OGS) in the Destiny laboratory. The astronauts installed sound-deadening equipment and an electrical cable and reconnected a wastewater hose for the hardware that was delivered last summer on space shuttle mission STS-121. OGS, which will be required once the station crew size expands to six people, is slated for activation during Expedition 15. It will function initially as another backup to the Russian Elektron system. Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin spent time this week in maintenance of systems in the Russian segment of the station and in long-range preparations for arrival of the first of the European Space Agency’s cargo-carrying Automated Transfer Vehicles. Tyurin set up equipment in the Zvezda module for a ground-operated test of the satellite navigation system to be used during autonomous docking of the ATV to the Zvezda module’s aft port. He also pressurized and stowed a spare liquids unit for the Elektron, which supplies oxygen for the station's crew, and installed a new liquid crystal display for the TORU system, the manual docking system for Progress unpiloted supply ships. Expedition 14 crew members used their brains this week for scientific experiments. Lopez-Alegria and Williams conducted another session with the Anomalous Long-Term Effects in Astronauts' Central Nervous System (ALTEA) experiment. It measures exposure to cosmic radiation. For 90 minutes, each crew member wore an instrumented helmet containing six different particle detectors which measured radiation exposure, brain electrical activity and visual perception. ALTEA will further understanding of radiation impact on the human central nervous and visual systems, especially the phenomenon of crew members seeing flashes of light while in orbit. Crew members also tested their hand-eye coordination during the Test of Reaction and Adaptation Capabilities, or TRAC, experiment. TRAC studies the theory that while the brain is adapting to space, it is unable to provide the resources necessary to perform normal motor skills such as hand-eye coordination. They used a laptop and a joystick to control the position of a cursor, and a reaction time box to measure their response to audio and visual cues. Understanding how the brain adapts to microgravity could lead to improved procedures for activities requiring precise motor skills. U.S. and Russian station officials reached agreement this week on a plan to have the Expedition 14 crew relocate the Soyuz TMA-9 craft on March 29 from the Earth-facing port of the Zarya module to the aft port of the Zvezda module. This will alleviate the next station resident crew from having to perform the maneuver to reach Zarya as its final destination for the Expedition 15 increment. The ISS Progress 23 cargo ship currently docked to Zvezda, will be cast off on March 27 to make room for the Soyuz. Both sides also agreed this week to conduct a reboost of the station on March 15 using the Progress 23 engines to place the station at the correct altitude for the launch of the Expedition 15 crew in the Soyuz TMA-10 capsule on April 7. They will dock to Zarya on April 9. The Expedition 14 crew will now return to Earth on April 20. The next station status report will be issued Friday, March 16, or earlier if events warrant. For more about the crew's activities and station sighting opportunities, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station -end-

1 0

NEXT CIVILIAN SPACE TRAVELER IS AMATEUR RADIO-READY
by Arthur Rowe 10 Mar '07

10 Mar '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 THE FOLLOWING WAS TAKEN FROM THE ARRL WEEKLY LETTER ==>NEXT CIVILIAN SPACE TRAVELER IS AMATEUR RADIO-READY The next civilian space traveler is Amateur Radio ready. Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) <http://www.rac.ca/ariss> reports that software pioneer and aviator Charles Simonyi, KE7KDP, plans to talk with students at three schools during his stay in space. He also may make casual contacts. Simonyi, 58, is set to head into space April 7 on a Soyuz "taxi mission" to the ISS. He'll accompany Expedition 15 Russian cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin, RN3FI, and Oleg Kotov. They'll join US astronaut Sunita Williams, KD5PLB. As a client of Vienna, Virginia-based Space Adventures Ltd <http://www.spaceadventures.com>, Simonyi will pay $25 million for the privilege. He's been undergoing pre-flight training at Star City, Russia. During his eight-day stay aboard the ISS, he will conduct experiments on behalf of several international space agencies. "I am fascinated by the technologies utilized by the American and Russian space programs," Simonyi said. "As an engineer, I look forward to studying the different engineering approaches." Simonyi obtained his Technician ticket in December. Space Adventures says Simonyi's mission goals are to advance civilian space travel, assist with space station research and involve youth in the science of space travel. He established his space flight Web site <http://www.charlesinspace.com/> to chronicle his training experiences. A native of Hungary, Simonyi earned a bachelor's degree in engineering and mathematics from the University of California at Berkeley and a doctorate in computer science from Stanford University. Over the years, he's been associated with Xerox and with Microsoft, where he oversaw the teams that developed the company's Excel, Multiplan, Word and other applications. After leaving Microsoft in 2002, Simonyi founded Intentional Software Corporation, a software engineering company. The following year, he founded the Charles Simonyi Fund for Arts and Sciences to support arts organizations, science programs and educational institutions. Simonyi began his cosmonaut training in September. As part of his multi-faceted training at Star City, he has learned how to use the ARISS gear aboard the ISS. Space Adventures organized the flights for the world's first private space explorers, Dennis Tito, KG6FZX, Mark Shuttleworth, Greg Olsen, KC2ONX, and Anousheh Ansari. "We wish Charles well and we look forward with great anticipation to his launch," said Space Adventures President and CEO Eric Anderson.

1 0

Preparations Continue for Expedition 15, ATV
by Arthur Rowe 10 Mar '07

10 Mar '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Preparations Continue for Expedition 15, ATV* Image above: Bahia Blanca, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Image credit: NASA TO VIEW PICTURE GO TO: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Suni Williams completed internal assembly tasks for the startup later this year of the new Oxygen Generation System (OGS). OGS, which will be required once the station crew expands to six people, is scheduled for activation during Expedition 15. Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin prepared for the arrival of the European Space Agency’s unpiloted cargo craft, the Automated Transfer Vehicle. Tyurin set up equipment in the Zvezda module for a ground-operated test of the satellite navigation system to be used during autonomous docking of the ATV. A reboost of the station is planned for March 15 using the Progress 23 engines to place the station at the correct altitude for the launch of the Soyuz TMA-10 carrying the Expedition 15 crew. The ISS Progress 23 cargo ship, currently docked to the Zvezda service module, will be jettisoned on March 27 to make room for the Soyuz TMA-9 craft currently docked at the Zarya module. The Soyuz TMA-9 will be moved to the Zvezda service module on March 29 to make room for the Soyuz TMA-10. The Expedition 15 crew is scheduled to arrive at the station on April 9. The Expedition 14 crew will return to Earth on April 20.

1 0

ISS STATUS REPORT: SS07-12
by Arthur Rowe 09 Mar '07

09 Mar '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 Mar. 9, 2007 John Yembrick Headquarters, Washington 202-358-0602 James Hartsfield Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-4934 STATUS REPORT: SS07-12 INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT: SS07-12 HOUSTON - The Expedition 14 crew members this week prepared for upcoming additions to the station and performed experiments related to human adaptation to space. Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Suni Williams completed the last of the internal assembly tasks for the startup later this year of the new Oxygen Generation System in the Destiny laboratory. The astronauts installed sound-deadening equipment and an electrical cable and reconnected a wastewater hose for the hardware delivered last summer on space shuttle mission STS-121. The Oxygen Generation System will be required when the station crew size expands to six people. Slated for activation during Expedition 15, it will function initially as a backup to the Russian Elektron system, which supplies oxygen for the station's crew. Lopez-Alegria and Williams also performed scientific experiments, conducting another session with the Anomalous Long-Term Effects in Astronauts' Central Nervous System (ALTEA) to measure exposure to cosmic radiation. For 90 minutes, each crew member wore an instrumented helmet containing six different particle detectors that measure radiation exposure, brain electrical activity and visual perception. ALTEA will further the understanding of radiation impact on the human central nervous and visual systems, especially the phenomenon of crew members seeing flashes of light while in orbit. Crew members also tested their hand-eye coordination during the Test of Reaction and Adaptation Capabilities (TRAC) experiment. TRAC studies the theory that while the brain is adapting to space, it is unable to provide the resources necessary to perform normal motor skills, such as hand-eye coordination. For TRAC, the astronauts use a laptop and a joystick to control the position of a cursor and use a reaction time box to measure their responses to audio and visual cues. Understanding how the brain adapts to microgravity could lead to improved procedures for activities requiring precise motor skills. Also this week, Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin prepared for the arrival of the first European Space Agency cargo-carrying Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV). He set up equipment in the Zvezda module for a ground-operated test of the satellite navigation system to be used during autonomous docking of the ATV to the Zvezda module's aft port. He also pressurized and stowed a spare liquids unit for the Elektron and installed a new liquid crystal display for the TORU system, the manual docking system for Progress unpiloted supply ships. U.S. and Russian station officials reached an agreement this week on a plan to prepare for the arrival of the Soyuz TMA-10, which will deliver the Expedition 15 crew to the station. The plan is to relocate the Soyuz TMA-9 craft from the Earth-facing port of the Zarya module to the aft port of the Zvezda module on March 29. As a result, the next station resident crew will not need to perform the maneuver to reach Zarya as its final destination. To make room for the Soyuz, the ISS Progress 23 cargo ship, currently docked to Zvezda, will undock on March 27, plunging into the Earth's atmosphere. Officials from both sides also agreed to reboost the station on March 15, using the Progress 23 engines to place the station at the correct altitude for the Soyuz TMA-10 capsule, scheduled to launch April 7 and dock to Zarya on April 9. The Soyuz TMA-9 is scheduled to undock April 20, returning the Expedition 14 crew to Earth. For more about the crew's activities and station sighting opportunities, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station -end-

1 0

STS-117 INTERACTIVE TIMELINE
by Arthur Rowe 09 Mar '07

09 Mar '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1 ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 Learn about Atlantis' journey to the International Space Station with an interactive timeline. *+ STS-117 Interactive Timeline <javascript:NewWindow('/externalflash/STS117_flash/index_noaccess.html','Flash','800','580','no')>*

1 0

Hail Damage Inspection Underwa
by Arthur Rowe 09 Mar '07

09 Mar '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C 31468 Hail Damage Inspection Underway Technicians secure protective material around external tank. Image above: On an upper level of high bay 1 of the Vehicle Assembly Building, technicians move protective material toward the nose cone of Atlantis' external tank. + View High-res Image + View Hail Damage to External Tank Image above: On an upper level of high bay 1 of the Vehicle Assembly Building, technicians move protective material toward the nose cone of Atlantis' external tank. + View High-res Image <http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/170421main_cover.jpg> + View Hail Damage to External Tank <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/multimedia/117_gallery-hail.html> 03.08.07 Space Shuttle Atlantis was rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building from Launch Pad 39A due to hail damage to the tank during a severe thunderstorm that happened on Feb. 26. Further evaluation of the tank is necessary to get an accurate accounting of foam damage and determine the type of repair required and the time needed for that work. The hail caused approximately 1,000 to 2,000 divots in the giant tank's foam insulation and minor surface damage to about 26 heat shield tiles on the orbiter's left wing. A new target launch date has not been determined, but teams will focus on preparing Atlantis for liftoff in late April. Mission STS-117 to the International Space Station will be scheduled sometime after a Russian Soyuz spacecraft returns from the station. The Soyuz is delivering new station crew members and returning others to Earth in late April. Adequate time is needed between the Soyuz undocking and the shuttle's arrival to the station. During the 11-day mission, the six-member 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. Atlantis Commander Rick Sturckow, Pilot Lee Archambault and Mission Specialists Jim Reilly, Patrick Forrester, Steven Swanson and John "Danny" Olivas will continue training at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston as they await a new target launch date. The STS-117 flight crew will return to Kennedy Space Center a few days before launch. *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>

1 0

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-03-09 18:30 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 09 Mar '07

09 Mar '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-03-09 18:30 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Mission Viejo High School, Mission Viejo, CA, direct via K6UCI Successful Fri 2007-03-09 15:22 UTC 25 deg (***) University School, Shaker Heights, OH, direct via K8RBV Fri 2007-03-16 16:14 UTC 20 deg Total number of ARISS school contacts is 273. (***) 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 2007-03-09 18:30 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 2007-03-09 18:30 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 <BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at http://www.aol.com.

1 0

Science Continues Aboard the Station-8 MARCH 2007
by Arthur Rowe 08 Mar '07

08 Mar '07

*SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468* Science Continues Aboard the Station ISS014-E-15705 --- Michael Lopez-Alegria in the Zvezda Service Module Image above: Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria works in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station. Image credit: NASA TO VIEW IMAGE GO TO: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html Flight Engineer Sunita Williams conducted another session of an experiment that measures cosmic radiation and its effects on astronauts’ central nervous systems. A specific focus of the experiment is abnormal visual perceptions, known as phosphenes or light flashes, while the eyes are closed and the impact of particles on brain functions in micro-gravity. The three station residents completed their fourth session with an experiment of hand-eye coordination. This experiment tests the idea that the decrease in motor skills reported by some astronauts is due to the brain adapting to being in space. Scientists hope to test the theory that while the brain is adapting to space, it is unable to fully provide the resources necessary to perform normal manual skills. On Feb. 27, the International Space Station Independent Safety Task Force issued its final report. It was released simultaneously to Congress, NASA and the public.

1 0