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Flight Readiness Review Gets Under Way
by Arthur Rowe 25 Jul '07

25 Jul '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Flight Readiness Review Gets Under Way* *07.25.07 - 8:30 a.m. EDT* The flight readiness review for the upcoming STS-118 mission is under way at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Agency and program managers convened this morning for the two-day meeting, in which they'll discuss the status of Space Shuttle Endeavour, the flight crew and payload in order to confirm an official launch date. Launch is currently targeted for the evening of Aug. 7. Last week, the crew members completed the terminal countdown demonstration test. A routine element of prelaunch training, the test allowed the astronauts to try on their launch and entry suits, learn emergency procedures at the launch pad, and take part in a variety of familiarization activities and briefings. The test concluded with a countdown dress rehearsal at Launch Pad 39A. Space Shuttle Endeavour has been in place at the launch pad since July 11, and the STS-118 payload -- including the S5 truss, SPACEHAB module and external stowage platform 3 -- is secured inside the orbiter's payload bay. This will be the first flight for Endeavour since 2002, and the first mission for Mission Specialist Barbara Morgan, the teacher-turned-astronaut whose association with NASA began more than 20 years ago. *Mission Information* + STS-118 Mission Overview <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts118/index.html> + STS-118 Fact Sheet (900 Kb PDF) <http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/182903main_STS118%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf> + STS-118 Briefing Animations <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts118/multimedia…> + STS-117 Mission Archive <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/main/index…>

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Station Reboost Sets Stage for Upcoming Events
by Arthur Rowe 25 Jul '07

25 Jul '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Station Reboost Sets Stage for Upcoming Events* Expedition 15 spacewalk The Expedition 15 crew had a light-duty day Tuesday following Monday's successful station reboost and a 7-hour, 41-minute spacewalk. During Monday's spacewalk, Flight Engineer Clay Anderson jettisoned a 1,400 pound, refrigerator-size ammonia reservoir known as the Early Ammonia Servicer (EAS) by pushing it opposite of the station's direction of travel. Anderson and Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin also installed a television camera support or stanchion, reconfigured a power supply for an antenna assembly, and performed several get-ahead tasks. + Read more about the spacewalk <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/e15_eva_…> The docked ISS Progress 25 cargo craft fired its thrusters Monday for about 21½ minutes, raising the International Space Station’s orbit. This reboost, along with a reboost performed Friday, provides the proper phasing for the upcoming Progress 26 launch and docking. The two reboosts cleared the station from the orbit of the jettisoned EAS and provides flight day three rendezvous opportunities when space shuttle Endeavour arrives on mission STS-118. The Progress 24 cargo craft will undock from the Pirs docking compartment on Aug. 1, burning up in the Earth’s atmosphere as it deorbits. Progress 26 is scheduled for launch on Aug. 2 and will reach the station on Aug. 5. Two days later on Aug. 7, space shuttle Endeavour is targeted for launch with a station rendezvous and docking planned for Aug. 9. + Read more about Expedition 15 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/index.ht…> + View crew daily timelines <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/timelines/index.html>

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Your ARISS Call Today
by Miriam Lytle 25 Jul '07

25 Jul '07

Dear Greg and John, Again, thank you so much for coming to Gail Borden and explaining ARISS in detail. We met with John Fleener yesterday, who will be working with us to video tape and get the event streamed live from our library website. Yes, he wants to document the antenna installation. Denise and the library director are on their way to the Mayor's office this afternoon to petition for a cable TV hook up, so the ISS contact could be live on cable TV simultaneously. Per your request for your phone call today, here are the numbers of schools K-12 in our library district: Public: 23 Elementary, 6 Middle, 3 High Private: 13 K-8, 4 High Total: 49 K-12 schools, and does not include any daycares, preschools, or home school organizations We are already in the process of working with schools to have the room filled with school children. We are working on the PR to draw questions from children throughout our library district. We will have those ready for you by Wed. August 15. Please note that I will be out of town from Sunday, July 29-Aug 13. I will check email when I can get a connection from Isle Royale and the North woods. Denise will be out of the office from Friday, July 27-Monday, Aug. 6, but should be able to pick up email. Best, Miriam Miriam Lytle Assistant Director of Communications & Program Coordinator Gail Borden Public Library District 270 N. Grove Avenue Elgin, IL 60120 Direct Phone 847-608-5027 Fax 847-742-0485 mlytle(a)gailborden.info

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STS-118 Flight Readiness Review to Begin Wednesday
by Arthur Rowe 24 Jul '07

24 Jul '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Flight Readiness Review to Begin Wednesday* Image above: STS-118 crew members get a close look at the payloads installed in Space Shuttle Endeavour. Seen in the foreground are Mission Specialists Dave Williams (center), who represents the Canadian Space Agency, and Tracy Caldwell (right). Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton + View Full Size Image <http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/170419main_07pd2030.jpg> *07.23.07 - 10:30 a.m. EDT* As launch preparations continue for the STS-118 mission, NASA managers will gather at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday for the flight readiness review. During the two-day meeting, officials will evaluate the status of the vehicle, crew and payload and decide whether Space Shuttle Endeavour and STS-118 are officially "go" for launch. Last week, the crew members completed the terminal countdown demonstration test. A routine element of prelaunch training, the test allowed the astronauts to try on their launch and entry suits, learn emergency procedures at the launch pad, and take part in a variety of familiarization activities and briefings. The test concluded with a countdown dress rehearsal at Launch Pad 39A. Space Shuttle Endeavour has been in place at the launch pad since July 11, and the STS-118 payload -- including the S5 truss, SPACEHAB module and external stowage platform 3 -- is secured inside the orbiter's payload bay. Launch is targeted for the evening of Aug. 7. *Mission Information* + STS-118 Mission Overview <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts118/index.html> + STS-118 Fact Sheet (900 Kb PDF) <http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/182903main_STS118%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf> + STS-118 Briefing Animations <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts118/multimedia…> + STS-117 Mission Archive <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/main/index…>

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-07-24 17:15 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 24 Jul '07

24 Jul '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-07-24 17:15 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Challenger Learning Center of Lucas County, Oregon, Ohio, direct via KB9UPS Wed 2007-07-25 11:48 UTC 62 deg (***) Watch for simulcast on IRLP and Echolink. 21st. World Scout Jamboree, Chelmsford, England, direct via GB100J Sat 2007-08-04 21:10 UTC 38 deg Total number of ARISS ISS to earth school contacts is 305. Total number of ARISS supported terrestrial contacts is 1. 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 2007-07-24 17:15 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 2007-07-18 06:00 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 have been rumors in the past indicating 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 15 on orbit: Fyodor Yurchikhin RN3FI Dr. Oleg Kotov Clayton Anderson KD5PLA Expedition 15 future: Daniel Tani KD5DXE ***************************************************************************** 73, Charlie Sufana AJ9N One of the ARISS operation team mentors ************************************** Get a sneak peek of the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour

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Station Crew Completes Successful Spacewalk
by Arthur Rowe 23 Jul '07

23 Jul '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Station Crew Completes Successful Spacewalk* Expedition 15 spacewalk Image above: Flight Engineer Clay Anderson, at the end of the station's robotic arm, jettisons the Early Ammonia Servicer. Image credit: NASA TV TO VIEW THE IMAGE GO TO: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html Two International Space Station crew members Monday successfully wrapped up a 7-hour, 41-minute spacewalk that saw the removal and jettison of a refrigerator-size ammonia reservoir. During the spacewalk Flight Engineer Clay Anderson and Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin also installed a television camera stanchion, reconfigured a power supply for an antenna assembly, and performed several get-ahead tasks. Riding on the end of the space station's robotic arm maneuvered by Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov, Anderson jettisoned the Early Ammonia Servicer (EAS) by shoving it opposite of the station's direction of travel. + Read more about the spacewalk <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/e15_eva_…> After the spacewalk, the docked Progress 25 cargo craft will fire its thrusters raising the International Space Station’s orbit. This reboost, along with a reboost performed Friday, provides the proper phasing for an upcoming Progress 26 launch and docking. Monday's Progress firing also clears the station after the EAS is jettisoned and provides flight day three rendezvous opportunities when space shuttle Endeavour arrives on mission STS-118. The Progress 24 cargo craft will undock from the Pirs docking compartment on Aug. 1 and burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere. Progress 26 is scheduled for launch on Aug. 2 and will reach the station on Aug. 5. Two days later on Aug. 7, space shuttle Endeavour is targeted for launch with a station rendezvous and docking planned for Aug. 9. + Read more about Expedition 15 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/index.ht…> + View crew daily timelines <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/timelines/index.html>

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Astronauts venture outside ISS to toss chunks of junk
by Arthur Rowe 23 Jul '07

23 Jul '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Two astronauts ventured outside the international space station Monday to rid it of some large pieces of junk. NASA spacewalker Clayton Anderson, a sportsman who enjoys officiating basketball back on Earth, had the chore of heaving a 635-kilogram, refrigerator-size ammonia tank overboard. He also was to toss out some other outdated pieces of equipment during the morning excursion, with help from Russian crewmate Fyodor Yurchikhin. "I'll try not to get too attached to this," Anderson told Mission Control as he began the cleanup work. "It's going to go away in a little while." The ammonia tank was launched in 2001 to provide spare coolant in case of a leak at the orbiting complex. The surplus ammonia was never needed, and the tank itself has exceeded its expected lifetime. NASA normally tries to avoid adding to the orbiting junkyard, but officials felt they had no choice in this case. The equipment has to be moved, and because of a looming 2010 deadline for ending all shuttle flights, NASA does not have room on its remaining missions to return the tank to Earth. Flight controllers expect the ammonia tank to orbit for 10 or 11 months before re-entering the atmosphere and burning up. There should be no danger of a collision between the free-floating tank and station before that happens, officials said. While small chunks are expected to survive next year's fall and make it to Earth, officials hope those chunks will hit the ocean, NASA officials said. The plan called for Anderson to throw the tank in the opposite direction of the station's travel. The station will be manoeuvred later in the day into a higher orbit to provide additional clearance. Other junk being discarded includes 90 kilograms of camera-mounting equipment and an attachment mechanism. Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kotov stayed inside the station to oversee the spacewalk during Anderson's tank toss. Anderson moved into the space station in June. The two cosmonauts have been on board since April. "Our spaceship Earth is a beautiful place," Anderson marvelled during the spacewalk, his first.

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Crew Conducting Spacewalk,
by Arthur Rowe 23 Jul '07

23 Jul '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUT N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Crew Conducting Spacewalk* Expedition 15 spacewalk Image above: Flight Engineer Clay Anderson exits the airlock at the start of today's spacewalk. Image credit: NASA TV TO VIEW IMAGE GO TO: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html Two International Space Station crew members have begun a spacewalk that includes removal and jettison of a refrigerator-size ammonia reservoir. The scheduled 6½-hour spacewalk from the Quest Airlock began at 6:24 a.m. EDT Monday. Astronaut Clay Anderson is the lead spacewalker, EV1, wearing the spacesuit with red stripes. Fyodor Yurchikhin, the cosmonaut and station commander, wearing the all-white suit, is EV2. Cosmonaut Oleg Kotov is in the U.S. laboratory Destiny to operate the Canadarm2. + Watch spacewalk live on NASA TV <javascript:watchNASALiveTV()> + Read more about the spacewalk <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/e15_eva_…> + Expedition 15 Mission Status Briefing Materials, July 18, 2007 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/exp15_ms…> After the spacewalk, a docked Progress 25 cargo craft will fire its thrusters raising the International Space Station’s orbit. This reboost, along with a reboost performed Friday, provides the proper phasing for an upcoming Progress 26 launch and docking. Today's Progress firing also clears the station after the Early Ammonia Servicer is jettisoned and provides flight day three rendezvous opportunities when space shuttle Endeavour arrives on mission STS-118. The Progress 24 cargo craft will undock from the Pirs docking compartment on Aug. 1 and burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere. Progress 26 is scheduled for launch on Aug. 2 and will reach the station on Aug. 5. Two days later on Aug. 7, space shuttle Endeavour is targeted for launch with a station rendezvous and docking planned for Aug. 9. + Read more about Expedition 15 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/index.ht…> + View crew daily timelines <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/timelines/index.html>

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NASA engineers checking seals on shuttle booster rockets
by Arthur Rowe 20 Jul '07

20 Jul '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C 331468 NASA engineers checking seals on shuttle booster rockets The seals are of special concern to the U.S. space agency since their failure was blamed for the 1986 Challenger disaster that killed six astronauts and teacher-in-space Christa McAulliffe TO READ THE REST OF THE STORY GO TO: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/space/4985049.html HOUSTON CHRONICLE STORY ABOVE

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STS-120 Shuttle to Deliver Harmony Node to ISS
by Arthur Rowe 20 Jul '07

20 Jul '07

> SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 > > STS-120 to Deliver Harmony Node to ISS > > 07.20.07 > > A series of recent shuttle missions have added to the International > Space Station's exterior with new elements for its main truss. Now, > Discovery will take into orbit a connecting module that will increase > the orbiting laboratory's interior space. > > October's STS-120 mission will bring the Harmony module, christened > after a school contest, that will provide attachment points for > European and Japanese laboratory modules. Known in technical circles > as Node 2, it is similar to the six-sided Unity module that links the > U.S. and Russian sections of the station. > > Image at right: The STS-120 insignia. Credit: NASA > > TO VIEW ALL THE IMAGES GO TO: > http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts120/mission_ov… > > “STS-120 is such a cool mission,” said Commander Pam Melroy. “Node 2 > is the expansion of the space station’s capability to bring > international laboratories up. It’s the expansion of our capability to > carry additional people. > > "It has additional life support equipment that will allow us to expand > out beyond a three-person crew. It’s this big boost in the capability > which is really exciting,” she said. > > Built in Italy for the United States, Harmony is a high-tech hallway > and Tinkertoy-like hub. It is a 23- by 14-foot passageway that will > connect the U.S. segment of the station to the European and Japanese > modules, to be installed later this year and early next year, > respectively. > > Harmony will be the first new U.S. pressurized component to be added > to the station since the Quest Airlock was attached to one of Unity's > six berthing ports in 2001. > > “It’s the gateway to the international partners,” Lead Station Flight > Director Derek Hassman said. “As the station is configured today, > there’s nowhere to put all the international partner modules until we > deliver and activate Node 2. That’s the piece that makes the rest > possible.” > > jsc2003e39020 -- Harmony Node 2; jsc2003e37640 -- The International > Space Station > Image above: At left, is a detailed view of the Harmony Node 2. At > right, is a view of Harmony attached to the International Space > Station's U.S. Destiny laboratory. > > Installing Harmony should be straightforward, Hassman said. But > actually opening the gateway will require some shuffling. The shuttle > will be docked to an existing adapter port where the node is meant to > attach, so Harmony will be installed in a temporary spot on the first > connecting node, Unity, until the mission is over. It will be moved by > the station crew once the shuttle leaves. > > “It’s kind of a shell game,” Lead Shuttle Flight Director Rick LaBrode > said. “We’re going to put it on the left side of Node 1, and then, > after the mission undocks, we’ll robotically remove the port the > shuttle docks to from the end of the lab and put it on Node 2. And > then we’re going to take the Node 2 and put it on the end of the lab.” > > After that, it’ll be ready for the European and Japanese laboratories. > But labs require electricity. So Melroy’s crew – which includes Pilot > George Zamka, mission specialists Scott Parazynski, Douglas Wheelock, > Stephanie Wilson, Paolo Nespoli of the European Space Agency, and > Daniel Tani, who will trade places with station Flight Engineer Clay > Anderson as an expedition crew member – will continue to set up the > station's exterior support truss and its power system. > > After Harmony is installed, they’ll move the truss segment holding the > station’s first set of solar arrays to a new home. The Port 6, or P6 > arrays, as they are known, have been attached to the middle of the > truss for the past seven years, positioned vertically to the rest of > the station, acting as a temporary power system. > > With the addition of two sets of arrays brought to the station on > recent shuttle flights, the original arrays can be relocated during > STS-120 to their permanent position at the very end of the left side > of the truss. But that has its own trials and tribulations. > > sts120-s-002 -- The STS-120 crew > Image above: The official portait of the seven member STS-120 crew. > > “This truss was the one where, when they retracted the solar array in > December, they had difficulties,” LaBrode said. “Well, we’re going to > take that during our mission and actually move it all the way > outboard. It’s tight clearances, and the way that the robotics > operations are here, the arm is completely extended out.” > > In fact, the space station’s arm was designed with this move in mind. > Engineers knew the arm would never need to reach farther than this > segment – or it’s mirror on the right side – and so they built it to > go just that far and not much farther. That creates some challenges. > LaBrode compared it to trying to do something with your arm completely > straight, rather than bent at the elbow – it limits your flexibility. > > “It’s the design-limiting case,” Melroy said. “It’s the maximum > capability of the robotic arm’s reach, and there are no cameras out > there. So our spacewalkers are going to have to be out there going, > ‘OK, a little bit to the right,’ guiding the robotic arm operator.” > > Hassman said he’s confident they can pull it off. > > “The good thing about the robotics stuff is the experience we have and > all the tools the spacewalkers have allow us to really nail that stuff > – knock it flat in terms of the planning,” he said. > > And this is one case where familiarity does not breed contempt – or > even boredom. > > “It’s funny,” LaBrode said. “This is my fourth lead, but I see myself > saying this every time. I know all the other ones have been pretty > exciting, but this has got to be the most exciting one. They’re all > completely critical to the success, all the way up to completing our > president’s vision, going to the next step. But they just seem to get > more and more complicated as they go along.” > > Brandi Dean > Johnson Space Center > >

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