Aug. 13, 2008 John Yembrick Headquarters, Washington 202-358-0602 john.yembrick-1@nasa.gov James Hartsfield Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 james.a.hartsfield@nasa.gov MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-153 NASA ASTRONAUT READY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS FROM SPACE HOUSTON -- Flying 220 miles above the Earth aboard the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Greg Chamitoff is ready to take your questions. The public can now submit inquiries to Chamitoff and get answers direct from space on NASA's Web site. To submit a question, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ask Mission Control will transmit the questions to Chamitoff weekly. He will answer as many as his schedule will allow. Check back periodically to the link above for the transcript and audio clips of the astronaut's answers. Chamitoff is a flight engineer for the Expedition 17 mission. He flew to the station aboard the space shuttle Discovery in June and will return to Earth aboard shuttle Endeavour in November. For more on Chamitoff's mission and the International Space Station, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station -end-

Tropical Storm Fay from the other day, from the ISS! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8kGQVU3ym8 <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/u8kGQVU3ym8&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/u8kGQVU3ym8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> :megaman: AND: Aug. 20, 2008 Sonja Alexander Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1761 sonja.r.alexander@nasa.gov Jenna Mills Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-244-0185 jenna.c.mills@nasa.gov MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-157 SPACE STATION PROVIDES BOOST TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN CALIFORNIA HOUSTON -- Students from Buchanan High School in Clovis, Calif., who are taking part in a 48 hour space station simulation, will get an extra boost when they receive a call from the real International Space Station. Students at the school will participate in a live in-flight education downlink with the International Space Station on Monday, Aug. 25, from 11:35 a.m. to 11:55 a.m. CDT. The live question-and-answer session will feature Expedition 17 astronaut Greg Chamitoff. The students are participating in the Columbia Project, a simulated space station experience that exposes them to the challenging endeavor of human space exploration. The program, currently in its third year, is coordinated by a district educator who is a member of NASA's Network of Educator Astronaut Teachers Project which helps incorporate NASA education resources into school curriculum. To prepare for the downlink, Columbia Project participants engaged in creating mock-ups of the space station and mission control, rocket fabrication, astronaut selection and training, and mission control and station operations. NASA's education downlinks support the agency's efforts to encourage students to study and pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM. These events, facilitated by NASA's Teaching From Space Office use the unique experience of human space flight to promote and enhance STEM education. The downlink will air live on NASA Television and be streamed on the Web at: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For information about NASA's education programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/education -end-

ISS Future
As you (Vin) posted on the last page of this subject about the concern for the future of the ISS, I wanted to again breach that subject. Of course I have mentioned my concern in the past about the CMG's (Gyroscopes) as they seem to be of a weak design and that could lead to a premature loss of control of the station. I have heard several projections now that should that happen, then there would be no alternative but to set the station on a controlled re-entry into the atmosphere so it would burn up over a safe area of the ocean. I think we should make an alternative! #1:While there is still time we should consider the deployment of sufficient fuel and thrusters to be delivered to the ISS in the event that it is about to become uncontrolled, so it can be lifted into a MUCH higher orbit. In such a high orbit it could not be manned, as supply missions to such an orbit are now unfeasible. And so it would float aimlessly in a very high orbit, systems lowered to bare communications with the computers and associated electronics. This would be a shame, and I wish there was a way to make the station safe where it is, but time elements and funding may be too short already. The only real purpose in the higher orbit would be to create a junkyard in space. After we have moved all of that mass up to space, it would be a shame to waste all that effort by allowing it to burn up, when with a good push it could become spare parts for humanity's continued efforts in space. It would be nice to not have to start all over again when we have so much mass up there now.Those solar panels alone are a lot of potential energy. This is a plan of last hope, and would actually hate to see it implemented, however there are only a very limited few shuttle flights left, and would also hate to see the Hubble mission scrapped to just deliver another defective CMG to the station. The Russians and ESA could deliver enough small propulsive devices with fuel to the station to carry it to a higher orbit. Until then, we must make the most use of the ISS that we can.Urgent perhaps now are more Earth Sciences observations that can give us up to date info on the Immediate Earth Environmental Changes. (Fay was Strange) Alternative #2: There is a possibility that enough smaller CMG's could be manufactured and delivered to the ISS by the ESA and Russia to compensate for the loss of the larger defective CMGs when they go. But this would mean an increased effort by those space agencies to launch a much larger number of craft. In esscence this would save the ISS where it is, but it would mean that all normal fuel and supplies would need to continue to be delivered as well as all the launches to lift all those gyros. Note the mass of the Gyros would still need to be as great as the gyros now on board, en total. But each Gyro could be of a smaller size. All of these smaller Gyros would need to employ a new synchronized movement computer to act in unison on the station. This would be complicated, and has not been planned for. Also there is the possibility of other equipment failures that are unseen. Backup for backup, redundancy X 3. Undoubtably there are other options as well, but I do see a time crunch coming and money is likely to be a major issue with international tensions as they are now. I do think this will become an issue, we should consider our options while we have time. Mystery EDITLink 8 30 08 ISS Future The Uncertainty of the International Space Station: Analysis Still unfinished, engineers around the world ponder what to do with the space station—park it somewhere else, turn it into a lab or just let it burn. With calls to upconvert the ISS into a spaceship already hitting fever pitch, a leading aerospace expert checks in with some players from the space industry.

Virus / Worm in Space
Oh, noted the questions from space, and site, but beware, don't catch any WORMS FROM SPACE !!! Password stealing worm/virus has been found on the ISS. (Great, wonder who has those passwords now?) It has been decided that the bug was likely transmitted to the ISS Computers via a flash drive, ugh. (this can be solved on many PCs by turning off AutoRun, however on XP Home it's easy to turn off the wrong thing, in fact you need to download a powertoy just to turn off the right thing, and that powertoy may cause some bugs on Home XP, so if you have home XP, leave it alone unless you really know what you are doing.Home XP will likely be safe if you have up to date antivirus, something NASA apparently couldn't spring for.Office and Pro are easy fixes as is Vista, just shut off AutoRun) For more on the invasion of the Space Worm see; ABC Space Worm :banghead: Mystery

Man, quite a lot of adversity blowing up on the ISS as late! More here, too, Mystery: US-RUSSIA CHILL THREATENS NASA SPACE PROGRAM, August 25 The chill left on US-Russian relations by Moscow's military incursion into Georgia could spell problems for future US access to the International Space Station, US experts said. Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news138853770.html And the virus: -- NASA Discovers Computer Virus Aboard the International Space Station http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=1305 "Reader note: This information was discussed at the ISS 30P SORR last week. Is this the first known ISS computer virus?" And garbage: ATV carries out first debris avoidance manoeuvre for the ISS 28 August 2008 The Automated Transfer Vehicle, Europe’s ISS logistics spacecraft, was used to perform its first debris avoidance manoeuvre for the International Space Station. The manoeuvre was started yesterday at 18:11 CEST (16:11 UT) and finished 5 minutes 2 seconds later. http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Operations/SEM64X0SAKF_0.html And something positive! :megaman: Jules Verne prepares for ISS departure In just a few days time, the historical Jules Verne mission will draw to an end. After the ATV Control Centre commands the opening of the Automated Transfer Vehicle hooks, ESA's first resupply and reboost vehicle will perform a fully automated undocking with the International Space Station on 5 September at 23:30 CEST (21:30 UT). Read more at: http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ATV/SEM5BEO4KKF_0.html

Press Release N° 36-2008 Paris, 5 September 2008 ESA's ATV successfully undocks from International Space Station At the end of a flawless six-month mission, Jules Verne, Europe's first Automated Transfer Vehicle, undocked from the International Space Station today at 23:29 hours CEST. The ATV has now embarked on the last leg of its journey in space, which will end with a controlled destructive re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere on 29 September. The hatches between the ISS and the ATV were closed by the Station crew on 4 September following ATV preparation for automated undocking. Once all other pre-undocking tasks had been performed, the ATV hooks were opened, detaching Europe's unmanned logistics vehicle from the Station, with a spring mechanism pushing it slowly away. After drifting unpowered for one minute to a distance three metres away from the Station, the ATV deployed its smaller attitude control thrusters to start its departure boost and distance itself further. Within 22 minutes of undocking, the ATV was right below the ISS at a distance of about 5 km, at which point its automatic emergency systems (which can initiate a Station collision avoidance manoeuvre in the unlikely event of this being necessary) were disabled. Having completed this 22 minute undocking and departure-boost operation, the ATV is now in its rephasing period, which will last just over 23 days. This covers carrying out manoeuvres to lower the ATV orbit, bringing it back on the same orbital flight path as the ISS but at a certain point below and behind. This time period for carrying out these manoeuvres is necessary in order to optimise fuel consumption, so that the ATV arrives at the correct point enabling its re-entry over a completely uninhabited area of the South Pacific to be viewable from the ISS, as well as from two specially-equipped observation aircraft to be deployed at monitoring locations in the region. The ATV has had an exceptionally successful inaugural mission following its launch on 9 March: a perfectly executed in-orbit -*test*-('") phase prior to docking; delivery of the necessary logistics supplies to the Space Station; carrying out four ISS altitude-raising reboosts to counter residual atmospheric drag; additionally performing an ISS debris avoidance manoeuvre on 27 August after fragments of an old satellite came within the Station's vicinity; and currently loading up with a cargo of dispensable Station items and waste. The ATV has truly demonstrated all its key capabilities, and more. "How the ATV has performed highlights extremely well how the benchmark of European space technology has been raised, and the wealth of expertise present in European industry", said Simonetta Di Pippo, ESA's Director of Human Spaceflight. "This bodes well, not only for future ATV missions to the International Space Station, but also for developments of this kind of technology that may eventually provide Europe with an autonomous cargo return capability and independent access to space for European astronauts.” At the ATV Control Centre located at the French Space Agency CNES in Toulouse, it has been a busy past few days for the joint ESA/CNES team, -*test*-('")ing communication links with the spaceship, updating ATV system parameters and defining the orbital profile the ATV will take on its journey back into the Earth's atmosphere. Prior to the undocking, the ATV-CC also had the responsibility of activating all the relevant ATV primary and backup systems and giving the undocking command. "Even though our schedule has been very busy at the ATV Control Centre, I couldn't have wished for a better mission", said Hervé Côme, ESA's ATV Jules Verne Lead Mission Director. "All the systems have performed exceptionally well throughout the whole mission and continue to do so, which has allowed us to extend operations by a month. I should like to express my gratitude to all the ATV-CC staff and to everyone else involved in making this mission a success. And in just over three weeks, we will be looking forward to the ATV 2 mission in 2010”. Prior to the undocking, the ISS crew spent the last few days making the final preparations, including transferring from the ATV equipment needed on the Station, loading up the ATV with Station waste and also setting up and -*test*-('")ing equipment for ISS/ATV communications for this operation. They will now be preparing for the forthcoming arrival at the ISS of the next logistics vehicle, Russia's Progress 30P spacecraft, on 12 September. For more information: ESA - Media Relations Office Communication and Knowledge Department Tel: +33 1 5369 7299 Fax: +33 1 5369 7690 Email: media@esa.int Watch a replay of the ATV undocking‏ A video replay showing the view from the International Space Station as Europe’s first Automated Transfer Vehicle, Jules Verne, retreats away from the orbital outpost following undocking. View the video here: http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ATV/SEM6FHP4KKF_0.html ESA looks for a name for its next long-term mission to the ISS‏ In May 2009, ESA astronaut Frank De Winne, of Belgian nationality and a member of the European Astronaut Corps, will fly to the International Space Station for a six month mission. ESA is holding a competition to find a name for the mission. Read more at: http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMMFMP4KKF_index_0.html Sept. 11, 2008 Michael Curie Headquarters, Washington 202-358-4715 michael.curie@nasa.gov James Hartsfield Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 james.a.hartsfield@nasa.gov MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-175 HURRICANE IKE IMPACT FELT IN SPACE HOUSTON -- Hurricane Ike has delayed the scheduled Friday arrival of a Russian Progress cargo ship at the International Space Station 220 miles above Earth. The Progress docking was postponed when the space station's control room at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston was closed Thursday because of the approaching storm. Control of the space station was handed to flight controllers at backup facilities near Austin, Texas, and Huntsville, Ala. Because the Mission Control Center in Houston is responsible for commanding many of the station's systems, U.S. and Russian officials agreed to delay the docking. Russian flight controllers will execute a maneuver to place the Progress spacecraft into a safe orbit away from the station until docking, which is planned for Wednesday, Sept. 17. If Johnson's control center is not restored to full capability for docking, one of the backup facilities may be used to command the station's systems. Station Commander Sergei Volkov and Flight Engineers Oleg Kononenko and Greg Chamitoff are awaiting the arrival of the cargo ship. The spacecraft is carrying more than 2 tons of supplies, including food and fuel. NASA Television may offer coverage of the Progress' arrival. For NASA TV schedule updates, downlinks, and streaming video information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For more about the crew's activities and station sighting opportunities, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station -end-

NASA STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF RUSSIAN SPACECRAFT TO KEEP SPACE STATION FUNCTIONING, September 12 Even before NASA finishes its study into the possibility of flying the space shuttle beyond its scheduled retirement in 2010, top agency officials have concluded that extending the life of the orbiter fleet won't solve the problem of keeping the International Space Station operable for U.S. astronauts. Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news140411998.html Yeah, well, it'd would've been ideal to have the Shuttles still going strong or Orion going already, hey. I guess that's what they get for their peanuts budget.

-- ESA looks for a name for its next long-term mission to the ISS http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=26411 "In May 2009, ESA astronaut Frank De Winne, of Belgian nationality and a member of the European Astronaut Corps, will fly to the International Space Station for a six-month mission. ESA is holding a competition to find a name for the mission."

Fly your picture on the International Space Station‏ Primary school children are invited take part in a competition to design a t-shirt for ESA astronaut Frank De Winne to wear during his mission to the International Space Station next year. The winner, and all their classmates, will get to talk to De Winne in space. Read more at: http://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEMN21Q4KKF_index_0.html

http://www.spaceflight.esa.int/users/index.cfm?act=default.page&level=11&page=388 International Space Station What is the International Space Station? The historic arrival of the first permanent crew of the Space Station - the Expedition 1 crew - took place on November 2nd 2000. This date marked the dawn of a new space age, as it signified the beginning of an extended period of at least 15 years where there will be a continuously manned platform in orbit around the Earth - the International Space Station (ISS). Assembly of the Space Station started in November 1998 with the launch of the first Station element, the Zarya module into orbit, and will continue throughout the next five years. Once the Station is complete, currently planned for 2010, it will offer an extensive range of facilities in a unique environment that cannot be found on Earth, and will enable mankind to continue to learn how to live and work in space for long periods. The Station facilities are being contributed jointly by the International Partners (i.e., United States, Russia, Member States of the European Space Agency, Japan and Canada) and will enable utilisation activities in the fields of physical and life sciences, space science, Earth observation and technology innovation. In addition, commercial research and development; novel services, such as education and outreach; and innovative commercial use, such as advertising and broadcasting, are also activities which could benefit significantly from use of the capabilities of the Station. Users do not have to wait until the Station is completely assembled however, before they can start using it. Indeed, the utilisation of the Station by users has already begun with experiments being carried out on the Zvezda service module, and the US laboratory module Destiny, and this will continue with facilities and resources becoming increasingly available in a gradual way, throughout the rest of the assembly phase. Routine utilisation will then be available for at least ten years following completion of assembly. The benefits the Station offers users include: * The capability to perform an experiment or observation programme over an extended period of time in weightless conditions; * The capability to perform iterative research on a short timescale through the provision of regular access to and return from the Station; * Provision of access to a significant level of resources; * The permanent presence of crew (to interact with users experiments if required, or in the event of unforeseen problems); * An extensive range of facilities to enable activities in a large number of utilisation fields.

A launch on the 9th Sept 2006, STS115! <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zrINmhN5T-o&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zrINmhN5T-o&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> -- NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 18 September 2008 http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=29242 "After yesterday's nominal Progress M-65/30P docking (2:43pm EDT), crew activities today dealt mostly with cargo unloading, transferring, unpacking, stowing and IMS (Inventory Management System) logging." Sept. 19, 2008 John Yembrick Headquarters, Washington 202-358-0602 john.yembrick-1@nasa.gov Candrea Thomas Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-867-2468 candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov RELEASE: 08-237 SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR MOVES TO LAUNCH PAD 39B CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- For the first time since July 2001, two shuttles are on the launch pads at the same time at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Space shuttle Endeavour completed a 4.2-mile journey to Launch Pad 39B on Friday, Sept. 19, at 6:59 a.m. EDT. Endeavour left Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building at 11:15 p.m. Thursday, traveling at less than 1 mph atop a massive crawler-transporter. Endeavour will stand by at pad B in the unlikely event that a rescue mission is necessary during space shuttle Atlantis' upcoming mission to repair NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, targeted to launch Oct. 10. After Endeavour is cleared from its duty as a rescue spacecraft, it will be moved to Launch Pad 39A for the STS-126 mission to the International Space Station. That flight is targeted for launch Nov. 12. Video file of rollout will be available on NASA Television. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For information about the upcoming shuttle missions, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle -end-

Sept. 23, 2008 Katherine Trinidad Headquarters, Washington 202-281-8171 katherine.trinidad@nasa.gov James Hartsfield Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 james.a.hartsfield@nasa.gov MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-178 NASA TO PREVIEW NEXT SPACE STATION EXPEDITION HOUSTON -- The work of the next International Space Station residents will be previewed in a briefing broadcast on NASA Television at 1 p.m. CDT Thursday, Sept. 25, from NASA's Johnson Space Center. Reporters at participating NASA centers may ask questions. Expedition 18 Commander Mike Fincke, Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Yuri Lonchakov and U.S. spaceflight participant Richard Garriott are scheduled to launch in a Soyuz spacecraft Oct. 12 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. They will arrive at the station Oct. 14. Garriott will return home with the two Russian members of the Expedition 17 crew on Oct. 24. Fincke and Lonchakov will join NASA astronaut Greg Chamitoff, who has been on board the orbiting complex since June. The briefers who will preview Expedition 18 are: -- Michael Suffredini, International Space Station Program manager -- Susan Brand, Expedition 18 increment manager -- Ron Spencer, Expedition 18 lead flight director -- Julie Robinson, International Space Station Program scientist For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For more information about the International Space Station and its crews, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station -end- US EX-ASTRONAUT'S SON TO BE NEXT SPACE TOURIST, September 23 (AP) -- As a computer game designer, he's made millions creating fantasy worlds. Now, Richard Garriott will live out his own fantasy of spaceflight. Garriott, 47, will become the first child of a U.S. astronaut to travel to space when he takes his $30 million seat aboard a Russian Soyuz capsule set to lift off Oct. 12 for the international space station. Full story at http://www.physorg.com/news141393039.html :megaman:

Sept. 24, 2008 Michael Curie Headquarters, Washington 202-358-4715 michael.curie@nasa.gov Kyle Herring Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 kyle.j.herring@nasa.gov Candrea Thomas Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-867-2468 candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-181 NASA ANNOUNCES NEW TARGET LAUNCH DATES, STATUS NEWS CONFERENCE WASHINGTON -- The target launch date for space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope has been reset to Oct. 14 at 10:19 p.m. EDT. A news conference is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 3, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to announce an official launch date. With the delay of Atlantis' launch from Oct. 10 to Oct. 14, shuttle Endeavour's STS-126 supply mission to the International Space Station, also will move from Nov. 12 to Nov. 16 at 7:07 p.m. EST. The target launch date adjustments were made Wednesday during the Space Shuttle Program's Flight Readiness Review, which concludes Thursday. Detailed assessments were presented Wednesday by Mission Operations, Flight Crew Operations, and training divisions affected by the closure of the NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, as a result of Hurricane Ike. While vehicle processing at Kennedy continues on schedule, the lost week of training and mission preparation due to the impacts of the storm led to the decision to slip the dates. The Oct. 3 news conference will follow the Flight Readiness Review, a meeting to assess preparations for the STS-125 mission to Hubble, and will begin no earlier than 4 p.m. EDT. The briefing participants are: - Associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier - Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs, Science Mission Directorate Mike Luther - Space Shuttle Program Manager John Shannon - STS-125 Launch Director Ed Mango NASA Television and the agency's Web site will broadcast the briefing live. Media may ask questions from participating NASA locations. Reporters should contact their preferred NASA center to confirm its participation. For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For more about the two remaining shuttle missions of 2008, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle -end-

Sept. 25, 2008 Michael Curie Headquarters, Washington 202-358-4715 michael.curie@nasa.gov Kelly Humphries Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 kelly.o.humphries@nasa.gov MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-182 LIVE SPACE TALK NOW AVAILABLE 24/7 ON NASA WEB SITE HOUSTON -- Conversations between astronauts aboard the International Space Station and flight controllers on the ground now are available for the public to hear live, 24 hours a day, seven days a week on NASA's Web site, www.nasa.gov . The streaming audio of space-to-ground communications includes NASA commentary during specific station mission events and regularly scheduled space station commentary on NASA Television Monday through Friday at 10 a.m. Central time. NASA already provides this space-to-ground communication with commentary during space shuttle missions. The streaming station and shuttle mission audio is available on the following NASA sites: - Under the NASA TV (Live) tab at: http://www.nasa.gov - Under the left navigation at: http://www.nasa.gov/station and http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle - In the list of channels at: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv -end-