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CX2SA > ISS 28.01.07 06:19l 80 Lines 3572 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 44103-CX2SA
Read: GUEST OE7FMI
Subj: ISS STATUS REPORT #07-5
Path: DB0FHN<DB0MRW<DB0SON<DB0SIF<DB0GV<DB0LJ<DB0RES<F5GOV<TU2BBS<F4DUR<
CX2SA
Sent: 070127/1943Z @:CX2SA.LAV.URY.SA #:44103 [Minas] FBB7.00e $:44103-CX2SA
From: CX2SA@CX2SA.LAV.URY.SA
To : ISS@WW
SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468
*International Space Station Status Report #07-5*
*4 p.m. CST Friday, Jan. 26, 2007*
*Expedition 14 Crew*
The crew aboard the International Space Station focused this week on
preparing for an unprecedented series of spacewalks set to begin in a
few days.
Expedition 14 Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Suni
Williams will begin a 6.5-hour spacewalk from the station at about 9
a.m. CST on Wednesday, Jan. 31. It will be the first of a record four
spacewalks planned during the next month.
Lopez-Alegria and Williams will conduct other spacewalks on Feb. 4 and
Feb. 8. The first three spacewalks will originate from the station's
Quest airlock, and the astronauts will use U.S. spacesuits.
Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin will use Russian
spacesuits for a Feb. 22 spacewalk originating from the station's Pirs
airlock.
The three U.S. spacewalks will rearrange the station's cooling system,
bringing online new portions of the system that were activated during a
shuttle mission in December. The Russian spacewalk will free a stuck
antenna on the ISS Progress 23 cargo craft docked to the aft end of the
station, ensuring that craft can undock safely in April.
The crew began the week unloading some of the more than 2.5 tons of
food, fuel and supplies that were delivered to the station on Jan. 19 by
the ISS Progress 24 cargo craft. Supplies aboard the 24th Progress to
visit the station included fresh produce, gifts from home, new clothing,
spare parts, oxygen and water.
The crew's attention quickly turned to preparations for the upcoming
spacewalks. On Monday, the crew began working with the U.S. spacesuits.
Batteries for the suits were charged, and the suit cooling systems cleaned.
On Tuesday, Lopez-Alegria and Williams trained using an onboard, laptop
computer-based simulation. The training refreshed their skills operating
the Simplified Aid For Extravehicular Activity Rescue (SAFER) jetpack
that is worn on spacesuits. The SAFER backpack allows spacewalkers to
fly themselves back to the station in the event they become untethered
and separated from the complex.
On Thursday, ground controllers in Houston commanded the station's
robotic arm to maneuver into the position it will occupy for the start
of the spacewalk. Aboard the station, the crew set time aside to review
the plans for the first spacewalk.
Lopez-Alegria and Williams continued checks of their spacesuits and
checks of the SAFER backpacks Friday. The SAFER backpacks are propelled
by compressed nitrogen gas, and, during the checkout, the harmless gas
was released, depleting the nitrogen in one unit below the usable
quantity. Two other usable SAFER backpacks remain onboard, however, and
the loss of the third unit does not affect plans for the upcoming
spacewalks.
The crew took time out from their work on Monday to speak with
television host Martha Stewart. Crew members also took time to field
questions from two schools, one in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and another
in Winnebago, Neb., by amateur radio.
The next station status report will be issued following the spacewalk on
Wednesday, Jan. 31, or earlier if events warrant. For more about the
crew's activities and station sighting opportunities, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
----
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