SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*Crew Prepares for Next Week's Russian Spacewalk*

ISS015-E-08237 --- Fyodor Yurchikhin (left), Oleg Kotov (right) and Sunita WilliamsImage above: Fyodor Yurchikhin (left), Oleg Kotov (right) and Sunita Williams photographed during a teleconference in the Zvezda Service Module. Image credit: NASA TO VIEW IMAGE GO TO: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

In preparation for next week's spacewalk, Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin collected tools such as tethers, wire ties, bungees, a hammer, cutter, scissors, a pry bar and the spacewalk tool caddy. Yurchikhin and Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov then assembled the spacewalk tool and equipment carryout bundle.

Flight Engineer Sunita Williams held a teleconference with the next Expedition 15 crew member, Clayton Anderson, who will replace her in June. These exchanges begin the handover process prior to the arrival of the next crew.

Each crew member took the periodic hearing test to assess the effectiveness of acoustic countermeasures. The test involved measurements for each ear over a wide range of frequencies (0.25-10 kHz) and sound pressure levels. The baseline test is required not later than about two weeks after the start of each new expedition and is then generally performed once per month.

The next station reboost is scheduled for May 23 at about 7:30 p.m. EDT, using the ISS Progress 25 thrusters. The purpose of the maneuver is to position the station for the STS-117 launch in June.

+ Read more about the Progress 25 docking http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/exp15_progress25_launch.html + Read more about Expedition 15 http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/index.html + View crew daily timelines http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/timelines/index.html