ISS-11 mission chronicle: April
Coverage of Expedition 11’s stay in orbit for April 2005.
15/4
- Soyuz 10S (Expedition 11+1; Sergei Krikalyov, John Phillips, Roberto Vittori):
- Kurs-A & Kurs-P short test (15 km) – 4/16 (Sat.), 9:34 p.m. EDT;
- Soyuz TV activation (8 km from ISS) – 9:42 p.m.
- Orbital Sunrise – 10:01 p.m.
- Flyaround – 10:01-10:10 p.m.;
- Stationkeeping & Start Final Approach – 10:10 p.m.;
- Docking – 4/16 (Sat.), 10:19 p.m. EDT (17/5 Sunday, 02:19 GMT).
A happy 54th birthday to John Phillips!
News & reports links
From Novosti Kosmonavtiki news №468:
15/04/2005/11:44 – Future records
For Sergei Konstantinovich Krikalyov, who left today for space on board the ship Soyuz TMA-6, new expedition in orbit became the sixth according to the calculation. Not one Russian cosmonaut has flown into space so many times. Now this is a new national record.
But Sergei Krikalyov has chance to improve one additional record. At the moment of launch, his total time in space was 624 days 9 hours 15 minutes 29 seconds, and through he were located in the 4th place in this index, being behind Sergei Avdeyev, to Valerii Polyakov and Anatolii Solovyev. The current expedition is calculated for 180 days. Thus, if does not happen something unforeseen, up to the moment of his return to the Earth, Krikalyov’s record will exceed 804 days. This will be a new world record.
God grant that this would happen.
Russian version, Русская версия: Грядущие рекорды.
Launch data tables from TsENKI:
| Event date | Begin | Operation | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13.04.2005 | 05:00 | Space rocket delivery to the launching complex | |
| 13.04.2005 | 16:00 | Final tests | |
| 14.04.2005 | 16:50 | 8G125 system tests | 19:00 |
| 14.04.2005 | 17:45 | Spaceship loading | |
| 14.04.2005 | 21:45 | Transport of the crew to Pad 254 | 22:45 |
| 14.04.2005 | 23:15 | State Committee meeting on rocket fueling | |
| 15.04.2005 | 00:15 | LV fueling with oxygen | |
| 15.04.2005 | 00:20 | LV cooling and fueling with nitrogen | |
| 15.04.2005 | 00:20 | Assembly I fueling with kerosene | |
| 15.04.2005 | 00:30 | LV fueling with kerosene | |
| 15.04.2005 | 01:10 | LV fueling with hydrogen peroxide | |
| 15.04.2005 | 01:30 | Hydrogen peroxide equalization | |
| 15.04.2005 | 01:45 | Crew’s report to State Committee Chairman | 01:50 |
| 15.04.2005 | 01:50 | Transport of the crew to LC | 02:11 |
| 15.04.2005 | 02:11 | Elevator ride | 02:16 |
| 15.04.2005 | 04:46 | Space rocket liftoff | |
| 15.04.2005 | 02:16 | Taking seats inside the spaceship | 02:41 |
| Order | Event | Actual time | Theoretical time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liftoff | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Rescue system propulsion jettison | 0 | 113.38 seconds |
| 3 | First stage separation | 0 | 117.80 |
| 4 | Payload fairing jettison | 0 | 157.48 |
| 5 | Second stage separation | 0 | 287.30 |
| 6 | Tail section jettison | 0 | 297.05 |
| 7 | Third stage propulsion shutdown | 0 | 524.96 |
| 8 | SC separation | 0 | 528.26 |
| Name | Soyuz-TM (11F732, Soyuz-TMA) |
| Orbit type | LEOel |
| Apogee, km | 245 |
| Perigee, km | 193 |
| Orbit inclination | 51.66 |
| Grad orbital period, min | 88.59 |
| Mass, kg | 7270 |
| Separated parts | Territory for rocket falling parts |
|---|---|
| Rescue system propulsion | No 16, Karaganda district, Republic of Kazakhstan |
| First stage | No 16, Karaganda district, Republic of Kazakhstan |
| Fairing | No 69, Karaganda district, Republic of Kazakhstan |
| Second stage | No 306, Altay district, Republic of Altay (Russia), East Kazakhstan district, Republic of Kazakhstan |
| Tail section | No 309 Altay district, Republic of Altay (Russia), East Kazakhstan district, Republic of Kazakhstan |
16/4
News & reports links
- 16/4 On-Orbit Status Report.
- JSC Station Status Report: 16 April.
- A screenshot from the ISS tracker at the TsUP site, showing the groundtrack of the ISS and Soyuz TMA-6 at 10:52 a.m. Moscow Time/5:52 p.m. in Melbourne.
TsUP, Moscow Mission Control, have an Expedition 6 section, with pages about the flight, the crew, experiments and a week’s timetable for the mission (times are Moscow Daylight Saving time – GMT+4 hours; the Eneide mission activities are not included):
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| Friday 15 April |
|
| Saturday 16 | Second (single-impulse) rendezvous maneuver. |
| Sunday 17 |
|
| Monday 18 |
|
| Tuesday 19 |
|
| Thursday 21 |
|
| Friday 22 |
|
| Saturday 23 |
|
| Sunday 24 |
|
| Monday 25 | TMA-5 de-orbiting and landing at 02:08 (22:08 GMT Sunday 24). |
17/4
Soyuz TMA-6 docked successfully to the ISS at 02:20 GMT. The spaceship did roll a bit around its vertical axis when it contacted the ISS, but this was dampened out once the docking probe was inside the cone. (Well, it’s Sergei’s first docking from the pilot’s seat, so he can be forgiven ;-).) The crew entered the Station at 04:46 GMT.
Main activities for today included payload transfers, swapping of the Kazbek seat liners in both Soyuz ships, drying out the Sokol suits, and an emergency evacuation drill. The Elektron oxygen generator was activated and has so far been operating nominally (it had been shutting off the last week or so because of the usual air bubbles in the gas/water separator).
News & reports links
- 17/4 On-Orbit Status Report.
- NASA TV images: Expeditions 10 and 11; Soyuz TMA-6 docking; View from TMA-6 docking camera.
- Eneide Mission Status Report 1.
- “Soyuz TMA-6 with ESA astronaut Roberto Vittori arrives at the ISS”.
- Space.com: “Space Station Crew Greets Replacements With Open Arms”.
- Spaceflight Now: “Soyuz brings 11th long-duration crew to station”.
- “Opening the hatch” by Maryam, who (unlike me) was able to get NASA TV and watch the crew arrival! “The Expedition 11 crew was greeted with the traditional bread and salt which is the Russian way to greet visitors in International Space Station. The hatch was opened after two hours and a half after docking at 8:44 a.m. Moscow time that occured over Eastern Asia. The Commander Krikalyov attempted to open the hatch after 2 hour pre-hatch procedures. However, the needed to equalize the pressure.”
Soyuz TMA-6 docking timeline
The docking timeline as posted at Spaceflight Now.
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 0145 GMT (9:45 p.m. EDT Sat.) | The Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft is rapidly closing on the space station for docking just over 30 minutes from now. The craft is running a few minutes behind the scheduled timeline, but that should be no problem. The craft is running on its programmed robotic control, with commander Sergei Krikalyov poised to grab manual control for docking if needed. |
| 0207 GMT (10:07 p.m. EDT Sat.) | Soyuz is about 304 meters away from the station, moving toward the outpost at a slower pace now. Mission control reports that everything is progressing successfully tonight. |
| 0212 GMT (10:12 p.m. EDT Sat.) | The capsule has maneuvered around the station and aligned itself with the docking port on the Pirs module a few minutes from now. |
| 0214 GMT (10:14 p.m. EDT Sat.) | About 75 meters to go. Soyuz is closing at 0.3 meters per second. |
| 0216 GMT (10:16 p.m. EDT Sat.) | Now 50 meters separating Soyuz and the space station. |
| 0217 GMT (10:17 p.m. EDT Sat.) | Soyuz remains under control of its KURS automated docking system guiding the capsule to the station. |
| 0218 GMT (10:18 p.m. EDT Sat.) | Distance is now 20 meters. |
| 0219 GMT (10:19 p.m. EDT Sat.) | Soyuz appears to have a bit of roll error, perhaps 5 degrees or more. Controllers were just asking if Krikalyov was ready to take manual control if needed. |
| 0219 GMT (10:19 p.m. EDT Sat.) | Soyuz is within acceptable alignment. Standing by for docking. |
| 0220 GMT (10:20 p.m. EDT Sat.) | Docking. The Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft has docked to the Pirs module of the International Space Station, delivering the Expedition 11 crew while flying over the coast of China. |
| 0222 GMT (10:22 p.m. EDT Sat.) | Over the next few minutes, the Soyuz docking probe will retract to allow hooks and latches to bring the spacecraft to a firm seal with the station. Hatches between the two vehicles will be opened a couple of hours from now. |
18/4
Sergei installed some telemetry equipment in the Orbital Module of TMA-6 and set up a laptop in Zvezda for testing the Russian satellite navigation system, then updated the Russian Operations Data File books. At 08:55 GMT the crew downlinked congratulations to Energiya president Yurii Semyonov for his 70th birthday! At 13:10 GMT the crew participated in a “live interactive TV news conference with U.S. and Russian media assembled at NASA Centers and TsUP/Moscow, via U.S. assets (Ku-band with S/G2) from the Lab module.”
News & reports links
- 18/4 On-Orbit Status Report.
- Eneide Mission Status Report 2.
- Space.com: “Six-Month Mission Begins for Fresh ISS Crew”.
19/4
Sergei was involved in discussing and setting up some Russian medical experiments (Braslet-M/Anketa, Pilot, Regeneration).
News & reports links
- 19/4 On-Orbit Status Report.
- Eneide Mission Status Report 3.
- Roberto Vittori’s diary from space: Launch day.
From Novosti Kosmonavtiki news №469:
19/04/2005/13:01 – Transfer of change occurs according to plan
The transfer of the change of crew ISS-10 to crew ISS-11 occurs strictly according to the outlined operating schedule, reported the Roskosmos information center. In this case the crews conducted minor equipment repairs, specially delivered to the station with the newly-arrived crew.
The dynamism of astronaut Roberto Vittori makes it possible for him to carry out several experiments during the day. they The day before he did the experiments ARISS, Crisp-2, AGROSPASE, NGF, HEARTBEAT MONITORING, AUDIO, MOP, are carry out the surveys of Italy. Yesterday he also participated in a telecast for the European space agency.
The ISS-10 and ISS-11 crews daily conduct the maintenance of the life support system.
The ISS-10 crew – Le Roy Chiao and Salizhan Sharipov – during these days are giving much attention to their physical exercises. Before their return to Earth, according to requirements, the physical exercises prescribed to them by physicians are necessary for them.
– Roskosmos press-service.
Russian version, Русская версия: Передача смены идет по плану.
20/4
Sergei had completed 5 h 50 m of functional handover activities and 2 h dedicated. He assisted Salizhan with the NEUROCOG experiment. The two Russians, along with Roberto, also partook in the traditional commemorative activities (“it usually consists of signing and stamping envelopes and imaging other memorabilia”).
News & reports links
- 20/4 On-Orbit Status Report.
- Roberto Vittori’s diary from space: Arrival at the Station.
- Eneide Mission Status Report 4.
- Expedition 10 took some awesome photos of Soyuz TMA-6 approaching to dock: ISS010-e-24857, 24861, 24868, 24875, 24877.
21/4
Sergei has now done 8 h 35 m of functional handovers, and 2 h of dedicated. He and Salizhan then charged the Motorola-9505 Iridium satellite phone stored in the TMA-5 Descent Module. He assisted Roberto in doing some photo & video imagery, then Sergei & John did an overview of the Crew Medical Systems equipment on the ISS. The crews also downlinked greetings to the Russian Veterans of the Great Patriotic War (WWII) on the 60th Anniversary of Victory Day. There are a few of the usual minor equipment malfunctions (Elektron, both Russian air conditioners [SKVs, СКВ] and CMG-3).
News & reports links
- 21/4 On-Orbit Status Report.
- Roberto Vittori’s diary from space: An outpost for humankind.
- Eneide Mission Status Report 5.
From Novosti Kosmonavtiki news №469:
21/04/2005/09:56 – A change of shift on the ISS
On 20 April of this year the “department” of the main post office was opened on the ISS, and both crews of the 10th and 11th expeditions were occupied by the franking of envelopes with portraits of Tsiolkovskii, Korolev, Gagarin, and with the emblems of previous expeditions using special inks. These envelopes will be returned to Earth after 4 days with the crew of the 11th expedition. Some of them will be transferred to the Museum of Cosmonautics of Russia, and some to the administration of the Latsio region in Italy, which sponsored the flight of R. Vittori.
Furthermore, Salizhan Sharipov will cut off the beans of the “moustached” peas planted by him during January, and these will be placed into a special packet for the return to Earth.
The official ceremony of transfer of control of the ISS from the crew of the 10th basic expedition to the crew of the 11th expedition is assigned for tomorrow on 22 April of this year.
– Roskosmos press-service.
Russian version, Русская версия: Пересменка на МКС.
22/4
Sergei now has accumulated 9 h 35 m functional handover time, and 2 h dedicated. He and John did a periodical test of the Vozdukh CO2 remover’s emergency valve closure system. Sergei installed new software for the Russian ASN-M satellite navigation system, then he did daily SOZh, СОЖ (life support system) maintenance and a Russian segment module airflow check. More Russian commemorative activities. The Changing of Command ceremony took place at 12:20 GMT, so Sergei is now officially in charge of the ISS! “Krikalyov and Sharipov also signed the usual formal Russian statements certifying RS handover/acceptance as specified in the RPS (handover) book, proper transfer of emergency procedures documents, and a list of 27 cargo items stowed on Progress-352/17P for deorbit.” The Elektron and SKV air conditioners are still off.
News & reports links
- 22/4 On-Orbit Status Report.
- JSC Station Status Report: 22 April.
- NASA TV image: Change-of-command ceremony in Unity.
- Roberto Vittori’s diary from space: Life on the Station.
- Eneide Mission Status Report 6.
23/4
Day 7 of joint operations; 2 days to go. Sergei’s functional handover time now totals 9 h 35 m, and 2 h 15 m dedicated. He connected Payload Laptop 3 for transferring the Russian satellite navigation system data and prepared an IMS (Inventory Management System) file. Checked the airflow sensors and two experiments (Regeneration and Bioekologiya). The Elektron and SKV air conditioners are still off.
Shock discovery of the week: Sergei wears reading glasses! Oh, dear!! Middle age is catching up with him!!! :-( Oh, well, they don’t look too bad on him.
News & reports links
24/4
Final day of joint operations; TMA-5 departed at 21:44 GMT, so much packing, final transfers and handovers (“Are you sure you’ve got everything?”). Sergei did some air sampling. Farewell handshakes took place at 15:40 GMT, then the hatches between Zarya and TMA-5 were closed. Expedition 10 and Roberto Vittori landed safely at Arkalyk in Kazakhstan at 22:07 GMT.
News & reports links
25/4
First day alone for Sergei and John, and the beginning of the first week of their Expedition. An off-duty (rest) day after a hectic week. Sergei did the daily SOZh, СОЖ Russian segment life support systems maintenance. Sergei and John both completed their daily 2½ hours’ exercise routine. The Elektron and SKV air conditioners are still off (Elektron to be activated tomorrow; troubleshooting of SKVs is also scheduled).
News & reports links
26/4
Another rest day for Expedition 11. The Elektron oxygen generator was activated today and is so far working normally. Sergei and John did some packing of items to be returned on the upcoming STS-114 Shuttle flight. Sergei did the daily SOZh life support system maintenance in Zvezda (Russian crew members generally look after the Russian segment, as U.S. crew members look after the U.S. segment). Both did their daily 2.5 hours’ exercise. “As was the case for Salizhan Sharipov, Sergei’s daily protocol prescribes a four-day microcycle exercise with 1.5 hr on the treadmill and one hour on VELO plus load trainer (today: Day 2 of a new set).”
News & reports links
27/4
Sergei and John began the day with a 2-hour emergency evacuation drill. Sergei worked on troubleshooting the SKV air conditioners, then he & John continued cleaning out Unity. Sergei did the daily SOZh maintenance. He & John had a teleconference with the STS-114 crew (current launch day is 22 May), and had an hour set aside for ISS familiarization (which they will for the first two weeks). The Elektron ran normally for 3 hours, then shut down again.
News & reports links
28/4
Sergei and John conducted their first session of the periodic Russian biomedical assessments PZEh-MO-8 (body mass measurement) and PZEh-MO-7 (calf volume measurement). Sergei swapped a component for the BITS2-12 onboard telemetry measurement system and worked on the Rodnik water supply system, then took 2 photos of the SM aft-end passive docking assembly (SSVP StA, ССВР СтА) as is customary after Progress dockings. He & John also did their first periodic on-orbit hearing assessment (O-OHA) test. Sergei prepared a new laptop for the Russian Segment by installing a 60 GB hard drive while John had a go at the routine SOZh maintenance. At 17:05 GMT, “the crew downlinked two cordial TV messages of greetings and congratulations to TsUP/Moscow for upcoming events observing Victory Day and the heroic sacrifices made by Russians to win WWII (the Great Patriotic War, 1941-45).” (Victory Day is on 9/5.)
News & reports links
29/4
Sergei completed their first session of the periodic Russian MedOps test “Gematokrit” (MO-10), involving taking blood samples via pricking a finger (ouch). Sergei also did another Russian test, the MBI-1 SPRUT-K test. Sergei then “worked on the condensate water recovery system (SRVK-2M) in the SM to investigate the SKV2 air conditioner’s current inability to produce condensate flow to the SRVK.” He then continued transferring potable (drinking) water from the Rodnik in the Progress to Zvezda. He “conducted the weekly IMS (inventory management system) tagup with specialists at TsUP/Moscow.” He & John performed weekly maintenance of the TVIS treadmill. The Elektron is still off after two unsuccessful tries by Sergei to restart it yesterday. At 19:50 GMT, the crew was scheduled for their first regular (nominally weekly) teleconference with the ISS Flight Director at MCC-H.
News & reports links
- 29/4 On-Orbit Status Report.
- JSC Station Status Report: 29 April. “Early today Krikalyov and Phillips were informed that NASA managers rescheduled the launch of the Shuttle Discovery to no earlier than July 13 on the STS-114 Return to Flight mission. The additional time is needed to complete a thorough analysis of the potential risks posed by several areas of possible ice debris from the Shuttle’s external fuel tank as well as an evaluation of several concerns found during recent launch preparations.”
30/4
Saturday is housecleaning today for our crew (uborka, уборка), which involves 3 hours of “removal of food waste products, cleaning of compartments with vacuum cleaner, wet cleaning of the Service Module (SM) dining table and other surfaces with ‘Fungistat’ disinfectant and cleaning fan screens to avoid temperature rises.” Sergei transferred data for the “Matryoshka” measurement experiment, and completed a first session for the biomedical MBI-9 “Pulse” experiment. Sergei had his weekly private family conference at 13:35 GMT, via S-band/audio and Ku-band/NetMeeting video. He and John also had a weekly planning conference discussing the schedule for next week and a teleconference with ISS Program Management. The water transfer yesterday added 210 liters to the ISS water supplies. The SKV air conditioner is now operating nominally. “Update on Elektron: TsUP/Moscow is tentatively planning to have the crew replace the Elektron’s BZh-5 (Liquid Unit #5) with BZh-6 next w eek on 4/5 and 5/5.”