National Aeronautics and Space Administration

PRESS KIT/OCTOBER 2010

Expedition 25 and 26

A New Decade Begins

www.nasa.gov

OCTOBER 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS i

Section Page 

MISSION OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................... 1

EXPEDITION 25/26 CREW ...................................................................................................... 13

EXPEDITION 25/26 SPACEWALKS ......................................................................................... 27 

AUTOMATED TRANSFER VEHICLE-2 ....................................................................................... 29 

H-II TRANSFER VEHICLE OVERVIEW ...................................................................................... 33 

RUSSIAN SOYUZ ..................................................................................................................... 39

SOYUZ BOOSTER ROCKET CHA R A C T E R I S T I C S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4

PRELAUNCH COUNTDO W N T I M E L I N E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 46

ASCENT/INSERTION T I M E L I N E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ........ 46

ORBITAL INSERTION TO DOC K I N G T I M E L I N E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

KEY TIMES FOR EXPEDITION 25 LAUNCH EVENT S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2

SOYUZ LANDING .................................................................................................................................. 53

KEY TIMES FOR EXPEDITION 25 L A N D I N G E V E N T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 6

EXPEDITION 25/26 SCIENCE OVERVIEW ............................................................................... 57

RESEARCH EXPERIMENTS .................................................................................................................... 62 

DIGITAL NASA TELEVISION AND MULTIMEDIA ...................................................................... 97

EXPEDITION 25/26 PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICERS (PAO) CONTACTS ...................................... 99

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 
ii TABLE OF CONTENTS OCTOBER 2010

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OCTOBER 2010 MISSION OVERVIEW 1

Mission Overview 

Expeditions 25 and 26 

The International Space Station is featured in this image photographed by an STS-132 

crew member on space shuttle Atlantis after the station and shuttle began their 

post-undocking relative separation on May 23, 2010. 

A second decade of human life, work and 

research on the International Space Station 

will begin while the Expedition 25 and 26 

crews are in action aboard the orbiting 

laboratory. 

The first station expedition crew – 

Commander Bill Shepherd and Flight 

Engineers Sergei Krikalev and Yuri 

Gidzenko – took up residence on the 

station on Nov. 2, 2000, following an 

Oct. 31 launch from the Baikonur 

Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Since then, 

more than 200 explorers have visited the 

orbiting complex, 15 countries have 

contributed support, modules and in-orbit 

hardware, and more than 600 experiments 

have been conducted. 
2 MISSION OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

NASA astronauts Doug Wheelock, Expedition 25 commander, and 

Shannon Walker, Expedition 25 flight engineer, participate in a 

training session in the Space Vehicle Mock-up Facility at 

NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. 
OCTOBER 2010 MISSION OVERVIEW 3

A third American and two additional 

Russians will launch aboard a new and 

improved version of the Soyuz spacecraft 

from the same Baikonur launch pad on 

Oct. 7 and join the station’s Expedition 25 

trio, which has been in orbit since June. 

The Expedition 25 and 26 crews, comprised 

of nine residents over a span of 

eight months, will continue microgravity 

experiments in human research, biology 

and biotechnology, physical and materials 

sciences, technology development, 

and Earth and space sciences. They 

also will accept delivery of the newest 

external instrument, the Alpha Magnetic 

Spectrometer, designed to plumb 

fundamental issues related to the origin and 

structure of our universe. 

The Expedition 25 and 26 crews will work 

with some 115 experiments involving 

approximately 380 researchers across a 

variety of fields, including human life 

sciences, physical sciences and Earth 

observation, and conduct technology 

demonstrations ranging from recycling to 

robotics. Seventy-two of these experiments 

will be sponsored by U.S. investigators, 

including 18 under the auspices of the 

U.S. National Laboratory program, and 

43 sponsored by international partner 

investigators. More than 680 hours of 

research are planned. As with prior 

expeditions, many experiments are 

designed to gather information about the 

effects of long-duration spaceflight on 

the human body, which will help us 

understand complicated processes such as 

immune systems while planning for future 

exploration missions. 

Technology demonstrations will include 

work with the first human-like robot ever to 

be tested in the microgravity environment, 

and the resumption of work with a recycling 

device known as Sabatier, designed to help 

wring additional water from excess 

hydrogen not yet being reclaimed by the 

station’s water recovery system. 

With the help of two visiting space shuttle 

crews during STS-133 and STS-134, they 

will continue outfitting the latest additions 

to the nearly completed outpost; accept 

delivery of one of the last pressurized 

modules, a converted pressurized cargo 

carrier named Leonardo; welcome at least 

three cargo resupply missions; and conduct 

three spacewalks to fine-tune the Russian 

segment of the station. 

NASA astronaut Doug Wheelock 

accepted command of Expedition 25 on 

Sept. 22, taking over for Russia’s 

Alexander Skvortsov, who landed with 

NASA astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson and 

Russian Flight Engineer Mikhail Kornienko 

aboard the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft 

Sept. 25 in Kazakhstan. 

Wheelock, who remained on the station 

conducting microgravity research with 

fellow NASA astronaut Shannon Walker 

and Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, 

will be joined by NASA’s Scott Kelly and 

Russians Alexander Kaleri and Oleg 

Skripochka. Once they are united, they 

will constitute the full Expedition 25 crew. 
4 MISSION OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, along 

with Russian cosmonauts Alexander Kaleri and Oleg Skripochka (left to right), all 

Expedition 25 flight engineers, take a moment to pose for pictures in front of their 

Soyuz TMA-01M spacecraft during a training and Soyuz inspection exercise 

Sept. 26, 2010. Photo credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov 
OCTOBER 2010 MISSION OVERVIEW 5

Russian cosmonauts Alexander Kaleri (center) and Oleg Skripochka, both 

Expedition 25/26 flight engineers, participate in space station habitability 

equipment and procedures training session in the Space Vehicle 

Mock-up Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. 

Kelly, Kaleri and Skripochka are 

scheduled to remain on the station 

through March 2011. Kelly will become 

Expedition 26 commander when Wheelock, 

Walker and Yurchikhin return to Earth 

aboard their Soyuz TMA-19 spacecraft, 

which is scheduled for Nov. 29. 

Kelly, Kaleri and Skripochka are scheduled 

to launch aboard an updated 

Soyuz spacecraft designated TMA-01M at 

7:10 p.m. EDT Oct. 7 from the Baikonour 

Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. This will be 

the first Soyuz to launch with newer, more 

powerful and lighter computer systems. 

The improved avionics, which have been 

tested on seven uncrewed Progress 

resupply vehicles already, also reduce the 

weight of the spacecraft by about 

150 pounds (70 kilograms). Previous 

Soyuz vehicles have flown with the updated 

set of display panels, but this is the first 

flight that feeds those displays with the 

updated avionics computer systems. After 

spending two days catching up to the 

station, they will dock to the Poisk docking 

module on the zenith, or space-facing, port 

of the Zvezda service module at 8:01 p.m. 

Oct. 9. After completing leak checks, 

equalizing pressures and opening hatches, 

they will join Wheelock, Walker and 

Yurchikhin and become the fifth six-person 

crew of the station. 

In the fall, one of the station’s new 

commercial resupply rockets, built by 

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. 

(SpaceX), is set to make its first 

demonstration flight. The station crew will 

not be involved in the mission, but it will 

mark an important milestone in providing 

additional supply lines for the station. 
6 MISSION OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

The next vehicle to meet up with the station 

will be Progress 40, which is scheduled to 

launch Oct. 27 from Baikonur. The cargo 

vehicle is scheduled to dock and deliver its 

2.5 tons of fuel, oxygen, water and supplies 

Oct. 29. 

The STS-133 mission of space shuttle 

Discovery, also known as Utilization and 

Logistics Flight 5, is set to launch Nov. 1 

from Kennedy Space Center, Fla., carrying 

the converted pressurized cargo carrier 

Leonardo. Now a Permanent Multipurpose 

Module (PMM), Leonardo will be berthed to 

the Earth-facing port of the station’s Unity 

module, providing additional storage for 

station crews and room for additional 

experiments to be conducted. The Italian 

Space Agency contracted with Thales 

Alenia Space, the European company that 

originally built the module, to make the 

modifications. 

Inside the PMM will be Robonaut 2, or R2, 

the first human-like robot in space. R2 will 

become a permanent resident of the 

station, allowing scientists and engineers to 

study how its systems and controls function 

in near-zero gravity. 

Discovery also will carry critical spare 

parts and the ExPRESS Logistics Carrier 4 

(ELC4) to the station. The ExPRESS, 

which stands for Expedite the Processing of 

Experiments to the Space Station, platform 

will anchor those spare parts in the shuttle’s 

payload bay, and be installed to a Payload 

Attach System on the Earth-facing 

starboard side of the station’s truss. 

Two six-hour spacewalks are planned 

during the joint shuttle/station mission. The 

first is to install a contingency power 

extension cable between the Unity and 

Tranquility modules and to move a failed 

ammonia pump module that was replaced 

by Wheelock and Caldwell Dyson over 

the course of three Expedition 24 

spacewalks. The second will be dedicated 

to removing insulation from a stowage 

platform, swapping out a bracket on 

the Columbus module, installing a camera 

on the robotic Dexterous Manipulator 

System and installing an education payload 

that contains messages from Japanese 

students. 

Yurchikhin and Skripochka are scheduled 

to conduct a spacewalk, the 26th 

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) using 

Russian Orlan-M spacesuits for space 

station assembly and maintenance. On 

Russian EVA 26, the duo will install a 

portable multipurpose workstation on the 

Zvezda module, remove three Russian 

science instruments and install handrail 

extensions to aid future spacewalkers. 
OCTOBER 2010 MISSION OVERVIEW 7

The Soyuz TMA-19 spacecraft docks to the Rassvet Mini-Research Module 1 

June 28, 2010. Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, along with NASA astronauts 

Doug Wheelock and Shannon Walker, undocked their Soyuz spacecraft from the 

Zvezda Service Module’s aft port and docked it to its new location on the Rassvet 

module 25 minutes later. 

Wheelock, Walker and Yurchikhin are 

scheduled to depart the station in 

late November. Wheelock will hand over 

leadership to Kelly, the Expedition 26 

commander, and then the trio will undock 

their Soyuz from the Rassvet module on 

Nov. 29. Landing in Kazakhstan is 

scheduled for 8:28 p.m. on Nov. 29. 

The Expedition 26 trio will remain in orbit 

alone for about two weeks before the 

arrival of their crewmates, NASA’s 

Cady Coleman, the Russian Space 

Agency’s Dmitry Kondratyev and the 

European Space Agency’s Páolo Néspoli 

on Dec. 15 aboard their Soyuz TMA-20 

spacecraft. 

The Expedition 26 crew will pack the 

Progress 39 cargo ship full of trash in 

advance of its scheduled undocking from 

the station on Dec. 20, followed by 

a destructive entry into Earth’s atmosphere. 

They will do the same for Progress 40 
8 MISSION OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

ESA astronaut Páolo Néspoli (left foreground) and NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, 

both Expedition 26/27 flight engineers; along with Russian cosmonaut 

Dmitry Kondratyev (second left), Expedition 26 flight engineer and Expedition 27 

commander, participate in a Robonaut familiarization training session in the 

Space Environment Simulation Laboratory at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. 

for its departure Jan. 24, 2011. That 

departure will make room for the 

Progress 41 ship, which is scheduled to 

launch from Baikonur on Jan. 28, and dock 

with the orbiting outpost on Jan. 30, 

delivering another 2.5 tons of supplies. 

On Russian EVA 27 in January, Skripochka 

and Kondratyev are to set up and connect 

rendezvous telemetry equipment, remove 

and reinstall a video camera from the active 

to the passive side of the Rassvet 

module’s docking assembly, and remove a 

passive materials sample experiment 

cassette, and remove from the Zvezda 

transfer compartment cone an antenna 

used for the European Space 

Agency’s (ESA) Automated Transfer 

Vehicles (ATV). 
OCTOBER 2010 MISSION OVERVIEW 9

They are scheduled to conduct the third 

spacewalk of the Expedition 25 and 26 

missions in February to install a radio 

antenna, deploy a nano satellite, install two 

experiments and retrieve two exposure 

panels on a third experiment. 

ESA’s ATV-2, named Johannes Kepler 

after the German astronomer and 

mathematician, is scheduled to launch from 

Kourou, Guiana, carrying six tons of food, 

clothing, propellants, water and oxygen 

Feb. 15, 2011. 

In the spring of 2011, the STS-134 mission 

of Endeavour, also known as Utilization and 

Logistics Flight 6, will deliver the Alpha 

Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) and mount 

the instrument to the station’s truss 

structure where it will use the power 

generated by the station’s solar arrays to 

support observations of cosmic rays. 

Looking at various types of unusual matter 

found in the universe will allow AMS 

researchers to study the formation of the 

universe and search for evidence of dark 

matter and antimatter. In addition, STS-134 

will deliver ExPRESS Logistics Carrier 3 

(ELC-3), which will hold a variety of spare 

parts. The STS-134 mission will include 

three spacewalks to lubricate the port solar 

alpha rotary joints that allow the arrays to 

track the sun as they generate electricity, 

install ammonia jumper hoses for the 

station’s cooling system, stow the orbiter 

boom sensor system outside the station for 

future use as an inspection tool, and 

retrieve a set of materials exposure 

experiments for return to Earth. 

Astronaut Mark Kelly is commander of 

STS-134 mission, and as such, he and twin 

brother Scott Kelly will become the first 

siblings to ever fly in space together. If the 

launch schedule holds, the pair will be 

working together in orbit for eight days 

before the shuttle undocks and returns to 

Earth. 

Also scheduled for launch and docking 

during Expedition 25 and 26 is the 

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s 

H-II Transfer Vehicle, or HTV-2. Unlike the 

ATV, which docks automatically to the aft 

port of the Zvezda module, the HTV will 

rendezvous to within a few meters of the 

space station and then be grappled by the 

station’s Canadarm2 and berthed to the 

Harmony module’s Earth-facing common 

berthing mechanism port. It, too, is capable 

of delivering up to six tons of supplies 

including food and clothes. The Japanese 

resupply vehicle also can deliver external 

components and research instruments to 

the station in its unpressurized cargo area. 

The six-person Expedition 26 crew will 

spend approximately three months together 

before Kelly hands over command of the 

station to Kondratyev. Kelly, Kaleri and 

Skripochka will then undock their Soyuz 

TMA-01M spacecraft and head for a 

landing in Kazakhstan in mid-March. 
10 MISSION OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

Pictured clockwise from the left, Russian cosmonauts Oleg Skripochka and 

Alexander Kaleri, both Expedition 25/26 flight engineers; Russian cosmonaut 

Dmitry Kondratyev, Expedition 26 flight engineer and Expedition 27 commander; 

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, Expedition 25 flight engineer and Expedition 26 

commander; NASA astronaut Mark Kelly, STS-134 commander; ESA astronaut 

Páolo Néspoli and NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, both Expedition 26/27 flight 

engineers, participate in an emergency scenarios training session in the Space 

Vehicle Mock-up Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. 
OCTOBER 2010 MISSION OVERVIEW 11

At the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, Soyuz crews pose for a picture in front of 

a Soyuz booster rocket in its integration building June 11, 2010. From left to right are 

prime crew members Doug Wheelock, Soyuz commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and 

Shannon Walker before their launch to the station, with backup crew members 

Cady Coleman, Dmitry Kondratyev and Páolo Néspoli of the ESA. 

Photo credit: NASA/Victor Zelentsov 
12 MISSION OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

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OCTOBER 2010 CREW 13

Expedition 25/26 Crew 

Expedition 25 

Expedition 25 Patch 

The mission patch design for the 25th 

Expedition to the International Space 

Station pays tribute to the rich history of 

innovation and bold engineering in the 

quest for knowledge, exploration and 

discovery in space. The patch highlights 

the symbolic passing of the torch to the 

space station, as the vehicle that will carry 

us into the future of space exploration. The 

Space Shuttle Program emblem is the 

foundation of the patch and forms the 

Greek letter “Alpha” with a new dawn 

breaking at the center, symbolizing a new 

vision for space exploration. The Alpha 

symbol is overlaid by the Greek letter 

“Omega,” paying tribute to the culmination 

of the Space Shuttle Program. The mission 

designation “25” is shown centered at the 

bottom of the patch, symbolizing the point 

in time when the space shuttle, the 

workhorse of the station assembly process, 

will make its final visit to the ISS. Between 

the “25” and the Earth crescent, the orbiter 

is shown returning to Earth on its final 

journey, during the Expedition 25 mission. 

Above Earth and the breaking dawn, the 

station takes center-stage, completed and 

fully equipped to carry us beyond this new 

dawn to new voyages and discoveries. The 

orbit connecting the station and Earth is 
14 CREW OCTOBER 2009

Expedition 25 crew members take a break from training at NASA’s Johnson Space 

Center to pose for a crew portrait. Pictured at center right is NASA astronaut 

Doug Wheelock, commander. Also pictured (from the left) are Russian cosmonauts 

Oleg Skripochka and Alexander Kaleri; NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and 

Shannon Walker along with Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, all flight engineers. 

drawn in the colors of the United States and 

Russian flags; paying tribute to the blended 

heritage of the crew. The two largest stars 

in the field represent the arrival and 

departure of the crews in separate Russian 

Soyuz vehicles. The six stars in the field 

represent the six crew members. The 

International Space Station abbreviation 

“ISS” and “MKC” – in English and Russian, 

respectively – flank the mission number 

designation, and the names of the crew 

members in their native languages border 

the ISS symbol. 
Expedition 26 

OCTOBER 2010 CREW 15

Expedition 26 Patch 

In the foreground of the patch, the 

International Space Station is prominently 

displayed to acknowledge the efforts of the 

entire International Space Station team – 

both the crews who have built and operated 

it, and the team of scientists, engineers, 

and support personnel on Earth who 

have provided a foundation for each 

successful mission. Their efforts and 

accomplishments have demonstrated the 

space station’s capabilities as a technology 

test bed and a science laboratory, as well 

as a path to the human exploration of 

our solar system and beyond. The 

space station is shown with ESA’s ATV-2, 

the Johannes Kepler, docked to resupply it 

with experiments, food, water, and fuel for 

Expedition 26 and beyond. This Expedition 

26 patch represents the teamwork among 

the international partners – USA, Russia, 

Japan, Canada and ESA – and the ongoing 

commitment from each partner to build, 

improve, and use the station. Prominently 

displayed in the background is our home 

planet, Earth – the focus of much of our 

exploration and research on our outpost in 

space. The two stars symbolize two Soyuz 

spacecraft, each one carrying a threemember crew, who for four months will 

work and live together aboard the station as 

Expedition 26. The patch shows the crew 

members’ names, and it’s framed with the 

flags of their countries of origin – United 

States, Russia, and Italy. 
16 CREW OCTOBER 2010

Russian cosmonaut Dmitry Kondratyev (center), Expedition 26 flight engineer and 

Expedition 27 commander; along with NASA astronaut Cady Coleman and 

ESA astronaut Páolo Néspoli, both Expedition 26/27 flight engineers, pose for a 

portrait following an Expedition 26/27 preflight press conference at NASA’s Johnson 

Space Center. Kondratyev, Coleman and Néspoli are scheduled to launch to the 

International Space Station aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in December 2010. 

Short biographical sketches of the crew 

follow with detailed background available 

at: 

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/
Expedition 25 

OCTOBER 2010 CREW 17

Doug Wheelock 

Wheelock, 50, a colonel in the U.S. Army, 

was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1998. 

He served numerous roles in the Astronaut 

Office before his first spaceflight. In 2007, 

Wheelock served as a mission specialist on 

the crew of STS-120 where he logged 

362 hours in space, including 20 hours and 

41 minutes during three spacewalks. 

Wheelock is currently midway through his 

long-duration mission on the space station. 

He launched on a Russian Soyuz 

spacecraft on June 15, 2010, and joined the 

Expedition 24 crew as a flight engineer. 

With the transition to Expedition 25, 

Wheelock became commander of the 

space station, and its six-person 

international crew. He will serve in this 

role until the change-of-command before 

his planned departure in November 2010. 
18 CREW OCTOBER 2010

Shannon Walker 

Houston’s first and only native astronaut, 

Shannon Walker, 44, is midway through her 

first spaceflight mission. Like Wheelock, 

she arrived as a flight engineer as part of 

Expedition 24 and will return to Earth with 

him in November. 

In 1995, Walker joined the NASA civil 

service at Johnson Space Center working 

with the space station international partners 

in the design and construction of the 

robotics hardware for the space station. 

Four years later she moved to Moscow 

to work with the Russian Federal Space 

Agency, Roscosmos, in the areas of 

avionics integration and integrated problem 

solving for the station. After a year in 

Russia, she returned to Johnson Space 

Center and became the technical lead for 

the space station Mission Evaluation Room 

and the deputy manager of the On-Orbit 

Engineering Office before being selected as 

an astronaut in 2004. 
OCTOBER 2010 CREW 19

Fyodor Yurchikhin 

Fyodor Yurchikhin, 51, flight engineer on 

Expeditions 24 and 25, is on his third 

mission. He flew as a mission specialist on 

STS-112 in 2002, accruing more than 

10 days of spaceflight experience. His 

second spaceflight was in 2007, when he 

spent nearly 200 days as Expedition 15 

commander and Soyuz TMA flight 

engineer. He performed three spacewalks 

which lasted 18 hours 44 minutes. 

Before becoming a cosmonaut, Yurchikhin 

worked at the Russian Space Corporation 

Energia. He began working as a controller 

in the Russian Mission Control Center and 

held the positions of engineer, senior 

engineer, and lead engineer, eventually 

becoming a lead engineer for Shuttle-Mir 

and NASA-Mir programs. 
Expedition 26 

20 CREW OCTOBER 2010

Scott Kelly 

A captain in the U.S. Navy, Scott Kelly, 36, 

will be embarking on the third mission of his 

NASA career. Previously, Kelly served as a 

pilot on STS-103 in 1999, and commander 

of STS-118 in 2007. Combined, he has 

accured more than 20 days in space. 

Kelly and his crewmates will launch to 

the space station on Oct. 7 and dock 

two days later, to join the Expedition 25 

crew already onboard. When Wheelock, 

Walker and Yurchikin depart in November, 

Kelly will transition to become commander 

of Expedition 26 aboard the space 

station. He and his Soyuz crewmates are 

scheduled to return to Earth in March 2011. 
OCTOBER 2010 CREW 21

Alexander Kaleri 

A veteran of four missions, Alexander 

Kaleri, 54, has logged 610 days in space 

and more than 23 hours in five spacewalks. 

His first three spaceflights were to the Mir 

space station – the first in 1992, the second 

in 1996 and the last in 2000. Most recently, 

he served as a flight engineer on 

Expedition 8 aboard the International Space 

Station in 2003 to 2004. 

Kaleri began his career with Energia 

Rocket/Space Corporation (RSC). He 

participated in developing design/technical 

documentation and full-scale tests of the 

Mir orbital station before being selected as 

and Energia RSC cosmonaut candidate in 

April 1984. Kaleri will serve as the Soyuz 

commander for launch and landing and 

flight engineer for Expedition 25 and 26. 
22 CREW OCTOBER 2010

Oleg Skripochka 

This will be the first spaceflight mission for 

Oleg Skripochka, 40. He began his career 

as a test-metal worker at Energia RSC and 

then went on to serve as a technician. After 

graduating from Bauman Moscow State 

Technical University, he worked as an 

engineer at Energia RSC project bureau on 

the development of transport and cargo 

vehicles. 

Skripochka will serve as flight engineer for 

the Soyuz launch and landing and the 

in-orbit crew of Expedition 25 and 26. 
OCTOBER 2010 CREW 23

Cady Coleman 

This will be the third spaceflight mission for 

NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, 49, a 

retired U.S. Air Force colonel. Coleman and 

her crewmates will launch to the space 

station on Dec. 13, 2010. She will serve as 

a flight engineer for both Expedition 26 and 

Expedition 27. 

Coleman has logged more than 500 hours 

in space. She was a mission specialist 

on STS-73 in 1995 and STS-93 in 1999, 

a mission which deployed the Chandra 

X-Ray Observatory. She also served as 

the backup U.S. crew member for 

Expeditions 19, 20 and 21. 
24 CREW OCTOBER 2010

Dmitry Kondratyev 

Dmitry Kondratyev, 41, will serve as the 

Soyuz commander for the December Soyuz 

launch and landing in May. He will join the 

Expedition 26 crew as a flight engineer and 

then transition to Expedition 27 as the crew 

commander. 

Kondratyev was selected as a 

test-cosmonaut candidate of the Gagarin 

Cosmonaut Training Center Cosmonaut 

Office in December of 1997. He trained as 

a backup crew member for Expedition 5 

and Expedition 20. He also served as 

the Russian Space Agency director of 

operations stationed at the Johnson Space 

Center from May 2006 through April 2007. 
OCTOBER 2010 CREW 25

Páolo Néspoli 

ESA astronaut Páolo Néspoli, 53, will serve 

as a flight engineer for Expedition 26 and 

27, his second spaceflight mission. 

Néspoli was selected as an astronaut by 

the Italian space agency in July 1998 and 

one month later, joined ESA’s European 

astronaut corps. He flew as a mission 

specialist on STS-120 in October 2007. 

During the mission, which delivered the 

Italian-built Node 2 Harmony to the space 

station, Néspoli accumulated more than 

15 days of spaceflight experience. 
26 CREW OCTOBER 2010

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OCTOBER 2010 SPACEWALKS 27

Expedition 25/26 Spacewalks 

Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin conducts a spacewalk June 6, 2007, while commander of 

Expedition 15 aboard the International Space Station. Among other tasks, Yurchikhin 

and cosmonaut Oleg Kotov completed the installation of 12 more Zvezda Service 

Module debris panels and installed sample containers on the Pirs Docking 

Compartment for a Russian experiment. 

There are no U.S.-based spacewalks 

currently scheduled for Expedition 25 or 26. 

However, Flight Engineers Fyodor 

Yurchikhin and Oleg Skripochka will don 

Russian Orlan spacesuits for the station’s 

26th Russian spacewalk, and Skripochka 

will be joined by Dimitry Kondratyev for the 

27th and 28th Russian spacewalks. 

Yurchikhin has 25 hours and 27 minutes of 

spacewalk experience from the three 

spacewalks he performed on Expedition 15 

and one on Expedition 24. Skripochka and 

Kondratyev will perform their first 

spacewalks. 
28 SPACEWALKS OCTOBER 2010

The spacewalks are scheduled to last 

six hours. The tasks and dates are still 

being finalized, but spacewalks 26, 27 and 

28 are planned to occur in mid-November, 

mid-January and February, respectively. 

The focus of the first spacewalk – Russian 

spacewalk 26 – is planned to be the 

removal of scientific experiments: the 

Kontur experiment, which studied remote 

object control capability for robotic arms 

and the Expose-R experiment, a European 

Space Agency experiment designed to 

expose organic material to the extreme 

environment of space. 

During the first spacewalk, Yurchikhin and 

Skripochka will also install a portable 

multipurpose workstation on the Zvezda 

and install handrail extensions between 

the Poisk Mini Research Module 2 and both 

Zvezda and Zarya modules. They will 

be performing an experiment called Test, 

which is aimed at verifying the existence 

of micro organisms or contamination 

underneath insulation on the Russian 

segment of the station. 

The second spacewalk – Russian 

spacewalk 27 – is planned to focus on the 

relocation of a video camera on the 

Rassvet Mini Research Module 1, from 

the active side of its docking assembly 

to the passive. They’ll also remove one 

experiment, install two and perform 

another. 

The experiment Skripochka and Kondratyev 

are to remove is a container that measures 

contamination and monitors changes in 

samples of materials from the outside 

surfaces of the station’s Russian segment. 

Those that they’ll be installing include an 

onboard laser communication terminal that 

uses laser technology for high-speed data 

transmission, and a Biorisk experiment that 

looks at the effects of microbial bacteria 

and fungus on structural materials used in 

spacecraft construction. 

While outside, they will remove an antenna 

from the Zvezda module’s transfer 

compartment cone. 

Projected tasks for Skripochka and 

Kondratyev on Russian Spacewalk 28 are 

to install a radio antenna, deploy a nano 

satellite, install two experiments and 

retrieve two exposure panels on a third 

experiment. 

The experiments they will install are 

the Molniya-Gamma experiment, which 

measures gamma splashes and optical 

radiation during terrestrial lightning and 

thunder conditions, and a high-speed data 

transmission system experiment that uses 

radio technology. The exposure panels 

they will retrieve are part of the Komplast 

experiment. 
OCTOBER 2010 ATV-2 29

AUTOMATED TRANSFER VEHICLE-2 

Second Round for the European Space 

Freighter 

The concept of a space tug or transfer 

vehicle for moving astronauts and 

equipment to different Earth orbits has been 

envisaged for decades by different space 

agencies. So far, this role has been fulfilled 

by the American launch vehicle and the 

Russian craft Progress-M. When the space 

shuttle retires, the Automated Transfer 

Vehicle (ATV)-2 will be the largest and 

heaviest vehicle supplying the space 

station. 

Named Johannes Kepler after the German 

astronomer and mathematician, ATV-2 

provides Europe with an independent 

capability to transport equipment to the 

station. Johannes Kepler is the heir of the 

successful ATV Jules Verne, which 

delivered 4.5 tons of cargo to the space 

station. The ATV average cargo mass will 

be even higher from now on. 

In this second round for the ATV, Johannes 

Kepler will deliver almost 7.7 tons of cargo. 

Delivering propellant is instrumental to 

restock the station’s reserves, so that 

4.4 tons of propellant in different forms will 

be launched as the ATV main payload. 

Inside, it is configured to carry storage 

tanks for refuelling propellant for the space 

station’s own propulsion system and air for 

the crew. The craft’s fuel is connected to 

the space station’s own plumbing system, 

allowing astronauts to release oxygen and 

nitrogen directly into the living volume of the 

station. 

ATV serves as a cargo carrier, storage 

facility and as a “tug” vehicle to adjust 

station’s orbit. The versatile spacecraft is 

Europe’s main contribution to the operation 

of the station, dependent on regular 

deliveries of propellants and experimental 

equipment, as well as food, air and water 

for the astronauts. 

What makes Johannes Kepler different? 

• It is the most powerful spacecraft of its 

kind. 

• It has the largest refuelling capability, 

with about three times the payload of its 

Russian counterpart, the Progress-M 

cargo vehicle. 

• It is a multifunctional spaceship, 

combining the fully automatic 

capabilities of an unpiloted vehicle with 

human spacecraft safety requirements. 

• It has a high level of autonomy, allowing 

it to navigate on its own. Docking with 

the station is fully automatic. 

• It is capable of giving orbital boosts to 

the station. 
30 ATV-2 OCTOBER 2010

Having a look at the spacecraft 

• The ATV is about the size of a 

traditional London double-decker bus. 

• Propulsion Module. It has four main 

engines and 20 smaller thrusters for 

attitude control. 

• Docking and refuelling system. The 

“nose” contains the rendezvous sensors 

and Russian-made docking equipment. 

It also has eight thrusters to 

complement the propulsion system. 

• Integrated Cargo Carrier. Attaches 

directly to the space station and can 

store up to eight standard payload 

racks. 

• Four solar arrays. Provide electrical 

power to rechargeable batteries for 

eclipse periods. ATV can fully operate 

with the 4800W generated by its solar 

wings, equivalent to the electricity used 

by a typical water heater at home. 

• Protection Panels. Protect against 

micrometeoroid and orbital debris 

ATV-2 
OCTOBER 2010 ATV-2 31

Cargo Payload

– 4.4 tons of propellant (reboost and 

attitude control propellant) 

– 1,896 pounds of refuelling propellant for 

the station’s propulsion system 

– 220 pounds of air (oxygen and nitrogen) 

– 1.76 tons of dry supplies like bags, 

drawers and fresh food 

Total: 7 tons

Measurements 

Largest diameter: 14.7 feet 

Length (probe retracted): 32.13 feet 

Total vehicle mass: 28,843 pounds 

Solar arrays span: 73.16 feet 
32 ATV-2 OCTOBER 2010

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OCTOBER 2010 H-II TRANSFER VEHICLE 33

H-II TRANSFER VEHICLE OVERVIEW 

The H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV), developed 

by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency 

(JAXA) in Japan, is an unmanned cargo 

transfer spacecraft that will deliver goods 

and resupplies to the International Space 

Station (ISS). 

The HTV is launched from the 

Tanegashima Space Center aboard an 

H-IIB launch vehicle with up to 6,000 kg of 

supplies. When the HTV approaches close 

to the ISS, the Space Station Remote 

Manipulator System (SSRMS), known as 

“Canadarm2,” will grapple the HTV and 

berth it to the ISS. After the supplies, such 

as food, clothes and a variety of experiment 

equipment, are unloaded, the HTV will then 

be loaded with waste materials, including 

used experiment equipment or used 

clothes. The HTV will then undock and 

separate from the ISS and reenter the 

atmosphere. While the HTV is berthed to 

the ISS, the ISS crew will be able to enter 

and remove the supplies from the HTV 

Pressurized Logistics Carrier. 

Russia’s cargo spacecraft, Progress, the 

Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), 

developed and built by the European Space 

Agency (ESA), and Japan’s HTV are 

utilized for delivering supplies to the ISS. 

Among these cargo-carrying spacecraft, 

the HTV is the only unmanned vehicle 

that can carry both pressurized and 

unpressurized cargo. This is a unique 

special feature of the HTV. 
34 H-II TRANSFER VEHICLE OCTOBER 2010

Credit: JAXA 

The HTV “Technical Demonstration 

Vehicle” (initial flight vehicle) has been 

successfully launched on Sept. 11, 2009 

(JST), from Tanegashima Space Center in 

Japan. Subsequently, one or two HTVs per 

year are planned for launch. 

HTV Specifications 

HTV is four meters across and about 

10 meters long, same size as a sightseeing 

bus. It consists primarily of three parts: (1) 

A propulsion module installed at the rear 

and composed of main engines for orbit 

change, Reaction Control System (RCS) 

thrusters for position and attitude control, 

fuel and oxidizing reagent tanks, and highpressure air tanks; (2) An avionics module 

installed in the center part, with electronic

equipment for guidance control, power 

supply, and telecommunications data 

processing; and (3) A logistics carrier that 

stores supplies.
OCTOBER 2010 H-II TRANSFER VEHICLE 35

HTV specifications 

Item Specification 

Length Approx. 10 m (including thrusters) 

Diameter Approx. 4.4 m 

Total Mass Approx. 10,500 kg 

Cargo capacity (supplies and equipment) Approx. 6,000 kg 

– Pressurized cargo: Approx. 4,500 kg 

– Unpressurized cargo: Approx. 1,500 kg 

Cargo capacity (waste) Approx. 6,000 kg 

Target orbit to ISS Altitude: 350 km to 460 km 

Inclination: 51.6 degrees 

Maximum duration of a mission Solo flight: Approx. 100 hours 

Stand-by (on orbit): More than a week 

Berthed with the station: Maximum 30 days 
36 H-II TRANSFER VEHICLE OCTOBER 2010

Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack 

(MSPR) 

HTV2 Mission 

The target launch date is January 2011. 

(Detailed launch date is in process of 

authorization by GOJ) 

1. Major cargo items 

(a) Pressurized carrier 

Two (2) payload racks and Cargo 

Transfer Bags (CTB) of food, 

commodity, water, experiment 

equipment will be transferred. 

Cargo Transfer Bag (CTB) 
OCTOBER 2010 H-II TRANSFER VEHICLE 37

Gradient Heating Furnace (GHF) 

(b) Unpressurized carrier 

Two (2) NASA’s external cargo 

items will be transferred. 

Cargo Transport Container (CTC) 
38 H-II TRANSFER VEHICLE OCTOBER 2010

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OCTOBER 2010 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 39

Russian Soyuz 

The Soyuz-TMA spacecraft is designed to 

serve as the International Space Station’s crew 

return vehicle, acting as a lifeboat in the unlikely 

event an emergency would require the crew to 

leave the station. A new Soyuz capsule is 

normally delivered to the station by a Soyuz 

crew every six months, replacing an older 

Soyuz capsule already docked to the space 

station. 

The Soyuz spacecraft is launched to the space 

station from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in 

Kazakhstan aboard a Soyuz rocket. It consists 

of an orbital module, a descent module and an 

instrumentation/propulsion module. 

Orbital Module 

This portion of the Soyuz spacecraft is used by 

the crew while in orbit during free flight. It has a 

volume of 230 cubic feet, with a docking 

mechanism, hatch and rendezvous antennas 

located at the front end. The docking 

mechanism is used to dock with the space 

station and the hatch allows entry into the 

station. The rendezvous antennae are used by 

the automated docking system – a radar-based 

system – to maneuver towards the station for 

docking. There is also a window in the module. 

The opposite end of the orbital module 

connects to the descent module via a 

pressurized hatch. Before returning to Earth, 

the orbital module separates from the descent 

module – after the deorbit maneuver – and 

burns up upon re-entry into the atmosphere. 

Descent Module 

The descent module is where the cosmonauts 

and astronauts sit for launch, re-entry and 

landing. All the necessary controls and 

displays of the Soyuz are located here. The 

module also contains life support supplies and 

batteries used during descent, as well as the 

primary and backup parachutes and landing 

rockets. It also contains custom-fitted seat 

liners for each crew member’s couch/seat, 

which are individually molded to fit each 

person’s body – this ensures a tight, 

comfortable fit when the module lands on the 

Earth. 
40 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2010

The module has a periscope, which allows the 

crew to view the docking target on the station 

or Earth below. The eight hydrogen peroxide 

thrusters on the module are used to control the 

spacecraft's orientation, or attitude, during the 

descent until parachute deployment. It also 

has a guidance, navigation and control system 

to maneuver the vehicle during the descent 

phase of the mission. 

This module weighs 6,393 pounds, with a 

habitable volume of 141 cubic feet. 

Approximately 110 pounds of payload can be 

returned to Earth in this module and up to 

331 pounds if only two crew members are 

present. The descent module is the only 

portion of the Soyuz that survives the return to 

Earth. 

Instrumentation/Propulsion Module 

This module contains three compartments: 

intermediate, instrumentation and propulsion. 

The intermediate compartment is where the 

module connects to the descent module. It also 

contains oxygen storage tanks and the 

attitude control thrusters, as well as electronics, 

communications and control equipment. The 

primary guidance, navigation, control and 

computer systems of the Soyuz are in the 

instrumentation compartment, which is a sealed 

container filled with circulating nitrogen gas to 

cool the avionics equipment. The propulsion 

compartment contains the primary thermal 

control system and the Soyuz radiator, which 

has a cooling area of 86 square feet. The 

propulsion system, batteries, solar arrays, 

radiator and structural connection to the Soyuz 

launch rocket are located in this compartment. 

The propulsion compartment contains the 

system that is used to perform any maneuvers 

while in orbit, including rendezvous and docking 

with the space station and the deorbit burns 

necessary to return to Earth. The propellants 

are nitrogen tetroxide and unsymmetricdimethylhydrazine. The main propulsion 

system and the smaller reaction control system, 

used for attitude changes while in space, share 

the same propellant tanks. 

The two Soyuz solar arrays are attached to 

either side of the rear section of the 

instrumentation/propulsion module and are 

linked to rechargeable batteries. Like the 

orbital module, the intermediate section of the 

instrumentation/propulsion module separates 

from the descent module after the final deorbit 

maneuver and burns up in the atmosphere 

upon re-entry. 

TMA Improvements and Testing 

The Soyuz TMA-01M spacecraft is the first 

to incorporate both newer, more powerful 

computer avionics systems and new digital 

displays for use by the crew. The new 

computer systems will allow the Soyuz 

computers to interface with the onboard 

computers in the Russian segment of the 

station once docking is complete. 

Both Soyuz TMA-15, which launched to the 

station in May 2009, and Soyuz TMA-18, which 

launched in April 2010, incorporated the new 

digital “Neptune” display panels, and seven 

Progress resupply vehicles have used the new 

avionics computer systems. The Soyuz 

TMA-01M vehicle integrates those systems. 

The majority of updated components are 

housed in the Soyuz instrumentation module. 

For launch, the new avionics systems reduce 

the weight of the spacecraft by approximately 

150 pounds, which allows a small increase in 

cargo-carrying capacity. Soyuz spacecraft are 

capable of carrying a limited amount of supplies 

for the crew’s use. This will increase the 

weight of supplies the spacecraft is capable of 

carrying, but will not provide any additional 

volume for bulky items. 

Once Soyuz is docked to the station, the new 

digital data communications system will simplify 

life for the crew. Previous versions of the 
OCTOBER 2010 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 41

spacecraft, including both the Soyuz TM, which 

was used from 1986 to 2002, and the Soyuz 

TMA in use since 2002, required Mission 

Control, Moscow, to turn on the Soyuz 

computer systems periodically so that a partial 

set of parameters on the health of the vehicle 

could be downlinked for review. In addition, 

in the case of an emergency undocking and 

deorbit, crew members were required to 

manually input undocking and deorbit data 

parameters. The new system will eliminate the 

need for the crew to perform these checks and 

data updates, with the necessary data being 

automatically transferred from the space station 

to the Soyuz. 

The updates required some structural 

modifications to the Soyuz, including the 

installation of cold plates and an improved 

thermal system pump capable of rejecting the 

additional heat generated by the new computer 

systems. 

The majority of Soyuz TMA systems remain 

unchanged. In use since 2002, the TMA 

increased safety, especially in descent and 

landing. It has smaller and more efficient 

computers and improved displays. In addition, 

the Soyuz TMA accommodates individuals as 

large as 6 feet, 3 inches tall and 209 pounds, 

compared to 6 feet and 187 pounds in the 

earlier TM. Minimum crew member size for the 

TMA is 4 feet, 11 inches and 110 pounds, 

compared to 5 feet, 4 inches and 123 pounds 

for the TM. 

Two new engines reduced landing speed 

and forces felt by crew members by 15 to 

30 percent, and a new entry control system 

and three-axis accelerometer increase landing 

accuracy. Instrumentation improvements 

included a color “glass cockpit,” which is easier 

to use and gives the crew more information, 

with hand controllers that can be secured under 

an instrument panel. All the new components 

in the Soyuz TMA can spend up to one year in 

space. 

New components and the entire TMA were 

rigorously tested on the ground, in hangar-drop 

tests, in airdrop tests and in space before 

the spacecraft was declared flight-ready. For 

example, the accelerometer and associated 

software, as well as modified boosters 

(incorporated to cope with the TMA’s additional 

mass), were tested on flights of Progress, the 

unpiloted supply spacecraft, while the new 

cooling system was tested on two Soyuz TM 

flights. 

Descent module structural modifications, 

seats and seat shock absorbers were tested 

in hangar drop tests. Landing system 

modifications, including associated software 

upgrades, were tested in a series of air drop 

tests. Additionally, extensive tests of systems 

and components were conducted on the 

ground. 
42 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2010

Soyuz Launcher 

A Soyuz TMA spacecraft launches from the 

Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on 

Oct. 12, 2008 carrying a new crew to the 

International Space Station. 

Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls 

Throughout history, more than 1,500 launches 

have been made with Soyuz launchers to 

orbit satellites for telecommunications, Earth 

observation, weather, and scientific missions, 

as well as for human space flights. 

The basic Soyuz vehicle is considered a 

three-stage launcher in Russian terms and is 

composed of the following: 

• A lower portion consisting of four boosters 

(first stage) and a central core (second 

stage). 

• An upper portion, consisting of the third 

stage, payload adapter and payload fairing. 

• Liquid oxygen and kerosene are used as 

propellants in all three Soyuz stages. 

First Stage Boosters 

The first stage’s four boosters are assembled 

laterally around the second stage central core. 

The boosters are identical and cylindrical-conic 

in shape with the oxygen tank in the 

cone-shaped portion and the kerosene tank in 

the cylindrical portion. 

An NPO Energomash RD 107 engine with four 

main chambers and two gimbaled vernier 

thrusters is used in each booster. The vernier 

thrusters provide three-axis flight control. 

Ignition of the first stage boosters and the 

second stage central core occur simultaneously 

on the ground. When the boosters have 

completed their powered flight during ascent, 

they are separated and the core second stage 

continues to function. 

First stage booster separation occurs when the 

predefined velocity is reached, which is about 

118 seconds after liftoff. 
OCTOBER 2010 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 43

Second Stage 

An NPO Energomash RD 108 engine powers 

the Soyuz second stage. This engine differs 

from those of the boosters by the presence of 

four vernier thrusters, which are necessary for 

three-axis flight control of the launcher after the 

first stage boosters have separated. 

An equipment bay located atop the second 

stage operates during the entire flight of the first 

and second stages. 

Third Stage 

The third stage is linked to the Soyuz 

second stage by a latticework structure. When 

the second stage’s powered flight is complete, 

the third stage engine is ignited. Separation of 

the two stages occurs by the direct ignition 

forces of the third stage engine. 

A single-turbopump RD 0110 engine from KB 

KhA powers the Soyuz third stage. 

The third stage engine is fired for about 

240 seconds, and cutoff occurs when the 

calculated velocity increment is reached. After 

cutoff and separation, the third stage performs 

an avoidance maneuver by opening an 

outgassing valve in the liquid oxygen tank. 

Launcher Telemetry Tracking & Flight 

Safety Systems 

Soyuz launcher tracking and telemetry is 

provided through systems in the second and 

third stages. These two stages have their 

own radar transponders for ground tracking. 

Individual telemetry transmitters are in each 

stage. Launcher health status is downlinked to 

ground stations along the flight path. Telemetry 

and tracking data are transmitted to the mission 

control center, where the incoming data flow is 

recorded. Partial real-time data processing 

and plotting is performed for flight following 

an initial performance assessment. All flight 

data is analyzed and documented within a few 

hours after launch. 

Baikonur Cosmodrome Launch 

Operations 

Soyuz missions use the Baikonur 

Cosmodrome’s proven infrastructure, and 

launches are performed by trained personnel 

with extensive operational experience. 

Baikonur Cosmodrome is in the Republic 

of Kazakhstan in Central Asia between 

45 degrees and 46 degrees North latitude and 

63 degrees East longitude. Two launch pads 

are dedicated to Soyuz missions. 

Final Launch Preparations 

The assembled launch vehicle is moved to the 

launch pad on a horizontal railcar. Transfer to 

the launch zone occurs two days before launch, 

during which the vehicle is erected and a 

launch rehearsal is performed that includes 

activation of all electrical and mechanical 

equipment. 

On launch day, the vehicle is loaded with 

propellant and the final countdown sequence is 

started at three hours before the liftoff time. 

Rendezvous to Docking 

A Soyuz spacecraft generally takes two days 

after launch to reach the space station. The 

rendezvous and docking are both automated, 

though once the spacecraft is within 492 feet 

of the station, the Russian Mission Control 

Center just outside Moscow monitors the 

approach and docking. The Soyuz crew has 

the capability to manually intervene or execute 

these operations. 
44 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2010

Soyuz Booster Rocket Characteristics 

First Stage Data - Blocks B, V, G, D 

Engine RD-107 

Propellants LOX/Kerosene 

Thrust (tons) 102 

Burn time (sec) 122 

Specific impulse 314 

Length (meters) 19.8 

Diameter (meters) 2.68 

Dry mass (tons) 3.45 

Propellant mass (tons) 39.63 

Second Stage Data - Block A 

Engine RD-108 

Propellants LOX/Kerosene 

Thrust (tons) 96 

Burn time (sec) 314 

Specific impulse 315 

Length (meters) 28.75 

Diameter (meters) 2.95 

Dry mass (tons) 6.51 

Propellant mass (tons) 95.7 

Third Stage Data - Block I 

Engine RD-461 

Propellants LOX/Kerosene 

Thrust (tons) 30 

Burn time (sec) 240 

Specific impulse 330 

Length (meters) 8.1 

Diameter (meters) 2.66 

Dry mass (tons) 2.4 

Propellant mass (tons) 21.3 

PAYLOAD MASS (tons) 6.8 

SHROUD MASS (tons) 4.5 

LAUNCH MASS (tons) 309.53 

TOTAL LENGTH (meters) 49.3 

 
OCTOBER 2010 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 45

Prelaunch Countdown Timeline 

T- 34 Hours 

 

 

 

 

 

Booster is prepared for fuel loading 

T- 6:00:00 Batteries are installed in booster 

T- 5:30:00 State commission gives go to take launch vehicle 

T- 5:15:00 Crew arrives at site 254 

T- 5:00:00 Tanking begins 

T- 4:20:00 Spacesuit donning 

T- 4:00:00 Booster is loaded with liquid oxygen 

T- 3:40:00 Crew meets delegations 

T- 3:10:00 Reports to the State commission 

T- 3:05:00 Transfer to the launch pad 

T- 3:00:00 Vehicle 1st and 2nd stage oxidizer fueling complete 

T- 2:35:00 Crew arrives at launch vehicle 

T- 2:30:00 Crew ingress through orbital module side hatch 

T- 2:00:00 Crew in re-entry vehicle 

T- 1:45:00 Re-entry vehicle hardware tested; suits are ventilated 

T- 1:30:00 Launch command monitoring and supply unit prepared 

Orbital compartment hatch tested for sealing 

T- 1:00:00 Launch vehicle control system prepared for use; gyro instruments 

activated 

T - :45:00 Launch pad service structure halves are lowered 

T- :40:00 Re-entry vehicle hardware testing complete; leak checks performed on 

suits 

T- :30:00 Emergency escape system armed; launch command supply unit 

activated 

T- :25:00 Service towers withdrawn 

T- :15:00 Suit leak tests complete; crew engages personal escape hardware auto 

mode 

T- :10:00 Launch gyro instruments uncaged; crew activates onboard recorders 

T- 7:00 All prelaunch operations are complete 

T- 6:15 Key to launch command given at the launch site 

Automatic program of final launch operations is activated 

T- 6:00 All launch complex and vehicle systems ready for launch 

T- 5:00 Onboard systems switched to onboard control 

Ground measurement system activated by RUN 1 command 

Commander's controls activated 

Crew switches to suit air by closing helmets 

Launch key inserted in launch bunker 

T- 3:15 Combustion chambers of side and central engine pods purged with 

nitrogen 
Prelaunch Countdown Timeline (concluded) 

46 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2010

 T- 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2:30 Booster propellant tank pressurization starts 

Onboard measurement system activated by RUN 2 command 

Prelaunch pressurization of all tanks with nitrogen begins 

T- 2:15 Oxidizer and fuel drain and safety valves of launch vehicle are closed 

Ground filling of oxidizer and nitrogen to the launch vehicle is terminated

T- 1:00 Vehicle on internal power 

Automatic sequencer on 

First umbilical tower separates from booster 

T- :40 Ground power supply umbilical to third stage is disconnected 

T- :20 Launch command given at the launch position 

Central and side pod engines are turned on 

T- :15 Second umbilical tower separates from booster 

T- :10 Engine turbopumps at flight speed 

T- :05 First stage engines at maximum thrust 

T- :00 Fueling tower separates 

 Lift off 

 

Ascent/Insertion Timeline 

 T- :00 Lift off 

T+ 1:10 Booster velocity is 1,640 ft/sec 

T+ 1:58 Stage 1 (strap-on boosters) separation 

T+ 2:00 Booster velocity is 4,921 ft/sec 

T+ 2:40 Escape tower and launch shroud jettison 

T+ 4:58 Core booster separates at 105.65 statute miles 

Third stage ignites 

T+ 7:30 Velocity is 19,685 ft/sec 

T+ 9:00 Third stage cut-off 

 Soyuz separates 

Antennas and solar panels deploy 

Flight control switches to Mission Control, Korolev 

 
OCTOBER 2010 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 47

Orbital Insertion to Docking Timeline 

FLIGHT DAY 1 OVERVIEW 

Orbit 1 Post insertion: Deployment of solar panels, antennas and docking 

probe 

- Crew monitors all deployments 

- Crew reports on pressurization of OMS/RCS and ECLSS systems 

and crew health. Entry thermal sensors are manually deactivated 

- Ground provides initial orbital insertion data from tracking 

Orbit 2 Systems Checkout: IR Att Sensors, Kurs, Angular Accels, 

“Display” TV Downlink System, OMS engine control system, 

Manual Attitude Control Test 

- Crew monitors all systems tests and confirms onboard indications 

- Crew performs manual RHC stick inputs for attitude control test 

- Ingress into HM, activate HM CO2 scrubber and doff Sokols 

- A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink 

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

Manual maneuver to +Y to Sun and initiate a 2 deg/sec yaw 

rotation. MCS is deactivated after rate is established 

Orbit 3 Terminate +Y solar rotation, reactivate MCS and establish LVLH 

attitude reference (auto maneuver sequence) 

- Crew monitors LVLH attitude reference build up 

- Burn data command upload for DV1 and DV2 (attitude, TIG 

Delta Vs) 

- Form 14 preburn emergency deorbit pad read up 

- A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink 

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

Auto maneuver to DV1 burn attitude (TIG - 8 minutes) while LOS 

- Crew monitor only, no manual action nominally required 

DV1 phasing burn while LOS 

- Crew monitor only, no manual action nominally required 

Orbit 4 Auto maneuver to DV2 burn attitude (TIG - 8 minutes) while LOS 

- Crew monitor only, no manual action nominally required 

DV2 phasing burn while LOS 

- Crew monitor only, no manual action nominally required 
48 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2010

FLIGHT DAY 1 OVERVIEW (CONTINUED) 

Orbit 4 

(continued) 

Crew report on burn performance upon AOS 

- HM and DM pressure checks read down 

- Post burn Form 23 (AOS/LOS pad), Form 14 and “Globe” corrections 

voiced up 

- A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink 

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

Manual maneuver to +Y to Sun and initiate a 2 deg/sec yaw 

rotation. MCS is deactivated after rate is established 

External boresight TV camera ops check (while LOS) 

 Meal 

Orbit 5 Last pass on Russian tracking range for Flight Day 1 

Report on TV camera test and crew health 

Sokol suit clean up 

- A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink 

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

Orbit 6-12 Crew Sleep, off of Russian tracking range 

- Emergency VHF2 comm available through NASA VHF Network 

FLIGHT DAY 2 OVERVIEW 

Orbit 13 Post sleep activity, report on HM/DM Pressures 

Form 14 revisions voiced up 

- A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink 

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

Orbit 14 Configuration of RHC-2/THC-2 work station in the HM 

- A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink 

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

Orbit 15 THC-2 (HM) manual control test 

- A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink 

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

Orbit 16 Lunch 

- A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink 

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

Orbit 17 (1) Terminate +Y solar rotation, reactivate MCS and establish LVLH 

attitude reference (auto maneuver sequence) 

RHC-2 (HM) Test 

- Burn data uplink (TIG, attitude, delta V) 

- A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink 

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

Auto maneuver to burn attitude (TIG - 8 min) while LOS 

Rendezvous burn while LOS 

Manual maneuver to +Y to Sun and initiate a 2 deg/sec yaw 

rotation. MCS is deactivated after rate is established 
OCTOBER 2010 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 49

FLIGHT DAY 2 OVERVIEW (CONTINUED) 

Orbit 18 (2) Post burn and manual maneuver to +Y Sun report when AOS 

- HM/DM pressures read down 

- Post burn Form 23, Form 14 and Form 2 (Globe correction) voiced 

up 

- A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink 

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

Orbit 19 (3) CO2 scrubber cartridge change out 

 Free time 

- A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink 

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

Orbit 20 (4) Free time 

- A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink 

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

Orbit 21 (5) Last pass on Russian tracking range for Flight Day 2 

 Free time 

- A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink 

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

Orbit 22 (6) - 27 

(11) 

Crew sleep, off of Russian tracking range 

- Emergency VHF2 comm available through NASA VHF Network 

FLIGHT DAY 3 OVERVIEW 

Orbit 28 (12) Post sleep activity 

- A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink 

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

Orbit 29 (13) Free time, report on HM/DM pressures 

- Read up of predicted post burn Form 23 and Form 14 

- A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink 

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

Orbit 30 (14) Free time, read up of Form 2 “Globe Correction,” lunch 

- Uplink of auto rendezvous command timeline 

- A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink 

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

FLIGHT DAY 3 AUTO RENDEZVOUS SEQUENCE 

Orbit 31 (15) Don Sokol spacesuits, ingress DM, close DM/HM hatch 

- Active and passive vehicle state vector uplinks 

- A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink 

- Radio transponder tracking 
FLIGHT DAY 3 AUTO RENDEZVOUS SEQUENCE (CONCLUDED) 

50 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2010

Orbit 32 (16) Terminate +Y solar rotation, reactivate MCS and establish LVLH 

attitude reference (auto maneuver sequence) 

Begin auto rendezvous sequence 

- Crew monitoring of LVLH reference build and auto rendezvous 

timeline execution 

- A/G, R/T and Recorded TLM and Display TV downlink 

- Radio transponder tracking 

FLIGHT DAY 3 FINAL APPROACH AND DOCKING 

Orbit 33 (1) Auto Rendezvous sequence continues, flyaround and station 

keeping 

 - Crew monitor 

- Comm relays via SM through Altair established 

- Form 23 and Form 14 updates 

- Fly around and station keeping initiated near end of orbit 

- A/G (gnd stations and Altair), R/T TLM (gnd stations), Display TV 

downlink (gnd stations and Altair) 

- Radio transponder tracking 

Orbit 34 (2) Final Approach and docking 

- Capture to “docking sequence complete” 20 minutes, typically 

- Monitor docking interface pressure seal 

- Transfer to HM, doff Sokol suits 

- A/G (gnd stations and Altair), R/T TLM (gnd stations), Display TV 

downlink (gnd stations and Altair) 

- Radio transponder tracking 

FLIGHT DAY 3 STATION INGRESS 

Orbit 35 (3) Station/Soyuz pressure equalization 

- Report all pressures 

- Open transfer hatch, ingress station 

- A/G, R/T and playback telemetry 

- Radio transponder tracking 

 
OCTOBER 2010 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 51

Typical Soyuz Ground Track 
52 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2010

Key Times for Expedition 25 Launch Events 

SOYUZ TMA-01M/24S (Kaleri, Skripochka, S. Kelly) 

Launch: 

6:10:55 p.m. CDT on Thursday, Oct. 7 

23:10:55 GMT on Thursday, Oct. 7 

3:10:55 a.m. Moscow time on Friday, Oct. 8 

5:10:55 a.m. Baikonur time on Friday, Oct. 8 (2:44 before sunrise) 

Docking (to Poisk): 

7:02 p.m. CDT on Saturday, Oct. 9 

00:02 GMT on Sunday, Oct. 10 

4:02 a.m. Moscow time on Sunday, Oct. 10. 

Hatch Opening: 

10:00 p.m. CDT on Saturday, Oct. 9 

3:00 GMT on Sunday, Oct. 10 

7:00 a.m. Moscow time on Sunday, Oct. 10. 
OCTOBER 2010 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 53

Soyuz Landing 

The Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft is seen as it lands with Expedition 24 

commander Alexander Skvortsov and flight engineers Tracy Caldwell Dyson 

and Mikhail Kornienko near the town of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan on Sept. 25, 2010. 

Photo Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls 

After about six months in space, the departing 

crew members from the International Space 

Station will board their Soyuz spacecraft 

capsule for undocking and a one-hour descent 

back to Earth. 

About three hours before undocking, the crew 

will bid farewell to the other three crew 

members who will remain on the station 

awaiting the launch of a new trio of 

astronauts and cosmonauts from the Baikonur 

Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan about 17 days 

later. 
54 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2010

The departing crew will climb into its Soyuz 

vehicle and close the hatch between Soyuz and 

its docking port. The Soyuz commander will be 

seated in the center seat of the Soyuz’ descent 

module, flanked by his two crewmates. 

After activating Soyuz systems and getting 

approval from flight controllers at the Russian 

Mission Control Center outside Moscow, the 

Soyuz commander will send commands to open 

hooks and latches between Soyuz and the 

docking port. 

He will then fire the Soyuz thrusters to back 

away from the docking port. Six minutes after 

undocking, with the Soyuz about 66 feet away 

from the station, the Soyuz commander will 

conduct a separation maneuver, firing the 

Soyuz jets for about 15 seconds to begin to 

depart the vicinity of the complex. 

About 2.5 hours after undocking, at a distance 

of about 12 miles from the station, Soyuz 

computers will initiate a deorbit burn braking 

maneuver. The 4.5-minute maneuver to slow 

the spacecraft will enable it to drop out of orbit 

and begin its re-entry to Earth. 

About 30 minutes later, just above the first 

traces of the Earth’s atmosphere, computers 

will command the pyrotechnic separation of the 

three modules of the Soyuz vehicle. With the 

crew strapped in the centermost descent 

module, the uppermost orbital module, 

containing the docking mechanism and 

rendezvous antennas, and the lower 

instrumentation and propulsion module at the 

rear, which houses the engines and avionics, 

will separate and burn up in the atmosphere. 

The descent module’s computers will orient the 

capsule with its ablative heat shield pointing 

forward to repel the buildup of heat as it 

plunges into the atmosphere. The crew will feel 

the first effects of gravity about three minutes 

after module separation at the point called 

entry interface, when the module is about 

400,000 feet above the Earth. 

About eight minutes later, at an altitude of about 

33,000 feet, traveling at about 722 feet per 

second, the Soyuz will begin a computercommanded sequence for the deployment of 

the capsule’s parachutes. First, two “pilot” 

parachutes will be deployed, extracting a larger 

drogue parachute, which stretches out over an 

area of 79 square feet. Within 16 seconds, 

the Soyuz’ descent will slow to about 262 feet 

per second. 

The initiation of the parachute deployment will 

create a gentle spin for the Soyuz as it dangles 

underneath the drogue chute, assisting in the 

capsule’s stability in the final minutes before 

touchdown. 

A few minutes before touchdown, the drogue 

chute will be jettisoned, allowing the main 

parachute to be deployed. Connected to the 

descent module by two harnesses, the main 

parachute covers an area of about 3,281 feet. 

The deployment of the main parachute slows 

the descent module to a velocity of about 

23 feet per second. Initially, the descent 

module will hang underneath the main 

parachute at a 30-degree angle with respect to 

the horizon for aerodynamic stability. The 

bottommost harness will be severed a few 

minutes before landing, allowing the descent 

module to right itself to a vertical position 

through touchdown. 

At an altitude of a little more than 16,000 feet, 

the crew will monitor the jettison of the descent 

module’s heat shield, which will be followed by 

the termination of the aerodynamic spin cycle 

and the dissipation of any residual propellant 

from the Soyuz. Also, computers will arm the 

module’s seat shock absorbers in preparation 

for landing. 

When the capsule’s heat shield is jettisoned, 

the Soyuz altimeter is exposed to the surface of 

the Earth. Signals are bounced to the ground 

from the Soyuz and reflected back, providing 

the capsule’s computers updated information 

on altitude and rate of descent. 
OCTOBER 2010 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 55

At an altitude of about 39 feet, cockpit displays 

will tell the commander to prepare for the soft 

landing engine firing. Just 3 feet above the 

surface, and just seconds before touchdown, 

the six solid propellant engines will be fired in a 

final braking maneuver. This will enable the 

Soyuz to settle down to a velocity of about five 

feet per second and land, completing its 

mission. 

As always is the case, teams of Russian 

engineers, flight surgeons and technicians in 

fleets of MI-8 helicopters will be poised near the 

normal and “ballistic” landing zones, and 

midway in between, to enact the swift recovery 

of the crew once the capsule touches down. 

A portable medical tent will be set up near the 

capsule in which the crew can change out of its 

launch and entry suits. Russian technicians will 

open the module’s hatch and begin to remove 

the crew members. The crew will be seated in 

special reclining chairs near the capsule for 

initial medical tests and to begin readapting to 

Earth’s gravity. 

About two hours after landing, the crew will be 

assisted to the recovery helicopters for a flight 

back to a staging site in northern Kazakhstan, 

where local officials will welcome them. The 

crew will then return to Chkalovsky Airfield 

adjacent to the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training 

Center in Star City, Russia, or to Ellington Field 

in Houston where their families can meet them. 
56 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2010

Key Times for Expedition 25 Landing Events 

SOYUZ TMA-19/23S (Yurchikhin, Wheelock, Walker) 

Hatch Closure: 

12:45 p.m. CST on Monday, Nov. 29 

18:45 GMT on Monday, Nov. 29 

21:45 p.m. Moscow time on Monday, Nov. 29 

12:45 a.m. Kazakhstan time on Tuesday, Nov. 30 

Undocking (from Rassvet): 

4:02 p.m. CST on Monday, Nov. 29 

22:02 GMT on Monday, Nov. 29 

1:02 a.m. Moscow time on Tuesday, Nov. 30 

4:02 a.m. Kazakhstan time on Tuesday, Nov. 30 

Deorbit Burn: 

6:38 p.m. CST on Monday, Nov. 29 

00:38 GMT on Tuesday, Nov. 30 

3:38 a.m. Moscow time on Tuesday, Nov. 30 

6:38 a.m. Kazakhstan time on Tuesday, Nov. 30 

Landing: 

7:28 p.m. CST on Monday, Nov. 29 

1:28 GMT on Tuesday, Nov. 30 

4:28 a.m. Moscow time on Tuesday, Nov. 30 

7:28 a.m. Kazakhstan time on Tuesday, Nov. 30 (about 1:43 before sunrise) 
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 57

Expedition 25/26 Science Overview 

NASA astronaut Doug Wheelock, Expedition 25 flight engineer, works with the 

Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS-2 (MELFI-2) in the Destiny laboratory 

of the International Space Station. 

Expedition 25 and 26 will deliver a bonus 

storage and science facility, two new 

experiment facilities and the first human-like 

robot ever to move its head and stretch its 

arms in microgravity. These research 

and technology development activities will 

continue the transition of the International 

Space Station from construction site to 

full-time laboratory, putting the potential of 

space to work for the people of Earth.

The Expedition 25 and 26 crews will work 

with some 115 experiments involving 

approximately 380 researchers across a 

variety of fields, including human life 

sciences, physical sciences and Earth 

observation, and conduct technology 

demonstrations ranging from recycling to 

robotics. Seventy-two of these experiments 

will be sponsored by U.S. investigators, 

including 18 under the auspices of the 

U.S. National Laboratory program, and 
58 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

43 sponsored by international partner 

investigators – the Canadian Space 

Agency (CSA), the European Space 

Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace 

and Exploration Agency (JAXA). More than 

680 hours of research are planned. A suite 

of experiments organized by the Russian 

Federal Space Agency (RSA), Roscosmos, 

is also planned.

The arrival of the Permanent Multipurpose 

Facility, an Italian-built converted 

pressurized cargo carrier named Leonardo, 

will add 2,700 cubic feet of pressurized 

volume to the orbiting laboratory, increasing 

the total habitable volume of the station to 

13,846 cubic feet.

Robonaut 2 will be installed in the U.S. 

Destiny Laboratory, providing scientists and 

engineers on the ground and crews on the 

station an opportunity to test how humans 

and human-like robots can work shoulder to 

shoulder in microgravity. Once this has 

been demonstrated inside the station, 

software upgrades and lower bodies can be 

added, potentially allowing Robonaut 2 to 

move around inside the station and 

eventually work outside in the vacuum of 

space. This will help NASA understand 

robotic capabilities for future deep space 

missions.

Two new science facilities will be 

delivered to the station for use in a variety 

of investigations: the Boiling Experiment 

Facility (BXF), which will support 

microgravity experiments on the heat 

transfer and vapor removal processes in 

boiling, and the eighth Expedite the 

Processing of Experiments to Space 

Station (EXPRESS) rack, which will be 

installed in the Destiny Laboratory module.

The new boiling research apparatus will 

support the Microheater Array Boiling 

Experiment and the Nucleate Pool Boiling 

Experiment. Boiling efficiently removes 

large amounts of heat by generating 

vapor from liquid, and is used on Earth in 

electric power plants, electronic cooling and 

purification, and separation of chemical 

mixtures. For boiling to become an 

effective method for cooling in space, 

scientists need to determine the critical heat 

flux, the point at which the heater is 

covered with so much vapor that liquid 

supply to the heater decreases.

A Japanese experiment that uses 

cucumbers, called Dynamism of Auxin 

Efflux Facilitators Responsible for 

Gravity-regulated Growth and Development 

in Cucumber (CsPINs), will continue to 

expand the body of knowledge on how 

plants react to the microgravity environment 

since growing plants for food and oxygen 

generation is expected to be an important 

factor for long-duration missions to distant 

space destinations.

As with prior expeditions, many 

experiments are designed to gather 

information about the effects of 

long-duration spaceflight on the human 

body, which will help us understand 

complicated processes such as immune 

systems while planning for future 

exploration missions.
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 59

NASA astronaut Shannon Walker, Expedition 25 flight engineer, works with 

Muscle Atrophy Resistive Exercise System (MARES) hardware during installation 

of the MARES payload in the Columbus laboratory of the International Space Station. 

The investigations cover human 

research, biological and physical 

sciences, technology development, Earth 

observation and education. In the past, 

assembly and maintenance activities have 

dominated the available time for crew work. 

But as completion of the orbiting laboratory 

nears, additional facilities and the crew 

members to operate them is enabling a 

measured increase in time devoted to 

research as a national and multi-national 

laboratory.

Also on tap in the area of technology 

demonstration is the resumption of work 

with a recycling device known as Sabatier, 

designed to help wring additional water 

from excess hydrogen not yet being 

reclaimed by the station’s water recovery 

system. 

Managing the international laboratory’s 

scientific assets, as well as the time 

and space required to accommodate 

experiments and programs from a host 

of private, commercial, industry and 

government agencies nationwide, makes 
60 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, Expedition 25 flight engineer, prepares the 

Russian Glavboks-S (Glovebox) for the bioscience experiment ASEPTIC (BTKh-39) 

in the Poisk Mini-Research Module 2 (MRM2) of the International Space Station. 

the job of coordinating space station 

research critical. 

Teams of controllers and scientists on the 

ground continuously plan, monitor and 

remotely operate experiments from control 

centers around the globe. Controllers staff 

payload operations centers around the 

world, effectively providing for researchers 

and the station crew around the clock, 

seven days a week. 

State-of-the-art computers and 

communications equipment deliver 

up-to-the-minute reports about experiment 

facilities and investigations between 

science outposts across the United States 

and around the world. The payload 

operations team also synchronizes the 

payload timelines among international 

partners, ensuring the best use of valuable 

resources and crew time. 
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 61

The control centers of NASA and its 

partners are 

• NASA Payload Operations Center 

(POC), Marshall Space Flight Center in 

Huntsville, Ala.

• RSA Center for Control of Spaceflights 

(“TsUP” in Russian) in Korolev, Russia

• JAXA Space Station Integration and 

Promotion Center (SSIPC) in Tskuba, 

Japan

• ESA Columbus Control Center (Col-CC) 

in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany

• CSA Payloads Operations Telesciences 

Center, St. Hubert, Quebec, Canada

NASA’s Payload Operations Center serves 

as a hub for coordinating much of the 

work related to delivery of research facilities 

and experiments to the space station as 

they are rotated in and out periodically 

when space shuttles or other vehicles 

make deliveries and return completed 

experiments and samples to Earth.

The payload operations director leads the 

POC’s main flight control team, known as 

the “cadre,” and approves all science plans 

in coordination with Mission Control at 

NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, 

the international partner control centers and 

the station crew.

On the Internet 

For fact sheets, imagery and more on 

Expedition 25/26 experiments and payload 

operations, visit the following website: 

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/science/
62 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

Research Experiments 

Principal Name Title Agency Category Summary Location ISS/Sortie Investigator 

Mouse Mouse NASA Biology and Mouse Immunology-2, using the Paula Dumars, ISS Inflight 

Immunology-2 Immunology-2 Biotechnology mouse experimental model, will Ames 

investigate the effects of Research 

microgravity on immune function. In Center, Moffett 

microgravity, astronauts experience Field, Calif. 

changes in immune function. These 

studies will help determine the 

biological and/or biomedical 

significance of spaceflight induced 

changes in immune responses 

NLP-Cells-6 National NASA Biology and National Lab Pathfinder - Cells - 6 Louis ISS Inflight 

Laboratory Biotechnology (NLP-Cells-6) is a commercial Stodieck, 

Pathfinder - Cells payload serving as a pathfinder for Ph.D., 

- 6 the use of the International Space BioServe 

Station as a National Laboratory Space 

after assembly complete. It contains Technologies, 

several different experiments that University of 

examine cellular replication and Colorado - 

differentiation of cells. This research Boulder 

is investigating the use of space 

flight to enhance or improve cellular 

growth processes utilized in ground 

based research 

NLP-Vaccine National NASA Biology and National Lab Pathfinder - Vaccine Timothy Sortie 

Laboratory Biotechnology (NLP-Vaccine) is a commercial Hammond, 

Pathfinder - payload serving as a pathfinder for M.B.B.S., 

Vaccine the use of the International Space Durham 

Station as a National Laboratory Veterans 

after assembly is complete. It Affairs Medical 

contains several different Center, 

pathogenic, or disease causing, Durham, N.C. 

organisms. This research is 

investigating the use of spaceflight 

to develop potential vaccines for the 

prevention of different infections 

caused by these pathogens on Earth 

and in microgravity 

AMS-02 Alpha Magnetic NASA Earth and Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer - 02 Spokesperson: ISS External

Spectrometer - Space (AMS-02) seeks to understand Samuel Ting, 

02 Science fundamental issues on the origin Ph.D., 

and structure of the universe Massachusetts 

Institute of 

Technology, 

Cambridge, 

Mass. 

CEO Crew Earth NASA Earth and Crew Earth Observations (CEO) Susan Runco, ISS Inflight 

Observations Space takes advantage of the unique Johnson 

Science opportunity of crew members in Space Center, 

space to observe and photograph Houston 

natural and human-made changes 

on Earth. The photographs record 

the Earth’s surface changes over 

time, along with dynamic events 

such as storms, floods, fires and 

volcanic eruptions. These images 

provide researchers on Earth with 

key data to better understand the 

planet 
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 63

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

HREP-HICO HICO and RAIDS 

Experiment 

Payload – 

Hyperspectral 

Imager for the 

Coastal Ocean 

NASA Earth and 

Space 

Science 

HICO and RAIDS Experiment 

Payload – Hyperspectral Imager for 

the Coastal Ocean (HREP-HICO) will 

operate a Visible and Near-Infrared 

(VNIR) Maritime Hyperspectral 

Imaging (MHSI) system, to detect, 

identify and quantify coastal 

geophysical features from the 

International Space Station 

Mike Corson, 

Naval 

Research 

Laboratory, 

Washington 

ISS External

HREP-RAIDS HICO and RAIDS 

Experiment 

Payload – 

Remote 

Atmospheric and 

Ionospheric 

Detection System 

(RAIDS) 

NASA Earth and 

Space 

Science 

HICO and RAIDS Experiment 

Payload – Remote Atmospheric and 

Ionospheric Detection System 

(HREP-RAIDS) experiment will 

provide atmospheric scientists with a 

complete description of the major 

constituents of the thermosphere – 

layer of the Earth’s atmosphere – and 

ionosphere – uppermost layer of the 

Earth’s atmosphere – global electron 

density profiles at altitudes between 

100 and 350 kilometers 

Scott 

Budzien, 

Naval 

Research 

Laboratory, 

Washington 

ISS External

CSI-05 Commercial 

Generic 

Bioprocessing 

Apparatus 

Science Insert - 

05 

NASA Educational 

Activities 

Commercial Generic Bioprocessing 

Apparatus Science Insert - 05 

(CSI-05) is one investigation in the 

CSI program series. The CSI 

program provides the K-12 

community opportunities to utilize the 

unique microgravity environment of 

the International Space Station as 

part of the regular classroom to 

encourage learning and interest in 

science, technology, engineering and 

math 

Louis 

Stodieck, 

Ph.D., 

BioServe 

Space 

Technologies, 

University of 

Colorado - 

Boulder 

ISS Inflight 

NanoRacksCubeLabs NanoRacksCubeLabs 

NASA Educational 

Activities 

NanoRacks-CubeLabs is a 

multipurpose research facility aboard 

the International Space Station which 

supports NanoRacks-CubeLabs 

modules by providing power and data 

transfer capabilities to operate 

investigations in microgravity 

 ISS Inflight 

EPO-Demos Education 

Payload 

Operation – 

Demonstrations 

NASA Educational 

Activities 

Education Payload Operation – 

Demonstrations (EPO-Demos) are 

recorded video education 

demonstrations performed on the 

International Space Station by crew 

members using hardware already on 

board the station. EPO-Demos are 

videotaped, edited and used to 

enhance existing NASA education 

resources and programs for 

educators and students in grades 

K-12 

Matthew Keil, 

Johnson 

Space 

Center, 

Houston 

ISS Inflight 
64 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

EarthKAM Earth Knowledge 

Acquired by 

Middle School 

Students 

NASA Educational 

Activities 

Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle 

School Students (EarthKAM), an 

education activity, allows middle 

school students to program a digital 

camera on board the International 

Space Station to photograph a variety 

of geographical targets for study in 

the classroom. Photos are made 

available on the web for viewing and 

study by participating schools around 

the world. Educators use the images 

for projects involving Earth Science, 

geography, physics and social 

science 

Sally Ride, 

Ph.D., 

University of 

California - 

San Diego 

ISS Inflight 

ISS Ham 

Radio 

International 

Space Station 

Ham Radio 

NASA Educational 

Activities 

International Space Station Ham 

Radio (ISS Ham Radio) allows crew 

members on the space station to 

perform ham radio contacts. With the 

help of amateur radio clubs and ham 

radio operators, astronauts and 

cosmonauts aboard the station speak 

directly with large groups of the 

general public, showing teachers, 

students, parents and communities 

how amateur radio energizes 

students about learning. ISS Ham 

Radio inspires students about 

science, technology engineering and 

mathematics by allowing them to talk 

directly with the crews living and 

working aboard the station 

Kenneth 

Ransom, 

Johnson 

Space 

Center, 

Houston 

ISS Inflight 

Kids In Micro-g Kids In 

Microgravity! 

NASA Educational 

Activities 

Kids In Micro-gravity! (Kids in 

Micro-g) is a student experiment 

design challenge geared toward 

grades 5 through 8. Its purpose is to 

give students a hands-on opportunity 

to design an experiment or simple 

demonstration that could be 

performed both in the classroom and 

aboard the International Space 

Station 

Mark 

Severance, 

Johnson 

Space 

Center, 

Houston 

ISS Inflight 

Photosynth PhotosynthTM

ThreeDimensional 

Modeling of ISS 

Interior and 

Exterior 

NASA Educational 

Activities 

PhotosynthTM Three-Dimensional 

Modeling of ISS Interior and Exterior 

(Photosynth) will synthesize threedimensional models of the 

International Space Station from a 

series of overlapping still photographs 

mainly as a tool for education and 

public outreach. Photosynth is a 

collaboration between the National 

Aeronautics and Space 

Administration and the Microsoft Live 

Labs 

Dylan Mathis, 

Johnson 

Space 

Center, 

Houston 

ISS Inflight 
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 65

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

ALTEA-Shield Anomalous Long 

Term Effects in 

Astronauts’ 

Central Nervous 

System – Shield 

NASA Human 

Research 

Anomalous Long Term Effects in 

Astronauts’ Central Nervous 

System – Shield (ALTEA-Shield) 

will provide an assessment of the 

radiation environment inside the 

International Space Station 

Livio Narici, 

Ph.D., 

University of 

Rome Tor 

Vergata and 

INFN, Italy 

ISS Inflight 

Bisphosphonates Bisphosphonates 

as a 

Countermeasure 

to Space Flight 

Induced Bone 

Loss 

NASA Human 

Research 

Bisphosphonates as a 

Countermeasure to Space Flight 

Induced Bone Loss 

(Bisphosphonates) will determine 

whether antiresorptive agents 

which help reduce bone loss, in 

conjunction with the routine in-flight 

exercise program, will protect 

station crew members from the 

regional decreases in bone mineral 

density documented on previous 

station missions 

Adrian 

LeBlanc, 

Ph.D., Division 

of Space Life 

Sciences, 

Universities 

Space 

Research 

Association, 

Houston 

ISS Inflight 

CBTM-3 Commercial 

Biomedical Test 

Module-3 

NASA Human 

Research 

Commercial Biomedical Test 

Module-3 (CBTM-3) utilizes a 

validated mouse model to assess 

the effects of microgravity on 

various physiological processes 

and systems. It will also assess 

the effectiveness of different 

therapeutics designed to reduce 

the deleterious effects of 

microgravity on living organisms. 

CBTM-3 supports a large tissue 

sharing program whereby several 

additional investigations are carried 

out in addition to the primary 

science; these investigations 

assess the effects of microgravity 

on the skeletal, cardiovascular, 

immune systems, liver, kidney and 

other physiological systems 

Louis 

Stodieck, 

Ph.D., 

BioServe 

Space 

Technologies, 

University of 

Colorado – 

Boulder 

Sortie 

Functional Task 

Test 

Physiological 

Factors 

Contributing to 

Changes in 

Postflight 

Functional 

Performance 

NASA Human 

Research 

Physiological Factors Contributing 

to Changes in Postflight Functional 

Performance (Functional Task 

Test) will test astronauts on an 

integrated suite of functional and 

physiological tests before and after 

short and long-duration spaceflight. 

The study will identify critical 

mission tasks that may be 

impacted, map physiological 

changes to alterations in physical 

performance and aid in the design 

of countermeasures that 

specifically target the physiological 

systems responsible for impaired 

functional performance 

Jacob 

Bloomberg, 

Ph.D., 

Johnson 

Space Center, 

Houston 

Pre/Postflight
66 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

IVGEN IntraVenous 

Fluid GENeration 

for Exploration 

Missions 

NASA Human 

Research 

IntraVenous Fluid GENeration for 

Exploration Missions (IVGEN) will 

demonstrate the capability to purify 

water to the standards required for 

intravenous administration, then mix 

the water with salt crystals to produce 

normal saline. This hardware is a 

prototype that will allow flight 

surgeons more options to treat ill or 

injured crew members during future 

long-duration exploration missions 

John 

McQuillen, 

Glenn 

Research 

Center, 

Cleveland 

(Hardware 

Project 

Scientist) 

ISS Inflight 

Integrated 

Cardiovascular 

Cardiac Atrophy 

and Diastolic 

Dysfunction 

During and After 

Long Duration 

Spaceflight: 

Functional 

Consequences 

for Orthostatic 

Intolerance, 

Exercise 

Capability and 

Risk for Cardiac 

Arrhythmias 

NASA Human 

Research 

Cardiac Atrophy and Diastolic 

Dysfunction During and After Long 

Duration Spaceflight: Functional 

Consequences for Orthostatic 

Intolerance, Exercise Capability and 

Risk for Cardiac Arrhythmias 

(Integrated Cardiovascular) will 

determine how much cardiac atrophy, 

or a decrease in the size of the heart 

muscle, occurs during spaceflight. It 

will study how fast atrophy occurs and 

whether it causes problems with the 

heart’s pumping or electrical function. 

This experiment also will identify the 

mechanisms of this atrophy and the 

functional consequences for crew 

members who will spend extended 

periods of time in space 

Benjamin D. 

Levine, M.D., 

Institute for 

Exercise and 

Environmenta

l Medicine, 

Presbyterian 

Hospital and 

University of 

Texas 

Southwestern 

Medical 

Center at 

Dallas 

ISS Inflight 

Integrated 

Immune 

Validation of 

Procedures for 

Monitoring Crew 

Member Immune 

Function 

NASA Human 

Research 

Validation of Procedures for 

Monitoring Crew Member Immune 

Function (Integrated Immune) will 

assess the clinical risks resulting from 

the adverse effects of spaceflight on 

the human immune system. The 

study will validate a flight-compatible 

immune monitoring strategy by 

collecting and analyzing blood, urine 

and saliva samples from crew 

members before, during and after 

spaceflight to monitor changes in the 

immune system 

Clarence 

Sams, Ph.D, 

Johnson 

Space 

Center, 

Houston 

ISS Inflight 
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 67

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

Nutrition Nutritional Status 

Assessment 

NASA Human 

Research 

Nutritional Status Assessment 

(Nutrition) is a comprehensive in-flight 

study to understand changes in 

human physiology during longduration spaceflight. This study 

includes measures of bone 

metabolism, oxidative damage and 

chemistry and hormonal changes, as 

well as assessments of the nutritional 

status of the astronauts participating 

in the study. The results will have an 

impact on the definition of nutritional 

requirements and development of 

food systems for future exploration 

missions. This experiment also will 

help researchers understand the 

effectiveness of measures taken to 

counteract the effects of spaceflight, 

as well as the impact of exercise and 

pharmaceutical countermeasures on 

nutritional status and nutrient 

requirements for astronauts 

Scott M. 

Smith, Ph.D., 

Johnson 

Space 

Center, 

Houston 

ISS Inflight 

ProK Dietary Intake 

Can Predict and 

Protect Against 

Changes in Bone 

Metabolism 

during 

Spaceflight and 

Recovery 

NASA Human 

Research 

The Dietary Intake Can Predict and 

Protect Against Changes in Bone 

Metabolism during Spaceflight and 

Recovery (Pro K) investigation is 

NASA’s first evaluation of a dietary 

countermeasure to lessen bone loss 

of astronauts. Pro K proposes that a 

flight diet with a decreased ratio of 

animal protein to potassium will lead 

to decreased loss of bone mineral. 

Pro K will have an impact on the 

definition of nutritional requirements 

and development of food systems for 

future exploration missions, and could 

yield a method of counteracting bone 

loss that would have virtually no risk 

of side effects 

Scott M. 

Smith, Ph.D., 

Johnson 

Space 

Center, 

Houston 

ISS Inflight 

Reaction Self 

Test 

Psychomotor 

Vigilance Self 

Test on the 

International 

Space Station 

NASA Human 

Research 

The National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration Biological Specimen 

Repository (Repository) is a storage 

bank that is used to maintain 

biological specimens over extended 

periods of time and under 

well-controlled conditions. Biological 

samples from the International Space 

Station crew members, including 

blood and urine, will be collected, 

processed and archived during the 

pre-flight, in-flight and post-flight 

phases of station missions. This 

investigation has been developed to 

archive biosamples for use as a 

resource for future spaceflight related 

research 

David F. 

Dinges, 

Ph.D., 

University of 

Pennsylvania 

School of 

Medicine, 

Philadelphia 

ISS Inflight 
68 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

Repository National 

Aeronautics and 

Space 

Administration 

Biological 

Specimen 

Repository 

NASA Human 

Research 

The National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration Biological Specimen 

Repository (Repository) is a storage 

bank that is used to maintain 

biological specimens over extended 

periods of time and under 

well-controlled conditions. Biological 

samples from the International Space 

Station crew members, including 

blood and urine, will be collected, 

processed and archived during the 

pre-flight, in-flight and post-flight 

phases of station missions. This 

investigation has been developed to 

archive biosamples for use as a 

resource for future spaceflight related 

research 

Kathleen A. 

McMonigal, 

M.D., 

Johnson 

Space 

Center, 

Houston 

ISS Inflight 

Sleep-Long Sleep-Wake 

Actigraphy and 

Light Exposure 

During 

Spaceflight-Long 

NASA Human 

Research 

Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light 

Exposure During Spaceflight-Long 

(Sleep-Long) will examine the effects 

of spaceflight and ambient light 

exposure on the sleep-wake cycles of 

crew members during long-duration 

stays on the space station 

Charles A. 

Czeisler, 

M.D., Ph.D., 

Brigham and 

Women's 

Hospital, 

Harvard 

Medical 

School, 

Boston 

ISS Inflight 

Sleep-Short Sleep-Wake 

Actigraphy and 

Light Exposure 

During 

Spaceflight-Short 

NASA Human 

Research 

Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light 

Exposure During Spaceflight-Short 

(Sleep-Short) will examine the effects 

of spaceflight on the sleep of the 

astronauts during space shuttle 

missions. Advancing state-of-the-art 

technology for monitoring, diagnosing 

and assessing treatment of sleep 

patterns is vital to treating insomnia 

on Earth and in space 

Charles A. 

Czeisler, 

M.D., Ph.D., 

Brigham and 

Women's 

Hospital, 

Harvard 

Medical 

School, 

Boston 

Sortie 

Spinal 

Elongation 

Spinal Elongation 

and its Effects on 

Seated Height in 

a Microgravity 

Environment 

NASA Human 

Research 

Spinal Elongation and its Effects on 

Seated Height in a Microgravity 

Environment (Spinal Elongation) 

provides quantitative data as to the 

amount of change that occurs in the 

seated height due to spinal elongation 

in microgravity 

Sudhakar 

Rajulu, Ph.D., 

Johnson 

Space 

Center, 

Houston 

Sortie 

VO2max Evaluation of 

Maximal Oxygen 

Uptake and 

Submaximal 

Estimates of 

VO2max Before, 

During, and After 

Long Duration 

International 

Space Station 

Missions 

NASA Human 

Research 

Evaluation of Maximal Oxygen 

Uptake and Submaximal Estimates of 

VO2max Before, During, and After 

Long Duration International Space 

Station Missions (VO2max) 

documents changes in maximum 

oxygen uptake for crew members 

onboard the station on long-duration 

missions 

Alan D. 

Moore, Jr., 

Ph.D., 

Johnson 

Space 

Center, 

Houston 

ISS Inflight 
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 69

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

BASS Burning and 

Suppression of 

Solids 

NASA Physical and 

Materials 

Sciences 

Burning and Suppression of Solids 

(BASS) will test the hypothesis that 

materials in microgravity burn as well, 

if not better, than the same material in 

normal gravity with other conditions, 

such as pressure, oxygen 

concentration and temperature, being 

identical 

Paul Ferkul, 

Ph.D., 

National 

Center for 

Space 

Exploration 

Research, 

Cleveland 

ISS Inflight 

BCAT-3 Binary Colloidal 

Alloy Test - 3 

NASA Physical and 

Materials 

Sciences 

Binary Colloidal Alloy Test - 3 

(BCAT-3) investigates the long-term 

behavior of colloids – a system of fine 

particles suspended in a fluid – in a 

microgravity environment, where the 

effects of sedimentation and 

convection are removed. Results will 

help scientists develop fundamental 

physics concepts previously masked 

by the effects of gravity 

David A. 

Weitz, Ph.D., 

Harvard 

University, 

Cambridge, 

Mass. 

ISS Inflight 

BCAT-4 Binodal Colloidal 

Aggregation 

Test - 4 

NASA Physical and 

Materials 

Sciences 

Binary Colloidal Alloy Test - 4 

(BCAT-4) is part of the BCAT suite of 

experiments studying colloids – a 

system of fine particles suspended in 

a fluid. Results from this study may 

lead to new colloid materials with 

applications in the communications 

and computer industries for switches, 

displays and optical devices with 

properties that could rival those of 

lasers 

Paul M. 

Chaikin, 

Ph.D., 

Princeton 

University, 

Princeton, 

N.J., and 

New York 

University, 

New York 

ISS Inflight 

BCAT-5 Binary Colloidal 

Alloy Test - 5 

NASA Physical and 

Materials 

Sciences 

Binary Colloidal Alloy Test - 5 

(BCAT-5) is a suite of four 

investigations which will photograph 

randomized colloidal samples 

onboard the International Space 

Station to determine their resulting 

structure over time. The use of 

EarthKAM software and hardware will 

allow the scientists to capture the 

kinetics, or evolution, of their 

samples, as well as the final 

equilibrium state of each sample 

Arjun Yodh, 

Ph.D., 

University of 

Pennsylvania, 

University 

Park 

ISS Inflight 

BCAT-6 Binary Colloidal 

Alloy Test - 6 

NASA Physical and 

Materials 

Sciences 

Binary Colloidal Alloy Test - 6 

(BCAT-6) is a suite of four 

investigations which will photograph 

randomized colloidal samples 

onboard the International Space 

Station to determine their resulting 

structure over time. The use of 

EarthKAM software and hardware will 

allow the scientists to capture the 

kinetics, or evolution, of their 

samples, as well as the final 

equilibrium state of each sample 

 ISS Inflight 
70 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

CFE-2 Capillary Flow 

Experiment - 2 

NASA Physical and 

Materials 

Sciences 

Capillary Flow Experiment - 2 

(CFE-2)a suite of fluid physics flight 

experiments, will study how fluids 

behave in space. Because fluids 

behave differently in microgravity, this 

information will be valuable for 

engineers designing spacecraft 

cooling systems, life support systems 

and the many other types of 

equipment that use fluids to operate 

Mark M. 

Weislogel, 

Ph.D., 

Portland State 

University, 

Portland, Ore.

ISS Inflight 

CVB Constrained 

Vapor Bubble 

NASA Physical and 

Materials 

Sciences 

Constrained Vapor Bubble (CVB) 

operates a miniature wickless heat 

pipe, or heat exchanger, to 

understand the physics of evaporation 

and condensation as they affect heat 

transfer processes in microgravity 

Peter C. 

Wayner, Jr., 

Ph.D., 

Rensselaer 

Polytechnic 

Institute, Troy, 

New York 

ISS Inflight 

DECLIC-ALI DEvice for the 

study of Critical 

LIquids and 

Crystallization – 

Alice Like Insert 

NASA Physical and 

Materials 

Sciences 

DEvice for the study of Critical LIquids 

and Crystallization (DECLIC) is a 

multi-user facility used to study 

transparent media and their phase 

transitions in microgravity onboard the 

International Space Station. The 

Alice Like Insert (ALI) portion of 

DECLIC studies the dynamics of 

near-ambient temperature critical 

fluids of sulfur hexafluoride, a 

colorless, odorless, non-toxic and 

non-flammable gas known and 

carbon dioxide 

Yves 

Garrabos, 

Ph.D., Institut 

de Chimie de 

la Matière 

Condensée 

de Bordeaux, 

France 

ISS Inflight 

DECLIC-DSI DEvice for the 

study of Critical 

LIquids and 

Crystallization – 

Directional 

Solidification 

Insert 

NASA Physical and 

Materials 

Sciences 

DEvice for the study of Critical LIquids 

and Crystallization (DECLIC), is a 

miniaturized, automatic thermo-optical 

laboratory that studies transparent 

fluids by finely tuning the temperature 

of a sample and sending images and 

video to the ground. The Directional 

Solidification Insert (DSI) will study a 

series of benchmark experiments on 

transparent alloys that freeze like 

metals under microgravity onboard 

the space station 

Bernard Billia, 

Ph.D., 

Université 

Paul Cézanne 

(Aix-Marseille 

III), Marseille, 

France 

ISS Inflight 

DECLIC-HTI DEvice for the 

study of Critical 

LIquids and 

Crystallization – 

High 

Temperature 

Insert 

NASA Physical and 

Materials 

Sciences 

DEvice for the study of Critical LIquids 

and Crystallization (DECLIC), is a 

miniaturized, automatic thermo-optical 

laboratory that studies transparent 

fluids by finely tuning the temperature 

of a sample and sending images and 

video to the ground. The HTI, or high 

temperature insert, can measure fluid 

temperatures up to 400 degrees 

Celsius 

Yves 

Garrabos, 

Ph.D., 

ESEME, 

Institut de 

Chimie de la 

Matière 

Condensée 

de Bordeaux 

ICMCBCNRS, 

Bordeaux, 

France 

ISS Inflight 
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 71

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

InSPACE-3 Investigating the 

Structure of 

Paramagnetic 

Aggregates from 

Colloidal 

Emulsions - 3 

NASA Physical and 

Materials 

Sciences 

Investigating the Structure of 

Paramagnetic Aggregates from 

Colloidal Emulsions - 3 (InSPACE-3) 

will obtain data on 

magnetorheological fluids – fluids that 

change properties in response to 

magnetic fields – that can be used to 

improve or develop new brake 

systems for vehicles and robotics 

Eric M. Furst, 

Ph.D., 

University of 

Delaware, 

Newark 

ISS Inflight 

MISSE-7 Materials 

International 

Space Station 

Experiment - 7 

NASA Physical and 

Materials 

Sciences 

The Materials International Space 

Station Experiment-7 (MISSE-7) is a 

test bed for materials and coatings 

attached to the outside of the space 

station that are being evaluated for 

the effects of atomic oxygen, direct 

sunlight, radiation and extremes of 

heat and cold. This experiment 

allows the development and testing of 

new materials to better withstand the 

harsh environment of space. Results 

will provide a better understanding of 

the durability of various materials in 

space that could be used for future 

spacecraft 

Robert 

Walters, 

Ph.D., Naval 

Research 

Laboratory, 

Washington 

ISS External

MISSE-8 Materials 

International 

Space Station 

Experiment - 8 

NASA Physical and 

Materials 

Sciences 

The Materials on International Space 

Station Experiment-8 (MISSE-8) is a 

test bed for materials and computing 

elements attached to the outside of 

the International Space Station. 

These elements are being evaluated 

for the effects of atomic oxygen, 

ultraviolet, direct sunlight, radiation 

and extremes of heat and cold. This 

experiment allows the development 

and testing of new elements that can 

better withstand the harsh space 

environment. Results will provide a 

better understanding of the durability 

of various materials and computing 

elements when they are exposed to 

space, with applications in the design 

of future spacecraft 

Robert 

Walters, 

Ph.D., Naval 

Research 

Laboratory, 

Washington 

ISS External
72 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie

SHERE-II Shear History 

Extensional 

Rheology 

Experiment - II 

NASA Physical and 

Materials 

Sciences 

Shear History Extensional Rheology 

Experiment - II (SHERE-II) is 

designed to investigate the effect of 

preshearing, or rotation, on the stress 

and strain response of a polymer fluid 

– a complex fluid containing long 

chains of polymer molecules – being 

stretched in microgravity. The 

fundamental understanding and 

measurement of these complex fluids 

is important for containerless 

processing, a key operation for 

fabrication of parts, such as 

adhesives or fillers, using elastomeric 

materials on future exploration 

missions. This knowledge also can 

be applied to controlling and 

improving Earth-based manufacturing 

processes 

Gareth 

McKinley, 

Ph.D., 

Massachusetts 

Institute of 

Technology, 

Cambridge, 

Mass. 

ISS Inflight

SLICE Structure and 

Liftoff In 

Combustion 

Experiment 

NASA Physical and 

Materials 

Sciences 

Structure and Liftoff In Combustion 

Experiment (SLICE) investigates the 

structure of lifting and lifted flames; 

whereby the flame detaches from the 

nozzle and stabilizes at a downstream 

position. Results from this 

investigation are used to maximize 

the science return from the future 

Coflow Laminar Diffusion Flame 

experiment 

Marshall B. 

Long, Ph.D., 

Yale University, 

New Haven, 

Conn. 

ISS Inflight

BXF-MABE Boiling 

eXperiment 

Facility – 

Microheater 

Array Boiling 

Experiment 

NASA Technology BXF-MABE will obtain data to 

understand the process involved with 

boiling in gravity and microgravity. 

The research should enable the 

development of more efficient cooling 

systems on future spacecraft and on 

Earth 

Jungho Kim, 

Ph.D., 

University of 

Maryland, 

College Park 

ISS Inflight

BXF-NPBX Boiling 

eXperiment 

Facility – 

Nucleate Pool 

Boiling 

eXperiment 

NASA Technology BXF-NPBX will provide an 

understanding of heat transfer and 

vapor removal processes that take 

place during nucleate boiling from a 

well characterized surface in 

microgravity. Such an understanding 

is needed for optimum design and 

safe operation of heat exchange 

equipment employing phase change 

for transfer of heat in microgravity 

Vijay Dhir, 

Ph.D., 

University of 

California - 

Los Angeles 

ISS Inflight

Bio Biology NASA Technology Biology (Bio) determines the 

magnifications that are possible with a 

microscope in an International Space 

Station vibration environment. Bio will 

image three-dimensional biological 

sample particles, tissue samples and 

live organisms. This will be done to 

indicate the microscope capabilities 

for viewing biological specimens 

 ISS Inflight
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 73

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

CCF Capillary 

Channel Flow 

NASA Technology Capillary Channel Flow (CCF) is a 

versatile experiment for studying a 

critical variety of inertial-capillary 

dominated flows key to spacecraft 

systems that cannot be studied on 

Earth. CCF results are immediately 

useful for the design, testing and 

instrumentation for verification and 

validation of liquid management 

systems of current orbiting, design 

stage and advanced spacecraft 

envisioned for future exploration 

missions 

Michael 

Dreyer, Ph.D., 

University of 

Bremen, 

Germany 

ISS Inflight 

DTN Delay Tolerant 

Networking 

NASA Technology Delay Tolerant Networking (DTN) will 

test communication protocols with the 

Commercial Generic Bioprocessing 

Apparatus (CGBA) onboard the 

International Space Station that can 

be used for exploration. The primary 

purpose of this activity is to rapidly 

mature the technology for use in 

NASA’s exploration missions and 

space communications architecture 

Kevin Gifford, 

Ph.D., 

University of 

Colorado, 

Boulder 

ISS Inflight 

MAMS Microgravity 

Acceleration 

Measurement 

System 

NASA Technology Microgravity Acceleration 

Measurement System (MAMS) is an 

ongoing study of the small forces, or 

vibrations and accelerations, on the 

station that result from the operation 

of hardware, crew activities, as well 

as dockings and maneuvering. 

Results will be used to generalize the 

types of vibrations affecting 

vibration-sensitive experiments. 

Investigators seek to better 

understand the vibration environment 

on the space station to enable future 

research 

William 

Foster, Glenn 

Research 

Center, 

Cleveland 

ISS Inflight 

MAUI Maui Analysis of 

Upper 

Atmospheric 

Injections 

NASA Technology Maui Analysis of Upper Atmospheric 

Injections (MAUI) will observe the 

space shuttle engine exhaust plumes 

from the Maui Space Surveillance 

Site in Hawaii. The observations will 

occur when the space shuttle fires its 

engines at night or twilight. A 

telescope and all-sky imagers will 

take images and data while the space 

shuttle flies over the Maui site. The 

images will be analyzed to better 

understand the interaction between 

the spacecraft plume and the upper 

atmosphere of Earth 

Rainer A. 

Dressler, 

Ph.D., 

Hanscom Air 

Force Base, 

Lexington, 

Mass. 

Sortie 
74 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

MDCA-FLEX Multi-User 

Droplet 

Combustion 

Apparatus – 

Flame 

Extinguishment 

Experiment 

NASA Technology Multi-User Droplet Combustion 

Apparatus – Flame Extinguishment 

Experiment (MDCA-FLEX) will assess 

the effectiveness of fire suppressants 

in microgravity and quantify the effect 

of different atmospheres on fire 

suppression. This will provide 

definition and direction for large-scale 

fire suppression tests and selection of 

the fire suppressant for 

next-generation crew exploration 

vehicles 

Forman A. 

Williams, 

University of 

California - 

San Diego 

ISS Inflight 

MDCA-FLEX-2 Multi-User 

Droplet 

Combustion 

Apparatus – 

Flame 

Extinguishment 

Experiment - 2 

NASA Technology Multi-User Droplet Combustion 

Apparatus – Flame Extinguishment 

Experiment - 2 (MDCA-FLEX-2) will 

assess the effectiveness of fire 

suppressants in microgravity and 

quantify the effect of different 

atmospheres on fire suppression. 

This will provide definition and 

direction for large-scale fire 

suppression tests and selection of the 

fire suppressant for next-generation 

crew exploration vehicles 

Forman A. 

Williams, 

University of 

California - 

San Diego 

ISS Inflight 

PACE-2 Preliminary 

Advanced 

Colloids 

Experiment - 2 

NASA Technology Preliminary Advanced Colloids 

Experiment - 2 (PACE-2) will 

characterize the capability of 

conducting high magnification colloid 

experiments with the Light 

Microscopy Module (LMM) to 

determine the minimum size particles 

which can be resolved 

William V. 

Meyer, Ph.D., 

Glenn 

Research 

Center, 

Cleveland 

ISS Inflight 

RAMBO-2 Ram Burn 

Observations - 2 

NASA Technology Ram Burn Observations - 2 

(RAMBO-2) is an experiment in which 

the Department of Defense uses a 

satellite to observe space shuttle 

orbital maneuvering system engine 

burns. The study’s purpose is to 

improve plume models, which predict 

the direction of the plume, or rising 

column of exhaust, as the shuttle 

maneuvers on orbit. Understanding 

this flow direction could be significant 

to the safe arrival and departure of 

spacecraft on current and future 

exploration missions 

William L. 

Dimpfl, Ph.D., 

Aerospace 

Corporation, 

Los Angeles 

Sortie 

Robonaut Robonaut NASA Technology Robonaut serves as a spring board to 

help evolve new robotic capabilities in 

space. Robonaut demonstrates that 

a dexterous robot can launch and 

operate in a space vehicle; 

manipulate mechanisms in a 

microgravity environment; operate for 

extended duration within the space 

environment; assist with International 

Space Station tasks; and eventually 

interact with the crew members 

 ISS Inflight 
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 75

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

SAME Smoke and 

Aerosol 

Measurement 

Experiment 

NASA Technology Smoke and Aerosol Measurement 

Experiment (SAME) measures smoke 

properties, or particle size distribution, 

of typical particles from spacecraft fire 

smokes to provide data to support 

requirements for smoke detection in 

space and identify ways to improve 

smoke detectors on future spacecraft 

David Urban, 

Ph.D., Glenn 

Research 

Center, 

Cleveland 

ISS Inflight 

SAMS-II Space 

Acceleration 

Measurement 

System-II 

NASA Technology Space Acceleration Measurement 

System (SAMS-II) is an ongoing study 

of the small forces, or vibrations and 

accelerations, on the station that 

result from the operation of hardware, 

crew activities, as well as dockings 

and maneuvering. Results will be 

used to generalize the types of 

vibrations affecting vibration-sensitive 

experiments. Investigators seek to 

better understand the vibration 

environment on the space station to 

enable future research 

William 

Foster, Glenn 

Research 

Center, 

Cleveland 

ISS Inflight 

SEITE Shuttle Exhaust 

Ion Turbulence 

Experiments 

NASA Technology Shuttle Exhaust Ion Turbulence 

Experiments (SEITE) will use 

space-based sensors to detect 

turbulence inferred from the radar 

observations from a previous Space 

Shuttle Orbital Maneuvering System 

(OMS) burn experiment using 

ground-based radar. The research 

will enhance detection, tracking and 

timely surveillance of high-interest 

objects in space 

Paul A. 

Bernhardt, 

Ph.D., Naval 

Research 

Laboratory, 

Washington 

Sortie 

SIMPLEX Shuttle 

Ionospheric 

Modification with 

Pulsed Localized 

Exhaust 

Experiments 

NASA Technology Shuttle Ionospheric Modification with 

Pulsed Localized Exhaust 

Experiments (SIMPLEX) will use 

ground-based radars to investigate 

plasma turbulence driven by rocket 

exhaust in the ionosphere – four 

layers of the Earth’s upper 

atmosphere where space radiation 

can create an area that reflects radio 

signals. Results will help in the 

interpretation of spacecraft engine 

plumes when they are observed from 

Earth 

Paul A. 

Bernhardt, 

Ph.D., Naval 

Research 

Lab, 

Washington 

Sortie 

SNFM Serial Network 

Flow Monitor 

NASA Technology Serial Network Flow Monitor (SNFM) 

monitors the function of the computer 

network aboard the station. This 

information will help improve data 

transfer capabilities of on-orbit 

computer networks 

Carl Konkel, 

Boeing, 

Houston 

ISS Inflight 
76 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie

SPHERES Synchronized 

Position Hold, 

Engage, 

Reorient, 

Experimental 

Satellites 

NASA Technology Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, 

Reorient, Experimental Satellites 

(SPHERES) are bowling-ball sized 

spherical satellites. They will be used 

inside the space station to test a set 

of well-defined instructions for 

spacecraft performing autonomous 

rendezvous and docking maneuvers. 

Three free-flying spheres will fly within 

the cabin of the space station, 

performing flight formations. Each 

satellite is self-contained with power, 

propulsion, computers and navigation 

equipment. The results are important 

for satellite servicing, vehicle 

assembly and formation flying 

spacecraft configurations 

David W. 

Miller, Ph.D., 

Massachusetts 

Institute of 

Technology, 

Cambridge, 

Mass. 

ISS Inflight

STP-H3-

Canary 

Space Test 

Program - 

Houston 3 – 

Canary 

NASA Technology Space Test Program - Houston 3 – 

Canary (STP-H3-Canary) is one of 

four individual experiments that will 

test concepts in low Earth orbit for 

long-duration spaceflight. This 

experiment investigates the 

interaction of ions with the 

background plasma environment 

around the station 

Geoff Mcharg, 

Ph.D., United 

States Air 

Force 

Academy, 

Colorado 

Springs, Colo. 

ISS 

External 

STP-H3-DISC Space Test 

Program - 

Houston 3 – 

Digital Imaging 

Star Camera 

NASA Technology Space Test Program - Houston 3 – 

Digital Imaging Star Camera 

(STP-H3-DISC) is one of four 

individual experiments that will test 

concepts in low Earth orbit for 

long-duration spaceflight. This 

experiment is a low size, weight and 

power sensor used for pointing 

knowledge of 0.02 degree or greater 

Andrew 

Williams, Air 

Force 

Research 

Laboratory, 

WrightPatterson Air 

Force Base, 

Ohio 

ISS 

External 

STP-H3-

MHTEX 

Space Test 

Program - 

Houston 3 – 

Massive Heat 

Transfer 

Experiment 

NASA Technology Space Test Program - Houston 3 – 

Massive Heat Transfer Experiment 

(STP-H3-MHTEX) is one of four 

individual experiments that will test 

concepts in low Earth orbit for 

long-duration spaceflight. This 

experiment plans to achieve flight 

qualification of an advanced capillary 

pumped loop system 

Andrew 

Williams, Air 

Force 

Research 

Laboratory, 

WrightPatterson Air 

Force Base, 

Ohio 

ISS 

External 
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 77

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

STP-H3-

VADER 

Draft content for 

Planning 

Purposes Only: 

Space Test 

Program - 

Houston 3 – 

Variable 

Emissivity 

Radiator Aerogel 

Insulation 

Blanket Dual 

zone thermal 

control 

Experiment suite 

for Responsive 

space 

NASA Technology Space Test Program - Houston 3 – 

Variable Emissivity Radiator Aerogel 

Insulation Blanket Dual zone thermal 

control Experiment suite for 

Responsive space (STP-H3-VADER) 

is one of four individual experiments 

that will test a robust, reconfigurable 

thermal control system applicable to a 

wide range of missions and satellite 

classes. It will also test a new form of 

MLI protection using Aerogel material 

as the thermal isolator 

Andrew 

Williams, Air 

Force 

Research 

Laboratory, 

WrightPatterson Air 

Force Base, 

Ohio 

ISS External

VCAM Vehicle Cabin 

Atmosphere 

Monitor 

NASA Technology Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere 

Monitor (VCAM) identifies gases that 

are present in minute quantities in the 

International Space Station breathing 

air that could harm the crew’s health. 

If successful, instruments like VCAM 

could accompany crew members 

during long-duration exploration 

missions 

Ara Chutjian, 

Ph.D., 

California 

Institute of 

Technology, 

Pasadena, 

Calif., and Jet 

Propulsion 

Laboratory, 

Pasadena 

ISS Inflight 

3D SPACE Mental 

Representation 

of Spatial Cues 

During 

Spaceflight 

ESA Human 

Research and 

Countermeas

ures 

Development 

3D Space involves comparison of 

pre-flight, flight and post-flight 

perceptions and mental imagery with 

special reference to 

spaceflight-related decreases in 

vertical percepts 

No 

Facility 

France: 

G. Clement 

USA: 

C.E. Lathan 

ISS 

ALTEASHIELD 

Anomalous 

Long-Term 

Effects in 

Astronauts – 

Radiation 

Shielding 

ESA Radiation 

Dosimetry 

ALTEA-SHIELD aims at obtaining a 

better under-standing of the light flash 

phenomenon, and more generally the 

interaction between cosmic rays and 

brain function, as well as testing 

different types of shielding material 

Express 

Rack/ 

ALTEA 

Italy: 

L. Narici, 

F. Ballarini, 

G. Battistoni, 

M. Casolini, 

A. Ottolenghi, 

P. Picozza, 

W. Sannita, 

S. Villari 

USA: 

E. Benton, 

J. Miller, 

M. Shavers 

Switzerland: 

A. Ferrari 

Germany: 

H. Iwase, 

D. Schardt 

Japan: 

T. Sato 

Sweden: 

L. Sihver 

ISS 
78 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

CARD CARD ESA Human Research 

and 

Countermeasures 

Development 

The main aims of CARD are to 

understand how weightlessness affects 

the regulation of blood pressure and 

establish how some hormones 

responsible for regulating the 

cardiovascular system are affected by 

long-term exposure to weightlessness 

Human 

Research 

Facility 2 

(HRF-2)/ 

Pulmonary 

Function 

System 

(PFS)/ 

European 

Physiology 

Modules 

(EPM) 

Denmark: 

P. Norsk, 

N.J. Christensen, B. Pump, 

A. Gabrielsen, 

J.G. Nielsen, 

N. Gadsboll 

Germany: 

C. Drummer, 

N. Kentsch 

ISS 

CARD – 

(Sympatho) 

Sympathoadrenal 

activity in 

humans 

during 

spaceflight 

ESA Human Research 

and 

Countermeasures 

Development 

SYMPATHO, which forms part of the 

CARD experiment is an ongoing study 

of adrenal activity of the sympathetic 

nervous system in weightlessness 

Merged 

protocol 

with CARD 

Denmark: 

N.J. 

Christensen, 

P. Norsk 

ISS 

CFS-A Coloured 

Fungi in 

Space 

(Part A) 

ESA Biological 

Sciences in 

Microgravity 

CFS-A will undertake an examination 

of the survival and growth of different 

coloured fungi species, which can be 

relevant to spacecraft contamination, 

panspermia and planetary protection 

issues 

No Facility Romania: 

D. Hasegan, 

O. Maris, 

G. Mogildea, 

M. Mogildea 

Sortie. 

Shuttle/ISS 

DOBIES Dosimetry for 

Biological 

Experiments 

in Space 

ESA Radiation 

Dosimetry 

The objective of DOBIES is to develop 

a standard dosimetric method to 

measure absorbed and equivalent 

doses for biological samples as a 

contribution to the DOSIS experiment, 

and EXPOSE-E (completed) and 

EXPOSE-R payloads 

European 

Physiology 

Modules 

(EPM) 

Belgium: F. 

Vanhaevere 

ISS 

DOSIS Dose 

Distribution 

Inside the 

ISS 

ESA Radiation 

Dosimetry 

DOSIS maps the actual nature and 

distribution of the radiation field inside 

Columbus using different detectors 

placed around the European laboratory

European 

Physiology 

Modules 

(EPM) 

Germany: 

G. Reitz 

ISS 

EDOS Early 

Detection of 

Osteoporosis 

ESA Human Research 

and 

Countermeasures 

Development 

This is a study into the mechanisms 

underlying the reduction in bone mass, 

which occurs in astronauts in 

weightlessness and will evaluate bone 

structure pre and post-flight 

No Facility France: 

C. Alexandre, 

L. Braak, 

L. Vico 

Switzerland: 

P. Ruegsegger 

Germany: 

M. Heer 

Pre/Post 

flight 

EKE Assessment 

of endurance 

capacity by 

gas 

exchange 

and heart 

rate kinetics 

during 

Physical 

Training 

ESA Human Research 

and 

Countermeasures 

Development 

EKE will make an assessment of 

endurance capacity and heart rate 

kinetics during physical training of ISS 

Expedition crew members 

Portable 

Pulmonary 

Function 

System 

(PPFS) 

Germany: 

U. Hoffman, 

S. Fasoulas, 

D. Essfeld, 

T. Drager 

Pre/Post 

flight 
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 79

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie

EPO 

Greenhouse 

 ESA Education ESA GREEN-HOUSE is an 

education project where the concept 

of fresh food production in space will 

be related to the biology and science 

curriculums of 12 -14 year olds 

through film and ISS live link 

activities 

No Facility Netherlands: 

E. Celton, 

ESA/ESTEC 

ISS 

ERB-2 Erasmus 

Recording 

Binocular 2 

ESA Technology 

Demonstration

The ERB-2 is a high definition 3D 

stereoscopic video camera which 

will be used for taking footage inside 

the ISS to develop narrated video 

material for promotional & 

educational purposes 

European 

Drawer 

Rack (EDR) 

Netherlands: 

M. Sabbatini, 

ESA/ESTEC 

ISS 

EXPOSE-R: 

Amino 

Photochemical 

processing of 

amino acids and 

other organic 

compounds in 

Earth orbit 

ESA Astrobiology The main objective of the Amino 

experiment is to determine to what 

extent biologically active molecules 

(amino acids and peptides) are 

converted into a mixture of so-called 

L- and D molecules when exposed 

to UV-C radiation 

EXPOSE-R France: 

H. Cottin, 

P. Coll, 

F. Raulin, 

N. Fray, 

C. Szopa, 

M.C. Maurel, 

J. Vergne, 

A. Brack, 

A. Chabin, 

M. Bertrand, 

F. Westall, 

D. Tepfer, 

A. Zalar, 

S. Leach 

ISS 

EXPOSE-R: 

Endo 

Response of 

endolithic 

organisms to 

space conditions 

ESA Astrobiology The Endo experiment will assess the 

impact of increased UV-B and UV-C 

radiation, due to ozone depletion, on 

algae and cyanobacteria from 

Antarctic sites under the ozone hole 

EXPOSE-R U.K.: C. 

Cockell, 

H. Edwards 

Italy: D. Billi 

ISS 

EXPOSE-R: 

Organic 

Evolution of 

organic matter in 

space 

ESA Astrobiology The goal of the Organic experiment 

which concerns the evolution of 

organic matter in space is to study 

the effects of UV radiation, low 

pressure, and heavy ion 

bombardment on organic molecules 

of interest in astrophysics and 

astrobiology 

EXPOSE-R Netherlands: 

P. Ehrenfreund, 

Z. Peeters, 

B. Foing, 

Spain: M. 

Breitfellner 

France: 

F. Robert 

Germany: E. 

Jessberger, 

W. Schmidt, 

USA: 

F. Salama, 

M. Mumma 

ISS 

EXPOSE-R: 

Osmo 

Exposure of 

osmophilic 

microbes to the 

space 

environment 

ESA Astrobiology Osmo aims to understand the 

response of microbes to the vacuum 

of space and to solar radiation. It 

will especially focus on bacteria that 

survive in environments of high 

osmotic pressure 

EXPOSE-R USA: 

R. Mancinelli 

ISS 
80 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie

EXPOSE-R: 

Photo 

Measurements 

of vacuum and 

solar radiationinduced DNA 

damages within 

spores 

ESA Astrobiology This experiment is studying the effect 

of exposure of bacterial spores and 

samples of their DNA tosolar UV 

radiation. The objective is to assess 

the quantity and chemistry of 

chemical products produced 

EXPOSE-R France: 

J. Cadet, 

T. Douki, 

J-L. Ravanat, 

S. Sauvaigo 

ISS 

EXPOSE-R: 

PUR 

Phage and 

Uracil Response 

ESA Astrobiology The PUR experiment is studying the 

effect of solar UV radiation on a type 

of virus (Phage T7) and an RNA 

compound (uracil) to determine their 

effectiveness as biological dosimeters 

for measuring UV dose in the space 

environment 

EXPOSE-R Hungary: 

G. Rontó, 

A. Fekete, 

P. Gróf, 

A. Bérces 

ISS 

EXPOSE-R: 

Spores 

Spores in 

artificial 

meteorites 

ESA Astrobiology “Spores” will assess how meteorite 

material acts as a protection for 

bacterial, fungal and ferny spores 

against space conditions, i.e., UV, 

vacuum and ionising radiation 

EXPOSE-R Germany: 

G. Horneck, 

B. Hock, 

C. Panitz, 

A. Lux-Endrich, 

K. Neuberger, 

R. Möller, 

E. Rabbow, 

P. Rettberg, 

D.-P. Häder, 

G. Reitz, 

Bulgaria: 

T. Dachev, 

B. Tomov 

ISS 

EXPOSE-R: 

Subtil 

Mutational 

spectra of 

Bacillus subtilis 

spores and 

plasmid DNA 

exposed to high 

vacuum and 

solar UV 

radiation in the 

ESA Astrobiology Subtil will determine the extent of 

mutation of spores and plasmid DNA 

of the model bacteria Bacillus subtilis 

induced by exposure to space 

vacuum and solar UV radiation 

EXPOSE-R Japan: 

N. Munakata, 

K. Hieda, 

F. Kawamura 

ISS 

space 

environment 

EXPOSE-R: 

IBMP 

Exposure of 

resting stages of 

terrestrial 

organisms to 

space 

conditions 

IBMP/ESA Astrobiology Samples from the Institute for 

Biomedical Problems in Moscow 

which are looking into the effect of 

exposing a diverse collection of 

terrestrial organisms in a resting 

stage of their life cycle to space 

conditions 

EXPOSE-R Russia: 

V. Sychev, 

N. Novikova, 

V. Alekseev, 

M. Levenskikh, 

O. Gusev, 

N. Polikarpov, 

E. Deshevaya 

Japan: 

T. Okuda 

ISS 
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 81

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie

FASTER Fundamental 

and Applied 

Studies of 

Emulsion 

Stability 

ESA Physical Sciences 

in Microgravity 

These studies will address single 

and multiple interfaces, as affected 

by various surfactants. An important 

part of the programme aims at 

establishing links between emulsion 

stability and physico-chemical 

characteristics of droplet interfaces 

European 

Drawer 

Rack (EDR) 

Italy: 

L. Leggieri, 

G. Loglio, 

A. Di Lullo 

France: 

D. Clausse, 

A. Steinchen, 

C. DalmaISS 

zzone 

Germany: 

R. Miller 

GENARA-A Gravity 

Regulated 

Genes in 

Arabidopsis 

thaliana (Part A) 

ESA Biological 

Sciences in 

Microgravity 

GENARA-A is assessing protein 

synthesis expression of Arabidopsis 

seedlings (wild type). The 

experiment has already been 

executed and the samples will be 

returned during the Expedition 25/26 

tour of duty 

European 

Modular 

Cultivation 

System 

(EMCS) 

France: 

E. CarneroDiaz, 

G. Perbal, 

R. Ranjeva, 

A. Graziana 

Spain: 

M. Pages, 

A. Goday 

ISS 

Geoflow-2 Geoflow-2 ESA Physical Sciences 

in Microgravity 

Geoflow-2 investigates the flow of 

an incompressible viscous fluid held 

between two concentric spheres 

rotating about a common axis as a 

representation of a planet. This is of 

importance for astro-physical and 

geophysical problems 

Fluid 

Science 

Laboratory 

(FSL) 

Germany: 

Ch. Egbers 

France: 

P. Chossat 

ISS 

IMMUNO Neuroendocrine and 

immune 

responses in 

humans during 

and after a 

long-term stay 

on the ISS 

ESA Human Research 

and 

Countermeasures 

Development 

The aim of this experiment is to 

determine changes in hormone 

production and immune response 

during and after an ISS mission 

No Facility Germany: 

A. Chouker, 

F. Christ, 

M. Thiel, 

I. Kaufmann, 

Russia: 

B. Morukov 

ISS 

MARES The Muscle 

Atrophy 

Research and 

Exercise 

System 

ESA Human Research 

and 

Countermeasures 

Development 

MARES will carry out research on 

musculo-skeletal, bio-mechanical, 

and neuro-muscular human 

physiology. Results will provide a 

better understanding of the effects of 

microgravity on the muscular system 

and an evaluation of relevant 

MARES Netherlands: 

J. Ngo-Anh, 

J. Castellsaguer, 

ESA/ESTEC 

ISS 

countermeasures 
82 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie

MATROSHKA-2 MATROSHKA-2 ESA Radiation 

Dosimetry 

The Matroshka-2 experiment 

is carrying out a study of 

radiation absorption on the 

ISS using a simulated human 

Phantom 

MATROSHKA Germany: 

G. Reitz, 

R. Beaujean, 

W. Heinrich, 

M. LuszikBadra, 

M. Scherkenbach 

Poland: 

P. Olko, 

P. Bilski 

Hungary: 

S. Derne, 

J. Palvalvi 

USA: 

E. Stassinopoulos, 

J. Miller, 

C. Zeitlin, 

F. Cucinotta 

Russia: 

V. Petrov 

ISS 

MICAST Microstructure 

Formation in 

Casting of 

Technical Alloys 

Under Diffusive 

and 

Magnetically 

Controlled 

Convective 

Conditions 

ESA Physical Sciences 

in Microgravity 

MICAST carries out research 

into the formation of 

microstructures during the 

solidification of metallic alloys 

under diffusive and 

magnetically controlled 

convective conditions 

Material 

Science 

Laboratory 

(MSL) 

Germany: 

L. Ratke, 

G. Mueller, 

G. Zimmerman 

France: 

Y. Fautrelle, 

J. Lacaze 

Hungary: 

A. Roosz 

Canada: 

S. Dost 

USA: 

D. Poirier 

ISS 

NEUROSPAT: 

NEUROCOG-2 

Effect of 

gravitational 

context on brain 

processing: A 

study of sensorimotor 

integration using 

event related 

EEG dynamics 

ESA Human Research 

and 

Countermeasures 

Development 

This project will study brain 

activity that underlies 

cognitive processes involved 

in four different tasks that 

humans and astronauts may 

encounter on a daily basis. 

The roles played by gravity on 

neural processes will be 

analyzed by different methods 

such as EEG during virtual 

reality stimulation 

European 

Physiology 

Modules 

(EPM) 

Belgium: 

G. Cheron, 

C. Desadeleer, 

A. Cebolla, 

A. Bengoetxea 

France: 

A. Berthoz 

ISS 

NEUROSPAT: 

PRESPAT 

Prefrontal brain 

function and 

spatial cognition 

ESA Human Research 

and 

Countermeasures 

Development 

Prespat will use physiological 

and behavioral measures to 

assess changes in general 

activation, prefrontal brain 

function and perceptual 

reorganization. It is funded as 

part of the European 

Commission SURE project 

European 

Physiology 

Modules 

(EPM) 

Hungary: 

L. BalazsI, 

Czigler G. 

Karmos, 

M. Molnar, 

E. Nagy 

Poland: 

J. 

Achimowicz 

ISS 
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 83

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie

OTOLITH Otolith 

assessment 

during 

post-flight 

re-adaptation 

ESA Human Research 

and 

Countermeasures 

Development 

The otolith organs in the inner ear 

play an important role in our 

balance system as detectors of 

vertical and horizontal 

acceleration. This experiment will 

make an assessment of otolith 

function before and after shortterm spaceflight 

No Facility Germany: 

A Clarke 

USA: 

S. Wood 

Pre and 

Post-flight 

(Shuttle) 

PADIAC Pathway 

Different 

Activators 

ESA Biological 

Sciences in 

Microgravity 

The goal of PADIAC is to 

determine the different pathways 

used for activation of T cells, 

which play an important role in the 

immune system 

European 

Drawer 

Rack (EDR)/ 

Kubik 

Incubator 

Switzerland: 

I. Walther, 

A. Cogoli 

Italy: 

P. Pippia 

USA: 

M. HughesFulford 

ISS 

PASSAGES Scaling 

Body-related 

Actions in the 

Absence of 

Gravity 

ESA Human Research 

and 

Countermeasures 

Development 

PASSAGES is designed to test 

how astronauts interpret visual 

information due to exposure to 

weightlessness with a focus on 

the possible decrease in use of 

the “Eye-Height” strategy 

No Facility France: 

M. Luyat, 

J. McIntyre 

ISS 

SODICOLLOID 

SODI – 

Advanced 

Photonic 

Devices in 

Microgravity 

ESA Physical Sciences 

in Microgravity 

With the fabrication of photonic 

devices being a very promising 

application in colloidal 

engineering, COLLOID will study 

the growth and properties of 

advanced photonic materials 

grown in weightlessness 

Microgravity 

Science 

Glovebox 

(MSG) 

USA: 

D. Weitz, 

P. Segre, 

W.V. Meyer, 

Netherlands: 

A. Lagendijk, 

G. Wegdam 

ISS 

SOLAR SOLAR ESA Solar Physics In orbit since February 2008, the 

Solar facility consists of three 

instruments and continues to 

study the Sun’s irradiation with 

unprecedented accuracy across 

most of its spectral range 

SOLAR – 

Columbus 

External 

Payload 

Facility 

Germany: 

G. Schmidtke 

France: 

G. Thuillier 

Switzerland: 

C. Frohlich 

ISS 

SOLO Sodium 

Loading in 

Microgravity 

ESA Human Research 

and 

Countermeasures 

Development 

SOLO is carrying out research 

into salt retention in space and 

related human physiology effects 

European 

Physiology 

Modules 

(EPM)/Hum

an 

Research 

Facilities 1 

and 2 (HRF1 and HRF2) 

Germany: 

P. FringsMeuthen, 

M. Heer, 

N. Kamps, 

F. Baisch 

Denmark: 

P. Norsk 

ISS 

SPHINX SPaceflight of 

Huvec: an 

Integrated 

Xperiment 

ESA Human Research 

and 

Countermeasures 

Development 

SPHINX will determine how 

Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial 

Cells (HUVEC) modify their 

behavior in microgravity which 

could provide better knowledge of 

endothelial function, and be useful 

for clinical applications 

European 

Drawer 

Rack 

(EDR)/Kubik 

Incubator 

Italy: S. 

Bradamante, 

J. Maier, 

Netherlands: 

J.W. de Jong 

ISS 
84 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator 

ISS/Sorti

e 

SPIN SPIN ESA Human Research 

and 

Countermeasures 

Development 

SPIN is a comparison between 

pre-flight and post-flight testing of 

astronaut subjects using a 

centrifuge and a standardized tilt 

test to link orthostatic tolerance 

with otolith-ocular function 

No Facility Belgium: 

F. Wuyts, 

N. Pattyn USA: 

S. Moore , 

B. Cohen, 

A. Diedrich 

Australia: H. 

MacDougall 

France: 

G. Clement 

Pre/Post 

flight 

THERMOLAB Thermoregulatio

n in humans 

during long-term 

spaceflight 

ESA Human Research 

and 

Countermeasures 

Development 

THERMOLAB is looking into core 

temperature changes in 

astronauts performed before 

during and after exercise on the 

ISS to investigate 

thermoregulatory and 

cardiovascular adaptations during 

long-duration spaceflight 

Portable 

Pulmonary 

Function 

System 

(PPFS) 

Germany: 

H.C. Gunga, 

K. Kirsch, 

E.Koralewski, 

J. Cornier, H.-

V. Heyer, P. 

Hoffman, J. 

Koch, 

F. Sattler 

France: 

P. Arbeille 

ISS 

TRIPLELUX-A TRIPLELUX-A ESA Biological 

Sciences in 

Microgravity 

TripleLux-A is studying cellular 

mechanisms underlying the 

aggravation of radiation response, 

and impairment of immune 

function during spaceflight 

Biolab Germany: 

Prof. Dr. B. 

Hock (D) 

ISS 

Vessel ID 

System 

Vessel ID 

System 

ESA Technology 

Demonstration 

The Vessel ID System is 

demonstrating the space-based 

capability of identification of 

maritime vessels and also test the 

ability of an external grappling 

adaptor to accommodate small 

payloads 

No Facility Norway: 

R.B. Olsen 

Luxembourg: 

G. Ruy 

ISS 

Vessel 

Imaging 

Vascular 

Echography 

ESA Human Research 

and 

Countermeasures 

Development 

The main objective of Vessel 

Imaging is to evaluate the 

changes in the peripheral blood 

vessel wall properties (thickness 

and compliance) and cross 

sectional areas during long-term 

spaceflight 

Human 

Research 

Facility 1 

(HRF-1) 

France: 

P. Arbeille 

ISS 

ZAG Z-axis Aligned 

Gravito-inertial 

force 

ESA Human Research 

and 

Countermeasures 

Development 

This is an investigation into the 

effect weightlessness has on an 

astronaut’s perception of motion 

and tilt and his level of 

performance before and 

immediately after spaceflight 

No Facility France: 

G. Clement 

USA: 

S. Wood, 

D. Harm, 

A. Rupert 

Pre and 

Post-flight 

(Shuttle) 
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 85

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie

Hydro Tropi Hydrotropism 

and Auxininducible Gene 

Expression in 

Roots Grown in 

Microgravity 

Conditions 

JAXA Life Science This experiment is conducted to 

separate hydrotropism from 

gravitropism and to dissect 

respective mechanisms in cucumber 

roots using the microgravity 

environment in space. This 

experiment has three specific aims. 

First, it demonstrates that 

gravitropism interferes with 

hydrotropism. Second, it clarifies 

the differential aux in response that 

occurs during the respective 

tropisms by investigating the auxininducible gene expression. Third, it 

shows whether hydrotropism can be 

used in controlling root growth 

orientation in microgravity 

CBEF Hideyuki 

Takahashi, 

Tohoku 

University 

ISS 

Microbe-II Studies on 

Microbiota on 

board the 

International 

Space Station 

and their 

Relationship to 

Health Problems 

JAXA Life Science Microbe-II experiment is a series 

experiments from Microbe-I to 

Microbe-III. The purpose of this 

experiment is to monitor microbes in 

Kibo that may affect the health of the 

crew. The monitoring of stress from 

microbes on crew members is 

evaluated for its impact on space 

medicine. This experiment includes 

sampling using Microbial Detection 

Sheets, Yeast and Mold, Microbe 

Adhesive Sheets, and Blue/White 

Wipes in five specific areas of Kibo 

for molecular and biological analysis

No Facility Koichi 

Makimura, 

Teikyo 

University 

Microbe-II 

CsPINs Dynamism of 

auxin efflux 

facilitators, 

CsPINs, 

responsible for 

gravity-regulated 

growth and 

development in 

cucumber 

JAXA Life Science It is hypothesized that an auxin 

efflux facilitator, CsPIN1, plays an 

important role in regulation of 

gravity-dependent auxin 

redistribution and thus controls 

gravimorphogenesis of cucumber 

(Cucmis sativus L.) seedlings. In 

addition, gravitropism interferes with 

hydrotropism in cucumber roots on 

the ground, in which CsPIN5 may 

play a role. In this space 

experiment, we will use cucumber 

seedlings to analyze the effect of 

gravity on the localization of CsPIN1 

protein and unravel its contribution 

to peg formation. At the same time, 

we will differentiate hydrotropism 

from gravitropism in cucumber roots 

and investigate the localization of 

CsPIN5 protein to figure out the 

interacting mechanism between the 

two tropisms 

CBEF Kazuyuki 

Wakabayashi, 

Osaka City 

University 

ISS 
86 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie

Marangoni 

EXP 

Chaos, 

Turbulence and 

its Transition 

Process in 

Marangoni 

Convection 

JAXA Fluid Science Marangoni EXP is an experiment of 

Marangoni convection led by Koichi 

Nishino of Yokohama National 

University, and performed using the 

Fluid Physics Experiment Facility 

(FPEF) in the RYUTAI rack in Kibo. 

Within a silicone oil liquid bridge 

formed into a pair of disks, 

convection is induced by imposing a 

temperature difference between the 

disks. The flow and temperature 

fields in each stage (e.g., steady, 

oscillatory, and chaotic flow) are 

observed using several visualization 

techniques to determine the 

transition process. The experiment 

data and images are downlinked in 

real time and also recorded for 

detailed analysis. The experiment 

cell of this experiment was delivered 

to the ISS on the HTV-1 Mission 

FPEF Koichi Nishino, 

Yokohama 

National 

University 

ISS 

FACET Investigation on 

Mechanism of 

Faceted Cellular 

Array Growth 

JAXA Crystallization Facet is an experiment to investigate 

phenomena at the solid-liquid 

interface for facet-like crystallization 

that are considered to be strongly 

influenced by the temperature and 

concentration distributions in the 

liquid phase. The in-situ observation 

of both concentration and 

temperature diffusion fields with a 

two-wavelength interferometer will 

be performed for facet-like 

crystallization using transparent 

organic materials under microgravity 

conditions, a convection-free 

environment. The Facet Cell 1 was 

installed in the Solution 

Crystallization Observation 

Facility (SCOF) in the RYUTAI rack. 

After completing the first set of 

experiments with Facet Cell 1, a 

crew member changed the direction 

of the facet cell so that more 

experiments using Facet Cell 2 can 

be performed 

SCOF Yuko Inatomi, 

JAXA 

ISS 

Hicari Growth of 

Homogeneous 

SiGe Crystals in 

Microgravity by 

the TLZ Method 

JAXA Crystallization Hicari experiment aims to verify the 

crystal-growth theory, and to 

produce high-quality crystals of SiGe 

semiconductor, and performed using 

the Gradient Heating Furnace 

(GHF). The experimental cartridge 

containing SiGe samples is heated 

at the planned temperature profile in 

the GHF. After the cartridges are 

set in GHF, the experiment will be 

conducted by ground operations. 

The cartridges of this experiment will 

be delivered to Kibo, ISS on HTV-2 

GHF Kyoichi 

Kinoshita, 

JAXA 

Hicari 
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 87

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

JAXA PCG High-Quality 

Protein 

Crystallization 

Research 

JAXA Applied 

Research 

JAXA PCG seeks to grow crystals of 

biological macromolecules using the 

counter diffusion technique. The 

main scientific objective of the JAXA 

PCG experiment is to produce 

fine-quality protein crystals in 

microgravity. The crystals will be 

grown in the JAXA PCG Canister 

using the Protein Crystallization 

Research Facility (PCRF) in the 

RYUTAI rack. The space-grown 

crystals will be applied to structural 

biology and pharmaceutical activities. 

This experiment is a JAXAROSCOSMOS science collaboration. 

JAXA is performing the onboard 

experiments, including samples from 

the Russian research group, and 

ROSCOSMOS is operating the 

launch and retrieval 

PCRF Masaru Sato, 

JAXA (The 

samples are 

supplied from 

researchers in 

company, 

university, 

and national 

laboratory) 

ISS 

2D Nanotemplate 2D 

Nanotemplate 

JAXA Applied 

Research 

The 2D Nanotemplate will 

quantitatively evaluate gravitational 

effects on a new nanomaterial during 

its chemical reaction process. To 

prepare the two-dimensional template 

with nanoditches for electronic 

devices. The template is prepared 

via an isothermal reaction upon 

mixing of peptides and alkali water. 

To prevent sedimentation and 

convective flow, microgravity is 

needed 

MELFI Takatoshi 

Kinoshita, 

Nagoya 

Institute of 

Technology, 

Naokiyo 

Koshikawa, 

JAXA 

ISS 
88 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

NANOSKELETON Production of a 

Highperformance 

Nanomaterial: 

“Nanoskeleton” 

in Microgravity 

JAXA Applied 

Research 

Nanoskeleton2 will quantitatively 

evaluate gravitational effects on a 

new nanomaterial during its chemical 

reaction process. The nanoskeleton, 

a coined word that is defined as a 

functional nanoframework, is 

expected to be a highly functional 

material because of its high surface 

area. The high surface area is due to 

the pore structure and functionality of 

the framework itself. The TiO2 

nanoskeleton, especially, has 

potential as a high-performance 

photocatalyst and highly efficient 

dye-sensitized solar cell. The TiO2 

nanoskeleton is synthesized from a 

mixture of CTAB surfactant solution 

and TiOSO4-H2SO4 solution at 

40 degreesC or 3 days under 

isothermal conditions. The 

nanoskeleton experiment will be 

performed using the CBEF in the 

SAIBO rack. Oil will be used to 

enlarge the pore size of the 

honeycomb structure of the TiO2 

nanoskeleton so that flotation of the 

oil can be suppressed in microgravity. 

All of the experiment samples will be 

retrieved and evaluated on the 

ground. The retrieved samples will 

be evaluated to clarify convective 

flow, flotation, and sedimentation 

effects on the sample quality. During 

the experiment, temperature and 

downlinked images of the samples 

will be monitored. Results of this 

study may enable the synthesizing of 

nanoskeleton materials on a mass 

production scale, and eventually, 

commercial realization of 

nanoskeleton materials as 

photocatalytic particles and so on. 

This experiment will be performed 

under JAXA’s ISS Applied Research 

Center promotion program, which is 

joint university/industry/government 

research 

CBEF Masakazu 

Abe, Tokyo 

University of 

Science 

Naokiyo 

Koshikawa, 

JAXA 

ISS 
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 89

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

PADLES Passive 

Dosimeter for 

Life Science 

Experiments in 

Space 

JAXA Human 

Spaceflight 

Technology 

Development 

Area PADLES surveys the space 

radiation environment inside Kibo 

using the PADLES analysis system 

and passive and integrating 

dosimeter developed by JAXA for 

measuring absorbed dose, LET 

distributions, and dose equivalents. 

Ultimate goals of this program are to 

support risk assessment and dose 

management for Japanese 

astronauts, and to update radiation 

assessment models for human 

spaceflight in the next generation. 

There are 17 Area PADLES 

dosimeters installed in Kibo’s 

Pressurized Module (PM) and Kibo’s 

Experiment Logistics ModulePressurized Section (ELM-PS). They 

are replaced during each space 

station expedition. This series of 

experiments began from 

Expedition 17 

No 

Facility 

Keiji 

Murakami, 

Akiko 

Nagamatsu, 

JAXA 

ISS 

Message in a JAXA Utilization JAXA Culture, An astronaut on EVA would capture No Shiro Matsui, ISS 

bottle program for 

Culture, 

Humanities and 

Social Sciences 

“Message in a 

bottle” 

Humanities 

and Social 

Sciences 

space to the bottle and it will be 

brought back to earth. In doing so, 

the astronaut would not only create a 

memento of his or her time in space 

but also a message for present and 

future humankind. Once the Bottle is 

place in people's hands, it would 

become a conduit between humans 

and space, between this world and 

the one beyond us. It would inspire 

wonder about our extra-terrestrial 

activities in this new Age of 

Exploration, and make us realize that 

earth itself is merely one small part of 

the entire universe 

Facility Kyoto City 

University of 

Arts 
90 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

MAXI Monitor of All-sky 

X-ray Image 

JAXA X-ray 

Astronomy 

MAXI is an external observatory 

operated on the EF. MAXI was 

launched and installed on Kibo’s EF 

during the STS-127 Mission. MAXI 

has been and will be monitoring X-ray 

variability for more than 1,000 X-ray 

sources covering the entire sky. 

MAXI consists of two types of highly 

sensitive X-ray slit cameras: the Gas 

Slit Camera (GSC) and the Solidstate Slit Camera (SSC). The GSC 

uses a gas proportional counter for 

X-ray detection, and the SSC uses 

Peltier-cooled CCDs for X-ray 

detection. MAXI is equipped with 

12 GSCs and 2 SSCs. The 

discoveries of X-ray novae and 

gamma-ray bursts with MAXI are to 

be distributed worldwide via the 

Internet, so that astronomical 

observatories may conduct follow-up 

and detailed observations with 

telescopes or astronomical satellites 

JEM-EF Masaru 

Matsuoka, 

JAXA 

ISS 

SEDA-AP Space 

Environment 

Data Acquisition 

EquipmentAttached 

Payload 

JAXA Astrophysics/

Earth 

Observation 

SEDA-AP is an external experiment 

conducted on the Exposed 

Facility (EF). SEDA-AP was 

launched and installed on Kibo’s EF 

during the STS-127 mission, and it 

has been collecting space 

environment data ever since. It 

consists of common bus equipment, a 

mast that extends the neutron monitor 

sensor into space, and seven 

measurement units that measure 

space environment data. The 

measurement units are (1) Neutron 

Monitor (NEM), (2) Heavy Ion 

Telescope (HIT), (3) Plasma Monitor 

(PLAM), (4) Standard Dose Monitor 

(SDOM), (5) Atomic Oxygen Monitor 

(AOM), and (6) Electronic Device 

Evaluation Equipment (EDEE). 

Micro-Particles Capture (MPAC) and 

Space Environment Exposure 

Device (SEED) were removed by 

EVA and recovered by STS-131 

JEM-EF Tateo Goka, 

JAXA 

ISS 
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 91

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

Myco Mycological 

evaluation of crew 

member exposure 

to ISS ambient air 

JAXA Human 

Spaceflight 

Technology 

Development 

Myco1 will investigate and evaluate 

the risk of inhalation and adhesion of 

microorganisms to astronauts who 

are exposed to ambient air on board 

the ISS during long-duration 

missions. The ultimate goal of this 

experiment is to develop medically 

effective countermeasures to protect 

ISS crew members living in a closed 

environment of microgravity against 

the living environmental risks caused 

by microorganisms. Normal human 

flora is thought to be strongly affected 

by the living environment. The 

environment on board the ISS would 

progressively be contaminated by 

microorganisms since various 

microorganisms are brought up to the 

station along with commodities and or 

crew members themselves. Some of 

them are possible allergens in our 

living environment. To mitigate the 

risk of microbial contamination on 

board, it is necessary to take some 

countermeasures against microbial 

contaminations 

No 

Facility 

Chiaki 

MUKAI, 

Japan 

ISS 

BioRhythms The effect of longterm microgravity 

exposure on 

cardiac autonomic 

function by 

analyzing 

24-hours 

electrocardiogram 

JAXA Human 

Spaceflight 

Technology 

Development 

Biological Rhythms will record 

24-hour continuous ECG data of ISS 

crew members using a commercial 

Holter ECG recorder. The recordings 

will be performed once pre-flight, 

three times in-flight and once postflight. The in-flight data are 

downlinked to the ground after 

measurement. Using the data, 

cardiovascular and autonomic 

functions are analyzed. The data are 

also used to evaluate Biological 

Rhythm fluctuations and heart rest 

qualities of crew members while they 

sleep on board the ISS. The results 

of this experiment will be applied to 

improving health care technologies 

for the ISS crew 

No 

Facility 

Chiaki 

MUKAI, 

Japan 

ISS 
92 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

Hair Biomedical 

analyses of 

human hair 

exposed 

long-term space 

flight 

JAXA Human 

Spaceflight 

Technology 

Development 

Hair will study the effects of long-term 

exposure to the space environment 

on gene expression and mineral 

metabolism in human hair. Human 

hair is one of the most suitable 

biological specimens for a space 

experiment since there are no special 

requirements for handling or for use 

of hardware. Hair matrix cells actively 

divide in a hair follicle while these cell 

divisions sensitively reflect physical 

conditions. The hair shaft records the 

information of the astronauts’ 

metabolic conditions. These samples 

give us useful physiological 

information to examine the effects of 

spaceflight on astronauts participating 

in long-duration spaceflight missions. 

In the experiment, two different 

analyses will be performed using the 

station crew members’ hair: 

1) Nucleic Acids (RNA and 

mitochondrial DNA) and proteins in 

the hair root and 2) Minerals in the 

hair shaft 

No 

Facility 

Chiaki 

MUKAI, 

Japan 

ISS 

___-9 Kristallizator 

(Crystallizer) 

RSA PhysicoChemical 

Processes 

and Material 

in Condition of 

Cosmos 

Biological macromolecules 

crystallization and obtaining 

bio-crystal films under microgravity 

conditions 

 ISS Inflight 

___-21 

(___-20) 

Plazmennyi 

Kristall 

(Plasma Crystal) 

RSA PhysicoChemical 

Processes 

and Material 

in Condition of 

Cosmos 

Study of the plasma-dust crystals and 

fluids under microgravity 

 ISS Inflight 

___-1 Relaksatsiya RSA Geophysics 

and Located 

Beside Land 

Outer Space 

Study of chemiluminescent chemical 

reactions and atmospheric light 

phenomena that occur during 

high-velocity interaction between the 

exhaust products from spacecraft 

propulsion systems and the Earth 

atmosphere at orbital altitudes and 

during the entry of space vehicles into 

the Earth upper atmosphere 

 ISS Inflight 

___-8 Uragan RSA Geophysics 

and Located 

Beside Land 

Outer Space 

Experimental verification of the 

ground and space-based system for 

predicting natural and man-made 

disasters, mitigating the damage 

caused, and facilitating recovery 

 ISS Inflight 

___-12 Impulse (pulse) RSA Geophysics 

and Located 

Beside Land 

Outer Space 

Ionospheric sounding by pulsed 

plasma sources 

 ISS Inflight 
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 93

Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

___-16 Vsplesk (Burst) RSA Geophysics 

and Located 

Beside Land 

Outer Space 

Seismic effects monitoring. 

Researching high-energy particles 

streams in near-Earth space 

environment 

 ISS Inflight 

___-17 Molnija-Gamma 

(LightningGamma 

RSA Geophysics 

and Located 

Beside Land 

Outer Space 

Study atmospheric hits gamma and 

optical radiation in condition of the 

storm activity 

 ISS Inflight 

___-12 Sonokard RSA Biomedical 

Studies 

Integrated study of physiological 

functions during sleep period 

throughout a long space flight 

 ISS Inflight 

___-15 Pilot RSA Biomedical 

Studies 

Researching for individual features of 

state psychophysiological regulation 

and crew members professional 

activities during long space flights 

 ISS Inflight 

___-16 Vzaimodeistvie 

(Interaction) 

RSA Biomedical 

Studies 

Monitoring of the group crew activities 

under space flight conditions 

 ISS Inflight 

___-20 Tipologia RSA Biomedical 

Studies 

Researching for typological features 

of the activities of the ISS crews as 

operators activities in long term space 

flight phases 

 ISS Inflight 

___-21 Pneumocard RSA Biomedical 

Studies 

Study of space flight factors impacts 

on vegetative regulation of blood 

circulation, respiration and contractile 

heart function during long space flight

 ISS Inflight 

___-2 Biorisk RSA Biomedical 

Studies 

Study of space flight impact on 

microorganisms-substrates systems 

state related to space technique 

ecological safety and planetary 

quarantine problem 

 ISS Inflight 

___-5 Rasteniya RSA Biomedical 

Studies 

Study of the space flight effect on the 

growth and development of higher 

plants 

 ISS Inflight 

___-9 ___- radiometry 

Microwave 

radiometry 

RSA Remote 

Flexing the 

Land 

Investigation of the underlying 

surface, ocean and atmosphere 

 ISS Inflight 

___-12 Rusalka RSA Remote 

Flexing the 

Land 

Testing of the procedure to determine 

the carbon dioxide and methane 

content in the Earth atmosphere to 

understand a role of natural 

processes in human activity 

 ISS Inflight 

___-13 Seyener RSA Remote 

Flexing the 

Land 

Experimental methods of the 

interaction of the crews to cosmic 

station with court Fishing in process 

of searching for and mastering 

commercial-productive region of the 

World ocean 

 ISS Inflight 

___-3 Econ RSA Study of the 

Solar System 

Experimental researching of ISS RS 

resources estimating for ecological 

investigation of areas 

 ISS Inflight 

___-2_ BTN-Neutron RSA Study of the 

Solar System 

Study of fast and thermal neutrons 

fluxes 

 ISS Inflight 

___-5 Laktolen RSA Cosmic 

Biotechnology

Effect produced by space flight 

factors on Laktolen producing strain 

 ISS Inflight 
Research Experiments (continued) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

__-11 Biodegradatsiya RSA Cosmic 

Biotechnology

Assessment of the initial stages of 

biodegradation and biodeterioration of 

the surfaces of structural materials 

 ISS Inflight 

___-29 Zhenshen′-2 

(Ginseng-2 

RSA Cosmic 

Biotechnology

Study of the possibility to increase the 

ginseng biological activity 

 ISS Inflight 

___-42 Structure RSA Cosmic 

Biotechnology

Reception high-quality crystal ISS Inflight 

___-43 Constant RSA Cosmic 

Biotechnology

Study of the influence factor space 

flight on activity ferment 

 ISS Inflight 

___-14 (SDTO 

12002-R) 

Vektor-T RSA Technical 

Studies and 

Experiments 

Study of a high-precision system for 

ISS motion prediction 

 ISS Inflight 

___-15 (SDTO 

13002-R) 

Izgib RSA Technical 

Studies and 

Experiments 

Study of the relationship between the 

onboard systems operating modes 

and ISS flight conditions 

 ISS Inflight 

___-22 (SDTO 

13001-R) 

Identifikatsiya RSA Technical 

Studies and 

Experiments 

Identification of disturbance sources 

when the microgravity conditions on 

the ISS are disrupted 

 ISS Inflight 

___-38 Veterok RSA Technical 

Studies and 

Experiments 

Otrabotka new technology to 

optimization of the gas ambience in 

inhabited compartment ISS RS 

 ISS Inflight 

___-39 SLS (System 

lazer 

relationship) 

RSA Technical 

Studies and 

Experiments 

Otrabotka systems lazer relationship 

for issue greater array to information 

from target equipment 

 ISS Inflight 

___-44 Sreda-ISS 

(Environment) 

RSA Technical 

Studies and 

Experiments 

Studying ISS characteristics as 

researching environment 

 ISS Inflight 

___-50 Contur (Sidebar) RSA Technical 

Studies and 

Experiments 

Development of the methods of 

management through Internet robotmanipulator on ISS 

 ISS Inflight 

___-51 VIRU RSA Technical 

Studies and 

Experiments 

Virtual Guide ISS Inflight 

___-2 Bar RSA Technical 

Studies and 

Experiments 

Testing of principles and methods for 

the Space Station leak area control, 

selection of the sensor design and 

configuration 

 ISS Inflight 

___-3 Matryeshka-R RSA Study of the 

physical 

conditions in 

outer spaces 

on orbit ISS 

Study of radiation environment 

dynamics along the ISS RS flight path 

and in ISS compartments, and dose 

accumulation in anthropomorphous 

phantom, located inside and outside 

ISS 

 ISS Inflight 

___-3 MAI-75 RSA Formation and 

popularization 

cosmic 

studies 

Working-out of the method for radio 

probing of board-ground space for 

supporting preparation of “Ten” 

(“Shadow”) plasma experiment on 

ISS RS 

 ISS Inflight 

___-14 Ten′ - 

Mayak(Shadow – 

Beacon) 

RSA Formation and 

popularization 

cosmic 

studies 

Working-out of the method for radio 

probing of board-ground space for 

supporting preparation of “Ten” 

(“Shadow”) plasma experiment on 

ISS RS 

 ISS Inflight 

94 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010
OCTOBER 2010 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 95

Research Experiments (concluded) 

Name Title Agency Category Summary Location Principal 

Investigator ISS/Sortie 

___-43 Radioscaf RSA Formation and 

popularization 

cosmic 

studies 

Micro spacecrafts creation, 

preparation and launching during 

EVA 

 ISS Inflight 

___-10 Kulonovskiy 

crystal 

RSA Formation and 

popularization 

cosmic 

studies 

System speaker Study of the charged 

particles in magnetic field in condition 

the microgravity 

 ISS Inflight 

___-36 EXPOSE-R RSA Commercial Exposure of material samples in open 

space conditions to study the effect of 

ultraviolet radiation on them 

 ISS Inflight 

 
96 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2010

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OCTOBER 2010 NASA TELEVISION 97

Digital NASA Television and Multimedia 

The digital NASA Television system provides 

higher quality images and better use of satellite 

bandwidth, meaning multiple channels from 

multiple NASA program sources at the same 

time. 

Digital NASA TV has four digital channels 

1. NASA Public Service (“Free to Air”), 

featuring documentaries, archival 

programming, and coverage of NASA 

missions and events. 

2. NASA Education Services (“Free to 

Air/Addressable”), dedicated to providing 

educational programming to schools, 

educational institutions and museums. 

3. NASA Media Services (“Addressable”), for 

broadcast news organizations. 

4. NASA Mission Operations (Internal Only). 

Digital NASA TV channels may not always have 

programming on every channel simultaneously. 

NASA Television Now in HD 

NASA TV now has a full-time High Definition 

(HD) Channel available at no cost to cable and 

satellite service providers. Live coverage of 

space shuttle missions, on-orbit video of Earth 

captured by astronauts aboard the International 

Space Station, and rocket launches of 

advanced scientific spacecraft are among the 

programming offered on NASA HD. Also 

available are imagery from NASA’s vast array 

of space satellites as well as media briefings, 

presentations by expert lecturers, astronaut 

interviews and other special events, all in the 

improved detail and clarity of HD. 

Getting NASA TV via satellite (AMC3 

Transponder 15C) 

In continental North America, Alaska and 

Hawaii, NASA Television’s Public, Education, 

Media and HD channels are MPEG-2 digital 

C-band signals carried by QPSK/DVB-S 

modulation on satellite AMC-3, transponder 

15C, at 87 degrees west longitude. Downlink 

frequency is 4000 MHz, horizontal polarization, 

with a data rate of 38.86 Mhz, symbol rate of 

28.1115 Ms/s, and 3/4 FEC. A Digital Video 

Broadcast (DVB) compliant Integrated Receiver 

Decoder (IRD) is needed for reception. 

Effective Sept. 1, 2010, NASA TV changed the 

primary audio configuration for each of its four 

channels to AC-3, making each channel’s 

secondary audio MPEG 1 Layer II. 

For NASA TV downlink information, schedules 

and links to streaming video, visit 

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

Internet Information 

Information on NASA and its programs is 

available through the NASA Home Page and 

the NASA Public Affairs Home Page 

http://www.nasa.gov

or 

http://www.nasa.gov/newsinfo/

index.html

The primary source for International Space 

Station mission information and multimedia 

within the NASA Web site is 

http://www.nasa.gov/station

The NASA Human Space Flight Web contains 

an up-to-date archive of mission imagery, video 

and audio at 

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov
98 NASA TELEVISION OCTOBER 2010

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OCTOBER 2010 PAO CONTACTS 99

Expedition 25/26 Public Affairs Officers (PAO) Contacts 

John Yembrick International Partners 202-358-1100

NASA Headquarters Shuttle, Space Station Policy 

Washington, D.C. 

john.yembrick-1@nasa.gov

Michael Curie Shuttle, Space Station Policy 202-358-1100

NASA Headquarters 

Washington, D.C. 

michael.curie@nasa.gov

Stephanie Schierholz Shuttle, Space Station Policy 202-358-1100

NASA Headquarters 

Washington, D.C. 

stephanie.schierholz@nasa.gov

Joshua Buck Shuttle, Space Station Policy 202-358-1100

NASA Headquarters 

Washington, D.C. 

jbuck@nasa.gov

Michael Braukus Research in Space 202-358-1979

NASA Headquarters 

Washington, D.C. 

michael.j.braukus@nasa.gov

James Hartsfield Chief, Mission and Media Support 281-483-5111

NASA Johnson Space Center 

Houston 

james.a.hartsfield@nasa.gov

Kylie Clem Newsroom Manager 281-483-5111

NASA Johnson Space Center 

Houston 

kylie.s.clem@nasa.gov

Kyle Herring Space Shuttle Program 281-483-5111

NASA Johnson Space Center 

Houston 

kyle.j.herring@nasa.gov

Rob Navias Mission Operations Lead 281-483-5111

NASA Johnson Space Center 

Houston 

rob.navias-1@nasa.gov
100 PAO CONTACTS OCTOBER 2010

Kelly Humphries International Space Station and 281-483-5111

NASA Johnson Space Center Mission Operations Directorate 

Houston 

kelly.o.humphries@nasa.gov

Nicole Cloutier-Lemasters Astronauts 281-483-5111

NASA Johnson Space Center 

Houston 

nicole.cloutier-1@nasa.gov

Josh Byerly Advanced Planning And Mission 281-483-5111

NASA Johnson Space Center Operations 

Houston 

josh.byerly@nasa.gov

Bill Jeffs Space Life Sciences 281-483-5111

NASA Johnson Space Center 

Houston 

william.p.jeffs@nasa.gov

Steve Roy Science Operations 256-544-0034

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center 

Huntsville, Ala. 

steven.e.roy@nasa.gov

Ed Memi International Space Station/Space 281-226-4029

The Boeing Company Shuttle Communications 

Houston 

edmund.g.memi@boeing.com Space Exploration Division 

European Space Agency (ESA) 

Jean Coisne Head of European Astronaut 49-2203-60-01-110

European Space Agency Centre Outreach Office 

jean.coisne@esa.int

Communication Department 
OCTOBER 2010 PAO CONTACTS 101

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) 

Kumiko Sagara 

JAXA Public Affairs Representative 

Houston 

 281-792-7468

sagara.kumiko@jaxa.jp

JAXA Public Affairs Office 011-81-50-3362-4374

Tokyo, Japan, 

proffice@jaxa.jp

Canadian Space Agency (CSA) 

Jean-Pierre Arseneault 

Manager, Media Relations & Information Services 

jean-pierre.arseneault@asc-csa.gc.ca

 514-824-0560 (cell)

Media Relations Office 450-926-4370

Roscosmos Federal Space Agency 

Asya Samojlova 

Assistant to Alexander Vorobiev, Press Secretary to 

the General Director 

 7-495-975-4458 

(Press Office)

pressfka@roscosmos.ru or press@roscosmos.ru
102 PAO CONTACTS OCTOBER 2010

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