Keep the shuttle flying: Fwd: Spacewalk by Russian program completed

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From: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Date: August 19, 2014 6:51:09 PM CDT
To: "Gary Johnson" <gjohnson144@comcast.net>
Subject: FW: Spacewalk by Russian program completed

Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev began work in outer space
08/18/2014 18:06
August 18, 2014 at 18:02 MSK International Space Station flight engineers Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev opened exit hatch docking compartment "Pierce" (SB-1) and the initiation of work on the outside of the station.
The estimated duration of EVA-39 ~ 6 h. 16 min. Work on the outside of the ISS are held in Russian spacesuits "Orlan-MK."
Live broadcast from the Mission Control Center can be viewed at the Russian Space Agency .
Roscosmos press service

Spacewalk by Russian program completed
08/18/2014 23:38
Exit hatch docking compartment "Pierce" is closed, the crew of the ISS-40/41 Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev, completed a spacewalk.
The astronauts began work in the open space in 18 hours 02 minutes Moscow time. During the 39 outputs of the Programme of the Russian segment of the ISS was launched nanosatellite "NS-1", created by students of Southwest State University (YUGZU) Kursk.
Nano-satellite "NS-1" is intended for testing and refinement of the underlying platform and basic electronic devices nanoklassa modules on space education program "Radioskaf." Management "NS-1" will be carried out by personnel of the Center of Space Communications SWSU.
Satellite launch was the first successful mission, which Roscosmos cosmonauts performed during EVA (extravehicular activity). Then Oleg Artemyev and Alexander Skvortsov conducted the installation of scientific equipment «Expose-R», filmed panel space experiment "Endurance" and container "Biorisk-SIT" spent sampling experiment "Test". Were completed the installation clamp for additional locking lock remote unit AFAR, and pressure control unit and depositions on small research module "Search".
Furthermore, in accordance with the cyclogram output were held dismantling removable cassette container №1-M2, and the cassette attaching removable cassette container №2-M2 MIM-2 (small probe module "Search"). During the EVA astronauts also made photographing screen-vacuum thermal insulation outer surface of the Russian segment of the ISS.
Exit hatch was closed August 18, 2014 at 23:12 MSK. Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev work carried out in the open space for the second time during the expedition, the duration of extravehicular activity was 5 hours 10 minutes.
Roscosmos press service

August 19, 2014 10:03
Russian cosmonauts return to ISS after spacewalk
KOROLYOV, near Moscow. Aug 19 (Interfax-AVN) - Russian cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev completed a five-hour spacewalk in the early hours of Tuesday, a source with the Russian mission control center in Korolyov told Interfax-AVN.
"The spacewalk has ended," the source said.
The spacewalk lasted one hour less than it was planned but the cosmonauts completed every task.
Skvortsov and Artemyev, who wore Orlan-MK space suits designed and manufactured by the Zvezda enterprise, based in Tomilino, Moscow region, returned to the International Space Station (ISS) via the Pirs docking compartment.
The first task of the spacewalk was to manually launch an NS-1 nano-satellite. The cosmonauts also installed the Expose-R research equipment on the Zvezda service module and put up a latch on the outboard unit of an active phased array antenna (AFAR) on the same module.
The outboard AFAR unit was installed during a spacewalk on June 19 for communications between the ISS and the Earth via Luch relay satellites.
One more assignment was to take a wipe sample from an illuminator of a working compartment as part of a test experiment which involves chemical, toxicological and microbiological tests of samples from the station's exterior surface in order to evaluate the danger of contamination and possibly adjust safety measures.
Other tasks were to install a pressure and deposit control unit on the Poisk mini-research module, and replace a removable cassette of container No. 1-M2 with removable cassettes of container No. 2-M2 on this module.
Skvortsov and Artemyev also removed a 2a panel installed on Poisk as part of the Endurance experiment and remove the third Biorisk-MSN container in the Pirs docking compartment.
The two cosmonauts took pictures of the thermal insulation blanket on the external surface of the ISS' Russian segment to check it for possible damage.
The NS-1 satellite is to test the platform and principal electronic modules of nano instruments under the RadioSkaf space education program, which is overseen by the Energia Rocket and Space Corporation.
The satellite is cube-shaped with 10 by 10 centimeter sides and can send Morse code telegraph signals, photos recorded in its memory, pictures from its own cameras if commanded from Earth, and telemetric data such voltage and the temperatures of all its units, to Earth.
The Endurance panel was installed on the ISS' outer surface last year and replaced a panel that had been lost during one of the spacewalks by Russian cosmonauts. The goal of the Endurance experiment is to evaluate effects of space factors on the strain, strength and fatigue characteristics of the materials of samples in loaded and non-loaded exposures. Exposure equipment weighing a total of 11 kilograms is being used in the experiment.
The Biorisk experiment aims to study the effects of space flight on microorganisms and substrata.
The ISS' current crew are, besides Skvortsov and Artemyev, NASA astronauts Steven Swanson (the crew commander) and Gregory Wiseman, Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency, and Russian Maksim Surayev.
The station's Russian segment is overseen by Energia.
Monday's spacewalk is the current Russian program's 46th and the 153rd spacewalk from the ISS. It is this year's third spacewalk by Russian cosmonauts and the fourth spacewalk from the ISS this year (the fourth was by U.S. astronauts). It is also the 370th spacewalk in space exploration history and the 142nd spacewalk using Russian spacesuits.
Before the end of this year there will one more Russian spacewalk on October 22 and another two by American astronauts.
as ap ar

© 1991—2014 Interfax Information Service. All rights reserved.

Two Russian cosmonauts from space station crew start spacewalk
August 18, 18:43 UTC+4
Engineers will install scientific equipment and launch a Russian nanosatellite developed jointly by Russian and Peruvian students

Alexander Skvortsov during a spacewalk in June
© EPA/NASA / HANDOUT

KOROLYOV (Moscow Region), August 18. /ITAR-TASS/. Two Russian flight engineers from the International Space Station's crew, Oleg Artemyev and Alexander Skvortsov, have opened the hatches of the Pirs docking compartment and started their spacewalk, the Mission Control Center reported Monday.
During a more than six-hour spacewalk, Artemyev and Skvortsov will install scientific equipment, launch a Russian nanosatellite developed jointly by Russian and Peruvian students and do some other manipulations required by the program.
The satellite, launched manually, is carrying different data, including children's drawings which will be transmitted to outer space. The 1.5 kg satellite, unofficially called Chaski-1, was designed by students from Russia's Kursk and Peru, who worked on it for three years. The satellite will transmit data to Earth using the Morse code.
The satellite will be launched manually. It is carrying different data, including children's drawings which will be transmitted to outer space.

Russian cosmonauts end spacewalk

August 19, 1:24 UTC+4
"The cosmonauts returned to the station at 23:12 Moscow time and closed the hatches," the Mission Control Centre told
© RUPTLY/TASS TV
KOROLEV, August 18 /ITAR-TASS/. Russian cosmonauts from the International Space Station (ISS) crew, Oleg Artemyev and Alexander Skvortsov, have ended their spacewalk and returned to the station.
"The cosmonauts returned to the station at 23:12 Moscow time and closed the hatches," the Mission Control Centre told ITAR-TASS.
During the almost five-hour spacewalk, the cosmonauts installed new equipment, took samples from the station's portholes, took pictures of the thermal insulation on the station's surface, and launched a nanonsatellite created by Russian and Peruvian students.
The other members of the ISS resident crew - Maxim Surayev of Russia, Steven Swanson and Gregory Wiseman of NASA, and Alexander Gerst of the European Space Agency - assisted their colleagues from inside the station.

© Copyright 2014 ITAR-TASS. All rights reserved.

Russian Cosmonauts Carry Out Science-Oriented Spacewalk Outside Space Station

Russian cosmonauts ventured outside the International Space Station to conduct a planned six-hour and 15-minute spacewalk
© NASA
21:09 18/08/2014

MOSCOW, August 18 (RIA Novosti) – Russian cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev on Monday ventured outside the International Space Station (ISS) to conduct a planned six-hour and 15-minute spacewalk focused on scientific experiments and routine maintenance work, Russia's Federal Space Agency Roscosmos told RIA Novosti.
The first task performed by the cosmonauts was the launch of the NS-1 nanosatellite, a spokesperson for the Russian mission control center said.
The 1.5-kg satellite, unofficially dubbed as the Peruvian CubeSat Chasqui-1, will transmit camera images and telemetry back to Earth for further academic studies by students under the Radioscaf educational program.
As part of the spacewalk, Skvortsov and Artemyev mounted the Expose-R experiment package on the station's hull. The experiment serves to research the long-term influence of the space environment on the survival of bacteria, fungi, plants and animals.
Russian astronauts will also photograph the thermal shield of the outer surface of the Russian segment of the ISS. The final task of the astronauts will be to isolate and retrieve a Biorisk experiment container, which analyzes how microbial growth affects materials in space.
According to NASA, this is the 181st spacewalk devoted to ISS assembly and maintenance since construction of the space outpost began in 1998, the fourth so far this year and the second for both Skvortsov and Artemyev.

Russian Cosmonauts Conclude Science-Oriented Spacewalk One Hour Ahead of Schedule
Russian cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev have successfully finished a spacewalk.
© Russian Federal Space Agency
01:52 19/08/2014

MOSCOW, August 19 (RIA Novosti) - Russian cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev successfully concluded a spacewalk, where they conducted science experiments using equipment on the exterior of the International Space Station (ISS), over one hour ahead of schedule, Russia's Federal Space Agency Roscosmos announced on Monday.
"The exit hatch [of the docking compartment Pirs] was closed on August 18, 2014 at 23:12 Moscow time [19:12 GMT]. Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev have carried out open space works for the second time during the expedition. The extravehicular activity lasted approximately 5 hours and 10 minutes," Roscosmos reported.
The spacewalk began at 18:02 Moscow time [14:02 GMT] and was planned to last six hours and 15 minutes.
The first task the cosmonauts undertook was the launch of the NS-1 nanosatellite. The 1.5-kg satellite, unofficially dubbed the Peruvian CubeSat Chasqui-1, will transmit photographs and telemetry back to Earth for further academic study by students from Radioscaf, an educational program.
As part of the spacewalk, Skvortsov and Artemyev mounted the Expose-R, an experimental unit, on the station's hull. The unit will gather data on the long-term influence of exposure to outer space on the survival of bacteria, fungi, plants and animals.
Russian astronauts photographed the thermal shield of the outer surface of the Russian segment of the ISS. They also isolated and retrieved a Biorisk experiment container, which analyzed how microbial growth affects materials in space.
According to NASA, this is the 181st spacewalk devoted to ISS assembly and maintenance since construction of the space outpost began in 1998; it is the fourth so far this year.

© 2014 RIA Novosti

Russian EVA-39 begins
08/18/2014 11:08 AM
By WILLIAM HARWOOD
CBS News

Space station cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev began a planned six-hour and 15-minute spacewalk at 10:02 a.m. EDT (GMT-4) Monday, launching a small Peruvian science satellite before pressing ahead with work to change out external experiments and to carry out routine maintenance.

For identification, Skvortsov, call sign EV-1, is wearing a spacesuit with red stripes equipped with NASA helmet camera No. 18 while Artemyev, EV-2, is using a suit with blue stripes and helmetcam 17. This is the 181st spacewalk devoted to station assembly and maintenance since construction began in 1998, the fourth so far this year and the second for both Skvortsov and Artemyev.
Cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev launches a small Peruvian "nanosat" a few minutes into a planned six-hour 15-minute spacewalk outside the International Space Station. The satellite can be seen tumbling away to the upper right. (Credit: NASA TV)

Artemyev was first out of the hatch, releasing a small nanosatellite in the station's wake as the lab complex sailed 260 miles above the southern Pacific Ocean approaching the coast of Chile. The 4-inch-wide cube-shaped satellite could be seen tumbling away against the backdrop of Earth as Artemyev looked on from just outside the Pirs module.

The Chasqui-1 satellite was provided by the Peruvian National University of Engineering, working with the Russian federal space agency. The solar-powered "cubesat," brought to the station last February aboard a Progress supply ship, is equipped with a visible and infrared camera system, a radio transmitter and an attitude control system.

The 2.2-pound satellite "represents an unprecedented effort in our country for the first time to achieve access to space and gives us the opportunity to open new fields to our own specific geographic and social reality application," the university says on its web site. "It is also, from an academic point of view, a tool that facilitates collaboration (and) trains students and teachers with real-world experience in satellites."

With the nanosat deployed, the flight plan called for Skvortsov to hand out an experiment package known as Expose-R that will be attached to the station's hull. Expose-R is loaded with a variety of biological samples ranging from plant seeds to spores, fungi and ferns. The samples will be exposed to the space environment for a year and a half before retrieval and return to Earth.

Both cosmonauts then will make their way to a universal work platform on the hull of the Zvezda command module where Expose-R will be attached and plugged into the Russian telemetry system. With the experiment in place, the spacewalkers will take close-out photos and then move to an automatic phased array antenna and install a clamp to make the assembly more secure.

After collecting samples of possible rocket thruster residue on a service module window, Skvortsov and Artemyev will make their way back to the Pirs hatch to pick up two experiment packages. One, a plume impingement deposit monitoring device, will be mounted on the hull of the upper Poisk docking compartment.

The cosmonauts then planned to remove a space exposure experiment package from Poisk, replacing it with another they brought up from Pirs. The old experiment tray, along with a panel from another space exposure experiment, will be brought back to Pirs and placed inside.

While Skvortsov is taking care of that, Artemyev planned to move around to the far side of Pirs and retrieve biorisk container No. 3, yet another space exposure experiment, and pass it inside to Skvortsov.

Artemyev then will enter Pirs and the cosmonauts will close the hatch, bringing Russian EVA-39 to a close.

NASA had planned to carry out two U.S. spacewalks of its own this month, one to move a failed pump module to a long-term storage position on the station's solar power truss and the other to replace a critical solar array electrical component. But the EVAs were put on hold pending arrival of replacement spacesuit batteries.

The new batteries are scheduled for launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon cargo ship Sept. 19. Assuming that flight stays on schedule, NASA flight engineer Reid Wiseman and European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst could venture outside for their first spacewalk sometime in early October, pending management approval, replacing a solar array power system device known as a sequential shunt unit.

Wiseman and astronaut Barry "Butch" Wilmore, scheduled for launch aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft Sept. 25, then would be clear to carry out the pump relocation spacewalk later in October.

Of the two planned spacewalks, the SSU replacement is the most critical for NASA. The space station has been operating with seven of its eight major solar power feeds since early May because of problems with one of the eight sequential shunt units used to regulate solar array output.

Equipment on power channel 3A had to be switched over to power channel 3B in May and while that has not caused any major problems for the station, mission managers want to replace the suspect SSU as soon as possible to avoid major powerdowns in the event of another failure.

The replacement work is relatively straight forward, but the new spacesuit batteries are required. And the SSU swap-out must be done when the station is in Earth's shadow and the arrays are not generating power. The orientation of the station's orbit with respect to the sun will periodically ensure extended night passes in October.

© 2014 William Harwood/CBS News

Spacewalking cosmonauts launch satellite, set up studies
By Irene Klotz

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View photo
Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev attends a news conference behind a glass wall at Baikonur cosmodrome …
By Irene Klotz
CAPE CANAVERAL Fla. - A pair of Russian cosmonauts began their work week on Monday floating outside the International Space Station to toss out a small satellite for a university in Peru, install science experiments and tackle some housekeeping chores.
First out of the hatch was cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, who stood on a ladder outside the station's Pirs airlock to release a 2.2-pound (1-kg), 4-inch (10-cm) cube-shaped satellite built by students at the National University of Engineering in Lima, Peru.
Video broadcast on NASA Television showed the satellite, called Chasqui-1, tumbling away from the back of the station as it sailed about 260 miles (418 km) above the southern Pacific Ocean.
The solar-powered spacecraft, whose name means "messenger" in the Quechua language of the Incas, is outfitted with visible light and infrared cameras to take pictures of Earth and sensors to measure temperature and pressure as it orbits.
Artemyev was then joined by spacewalker Alexander Skvortsov to install a European package of experiments to the outside of the Russian Zvezda module. The experiments include biomaterials and extremophiles, which are organisms that can live in extremely hostile environments.
Scientists hope to use information about how the organisms fare in the highly radioactive and extreme temperatures of space to devise life-detection techniques for future robotic Mars missions.
The cosmonauts also installed a reinforcing clamp for a communications antenna they attached during their last spacewalk in June. Monday's to-do list included taking samples of residue on the outside of some of Zvezda's windows and setting up an experiment to measure how plumes from rocket engine burns may be impacting parts of station.
Artemyev and Skvortsov breezed through their planned six-hour spacewalk, which began shortly after 10 a.m. EDT , and were back inside the station's airlock 45 minutes early.
Artemyev, Skvortsov and NASA station commander Steve Swanson are five months into a planned six-month mission. Also aboard the complex are NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, European astronaut Alexander Gerst and Russian cosmonaut Maxim Suraev, who arrived on May 28.
The station, a $100 billion research laboratory for materials and life science experiments, technology demonstrations and other microgravity research, is a partnership of 15 nations that has been occupied by rotating crews of astronauts and cosmonauts since November 2000.
(Editing by Susan Heavey and Eric Walsh)

Copyright © 2014 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

Spacewalking astronauts release baby satellite
By MARCIA DUNN
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View photo
This photo provided by NASA shows a tiny Peruvian research satellite, right of center, launched by spacewalking astronauts aboard the International Space Station, Monday, Aug. 18, 2014. The satellite, weighing barely 2 pounds, holds instruments to measure temperature and pressure and cameras that will photograph Earth. (AP Photo/NASA)
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Spacewalking astronauts launched a tiny Peruvian research satellite Monday, setting it loose on a mission to observe Earth.
Russian Oleg Artemiev cast the 4-inch box off with his gloved right hand as the International Space Station sailed 260 miles above the cloud-flecked planet. The nanosatellite gently tumbled as it cleared the vicinity of the orbiting complex, precisely as planned.
"One, two, three," someone called out in Russian as Artemiev let go of the satellite.
Cameras watched as the nanosatellite — named Chasqui after the Inca messengers who were fleet of foot — increased its distance and grew smaller. Artemiev's Russian spacewalking partner, Alexander Skvortsov, tried to keep his helmet camera aimed at the satellite as it floated away.
The satellite — barely 2 pounds — holds instruments to measure temperature and pressure, and cameras that will photograph Earth. It's a technological learning experience for the National University of Engineering in Lima. A Russian cargo ship delivered the device earlier this year.
Less than a half-hour into the spacewalk, the satellite was on its way, flying freely.
With that completed, Artemiev and Skvortsov set about installing fresh science experiments outside the Russian portion of the space station and retrieving old ones. "Be careful," Russian Mission Control outside Moscow warned as the astronauts made their way to their next work site. They also collected samples from a window of the main Russian living compartment; engineers want to check for any engine residue from visiting spacecraft.
The spacewalkers wrapped up their work early. Flight controllers thanked them for their five-hour effort.
The two conducted a spacewalk in June, a few months after moving into the space station. Four other men live there: another Russian, two Americans and one German.
U.S. spacewalks, meanwhile, remain on hold.
NASA hoped to resume them this month after a yearlong investigation but delayed the activity until fall to get fresh spacesuit batteries on board. The SpaceX company will deliver the batteries on a Dragon supply ship next month. Engineers are concerned about the fuses of the on-board batteries.
Before the battery issue, NASA was stymied by a spacesuit problem that nearly cost an Italian astronaut his life last summer. Luca Parmitano's helmet flooded with water from the suit's cooling system, and he barely made it back inside. The investigation into that incident is now complete, with safety improvements made to the U.S. spacesuits.

Copyright © 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.