[sarex] ISS STSTUS REPORT #07-11

[Arthur Rowe]

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*International Space Station Status Report #07-11*
*11 a.m. CST Thursday, Feb. 22, 2007*
*Expedition 14 Crew*

Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer 
Mikhail Tyurin retracted a stuck antenna on a cargo spacecraft during a 
6-hour, 18-minute spacewalk that ended at 10:45 a.m. CST Thursday.

On Oct. 26, the antenna did not properly retract when the Progress 
vehicle docked to the station's Zvezda Service Module. Moving the 
antenna was necessary to ensure it would not interfere with the Progress 
undocking in April.

Lopez-Alegria and Tyurin had planned to release the antenna latch with a 
punch and a hammer. When clearance issues prevented that, they cut 
struts supporting the antenna. That enabled them to partly retract the 
antenna and secure it with wire ties. They reported it had about six 
inches of clearance from Zvezda, adequate for undocking.

Early in the spacewalk, Tyurin had problems with his spacesuit's cooling 
system, which caused his visor to fog up. But he and Lopez-Alegria were 
able to complete a number of other tasks. They began the spacewalk by 
photographing a Russian satellite navigation antenna and changing out a 
Russian materials experiment. They also inspected and photographed an 
antenna for the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV). The European cargo 
craft has more capacity than the Progress and is scheduled to make its 
first trip to the station later this year. The spacewalkers also 
photographed ATV docking targets.

They photographed a German robotics experiment, inspected, remated and 
photographed hardware connectors and inspected retention mechanisms and 
bolted joints on a hand-operated Strela crane that helps transport 
people and equipment outside Pirs. They also stowed two foot restraints 
on a ladder at Pirs before ending the spacewalk.

The spacewalk from the Pirs docking compartment was conducted in Russian 
Orlan spacesuits. It was the 81st for station assembly and maintenance, 
the 53rd from the station, the 20th from Pirs and the fifth for this 
station crew. This was the 10th spacewalk for Lopez-Alegria, a U.S. 
record, and the fifth for Tyurin.

The next station status report will be issued Friday, March 2, or 
earlier if events warrant. For more about the crew's activities and 
station sighting opportunities, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

###