OCTOBER 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS i

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Section Page 

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

EXPEDITION 16 CREW ............................................................................................................ 7

MISSION MILESTONES ........................................................................................................... 17

EXPEDITION 16 SPACEWALKS................................................................................................ 21

RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA ............................................................................................................. 25

SOYUZ BOOSTER ROCKET CHARACTERISTICS .................................................................................... 31

PRELAUNCH COUNTDOWN TIMELINE ................................................................................................... 32

ASCENT/INSERTION TIMELINE ............................................................................................................ 33

ORBITAL INSERTION TO DOCKING TIMELINE ...................................................................................... 34

KEY TIMES FOR EXPEDITION 16/15 INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION EVENTS ................................... 39

EXPEDITION 16/SOYUZ TMA-10 LANDING ........................................................................................... 41

SOYUZ ENTRY TIMELINE ...................................................................................................................... 44

COLUMBUS EUROPEAN LABORATORY MODULE...................................................................... 49

ESA'S AUTOMATED TRANSFER VEHICLE (ATV) ...................................................................... 57

INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION: EXPEDITION 16 SCIENCE OVERVIEW ............................. 63

THE PAYLOAD OPERATIONS CENTER ...................................................................................... 71

ISS 16 RUSSIAN RESEARCH OBJECTIVES.............................................................................. 75

EUROPEAN EXPERIMENT PROGRAM ....................................................................................... 83

THE DIGITAL NASA TELEVISION ............................................................................................. 91

EXPEDITION 16 PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICERS (PAO) CONTACTS............................................. 93 
ii TABLE OF CONTENTS OCTOBER 2007

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OCTOBER 2007 MISSION OVERVIEW 1

Mission Overview 

Expedition 16: Expanding for International Science 

Attired in Russian Sokol launch and entry suits, NASA astronaut Peggy A. Whitson (right), 

Expedition 16 commander; cosmonaut Yuri I. Malenchenko, Soyuz commander and flight 

engineer representing Russia's Federal Space Agency; and Malaysian spaceflight participant 

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor take a break from training in Star City, Russia to pose for a portrait. 

Whitson, Malenchenko and Shukor are scheduled to launch to the International Space Station 

in a Soyuz spacecraft in October. Photo credit: Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center. 

On Oct. 10, an American astronaut, a Russian cosmonaut and a Malaysian spaceflight participant will be launched aboard the 

Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft to the International Space Station from the Baikonur 

Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The crew will 

replace two other Russians, who have been 

in space for six months. The arrival of the 

Expedition 16 crew marks the beginning of 

the most complex phase of station assembly since humans first occupied the outpost 

seven years ago. 
2 MISSION OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2007

Making her second flight into space, NASA 

astronaut Peggy Whitson, 47, will become 

the first female commander of the station. 

She was a flight engineer and the first 

NASA science officer during the 

Expedition 5 mission to the complex in 

2002. Joining Whitson is veteran Russian 

cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko (MuhLEHN’chen-ko), a Russian Air Force colonel, 45, who will serve as flight engineer 

and Soyuz commander for launch, landing 

and on-orbit operations. This is 

Malenchenko’s fourth flight and third trip to 

the station, having commanded the 

Expedition 7 mission after the shuttle Columbia accident in 2003. 

Whitson and Malenchenko will be joined for 

launch by Dr. Sheikh Muzaphar Shukor 

(SHAYK’ Moo-ZAH’-far SHOO’-kor), 35, a 

Malaysian spaceflight participant. He is an 

orthopedic surgeon in Kuala Lumpur and 

the first Malaysian to fly in space under a 

commercial agreement with the Russian 

Federal Space Agency. Shukor will spend 

nine days on the station, returning to Earth 

in the Soyuz TMA-10 spacecraft on 

October 21 with Expedition 15 Commander 

Fyodor Yurchikhin (Fee-OH’-dohr YOOR’-

chee-kin), 48, and Oleg Kotov (AH’-leg 

KOH’-toff) 41, who will be the Soyuz commander for entry and landing. They have 

been aboard the station since April 9. 

For launch, Whitson will be in the left seat 

of the Soyuz as board engineer while 

Malenchenko occupies the center seat as 

Soyuz commander. His call sign for launch, 

docking and landing in April 2008 will be 

“Agat,” a Russian word for stone. Shukor 

will be in the right seat of the Soyuz. 

Two days after launch, the Soyuz TMA-11 

craft will dock to the station’s Zarya module. 

Once hatches are opened, Whitson and 

Malenchenko will join Flight Engineer Clayton Anderson, 48, who was launched on the 

shuttle Atlantis in June. Anderson will be 

replaced by Flight Engineer Dan Tani 

(TAW’-knee), 46, during shuttle Discovery's 

STS-120 mission. Discovery will deliver and 

install the Node 2 module, known as 

Harmony, and will carry Anderson back to 

Earth. 

Astronaut Peggy A. Whitson (background), 

Expedition 16 commander, and cosmonaut 

Yuri I. Malenchenko, flight engineer 

representing Russia's Federal Space 

Agency, participate in a training session at 

the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center, 

Star City, Russia. Whitson and Malenchenko 

are attired in training versions of Russian 

Sokol launch and entry suits. Photo credit: 

Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center.
OCTOBER 2007 MISSION OVERVIEW 3

Astronauts Peggy Whitson, Expedition 16 commander; and Dan Tani, Expedition 15/16 

flight engineer, use the virtual reality lab at the Johnson Space Center to train for their 

duties aboard the International Space Station. This type of computer interface, paired 

with virtual reality training hardware and software, helps to prepare the entire team for 

dealing with space station elements. 

Discovery’s crew also will relocate the first 

set of station solar arrays on the Port 6 (P6) 

truss on the left side of the station from its 

current location atop the Z1 truss to the far 

end of the port side of the station’s truss 

structure. The arrays, which were retracted 

during two shuttle flights last December and 

in June, will be redeployed to add more 

power capability for the remainder of the 

station modules and experiments yet to be 

launched. 

Whitson and Malenchenko will see two 

other partial crew rotations during their 

six months in space. Tani will be replaced 

by European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Leopold Eyharts (A’-yarts), a French 

Air Force colonel, 50, in December on the 

STS-122 mission that delivers the European Columbus science laboratory to the 

station. Eyharts, in turn, will be replaced in 

February 2008 by NASA astronaut Garrett 

Reisman (REEZ’-mun), 39, who will be 

launched on the STS-123 mission that 

brings the first Japanese “Kibo” element to 

the station, the Experiment Logistics Module-Pressurized Section. 
4 MISSION OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2007

This crew portrait shows the variety of crewmembers who will occupy the International Space 

Station during Expedition 16. Astronaut Peggy Whitson (front row, right), station commander; 

and Russia's Federal Space Agency cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko (front row, left), flight 

engineer and Soyuz commander, will join NASA astronaut Clay Anderson (back row, left), flight 

engineer, in October after launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on the 

Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft. Anderson will be replaced in October by astronaut Dan Tani (back 

row, second from left), flight engineer, who will yield his place in December to Leopold Eyharts 

of the European Space Agency (back row, third from left). Eyharts will be replaced in 

February 2008 by astronaut Garrett Reisman (back row, far right), flight engineer. 

Once on board, Whitson and Malenchenko 

will conduct more than a week of handover 

activities with Yurchikhin, Kotov and Anderson, familiarizing themselves with station

 

 

systems and procedures. They also will

receive proficiency training on the

Canadarm2 robotic arm from the resident 

crew and engage in safety briefings as well 

as payload and scientific equipment training. 

The change of command ceremony during 

the docked operations between crews will 

mark the formal handover of the station to 

Whitson and Malenchenko, just days before 

the Expedition 15 crew members and Shukor depart the station. 

After landing, Yurchikhin, Kotov and Shukor 

will be flown from Kazakhstan to the 
OCTOBER 2007 MISSION OVERVIEW 5

Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star 

City, for approximately two weeks of initial 

physical rehabilitation. Due to the brevity of 

his fight, Shukor will spend significantly less 

time acclimating himself to Earth’s gravity 

than Yurchikhin and Kotov. 

The Expedition 16 crew will work with 

experiments across a wide variety of fields, 

including human life sciences, physical sciences and Earth observation, as well as 

education and technology demonstrations. 

Many experiments are designed to gather 

information about the effects of longduration spaceflight on the human body, 

which will help with planning future exploration missions to the moon and Mars. The 

science team at the Payload Operations 

Integration Center at NASA’s Marshall 

Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., will 

operate some experiments without crew input and other experiments are designed to 

function autonomously. 

In addition to an unprecedented trio of shuttle missions that will deliver the Harmony 

and Columbus modules and the initial 

Japanese element, the station crew is 

expected to greet the arrival of two Russian 

Progress resupply cargo ships filled with 

food, fuel, water and supplies that will augment the delivery of supplies on visiting 

shuttles. The ISS Progress 27 cargo craft is 

targeted to reach the station on Christmas 

Day, and ISS Progress 28 is slated to arrive 

in February. 

In addition, Whitson, Malenchenko and 

Eyharts are set to preside over the maiden 

rendezvous and docking of the unpiloted 

European Space Agency’s Automated 

Transfer Vehicle (ATV) cargo craft, named 

Jules Verne, currently targeted for launch 

early next year on a European Ariane 5 

rocket from the Arianespace launch site in 

Kourou, French Guiana. 

The 14-ton ATV is capable of delivering up 

to eight tons of cargo to the station, roughly 

four times the amount that is brought to 

orbit on the Russian Progress vehicles. The 

Jules Verne will automatically dock to the 

aft port of the Zvezda Service Module a little more than two weeks after launch following an extensive on-orbit checkout of its 

systems, and will remain at the station until 

early April. 

Whitson will conduct a station “stage” 

spacewalk during the docked phase of 

STS-120. Whitson conducted one spacewalk during Expedition 5, and Malenchenko 

conducted two spacewalks in 1994 during a 

mission on the Mir Space Station and a 

third spacewalk during the STS-106 shuttle 

mission in 2000. 

Artist's rendition of the Automated Transfer 

Vehicle approaching the International 

Space Station. 
6 MISSION OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2007

Astronaut Peggy A. Whitson, Expedition 16 commander, dons a training version of the 

Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) space suit prior to being submerged in the waters 

of the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) near the Johnson Space Center. 

Suit technicians assisted Whitson. 

During their spacewalk, Whitson and 

Malenchenko will stow cables and avionics 

for the forward docking port on the Destiny 

Laboratory, known as the Pressurized Mating Adapter-2 (PMA-2). This will be done in 

preparation for its detachment and relocation to the forward end of the newly delivered Harmony module in early November. 

Harmony and its PMA-2 will then be moved 

from the port side of Unity to the forward 

end of Destiny to complete an intricate 

series of robotics activities in the early days 

of the Expedition 16 mission. 

Whitson will join Tani for two additional 

spacewalks in November to hook up electrical and cooling loop connections to the 

newly located Harmony/PMA-2 so it can 

serve as the new docking port for Atlantis 

on the STS-122 mission and beyond. Tani 

conducted one previous spacewalk on the 

STS-108 mission to the station in 2001. 

No Russian-based spacewalks are currently scheduled during Expedition 16. 

After six months on the station, Whitson 

and Malenchenko will board the Soyuz 

TMA-11 and depart the station, leaving it in 

the hands of Expedition 17 Commander 

Sergei Volkov and flight engineers 

Oleg Kononenko and Reisman. 
OCTOBER 2007 CREW 7

Expedition 16 Crew 

Peggy Whitson 

With more than 184 days of long-duration 

spaceflight experience behind her, 

Peggy Whitson is well prepared to lead as 

the first female commander of the International Space Station. Whitson served as a 

flight engineer on Expedition 5 in 2002. 

During her six-month stay aboard the station, Whitson installed the Mobile Base System and two truss segments using the station’s robotic arm. She also performed a 

spacewalk to install micrometeoroid shielding on the Zvezda Service Module and activated the Microgravity Sciences Glovebox. 

She was named the first NASA science officer during her stay, and conducted 21 investigations in human life sciences and microgravity sciences, as well as commercial 

payloads. 

Whitson received a Bachelor of Science 

degree in biology/chemistry from Iowa 

Wesleyan College in 1981, and a doctorate 

in biochemistry from Rice University in 

1985. From 1989 to 1993, Whitson worked 

as a research biochemist in the Biomedical 

Operations and Research Branch at NASA. 

For the next several years, she held a 

number of senior positions within NASA until her selection as an astronaut in 1996. 
10 CREW OCTOBER 2007

Yuri Malenchenko 

This will be the fourth flight for cosmonaut 

Yuri Malenchenko. His first mission was a 

126-day spaceflight in 1994 as part of the 

Mir-16 mission. He then went on to train for 

shuttle missions, and served on the crew of 

STS-106 preparing the International Space 

Station for the arrival of the first permanent 

crew. 

His next mission, as commander of Expedition 7, paired him back up with one of his 

shuttle crewmates, Ed Lu. The two worked 

and lived on the orbiting complex for more 

than 185 days in 2003. Since then, 

Malenchenko has continued his longduration training, including training as a 

backup for Expedition 14. 

He will serve as commander of the Soyuz 

spacecraft as well as flight engineer during 

his stay on the station. 
OCTOBER 2007 CREW 11

Clayton Anderson 

Clayton Anderson will be in the final stretch 

of his first spaceflight mission when he joins 

the Expedition 16 crew as a flight engineer. 

Anderson arrived to the station in June as 

part of the STS-117 crew. He then joined 

Expedition 15 as a flight engineer. He has 

completed three spacewalks and supported 

the visit of the STS-118 space shuttle crew 

in August. 

Anderson is scheduled to return to Earth 

later this fall as part of the STS-120 crew. 

Anderson is a graduate of Hastings College 

in Nebraska and Iowa State University. He 

joined NASA in 1983 in the Mission Planning and Analysis Division, then transitioned to the Mission Operations Directorate where he progressed to chief of the 

Flight Design Branch. He was selected to 

join NASA’s astronaut corps in 1998. 
12 CREW OCTOBER 2007

Daniel Tani 

Replacing Anderson will be astronaut 

Daniel Tani, a veteran of one prior space 

shuttle flight. Tani will serve as flight engineer for the Expedition 16 crew, after arriving on space shuttle Discovery on the 

STS-120 mission. Once his Soyuz seatliner is transferred from the shuttle to the 

station, he will officially become a station 

crew member and will remain onboard with 

Whitson and Malenchenko. He is scheduled 

to come back on STS-122, targeted for 

launch in December. 

A Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

graduate, Tani joined NASA in 1996. He 

served in numerous roles, including the 

EVA (Extravehicular Activity) Branch and as 

a crew support astronaut for Expedition 4. 

Tani flew on STS-108 in 2001 and has 

logged more 11 days in space, including a 

spacewalk to wrap thermal blankets around 

ISS Solar Array Gimbals. He also trained 

and qualified as the backup flight engineer 

for Expedition 11. 
OCTOBER 2007 CREW 13

Leopold Eyharts 

This will be the second spaceflight for Leopold Eyharts, a French astronaut from the 

Center National d’Etudes Spatiales. He was 

selected by CNES in 1990, and was selected as an astronaut by the European 

Space Agency in 1992. 

His first mission was to the Mir Space Station in 1998, where he supported the CNES 

scientific space mission “Pégase.” He performed various French experiments in the 

areas of medical research, neuroscience, 

biology, fluid physics and technology. He 

logged 20 days, 18 hours and 20 minutes in 

space. 

In 1998, the European Space Agency assigned Eyharts to train at NASA’s Johnson 

Space Center. He is scheduled to arrive to 

the orbiting laboratory on the STS-122 mission and return via STS-123, targeted for 

February 2008. 
14 CREW OCTOBER 2007

Garrett Reisman 

This will be the first spaceflight mission for 

Garrett Reisman, who was selected by 

NASA in 1998. Reisman is from New Jersey and holds a bachelor's degree in economics as well as a bachelor's, master's 

and doctorate in mechanical engineering. 

He has worked in the aerospace industry 

since his graduation. Once he joined NASA 

and fulfilled his initial astronaut training, he 

supported various technical assignments 

such as the Astronaut Office Robotics 

Branch, Advanced Vehicles Branch and a 

mission on NEEMO V, living on the bottom 

of the sea in the Aquarius habitat for 

two weeks. 

Reisman is scheduled to arrive to the orbiting complex on shuttle mission STS-123 

and return on shuttle mission STS-119. 
OCTOBER 2007 CREW 15

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor 

Joining Whitson and Malenchenko for the 

journey to the space station will be Dr. 

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor. He began the 

process for cosmonaut selection in Malaysia in 1995, and more than 10 years later 

was assigned to travel to the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center for spaceflight 

training. Shukor arrived in Moscow in September 2006 and began training in 

October 2006. 

Shukor holds a Master of Science degree in 

orthopedic surgery from the Kebangsaan 

University, Malaysia. He will perform a 

number of Malaysian science and outreach 

experiments as part of his stay on the station. He is scheduled to return via the 

Soyuz with Expedition 15 Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight Engineer Oleg 

Kotov.
16 CREW OCTOBER 2007

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OCTOBER 2007 MISSION MILESTONES 17

Mission Milestones 

(Dates are subject to change) 

2007: 

Oct. 10 Expedition 16 launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan on 

Soyuz TMA-11 with Malaysian spaceflight participant 

Oct. 12 Expedition 16 docks to the International Space Station’s Zarya Module on 

Soyuz TMA-11 with Malaysian spaceflight participant 

Oct. 19 Change of command ceremony with departing Expedition 15 crew 

Oct. 21 Undocking and landing of Expedition 15 crew from Zvezda Service 

Module and landing in Kazakhstan on Soyuz TMA-10 with Malaysian 

spaceflight participant 

Oct. 23 Launch of Discovery on the STS-120/10A mission 

Oct. 25 Docking of Discovery to ISS Pressurized Mating Adapter-2 (PMA-2); 

Anderson and Tani swap places as Expedition 16 crew members 

Oct. 26 Installation of Harmony Node 2 to port side of Unity Node 1 

Nov. 1 U.S. stage EVA 9 by Whitson and Malenchenko (occurs during STS-120 

docked operations) 

Nov. 3 Undocking of Discovery from ISS PMA-2 

Nov. 5 Relocation of PMA-2 from forward end of Destiny to Harmony Node 2 

Nov. 7 Relocation of Harmony Node 2/PMA-2 from port side of Unity Node 1 to 

forward end of Destiny Laboratory 

Nov. 13 U.S. Stage EVA 10 by Whitson and Tani to hook up connections between 

Harmony Node 2 and Destiny 

Nov. 17 U.S. Stage EVA 11 by Whitson and Tani to hook up connections between 

Harmony Node 2 and Destiny 

Nov. 20 Harmony Node 2 ingress and outfitting 

Dec. 6 Launch of Atlantis on the STS-122/1E mission 
18 MISSION MILESTONES OCTOBER 2007

Dec. 8 Docking of Atlantis to ISS PMA-2 

Dec. 9 Installation of Columbus Module to starboard docking port of Harmony 

Node 2; Tani and Eyharts swap places as Expedition 16 crew members 

Dec. 15 Undocking of Atlantis from PMA-2 

Dec. 22 Undocking of ISS Progress 26 from Pirs docking compartment 

Dec. 23 Launch of ISS Progress 27 from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan 

Dec. 25 Docking of ISS Progress 27 to Pirs docking compartment 

2008: 

NET Jan. 31 Launch of the “Jules Verne” Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) on an 

Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana 

Feb. 6 ISS Progress 27 undocking from Pirs docking compartment 

Feb. 7 Launch of ISS Progress 28 from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan 

Feb. 9 Docking of ISS Progress 28 to Pirs docking compartment 

Feb. 10 ATV Demo Day 1 

Feb. 12 ATV Demo Day 2 

Feb. 14 Launch of Endeavour on the STS-123/1J-A mission 

Feb. 16 Docking of Endeavour to PMA-2; Eyharts and Reisman swap places as 

Expedition 16 crew members 

Feb. 17 Installation of the Japanese Experiment Logistics Module-Pressurized 

Section (ELM-PS) to zenith port of Harmony Node 2 

Feb. 27 Undocking of Endeavour from PMA-2 

March 3 Docking of ATV to aft port of Zvezda Service Module 

April 4 Undocking of ATV from aft port of Zvezda Service Module 

April 7 Undocking of ISS Progress 28 from Pirs docking compartment 

April 8 Expedition 17 launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan on 

Soyuz TMA-12 with spaceflight participant
OCTOBER 2007 MISSION MILESTONES 19

April 10 Expedition 17 docks to the International Space Station’s Pirs docking 

compartment on Soyuz TMA-12 with spaceflight participant 

April 19 Undocking of Expedition 16 crew from Zarya Module and landing in 

Kazakhstan on Soyuz TMA-11 with spaceflight participant 
20 MISSION MILESTONES OCTOBER 2007

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OCTOBER 2007 SPACEWALKS 21

Expedition 16 Spacewalks 

Cosmonaut Yuri I. Malenchenko, Expedition 16 flight engineer representing Russia's Federal 

Space Agency, dons a training version of the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) space suit 

prior to being submerged in the waters of the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) near the 

Johnson Space Center. Suit technicians assisted Malenchenko. 

During three planned U.S. spacewalks, 

Expedition 16 crew members will prepare 

the station for the activation of the newly 

delivered Harmony node, a utility hub providing air, electrical power, water and other 

systems essential to support life on the station. During future missions, the station’s 

European and Japanese segments will be 

mated to the station at the Harmony node. 

The Expedition 16 spacewalks will prepare 

for the robotic relocations of PMA-2 and 

Harmony. 

The first of the three spacewalks — also 

known as extravehicular activities or EVAs 

— of the Expedition 16 crew will be performed on the eleventh day of the STS-120 

space shuttle mission. While it is the first for 

the Expedition 16 mission, it will be the fifth 

spacewalk of the STS-120 mission and will 

occur while Discovery is docked to the station. This 6.5-hour spacewalk initiates 

preparations for the detachment and relocation of PMA-2 from the forward docking port 
22 SPACEWALKS OCTOBER 2007

of the Destiny Laboratory to the forward 

end of the Harmony. 

Harmony’s installation and activation is a 

two-step process. Discovery will dock to 

PMA-2 and then the STS-120 crew will 

attach Harmony to a temporary position on 

the port side of Unity before its final installation to the station. After Discovery leaves, 

the Expedition 16 crew will use Candarm2 

to move PMA-2 to the forward port on Harmony. Then, the crew will use the arm to 

move and install Harmony to its permanent 

location at the end of Destiny, completing a 

series of robotics activities. 

Also during the spacewalk, Whitson and 

Malenchenko will: 

• stow cables from the recently installed 

shuttle-to-station power transfer system 

• stow avionics for the PMA-2 

• remove the cover from Harmony’s 

Common Berthing Mechanism 

• reconfigure the power and jumper cables that connect Unity to the starboard 

truss and those that connect the PMA-1 

to the Zarya 

For the first spacewalk, Expedition 16 

Commander Peggy Whitson will wear the 

spacesuit with red stripes. Flight Engineer 

Yuri Malenchenko will wear the all-white 

spacesuit. 

Astronaut Peggy A. Whitson, Expedition 16 commander, dons an EMU space suit 

prior a simulation at the NBL.
OCTOBER 2007 SPACEWALKS 23

For the two additional spacewalks, designated EVA 10 and EVA 11, Whitson will be 

joined by newly arrived Expedition 16 Flight 

Engineer Dan Tani. 

The primary goal of these two spacewalks 

is to hook up electrical and cooling loop 

connections to the newly mated and relocated Harmony/PMA-2. This will allow 

PMA-2 to serve as the docking port for 

future missions, including the upcoming 

STS-122 mission. Planned tasks for the two 

spacewalks include: 

• release, vent, and stow S0 truss 

port/starboard ammonia shunt jumpers 

• deploy Harmony port and starboard fluid 

umbilical trays 

• connect and install S0/Harmony rigid 

avionics pigtails, ammonia (NH3) 

umbilicals, the 12 port and starboard 

fluid umbilical tray Spool Positioning 

Devices (SPDs) and internal utilities; 

• connect Harmony/PMA-2 umbilicals 

• release petal cover launch restraints on 

the Harmony starboard Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) 

• install Lab/Harmony gap spanner 

• reconnect the radiator beam P1 fluid line 

secondary heaters 

• install fluid tray thermal blanket 

During these spacewalks, Tani will wear the 

all-white spacesuit. 

No Russian-based spacewalks are currently scheduled during Expedition 16. 

Astronaut Daniel M. Tani, Expedition 16 flight engineer, dons an EMU before a training 

dive at the NBL. European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Paolo Nespoli (left), STS-120 

mission specialist, assists Tani who is scheduled to join Expedition 16 after launching 

to the International Space Station on STS-120.
24 SPACEWALKS OCTOBER 2007

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OCTOBER 2007 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 25

Russian Soyuz TMA 

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 at the 

ISS. 

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 on orbit during free-flight. 

It has a volume of 6.5 cubic meters 

(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 antennas 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 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 crewmember, individually 

molded to fit each person's body — this 

ensures a tight, comfortable fit when the 

module lands on the Earth. When crewmembers are brought to the station aboard 

the space shuttle, their seat liners are 

brought with them and transferred to the 

Soyuz spacecraft as part of crew handover 

activities. 
26 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2007

The module has a periscope, which allows 

the crew to view the docking target on the 

station or the Earth below. The eight hydrogen peroxide thrusters located 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 2,900 kilograms 

(6,393 pounds), with a habitable volume of 

4 cubic meters (141 cubic feet). Approximately 50 kilograms (110 pounds) of payload can be returned to Earth in this module 

and up to 150 kilograms (331 pounds) if 

only two crewmembers 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, with a cooling area 

of 8 square meters (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 

unsymmetric-dimethylhydrazine. 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 atmosphere upon re-entry. 

TMA Improvements and Testing 

The Soyuz TMA spacecraft is a replacement for the Soyuz TM, which was used 

from 1986 to 2002 to take astronauts and 

cosmonauts to Mir and then to the International Space Station. 

The TMA increases 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 1.9 meters 

(6 feet, 3 inches tall) and 95 kilograms 

(209 pounds), compared to 1.8 meters 

(6 feet) and 85 kilograms (187 pounds) in 

the earlier TM. Minimum crewmember size 

for the TMA is 1.5 meters (4 feet, 11 

inches) and 50 kilograms (110 pounds), 
OCTOBER 2007 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 27

compared to 1.6 meters (5 feet, 4 inches) 

and 56 kilograms (123 pounds) for the TM. 

Two new engines reduce landing speed 

and forces felt by crewmembers by 15 to 

30 percent and a new entry control system

 

 

and three-axis accelerometer increase

landing accuracy. Instrumentation

improvements include 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 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 airdrop 

tests. Additionally, extensive tests of systems and components were conducted on 

the ground. 

Soyuz Launcher 

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 flights. 
A Soyuz launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. 

28 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2007
OCTOBER 2007 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 29

The basic Soyuz vehicle is considered a 

three-stage launcher in Russian terms and 

is composed of: 

• 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 around the second stage central core. 

The boosters are identical and cylindricalconic 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 separation occurs when the 

pre-defined velocity is reached, which is 

about 118 seconds after liftoff. 

Second Stage 

An NPO Energomash RD 108 engine powers the Soyuz second stage. This engine 

has four vernier thrusters, necessary for 

three-axis flight control 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 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. Cutoff occurs at a calculated 

velocity. 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 and initial performance assessment. All flight data 

is analyzed and documented within a few 

hours after launch. 
30 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2007

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 railcar. Transfer to the 

launch zone occurs two days before launch. 

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 to reach the space station. The rendezvous and docking are both automated, 

though once the spacecraft is within 

150 meters (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. 
OCTOBER 2007 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 31

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 
32 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2007

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 on-board 

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 
OCTOBER 2007 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 33

Prelaunch Countdown Timeline (concluded) 

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 

 
34 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2007

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 V’s) 

- 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 
FLIGHT DAY 1 OVERVIEW (CONTINUED) 

Orbit 4 Crew report on burn performance upon AOS 

(continued) - 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 2007 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 35
36 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2007

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 Crew sleep, off of Russian tracking range 

(11) - 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 
OCTOBER 2007 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 37

FLIGHT DAY 3 AUTO RENDEZVOUS SEQUENCE (CONCLUDED) 

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 

 
38 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2007

Typical Soyuz Ground Track 
OCTOBER 2007 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 39

Key Times for Expedition 16/15 International Space Station Events 

Expedition 16/SFP Launch: 

8:22:37 a.m. CT on Oct. 10 

13:22:37 GMT on Oct. 10 

17:22:37 p.m. Moscow time on Oct. 10 

19:22:37 p.m. Baikonur time on Oct. 10 

Expedition 16/SFP Docking to the ISS: 

9:52:30 a.m. CT on Oct. 12 

14:52:30 GMT on Oct. 12 

18:52:30 p.m. Moscow time on Oct. 12 

Expedition 16/SFP Hatch Opening to the ISS: 

11:20 a.m. CT on Oct. 12 

16:20 GMT on Oct. 12, 20:20 p.m. 

Moscow time on Oct. 12 

Expedition 15/SFP Hatch Closure to the ISS: 

11:05 p.m. CT on Oct. 20 

4:05 GMT on Oct. 21 

8:05 a.m. Moscow time on Oct. 21 

10:05 a.m. Kazakhstan time on Oct. 21 

Expedition 15/SFP Undocking from the ISS: 

2:13 a.m. CT on Oct. 21 

7:13 GMT on Oct. 21 

11:13 a.m. Moscow time on Oct. 21 

13:13 p.m. Kazakhstan time on Oct. 21 
40 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2007

Expedition 15/SFP Deorbit Burn: 

4:45:45 a.m. CT on Oct. 21 

9:45:45 GMT on Oct. 21 

13:45:45 p.m. Moscow time on Oct. 21 

15:45:45 p.m. Kazakhstan time on Oct. 21 

Expedition 15/SFP Landing: 

5:35:57 a.m. CT on Oct. 21 

10:35:57 GMT on Oct. 21 

14:35:57 p.m. Moscow time on Oct. 21 

16:35:57 p.m. Kazakhstan time on Oct. 21 (1 hour, 52 minutes before sunset) 
OCTOBER 2007 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 41

 Expedition 15/Soyuz TMA-10 Landing

Following a nine-day handover with the 

newly arrived Expedition 16 crew, Expedition 15 Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin, 

Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov and Malaysian 

Spaceflight Participant Sheikh Muszaphar 

Shukor will board their Soyuz TMA-10 capsule for undocking and a one-hour descent 

back to Earth. Yurchikhin and Kotov will 

complete a six-month mission in orbit, while 

Shukor will return after an 11-day flight. 

About three hours before undocking, Yurchikhin, Kotov and Shukor will bid farewell 

to the new Expedition 16 crew, Commander 

Peggy Whitson and Russian Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko, along with Flight 

Engineer Clay Anderson, who arrived at the 

station in June on the shuttle Atlantis. The 

departing crew will climb into the Soyuz 

vehicle, closing the hatch between Soyuz 

and the Zvezda Service Module. Yurchikhin 

will be seated in the Soyuz’ left seat for entry and landing as on-board engineer. Kotov 

will be in the center seat as Soyuz commander as he was for the April launch, and 

Shukor will occupy the right seat. 

After activating Soyuz systems and getting 

approval from Russian flight controllers at 

the Russian Mission Control Center outside 

Moscow, Kotov will send commands to 

open hooks and latches between Soyuz 

and Zvezda. The Soyuz was relocated in 

September from its original docking port on 

the Zarya module. 

Kotov will fire the Soyuz thrusters to back 

away from Zvezda. Six minutes after 

undocking, with the Soyuz about 20 meters 

away from the station, Kotov 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 19 kilometers from the station, Soyuz computers will initiate a de-orbit 

burn braking maneuver. The 4.5-minute 

maneuver to slow the spacecraft will enable 

it to drop out of orbit and begin its reentry to 

Earth. 

About 30 minutes later, just above the first 

traces of the Earth’s atmosphere, computers will command the separation of the 

three modules of the Soyuz vehicle. With 

the crew strapped in to the Descent Module, the forward Orbital Module containing 

the docking mechanism and rendezvous 

antennas and the rear Instrumentation and 

Propulsion Module, which houses the 

engines and avionics, will pyrotechnically 

separate and burn up in the atmosphere. 

The Soyuz TMA-10 spacecraft moves away 

from the International Space Station shortly 

after undocking. Image credit: NASA TV. 
42 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2007

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 8 minutes later at an altitude of about 

10 kilometers, traveling at about 220 meters 

per second, the Soyuz’ computers will 

begin a commanded 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 

24 square meters. Within 16 seconds, the 

Soyuz’s descent will slow to about 

80 meters 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 prior to touchdown. 

The drogue chute is jettisoned, allowing the 

main parachute to be deployed. Connected 

to the Descent Module by two harnesses, 

the main parachute covers an area of about 

1000 meters. The deployment of the main 

parachute slows down the Descent Module 

to a velocity of about 7 meters 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 hang vertically through touchdown. 

At an altitude of a little more than 5 kilometers, the crew will monitor the jettison of the 

Descent Module’s heat shield, which is followed by the termination of the aerodynamic spin cycle and the dumping of any 

residual propellant from the Soyuz. Computers also 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. 

At an altitude of about 12 meters, cockpit 

displays will tell Kotov to prepare for the 

soft landing engine firing. Just one meter 

above the surface, and just seconds before 

touchdown, the six solid propellant engines 

are fired in a final braking maneuver. This 

enables the Soyuz to settle down to a 

velocity of about 1.5 meters per second and 

land to complete its mission. 

A Russian recovery team and several 

NASA observers, including three engineers 

from the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle 

Program, will be in the landing area in a 

convoy of Russian military helicopters 

awaiting the Soyuz landing. Once the capsule touches down, the helicopters will land 

nearby to meet the crew. 

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. 

They will be seated in special reclining 

chairs near the capsule for initial medical 
OCTOBER 2007 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 43

tests and to provide an opportunity to begin 

readapting to Earth’s gravity. 

About two hours after landing, the crew will 

be assisted to the helicopters for a flight 

back to a staging site in Kazakhstan, where 

local officials will welcome them. The crew 

will then board a Russian military transport 

plane and flown back to the Chkalovsky Airfield adjacent to the Gagarin Cosmonaut 

Training Center in Star City, Russia, where 

their families will meet them. In all, it will 

take around eight hours between landing 

and the return to Star City. 

Assisted by a team of flight surgeons, Yurchikhin and Kotov will undergo several 

weeks of medical tests and physical rehabilitation. Shukor’s acclimation to Earth’s 

gravity will be much shorter due to the brevity of his flight. 
44 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2007

Soyuz Entry Timeline 

Separation Command to Begin to Open Hooks and Latches; 

Undocking Command + 0 mins. 

2:10 a.m. CT on Oct. 21 

7:10 GMT on Oct. 21 

11:10 a.m. Moscow time on Oct. 21 

13:10 p.m. Kazakhstan time on Oct. 21 

Hooks Opened/Physical Separation of Soyuz from Zarya Module nadir port 

at .12 meter/sec.; Undocking Command + 3 mins. 

2:13 a.m. CT on Oct. 21 

7:13 GMT on Oct. 21 

11:13 a.m. Moscow time on Oct. 21 

13:13 p.m. Kazakhstan time on Oct. 21 
OCTOBER 2007 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 45

Separation Burn from ISS (15 second burn of the Soyuz engines, 0.65 meters/sec; 

Soyuz distance from the ISS is ~20 meters) 

2:16 a.m. CT on Oct. 21 

7:16 GMT on Oct. 21 

11:16 a.m. Moscow time on Oct. 21 

13:16 p.m. Kazakhstan time on Oct. 21 

Deorbit Burn (appx 4:35 in duration, 115.2 m/sec; Soyuz distance from the ISS 

is ~12 kilometers; Undocking Command appx + ~2 hours, 30 mins.) 

4:45:45 a.m. CT on Oct. 21 

9:45:45 GMT on Oct. 21 

13:45:45 p.m. Moscow time on Oct. 21 

15:45:45 p.m. Kazakhstan time on Oct. 21 
46 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2007

Separation of Modules (~23 mins. after Deorbit Burn; Undocking Command + ~2 hours, 

57 mins.) 

5:10 a.m. CT on Oct. 21 

10:10 GMT on Oct. 21 

14:10 p.m. Moscow time on Oct. 21 

16:10 p.m. Kazakhstan time on Oct. 21 

Entry Interface (400,000 feet in altitude; 3 mins. after Module Separation; 31 mins. after 

Deorbit Burn; Undocking Command + ~3 hours) 

5:12:44 a.m. CT on Oct. 21 

10:12:44 GMT on Oct. 21 

14:12:44 p.m. Moscow time on Oct. 21 

16:12:44 p.m. Kazakhstan time on Oct. 21 
OCTOBER 2007 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA 47

Command to Open Chutes (8 mins. after Entry Interface; 39 mins. after Deorbit Burn; 

Undocking Command + ~3 hours, 8 mins.)

5:20:57 a.m. CT on Oct. 21 

10:20:57 GMT on Oct. 21 

14:20:57 p.m. Moscow time on Oct. 21 

16:20:57 p.m. Kazakhstan time on Oct. 21 

Two pilot parachutes are first deployed, the 

second of which extracts the drogue chute. 

The drogue chute is then released, 

measuring 24 square meters, slowing the 

Soyuz down from a descent rate of 

230 meters/second to 80 meters/second. 

The main parachute is then released, 

covering an area of 1,000 meters; it slows 

the Soyuz to a descent rate of 

7.2 meters/second; its harnesses first allow 

the Soyuz to descend at an angle of 

30 degrees to expel heat, then shifts the 

Soyuz to a straight vertical descent. 
48 RUSSIAN SOYUZ TMA OCTOBER 2007

Soft Landing Engine Firing (six engines fire to slow the Soyuz descent rate to 

1.5 meters/second just 0.8 meter above the ground)

Landing - appx. 2 seconds 

Landing (~50 mins. after Deorbit Burn; Undocking Command + ~3 hours, 24 mins.)

5:35:57:11 a.m. CT on Oct. 21 

10:35:57:11 GMT on Oct. 21 

14:35:57:11 p.m. Moscow time on Oct. 21 

16:35:57:11 p.m. Kazakhstan time on

Oct. 21 (1:52 before sunset at the landing

site) 
OCTOBER 2007 COLUMBUS LABORATORY 49

Columbus European Laboratory Module 

Artist’s impression of Columbus laboratory (cutaway view) attached to the 

International Space Station. (Image: ESA/Ducros) 

The Columbus laboratory is the cornerstone 

of the European Space Agency’s (ESA's) 

contribution to the International Space Station (ISS) and is the first European laboratory dedicated to long-term research in 

space. Named after the famous explorer 

from Genoa, the Columbus laboratory will 

give an enormous boost to current European experiment facilities in weightlessness 

and to the research capabilities of the ISS. 

The Columbus laboratory is targeted for 

launch on space shuttle Atlantis on the 

STS-122 mission in December 2007. 

Columbus will support sophisticated 

research in weightlessness, having internal 

and external accommodation for numerous 

experiments in life sciences, fluid physics 

and other scientific disciplines. The laboratory marks a significant enhancement in 

European space experimentation and 

hardware development building on the 
50 COLUMBUS LABORATORY OCTOBER 2007

achievements of the European-developed 

Spacelab in the 1980s and 1990s. 

The 7 meter long Columbus laboratory consists of a pressurized cylindrical hull 

4.5 meters in diameter, closed with welded 

end cones. To reduce costs and maintain 

high reliability, the laboratory is similar to 

the European-built Multi-Purpose Logistics 

Modules (MPLMs): pressurized cargo containers, which travel in the space shuttle’s 

cargo bay. 

The primary and internal secondary structures of Columbus are constructed from 

aluminum alloys. These layers are covered 

with a multi-layer insulation blanket for 

thermal stability and an aluminum alloy 

together with a layer of Kevlar and Nextel 

for protection against space debris. 

The Columbus laboratory has a mass of 

10.3 tons and an internal volume of 

75 cubic meters, which can accommodate 

16 racks arranged around the circumference of the cylindrical section. These racks, 

arranged in four sets of four racks, have 

standard dimensions with standard interfaces, used in all non-Russian modules, 

and can accommodate experimental facilities or subsystems. 

The International Space Station photographed from Space Shuttle Endeavour after undocking 

during the STS-118 mission on Aug. 19 2007. (Image: NASA) 
OCTOBER 2007 COLUMBUS LABORATORY 51

Multi-purpose Logistics Module ‘Leonardo’ in the space shuttle cargo 

bay on March 10, 2001, during the STS-102 mission to the ISS. The 

Columbus Laboratory shares its basic structure with the 

Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules. (Image: NASA) 
52 COLUMBUS LABORATORY OCTOBER 2007

International Standard Payload Rack into which experiment facilities, 

subsystems or storage racks can be fitted. (Image: EADS Astrium) 
OCTOBER 2007 COLUMBUS LABORATORY 53

Columbus Laboratory at EADS Astrium in 

Bremen with debris protection panels. 

Insulation material exposed under one 

section of panelling. July 2004. 

(Image EADS Astrium) 

Ten of the 16 racks are International Standard Payload Racks fully outfitted with 

resources (such as power, cooling, video 

and data lines), to be able to accommodate 

an experiment facility with a mass of up to 

700 kilograms. This extensive experiment 

capability of the Columbus laboratory has 

been achieved through a careful and strict 

optimization of the system configuration, 

making use of the end cones for housing 

subsystem equipment. The central area of 

the starboard cone carries system equipment such as video monitors and cameras, 

switching panels, audio terminals and fire 

extinguishers. 

Although it is the station’s smallest laboratory module, the Columbus laboratory offers 

the same payload volume, power, and data 

retrieval as the station’s other laboratories. 

A significant benefit of this cost-saving 

design is that Columbus will be launched 

outfitted with 2500 kilograms of experiment 

facilities and additional hardware. This 

includes the ESA-developed experiment 

facilities: 

• Biolab, which supports experiments on 

micro-organisms, cell and tissue culture, 

and small plants and animals 

• Fluid Science Laboratory, looking into 

the complex behavior of fluids, which 

could lead to improvements in energy 

production, propulsion efficiency and 

environmental issues 

• European Physiology Modules facility, 

which supports human physiology 

experiments concerning body functions 

such as bone loss, circulation, respiration, organ and immune system behavior in weightlessness 

• European Drawer Rack, which provides 

a flexible experiment carrier for a large 

variety of scientific disciplines. These 

multi-user facilities will have a high 

degree of autonomy in order to maximize the use of astronauts’ time in orbit. 

Columbus laboratory in Integration 

hall of EADS in Bremen. Primary 

structure exposed. June 2002. 

(Image: EADS Astrium) 
54 COLUMBUS LABORATORY OCTOBER 2007

Biolab Experiment facility during payload 

integration. May 2004. (Image: ESA) 

Outside its pressurized hull, Columbus has 

four mounting points for external payloads 

related to applications in the field of space 

science, Earth observation, technology and 

innovative sciences from space. Two external payloads will be installed after the 

Columbus laboratory is attached to the 

space station: the European Technology 

Exposure Facility (EuTEF) will carry a 

range of experiments, which need exposure 

to space, and the SOLAR observatory, 

which will carry out a spectral study of the 

sun for at least 18 months. 

Columbus laboratory with External Payload 

Facility attached. August 2004. 

(Image: EADS Astrium) 

These will be followed by the Atomic Clock 

Ensemble in Space (ACES), which will test 

a new generation of microgravity cold-atom 

clocks in space and the Atmosphere Space 

Interactions Monitor (ASIM), which will 

study the coupling of thunderstorms processes to the upper atmosphere, ionosphere 

and radiation belts and energetic space 

particle precipitation effects in the mesosphere and thermosphere. 

Columbus subsystem racks during testing. 

In addition to the accommodation for 

experiment facilities, three rack positions 

contain Columbus laboratory subsystems 

such as water pumps, heat exchanger and 

avionics, and three racks are for general 

storage purposes. When fully outfitted the 

Columbus laboratory will provide a shirt 

sleeve environment of 25 cubic meters in 

which up to three astronauts can work. The 

laboratory will receive a supply of up to 

20 kilowatts of electricity of which 13.5 kilowatts can be used for experimental facilities. 

For the internal environment, Columbus is 

ventilated by a continuous airflow from 

Node 2, the European-built ISS module 

where the Columbus Laboratory will be 

permanently attached. The air returns to 

Node 2 for refreshing and carbon dioxide 

removal. This air content and quality is 

monitored by Columbus subsystems. 
OCTOBER 2007 COLUMBUS LABORATORY 55

European-built Node 2 being moved on an 

overhead crane in preparation for leak testing in the Space Station Processing Facility 

at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

Node 2 is scheduled to be attached to the 

ISS in October 2007 during the STS-120 

mission. (Image: NASA) 

The crew can also control the temperature 

(16-30o C) and humidity in Columbus. A 

water loop system, connected to the ISS 

heat removal system, serves all experimental facility and system locations for removal 

of heat and thus stopping equipment from 

overheating. In addition, there is an 

air/water heat exchanger to remove condensation from the cabin air. A system of 

electrical heaters also helps to combat the 

extreme cold that occurs at some station 

attitudes. 

Once it is attached to the station, the 

Columbus Control Centre (Col-CC) in 

Oberpfaffenhofen in Germany on the premises of DLR’s German Space Operations 

Center will be responsible for the control 

and operation of the Columbus laboratory. 

All the European payloads on Columbus 

will transfer data, via the station’s data 

transfer system, directly to the Columbus 

Control Center. 

Col-CC will coordinate European experiment (payload) operations. Data will be distributed from Col-CC to the User Support 

and Operations Centers across Europe, 

responsible for either complete facilities, 

subsystems of facilities or individual experiments. 

Col-CC also will be in close contact with the 

Mission Control Center in Houston, which 

has overall responsibility for the International Space Station, together with the Mission Control Center in Moscow. In addition, 

Col-CC coordinates operations with the ISS 

Payload Operations and Integration Center 

at the Marshall Space Flight Center in 

Huntsville, Ala., which has overall responsibility for ISS experiment payloads. 

Control Room at the Columbus Control Centre in Oberpfaffenhofen in Germany. 

(Image: ESA)
56 COLUMBUS LABORATORY OCTOBER 2007

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OCTOBER 2007 ATV 57

ESA’s Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) 

Artist’s impression of the European Automated Transfer Vehicle docking 

with the International Space Station (Image: ESA/D. Ducros) 

The International Space Station (ISS) 

depends on regular deliveries of experimental equipment and spare parts as well 

as food, air and water for its permanent 

crew. Beginning in 2008, the Automated 

Transfer Vehicle, developed by the European Space Agency and European industry, will become a key ISS unmanned supply ship. 

Each ATV will deliver around 7.7 tons of 

cargo to the International Space Station 

400 kilometers above the Earth about every 

18 months. It will be launched into orbit by 

an Ariane 5 launcher from Kourou, ESA’s 

launch site in French Guiana. An on-board 

high precision navigation system will guide 

the ATV on a rendezvous trajectory toward 

the space station, where it will automatically 

dock with the station’s Russian service 

module, Zvezda. Each ATV will remain 

there as a pressurized and integral part of 

the station for up to six months until its final 

mission: a one-way trip into the Earth’s 

atmosphere to dispose of up to 6.3 tons of 
58 ATV OCTOBER 2007

waste and material that is no longer used 

on the station. 

New Generation Spaceship 

The ATV, which is equipped with its own 

propulsion and navigation systems, is a 

multi-functional spaceship. It is a fully 

automatic unmanned vehicle able to dock 

with the ISS in a manner consistent with 

human spacecraft safety requirements. To 

succeed in docking safely with the station, 

the 20-ton ATV must be a highly sophisticated, new generation spacecraft. 

The exterior is a cylinder, 10.3 meters long 

and 4.5 meters in diameter, about the size 

of a London double-decker bus. The ATV’s 

structure is covered with an eggshellcolored insulating foil layer on top of meteorite protection panels. The metallic blue 

solar arrays extend in an X shape from the 

main body of the spacecraft. Inside, the 

ATV consists of two modules: the Avionics/Propulsion module, called the ATV service module and the Integrated Cargo Carrier, which docks with the ISS. 

Astronauts on board station will be able to 

access the contents of the ATV while it is 

docked with the station. The 48 cubic 

meter-pressurized section of the Integrated 

Cargo Carrier can accommodate eight 

standard racks loaded with modular storage 

cargo elements. The Integrated Cargo Carrier also holds several tanks, containing up 

to 840 kilograms of drinking water, 

860 kilograms of propellant for the station’s 

propulsion system and 100 kilograms of air 

(oxygen and nitrogen). 

The ‘nose’ of the Integrated Cargo Carrier 

contains the Russian made docking equipment and rendezvous sensors. The ATV 

pressurized cargo section is based on the 

Italian-built Multi-Purpose Logistics Module 

(MPLM), which is already used to transport 

equipment to and from the station. 

The ATV’s service module navigates with 

four main engines and 28 smaller engines 

for attitude control. After docking, the ATV 

can perform station attitude control, debris 

avoidance maneuvers and reboost the station’s orbit to overcome the effects of 

atmospheric drag. In order to perform this 

reboost the ATV may use up to 4.7 tons of 

propellant. In raising the station altitude, the 

ATV mission in space will resemble the 

combination of a tugboat pushing a large 

river barge. 

ATV during acoustic test campaign 

(Image: ESA/S.Corvaja) 
OCTOBER 2007 ATV 59

Mission Scenario 

A typical ATV mission will begin when the 

craft is launched into a 260-kilometer orbit 

atop an Ariane 5 from the French Guiana 

equatorial launch site. The 20.7 ton ATV is 

well protected under the fairing at the top of 

the Ariane 5 during the three minutes of 

high pressure aerodynamic ascent. At the 

end of ascent, the ATV separates from the 

Ariane launcher 1 hour and 10 minutes 

after the liftoff and activates its navigation 

systems. Thrusters are fired to boost the 

ATV into the transfer orbit to the station. 

100 minutes after lift-off, the ATV becomes 

a fully automatic spaceship navigating 

toward the space station. The ATV flight will 

be controlled from the ATV Control Center 

located in Toulouse, France. 

The ATV enclosed in Ariane’s protective fairing during launch phase 

(Image: ESA/D.Ducros) 
60 ATV OCTOBER 2007

The Automated Transfer Vehicle during docking with the ISS (Image: ESA/D.Ducros) 

After raising its circular orbit to a 400 kilometer altitude over the first 10 days, the 

ATV will come in sight of the ISS and will 

start relative navigation from about 30 kilometers behind and 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) 

below the station. The cargo ship’s computers begin final approach maneuvers 

over the next two orbits, closing in on the 

ISS with a relative velocity similar to a walking pace while the absolute speed remains 

close to 28,000 kilometers per hour 

(17,360 mph). ATV’s inaugural mission, 

with ‘Jules Verne’, will require additional 

days in orbit to perform demonstration 

maneuvers before docking. 

The actual docking will be fully automatic. If 

there are any last-minute issues, the ATV’s 

computers, the ATV Control Center or the 

station’s crew can trigger a preprogrammed anti-collision maneuver, which 

is fully independent of the main navigation 

system. This back-up system adds an additional level of safety. 
OCTOBER 2007 ATV 61

The Automated Transfer Vehicle will 

enable ESA to transport payloads to 

the International Space Station 

(Image: ESA/D.Ducros) 

With the ATV securely docked, the station’s 

crew can enter the cargo section and 

remove the payload: maintenance supplies, 

science hardware, and parcels of fresh 

food, mail and family tapes or CD-ROMs. 

Meanwhile, the ATV’s fluid tanks will be 

connected automatically (propellant) or 

manually (water and air) to transfer their 

contents to the station. 

The station crew will manually release the 

air supply carried by the ATV directly into 

the ISS’s cabin atmosphere. For up to 

six months, the ATV, mostly in dormant 

mode, will remain attached to the ISS with 

the hatch remaining open. The crew will 

steadily fill the cargo section with the station’s waste and material that is no longer 

used or needed. At intervals of 10 to 45 

days, the ATV’s thrusters will be used to 

boost the station’s altitude. 

Once its re-supply mission is accomplished, 

the ATV, filled with up to 6.3 tons of waste 

and other material, will be closed by the 

crew and automatically separated. Its 

thrusters will use their remaining fuel to 

de-orbit the spacecraft, not at the shallow 

angle used for the relatively gentle re-entry 

of manned vehicles, but on a steep flight 

path to perform a controlled destructive reentry high above the Pacific Ocean over a 

predefined uninhabited South Pacific area. 

From its first operational flight in 2008, the 

ATV will play a vital role in station servicing. 

The project involves dozens of companies 

from ten European countries operating 

under a prime contract held by EADS Astrium and CNES for the ATV Control Center. 

The ATV will be used to raise the altitude 

of the ISS (Image: ESA/D.Ducros)
62 ATV OCTOBER 2007

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OCTOBER 2007 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 63

International Space Station: 

Expedition 16 Science Overview 

Plans for Expedition 16 include the operation of 38 U.S.-managed experiments in 

human research, exploration technology 

testing, life sciences, physical sciences and 

education. Twenty-six experiments also are 

planned for operation by the international 

partners — the European Space Agency 

(ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). 

During Expedition 16, the scientific work of 

more than a hundred scientists will be supported through U.S.-managed experiments. 

The team of controllers and scientists on 

the ground will continue to plan, monitor 

and remotely operate experiments from 

control centers across the United States. 

A team of controllers for Expedition 16 will 

staff the Payload Operations Center — the 

science command post for the space station — at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight 

Center in Huntsville, Ala. Controllers work 

in three shifts around the clock, seven days 

a week in the Payload Operations Center, 

which links researchers around the world 

with their experiments and the station crew. 

The Payload Operations Center also coordinates the payload activities of NASA’s 

international partners. The partners are responsible for the planning and operations of 

their space agencies’ modules. NASA’s 

Payload Operations Center is chartered to 

synchronize the payload activities among 

the partners and optimize the use of valuable on-orbit resources. 

Experiments Related to Spacecraft 

Systems 

Many experiments are designed to help 

develop technologies, designs and materials for future spacecraft and exploration 

missions. These include: 

Coarsening in Solid Liquid Mixtures-2 

(CSLM-2) will investigate the interaction of 

small and large particles in a mixture that 

can influence the strength of materials 

ranging from turbine blades to dental fillings 

and iron copper. 

Lab-on-a-Chip Application DevelopmentPortable Test System (LOCAD-PTS) is a 

handheld device for rapid detection of biological and chemical substances on board 

the space station. Astronauts will swab surfaces within the cabin, add swab material to 

the LOCAD-PTS, and within 15 minutes 

obtain results on a display screen. The 

study's purpose is to effectively provide an 

early warning system to enable crew members to take remedial measures if necessary to protect the health and safety of 

those on board the station. 

Microgravity Acceleration Measurement 

System (MAMS) and Space Acceleration 

Measurement System – II (SAMS-II)

measure vibration and quasi-steady accelerations that result from vehicle control 

burns, docking and undocking activities. 

The two different equipment packages 

measure vibrations at different frequencies. 
64 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2007

These measurements help investigators 

characterize the vibrations and accelerations that may influence space station 

experiments. 

Smoke and Aerosol Measurement 

Experiment (SAME) will measure the 

smoke properties, or particle size distribution, of typical particles from smoke generated from spacecraft fires. Results will identify ways to improve smoke detectors on 

future spacecraft.

Human Life Science Investigations 

Physical measurements of Expedition 16 

crew members will be used to study 

changes in the body caused by living in 

microgravity. Continuing and new experiments include: 

Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular 

Control on Return from ISS (CCISS) studies the effects of long-duration spaceflight 

on crew members' heart functions and 

blood vessels that supply the brain. Learning more about the cardiovascular and 

cerebrovascular systems could lead to specific countermeasures that might better protect future space travelers. 

ELaboratore Immagini Televisive – 

Space 2 (ELITE-S2) will investigate the 

connection between brain, visualization and 

motion in the absence of gravity. By 

recording and analyzing the threedimensional motion of astronauts, this study 

will help engineers apply ergonomics into 

future spacecraft designs and determine 

the effects of weightlessness on breathing 

mechanisms for long-duration missions. 

This experiment is a cooperative effort with 

the Italian Space Agency, ASI. 

Spaceflight-Induced Reactivation of 

Latent Epstein-Barr Virus (Epstein-Barr)

performs tests to study changes in the 

human immune function. Using blood and 

urine samples collected from crew members before and after spaceflight, the study 

will provide insight for possible countermeasures to prevent the potential development of infectious illness in crew members 

during flight. 

Hand Posture Analyzer (HPA) examines 

the way hand and arm muscles are used 

differently during grasping and reaching 

tasks in microgravity. Measurements are 

compared to those taken before and after 

flight to improve understanding of the 

effects of long-duration missions on muscle 

fatigue. 

Behavioral Issues Associated with Isolation and Confinement: Review and 

Analysis of Astronaut Journals (Journals) is studying the effect of isolation by 

using surveys and journals kept by the 

crew. By quantifying the importance of different behavioral issues in crew members, 

the study will help NASA design equipment 

and procedures to allow astronauts to best 

cope with isolation and long-duration 

spaceflight. 

Nutritional Status Assessment (Nutrition) is NASA's most comprehensive 

in-flight study to-date of human physiologic 

changes during long-duration spaceflight. 

Its measurements will include bone 

metabolism, oxidative damage, nutritional 

assessments and hormonal changes. This 

study will impact both the definition of nutritional requirements and development of 

food systems for future space exploration 

missions to the moon and beyond. This 

experiment also will help researchers un-
OCTOBER 2007 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 65

derstand the impact of countermeasures — 

exercise and pharmaceuticals — on nutritional status and nutrient requirements for 

astronauts. 

The National Aeronautics and Space 

Administration Biological Specimen 

Repository (Repository) is a storage bank 

used to maintain biological specimens over 

extended periods of time and under wellcontrolled conditions. Samples from the station — including blood and urine — will be 

collected, processed and archived during 

the pre-flight, in-flight and post-flight phases 

of the missions. This investigation has been 

developed to archive biological samples for 

use as a resource for future spaceflight 

research. 

Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure During Spaceflight-Long (SleepLong) examines the effects of spaceflight 

and ambient light exposure on the sleepwake cycles of the crew members during 

long-duration stays on the space station. 

Stability of Pharmacotherapeutic and 

Nutritional Compounds (Stability) studies 

the effects of radiation in space on complex 

organic molecules, such as vitamins and 

other compounds in food and medicine. 

This could help researchers develop more 

stable and reliable pharmaceutical and 

nutritional countermeasures suitable for future long-duration missions. 

Other Biological Experiments 

Plant growth experiments give insight into 

the effects of the space environment on living organisms. These experiments include: 

The Reverse Genetic Approach to 

Exploring Genes Responsible for Cell 

Wall Dynamics in Supporting Tissues of 

Arabidopsis Under Microgravity Conditions and Role of MicrotubuleMembrane-Cell Wall Continuum in Gravity Resistance in Plants (CWRW) will 

explore the molecular mechanism by which 

the cell wall construction in Arabidopsis 

thaliana — a small plant of the mustard 

family — is regulated by gravity. The results 

of this investigation will support future plans 

to cultivate plants on long-duration missions 

to the moon and beyond. 

Molecular and Plant Physiological 

Analyses of the Microgravity Effects on 

Multigeneration Studies of Arabidopsis 

thaliana (Multigen) will grow Arabidopsis 

thaliana — a small plant of the mustard 

family — in orbit for three generations. The 

results of this investigation will support 

future plans to grow plants on long-duration 

transits such as trips to Mars. This is a 

cooperative investigation with the European 

Space Agency, ESA.

The Optimization of Root Zone Substrates (ORZS) for Reduced Gravity 

Experiments Program was developed to 

provide direct measurements and models 

for plant rooting instructions that will be 

used in future advanced life support plant 

growth experiments. The goal is to develop 

and enhance hardware and procedures to 

allow optimal plant growth in microgravity. 

Education and Earth Observation 

NASA powers inspiration that encourages 

future generations to explore, learn and 

build a better future. Many experiments on 

board the space station continue to teach 

the next generation of explorers about living 

and working in space. These experiments 

include: 
66 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2007

Crew Earth Observations (CEO) takes 

advantage of the crew in space to observe 

and photograph natural and human-made 

changes on Earth. The photographs record 

the Earth’s surface changes over time, 

along with more fleeting events such as 

storms, floods, fires and volcanic eruptions. 

Together, they provide researchers on 

Earth with vital, continuous images to better 

understand the planet. 

Crew Earth Observations - International 

Polar Year (CEO-IPY) is an international 

collaboration of scientists for the observation and exploration of Earth’s Polar 

Regions from 2007 to 2009. Space station 

crew members photograph polar phenomena including auroras and mesospheric 

clouds in response to daily correspondence 

from the scientists on the ground. 

Commercial Generic Bioprocessing 

Apparatus Science Insert – 02 (CSI-02) is 

an educational payload designed to interest 

middle school students in science, technology, engineering and math by participating 

in near real-time research conducted on 

board the station. Students will observe four 

experiments through data and imagery 

downlinked and distributed directly into the 

classroom via the Internet. The first experiment will examine seed germination and 

plant development in microgravity. It will be 

followed by an experiment to examine yeast 

cells adaptation to the space environment; 

another will examine plant cell cultures; and 

the final experiment — a silicate garden — 

will examine crystal growth formation using 

silicates — compounds containing silicon, 

oxygen and one or more metals. 

Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle 

School Students (EarthKAM), an education experiment, allows middle school students to program a digital camera on board 

the 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 technology.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency - 

Education Payload Observation (JAXAEPO) aims to excite students’ interest in 

microgravity research and enhance their 

knowledge of science and technology. 

Activities will include educational events 

with astronauts on orbit, space and ground 

experiments conducted by students and 

creation of an educational video library. 

JAXA-EPO is designed to support the mission to inspire the next generation of 

explorers. 

Space Shuttle Experiments 

Many other experiments are scheduled to 

be performed during upcoming space shuttle missions that are part of Expedition 16. 

These experiments include: 

Maui Analysis of Upper Atmospheric 

Injections (MAUI) observes the space 

shuttle engine exhaust plumes from the 

Maui Space Surveillance Site in Hawaii. 

The observations will occur when the shuttle fires its engines at night or twilight. A 

telescope and all-sky imagers will collect 

images and data while the shuttle flies over 

the Maui site. The images will be analyzed 

to better understand the interaction between the spacecraft plume and the upper 

atmosphere. 

Test of Midodrine as a Countermeasure 

Against Post-Flight Orthostatic 

Hypotension (Midodrine) measures the 
OCTOBER 2007 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 67

ability of the drug midodrine, as a countermeasure, to reduce the incidence or severity of orthostatic hypotension — dizziness 

caused by the blood-pressure decrease 

that many astronauts experience when returning to Earth's gravity. 

Materials on the International Space Station Experiment 6 (MISSE-6A and 6B) 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 rigors of space environments. Results 

will provide a better understanding of the 

durability of various materials in space, 

leading to the design of stronger, more 

durable spacecraft. 

Perceptual Motor Deficits in Space

(PMDIS) investigates why shuttle astronauts experience difficulty with hand-eye 

coordination while on orbit. This experiment 

will measure the decline of astronauts’ 

hand-eye coordination during space shuttle 

missions. These measurements will be 

used to distinguish between three possible 

explanations: the brain not adapting to the 

near weightlessness of space; the difficulty 

of performing fine movements when floating 

in space; and stress due to factors such as 

space sickness and sleep deprivation. This 

experiment is a cooperative effort with the 

Canadian Space Agency, CSA. 

Bioavailablity and Performance Effects 

of Promethazine During Spaceflight 

(PMZ) examines the performanceimpacting side-effects of promethazine and 

its bioavailability — the degree to which a 

drug can be absorbed and used by the 

parts of the body on which it is intended to 

have an effect. Promethazine is a medication taken by astronauts to prevent motion 

sickness. 

Ram Burn Observations (RAMBO) 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. 

Rigidizable Inflatable Get-Away-Special 

Experiment (RIGEX) is a self-sufficient 

computer and sensor system that operates 

in the space shuttle cargo bay. It is 

designed to test and collect data on inflated 

and rigid structures in space. The rigidized 

structures used for this investigation are 

three inflatable tubes, which will be heated 

and cooled to form structurally stiff tubes. 

Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure During Spaceflight - Short (SleepShort) examines the effects of spaceflight 

on the sleep-wake cycles 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. 

Reserve Payloads 

Several additional experiments are ready 

for operation, but designated as “reserve” 

and will be performed if crew time becomes 

available. They include: 
68 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2007

Analyzing Interferometer for Ambient Air 

(ANITA) will monitor 32 potentially gaseous 

contaminants, including formaldehyde, 

ammonia and carbon monoxide, in the 

atmosphere on board the station. The 

experiment will test the accuracy and reliability of this technology as a potential nextgeneration atmosphere trace-gas monitoring system for the station. 

BCAT-3 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test – 3)

consists of two investigations which will 

study 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. Crew members 

will mix the samples, photograph the growth 

and formations of the colloids and downlink 

the images for analysis. Results may lead 

to improvements in supercritical fluids used 

in rocket propellants and biotechnology 

applications and advancements in fiberoptics technology. 

BCAT-4 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test – 4)

is a follow-on experiment to BCAT-3. 

BCAT-4 will study 10 colloidal samples. 

Several of these samples will determine 

phase separation rates and add needed 

points to the phase diagram of a model 

critical fluid system initially studied in 

BCAT-3. Crew members photograph samples of polymer and colloidal particles — 

tiny nanoscale spheres suspended in liquid 

— that model liquid/gas phase changes. 

Results will help scientists develop fundamental physics concepts previously cloaked 

by the effects of gravity. 

Capillary Flow Experiment (CFE) is a 

suite of fluid physics experiments that 

investigate how fluids behave in space. 

Capillary flow is the key process used to 

move fluids in a microgravity environment. Results will improve current computer 

models that are used by designers of low 

gravity fluid systems, and may improve fluid 

transfer systems on future spacecraft. 

Education Payload Operations (EPO) 

includes curriculum-based educational activities demonstrating basic principles of science, mathematics, technology, engineering and geography. These activities are 

videotaped and then used in classroom lectures. EPO is designed to support the 

NASA mission to inspire the next generation of explorers. 

Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions - 2 (InSPACE – 2) 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 and robotics. 

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. 

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 
OCTOBER 2007 SCIENCE OVERVIEW 69

fly within the cabin of the station, performing flight formations. Each satellite is selfcontained with power, propulsion, computers and navigation equipment. The 

results are important for satellite servicing, 

vehicle assembly and formation flying 

spacecraft configurations. 

A Comprehensive Characterization of 

Microorganisms and Allergens in 

Spacecraft (SWAB) will comprehensively 

evaluate microbes on board the space station, including pathogens — organisms that 

may cause disease. It also will track 

changes in the microbial community as 

spacecraft visit the station and new station 

modules are added. This study will allow an 

assessment of the risk of microbes to the 

crew and the spacecraft. 

Destiny Laboratory Facilities 

The Destiny Laboratory is equipped with 

state-of-the-art research facilities to support 

Expedition 16 science investigations: 

The Human Research Facility-1 is 

designed to house and support life sciences 

experiments. It includes equipment for lung 

function tests, ultrasound to image the heart 

and many other types of computers and 

medical equipment. 

Human Research Facility-2 provides an 

on-orbit laboratory that enables human life 

science researchers to study and evaluate 

the physiological, behavioral and chemical 

changes in astronauts induced by spaceflight. 

European Modular Cultivation System 

(EMCS) is a large incubator that provides 

control over the atmosphere, lighting and 

humidity of growth chambers used to study 

plant growth. The facility was developed by 

the European Space Agency. 

Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer 

for ISS (MELFI) provides refrigerated storage and fast-freezing of biological and life 

science samples. It can hold up to 300 liters 

of samples ranging in temperature from 

-80°C, -26°C, or 4°C throughout a mission. 

The Microgravity Science Glovebox 

(MSG) provides a safe environment for 

research with liquids, combustion and hazardous materials on board the International 

Space Station. Without the MSG, many 

types of hands-on investigations would be 

impossible or severely limited on the station. 

The Destiny lab also is outfitted with five 

EXPRESS Racks. EXPRESS, or Expedite 

the Processing of Experiments to the Space 

Station, racks are standard payload racks 

designed to provide experiments with utilities such as power, data, cooling, fluids and 

gasses. The racks support payloads in disciplines including biology, chemistry, physics, ecology and medicines. The racks stay 

in orbit, while experiments are changed as 

needed. EXPRESS Racks 2 and 3 are 

equipped with the Active Rack Isolation 

System (ARIS) for countering minute vibrations from crew movement or operating 

equipment that could disturb delicate 

experiments. 

On the Internet 

For fact sheets, imagery and more on 

Expedition 16 experiments and payload 

operations, click on: 

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/

station/science/index.html
70 SCIENCE OVERVIEW OCTOBER 2007

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OCTOBER 2007 POC 71

The Payload Operations Center 

A team of controllers for Expedition 16 will staff the Payload Operations Center 

at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. 

The Payload Operations Center (POC) at 

Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, 

Ala., is NASA’s primary science command 

post for the International Space Station. 

Space station scientific research plays a 

vital role in implementing the Vision for 

Space Exploration, NASA's roadmap for 

returning to the moon and exploring our 

solar system. 

The International Space Station will 

accommodate dozens of experiments in 

fields as diverse as medicine, human life 

sciences, biotechnology, agriculture, manufacturing and Earth observation. Managing 

these science 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 the job of 

coordinating space station research critical. 

The Payload Operations Center continues 

the role Marshall has played in manage-
72 POC OCTOBER 2007

ment and operation of NASA’s on-orbit science research. In the 1970s, Marshall 

managed the science program for Skylab, 

the first American space station. Spacelab 

— the international science laboratory that 

the space shuttle carried to orbit in the 

1980s and 1990s for more than a dozen 

missions — was the prototype for Marshall’s space station science operations. 

Today, the POC team is responsible for 

managing all U.S. science research 

experiments aboard the station. The center 

also is home for coordination of the mission-planning work, all U.S. science payload deliveries and retrieval, and payload 

training and payload safety programs for 

the station crew and all ground personnel. 

State-of-the-art computers and communications equipment deliver around-the-clock 

reports from science outposts around the 

United States to systems controllers and 

science experts. Other computers stream 

information to and from the space station 

itself, linking the orbiting research facility 

with the science command post on Earth. 

Once launch schedules are finalized, the 

POC oversees delivery of experiments to 

the space station. Experiments are in cycle 

constantly as the shuttle or launch vehicles, 

provided by our international partners, 

deliver new payloads and the shuttle returns completed experiments and samples 

to Earth. 

The POC is the science command post for the space station, which links researchers around 

the world with their experiments and the station crew.
OCTOBER 2007 POC 73

The POC works with support centers 

around the country to develop an integrated 

U.S. payload mission plan. Each support 

center is responsible for integrating specific 

disciplines with commercial payload operations: 

• Marshall Space Flight Center, managing 

microgravity (materials sciences, microgravity research experiments, space 

partnership development program 

research) 

• Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, 

managing microgravity (fluids and combustion research) 

• Johnson Space Center in Houston, 

managing human life sciences (physiological and behavioral studies, crew 

health and performance) 

The POC combines inputs from these centers into a U.S. payload operations master 

plan, which is delivered to Johnson's Space 

Station Control Center to be integrated into 

a weekly work schedule. All necessary 

resources are then allocated, available time 

and rack space are determined and key 

personnel are assigned to oversee the science experiments and operations in orbit. 

Housed in a two-story complex at Marshall, 

three shifts of systems controllers staff the 

POC around the clock. During space station 

operations, center personnel routinely 

manage three to four times the number of 

experiments as were conducted aboard 

Spacelab. 

The payload operations director leads the 

POC’s main flight control team, known as 

the “cadre.” The payload operations director 

approves all science plans in coordination 

with Mission Control at Johnson, the station 

crew and the payload support centers. The 

payload communications manager, the 

voice of the POC, coordinates and manages real-time voice responses between 

the station crew conducting payload operations and the researchers whose science 

the crew is conducting. The operations controller oversees station science operations 

resources such as tools and supplies and 

assures support systems and procedures 

are ready to support planned activities. The 

photo and television operations manager 

and data management coordinator are 

responsible for station video systems and 

high-rate data links to the POC. 

The timeline coordination officer maintains 

the daily calendar of station work assignments based on the plan generated at 

Johnson Space Center, as well as daily 

status reports from the station crew. The 

payload rack officer monitors rack integrity, 

power and temperature control, and the 

proper working conditions of station 

experiments. 

Additional support controllers routinely 

coordinate anomaly resolution and procedure changes and maintain configuration 

management of on-board stowed payload 

hardware. 

For more information, visit the Marshall 

News Center at: 

http://www.msfc.nasa.gov/news
74 POC OCTOBER 2007

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OCTOBER 2007 RUSSIAN RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 75

ISS 16 Russian Research Objectives 

RUSSIAN RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 

Category Experiment 

Code 

Experiment 

Name 

Hardware Description Research Objective Unique Payload

Constraints 

Commercial KHT-20 GCF-JAXA GCF-02 kit Protein crystallization 

Commercial КНТ-32 JAXA 3DPC 3DPCU equipment Obtaining 3-D photon 

crystals by means of colloid 

nano-particles selforganization and ordering in 

electrolytic solution with the 

further fixation in elastic gel 

mould 

Commercial GTS GTS-2 Electronics unit-2; 

Antenna assembly with 

attachment mechanism 

Global time system test 

development 

Unattended 

Technology

&Material 

Science 

ТХН-7 SVS (СВС) “СВС” researching camera 

CamCorder DSR PD-150P 

as part of Videocomplex 

DVCAM-150 

Self-propagating hightemperature fusion in space 

Nominal hardware: 

“Klest” (“Crossbill”) 

TV-system 

Picture monitor (ВКУ) 

Technology

&Material 

Science 

ТХН-9 Kristallizator

(Crystallizer) 

“Crystallizer” complex Biological macromolecules 

crystallization and obtaining 

bio-crystal films under 

microgravity conditions 

Geophysical ГФИ-1 Relaksatsiya “Fialka-MB-Kosmos” - 

Spectrozonal ultraviolet 

system 

High sensitive images 

recorder 

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 

Using OCA 

Geophysical ГФИ-8 Uragan Nominal hardware: 

Kodak 760 camera; Nikon 

D1Х

LIV video system

Experimental verification of 

the ground and space-based 

system for predicting natural 

and man-made disasters, 

mitigating the damage 

caused, and facilitating 

recovery

Using OCA 

Biomedical МБИ-5 Kardio-ODNT Nominal Hardware:

“Gamma-1M” equipment; 

“Chibis” countermeasures 

vacuum suit 

Comprehensive study of the 

cardiac activity and blood 

circulation primary parameter 

dynamics 

Will need help from 

U.S. crew member 
76 RUSSIAN RESEARCH OBJECTIVES OCTOBER 2007

RUSSIAN RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 

Category Experiment 

Code 

Experiment 

Name 

Hardware Description Research Objective Unique Payload

Constraints 

Biomedical МБИ-8 Profilaktika TEEM-100M gas analyzer; 

Accusport device;

Nominal Hardware:

“Reflotron-4” kit;

TVIS treadmill; 

ВБ-3 cycle ergometer; 

Set of bungee cords; 

Laptop RSE-Med;

“Tsentr” equipment power 

supply

Study of the action 

mechanism and efficacy of 

various countermeasures 

aimed at preventing 

locomotor system disorders 

in weightlessness 

Time required for the 

experiment should be 

counted toward 

physical exercise time 

Biomedical МБИ-12 Sonokard “Sonokard” set 

“Sonokard” 

“Sonokard- Data” kit 

Laptop RSE-Med

Integrated study of 

physiological functions during 

sleep period throughout a 

long space flight 

Biomedical МБИ-15 Pilot Right Control Handle 

Left Control Handle 

Synchronizer Unit (БС) 

ULTRABUOY-2000 Unit 

Nominal hardware:

Laptop RSE-Med

Researching for individual 

features of state 

psychophysiological 

regulation and crewmembers 

professional activities during 

long space flights 

Biomedical МБИ-18 Dykhanie “Dykhanie-1” set

Nominal hardware: 

Laptop RSE-Med

Study of respiration 

regulation and biomechanics 

under space flight conditions 

Biomedical МБИ-21 Pneumocard “Pneumocard” set 

“Pneumocard-КРМ” kit 

“Pneumocard-Data” kit 

Study of space flight factors 

impacts on vegetative 

regulation of blood 

circulation, respiration and 

contractile heart function 

during long space flights 

Biomedical МБИ-22 BIMS 

(Onboard 

Information 

Medical 

System)

Kit TBK-1 

Kit TBK-1. Accessories 

Kit TBK-1. Data 

Nominal Hardware:

Laptop RSE-Med

Study of flight medical 

information support using 

onboard information medical 

system 

During Expedition 15 & 

16 crews rotation

Biomedical БИО-2 Biorisk “Biorisk-KM” set 

“Biorisk-MSV” containers 

“Biorisk-MSN” kit 

Study of spaceflight impact 

on microorganismssubstrates systems state 

related to space technique 

ecological safety and 

planetary quarantine problem 

Biomedical БИО-4 Aquarium “Rasteniya (Plants)” kit (with 

“Aquarium” packs - 2 items) 

Study of stability of model 

closed ecological system and 

its parts under microgravity

conditions, both as 

microsystem components 

and as perspective biological 

systems of space crews life 

support 

Crew members 

involvement is taken 

into account in 

Rasteniya experiment 
OCTOBER 2007 RUSSIAN RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 77

RUSSIAN RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 

Category Experiment 

Code 

Experiment 

Name 

Hardware Description Research Objective Unique Payload

Constraints 

Biomedical БИО-5 Rasteniya “Lada” greenhouse 

Nominal Hardware:

Water container;

Sony DVCam; 

Computer 

Study of the spaceflight 

effect on the growth and 

development of higher plants 

Biomedical БИО-8 Plazmida Hybridizers Recomb-K 

Kit with tubes 

“Kubik Amber” freezer 

Investigation of microgravity

effect on the rate of transfer 

and mobilization of bacteria 

plasmids 

During Expedition 15 & 

16 crews rotation

Biomedical РБО-1 Prognoz Nominal Hardware for the 

radiation monitoring system: 

P-16 dosimeter; 

ДБ-8 dosimeters 

“Pille-ISS” dosimeter

“Lyulin-ISS” complex

Development of a method for 

real-time prediction of dose 

loads on the crews of 

manned spacecraft 

Unattended 

Biomedical РБО-3 Matryeshka-R Passive detectors unit 

“Phantom” set 

“MOSFET-dosimeter” 

scientific equipment 

“Bubble-dosimeter” hardware 

“Lyulin-5” hardware 

Study of radiation 

environment dynamics along 

the ISS RS flight path and in 

ISS compartments, and dose 

accumulation in antrophamorphous phantom, located 

inside and outside station 

Study of 

Earth natural 

resources 

and 

ecological 

monitoring 

ДЗЗ-2 Diatomea “Diatomea” kit 

Nominal hardware: 

Nikon F5 camera; 

DSR-PD1P video camera; 

Dictaphone; 

Laptop 

Study of the stability of the 

geographic position and form

of the boundaries of the 

World Ocean biologically

active water areas observed 

by space station crews 

Biotechnology БТХ-1 Glykoproteid Obtaining and study of E1-E2 

surface glycoprotein of 

α-virus

Biotechnology БТХ-2 Mimetik-K Anti-idiotypic antibodies as 

adjuvant-active glycoproteid 

mimetic 

Biotechnology БТХ-3 KAF Crystallization of Caf1M 

protein and its complex with 

C-end peptide as a basis for 

formation of new generation 

of antimicrobial medicines 

and vaccine ingredients 

effective against yersiniosis 

Biotechnology БТХ-4 Vaktsina-K 

(Vaccine) 

Structural analysis of 

proteins-candidates for 

vaccine effective against 

AIDS 

Biotechnology БТХ-20 Interleukin-K 

“Luch-2” biocrystallizer

“Kriogem-03M” freezer 

Obtaining of high-quality 1α, 

1β interleukins crystals and 

interleukin receptor 

antagonist – 1 
78 RUSSIAN RESEARCH OBJECTIVES OCTOBER 2007

RUSSIAN RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 

Category Experiment 

Code 

Experiment 

Name 

Hardware Description Research Objective Unique Payload

Constraints 

Biotechnology БТХ-5 Laktolen Effect produced by

spaceflight factors on 

Laktolen producing strain 

Biotechnology БТХ-6 ARIL Effect produced by SFFs on 

expression of strains 

producing interleukins 1α, 

1β, “ARIL” 

Biotechnology БТХ-7 OChB

“Bioekologiya” kit 

Effect produced by SFFs on 

strain producing 

superoxidodismutase (SOD) 

Biotechnology БТХ-8 Biotrack “Bioekologiya” kit Study of space radiation 

heavy charged particles 

fluxes influence on genetic 

properties of bioactive 

substances cells-producers 

Biotechnology БТХ-10 Kon’yugatsiya

(Conjugation) 

“Rekomb-K” hardware 

“Kubik Amber”“ freezer 

Nominal Hardware:

“Kriogem-03” freezer 

Working through the process 

of genetic material 

transmission using bacteria 

conjugation method 

During Expedition 15 & 

16 crews rotation

Biotechnology БТХ-11 Biodegradatsiya “Bioproby” kit Assessment of the initial 

stages of biodegradation and 

biodeterioration of the 

surfaces of structural 

materials 

Biotechnology БТХ-12 Bioekologiya

(Bioecology)

“Bioekologiya” kit Generation of high-efficiency

strains of microorganisms to 

produce petroleum

biodegradation compounds, 

organophosphorus 

substances, vegetation 

protection agents, and 

exopolysaccharides to be 

used in the petroleum 

industry

Biotechnology БТХ-14 Bioemulsiya

(Bioemulsion) 

Changeable bioreactor 

Thermostat with drive control 

unit with stand and power

supply cable in cover 

“Kubik Amber”“ freezer 

Study and improvement of 

closed-type autonomous 

reactor for obtaining biomass 

of microorganisms and 

bioactive substance without 

additional ingredients input 

and metabolism products 

removal

During Expedition 15 & 

16 crews rotation

Biotechnology БТХ-27 Astrovaktsina “Bioekologiya” kit Cultivation in zero-gravity

conditions Е.Coli–producer of 

Caf1 protein 

Biotechnology БТХ-29 Zhenshen-2 “Bioekologiya” kit Study of a possibility to 

increase biological activity of 

ginseng 
OCTOBER 2007 RUSSIAN RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 79

RUSSIAN RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 

Category Experiment 

Code 

Experiment 

Name 

Hardware Description Research Objective Unique Payload

Constraints 

Biotechnology БТХ-31 Antigen “Bioekologiya” kit Comparative researching 

heterologous expression of 

acute viral hepatitis HbsAg in 

S.cerevisiae yeast under 

microgravity and Earth 

conditions and determining 

synthesis optimization 

methods 

Technical 

Studies 

ТЕХ-14 

(SDTO 

12002-R)

Vektor-T Nominal Hardware:

ISS RS СУДН sensors; 

ISS RS orbit radio tracking 

[PKO] system; 

Satellite navigation; 

equipment [ACH] system 

GPS/GLONASS satellite 

systems 

Study of a high-precision 

system for ISS motion 

prediction 

Unattended 

Technical 

Studies 

ТЕХ-15 

(SDTO 

13002-R)

Izgib Nominal Hardware:

ISS RS onboard 

measurement system (СБИ) 

accelerometers; 

ISS RS motion control and 

navigation system GIVUS 

(ГИВУС СУДН) 

Nominal temperature-sensing 

device for measures inside 

“Progress” vehicle modules 

“Dakon” hardware 

Study of the relationship 

between the onboard 

systems operating modes 

and ISS flight conditions 

Technical 

Studies 

ТЕХ-20 Plazmennyi

Kristall (Plasma 

Crystal) 

“PC-3 Plus” experimental unit 

“PC-3 Plus” telescience 

Nominal hardware

“Klest” (“Crossbill”) 

TV-system 

БСПН – Payload Server 

Block 

Study of the plasma-dust 

crystals and fluids under 

microgravity

Technical 

Studies 

ТЕХ-22 

(SDTO 

13001-R)

Identifikatsiya Nominal Hardware:

ISS RS СБИ accelerometers

Identification of disturbance 

sources when the 

microgravity conditions on 

the ISS are disrupted 

Unattended 

Technical 

Studies 

ТЕХ-44 Sreda-ISS 

(Environment) 

Nominal Hardware:

Movement Control System 

sensors; 

orientation sensors; 

magnetometers; 

Russian and foreign 

accelerometers

Studying ISS characteristics 

as researching environment 

Unattended 
80 RUSSIAN RESEARCH OBJECTIVES OCTOBER 2007

RUSSIAN RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 

Category Experiment 

Code 

Experiment 

Name 

Hardware Description Research Objective Unique Payload

Constraints 

Complex 

Analysis. 

Effectiveness 

Estimation 

КПТ-2 Bar Remote – indicating IR 

thermometer “Kelvin-Video” 

Pyroendoscope “Piren-V” 

Thermohygrometer “Iva-6А” 

Hot-wire anemometerthermometer ТТМ-2 

Ultrasound analyzer AU-01 

Leak indicator UT2-03 

Selection and testing of 

detection methods and 

means for depressurization 

of the International Space 

Station modules. 

Complex 

Analysis. 

Effectiveness 

Estimation 

КПТ-3 Econ “Econ” kit 

Nominal Hardware: 

Nikon D1X digital camera, 

Laptop RSK1 

Experimental researching of 

ISS RS resources estimating 

for ecological investigation of 

areas 

Complex 

Analysis. 

Effectiveness 

Estimation 

КПТ-6 Plazma-MKS 

(Plasma-ISS) 

“Fialka-MB-Kosmos” - 

Spectrozonal ultraviolet 

system 

Study of plasma environment 

on ISS external surface by

optical radiation 

characteristics 

Complex 

Analysis. 

Effectiveness 

Estimation 

КПТ-14 Ten’-Mayak 

(Shadow – 

Beacon) 

Complex of amateur packet 

radio communication set with 

145/430 MHz frequency

range: 

- receiver-transmitter; 

- 4 antenna-feeder devices; 

- 2 power supply units; 

- controlling computer 

Working-out of the method 

for radio probing of boardground space for supporting 

preparation of “Ten’” 

(“Shadow”) plasma 

experiment on ISS RS 

Study of 

cosmic rays

ИКЛ-2В BTN-Neutron Detection Block 

Electronic Equipment Block 

Mechanical interface 

Study of fast and thermal 

neutrons fluxes 

Education ОБР-2 MATI-75 Poroplast pouch with original 

samples Photographic/Video 

Camera 

Demonstration effect of 

shape recovery of blanks 

made from cellular polymeric 

materials 

Pre/Post-flight Motor control Electromiograph, control unit, 

tensometric pedal, 

miotometer «Miotonus», 

«GAZE» equipment 

Study of hypo-gravitational 

ataxia syndrome;

Pre-flight data collection 

is on L-60 and L-30 

days; 

Post-flight: on 1, 3, 7, 

11 days

Total time for all 4 tests 

is 2.5 hours 

Pre/Post-flight MION Impact of microgravity on 

muscular characteristics. 

Pre-flight biopsy

(60 min) on L-60, and 

L-30 days; 

Post-flight: 3-5 days 

Pre/Post-flight Izokinez Isocinetic ergometer «LIDO», 

electromiograph, reflotron-4, 

cardiac reader, scarifier 

Microgravity impact on 

voluntary muscular 

contraction; human motor 

system re-adaptation to 

gravitation. 

Pre-flight: L-30; 

Post-flight: 3-5, 7-9, 

14-16, and 70 days. 

1.5 hours for one

session 
OCTOBER 2007 RUSSIAN RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 81

RUSSIAN RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 

Category Experiment 

Code 

Experiment 

Name 

Hardware Description Research Objective Unique Payload

Constraints 

Pre/Post-flight Tendometria Universal electrostimulator 

(ЭСУ-1); bio-potential 

amplifier (УБП-1-02); 

tensometric amplifier; 

oscilloscope with memory; 

oscillograph 

Microgravity impact on 

induced muscular 

contraction; long duration 

space flight impact on 

muscular and peripheral 

nervous apparatus 

Pre-flight: L-30; 

Post-flight: 3, 11, 21, 70 

days; 

1.5 hours for one

session 

Pre/Post-flight Ravnovesie “Ravnovesie” (“Equilibrium”)

equipment 

Sensory and motor 

mechanisms in vertical pose 

control after long duration 

exposure to microgravity

Pre-flight: L-60, L-30 

days; 

Post-flight: 3, 7, 11 

days, and if necessary

on 42 or 70 days; 

Sessions: pre-flight 

data collection 2x45 

min, post-flight: 3x45 

min 

Pre/Post-flight Sensory

adaptation 

IBM PC, Pentium 11 with 

32-bit s/w for Windows API 

Microsoft. 

Countermeasures and 

correction of adaptation to 

space syndrome and of 

motion sickness 

Pre-flight: L-30, L-10; 

Post-flight: 1, 4, and 8 

days, then up to 14 

days if necessary; 

45 min for one session. 

Pre/Post-flight Lokomotsii Bi-lateral video filming, 

tensometry, miography, pose 

metric equipment. 

Kinematic and dynamic 

locomotion characteristics 

prior and after space flight 

Pre-flight: L-20-30 days; 

Post-flight: 1, 5, and 20 

days; 

45 min for one session. 

Pre/Post-flight Peregruzki Medical monitoring nominal 

equipment: Alfa-06, Mir 3A7 

used during descent phase. 

G-forces on Soyuz and 

recommendations for 

anti-g-force countermeasures 

development 

In-flight: 60 min; 

instructions and 

questionnaire 

familiarization: 15 min; 

Post-flight: cosmonauts 

checkup – 5 min; 

debrief and 

questionnaire – 30 min 

for each cosmonauts. 

Pre/Post-flight Polymorphism No hardware is used in-flight Genotype parameters related 

to human individual tolerance 

to space flight conditions. 

Pre-flight: blood 

samples, questionnaire, 

anthropometrical and 

anthroposcopic 

measurements – on 

early stages if possible; 

blood samples could be 

taken during preflight 

medical checkups on 

L - 60, L - 30 days. 

30 min for one session. 
82 RUSSIAN RESEARCH OBJECTIVES OCTOBER 2007

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OCTOBER 2007 EUROPEAN EXPERIMENT PROGRAM 83

European Experiment Program 

During the Expedition 16 mission, there will 

be a full European experiment program in 

different scientific areas with many utilizing 

the internal and external experiment facilities of the Columbus laboratory. Columbus 

is scheduled to arrive on the STS-122 

space shuttle flight targeted for December 

2007. Some experiments will be undertaken 

by members of the Expedition 16 crew, 

including ESA astronaut Léopold Eyharts, 

Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and 

NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman who is 

scheduled to arrive on shuttle flight 

STS-123 in February 2008 and take over 

the duties of Eyharts. Other experiments 

will be carried out by ESA astronaut Hans 

Schlegel, who will be a mission specialist 

on the STS-122 flight, and by a Malaysian 

spaceflight participant who will launch with 

the Expedition 16 crew. 

Internal Experiments 

Biology 

Biolab: WAICO 

This is the first experiment to be carried out 

in the Biolab facility within the European 

Columbus Laboratory. WAICO, which is the 

short name for Waving and Coiling of Aridopsis Roots, concerns the spiralling 

motion (circumnutation) of plant roots in 

weightlessness. By observing Aridopsis 

roots growth in space, one can predict that 

without the interference of gravity they 

would grow in spirals. Root samples from 

Aridopsis seedlings grown from seed for 

10-15 days in space will be analysed postflight to identify the role of the cell wall 

structure in the different tissues for this kind 

of growth imbalance. 

Science Team: G. Scherer (DE) 

EMCS: Multigen-1 

The main goal of the Multigen experiment, 

which will take place in the European 

Modular Cultivation System (EMCS) will be 

to test how plants will behave at different 

developmental levels under weightless 

conditions. During this first part of the 

experiment, the plant (Arabidopsis thaliana) 

will be observed from seed to seed where 

the growth, development and production of 

flowers and new seeds are the ultimate 

goals. The first part of this experiment also 

will record circumnutations in the shoots, 

i.e., spiralling growth. 

Science Team: T. -H. Iversen (NO), 

A. -I. Kittang (NO); B.G.B. Solheim (NO); 

A. Johnsson (NO); H. Svare (NO), 

F. Migliaccio (IT) 

Kubik Incubator Experiments 

Three biology experiments will be carried 

out using two European incubators called 

Kubik, one of which is already on the station, the other of which will be uploaded to 

the station during the Soyuz flight in October 2007. As well as providing a thermally–

controlled environment, each incubator has 

a centrifuge, which provides the ability to 

run 1g control experiments while on orbit. 

At-Space – The aim of the proposal is to 

identify genes which are activated, or in 

some way regulated, by gravity. This 

knowledge can have an impact on practical 

agricultural issues such as architecture of 
84 EUROPEAN EXPERIMENT PROGRAM OCTOBER 2007

root and shoot systems, as well as realizing 

the potential for regulating plant growth in 

space. 

Science Team: K. Palme (DE), M. Bennet 

(UK), H. Hammerle (DE), D. Volkmann (DE) 

Biokin-4 – The goal is to determine the 

growth profile of the bacteria Xanthobacter 

autotrophicus in a bioreactor to be used in a 

biological air filter for the purification of contaminated air during human spaceflight 

missions. This is a follow up to experiments 

on previous Euromir and STS-107 missions. 

Science Team: J. Krooneman (NL), 

J. van der Waarde (NL), D. M. Klaus (US) 

Pkinase – The experiment is a study on the 

enzyme PKC (Protein Kinase C), which is 

involved in many cellular processes. The 

aim of the experiment is to determine the 

effect that station's weightless environment 

has on: activation of PKC isoforms and 

their spatial distribution; control of white 

blood cell (monocyte) differentiation, and 

initiation of programmed cell death (apoptosis) and cell cycle arrest. The experiment 

also will test whether enhancers can be 

used to restore PKC isoforms disturbed by 

weightlessness. 

Science Team: M. Hughes-Fulford (US), 

A. Cogoli (CH) 

Fluid Science 

Fluid Science Laboratory: Geoflow 

Geoflow is the first experiment to take place 

within the Fluid Science Laboratory inside 

the European Columbus Laboratory. The 

experiment will investigate the flow of an 

incompressible viscous fluid (silicon oil) 

held between two concentric spheres rotating about a common axis. A temperature 

gradient and voltage difference are maintained from the inside to the outside sphere. 

This geometrical configuration can be seen 

as a representation of a planet, with the 

electric field simulating its gravitational field. 

This research is of importance in such 

areas as flow in the atmosphere, the 

oceans, and in the liquid nucleus of planets 

on a global scale. 

Science Team: Ch. Egbers (DE), 

P. Chossat (FR), F. Feudel (DE), 

Ph. Beltrame (DE), I. Mutabazi (FR), 

L. Tuckerman (FR), R. Hollerbach (UK) 

Human Physiology 

Chromosome-2 

During spaceflights, crew members are 

exposed to different types of ionizing radiation. To assess the genetic impact of these 

radiations, this experiment will study chromosome changes and sensitivity to radiation in lymphocytes (white blood cells) of 

ISS crew members. 

Science Team: C. Johannes (DE), 

M. Horstmann (DE) 

EDOS 

Early Detection of Osteoporosis in Space 

(EDOS) is a study into the mechanisms 

underlying the reduction in bone mass, 

which occurs in astronauts in weightlessness. The EDOS experiment will evaluate 

the structure of weight and non-weight 

bearing bones of cosmonauts/astronauts 

pre and post-flight using the method of 

computed tomography (pQCT) together 

with an analysis of bone biochemical markers in blood samples. 
OCTOBER 2007 EUROPEAN EXPERIMENT PROGRAM 85

Science Team: C. Alexandre (FR), 

L. Braak (FR), L. Vico (FR), 

P. Ruegsegger (CH), M. Heer (DE) 

ETD 

The working of our balance system and our 

eyes are strongly interconnected and 

understanding their adaptation to weightlessness can help with our understanding of 

the occurrence of space sickness. Our eyes 

can rotate around three axes whereas normally only two are used. The name of the 

coordinate framework which describes the 

movement of the eyes in the head is called 

Listing’s plane. This experiment centers on 

the evaluation of Listing's plane under different gravity conditions using the Eye 

Tracking Device (ETD), which is able to 

record horizontal, vertical and rotational eye 

movements and measure head movement. 

Science Team: A. Clarke (DE), 

T. Haslwanter (CH), E. Tomilovskaya (RU), 

I. Koslovkaya (RU) 

Immuno 

The aim of this experiment is to determine 

changes in stress and immune responses, 

during and after a stay on the ISS. This will 

include the sampling of saliva, blood and 

urine to check for hormones associated 

with stress response and for carrying out 

white blood cell analysis. There will also be 

a focus on the adaptation of cellular energy 

metabolism, which can affect immune 

response. 

Science Team: A. Chouker (DE), 

F. Christ (DE), M. Thiel (DE), I. Kaufmann 

(DE), B. Morukov (RU) 

Low Back Pain 

The deep muscle corset plays an important 

role in posture when in the upright position. 

It is thought that this deep muscle corset 

atrophies during spaceflight leading to 

strain and hence pain in certain ligaments, 

in particular in the iliolumbar region in the 

back. The objective of this experiment is to 

assess the level of atrophy in response to 

exposure to weightlessness. 

Science Team: A. Pool-Goudzwaard (NL), 

C. Richardson (AU), J. Hides (AU), 

L. Danneels (BE) 

MOP 

When entering weightlessness, astronauts 

suffer from a phenomenon called space 

motion sickness, which has symptoms 

comparable to seasickness. This disturbance in the body’s orientation and balance 

is similar to the disturbances experienced 

by subjects who have undergone rotation in 

a human centrifuge having experienced two 

to three times Earth’s gravity for up to several hours. This experiment aims to obtain 

an insight into this process and could help 

in developing countermeasures to space 

motion sickness. 

Science Team: E. Groen (NL), J. Bos (NL), 

S. Nooij (NL), W. Bles (NL), 

R. Simons (NL), T. Meeuwsen (NL) 

Neocytolysis 

This experiment covers the effects of 

weight-lessness on the hemopoietic system: the system of the body responsible for 

the formation of blood cells. The experiment 

will study a process called neocytolysis, the 

selective destruction of young red blood 

cells. The experiment will analyse the 

physical and functional characteristics of 
86 EUROPEAN EXPERIMENT PROGRAM OCTOBER 2007

young red blood cells taken from astronaut 

blood samples before and after spaceflight. 

Science Team: A. Risso (IT), G. Antonutto 

(IT), M. Cosulich (IT), G. Minetti (IT) 

Sample 

This experiment will investigate what kind of 

microbial species are to be found on board 

of the International Space Station and how 

these adapt to conditions of spaceflight. 

The participant will take samples in certain 

areas of the station and from his own body. 

The samples will be obtained by rubbing 

swab sticks over surfaces, which are susceptible to having bacteria including

switches, keyboards and personal hygiene

 

 

 

equipment. 

Science Team: H. Harmsen (NL),

G. Welling, (NL), J. Krooneman (NL), L. van

den Bergh (NL) 

Spin 

This experiment is a comparison between

pre-flight and post-flight testing of astronaut

subjects using a centrifuge and a standardized tilt test. Orthostatic tolerance i.e. the

ability to maintain an upright posture (without fainting) will be correlated with measures of otolith-ocular function, i.e., the

body’s mechanism linking the inner ear with

the eyes that deals with maintaining balance. 

Science Team: F. Wuyts (BE),

S. Moore (US), H. MacDougall (AU),

G. Clement (FR), B. Cohen (US),

N. Pattyn (BE), A. Diedrich (US). 

ZAG 

ZAG, which stands for Z-axis Aligned 

Gravito-inertial force is an investigation into 

the effect that weightlessness has on an 

astronaut’s perception of motion and tilt as 

well as his level of performance during and 

after spaceflight. Different tests will take 

place pre and post flight including an analysis of the astronaut’s motion perception and 

eye movements whilst using a track-and-tilt 

chair. 

Science Team: G. Clement (FR), S. Wood 

(US), M. F. Reschke (US), P. Denise (FR) 

Radiation Dosimetry 

ALTCRISS 

ALTCRISS (Alteino Long Term monitoring 

of Cosmic Rays on the International Space 

Station) is an ESA experiment to study the 

effect of shielding on cosmic rays in two different and complementary ways. The 

detector of the Alteino device will monitor 

differences in the flow of cosmic rays with 

regard to the position and orientation of the 

Alteino device, with the focus being on 

radiation monitoring in the Pirs module in 

the station's Russian segment. 

Science Team: M. Casolino (IT), 

F. Cucinotta (US), M. Durante (IT), 

C. Fuglesang (SE), C. Lobascio (IT), 

L. Narici (IT), P. Picozza (IT), 

L. Sihver (SE), R. Scrimaglio (IT), 

P. Spillantini (IT) 

EuCPD 

The European Crew Personal Dosimeters 

(EuCPDs) will be worn by the ESA astronauts onboard the ISS to measure the 

radiation exposure during their flights. The 

dosimeters are worn around the waist and 

the left ankle for astronauts inside the station and at the same locations above the 
OCTOBER 2007 EUROPEAN EXPERIMENT PROGRAM 87

liquid cooling garment inside the spacesuit 

for astronauts doing spacewalks. 

Science Team: U. Straube - ESA, 

C. Fuglesang - ESA 

Project Team: J. Dettmann - ESA, 

G. Reitz - DLR (DE) 

Matroshka 2B 

The ESA Matroshka facility has been an 

ongoing experiment on the ISS since February 2004 with the aim of studying radiation levels experienced by astronauts. It 

consists of a human shape (head and 

torso), called the Phantom, equipped with 

several active and passive radiation 

dosimeters. For the Matroshka 2B experiment, new passive radiation sensors 

uploaded during the Soyuz flight in October 

2007 will be installed inside the Phantom. 

The active radiation dosimeters will be activated in December. The Matroshka facility 

will be installed inside the station to take 

similar measurements related to the internal 

ISS radiation environment. 

Science Team: G. Reitz (DE), R. Beaujean 

(DE), W. Heinrich (DE), M. Luszik-Bhadra 

(DE), M. Scherkenbach (DE), P. Olko (PL), 

P. Bilski (PL), S. Derne (HU), J. Palvalvi 

(HU), E. Stassinopoulos (US), J. Miller 

(US), C. Zeitlin (US), F. Cucinotta (US), 

V. Petrov (RU) 

Project Team: ESA: J. Dettmann, DLR: 

G. Reitz, J. Bossler, Kayser Italia: 

M. Porciani, F. Granata 

External Experiments 

EuTEF 

The European Technology Exposure Facility (EuTEF) is one of the first two external 

facilities to be attached to the Columbus 

laboratory and houses the following 

experiments requiring either exposure to 

the open space environment or housing on 

the station’s external surface: 

DEBIE-2 

DEBIE, which stands for ‘DEBris In orbit 

Evaluator’ is designed to be a standard 

in-situ space debris and micrometeoroid 

monitoring instrument which requires low 

resources from the spacecraft. It measures 

sub-millimeter sized particles and has 

3 sensors facing in different directions. The 

scientific results from several DEBIE 

instruments onboard different spacecraft 

will be compiled into a single database for 

comparison. 

Science Team: G. Drolshagen - ESA, 

A. Menicucci - ESA 

Dostel 

Dostel (DOSimetric radiation TELescope) is 

a small radiation telescope that will measure the radiation environment outside the 

ISS. 

Science Team: G. Reitz - DLR (DE) 

EXPOSE-E 

EXPOSE-E is a subsection of EuTEF and 

consists of five individual exobiology 

experiments: 
88 EUROPEAN EXPERIMENT PROGRAM OCTOBER 2007

LIFE – This experiment will test the limits of 

survival of Lichens, Fungi and symbionts 

under simulated space conditions. 

Science Team: S. Onofri (IT), L. Zucconi 

(IT), L. Selbmann (DE), S. Ott (DE), 

J.-P.de Vera (ES), R. de la Torre (ES) 

ADAPT – This experiment concerns the 

molecular adaptation strategies of microorganisms to different space and planetary 

UV climate conditions. 

Science Team: P. Rettberg (DE), C. Cockell 

(UK), E. Rabbow (DE), T. Douki (FR), 

J. Cadet (FR), C. Panitz (DE), R. Moeller 

(DE), G. Horneck (DE), H. Stan-Lotter (AT) 

PROCESS – The main goal of the 

PROCESS (PRebiotic Organic ChEmistry 

on Space Station) experiment is to improve 

our knowledge of the chemical nature and 

evolution of organic molecules involved in 

extraterrestrial environments. 

Science Team: H. Cottin (FR), P. Coll (FR), 

D. Coscia (FR), A. Brack (FR), F. Raulin 

(FR) 

PROTECT – The aim of this experiment is 

to investigate the resistance of spores, 

attached to the outer surface of spacecraft, 

to the open space environment. Three 

aspects of resistance are of importance: the 

degree of resistance; the types of damage 

sustained; and the spores repair mechanisms. 

Science Team: G. Horneck (DE), J. Cadet 

(FR), T. Douki (FR), R. Mancinelli (FR), 

R. Moeller (DE), W. Nicholson (US), 

J. Pillinger (UK), E. Rabbow (DE), P. 

Rettberg (DE), J. Sprey (UK), E. Stackebrandt (DE), K. Venkateswaren (US) 

SEEDS – This experiment will test the plant 

seed as a terrestrial model for a panspermia vehicle i.e. a means of transporting life 

through the universe and as a source of 

universal UV screens. 

Science Team: D.Tepfer (DE), L. Sydney 

(FR), S. Hoffmann (DK), P. Ducrot (FR), F. 

Corbineau (FR), C. Wood (UK) 

EuTEMP 

EuTEMP is an autonomous and batterypowered multi-input thermometer for measuring EuTEF temperatures during the 

unpowered transfer from the Shuttle Cargo 

Bay to the Columbus External Payload 

Facility to which EuTEF is attached. 

Science Team: J. Romera - ESA 

EVC 

The Earth Viewing Camera (EVC) payload 

is a fixed-pointed Earth-observing camera. 

The main goal of the system is to capture 

color images of the Earth’s surface, to be 

used as a tool to increase general public 

awareness of the ISS and promote the use 

of the ISS to the potential user community 

for observation purposes. 

Science Team: M. Sabbatini - ESA 

FIPEX 

It is important to understand varying atmospheric conditions in low earth orbit where 

orbiting spacecraft are still affected by 

atmospheric drag. The density of the atmosphere is the major factor affecting drag 

which is affected by solar radiation and the 

earth’s magnetic and gravitational fields. 

The flux of atomic oxygen is important as it 

shows different interactions with spacecraft 

surfaces, e.g. surface erosion. The FIPEX 
OCTOBER 2007 EUROPEAN EXPERIMENT PROGRAM 89

micro-sensor system is intended to measure the atomic oxygen flux as well as the 

oxygen molecules in the surrounding area 

of the International Space Station. 

Science Team: Prof. Fasoulas, University of 

Dresden (DE) 

MEDET 

The Materials Exposure and Degradation 

Experiment (MEDET) aims to evaluate the 

effects of open space on materials currently 

being considered for utilization on spacecraft in low earth orbit. It also will verify the 

validity of data from the space simulation 

currently used for materials evaluation and 

monitor solid particles impacting spacecraft 

in low earth orbit. 

Science Team: V. Inguimbert - ONERA 

(FR), A. Tighe - ESA 

PLEGPLAY 

The scientific objective of PLEGPAY 

(PLasma Electron Gun PAYload) is the 

study of the interactions between spacecraft and the space environment in low 

earth orbit, with reference to electrostatic 

charging and discharging. Understanding 

these mechanisms is important as uncontrollable discharge events can adversely 

affecting the functioning of spacecraft electronic systems. 

Science Team: G. Noci - Laben-Proel (IT) 

R3D 

The Radiation Risks Radiometer-Dosimeter 

(R3D) is an environmental monitor which 

records the irradiance of solar light in four 

different wavelength ranges (UV-A, UV-B, 

UV-C and photosynthetic active light) as 

well as the dose and flux of heavy cosmic 

particles. 

Science Team: D-P Häder (DE), 

M. Schuster (DE), T. Dachev (BU) 

Tribolab 

This series of experiment covers research 

in tribology, i.e., the science of friction and 

lubrication thereof. This is of major importance for spacecraft systems. The Tribolab 

experiments will cover both experiments in 

liquid and solid lubrication such as the 

evaluation of fluid losses from surfaces and 

the evaluation of wear of polymer and 

metallic cages weightlessness. 

Science Team: R. Fernandez - INTA (ES) 

SOLAR 

The SOLAR facility, will study the Sun with 

unprecedented accuracy across most of its 

spectral range. This study is currently 

scheduled to last for two years. SOLAR is 

expected to contribute to the knowledge of 

the interaction between the solar energy 

flux and the Earth's atmosphere chemistry 

and climatology. This will be important for 

Earth observation predictions. The payload 

consists of 3 instruments complementing 

each other, which are: 

SOL-ACES 

The goal of the Solar Auto-Calibrating 

Extreme UV-Spectrometer (SOL-ACES) is 

to measure the solar spectral irradiance of 

the full disk from 17 to 220 nm (?) at 0.5 to 

2 nm (?) spectral resolution. By an autocalibration capability, it is expected to gain 

long term spectral data with a high absolute 

resolution. In its center, it contains 

4 Extreme Ultra-Violet spectrometers. 
90 EUROPEAN EXPERIMENT PROGRAM OCTOBER 2007

SOL-ACES is a new instrument that has 

never flown. 

Science Team: G. Schmidtke (DE) 

SOLSPEC 

The purpose of SOLSPEC (SOLar SPECctral irradiance measurements) is to measure the solar spectum irradiance from 

180 nm to 3,000 nm. The aims of this investigation are the study of solar variability at 

short and long term and the achievement of 

absolute measurements (2% in UV and 1% 

above). The SOLSPEC instrument is fully 

refurbished and improved with respect to 

the experience gained in the previous 

missions (Spacelab-1, Atlas-1, Atlas-2, 

Atlas-3, Eureca). 

Science Team: M.G. Thuillier (FR) 

SOVIM 

The Solar Variability and Irradiance Monitor 

(SOVIM) is a re-flight of the SOVA experiment on-board Eureca-1. The investigation 

will observe and study the irradiance of the 

Sun, with high precision and high stability. 

The total irradiance will be observed with 

active cavity radiometers and the spectral 

irradiance measurement will be carried out 

by one type of sun-photometer. 

Science Team: C. Frohlich (CH) 
OCTOBER 2007 NASA TELEVISION 91

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OCTOBER 2007 PAO CONTACTS 93

Expedition 16 Public Affairs Officers (PAO) Contacts 

Michael Braukus International Partners 202-358-1979

NASA Headquarters 

Washington, D.C. 

michael.j.braukus@nasa.gov

Katherine Trinidad Shuttle, Space Station Policy 202-358-3749

NASA Headquarters 

Washington, D.C. 

katherine.trinidad@nasa.gov

John Yembrick Shuttle, Space Station Policy 202-358-0602

NASA Headquarters 

Washington, D.C. 

john.yembrick-1@nasa.gov

Mellisa Mathews Research in Space 202-358-1272

NASA Headquarters 

Washington, D.C. 

melissa.mathews-1@nasa.gov

Beth Dickey Research in Space 202-358-2087

NASA Headquarters 

Washington, D.C. 

bdickey-1@nasa.gov

James Hartsfield Astronauts/Mission Operations 281-483-5111

NASA Johnson Space Center 

Houston, TX 

james.a.hartsfield@nasa.gov

Rob Navias Mission Operations 281-483-5111

NASA Johnson Space Center 

Houston, TX 

rob.navias-1@nasa.gov

Lynnette Madison International Space Station 281-483-5111

NASA Johnson Space Center 

Houston, TX 

lynnette.b.madison@nasa.gov
94 PAO CONTACTS OCTOBER 2007

Kylie Clem

NASA Johnson Space Center 

Houston, TX 

kylie.s.clem@nasa.gov

Mission Operations Directorate 281-483-5111

Nicole Cloutier-Lemasters 

NASA Johnson Space Center 

Houston, TX 

nicole.cloutier-1@nasa.gov

Space Station Crew 281-483-5111

Steve Roy

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center 

Huntsville, Ala. 

steven.e.roy@nasa.gov

Science Operations 256-544-0034

Ed Memi 

The Boeing Company 

Houston, TX 

edmund.g.memi@boeing.com

International Space Station 281-226-4029