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Expedition Clueless: introduction

I wrote the somewhat irreverent (and somewhat NSFW in places) “Expedition Clueless” stories between 2001-2003, after which I created my own website, become involved in that and effectively abandoned the stories. The arrangements on the International Space Station also changed drastically after the Columbia shuttle disaster in February 2003, so the stories reflect the situation before then (when Expedition Crews were taken up by the Space Shuttle).

I became interested in the International Space Station program in 2000 and was initially enthusiastic about it, but after reading various books and visiting websites (when I began using the Internet in 2001) I became more and more disillusioned, frustrated and bored; feelings which have only increased since then.

I more-or-less finished three stories and wrote bits and pieces of a few others. Unfortunately, the stories are almost unreadable as I used a lot of technical jargon and acronyms, and crammed in as much detail as I could – I essentially regurgitated all the ISS flight manuals I read onto the page. They don’t really have a plot as such. My plan for the ending was to have an Al-Qaeda (or similar) terrorist hijack the ISS (either coming up as a Soyuz space tourist or a “sleeper agent” posing as a Space Shuttle crewperson) and much havoc would ensue, culminating in Our Heroes evicting the (still-alive!) terrorist into the vacuum. Good gruesome fun! The stories badly need editing, but I have no interest in doing this now. I will consider them “practice stories”. I did have fun writing them at the time, though.

For more about the Russian spaceflight program, see my RuSpace site.

Stories

Character notes

The main characters in my “Expedition Clueless” stories are Russian cosmonauts Sergei and Yurii. Joe is their hapless American ISS commander (commander in name only!). All are good-looking (of course!).

Sergei Aleksandrovich Konstantinov
Сергей Александрович Константинов

Born
1970
Height
6 feet (1.8 meters)
Weight
68 kg; tall and lean
Hair
black
Eyes
dark brown

Sergei was born in the Moscow district. Fighter jet pilot in Russian Air Force; Class 1 Air Force pilot. Aircraft flown: Yak-52, L-29, L-39, MiG-31, MiG-29 and Su-27; logged over 600 hours of flight time. Is a qualified parachute instructor (over 200 jumps). Selected as a test-cosmonaut candidate of the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center Cosmonaut Office on 28 July 1997 (1997 Air Force group). Sergei is a qualified Soyuz commander-pilot and his flight to the ISS with Yurii is their first (though on the Space Shuttle). He once hoped to fly the Buran Russian space shuttle and is still embittered by its cancellation in 1993 due to lack of funds. Enjoys parachuting, swimming, freediving (deep diving without scuba gear on one breath), running, athletics, tennis, cross-country skiing, ice-skating (outdoors in winter), aerobatic flying, photography, astronomy. Likes reading (Soviet-era) science fiction books and watching similar movies (for nostalgic memories …). His parents live in the suburb of Korolyov (formerly Kaliningrad), Moscow. Rather shy and reticent in personality, but turns into a reckless daredevil when he gets into an airplane’s cockpit (or during a spacewalk!). Mischievous and fun (especially with Yurii). He is single and has no plans to get married.

Yurii Leonidovich Zolotyov
Юрий Леонидович Золотёв

Born
1972
Height
5 feet 5 inches (1.65 meters)
Weight
56 kg; muscular build
Hair
pale blond
Eyes
blue

Yurii was raised in a Moscow State orphanage. World-class gymnast; competed in Olympics before joining NPO Energiya as an engineer (he still trains and competes). He was accepted as a cosmonaut-candidate in the 1996 Civilian Engineer group. His flight to the ISS with Sergei and Joe is his first. Enjoys gymnastics, running, winter sports, computers, mechanical tinkering. He is single and has no plans to get married … Exuberant in personality (he usually gets Sergei into – and out of – trouble) and an inveterate prankster, but also, like Sergei, angry and frustrated by the decline of his country and its space program since the collapse of Communism.

Joseph (Joe) David McLean

Born
1958
Height
5 feet 10 inches (1.7 meters)
Weight
72 kg; athletic build
Hair
brown (turning grey)
Eyes
hazel-green

ISS commander. NASA astronaut. Joe was raised in the state of Michigan, USA. Joined U.S. Air Force and became an F-15 fighter pilot. Later joined NASA as a test pilot and flew the NASA SR-71 Blackbird in high-altitude testing before becoming an astronaut. He is a Shuttle pilot-commander with two previous Shuttle flights in the 1990s before this ISS mission. Joe is fit and enjoys running, athletics and weight-training. He played American football in senior school and college as a linebacker. He was married to Kelly, a NASA employee, but this ended in an acrimonious divorce as they were apart for so long due to Joe’s training. She had an affair with another astronaut, Joe learned of this through the NASA “grapevine” and he then had an affair with a nice Russian lady called Ol’ga who works at TsUP (whom he sends e-mails to during his ISS tour). She is also divorced; a couple of years older than he. Joe is moody and prone to depression, especially since his divorce. He is the butt of jokes amongst the other astronauts; he knows and resents this. He feels isolated on the ISS with two Russian cosmonauts whom he really can’t relate to (he can barely speak any Russian despite months of language training – fortunately, Sergei and Yurii’s English is better than Joe’s Russian). They like to play practical jokes on him (to “cheer him up”), though they mean no harm.

NASA acronyms

NASA (and other) acronyms used in these stories, listed in alphabetical order.

A/A
Air-to-Air
ACES
Advanced Crew Escape Suit (model S1035)
ALSP
Advanced Life Support Pack
AMP
Ambulatory Medical Pack
APDS
Androgynous Peripheral Docking System
AOA
Abort Once Around
APU
Auxiliary Power Unit
ASAP
As Soon As Possible
Ascan
Astronaut Candidate
ASP
Astronaut Support Person/s (also known as “Cape Crusaders”)
ATO
Abort to Orbit
ATU
Audio Terminal Unit
BFS
Backup Flight System
BITE
Built-In Test Equipment
C&W
Caution & Warning
C/O
Check Out
CCDB
Configuration Controller Database
CCPK
Crew Contamination Protection Kit
CDR, PLT, MS
Commander, Pilot, Mission Specialist
CEVIS
Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation System
CHeCS
Crew Health Care Center System
CL
Crew Lock
CMG
Control Movement Gyroscope
CMO
Crew Medical Officer
CMRS
Crew Medical Restraint System
CPR
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
CRT
Cathode Ray Tube
CST
Central Standard Time, GMT/UTC −06 hours (used at Houston Mission Control Center)
DAP
Digital Autopilot
DPC
Daily Planning Conference
DVCAM
Digital Video Camcorder
EDT
Eastern Daylight Time
EMU
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (U.S. spacesuit)
ESA
European Space Agency
EST
Eastern Standard Time
ET
External Tank
ETA
Estimated Time of Arrival
EVA
Extra-Vehicular Activity
ETVCG
External TV Camera Group
F&D
Fill & Drain
FPS
Feet Per Second
FRCI-12 HRSI
Fibrous Refractory Composite Insulation (tiles), High-temperature Reusable Surface Insulation (tiles)
GCTC
(Yurii) Gagarin Cosmonauts’ Training Center (TsPK)
GLA
General Luminaire Assembly
GLS
Ground Launch Sequencer
GMT
Greenwich Mean Time
GN2
Gaseous Nitrogen
GOX
Gaseous Oxygen
GPC
General-Purpose Computer
He
Helium
HGDS
Hazardous Gas Detection System
HIU
Headset Interface Unit
HMS
Health Maintenance System
HPU
Hydraulic Power Unit/s
HUT
Lower Torso Assembly
IDB
In-suit Drink Bag
IBM
International Business Machines
IMS
Inventory Management System
IMU
Inertial Measurement Unit
ISS
International Space Station
JSC
Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas
KSC
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
LCG
Liquid Cooling Garment
LCVG
Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment
LDB
Launch Data Bus
LH2
Liquid Hydrogen
LiOH
Lithium Hydroxide
LOX
Liquid Oxygen
LPS
Launch Processing System
LRD
Laser Ranging Device
LSS
Life Support System
LTA
Lower Torso Assembly
LVLH
Local Vertical/Local Horizontal
MAG
Maximum Absorbent Garment
Max-Q
Maximum Dynamic Pressure
MC
Midcourse burn
MCC
Mission Control Center
MDM
Multiplexer/Demultiplexer
MDMS
Maintenance Data Management System
MECO
Main Engine Cut-Off
MET
Mission Elapsed Time
MHz
MegaHertz
Miles p/h
per hour
MLP
Mobile Launcher Platform
MO
Medical Operations
MPS
Main Propulsion System
MS
Mission Specialist
MSG
Microgravity Sciences Glovebox
N2
Nitrogen
NASA
National Aeronautics & Space Administration
NBL
Neutral Buoyancy Lab
NC
Nominal Correction burn
NC-1
Nominal Correction-1 (first phasing maneuver)
NCC
Nominal Corrective Combination/Maneuver
NSTC
National Telemetry/Television Standards Committee
NSTS
National Space Transportation System
NTD
NASA Test Director
O&C
Operations & Checkout Building
OMS
Orbital Maneuvering System
OOPN
Out Of Plane/Position Null
OPS
Operational Sequence
ORB
Orbiter
ORU
Orbital Replacement Unit
PASS
Primary Avionics Software System
PDA
Portable Data Format
PGSC
Payload and General Support Computer (IBM – International Business Machines – ThinkPad laptop)
PMA
Pressurized Mating Adapter
PMS
Power Management System
PPK
Personal Preference Kit
PTK
Pregnancy Test Kit
PNP
Probability of No Penetration
PRSD
Power Reactant Storage & Distribution
R-bar
Radius Vector Axis
RADAR
Radio Detecting And Ranging
RCS
Reaction Control System
RED
Resistance Exercise Device
RASA
Russian Aviation & Space Agency (Rosaviakosmos; see also RAKA in Russian glossary) (note: now the Russian Space Agency, Roskosmos)
RGS
Russian Ground Sites
RMS
Remote Manipulating System (Orbiter’s robot arm)
RPOP
Rendezvous and Proximity Operations Program (used for ISS docking)
RTLS
Return To Launch Site
SAFER
Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue
SARSAT
Search and Rescue Satellite
Scop/Dex
Scopolamine (0.4 mg) & Dexedrine (5 mg) in gel capsule
SECAM/PAL
Sequential Couleur Avec Memoire (Sequential Color with Memory)/Phase Alternating Line
SLWT
Super Light-Weight Tank (introduced in 1998)
SM
Service Module (Zvezda)
SRB
Solid Rocket Booster/s
SRSS
Shuttle Range Safety System
SSME
Space Shuttle Main Engine
SSRMS
Space Station Remote Manipulator System (robot arm or Canadarm-2)
STA
Shuttle Training Aircraft
SVMF
Space Vehicle Mockup Facility
TAL
Transoceanic Abort Landing site
TDRS
Tracking & Data Relay Satellite/s
Ti
Terminal Initiation
TV
Television
TVIS
Treadmill with Vibration Isolation System
UHF
Ultra-High Frequency
V-bar
Orbit Velocity Vector – Velocity Vector Axis
VAB
Vehicle Assembly Building
VHF
Very High Frequency
Vi
Internal Velocity (inside Orbiter)
VRL
Virtual Reality Lab
WCS
Waste Collection System
WETF
Weightless Environment Training Facility
WMS
Waste Management System (toilet)

Russian glossary

Russian transliterations used in the stories, listed in English alphabetical order.

Amerikanskii
Американский
American (adjective)
Amerikantsy
Американцы
Americans
Angel Smerti
Ангел Смерти
Angel of Death
Angliiski
Английски
English (language)
ASPRO
АСПРО
Asprin
ASU: Assenizatsiya Sistema Ypravleniya
АСУ: Ассенизация Система Управления
Sewage disposal system management
B-3
Б-3
Babushka
Бабушка
Grandmother
Baikonur
Байконур
Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan (also transliterated “Baykonur”)
Berkut
Беркут
Golden Eagle
BI: Bortinzhener
БИ: Бортинженер
Flight engineer
BITS: Bortovaya Informatsionnaya Telemetricheskaya Sistema
БИТС: Бортовая Информационная Телеметрическая Система
On-board data telemetry system
BK-3
Блоки Кислородный СК (скафандр)
On-board Oxygen Tanks (spacesuit)
BKU: Bortovoi Kompleks Upravleniya
БКУ: Бортовой Комплекс Управления
Onboard Control Complex
BNP: Blok Nadduva Perenosnoi
БНП: Блок Наддува Переносной
Portable Repress Tank
BO: Bytovoi Otsek TK (Transportnyi Korabl’)
БО: Бытовой отсек ТК (Транспортный Корабль)
Soyuz Habitation Module (crew transport vehicle)
BRTA: Blok Radiotelemetricheskoi Apparatury
БРТА: Блок Радиотелеметрической Аппаратуры
Radio-telemetry unit/apparatus (Orlan)
BSS: Bortovaya Sistems Stykovki SK s Bortom
БСС: Бортовая Система Стыковки СК с Бортом
Orlan (spacesuit) Interface Unit
Buran
«Буран»
Snowstorm (canceled Russian space shuttle)
Chto? (pronounced “Shto”)
Что?
What?
CNO: Cvetil’nik Naruzhnogo Osveshcheniya
СНО: Светилник Наружного Освещения
Light exterior illumination (outside light)
Da
Да
Yes
Dvoinya
Двойня
The Twins
Dedushka
Дедушка
Grandfather
Devushka/devuskhy
Девушка/девушкы
Young maiden/s
DMV: Dekretom Moskovskoe Vremya
ДМВ: Декретом Московское Время
Decreed/Legal Moscow Time
Do svidaniya
До свидания
Goodbye
Dobroe utro!
Доброе утро!
Good morning!
Do svidaniya
До свидания
Goodbye
DSD: Datchik Signal’nyi Davleniya
ДСД: Датчик Сигнальный Давления
Pressure Alarm Sensor
Ekspeditsiya Nedalyokii
Экспедиция Недалёкий
Expedition Clueless
Elektron
Электрон
Electron
Energiya (also spelt Energia)
Энергия
Vigor; energetic (name of rocket, and of S. P. Korolyov Rocket & Space Corporation – Ракета Космическая Корпоация)
GA: Germetichnyi Adapter
ГА: Герметичный Адаптер
Pressurized Adapter (Zarya)
Gidrolaboratoriya
Гидролаборатория
Hydrolaboratory
Gigienicheskie plavki
Гигиенические плавки
Hygienic briefs (diapers)
Glavnyi
Главный
Main/senior person in charge
Glisser-M
«Глиссер-М»
Speedboat
GStM-1 and –2, Gruzovoi Strela Manipulyator
ГСтМ-1 & -2, Грузовая Стрела Манипулятор
Cargo Crane Manipulator
IMBP: Institut Mediko-Biologicheskikh Problem
ИМБП: Институт Медико-Биологических Проблем
Institute of Medical and Biological Problems
InPU: Integrirovannyi Pul’t Upravleniya
ИнПУ: Интерированный Пульт Управления
Integrated Control Panel
Izolyator
Изолятор
Isolation/punishment cell; solitary confinement cell
Kayuta/kayuty
Каюта/каюты
Cabin/cabins
Kazbek-U
«Казбек-У»
Khorosho
Хорошо
Good
Komandir
Командир
Commander
KK: Komandir Korablya
КК: Командир Корабля
Spaceship commander
Kondomy
Кондомы
Condoms (slang term, plural; also prezervativy, презервативы)
Korona
«Корона»
Crown
Kosmicheskaya Mafiya
Космическая Мафия
Space Mafia (a.k.a. NASA)
Kosmonavt
Космонавт
Cosmonaut
Kosmonavtka
Космонавтка
Woman cosmonaut
Kriogen
«Криоген»
Cryogenic
KSD: Klapan Stravlivaniya Davleniya
КСД: Клапан Стравливания Давления
Depress valve
KVD: Klapan Vyravnivaniya Davleniya
КВД: Клапан Выравнивания Давления
Pressure equalization valve
KVO: Kostyum Vodyanogo Okhlazhdeniya
КВО: Костюм Водяного Охлаждения
Liquid cooling garment
Ledyanaya Korolyova
Ледяная Королева
Ice Queen
LP: Litievyi Poglotitel’
ЛП: Литиевый Поглотитель CO2
Lithium absorbent (carbon dioxide) canisters
Lyubushka
Любушка
Sweetie
Mir
«Мир»
Russian space station (1986-2001)
MKS: Mezhdunarodnaya Kosmicheskaya Stantsiya
МКС: Международная Космическая Станция
International Space Station (Cyrillic acronym)
Mrazi
Мрази
Scum, dregs, bottom of the bucket (colloquial insult – plural)
Moskva
Mосква
Moscow
MV: Manovakuummetr
МВ: Мановакууммето
Pressure gauges
Myortvy?
Мëртвы?
Dead?
Ne budet dorogi
Не будет дороги
You will have no road
Nuzhnik
Нужник
Latrine, the can, toilet (slang)
Nyet
Нет
No
Ochkariki
Очкарики
Bespectacled eggheads (scientists – derisive slang, plural)
Orlan-M, Orlany
«Орлан-M», plural «Орланы»
Sea Eagle (Russian spacesuit)
PA: Pul’t Abonenta
ПА: Пульт Абонента
Public Address system/comm panel
Partizanskaya voina
Партизанская война
Partisan (guerrilla) warfare
PGO-SU
ПГО-СУ
PGPU: Pul’t Gidropnevmoupravleniya CK
ПГПУ: Пульт Гидропневмоуправления СК
Pneumohydraulic control panel (spacesuit)
Pioneerskaya Organizatsiya
Пионерская Организация
Pioneer Organization
Pirs
«Пирс»
Pier
PkhO: Perekhodnoi Otsek
ПХО: Переходной Отсек
Transfer Compartment
PkhO-SU
ПХО-СУ
Poekhali!
Поехали!
Let’s go!
POV: Pul’t Obespecheniya Vykhoda
ПОВ: Пульт Обеспечения Выхода
Control panel provision for exit
Privet
Привет
Hi!
Progress
«Прогресс»
Russian cargo/supply spaceship
PSS: Pul’t Signalizatsii Sistem
ПСС: Пульт Сигнализации Систем
Caution & Warning Panels
RO: Rabochii Otsek
РО: Рабочий Отсек
Working Compartment (Zvezda)
Rabochii Otsek
Рабочий отсек
Working compartment
RAKA: Rossiiskoe Kosmicheskoe Agentstvo
РАКА: Российское Авиационно-Космическое Агентство , РК
Russian Aviation & Space Agency (became Federal Space Agency/Roscosmos in March 2004)
Regul
«Регул»
Regulate
Regul-Paket
Регул-пакет
Regulated-package
RO: Rabochii Otsek
РО: Рабочий Отсек
Working Compartment
Rosaviakosmos
Росавиакосмос
Russian Space Agency (to March 2004)
Rubli/rubl’
Рубли/рубль
Rubles (singular/plural)
Ruskii
Рускии, руский
Russians, Russian
SB: Solnechnaya Batareya
СБ: Солнечная Батарея
Solar array
Schastlivogo puti!
Счастливого пути!
Have a good journey!
Shlemofon
Шлемофон
Communications cap (plural shlemofony, шлемофоны)
Sokol
«Сокол»
Falcon (Russian pressure suit)
Soyuz Transportnyi Modernizrovannyi Antropometricheskii
«Союз Транспортный Модернизрованный Антропометрический »
Union (Russian spaceship), Transport Modernized Anthropometric (replacing TM version)
Soyuz-Forsunochnaya Golovka
«Союз-Форсуночная Головка»
Soyuz fuel-injector’s head (type of rocket)
SOZh: Sistemy Obespecheniya Zhiznedeyatel’nosti
СОЖ: Системы Обеспечения Жизнедеятельности
Life support system
Spasiba
Спасиба
Thank-you
Spetsnaz
Спецназ
Russian special forces (abbreviation of Специальный Назначение, Spetsial’nyi Naznachenie, Special Purpose)
Spetsial’naya meditsina
Специнальная медицина
Special medicine (alcohol)
SSSR: Soyuz Sovetckikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublikh
СССР: Союз Советских Социалистических Республих
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)
Strizh
«Стриж»
Swift, Martin (species of bird) (Russian pressure suit)
STTS: Sistema Telefonno-Telegrafnoi Svyazi
СТТС: Система Телефонно-Телеграфной Связи
Telephone-Telegraph Signal System
TNG: Tangenta
ТНГ: Тангента
Push-to-talk (button)
Tovarishchi/tovarishch
Товарищи/товарищ
Comrades/comrade
Tranzit
«Транзит»
Transit
TsP: Tsentral’nyi Post
ЦП: центральный пост
Service Module central command post
TsPK: Tsentr Podgotovki Kosmonavtov imeni Yu. A. Gagarin
ЦПК: Центр Подготовки Космонавтов имэни Ю. А. Гагарина
Yurii Gagarin Cosmonauts’ Training Center
TsUP: Tsentr Upravleniya Polyotom v Moskve
ЦУП: Центр Управления Полëтом (в Москве)
Flight Control Center (in the suburb of Korolyov, Moscow)
Tvorog
Творог
Cottage cheese with nuts
Uchastnik polyota
Участник полёта
Flight participant
Ura Rossiya!
Ура Россия!
Hooray for Russia!
VK: Ventilyator Komfortnyi
ВК: Вентилятор Комфортный
Personal fan (ventilator comfort)
VKD: Vnekorabel’naya Deyatel’nost’
ВКД: Внекорабельная Деятельность
Out-of-cabin or out-of-ship activities/work (i.e. EVA)
VL-1 & -2: Vykhod Lyk-2
BЛ-1, ВЛ-2: Выход Люк-1
Pirs exit hatch one (of two)
Voskhod
Восход
Sunrise
Vozdukh
«Воздух»
Air
Vozdushno-Desantniye Voiska
Воздушно-Десантние Войска
Aerial landing army/force (Russian airborne force – the “Blue Berets”)
VP: Vtori-Pilot
ВП: Второй-Пилот
Co-pilot
VU
БУ
Yakor’
«Якорь»
Anchor
Za …
За …
To … (toast)
Zarya
«Заря» (фунционально Грузовой Блок)
Sunrise (Russian Functional Cargo Block module)
Zdravstvuite!
Здравствуйте!
Hello, greetings
Zenit
«Зенит»
Zenith
Zvezda
«Звезда» (Служебный Модуль)
Star (Russian Service Module)
Zvyozdyi Gorodok
Звёздый Городок
Star City (Starry Town) – the Yurii Gagarin Cosmonauts’ Training Center

Cyrillic words:

Сергей Александрович Константинов, Серëжа
Sergei Aleksandrovich Konstantinov, Seryozha (official/intimate names)
Юрий Леонидович Золотёв, Юра
Yurii Leonidovich Zolotyov, Yura

Measurement unit conversions

Shuttle measurements are in Imperial, as this is still used on it (as well as the U.S. segment of the ISS).

Measurements conversion table
From Multiply by … to obtain To
Inches (in) 2.54 Centimeters (cm)
Centimeters 0.393700787 Inches
Feet (ft) 0.3048 Meters (m)
Meters 3.2808399 Feet
Statute (land) miles (mi) 1.609344 Kilometers (km)
Kilometers 0.621371192 Statute miles
Nautical miles (nmi) 1.85200 Kilometers
Kilometers 0.539956803 Nautical miles
Pounds (lb) 0.45359237 Kilograms (kg)
Kilograms 2.20462262 Pounds
Gallons 3.7854118 Liters (L)
Liters 0.264172051 Gallons
Pounds per square inch (psi) 6.89475729 Kilonewtons per square meter (kilopascals – kPa)
Kilonewtons per square meter (kilopascals – kPa) 0.145037738 Pounds per square inch (psi)
Pounds per square inch (psi) 51.7149326 Millimeters of mercury (mmHg)
Millimeters of mercury (mmHg) 0.0193367747 Pounds per square inch (psi)
Kilograms of force (kg) 9.807 Newtons (N)
Pounds force 4.448 Newtons
Kilometers per hour (km/h) 0.621371192 Miles per hour (mph)
Miles per hour 1.609344 Kilometers per hour

Temperature

You can use the Google search box to calculate units of conversion; e.g. type in 1 meter in feet. The key term is “in”. (See How to use the Google calculator.)

© Suzanne B. McHale, August 2003-January 2004; revised 7 June 2007