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STS-118 Crew Completes Countdown Rehearsal
by Arthur Rowe 19 Jul '07

19 Jul '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *STS-118 Crew Completes Countdown Rehearsal* Image above: Practicing emergency egress from Launch Pad 39A, STS-118 Mission Specialists Alvin Drew and Barbara Morgan join another crew member in a slidewire basket. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton + View Full Size Image <http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/170419main_07pd2000.jpg> *07.19.07 - 4 p.m. EDT* Led by Commander Scott Kelly, the STS-118 crew completed a full dress rehearsal for launch on Thursday aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour. The simulated countdown at Launch Pad 39A concludes the terminal countdown demonstration test. Held at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the test is a standard part of prelaunch training and allows 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. With the test now successfully behind them, the seven astronauts will return to Johnson Space Center in Houston. Space Shuttle Endeavour arrived at Launch Pad 39A early 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 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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Spacewalkers to Jettison Ammonia Reservoir
by Arthur Rowe 19 Jul '07

19 Jul '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 Spacewalkers to Jettison Ammonia Reservoir 07.19.07 Two International Space Station crew members will remove and jettison a refrigerator-size ammonia reservoir Monday during a six-hour-plus spacewalk from the Quest Airlock of the International Space Station. The spacewalk is scheduled to begin at about 6:30 a.m. EDT.(1030 UTC) Image to right: Cosmonaut Fyodor N. Yurchikhin (left), Expedition 15 commander representing Russia's Federal Space Agency, and astronaut Clayton C. Anderson, flight engineer, work with an Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit in the Quest Airlock of the International Space Station. Image credit: NASA TO VIEW IMAGE GO TO: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/e15_eva_… Astronaut Clay Anderson will be the lead spacewalker, EV1, and will wear the spacesuit with red stripes. Fyodor Yurchikhin, the cosmonaut and station commander, will be EV2 and wear the all-white suit. Cosmonaut Oleg Kotov, in the U.S. laboratory Destiny, will operate the Canadarm2. After leaving the airlock and setting up equipment, the first task is installation of a television camera stanchion. The spacewalkers will take it from an external stowage platform and then install it on the Earth-facing side of the station's main truss at the interface Starboard 0-Port 1 (S0-P1) truss segments. Next they will move to separate tasks. Anderson will reconfigure a power supply for an S-Band Antenna Assembly, and then set up and get on a foot restraint at the end of Canadarm2. Yurchikhin will replace a circuit breaker, called a remote power controller module. It will ensure power redundancy for a move of the Mobile Transporter rail car on the station's truss. Back together, Anderson and Yurchikhin will remove flight support equipment, where the camera stanchion had been mounted, and an attached Flight Releasable Attachment Mechanism. Together they have a mass of about 212 pounds. While Anderson jettisons them from the end of the arm, Yurchikhin will move to the Z1 truss, where he will disconnect and stow cabling associated with the ammonia reservoir, called the Early Ammonia Servicer (EAS). The EAS was installed on the P6 truss during STS-105 in August 2001, as an ammonia reservoir if a leak had occurred. It was never used, and was no longer needed after the permanent cooling system was activated last December. The EAS has to be removed before the P6 truss can be moved to the end of the station's main truss. With Anderson still on the arm, both crew members will move to the P6 Truss and release its remaining connections to the station. Once it is free, Anderson will hold it while the arm maneuvers him to the jettison point, below the right side of the ISS main truss. The EAS weighs a little over 1,400 pounds on Earth. The jettison will be much like that of the stanchion equipment. Anderson will shove the EAS opposite the station's direction of travel at a minimum velocity of about seven inches (17 cm) per second. A few hours later, Russian thrusters will reboost the station to provide clearance from the EAS. The reboost also will prepare for the Aug. 2 launch of the Progress 26 cargo carrier and the Aug. 7 launch of Discovery to the station. The final scheduled spacewalk task is cleaning the Earth-facing docking port, or Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) of the Unity node. That is being done in preparation for the relocation of Pressurized Mating Adapter-3 (PMA-3), scheduled for late August. The move is being made to clear the PMA-3's present position, on the starboard CBM of Unity, for a series of events that will culminate with the arrival of the Harmony node and its preparation to receive future space shuttles. After cleanup Anderson and Yurchikhin will re-enter the Quest Airlock and conclude the spacewalk a little after noon. The spacewalk is the first for Anderson and the third for Yurchikhin.

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NASA Launches Interactive Online Tour of the Space Station
by Arthur Rowe 19 Jul '07

19 Jul '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 > July 19, 2007 > > John Yembrick > Headquarters, Washington > 202-358-0602 > > Lynnette Madison > Johnson Space Center, Houston > 281-483-5111 > > MEDIA ADVISORY: 07-089 > > NASA LAUNCHES INTERACTIVE ONLINE TOUR OF THE SPACE STATION > > WASHINGTON -- The International Space Station is now accessible in > cyberspace. On Thursday, NASA launched its Interactive Space Station > Reference Guide, a new tool that features an in-depth look inside and > outside of the orbiting laboratory that has never before been seen. > It is available online at: > > http://www.nasa.gov/station > > The guide provides an up-to-date interactive overview of the station's > complex configuration, design and component systems. It includes a > video introduction and narration by NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, who > lived aboard the station for six months as an Expedition 9 science > officer and flight engineer. > > Other features on NASA's new interactive guide include: > > - How space station crews live in space: how they eat, sleep and > exercise while in orbit. > - How the station complex is built and operates, including a reference > guide for learning about each of the station's components. > - A 360-degree tour of the station with a view of each of the > station's pressurized modules. > - A library of printable fact sheets providing up-to-date information > about the station. > > The station's assembly and maintenance in orbit, long-duration > spaceflight experience gained aboard the complex, and research into > the effects of long spaceflights contribute to NASA's plans for > future missions to return to the moon and travel beyond. > > For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov > > > -end- > > > > > >

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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-07-19 21:00 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 19 Jul '07

19 Jul '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-07-19 21:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Challenger Learning Center of Lucas County, Oregon, Ohio, direct via KB9UPS Wed 2007-07-25 11:38 UTC 49 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 2007-07-19 21:00 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2007-07-18 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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ARISS Event - Challenger Learning Center of Lucas County, Oregon, Ohio, USA, Wednesday (July 25) 11:38 UTC
by Ponder, Stephen H. (JSC-OC)[BAR] 19 Jul '07

19 Jul '07

An International Space Station Expedition 15 ARISS school contact has been planned with students at the Challenger Learning Center of Lucas County, Oregon, Ohio, USA, on 25 July. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 11:38 UTC. The contact will be a direct between stations NA1SS and KB9UPS. The contact should be audible in southern portions of Canada and eastern portions of the United States. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The participants are expected to conduct the conversation in English. Additional listening options are listed below: IRLP - Connect to the IRLP reflector 9010. You may also connect via the IRLP Discovery website at http://www.discoveryreflector.ca/listen.htm. Our Challenger Learning Center (CLC) is part of a network of over 51 Centers throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Each Center is owned and operated locally by a host institution, which in our case is Lucas County Educational Service Center. These Challenger Learning Centers are the primary component of the Challenger Center for Space Science Education founded by the families of the astronauts tragically lost during the launch of the Challenger Space Shuttle in January 1986. Dedicated to the educational spirit of that mission, each Challenger Learning Center continues the mission through a unique hands-on learning experience in which students use math, science, teamwork, problem-solving, responsible decision-making, and communication skills to successfully complete a simulated space mission. Since our opening in the fall of 2003, we have trained over 400 teachers and have flown over 480 missions. The Challenger Learning Center mission focuses on students in grades 5 and above. Over 12,000 students have successfully accomplished missions to the moon or Mars; nearly 1,500 community members and corporate staff have flown. Students will ask as many of the following questions as time allows: 1. What kind of fuel is used to power the space station? 2. What is your favorite thing about being an astronaut? 3. How is oxygen maintained in the ISS and what type of backup system is in place should a problem be encountered? 4. In your opinion, will people ever explore other planets and galaxies? 5. Do you think you'll ever go Mars? 6. Is it the same sleeping in space or do you have difficulty getting to sleep? 7. Were you there when something went wrong and were you able to fix it? 8. What other nationalities of astronauts do you work with and what language do you use? 9. What one factor you have experienced while living on the ISS has surprised you the most? 10. What was your favorite class and who was your favorite teacher in school? 11. Do you like being in zero gravity and what is it like? 12. When you where my age, what inspired you to become an astronaut? 13. What was the hardest part of your astronaut training? 14. What kind of food do you eat on the Space Station? 15. How does the Space Station keep from falling to the ground? 16. What do you do if you get sick or hurt on the ISS? 17. What is it like living in a space station, and how long are you there? 18. What is it like to be away from your family for so long? 19. Does the environment in space effect electronic equipment? 20. How do you handle home sickness? 21. What's it like in space? 22. Are the tools you use the same as on Earth and if not how are they different? 23. How do you train for your Space walks? 24. Do you have any free time and what do you do with it? 25. With all the satellites in orbit, how do you keep from running into things? 26. Why do you feel it is worth the risk to go to Space? 27. In going to space for the first time, what surprised you the most? 28. What experiment that you have done in space was the most fun? 29. Can you describe how it feels to be weightless? 30. In all of your training to become an astronaut, what has been the most fun? 31. How do you know if the Space Station is on course? 32. Do you like doing the space walks and how does it feel to you? Information about the next scheduled ARISS contact can be found at http://www.rac.ca/ariss/upcoming.htm#NextContact . Next planned event(s): 21st World Scout Jamboree, Hylands Park, Chelmsford, England direct via GB100J, Sat 2007-08-04 21:10 UTC ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the participating space agencies, NASA, Russian Space Agency, ESA, CNES, JAXA, and CSA, with the AMSAT and IARU organizations from participating countries. ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crewmembers on-board the International Space Station. Teachers, parents, and communities see, first hand, how Amateur Radio and crewmembers on ISS can energize youngsters' interest in science, technology, and learning. Further information on the ARISS program is available on the website http://www.rac.ca/ariss (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada). Thank you & 73, Stephen Ponder - N5WBI

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SPACEHAB Ready for Last Mission-STS 118
by Arthur Rowe 18 Jul '07

18 Jul '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 SPACEHAB Ready for Last Mission 07.16.07 SPACEHAB is preparing to close the hatch on its shuttle research and cargo carrier enterprise fourteen years after its first pressurized module flew into space on an orbiter while the company begins their strategic journey into space-based microgravity processing. The company provided its first space-rated travel trailer of sorts to NASA in 1993. Later, the design would come in especially handy for missions to the Mir space station and during the construction and outfitting of the International Space Station. Image right: A SPACEHAB module is loaded into a payload canister to be taken out to the launch pad where it will be loaded into the space shuttle Endeavour. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann TO VIEW IMAGES GO TO: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/behindscenes/lastspacehab.html The single module bolted into Endeavour's cargo bay will continue that work by carrying some 5,800 pounds of equipment and supplies to the International Space Station, according to Don Moore, director of ground operations at the company's Cape Canaveral, Fla., facility. "We're all sad that this is the last module mission," Moore said. "It's kind of hard to see that go away." Pete Paceley, SPACEHAB Flight Services V.P. said, “but it is a transition flight for us and we’re excited about the demonstration tests for microgravity processing that we’re flying as well.” NASA could still enlist a pressurized SPACEHAB module for a shuttle supply run in the future, but the flight manifest currently leaves that task to the Italian-built multi-purpose logistics modules. The MPLMs are built to attach directly to the space station during a shuttle mission, but still come back with the orbiter. A module from SPACEHAB remains in the cargo bay during the entire flight. For now, SPACEHAB is keeping its two modules certified for flight until the shuttles retire in 2010. Since flying its first pressurized module in 1993 aboard STS-57, the company has claimed the mantle of a successful aerospace corporation by catering to researchers and others willing to pay to get their experiments into space and back aboard an orbiter. SPACEHAB modules have ridden shuttles into orbit more than a dozen times.Image left: Space Shuttle Discovery recently carried a SPACEHAB module as part of its mission to resupply the International Space Station. The modules can hold spare parts, equipment and supplies, or can act as laboratories of their own, depending on the mission. Photo credit: NASA Missions often left enough room for other paying research customers. "Anybody that flew liked the ease that they could come in and work in our facilities," Moore said. “Our future depends on our ability to leverage our unique capabilities, engineering expertise, and application of commercial processes for spaceflight processing,” Paceley said. Among the hundreds of past experiments carried out aboard the modules include aerogel, the super-lightweight substance that became the centerpiece of the Stardust mission to gather particles from interstellar space. He emphasized that the company could quickly fly an experiment again, too, something that NASA could not always do. "We'd always find room for it," Moore said. That approach is also fueling plans for corporate life after the shuttle retires. In addition to the utilization of the ISS for microgravity processing, the company is also working on a spacecraft that could ride atop expendable rockets and carry self-contained experiments or manufacturing elements into orbit. But Moore's focus is on Endeavour's upcoming flight, and there is plenty to focus on. Just packing the module takes considerable planning, especially considering that some of the bags have to be loaded while the module is on its back inside Endeavour at the launch pad. Image right: Crew members for mission STS-118 familiarize themselves with the SPACEHAB module they will unload while at the International Space Station. The cargo module will be packed with equipment and supplies. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett Moore said the loaders devise a complex choreography to get the 5,800 pounds of gear on racks and stacked in bags exactly where the astronauts expect to find it. "You get down to people's weight, who's going to go down first, who's going to go down second," he said. The company uses mock-ups of the module to fine-tune the routine. Astronauts typically get some time in the actual module and the trainers to find out what they will see once they reach space. In the case of STS-118, the crew can expect a tight fit in the module because of all the gear strapped to the walls. The good news is that what seems like a tight fit on Earth opens up significantly in space, where the lack of gravity lets astronauts float up to the module's window. Crew members can also tuck themselves into crevices and sleep inside the module. As with all the missions that carry a SPACEHAB element, Moore will sit in the Launch Control Center at Kennedy Space Center during launch before heading to Mission Control at Johnson Space Center to oversee the module during the flight. "Every launch is special," he said. "I think we're just going to be on the edge of our seats."

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STS-118 Crew Continues Countdown Demonstration Test
by Arthur Rowe 18 Jul '07

18 Jul '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *STS-118 Crew Continues Countdown Demonstration Test* STS-118 Mission Specialist Dave Williams checks the fit of his launch and entry suit. Image above: STS-118 Mission Specialist Dave Williams gets help with his boot during fit testing of his launch and entry suit. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton + View Full Size Image <http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/170419main_07pd1911.jpg>* 07.18.07 - 9:00 a.m. EDT* The seven-member crew of STS-118 is at Kennedy Space Center in Florida this week for the terminal countdown demonstration test, a final round of prelaunch training that concludes with a simulated launch countdown for the crew and the launch team. Today's test activities include several briefings and an emergency egress walk down for the flight crew at Launch Pad 39A. During this exercise, the astronauts receive training on the slide wire basket system that would carry them safely from the pad in an emergency. Commander Scott Kelly and Pilot Charlie Hobaugh will continue their practice flights aboard the shuttle training aircraft this evening. Space Shuttle Endeavour arrived at Launch Pad 39A early July 11, and the STS-118 payload -- including the S5 truss, SPACEHAB module and external stowage platform 3 -- is secured inside the orbiters 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 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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Spacewalk Dry Run Planned for Thursday
by Arthur Rowe 18 Jul '07

18 Jul '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Spacewalk Dry Run Planned for Thursday* Image above: Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin (left) and Flight Engineer Clay Anderson work with a spacesuit in the Quest Airlock of the International Space Station. Image credit: NASA TO VIEW IMAGE GO TO: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html The Expedition 15 crew on Thursday will do a dry run of its spacewalk planned for Monday. The crew is also configuring the Quest airlock systems. + Expedition 15 Mission Status Briefing Materials, July 18, 2007 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/exp15_ms…> Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineer Clay Anderson will put on their U.S. spacesuits for Thursday’s dry run activities. Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov will test his robotic skills and maneuver the station’s robotic arm, Candarm2, to a pre-determined position. During Monday’s spacewalk one of Anderson’s tasks is to jettison the 1,400-pound Early Ammonia Servicer (EAS). A docked Progress 25 cargo craft will fire its thrusters on July 21 and 23 raising the International Space Station’s orbit. The reboost provides the proper phasing for an upcoming Progress 26 launch and docking. The 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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Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-07-18 06:00 UTC
by AJ9N＠aol.com 18 Jul '07

18 Jul '07

Upcoming ARISS Contact Schedule as of 2007-07-18 06:00 UTC Quick list of scheduled contacts and events: Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, Orlando, Florida, telebridge via W6SRJ Successful Tue 2007-07-17 18:20 UTC 73 deg via W6SRJ (***) Challenger Learning Center of Lucas County, Oregon, Ohio, direct via KB9UPS Wed 2007-07-25 11:38 UTC 49 deg Watch for simulcast on IRLP and Echolink. 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 2007-07-18 06:00 UTC. Here you will find a listing of all scheduled school contacts, and questions, other ISS related websites, IRLP and Echolink websites, and instructions for any contact that may be streamed live. http://www.amsat.org/amsat/ariss/news/arissnews.txt The successful school list has been updated as of 2007-07-18 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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NASA Holds Briefing With First Female Station Commander and Crew
by Arthur Rowe 17 Jul '07

17 Jul '07

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 > July 17, 2007 > > Allard Beutel > Headquarters, Washington > 202-358-4769 > > Nicole Cloutier-Lemasters > Johnson Space Center, Houston > 281-483-5111 > > > > NASA HOLDS BRIEFING WITH FIRST FEMALE STATION COMMANDER AND CREW > > HOUSTON - The next visitors to the International Space Station will > discuss their upcoming flight during a news conference at 2 p.m. CDT > Monday, July 23. The Expedition 16 crew includes Commander Peggy > Whitson, the first female to lead a long-duration spaceflight. > > The news conference from NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, will be > broadcast live on NASA Television with questions taken from media at > other NASA facilities. Reporters should call their local NASA center > to confirm its participation in the event. > > In October, Whitson, Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko > and spaceflight participant Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, who is from > Malaysia, will launch on a Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur > Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Shukor is flying under an agreement with > Russia. Shukor will return to Earth with Expedition 15 crew members > Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Kotov after nine days aboard the station. > > During their six months in space, veterans Whitson and Malenchenko > will be joined by Expedition 16 flight engineers Dan Tani, Leopold > Eyharts of the European Space Agency and Garrett Reisman. > > After Monday's news conference, Expedition 16 crew members will be > available for round-robin interviews. Shukor will take part in the > news conference but not the interviews. > > Tani will begin his work with the expedition during space shuttle > Discovery's STS-120 mission, targeted for launch Oct. 20. Space > shuttle Atlantis' STS-122 mission, which is targeted for launch Dec. > 6, will deliver Eyharts to the outpost and return Tani to Earth. > Reisman will head to the station on space shuttle Endeavour's STS-123 > mission, targeted for launch Feb. 14, 2008. He will replace Eyharts > and return to Earth on a later shuttle flight. > > For NASA TV downlink, schedules and streaming video information, > visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/ntv > > For more about the crew's activities and station sighting > opportunities, visit: > > http://www.nasa.gov/station > > > -end- > > > > > >

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