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ISS-11 mission chronicle: August

Coverage of Expedition 11’s stay in orbit for August 2005.

1/8

Flight Day 7 for STS-114. Sergei & John spent most of the day supporting EVA-2, where the long-broken Control Movement Gyroscope-1 was replaced at last. Sergei started the regeneration cycle on absorbent bed #1 of the Russian harmful impurities removal system (BMP). He also did the daily SOZh maintenance and the weekly maintenance reboot of the Station laptop computers.

News & reports links

2/8

Week 15 for Expedition 11; Flight Day 8 for STS-114. Main activity was the cargo transfer from Raffaello. Sergei began his day with the regular morning inspection and monthly check of circuit breakers and fuses in Pirs. He and John later joined the Shuttle crew for a detailed review of tomorrow’s EVA-3. Sergei did the SOZh maintenance and regeneration cycle of absorbent bed #2 of the Russian harmful impurities removal system (BMP). At 10:45 GMT he and John conducted a press conference with reporters at TsUP. At 14:20 GMT both crews talked with President George W. Bush. Sergei had another Uragan Earth photography session assigned.

News & reports links

From Novosti Kosmonavtiki news №491:

02/08/2005/17:20 – Discovery commander assures they will return safely

The commander of the Shuttle Discovery, Eileen Collins, requested everyone not to worry, since she was reassured of the safe return of the ship to Earth. “I believe that this there will be a normal flight, and all engineering ship systems will work out regularly. Do not worry about us,” she said.

From his side, the ISS commander, Sergei Krikalyov, reported that into the medium, on 3 August, Discovery astronaut Steve Robinson will, during the work in open space, try to remove from a groove between the thermo-tiles of the Shuttle two pieces of thermal insulation strip.

Speaking about the living conditions of the joint stay of the Shuttle and ISS crews, Krikalyov noted that no one experiences no discomfort.

According to him, although the load on him and flight engineer John Phillips is now more than they experienced prior to the arrival of the Shuttle, they do not feel fatigue. “We arise for 2.5 hours earlier, and we go to sleep earlier in the same period. During the workday with the Discovery crew we are practically not seen, since each is occupied by the tasks assigned to them, but after supper we are in the evening gathered all together”, reported Krikalyov. On this transfers RIA News.

Russian version, Русская версия: Командир экипажа Discovery уверена в благополучном возвращении.

02/08/2005/17:20 – The crew of Discovery will not remain on the ISS

The crew of the Shuttle Discovery will not remain on the ISS, since the heat-shielding coating of the Shuttle in a good state, reported ISS commander Sergei Krikalyov.

According to the cosmonaut, who is located on board the ISS, the scenario previously was examined, according to which the crew of Discovery could be located on the Station during 45 days to the arrival of the rescue-ship Atlantis.

“If we saw significant damage, then, of course, it would not be possible for Discovery to return to the Earth without risk to the life of the astronauts”, refined Krikalyov.

It is assumed that Discovery will land at the Cape Canaveral spaceport on Monday 8 August. According to the plan, the Shuttle will be able to approach for landing four times – the first attempt at the landing after its passage through the dense layer of the atmosphere is scheduled for 12.46 MSK. About this transfers RIA News.

Russian version, Русская версия: Экипаж Discovery не останется на МКС.

3/8

Flight Day 9 for STS-114. Sergei and John spent most of the day supporting EVA-3, which was successful (the protruding Orbiter tile gap fillers were removed). Cargo transfers continued. Sergei did the SOZh maintenance. The newly installed Control Movement Gyroscope-1 was spun up.

News & reports links

4/8

Crew day started at 03:40 GMT. Most of the day was occupied with cargo transfers to and from Raffaello. Sergei did the SOZh maintenance and related chores. “As a voluntary entry on his time available task list, Krikalyov was at liberty to take photo and video imagery of joint STS-114/ISS crew operations.”

News & reports links

  • 4/8 On-Orbit Status Report.
  • STS-114 MCC Status Reports: #19; #20.
  • “Exploration – The Fire of the Human Spirit: A Tribute – To Fallen Astronauts and Cosmonauts”. Expedition 11 Flight Engineer John Phillips: ““To the crew of Columbia, as well as the crews of Challenger, Apollo 1 and Soyuz 1 and 11, and to those who have courageously given so much, we now offer our enduring thanks. From you we will carry the human spirit out into space, and we will continue the explorations you have begun. We will find those new harbors that lie out in the stars and of which you dreamed. We do this not just because we owe it to you, but we do it because we also share your dream of a better world. We share your dream of coming to understand ourselves and our place in this universe. And as we journey into space you will be in our thoughts and will be deeply missed.” (Sergei repeated this paragraph in Russian – no Russian version to be found, yet.)

5/8

Crew day started an hour earlier, at 02:40 GMT, to prepare for undocking tomorrow. Raffaello is safely back in the payload bay. Transfers continued. Sergei did the SOZh maintenance. “As a voluntary entry on his ‘time available’ task list, Krikalyov recharged the battery of his Russian DVCAM digital camcorder and again gathered imagery of joint STS-114/ISS crew operations to update RSC-Energiya’s ISS assembly stage chronicles. The photo coverage will also include Discovery’s undocking and Station flyaround tomorrow morning.” (These Energiya photo chronicles do not appear to be on their website, at least not that I could find?)

News & reports links

6/8

Discovery undocked at 07:24 GMT after crew farewells. Sergei videoed the flyaround with his camcorder. Light duties follow for him and John this weekend after the hectic week; packing and stowage of all the gear brought up.

Krikalyov thanked the Shuttle astronauts in turn along with ground support crews, saying “it’s really a big event for us because we were waiting for this flight for several years, more than three years already. And fortunately, everything goes smooth. We want to say thank you and wish you a good, soft landing.” (CBS News)

News & reports links

TsUP news:

Discovery in autonomous flight

TsUP-M press-service, 06 August 2005

The crew activity program of the reusable American ship Discovery at the International Space Station is completed.

On 6 August, 2005, 11 hours 24 minutes (Moscow time), Discovery undocked from the Station and its flight in the autonomous regime now continues.

Its landing at the Cape Canaveral spaceport (state of Florida) is planned for 8 August at 12 hours 46 minutes.

The space watch of Sergei Krikalyov and John Phillips on the ISS continues.

Russian version, Русская версия:

«Дискавери» в автономном полете

Пресс-служба ЦУП-М, 06 августа 2005 года

Завершена программа работы экипажа американского корабля многоразового использования «Дискавери» на Международной космической станции.

6 августа 2005 года в 11 часов 24 минуты московского времени «Дискавери» отстыковался от станции и сейчас продолжает полет в автономном режиме.

Приземление его на космодроме на мысе Канаверал (штат Флорида) намечено на 8 августа в 12 часов 46 минут.

Космическая вахта Сергея Крикалева и Джона Филлипса на МКС продолжается.

7/8

An off-duty Sunday for the crew; beginning of Week 16. Crew wake-up at the normal 06:00 GMT. The usual light chores: Sergei did the SOZh maintenance and he and John completed the weekly 3 hours of uborka, Station-cleaning. Weekly planning conference at 12:35 GMT with the Ground. Sergei and John will start sleep cycle shifting on the 13th in preparation for the Russian spacewalk scheduled for 18/8. Sergei’s last spacewalk was in 1992!

News & reports links

7/8 On-Orbit Status Report.

8/8

Sergei and John began preparations for the upcoming Orlan spacewalk on 18 August. They both performed the mandatory Russian pre-EVA MedOps procedure MO-6 (hand-cycle ergometry) in Zvezda. They installed a BNP, БНП portable air repress bottle in Pirs (back-up in case the hatch’s pressurization equalization valve doesn’t work). John gathered some U.S. tools required for the spacewalk; Sergei unstowed payload to be installed outside (delivered on the last Progress). Sergei then compressed the bladder of Rodnik water pump #2 (BV2, БВ2) after doing #1 previously. He did the SOZh maintenance. “CMG-3 (control moment gyro #3) was successfully integrated into the USOS (US segment) steering law. Thanks to LF-1, for the first time since June 8, 2002, the ISS is again being controlled by four nominally functioning CMGs.”

News & reports links

8/8 On-Orbit Status Report.

From the Russian Federal Space Agency (FKA) site, preparations of the Soyuz TMA-7 spaceship that Sergei and John will ride home on (along with very lucky space tourist Greg Olsen):

Preparation has begun at Baikonur of the manned spacecraft Soyuz TMA-7

(From the site of Roskosmos, 8 August 2005)

Today, in the calculations of Roskosmos, will begin work on preparation for the launch of the Soyuz TMA-7 manned spacecraft, which arrived at the spaceport by rail transport on 6 August of this year – about this reported Oleg Urusov, press-secretary at FKTS Baikonur.

The Soyuz TMA-7 spacecraft was delivered into the assembly and testing housing at Complex 254 and established into the stand. Now the calculations Roskosmos are prepared for conducting of electronics-testing of the spaceship.

The launch of Soyuz TMA-7 to the International Space Station with the crew of the 12th Basic Expedition, composed of V. Tokarev and U. MacArthur (duplicating crew: A. Lazutkin and J. Williams) and with the space tourist G. Olsen, is scheduled for 1 October of this year from Complex 1 at the Baikonur spaceport.

Russian version, Русская версия: На Байконуре начата подготовка пилотируемого космического корабля «Союз ТМА-7».

9/8

STS-114 finally landed today at Edwards AFB after being waived-off yesterday due to bad weather in Florida, at 12:11:22 GMT. “From the Station, Commander Sergei Krikalyov and NASA Science Officer John Phillips sent their congratulations to Discovery’s crew and the flight control team in Houston.” (STS-114 Status Report #28.) Sergei and John underwent the periodical Russian biomedical assessments (PZEh-MO-7 and -8) before breakfast. They then reviewed timelines, data files and DVDs concerned with the upcoming Orlan spacewalk. Sergei did the SOZh maintenance, then set up equipment for a PZE MO-9 “Urolux” biochemical urine test tomorrow (done before and after a Russian spacewalk).

News & reports links

9/8 On-Orbit Status Report.

10/8

Biochemical Urinalysis (MO-9) for Sergei and John, before breakfast and eating (MO-9 is done every 30 days, and before & after a Russian spacewalk). Preparations continued for next week’s VKD-14 (Russian acronym for EVA), gathering necessary equipment. VKD-14 objectives are:

  1. Removal of panel #3 of the Japanese/JAXA MPAC & SEED experiment on the SM exterior;
  2. Removal of the Russian “Matryoshka” radiation measurement “human torso” from the SM hull and transfer to the DC-1 EVA hatch;
  3. Removal of the SKK-3 replaceable cassette container on the SM cylindrical section (AO) for return to the ground;
  4. Installation of the new SKK-5 sample plate in place of SKK-3;
  5. Relocation of the deployed SKK-4 materials sample plate on its handrail at the SM AO end cone;
  6. Removal of the MSN “Biorisk” experiment #1 from its location on the DC-1 for return to Earth;
  7. Installation of an additional TV camera at the SM aft end to assist in ATM prox ops; and
  8. Removal of a Russian/US Strela 2 adapter from the EFGF (electrical flight grapple fixture) on the FGB module and its installation on the FRGF (flight releasable grapple fixture) on the PMA-3 (pressurized mating adapter #3).

Sergei did the monthly recharging of the Motorola-9505 Iridium satellite phone, then the daily SOZh maintenance. “At ~18:55 GMT, the crew downlinked a TV message of greetings via S- & Ku-Band to the visitors of the MAKS-2005 Airspace Show in Russia, open from August 16 through August 21. The downlink also included the video footage taken of today’s EVA equipment preparations.”

News & reports links

10/8 On-Orbit Status Report.

From Novosti Kosmonavtiki news №493:

10/08/2005/14:51 – On the ISS the crew are preparing for a spacewalk

The ISS crew is preparing for a spacewalk. Sergei Krikalyov and John Phillips are scheduled to install on the external surface of the Russian segment equipment for the docking with the first European cargo ship Jules Verne of the ATV series. As Mission Control Center reported, “Krikalyov and Phillips must work outside almost 6 hours at night from 18 to 19 August.”

“The crew already conducted several trainings in the Russian Orlan spacesuit, and today Krikalyov and Phillips are to prepare the necessary equipment for the extra-ship activity,” noted the representative of TsUP. On Friday 12 August, the crew will be occupied for several hours by testing spacesuits, he refined.

As ITAR-TASS reports, also during the forthcoming space walk for cosmonauts they must install a television camera, which will be used for the docking with the first European cargo ship Jules Verne. Its launch is planned for the spring of the following year (2006).

According to the plan of TsUP, the spacewalk of Krikalyov and Phillips must begin on 18 August at 22:55 Moscow time, and be completed on 19 August at 04:45.

Russian version, Русская версия: На МКС готовятся к выходу в открытый космос.

11/8

Spacewalk preparations for 18/8 continue. Today, the equipment required was gathered into a bundle of not more than 1 m so it can fit through the Pirs hatch. Orlan suit consumables, replaceable ORU elements and personal gear were also gathered. Orlan suit numbers 25 and 27 are to be worn (fitted with U.S. EMU spacesuit helmet lights). Sergei then installed the second (of 2) BNP portable repress bottles in Zvezda. He transferred more potable water from Progress M-53 to Zvezda, and did the daily SOZh maintenance. “As part of the EVA assembly video downlink, the crew also sent down greetings to the participants of the Russian Geographic Society’s 12th Congress, requested by veteran cosmonaut V.P. Savinykh.”

News & reports links

11/8 On-Orbit Status Report.

12/8

Sergei sets a world record next week AND gets to go on a spacewalk. Fun! The crew began sleep-shifting two hours forward (08:00 GMT) and go to sleep at 11:30 GMT to support medical activities for VKD-14. Today they set up and checked out the VKD support panels (POV, ПОВ) and equipped the Orlan suits with their replaceable elements. Sergei will be wearing Orlan #25 (red markings) with BRTA radio telemetry unit #13 installed, while John’s suit will be #27 (also with red markings) with BRTA #12. Both crewmen completed a MO-5 MedOps protocol of cardiovascular evaluation on the VELO ergometer as a standard pre-spacewalk test (their normal daily exercise was reduced because of this). John did the SOZh maintenance. The crew had their weekly teleconferences with the JSC Astronaut Office and ISS Program Management at Houston. “Yesterday at 3:20 p.m. EDT, a recently (7/11) installed BVK-1 vacuum valve on the Russian Vozdukh CO2 (c arbon dioxide) removal system failed, causing the system to shut down.” The Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly in the U.S. Lab and Russian LiOH canisters (38) are available as back-ups.

News & reports links

  • 12/8 On-Orbit Status Report.
  • JSC Station Status Report: 12 August. “At 12:44 a.m. CDT Tuesday [05:44 GMT], Krikalyov’s time spent in space will surpass that of any other human being. Krikalyov’s record will pass the one now held by Cosomonaut Sergei Avdeyev, who spent 748 days in orbit. Krikalyov is a veteran of six space flights, two long-duration flights to the Soviet Union Space Station Mir; two flights on the Space Shuttle; and, counting this mission, two flights to the International Space Station. Krikalyov was aboard the Space Station Mir when the Soviet Union disintegrated. He became the first Russian to fly on the Space Shuttle in 1994. He was a member of the Shuttle crew that began assembly of the International Space Station in 1998. In 2000, he was a member of the first resident International Space Station crew.”

13/8

Saturday: off-duty, with the usual 3-hour uborka, Station-keeping. The crew continued reviewing spacewalk procedures from Pirs for next week. Sergei did the SOZh maintenance. Both partook in the weekly planning conference with both TsUP and Houston.

News & reports links

13/8 On-Orbit Status Report.

14/8

Sunday: off-duty. Beginning of Week 17. Sergei did the SOZh maintenance and “As part of today’s morning inspection after wake-up, CDR Krikalyov did the periodic checkup behind Panel 139 in the Service Module (SM) on a fluid connector of the urine collection system, checking for potential moisture.”

News & reports links

14/8 On-Orbit Status Report.

15/8

More preparations for VKD-14 on the 18th. “EVA preparations today included:(1) attaching the LCG (liquid cooling garment) restraint straps of the Orlan-Ms; (2) suit fit adjustment for height (to be repeated as necessary during the dry-run and under reduced airlock pressure); (3) leak checks and valve functionality tests on the suits and their BSS interface units in the Pirs Docking Compartment (DC1) and Service Module Transfer Compartment (SM PkhO); (4) leak checking on the oxygen repressurization tanks (BK-3, primary & backup); (5) filling the DIDBs (disposable in-suit drink bags) and installing them in the suits, and (6) installing the Fresnel lens viewing aid in the helmets (at crew’s discretion).” Sergei did the SOZh maintenance. No luck with restarting the Vozhukh CO2 scrubber; the problem is thought to be in the electronic control circuitry of the unit. The U.S. CDRA continues operating in the interim.

News & reports links

From Novosti Kosmonavtiki news №494:

15/08/2005/00:07 – Preparation for the spacewalk

The space watch of Sergei Krikalyov and John Phillips continues on board the International Space Station.

In accordance with the outlined flight program the crew conducts preparation for the space walk that is scheduled for the night of 18-19 August 2005. Today the cosmonauts deal with testing the Russian spacesuits Orlan-M, in which they must work on the external surface of Station.

The basic tasks of the spacewalk are the dismantling and replacement of the separate elements of scientific gear on the official module Zvezda, the installation of a reserve television camera, and photography.

The discovery from the exit port of the Pirs section must take place at 22 hours 55 minutes Moscow time (18:55 GMT). The estimated time of the presence of crew in open space is 6 hours.

– The press-service of TsUP/MCC-M.

Russian version, Русская версия: Подготовка к выходу в открытый космос.

15/08/2005/15:57 – The ISS crew tries on the spacesuits

The crew of the International Space Station today carries out the completing trimming of the spacesuits before the space walk. On this Moscow Mission Control Center (TSUP) reported on Monday. Russian Sergei Krikalyov and American John Phillips today will spend a large part of working time remove to the trimming of the Russian spacesuits Orlan-M, which they at the end of the week will leave Station for 6 hours,” said a TSUP expert.

“During the preparation of Orlans, cosmonauts will “blow through” the suits with fresh air, will verify interphone headsets, will install American drinkable tanks into the Russian spacesuits, and also will free the hydraulic systems of cooling from the air bubbles,” described the expert. Furthermore, he added, Krikalyov and Phillips will fix on their spacesuits powerful lamps for the work in the complete darkness, fed from autonomous storage batteries .

The “fitting” of spacesuits is a very important operation, from which to a considerable degree depends the effectiveness of work outboard, they explained at TSUP. Thus, during the January output into space of the ISS-10 crew, for flight engineer Salizhan Sharipov it was necessary to make additional efforts because of the too-long sleeves of the Orlan, since sometimes the fingers of his hands did not reach to the tips of gloves. “On the Earth long sleeves can be curled up, and under weightlessness conditions this interfere with the laws of physics,” said the specialist, after explaining that “in space, the sleeves themselves return to their initial form.”

During the six-hour output, scheduled for the night of 18-19 August, Krikalyov and to Phillips are to install on the external surface of the Russian segment equipment for the docking with the first European cargo ship Jules Verne, whose launch is planned for the spring of 2006. Cosmonauts also must dismantle on the ISS Russian segment “Mr. Rendo” – the European mannequin, established outside a year ago within the framework of Russian-European experiment “Matryoshka”. Furthermore, the crew ISS-11 will remove from the external surface of Station one of the containers with the fungi and the bacilli, which was established in open space within the framework of the “Biorisk” experiment. ITAR-TASS reports about this.

Russian version, Русская версия: Экипаж МКС подгоняет скафандры.

16/8

747+ days in orbit for Sergei!!

“Today at 1:44 a.m. EDT, on this 124th day of Expedition 11, CDR Krikalyov beat Cosmonaut Sergei Avdeyev’s three-mission space-endurance record of 748 days. With his total of six space flights, Krikalyov thus has become the human with the most cumulative time in space, setting a new stay-time record with every further day in space. Congratulations, Sergei Konstantinovich!” Wakeup for the crew at 10:00 GMT today; bedtime at 01:30 GMT. Main activity for today was a spacesuit training “dry-run” to check out the Orlans. John did the SOZh maintenance while Sergei exported the Inventory Management System delta file.

News & reports links

  • 16/8 On-Orbit Status Report.
  • NASA: “Krikalyov Sets Time-in-Space Record”. “Mission Control Moscow also saluted Krikalyov’s achievement, and Krikalyov joked in Russian, ‘You’ll have to congratulate me every day from now on.’ ”
  • MSNBC.com: “Cosmonaut sets record for most days in space”.
  • New Scientist Space.com:“Cosmonaut clocks up record time in space”. “‘He’s a very impressive cosmonaut,’ says Jay Buckey, an associate professor of medicine at Dartmouth Medical School in Hanover, New Hampshire, US, who flew on the space shuttle Columbia for 16 days in 1998. ‘He’s been called upon at various times because of his reputation.’ […] The fact that Krikalyov has been repeatedly tapped for these long and critical missions suggests ‘he’s probably the best performer you’re going to find’ in terms of handling the stresses of spaceflight, says David Musson, a physician and psychology researcher at the University of Texas in Austin, US.”

17/8

VKD-14 preparations continued today (see the OOR link for detailed description).

News & reports links

17/8 On-Orbit Status Report.

18/8

VKD-14 was accomplished successfully; a nice complement to Sergei’s other achievement this week! Wakeup at 09:20 GMT, starting with the daily morning inspection, during which Sergei had to verify that Service Module (SM) windows 6, 8, & 9 were closed for protection. He & John underwent another MO-9 “Urolux” urine biochemistry test before breakfast (a second session was to be conducted after the spacewalk). The camera they would take outside was a Kodak DCS 760 (we eagerly await photos to appear in the Gallery!). They continued to configure the ISS for unmanned flight during their stay outside (just in case they couldn’t get back in!). Pirs hatch #1 was opened at 19:02 GMT after depressurization. The spacewalk lasted for 4 hours 58 minutes, shorter than planned, as one task was deferred – removal of a Russian/US Strela-2 adapter from the EFGF (electrical flight grapple fixture) on the FGB module and its installation on the FRGF (flight releasable grapple fixture) on the P MA-3 (pressurized mating adapter #3) – as they were running behind schedule. “ ‘Well, it’s a pity, we had it planned, I think we could have done it,’ Krikalyov complained. ‘If we had known, we wouldn’t have worked so hard.’ Mission Control replied there was not enough time and informed the two men in no uncertain times: ‘That’s it.’ They re-entered Pirs and closed the hatch at 00:00 GMT. This was Sergei’s eighth spacewalk, and John’s first.”

News & reports links

19/8

Wake-up today at 16:00 GMT and bedtime at the normal 21:30 GMT. As noted yesterday, VKD-14 was successful, aside from running out of time to do the last task. Most things are back to normal. Sergei had 2½ hours for troubleshooting the failed Vozdukh CO2 remover while John did the SOZh maintenance. The CDRA had failed but was successfully restarted.

News & reports links

19/8 On-Orbit Status Report.

From Novosti Kosmonavtiki news №494:

19/08/2005/09:54 – Spacewalk was completed before the appointed time

Cosmonauts Sergei Krikalyov and John Philips completed work in open space and returned onboard the International Space Station, after shutting transfer hatches. As RIA News reported in TsUP Moscow, the crew returned to the Station before the appointed time, after foregoing fulfillment by one of the tasks: dismantling of an adapter on the main module of Zarya. The reasons for this decision is so far unknown.

According to the data of TsUP, the cosmonauts carried out the following works:

  • from the Russian segment of Station was taken one of the containers of equipment “Biorisk-MSN”, panel №3 of MPAC&SEED, and a detachable cassette with the models of different materials was substituted, the human body mannequin (“Mr. Rendo”), prepared in Germany, which was exposed under the conditions of open space from February of past year, was dismantled;
  • in the job schedule on the guarantee of docking European automatic cargo spacecraft ATV, the crew established an additional television camera on the end part of the Zvezda service module.

Sergei Krikalyov and John Phillips dismantled scientific gear from the external surface of Station and transferred this into the Pirs section.

In the process of work on the external surface of Station the crew also verified the reliability of fastening equipment “Kromka-3”, and carried out necessary photography.

The time of operation of Sergei Krikalyov and John Phillips in the open outer space was 4 hours 57 minutes. Return to the Station occurred on 18 August at 23:59 UTC (on 19 August at 03:59 MSK).

Russian version, Русская версия: Выход в открытый космос завершился досрочно.

From RIA Novosti:

ISS crew commander to enjoy his birthday dinner

Zhukovsky (Moscow region), August 19 (RIA Novosti) – A Progress spacecraft will deliver to the International Space Station a birthday meal for Commander Sergei Krikalyov, the chief medical officer at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center said at the MAKS 2005 aerospace show Friday.

“Krikalyov, who will turn 47 on August 27, will enjoy and treat his companion John Phillips to a head of Italian cheese Parmigiano, ham and tongue in sauce, which are absolutely new foods in orbit,” Valery Morgun said.

Viktor Dobrovolsky, the director of the Food-Concentrates Industry Research Institute, said Russian food contained no preservatives. He added that 80% of space food was produced at a Russian factory, whereas the other 20% was bought from other reliable suppliers. “Besides the specialized and, believe me, very delicious food that we produce, we order five kinds of instant porridge, several kinds of tea, chocolate and coffee with other manufacturers. But we still produce 80% of space dishes,” he said.

Russian version, Русская версия: Командира МКС на орбите будут баловать итальянским сыром «Пармежан».

20/8

Saturday: off-duty, with the usual 3 hours of uborka, housecleaning. Some final post-VKD cleanup activities for Sergei, then he did the SOZh maintenance. At 07:40 GMT he had private conference with friends at TsUP/Moscow via S- & Ku-band. Weekly planning conference for the crew with TsUP and Houston at 15:20 GMT. The Vozdukh was reactivated (manual mode 5) as was the second dessicant bed of the CDRA (the latter was to be switched off later if the Vozdukh behaved itself).

News & reports links

20/8 On-Orbit Status Report.

21/8

Sunday: off-duty. Beginning of Week 18 for the crew. The usual housekeeping tasks and light duties. Sergei did the SOZh maintenance. Teleconference with ISS Program Management. “Later, at ~10:00 a.m./02:00 GMT, Sergei had his weekly PFC (private family conference) via S-band/audio and Ku-band/NetMeeting video (which employs a USB camera at the SSC laptop). [Controllers had to overcome some temporary audio relay problems between Goddard and Sergei’s party at TsUP/Moscow, later also a 5-min. loss of video before the link was re-established satisfactorily.]”

News & reports links

21/8 On-Orbit Status Report.

22/8

The workday started with a debriefing with Ground on last week’s spacewalk. Sergei started the regeneration cycle on absorbent bed #1 of the BMP, БМП harmful impurities removal system, and did the SOZh maintenance.

Some outside spacewalk photos are on Page 27 of the Gallery – unfortunately, there are NO photos of Sergei :-(. Not happy.

News & reports links

22/8 On-Orbit Status Report.

23/8

First thing this morning for the crew were the periodic Russian biomedical assessments PZEh-MO-7 (calf volume measurement) and PZEh-MO-8 (body mass measurement). Sergei replaced the № 2 vacuum valve package (BVK) of the Vozdukh. He and John continued post-VKD tidying-up. Sergei prepared and set up the Russian MO-21 Ecosphera air sampler and incubation equipment for atmospheric microbial air sampling scheduled tomorrow. John did the SOZh maintenance. At 15:45 GMT the crew had an interactive educational PAO event with some schoolkids in Cincinnati, Ohio (don’t you envy these schoolkids?). “At ~17:05 GMT, Sergei Krikalyov sent down a video greeting to the residents of Kazan on the occasion of the 1000th anniversary of this city of the Russian Republic of Tatarstan on 30/8. There will be public festivities, and, as Sergei noted in his message, the crew will see the lights of the millennium celebration on that day.”

Upcoming Progress events:

  • 7 September – M-53 Undocking (10:23 GMT)
  • 8 September – M-54 Launch (13:08 GMT)
  • 10 September – M-54 Docking (14:49 GMT).

News & reports links

23/8 On-Orbit Status Report.

24/8

Sergei and John spent 1½ hours doing an emergency training drill for a cabin depressurization, and unpacking cargo from the recent Shuttle visit. Sergei did the SOZh maintenance, and various other tasks and experiments. The Vozdukh CO2 removal system is operating in Mode 5 and appears to be behaving itself.

News & reports links

24/8 On-Orbit Status Report.

25/8

Sergei performed some “get-ahead work” on the failed Elektron O2 generator by removing its failed Liquid Unit #7 (BZh-7, БЖ-7) and some other components, in anticipation of the new BZh to be brought up on M-54. He then did a 3-hour audit/inventory of onboard medical items, and loaded a software patch for a Zvezda payload server (BSPN, БСПН) problem. He also did the daily SOZh life support system maintenance.

News & reports links

25/8 On-Orbit Status Report.

From Novosti Kosmonavtiki news №496:

25/08/2005/10:38 – The ISS crew will participate in the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of Kazan

The crew of International Space Station will participate in the celebration of the 1000th anniversary of Kazan. As they reported today in Mission Control Center, “the commander of the 11th ISS Basic Expedition, Sergei Krikalyov already prepared video greetings to all inhabitants of the capital of Tatarstana.”

He noted during the period of communication of Krikalyov that he and NASA astronaut John Phillips “intended to observe from the orbit the holiday fireworks in the honor of the millenium of Kazan”, reports ITAR-TASS.

According to the expert, on the ISS there are several powerful cameras, with the aid of which the cosmonauts sometimes even make the photographs of their houses on the Earth.

Russian version, Русская версия: Экипаж МКС примет участие в праздновании 1000-летия Казани.

26/8

The long-delayed task of unloading Progress M-53 cargo was begun. Sergei then had to transfer urine (via pump-and-hose) to two Rodnik tanks in M-53 for disposal. He did some microbial air sampling then inspected the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 plants growing experiment. John did the SOZh maintenance, then they both undertook the weekly TVIS treadmill inspection. At 17:25 GMT the crew had their 9th weekly teleconference with flight directors from TsUP and Houston.

News & reports links

27/8

С днём рожденья, Сергей! 47!

Saturday: off-duty with the usual 3 hours of уборка, Station-cleaning. “It’s the ISS Commander’s birthday. Born August 27, 1958, in Leningrad/Russia, today St. Peterburg (no “s” in Russian), he’s now looking back at 47 years. On the occasion of his birthday, CDR Krikalyov held two PFCs (private family conferences) today (at ~11:55 & 13:25 GMT), via S-band/audio and Ku-band/NetMeeting video (which employs a USB camera at the SSC laptop).” He made many ham radio contacts around the world, including a very happy Maryam! No respite from chores, however. Sergei did the daily СОЖ maintenance, then checked on the snails experiment and did a 4th session with the biomedical MBI-9 “Pulse” experiment. Weekly planning conference at 15:00 GMT with Houston & TsUP.

News & reports links

27/8 On-Orbit Status Report.

From Novosti Kosmonavtiki news №496:

27/08/2005/00:09 – To Sergei Krikalyov – 47 years

To the ship commander of the current expedition at the International Space Station Sergei Krikalyov on Saturday are fulfilled 47 years. The cosmonaut’s birthday will be noted in orbit.

Very recently Krikalyov “made” himself a not bad gift, after becoming record holder on the total duration of space flights. No-one has more time in space than he.

Russian version, Русская версия: Сергею Крикалеву – 47.

28/8

Off-duty Sunday. Sergei did the СОЖ maintenance and the weekly periodic checkup behind Panel 139 in the Service Module (SM) on a fluid connector of the urine collection system, checking for potential moisture, as well as daily inspection of the Растения-2 Plants experiment.

News & reports links

28/8 On-Orbit Status Report.

29/8

Week 19 underway for Sergei and John, and approximately 6 weeks to go! (The launch dates were moved back again because of the Shuttle re-grounding.) The crew spent several hours continuing the Progress M-53 cargo transfers and inventorying. Various tasks were carried out; Sergei did the СОЖ maintenance and set up equipment for the crew’s third blood testing session tomorrow (Russian MO-10 “Hematokrit”). At 16:45 GMT the crew had an “an interactive 12-minute TV PAO event with the Oregon Public Broadcasting System and Lewis & Clark College Humanities Scholar Clay Jenkinson.” This again used the new NASA Television Digital Satellite System.

News & reports links

Sergei’s birthday and long-duration flight record achievement were today noted on the Russian Federal Space Agency site!!

29/08/2005 Roskosmos congratulates the commander of the ISS Prime Expedition 11, Sergei Krikalyov on his birthday

The commander of the International Space Station (ISS), Sergei Krikalyov, who carries the “watch” in orbit, attained 47 years on Saturday.

The crew of the 11th ISS Expedition, headed by Krikalyov, must return to the Earth on 15 October, 2005. Sergei is the 67th cosmonaut of Russia and 209th cosmonaut of the world.

S. Krikalyov exceeded record in a total quantity of days of a stay in space. His accumulated time comprises more than 750 days.

Sergei Krikalyov was born on 27 August, 1958, in Leningrad, now Saint Petersburg. His parents live there still.

In 1978 he graduated from secondary school, in 1981 after completion of Leningrad mechanical institute to he was appropriated the qualification of engineer mechanics.

After completion of institute he worked in NPO Energiya. Was experienced the equipment, used in space flights, he developed method of operations in space he participated in the work of the ground-based service of control. In 1985, when arose malfunctions at the station Salyut-7, he worked to the group of restoration, developed the methods of docking with the unguided station also of the repair of its onboard systems.

Sergei Krikalyov was selected for the preparation for space flights in 1985, in 1986 he finished the course of basic preparation, and he was, to the period, he was directed to the group along the program of the ship of reusable use Buran. In the beginning of 1988 he began preparation for his first long flight at the beginning of 1988. During April 1990 S. Krikalyov began preparation for his second flight as the member of the duplicating crew for the eighth lasting expedition to the station Mir, which also included 5 space walks in, and work in the course of the week of Soviet-Japanese crew.

During December 1990 S. Krikalyov began preparation for the ninth expedition to the station Mir, which included 5 space walks. Soyuz TM-12 was launched on 19 May, 1991, with commander Anatoliy Artsebarskii, flight engineer Krikalyov and the British astronaut Helen Sharman. After a week, Sharman returned to the Earth with the previous crew, and Krikalyov and Artsebarskii remained on the Mir.

During the summer they carried out six space walks, in this case carried out different experiments and works on the maintenance of the station.

During July 1991 S. Krikalyov agreed to remain at the station Mir as the flight engineer with the following crew (which had to arrive during October), since the following two flights were united into one.

During two flights S. Krikalyov conducted in space more than a year and three months and completed seven space walks.

S. Krikalyov participated in the STS-60 flight, the first American-Russian joint flight aboard the reusable ship. Flight STS-60, which was begun on 3 February, 1994, was the second flight with the module Spacehab (Space Habitation Module) and the first flight with the device WSF (Wake Shield Facility).

After the STS-60 flight, S. Krikalyov returned to his work to Russia. He periodically was in the Johnson Space Center in Houston in order to work in the control center together with the CAPCOM and of personnel for administration in Russia, for the support of joint American-Russian flights. He supported the flights STS-63, STS-71, STS-74 and STS-76.

He is interested in swimming, skiing, cycling and sport aviation, and also by amateur radio contacts, especially from space.

Sergei Krikalyov is married to Terekhina, Elena Yur’evne (b. 1956), who works as an engineer at RKK Energiya. In their family grows a daughter, Ol’ga (b. 1990).

S. Krikalyov was the member of the national aviation commands of Russia and Soviet Union; was the champion of Moscow in 1983; and also of the Soviet Union in 1986. During space flights he was awarded the title “Hero of the Soviet Union”, he is rewarded with the Order of Lenin, is appropriated the French title “Officer of the Legion of Glory” and a new title, “Hero of Russia”. In 1994 he was rewarded with the medal of NASA.

Russian version, Русская версия: 29/08/2005 Роскосмос поздравляет командира 11 основной экспедиции на МКС Сергея Крикалёва с днём рождения

30/8

Third session of Russian MO-10 “Hematokrit” medical blood test sampling for the crew today. Sergei also also took his third MBI-1 “SPRUT-K” test, part of Russian medical research on the distribution and behavior of human body fluids in zero gravity. The main focus of today was 3 hours of emergency evacuation training, using the Soyuz. M-53 cargo transfers were also continued after that. John did the СОЖ maintenance. Two items of interest:

The CDR received the Go by Safety officials to remove the yellow tags from the 18P-delivered SFOGs (solid-fuel oxygen generators, Russian: TGK). [Yellow tags, more formally called “uncertified dual ops tags”, are used to identify (1) items not certified for ISS Operations (certification and/or paperwork not complete prior to launch); (2) items which have IP (International Partner) segment-specific certification (can be used in one IP segment but should not be used in anther IP segment); (3) items that could pose a safety hazard; and (4) items that are broken or expired. Blank yellow tags are flown so hardware can be tagged on-orbit as necessary.]

…The next major crew activity ahead will be the upcoming transition of the onboard PCS (Portable Computer System) laptops to a new software version, R9, and the step-up from the IBM 760XD laptops to the faster ThinkPad A31p NGL (Next Generation Laptop) platforms. In preparation for the transition, scheduled in a couple of weeks, John and Sergei will spend time on Thursday & Friday this week with “ghosting” several hard drives in order to get three A31p laptops loaded and ready to deploy for the transition to R9. The ghosting (“cloning”) activities will be discussed tomorrow in a conference between crew and ground specialists.

News & reports links

From Novosti Kosmonavtiki news №497:

30/08/2005/17:24 – ISS will not go along the optimized orbit

On 30 August it became known about the fact that the Russian specialists made the decision not to correct the orbit of ISS for the docking with the cargo ship the Progress M-54, which launches at the beginning of September.

About this reported Aleksandr Kireyev, the leader of the service of the ballistic-navigational guarantee of Moscow Mission Control Center. “Usually we conduct the correction of the orbit of the Station in order to optimize phase for the rapprochement with the ship for the purpose of the minimization of the fuel consumption,” he reported. But on the eve of the July launch of the shuttle Discovery, Russian TSUP twice “raised” ISS to a given height. “We conducted the correction of the orbit so as to create optimum conditions for the docking both with the shuttle and with the ‘truck’,” noted Mr. Kireyev.

The Progress M-54 ship , which must launch from Baikonur on 8 September, will deliver to the ISS approximately 2.5 t of assorted cargo, including oxygen, water and food products. Furthermore, to the ISS they will send a spare unit for the defective Elektron oxygen regeneration system. On 7 September the Progress M-53 docked to the Station, together with the accumulated rubbish and used equipment, will be deorbited in the Pacific Ocean. Workers in orbit – Russian Sergei Krikalyov and American John Phillips – will, before the deorbiting, dismantle and transfer from the “truck” to the Station the Kurs equipment for automatic guidance and jointing, which subsequently can be will be used aboard the other spacecraft. The crew ISS-11 will conduct work on the dismantling of Kurs on 31 August, ITAR-TASS reports.

Russian version, Русская версия: МКС не пойдет по оптимизированной орбите.

30/08/2005/13:30 – Progress M-53 will depart for the “spacecraft cemetery”

The rubbish accumulated on the ISS and loaded on the transport ship Progress M-53 on 7 September will be undocked from the Station and during the same day it will be deorbited into the Pacific Ocean, reported the representative of ballistic service at TSUP to RIA News.

The “taking apart” of the Progress “is preliminarily outlined for 14.23 MSK, pulse on the braking to ship will be attached by its own engines into 17.26 MSK”, the splashdown of the “unburned elements of construction (NEP) in the calculated region of Pacific Ocean – for 18.13 MSK,” specified expert.

This ship not will be used as a scientific laboratory, as occurred earlier. Thus, Progress M-51 was unjointed from ISS, but was not immediately deorbited and for ten days it was used not far away from the Station for finalizing of a number of new programs.

The launch of the new space cargo ship to the ISS is planned for 8 September at 17.08 MSK, and its docking with the Station is outlined on 10 September at 18.49 MSK.

Russian version, Русская версия: «Прогресс М-53» отправится на «кладбище космических кораблей».

31/8

Sergei removed the Kurs rendezvous system from Progress M-53 and dismantled it, to be eventually returned on a Shuttle flight and recycled in a future Progress. He and John continued to work on M-53 transfer & loading, in preparation for its undocking next week. Sergei used Russian equipment to do microbal sampling of the Station and air data. He then set up equipment for his third Russian MBI-8 “Profilaktika” (countermeasures) fitness test, followed by several regular chores. John did the СОЖ maintenance.

News & reports links

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