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Cargo Transfers, Crew News Conference on Tap Today
by Arthur Rowe 15 Dec '06

15 Dec '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 Cargo Transfers, Crew News Conference on Tap Today STS-116 and Expedition 14 crews Image above: STS-116 and Expedition 14 crewmembers share a meal in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station. Image Credit: NASA After a hectic first six days of its STS-116 mission, Space Shuttle Discovery’s crew will enjoy a lighter schedule today. Cargo transfers, spacewalk preparations and the joint crew news conference are on the schedule today. All 10 station and shuttle crew members will participate in the traditional joint news conference at 3:47 p.m. EST. They will field questions from media from the United States and Europe. The crews will enjoy some off duty time before beginning preparations for Saturday’s spacewalk by STS-116 Mission Specialist Robert Curbeam and Expedition 14 Flight Engineer Sunita Williams. Crew members will review spacewalk procedures at 9:17 tonight. The spacewalkers will continue rewiring station power systems. Discovery continues to maintain the orientation of both the station and shuttle using the shuttle steering jets, a function it began performing during preparations for the spacewalk on Thursday. Originally, control of the station's orientation was to be transferred back to the station's gyroscopes late Thursday after the spacewalk tasks were completed and station systems powered up. However, problems were experienced as that transfer was attempted. Flight controllers believe the problems were due to a higher than usual amount of atmospheric drag currently experienced by the station due to recent solar activity. They may attempt to transfer control of orientation back to the station again today, although the shuttle thrusters can be used if needed for that purpose through the rest of the mission. If necessary, the station has thrusters that can be used for orientation control as well. Engineers investigating the difficulties with fully retracting the port-side solar array wing of the station's P6 Truss believe a guide wire may be snagged in a swiveling grommet on one of the array's panels. The snag could be keeping the panels from folding up completely. The array remains almost halfway retracted as it has been since Wednesday. Early this morning, station flight controllers commanded the array through a series of "wiggle" tests, swiveling the wing 10 degrees at a time repeatedly to see if that would help the situation. They are continuing to evaluate the results of those tests and to investigate options for further work with the array, including the potential to add a spacewalk to latter part of this mission. Options also may include some additional troubleshooting commanding that could be performed with the array during the crew's day today. For the latest news and information on the International Space Station and the Expedition 14 crew, please visit the main station page. + Read more <http://www.nasa.gov/station>

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EXP-14/STS-116 LATEST NEWS
by Arthur Rowe 15 Dec '06

15 Dec '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 LATEST NEWS Space walkers Perform Electrical Work, Move Carts Mission Specialists Robert Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang took on the roles of electricians and movers during STS-116’s second spacewalk at the International Space Station. During the 5-hour excursion, which ended at 7:41 p.m. EST Thursday, they rearranged the station’s power system from a temporary status to a permanent setup and relocated two equipment carts. To prepare the station for the spacewalkers’ electrical work, flight controllers sent a barrage of commands to power down roughly half of the station’s systems. The spacewalk kicked off at 2:41 p.m., and Curbeam and Fuglesang quickly went to work rewiring two of the station’s four power channels. After they finished the connections, flight controllers began sending commands at 4:45 p.m. to power up the electrical systems in their new configuration. The remaining two channels will be rewired during the mission’s third spacewalk, slated for Saturday. The STS-116 crew is performing the electrical work to bring power generated by the P4 solar arrays on line for use by the station's systems and prepare for more arrays to be added next year. The duo then turned their attention to the relocation of two crew equipment translation aid carts. This cleared the way for the station’s mobile transporter rail car to move down the station's rail system to the S1 truss at a later date in preparation for the STS-117 mission next spring. The final task of the spacewalk was the rerouting of cables on the Z1 truss. Pilot Bill Oefelein coordinated the spacewalk activities. Expedition 14 Flight Engineer Sunita Williams and STS-116 Mission Specialist Joan Higginbotham operated the station’s robotic arm. In other activities, STS-116 and Expedition 14 crew members continued cargo transfers between Space Shuttle Discovery and the station. For the latest news and information on the International Space Station and the Expedition 14 crew, please visit the main station page. + Read more <http://www.nasa.gov/station>

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-12-15 04:00 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 14 Dec '06

14 Dec '06

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2006-12-15 04:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: The times listed below are subject to last minute changes due to continuing Shuttle EVA operations. (***) Thunmanskolan, Knivsta, Sweden via telebridge VK4KHZ Contact is a go for Sun 2006-12-17 18:19 UTC via VK4KHZ Watch for IRLP, Echolink, and webcast coverage. Kashiwabara Community Center, Sayama, Japan, direct via 8J1K Contact is a go for Wed 2006-12-27 12:22 UTC(***) During Expedition 14, ARISS expects to have one ARISS school contact per month rather than approximately one per week. It is also anticipated that there many not be many general contacts. STS-116 12A.1 Launch (Polansky, Oefelein, Curbeam, Higginbotham, Patrick KD5PKY, Christer Fuglesang KE5CGR, Suni Williams KD5PLB up) On orbit and docked. Total number of ARISS school contacts is 258. 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 2006-12-15 04:00 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 2006-11-20 22:00 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 13/14 on orbit: Thomas Reiter DF4TR Expedition 14 on orbit: Michael Lopez-Alegria KE5GTK Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT Expedition 14 future: Sunita Williams, KD5PLB ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors

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STS-116 MCC Status Report #11
by Arthur Rowe 14 Dec '06

14 Dec '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 NASA NEWS 8:30 p.m. CST Thursday, Dec. 14, 2006 Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas 12.14.06 STATUS REPORT: STS-116-11 STS-116 MCC Status Report #11 Two spacewalking electricians completed half of STS-116’s rewiring today, and when flight controllers threw the switch, the lights inside the International Space Station turned on again without a hitch. Mission Specialists Bob Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang began their second spacewalk at 1:41 p.m. CST. Less than two hours later, they had the first half of the station’s permanent power system – channels two and three – up and running, taking advantage of power generated by the solar arrays delivered in September. The second half of the station’s power system – channels one and four – will be reconfigured during the mission’s third spacewalk Saturday. Once that’s done, the station’s power system will be in its assembly complete configuration, ready for the addition of more solar arrays and science modules next year. Before the spacewalkers swapped the cable connections, station flight controllers had to shut down about half of the station’s systems, including some lights, communication gear, ventilation fans and back-up computers. They started the power down just before 2 p.m., and by 3:45 p.m., were powering up main bus switching units for the first time ever and activating power channels two and three. By 4:30 p.m., one of two external thermal control system loops was actively shedding excess heat into space, and the direct current-to-direct current converter units were regulating power voltages. The space walkers headed out the hatch of the Quest airlock this afternoon about 30 minutes ahead of schedule, and made it through their tasks quickly enough to pick up another thirty minutes. They finished at 6:41 p.m., an hour earlier than planned and exactly five hours after they started. Expedition 14 Flight Engineer Suni Williams and STS-116 Mission Specialist Joan Higginbotham operated the station's robotic arm in support of the spacewalk. Before heading back into the station, Curbeam and Fuglesang also relocated two small handcarts that run along rails on the station’s main truss, put a thermal cover on the station’s robotic arm and installed bags of tools for future spacewalkers. Discovery’s crew is scheduled to go to sleep at 1:47 a.m. Friday. Flight Day 7 begins with a wakeup call at 8:47 a.m. The crew will spend the day transferring supplies and equipment from Discovery to the station, participating in a news conference and enjoying some off-duty time. The next STS-116 status report will be issued Friday morning or earlier if events warrant. - end -

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STS-116 MCC Status Report #10
by Arthur Rowe 14 Dec '06

14 Dec '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 10:30 a.m. CST Thursday, Dec. 14, 2006 Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas 12.14.06 STATUS REPORT: STS-116-10 STS-116 MCC Status Report #10 The second spacewalk for Discovery's crew members is scheduled for this afternoon. During the spacewalk, set to start about 2:12 p.m. CST, Bob Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang will begin to rewire the station’s power system. Curbeam and Fuglesang spent the night in the station's Quest airlock at a reduced atmospheric pressure of 10.2 psi. The “campout” procedure reduces nitrogen levels in the blood to help avoid decompression sickness as the astronauts go to the even lower pressure of spacesuits. The spacewalk is planned to last about six hours. The two spacewalkers are scheduled to reconfigure two of the station's four power channels, channels 2 and 3, bringing power on line from the new set of solar arrays added to the station in September. The remaining two power channels, 1 and 4, will be reconfigured in a third spacewalk on Saturday. The changes will convert the station power system to a permanent setup, ready for even more arrays and science modules to be added next year. At about 11:22 a.m. CST, station flight controllers will be sending commands that will power down roughly half of the station's systems in preparation for the spacewalkers' rewiring job this afternoon. The result will partially power down some communications systems, lighting, ventilation systems and backup computers, among other systems. Once the spacewalkers have completed the new power connections, flight controllers will power all the equipment and systems back on. As changes are made in the power system, additional cooling systems also will need to be brought online as well. Late last night, half of the new cooling system for the P4 truss was filled with ammonia to be ready to begin circulating today when pumps are activated. During the spacewalk, Curbeam, who will wear a suit with red stripes on the legs, and Fuglesang, who will wear an all-white suit, also will relocate two small handcarts that run along rails on the station’s main truss. Expedition 14 Flight Engineer Suni Williams and Discovery Mission Specialist Joan Higginbotham will operate the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm in support of the spacewalk. Managers and engineers continue to evaluate whether further actions will be taken during STS-116 to complete the retraction of the port P6 truss solar array. The array was retracted almost halfway Wednesday, with only 17 bays of its center mast remaining extended. Fully extended, the mast has 31 bays. The array was retracted sufficiently to allow the new P4 solar arrays to begin rotating last night, an operation that was completed without problems. In their current state, the P6 port array and the P4 arrays have more than 16 feet of clearance from one another. Should they remain as they are, the partially retracted arrays pose no issue for the shuttle's undocking or any planned station activities until a Soyuz relocation flight set for April 2007. A decision on any further action regarding the partially retracted array – including a possible fourth spacewalk during STS-116 for Curbeam and Fuglesang to assist in the retraction -- is not expected before Saturday. Discovery’s crew was awakened at 9:17 a.m. CST today with the song, “Under Pressure,” performed by Queen. It was played for Curbeam. The station crew, Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and flight engineers Mikhail Tyurin and Williams, woke up a half-hour later. The next STS-116 status report will be issued Thursday evening, or earlier, if events warrant.

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ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter active from ISS.
by Cor 14 Dec '06

14 Dec '06

Hello All, On 11-Dec 2006 was Thomas Reiter active on amateur radio aboard the ISS. Thomas made QSO's with 2D0BCR (Matty), LA5LNA, Edwin (PD1EVL)......more? I have a audio recording from the contact with Edwin (PD1EVL) on my website. 73's Cor PD0RKC http://www.pd0rkc.com

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STS-116 MCC Status Report #09
by Arthur Rowe 14 Dec '06

14 Dec '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 11:30 p.m. CST Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2006 Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas 12.13.06 STATUS REPORT: STS-116-09 STS-116 MCC Status Report #09 The first phase of the electrical and thermal makeover of the International Space Station was completed tonight as the outpost’s newest solar arrays began rotating to follow the sun and ammonia flowed into the station’s permanent cooling system for the first time. Flight controllers sent commands to enable a large joint to begin rotating around 7 p.m. CST, moving the solar arrays on the P4 truss like a giant paddle wheel to track the sun as the station moves from daylight to darkness in orbit. A few hours later, just before 10 p.m. CST, valves were opened to allow 300 pounds of ammonia to flow into the truss segments of the station and its radiators, the first step toward providing permanent cooling for the avionics and electronics on the complex. Those vital activation tasks occurred after a day-long effort by Discovery’s crew to retract the port array on the P6 solar array truss structure, which was installed six years ago to provide early electrical power for the station. The crew spent six hours today sending as many as 45 commands in a start-stop fashion to retract, then redeploy, then retract the balky Venetian-blind like array panels in an effort to fold them into a narrow blanket box at the base of the array. But guide wires that help fold the arrays flat into the box apparently became snagged with only 17 out of 31 bays of the port array retracted. That was enough, however, to provide enough clearance to enable the new P4 arrays to begin rotating as planned. Mission managers met tonight to discuss various options for completing the P6 array retraction, and decided to press ahead with the second of three scheduled spacewalks Thursday by Bob Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang during which they will rewire the first pair of electrical channels for the permanent power system on the station. Managers will convene over the next few days to determine whether additional spacewalk activity by Discovery’s crew will be scheduled to complete the retraction of the P6 array, although they have concluded that the array is in a safe configuration for the remainder of this mission, Discovery’s undocking next week, and if necessary, for the arrival of a new Russian Progress resupply ship in January should a spacewalking task be added to the Expedition 14 crew following Discovery’s flight. Late tonight, to gather data for a future decision, Mission Control asked Discovery Commander Mark Polansky and Station Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria to consider which flight day would be best for a fourth spacewalk if one is ordered to complete the P6 array retraction. Polansky and Lopez-Alegria asked for more details about what such a spacewalk would entail before offering their thoughts. With the station’s new solar arrays rotating and its permanent cooling system operating as advertised, Discovery’s crew members will begin an eight-hour sleep period at 1:17 a.m. CST and will wake up Thursday at 9:17 a.m. CST to begin preparations for the second spacewalk of the flight. The station crew members will be awakened thirty minutes later. The next STS-116 status report will be issued Thursday morning after crew wakeup, or earlier if events warrant.

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SARJ Takes Charge, Arrays Track Sun
by Arthur Rowe 13 Dec '06

13 Dec '06

> SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 > > *SARJ Takes Charge, Arrays Track Sun* > > > The International Space Station’s newest set of solar arrays is > tracking the sun tonight, following partial retraction of a similar > array that’s been the station’s primary power plant for six years. > This event sets the stage for two challenging spacewalks by the > STS-116 crew to rewire and reroute the station’s power system. > > The Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ) and the new set of arrays are a > part of the P3/ P4 truss segments that were installed onto the station > in September during the STS-115 mission. The rotary joint enables the > solar arrays to follow the sun and generate the maximum power > possible. Activation of the SARJ occurred shortly before 8 p.m. EST, > and a few minutes later the Mission Control Center in Houston notified > the crew that the arrays were following the sun. > > Throughout the day, the STS-116 crew and flight controllers worked > together to solve problems that prevented the P6 truss port solar > arrays from folding properly. The retraction activities of the arrays > began at 1:28 p.m. More than 40 commands were sent to furl and unfurl > the arrays in an attempt to properly align them. When the efforts > concluded about 7:50 p.m., 13.5 of 31 bays had been folded, leaving > the port arrays in a safe position that allowed the activation of the > P4 rotary joint. > > The crew also received word that Thursday’s spacewalk will take place > as planned despite the problems retracting the P6 solar array. Mission > Specialists Bob Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang, who conducted the > mission’s first spacewalk, are scheduled to begin Thursday’s orbital > stroll at 3:12 p.m. They will begin efforts to rewire the station, > bringing power generated by the P4 arrays on line for use by the > station's systems and prepare for more arrays to be added next year. > > In preparation for the spacewalk, Curbeam and Fuglesang will again > "campout" in the station’s airlock. The pressure will be lowered in > the airlock to the pressure normally found on Earth 10,000 feet above > sea level during the overnight campout. The procedure protects against > decompression sickness as Curbeam and Fuglesang go to the even lower > pressure of spacesuits on Thursday. > > For the latest news and information on the International Space Station > and the Expedition 14 crew, please visit the main station page. + Read > more <http://www.nasa.gov/station> >

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Astronauts Working to Retract Solar Array
by Arthur Rowe 13 Dec '06

13 Dec '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31458 *Astronauts Working to Retract Solar Array* S116-E-05789 : port-side P6 solar array Image above: A kink is seen in the port-side P6 solar array during the first attempt to retract it. Image Credit: NASA + View hi-resolution photo <http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/164903main_s116e05789.jpg> (GO TO:http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html) Discovery's crew is still working on the retraction of the port P6 solar arrays that began at 1:28 p.m. EST (6:28 utc). The bays have not been folding properly, and astronauts have been repeatedly retracting and deploying the panels in an attempt to properly align them. The folding of this 115-foot long solar array, which has been unfurled for more than 6 years, will permit the activation of a rotary joint on the P4 truss. The Solar Alpha Rotary Joint, or SARJ, enables the solar arrays on the P4 to follow the sun as the station moves through orbital sunrise and sunset. Activation of the SARJ will follow the retraction. Two more spacewalks during STS-116's stay will rewire and redistribute power on the station. Once automatic sun tracking is confirmed for the new P4 arrays, the stage is set for the second spacewalk, scheduled to begin at 3:12 p.m.(8:12 UTC) Thursday. Mission Specialists Bob Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang, who conducted the mission’s first spacewalk, will perform Thursday’s excursion. Curbeam and Fuglesang will again "campout" in the station’s airlock to prepare for the spacewalk. During the overnight “campout” the pressure will be lowered in the airlock to the pressure normally found on Earth 10,000 feet above sea level. The procedure protects against decompression sickness as Curbeam and Fuglesang go to the even lower pressure of spacesuits on Thursday. In other activities today, crewmembers will field questions from the CBS Radio Network, the Fox Radio Network and SPACE.com at 8:07 p.m. For the latest news and information on the International Space Station and the Expedition 14 crew, please visit the main station page. + Read more <http://www.nasa.gov/station>

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P6 Solar Array Wing Retracting
by Arthur Rowe 13 Dec '06

13 Dec '06

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *P6 Solar Array Wing Retracting* retracted. Image Credit: NASA TV The first step in STS-116’s challenging job of rerouting power aboard the International Space Station is under way as the left wing of the solar array on the station's P6 truss has begun to slowly retract and fold up. The retraction began at 1:28 p.m. EST. The folding of this 115-foot long solar array, which has been unfurled for more than 6 years, will permit the activation of a rotary joint on the P4 truss. The Solar Alpha Rotary Joint, or SARJ, enables the solar arrays on the P4 to follow the sun as the station moves through orbital sunrise and sunset. Activation of the SARJ is set for 2:57 p.m. Two more spacewalks during STS-116’s stay will rewire and redistribute power on the station. Once automatic sun tracking is confirmed for the new P4 arrays, the stage is set for the second spacewalk, scheduled to begin at 3:12 p.m. Thursday. Mission Specialists Bob Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang, who conducted the mission’s first spacewalk, will perform Thursday’s excursion. Curbeam and Fuglesang will again “campout” in the station’s airlock to prepare for the spacewalk. During the overnight “campout” the pressure will be lowered in the airlock to the pressure normally found on Earth 10,000 feet above sea level. The procedure protects against decompression sickness as Curbeam and Fuglesang go to the even lower pressure of spacesuits on Thursday. In other activities today, crew members will field questions from the CBS Radio Network, the Fox Radio Network and SPACE.com at 8:07 p.m. For the latest news and information on the International Space Station and the Expedition 14 crew, please visit the main station page. + Read more <http://www.nasa.gov/station>

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