[sarex] Expedition 15 Readies for Reboost, Spacewalk

[Arthur Rowe]

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468


	*Expedition 15 Readies for Reboost, Spacewalk*
iss015e15644 -- Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineer Clay 
Anderson
Image above: Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin (left) and Flight Engineer Clay 
Anderson work with a spacesuit in the Quest Airlock of the International 
Space Station. Image credit: NASA

TO VIEW IMAGE GO TO:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

A docked Progress 25 cargo craft will fire its thrusters on July 21 and 
23 raising the International Space Station’s orbit. The reboost provides 
the proper phasing for an upcoming Progress 26 launch and docking. The 
Progress firing also clears the station after the Early Ammonia Servicer 
(EAS) is jettisoned during a July 23 spacewalk and provides flight day 
three rendezvous opportunities when space shuttle Endeavour arrives on 
mission STS-118. In advance of the reboost, the crew is testing the 
command and data telemetry of the Russian computers.

The Progress 24 cargo craft will undock from the Pirs docking 
compartment on Aug. 1 and burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere. Progress 26 
is scheduled for launch on Aug. 2 and will reach the station on Aug. 5. 
Two days later on Aug. 7, space shuttle Endeavour is targeted for launch 
with a station rendezvous and docking planned for Aug. 9.

The Expedition 15 crew is also preparing for the July 23 spacewalk. 
Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineer Clay Anderson are 
familiarizing themselves with the SAFER (Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue) 
jetpacks they will wear on their U.S. spacesuits.

During the spacewalk one of Anderson’s tasks is to jettison the 
1,400-pound EAS. Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov is reviewing Canadarm2 
procedures as he prepares to become the first cosmonaut to solely 
operate the robotic arm during Monday’s spacewalk.

+ Read more about Expedition 15 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition15/index.html>
+ View crew daily timelines 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/timelines/index.html>