EXPEDITION 11: 

Opening the Door for 

Return to Flight 

WWW.SHUTTLEPRESSKIT.COM


Updated April 4, 2004 
National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration 

Expedition 11 Press Kit 

Table of Contents 


Mission Overview .................................................................................................... 1 


Crew .......................................................................................................................... 5 


Mission Objectives ................................................................................................ 10 


Spacewalks ............................................................................................................ 19


Russian Soyuz TMA................................................................................................ 20


Science Overview ................................................................................................... 42 


Payload Operations Center.................................................................................... 47 


Russian Experiments ............................................................................................ 50 


U.S. Experiments .................................................................................................... 58 


Italian Soyuz Mission Eneide................................................................................... 92


Media Assistance.................................................................................................. 111 


Media Contacts ..................................................................................................... 113 

Expedition 11 Press Kit 

National Aeronautics and 

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Overview 

Expedition 11: Opening the Door for Return to Flight 

The crew that will greet the first Space Shuttle astronauts to arrive at the International 

Space Station since November 2002 is scheduled to launch on April 15, 2005 (local time), 

aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, 

replacing the American astronaut and the Russian cosmonaut who have been living and 

working on the Station since October 2004. 

Russian Expedition 11 Station and Soyuz Commander Sergei Krikalev, 46, and NASA 

Flight Engineer and Science Officer John Phillips, 53, will launch on the ISS Soyuz 10 

(TMA-6) spacecraft for a two-day flight to dock to the Pirs Docking Compartment on the 

ISS. This will be the sixth flight into space for Krikalev, more than any other Russian 

cosmonaut, and the second flight into space for Phillips, who previously flew on 

STS-100 in 2001 that delivered the Canadarm2 robotic arm to the Station. Phillips will 

launch on his 54th birthday. 

Krikalev will be making his third trip to the International Space Station, having first flown 

to the ISS on the STS-88 mission that delivered the Unity Module to link up to the first 

Station element, the Zarya Control Module. He was the Flight Engineer on the first 

Expedition mission in 2000 that began the permanent human occupancy of the 

complex. Krikalev made three previous flights to the Mir Space Station. 

By the time Krikalev returns to Earth this fall, he will have accumulated 800 days in 

space on his six flights, more than any other human. 

Krikalev and Phillips will be joined aboard the Soyuz by European Space Agency 

astronaut Roberto Vittori, 40, a test pilot for the Italian Air Force, who will be making his 

second trip into space and his second trip to the International Space Station. Vittori was 

part of a Russian / South African crew that delivered a new Soyuz return vehicle to the 

Station in 2002. Vittori will spend eight days on the Station, conducting a variety of 

experiments before returning home with the Expedition 10 crew, Commander Leroy 

Chiao and Flight Engineer and Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov, in the ISS 

Soyuz 9 (TMA-5) vehicle that is docked to Zarya. 

Once on board, Krikalev and Phillips will conduct more than a week of handover 

activities with Chiao and Sharipov, familiarizing themselves with Station systems and 

procedures. They will also receive proficiency training on the Canadarm2 robotic arm 

from Chiao and will engage in safety briefings with the departing Expedition 10 crew as 

well as payload and scientific equipment training. 

Chiao and Sharipov will assume formal control of the Station at the time of hatch 

closure for the Expedition 10 crewmembers shortly before they and Vittori undock the 

Soyuz 10 (TMA-5) craft from Zarya. With Sharipov at the controls of Soyuz, he, Chiao 

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and Vittori will land in the steppes of north central Kazakhstan April 25 (local time) to 

wrap up six months in orbit. Vittori’s mission will span 10 days. 

After landing, Chiao and Sharipov will be flown from Kazakhstan to the Gagarin 

Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia, for about two weeks of initial physical 

rehabilitation. Vittori will spend a much shorter time acclimating himself to Earth’s 

gravity due to the brevity of his flight. 

Krikalev and Phillips are expected to spend about 180 days aboard the ISS. After the 

Columbia accident on Feb. 1, 2003, the ISS Program and the international Partners 

determined that the Station would be occupied by only two crewmembers until the 

resumption of Shuttle flights because of limitations on consumables. Expedition 11 may 

see the resumption of a full three-person capability this summer with the addition of 

another crewmember on the STS-121 mission, dependent on the Space Shuttle’s 

Return to Flight activities and further discussions with the International Partners. 

Krikalev and Phillips will be on board the Station when Commander Eileen Collins and 

her six crewmembers launch on the Shuttle Discovery on the first post-Columbia 

mission. It will mark the first time since the STS-113 mission in November 2002 that a 

Shuttle will arrive at the Station. The two crews plan eight days of joint docked 

operations, including the resupply of the Station with several tons of food and 

equipment as well as three spacewalks out of the Shuttle’s airlock by Discovery 

astronauts Soichi Noguchi and Steve Robinson to practice orbiter thermal protection 

system repair techniques and, among other things, to replace a failed electrical 

gyroscope in the Z1 Truss that has been inoperable since June 2002. They will also 

install a “tool shed” on the U.S. Airlock Quest called the External Stowage Platform that 

houses spare parts for future Station assembly spacewalks. 

American and Russian specialists are developing plans for two spacewalks Krikalev and 

Phillips will conduct in August and September to outfit the Station with new external 

experiment hardware, install additional camera gear, and relocate and recover Russian 

science equipment on the Zvezda Service Module. 

The first spacewalk is scheduled to be conducted in U.S. spacesuits out of Quest after the 

airlock is cleared for use once again following the replacement of a heat exchanger device 

that began with the Expedition 10 crew. A faulty heat exchanger was identified as the most 

probable cause for introducing rust and contamination into U.S. suits on the Station last 

year that forced subsequent spacewalks to be conducted out of the Russian Pirs Docking 

Compartment. The goal is to have the U.S. airlock available for renewed use by the STS121 mission this summer. 

The second spacewalk will be conducted in Russian Orlan spacesuits out of Pirs. Krikalev 

is a spacewalk veteran, having logged seven excursions outside the Mir Space Station. 

The spacewalks will be the first for Phillips. 

In addition to preparing for the return of the Space Shuttle to the Station during the 

STS-114 mission, Krikalev and Phillips will see the Shuttle Atlantis visit the complex this 

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summer with a crew led by Commander Steve Lindsey on a mission virtually identical to 

STS-114. Lindsey and his crew will also resupply the complex and conduct three 

spacewalks to test Shuttle tile and reinforced carbon-carbon repair techniques and to 

continue external outfitting of the outpost. 

Once the Expedition 10 crew has departed, the Expedition 11 crew will settle down to work. 

Station operations and Station maintenance will take up a considerable share of the time 

for the two-person crew. But science will continue, as will science-focused education 

activities and Earth observations. 

The science team at the Payload Operations Center at the Marshall Space Flight Center in 

Huntsville, Ala., will operate some experiments without crew input and other experiments 

are designed to function autonomously. Together, operation of individual experiments is 

expected to total several thousand hours, adding to the more than 100,000 hours of 

experiment operation time already accumulated aboard the Station. 

During more than six months aloft, Krikalev and Phillips will monitor the arrival of two 

Russian Progress resupply cargo ships filled with food, fuel, water and supplies that will 

augment the renewed deliveries of supplies on visiting Shuttles. They will also don their 

spacesuits and relocate their Soyuz spacecraft from their Pirs docking port to the Zarya 

docking port in August to free up the Pirs airlock to support spacewalk activity from the 

Russian segment. 

The ISS Progress 18 cargo ship is scheduled to reach the ISS in June and ISS Progress 19 

is earmarked to fly to the ISS at the end of August. The first Progress craft will link up to 

the aft port of Zvezda and the second will dock to Pirs. 

Also on the crew’s agenda is work with the Station’s robotic arm, Canadarm2. Robotics 

work will focus on observations of the Station’s exterior, maintaining operator proficiency, 

and completing the schedule of on-orbit checkout requirements that were developed to fully 

characterize the performance of the robotic system. 

Krikalev and Phillips are scheduled to return to Earth in early October after their 

successors, the Expedition 12, reach the Station to begin their six-month stay. 

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Expedition 

 Increment Overview

Expedition 11 Crew Expedition 11 Crew

Increment 11CDR, FE1 up 10S FE2 up ULF1.1 NCDR, FE1 dn 10S FE2 dn 12A.1 NECDR, FE1 DuratiIn Space – 175 DOnboard ISS – 17FE2 DurationIn Space - 225 DOnboard ISS – 22

Increment 11CDR, FE1 up 10FE2 up ULF1.1 CDR, FE1 dn 10FE2 dn 12A.1 NCDR, FE1 DuratIn Space – 175 DOnboard ISS – 1FE2 DurationIn Space - 225 DOnboard ISS – 2

15 May

LF1

MPLM

CMG

ESP-2

Denotes EVA

Apr Apr2005 May May June June July July

10 June

11

Aug Aug Sept Sept

07 Oct

10S E-11

17P

25Apr

CDR CDR FE1 FE1

15 Apr

Oct Oc

S. Krikalev J. Phillips

RS#14

24 Aug

19P

US #4

27 Sep

18P 11S E-12

18P

U/R

9S E-10

10S E-11

ULF1.1

MPLM

ICC

NET 

14 July

Soyuz

relocate

VC-8 VC-8

R. Vittori

Expedition 11 Crew Expedition 11 Crew

Increment 11CDR, FE1 up 10S FE2 up ULF1.1 NCDR, FE1 dn 10S FE2 dn 12A.1 NECDR, FE1 DuratiIn Space – 175 DOnboard ISS – 17FE2 DurationIn Space - 225 DOnboard ISS – 22

Increment 11CDR, FE1 up 10FE2 up ULF1.1 CDR, FE1 dn 10FE2 dn 12A.1 NCDR, FE1 DuratIn Space – 175 DOnboard ISS – 1FE2 DurationIn Space - 225 DOnboard ISS – 2

15 May

LF1

MPLM

CMG

ESP-2

Denotes EVA

Apr Apr2005 May May June June July July

10 June

11

Aug Aug Sept Sept

07 Oct

10S E-11

17P

25Apr

CDR CDR FE1 FE1

15 Apr

Oct Oc

S. Krikalev J. Phillips

RS#14

24 Aug

19P

US #4

27 Sep

18P 11S E-12

18P

U/R

9S E-10

10S E-11

ULF1.1

MPLM

ICC

NET 

14 July

Soyuz

relocate

VC-8 VC-8

R. Vittori

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Expedition 11 Crew 


ISS and Soyuz Commander: Sergei 

Krikalev 

Cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev will serve as 

commander of the ISS Soyuz 10 (TMA-6) 

spacecraft and of the Expedition 11 crew. 

Krikalev has previously flown in space five times, 

including two missions to the Mir space station, 

two Space Shuttle flights and the first longduration mission on the ISS. 

After this current mission, Krikalev will have flown 

in space more than any other human being. To 

date, he has logged more than 1 year, 5 months 

and 10 days in space and has conducted seven 

spacewalks. 

Krikalev was born Aug. 27, 1959, in Leningrad (St. Petersburg), Russia. He graduated 

from high school in 1975 and earned a mechanical engineering degree from the Leningrad 

Mechanical Institute (now called St. Petersburg Technical University) in 1981. 

After graduation he joined NPO Energia, the Russian industrial organization responsible for 

human spaceflight activities. He tested spaceflight equipment, developed space operations 

methods, and participated in ground control operations. When the Salyut 7 space station 

failed in 1985, he worked on the rescue mission team, developing procedures for docking 

with the uncontrolled station and repairing the station's on-board system. 

Krikalev was selected as a cosmonaut in 1985, completed his basic training in 1986, and, 

for a time, was assigned to the Buran Shuttle program. In early 1988, he began training for 

his first long-duration flight aboard the Mir space station. 

Soyuz TM-7 was launched on Nov. 26, 1988, with Krikalev as flight engineer, Commander 

Alexander Volkov, and French Astronaut Jean-Loup Chretien. The previous crew remained 

on Mir for another 25 days, marking the longest period a six-person crew had been in orbit. 

After the previous crew returned to Earth, Krikalev and his crewmates continued to conduct 

experiments aboard the Mir station. Because arrival of the next crew had been delayed, 

they prepared the Mir for a period of uncrewed operations before returning to Earth on April 

27, 1989. 

For the ninth Mir mission, Soyuz TM-12 launched on May 19, 1991, with Krikalev as flight 

engineer, Commander Anatoly Artsebarsky, and British astronaut Helen Sharman. 

Sharman returned to Earth with the previous crew after one week, while Krikalev and 

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Artsebarsky remained on Mir. During the summer, they conducted six spacewalks to 

perform a variety of experiments and some maintenance tasks. 

In July 1991, Krikalev agreed to stay on Mir as flight engineer for the next crew, scheduled 

to arrive in October because the next two planned flights had been reduced to one. The 

engineer slot on the TM-13 flight on Oct. 2, 1991, was filled by Toktar Aubakirov, an 

astronaut from the former Soviet republic of Kazakhstan, who had not been trained for a 

long-duration mission. Both he and Franz Viehbok, the first Austrian astronaut, returned 

with Artsebarsky on Oct. 10, 1991. Commander Alexander Volkov remained on board with 

Krikalev. After the crew replacement in October, Volkov and Krikalev continued Mir 

experiment operations and conducted another spacewalk before returning to Earth on 

March 25, 1992. 

In October 1992, Krikalev began training as one of two candidates to be the first Russian to 

fly on the U.S. Space Shuttle. Then, on Feb. 3, 1994, he flew on STS-60, the first joint 

U.S.-Russian Space Shuttle mission. It was the second flight of the Space Habitation 

Module-2 (Spacehab-2), and the first flight of the Wake Shield Facility (WSF-1). During the 

8-day mission, the crew of Discovery conducted a wide variety of materials science 

experiments, both on the Wake Shield Facility and in the Spacehab, Earth observation, and 

life science experiments. Krikalev conducted significant portions of the Remote 

Manipulator System (RMS) operations during the flight. 

Following STS-60, Krikalev returned to duty in Russia, but periodically supported joint 

U.S./Russian missions from Mission Control, Houston. During STS-63, STS-71, STS-74 

and STS-76 he supported the Capcom and ground controllers in Russia. 

Krikalev’s second Space Shuttle flight was aboard Endeavour in 1998. The STS-88 

mission was the first International Space Station assembly mission. During the 12-day 

mission the Unity module was mated with Zarya module. Two crewmembers performed 

three spacewalks to connect umbilicals and attach tools/hardware for use in future EVA's. 

The crew also performed IMAX Cargo Bay Camera (ICBC) operations, and deployed two 

satellites, Mighty Sat 1 and SAC-A. 

Krikalev returned to ISS to stay as a member of the Expedition-1 crew. Krikalev, 

Commander Bill Shepherd and Flight Engineer Yuri Gidzneko launched Oct. 31, 2000, on a 

Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. They began their 4 1⁄2-month 

stay aboard ISS on Nov. 2, 2000. They prepared the inside of the orbital outpost for future 

crews and saw the Station grow in size with the installation of a U.S. solar array structure 

and the U.S. Destiny Laboratory Module. They left the Station with the STS-102 crew and 

landed at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla., on March 21, 2001. 

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ISS Flight Engineer and NASA Science 


Officer: 


John Phillips, Ph.D. 


Astronaut John Phillips will serve as the flight 

engineer and NASA science officer for Expedition 

11. He has previously flown on one Space Shuttle 

mission, STS-100, in 2001, and has logged nearly 

12 days and five million miles in space. 

Phillips was born April 15, 1951, in Fort Belvoir, 

Va., but considers Scottsdale, Ariz., his hometown. 

He graduated from Scottsdale High School in 

1966. He went on to earn a bachelor of science in 

mathematics and Russian from the U.S. Naval 

Academy in 1972 and was designated a Naval 

aviator in 1974. He also earned a second 

bachelor of science degree in aeronautical system 

for the University of Florida in 1974. 

As a Naval aviator, Phillips trained in the A-7 Corsair Aircraft at Naval Air Station Lemoore, 

Calif., and made overseas deployment with Attack Squadron 155 aboard the USS Oriskany 

and USS Roosevelt. Subsequent tours of duty included navy recruiting in Albany, N.Y., 

and flying the CT-39 Sabreliner Aircraft at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif. 

After leaving the Navy in 1982, Phillips enrolled as a graduate student at the University of 

California, Los Angeles (UCLA). While at UCLA he carried out research involving 

observations by the NASA Pioneer Venus Spacecraft. He earned a master of science 

degree and a doctorate in geophysics and space physics from UCLA in 1984 and 1987, 

respectively. 

He then accepted a J. Robert Oppenheimer Postdoctoral Fellowship at Los Alamos 

National Laboratory in New Mexico and began working their permanently in 1989. While 

there, Phillips performed research on the sun and the space environment. From 1993 

through 1996 he was principal investigator for the Solar Wind Plasma Experiment aboard 

the Ulysses Spacecraft as it executed a unique trajectory over the poles of the sun. He has 

authored 156 scientific papers dealing with the plasma environments of the sun, Earth, 

other planets, comets and spacecraft. 

Selected by NASA in April 1996, Phillips reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 

1996. After completing astronaut candidate training, he held various jobs in the Astronaut 

Office, including systems engineering and CAPCOM for the International Space Station. 

For his first spaceflight, Phillips flew aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour during STS-100 

in 2001. He served as the coordinator of the two spacewalks to install the Space Station’s 

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remote manipulator system, Canadarm2. He also controlled the Common Berthing 

Mechanism, which mated the Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module on its maiden flight 

to the Station. He will see Raffaello at the Space Station again when it is brought up full of 

supplies by the Space Shuttle return-to-flight mission, STS-114/LF1. 

Phillips served as a backup to Expedition 7 and is ready to launch in April 2005 on a 

six-month mission. 

Phillips continued to serve in the Navy as a reservist from 1982 to 2002, piloting the A-7 

and in various non-flying assignments. Phillips has logged over 4,400 flight hours and 250 

carrier landings. 

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Expedition 11 Responsibilities for Return to Flight 

The Expedition 11 crew will be preparing the Space Station for its first Shuttle visitors in 

more than two years. Initial preparations include packing equipment that will be sent home 

on the Shuttle in the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, Raffaello, for refurbishment on Earth. 

This work was begun in February by the Expedition 10 crew. The crew also will rearrange 

material to clear the way for the Shuttle crew to enter through Pressurized Mating Adapter 

(PMA) 2 that has served as storage during the Shuttle downtime and to make room in the 

Station’s modules for the additional crewmembers. 

During the Shuttle’s rendezvous with the Station, as Discovery reaches a point 600 feet 

below the Station, the Shuttle crew will perform a Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver (RPM), a 

three-quarter-degree-per-second backflip, so that its underside faces the Station. The 

Expedition 11 crew will use digital still cameras with 400 and 800 millimeter lenses and 

a detailed plan to photographically map the Shuttle’s underside for about 90 seconds 

before it continues on to docking. The images will be sent to Earth for inclusion in the 

collection of data that will be used by the Mission Evaluation Room (MER) and Mission 

Management Team (MMT) to evaluate the condition of the thermal protection system. 

That data will be part of the compilation of imagery to allow mission managers to make 

decisions on how the mission should proceed. 

After docking and welcome ceremonies are complete, Shuttle and Station crewmembers 

will work together, lifting the Orbiter Boom Sensor System (OBSS) out of the Shuttle cargo 

bay using the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) and handing it to the 

Shuttle arm for use in additional thermal protection system surveys the following day. The 

Station arm, also known as Canadarm2, will be brought into play because the geometry of 

the combined Shuttle-Station configuration results in obstructions that prevent the Shuttle 

arm from maneuvering the OBSS out of its cargo bay cradles. The Expedition 11 crew also 

will help transfer spacewalk equipment and tools to Discovery for use during the three 

planned spacewalks, and will operate the Station’s robotic arm to provide video covers of 

the spacewalkers. That video will allow crewmembers inside the Station and experts in 

Mission Control to track and coordinate the spacewalks as they progress. They also will 

depressurize the Quest airlock so that the two spacewalkers may open the exterior hatch, 

making it available as an emergency entrance in the unlikely event that there is a problem 

with the Shuttle airlock. 

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Mission Objectives 


FLIGHT 10S TASKS (IN DESCENDING PRIORITIZED ORDER) 


These tasks, listed in order of International Space Station Program priority, are to be 

executed during this flight. The order of execution for these tasks in the nominal plan 

may vary, depending on timeline efficiencies. The following numbered tasks shall be 

accomplished for successful completion of this flight. 

1. 	 Dock Flight 10 Soyuz TMA to DC1 Nadir port [Intravehicular Activity (IVA)] 

[Imagery] 

2. 	 Rotate Expedition 10 crew with Expedition 11 crew, transfer mandatory crew 

rotation cargo and perform mandatory tasks consisting of the safety briefing for all 

crewmembers. [IVA] 

3. 	 Transfer visiting crew’s cargo including Sokol suit, and transfer and install 

Individual Equipment Liner Kit (IELK) in 9 Soyuz. [IVA] 

4. 	 Perform minimum crew handover of 12 hours per crewmember [IVA] [Robotics] 

5. 	 Transfer critical items. [IVA] 

6. 	 Undock 9 Soyuz-TMA from FGB nadir port [IVA] [Imagery] 

7. 	 Perform remaining Joint Airlock recovery operations: [IVA] <TBR 3-32> 

A. 	 Cooling Loop flush 

B. 	 SCU2 swap and leak check 

8. 	 Perform USOS/Russian payload research operations tasks [IVA] 

A. 	 Mandatory daily maintenance for powered payloads 

B. 	 Daily scheduled payload operations and data capture 

C. 	 Perform ADUM, Journals and MSG Re-certification 

9. 	 Perform PAO activities. [IVA] [Imagery] 

10. 	 Conduct visiting crew operations [IVA]. The following activities are 10 Soyuz 

visiting crew activities (not listed in priority order) and support from ISS 

crewmembers will be on a non-interference basis. 

11. 	 Perform additional 4 hours per crewmember of ISS crew handover (16 hours per 

crewmember total) [IVA] 

12. 	 Perform photo/imagery survey on the ISS RS [IVA] [Imagery] 

13. 	 Transfer remaining items. [IVA] 

14. 	 Install Radiation Areas Monitors (RAMs) [IVA] 

15. 	 Perform SDTO 13004-U, Russian Vehicle Docking/Undocking Loads on ISS, for 

9S undocking from FGB nadir port. [Ground] 

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Flight 9 Soyuz-TMA Undock to Flight LF1 Dock (Stage 10S) Requirements 

This section identifies requirements applicable from Flight 9S undock through Flight LF1 

dock. 

STAGE 10S TASKS (IN DESCENDING PRIORITIZED ORDER) 

These tasks, listed in order of ISS Program priority, are to be executed during this stage. 

The order of execution for these tasks in this nominal plan may vary, depending on timeline 

efficiencies. The following numbered tasks which include no Station–based EVAs, shall be 

accomplished for successful completion of this interval. 

1. 	 Perform high priority USOS/RS maintenance activities, including those systems 

required as Shuttle Launch Commit Criteria for the next flight. [IVA] [Imagery] 

2. 	 Perform imagery of Orbiter Thermal Protection System (TPS) during rendezvous 

Rbar Pitch-over Maneuver (RPM) and downlink the data. [IVA] [Imagery] 

A. 	 Perform OBT for imagery of Orbiter during RPM [IVA]. 

3. 	 Perform high priority U.S./Russian medical operations (average of 7 crew hours per 

week). [IVA] [Imagery] 

4. 	 Perform high priority OBT (average of 2.67 crew hours per week). [IVA] 

[Robotics] 

5. 	 Perform Expedition crew Station Support Computer (SSC) Software uploads. [IVA] 

6. 	Perform preparations for Flight LF1 operations. [IVA] 

A. 	 Unstow and configure joint airlock for ingress 

B. 	 Remaining EVA Tool preparation and configuration 

C. 	 Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Pre-launch checkout. [Robotics] 

D. 	 Install and checkout Centerline Berthing Camera System (CBCS). 

E. 	 Perform payload stowage configuration preparation for transfers during 


Flight LF1.


F. 	 Perform Lab Condensate Sample Collection (to be performed concurrently 

with condensate transfer to a Contingency Water Container (CWC)). 

G. Perform Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) fluid sampling (Not Earlier 

Than (NET) LF1 launch). 

H. 	 Perform final LF1 prepack. 

I. 	 Remove Russian stowage from USOS per allocations defined in Table 4.3-1. 

J. 	 Clear PMA-2 and NODE1 D2 of stowage. 

K. 	Assemble External Television Camera Group (ETVCG) #3 and Luminaire. 

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7. 	 Unpack Flight 10S cargo. [IVA] 

8. 	 Perform printing of SODF Emergency and Caution and Warning pages. [IVA] 

9. 	 Perform high priority USOS/Russian payload operations (average of 4.5 crew 

hours per week). [IVA] 

A. Mandatory daily maintenance for powered payloads. 

B. Daily scheduled payload operations. 

10. 	 Perform high priority PAO activities (average of 1.25 crew hours per week). [IVA] 

[Imagery] 

11. 	 Perform remaining high priority USOS payload operations (average of 2.5 crew 

hours per week). [IVA] 

12. 	 Perform medium priority USOS/Russian maintenance activities. [IVA] [Imagery] 

A. Replace expired FGB smoke detectors. 

13. 	 Reboost ISS with Progress as required. [Ground] 

14. 	 Perform low priority U.S./Russian medical operations (average of 2 crew hour per 

week). [IVA] [Imagery] 

15. 	 Perform low priority OBT (average of 0.75 crew hours per week). [IVA] 

16. 	 Perform low priority PAO activities (average of 1.25 crew hours per week). [IVA] 

[Imagery] 

17. 	 Perform remaining maintenance. [IVA] [Imagery] 

18. Perform remaining USOS/Russian payload operations. [IVA] 

19. 	 Perform remaining Mobile Servicing System (MSS) On-Orbit Checkout 

Requirements (OCRs) per the priorities in Appendix H. [IVA] [Robotics] 

[Ground] 

20. 	 Perform SDTO 13005-U, ISS Structural Life Validation and Extension, for LF1 

Orbiter Docking. [Ground] [Imagery] 

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Flight LF1 Requirements 

This section identifies ISS requirements during Flight LF1. 

FLIGHT LF1 TASKS (IN DESCENDING PRIORITIZED ORDER) 

These tasks, listed in order of ISS Program priority, are to be executed during this flight. 

The order of execution for these tasks in the nominal plan may vary, depending on 

timeline efficiencies. The following numbered tasks, which include three Shuttle-based 

EVAs to be performed by the Orbiter crew, shall be accomplished for successful 

completion of this flight. 

1. 	 Perform Orbiter Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC) TPS inspection using Orbiter 

Boom Sensor System (OBSS) and downlink data. [IVA] [Robotics] [Imagery] 

2. 	 Inspect orbiter tile. [IVA] [Robotics] [Imagery] 

3. 	 Transfer water of mandatory quantities from the Orbiter to the ISS per LF1 

Transfer Priority List (TPL) in Appendix I. [IVA] 

4. 	 Perform Shuttle Development Test Objective (DTO) 848 - Orbiter TPS Repair 

Techniques. [EVA] [Robotics] [Imagery] 

5. 	 Transfer critical Middeck items per Flight LF1 TPL in Appendix I. [IVA] 

6. 	 Perform R&R of the CMG1 using SSRMS. [IVA] [EVA] [Robotics] [Imagery] 

7. 	 Return the failed CMG1 to the LMC using SSRMS. [IVA] [EVA] [Robotics] 

8. 	 Berth MPLM to ISS Node 1 using SSRMS; activate and checkout MPLM. [IVA] 

[Robotics] [Imagery] 

9. 	 Transfer critical MPLM items per Flight LF1 TPL in Appendix I. [IVA] 

10. 	 Return MPLM to Orbiter Payload Bay (PLB) using SSRMS. [IVA] [Robotics] 

[Imagery] 

11. 	 Install External Stowage Platform (ESP)-2, with assembly critical spares, on 

ISS A/L using SSRMS, including Flex Hose Rotary Coupler (FHRC), Utility 

Transport Assembly (UTA), 4 Video Stanchion Support Assemblies (VSSAs), 

VSSA Flight Support Equipment (FSE), and Main Bus Switching Unit (MBSU) 

using SSRMS. [IVA] [EVA] [Robotics] [Imagery] 

12. 	 Transfer and install the HRF-2 rack in LAB1P4. [IVA] 

13. 	 Transfer mandatory cargo per Flight LF1 TPL in Appendix I. [IVA] 

14. 	 Transfer required cargo per Flight LF1 TPL in Appendix I. [IVA] 

15. 	 Remove and replace Hyzod cover on node 1 nadir hatch window prior to hatch 

closure. [IVA] 

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16. 	 Remove and replace S0 Global Positioning System (GPS) Antenna #2. [IVA] 

EVA] [Imagery] 

17. 	 Install Video Stanchion Support Assembly (VSSA) at the external Camera Port 

(CP) #9 location. [EVA] [Imagery] 

18. 	 Install External Television Camera Group (ETVCG) #3 to VSSA on CP#9 

[IVA][EVA][Imagery] 

19. Perform Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) Passive 

Experiment Container (PEC) 5 deployment. [IVA] [EVA] [Imagery] 

20. 	 Perform MISSE PEC 1 and 2 retrieval. [IVA] [EVA] [Imagery] 

21. 	 Perform Orbiter Middeck payload operation activities to support powered payload 

daily status checks as required to prevent loss of science. [IVA] 

22. 	 Perform critical USOS/RS daily ISS payload activities as required to prevent loss of 

science. [IVA] 

A. 	Journals 

23. 	 The following EVA tasks are deemed to fit within existing EVA timelines; however, 

may be deferred if the EVA is behind schedule. The EVA will not be extended to 

complete these tasks. [IVA][EVA][Imagery] 

A. 	 Remove the ESP-2 Flight Releasable Grapple Fixture (FRGF) and return in 

the Starboard Tool Stowage Assembly (TSA). [EVA] 

24. 	 Perform Joint Airlock SCU flush with scrubber/filter on both loops. [IVA] 

<TBR 3-32> 

25. 	 Transfer remaining cargo per Flight LF1 TPL in Appendix I. [IVA] 

26. 	 Perform middeck sortie payload activities. [IVA] 

27. 	 Demonstrate TPS inspection while docked. [IVA] [Imagery] 

28. 	 Reboost ISS with Orbiter to no more than 357 kilometers (km)/192.8 nautical mile 

(nmi) average orbital altitude. [IVA] [Imagery] 

29. 	 Perform program-approved EVA get-ahead tasks. EVA/Mission Operations 

Directorate (MOD) has the flexibility to change the order and number of the tasks 

to be completed based on efficiencies gained in performing the already scheduled 

required tasks. [EVA] 

A. 	 Install the Worksite Interface Fixture (WIF) extender onto the ESP-2. 

[Imagery] 

B. 	 Return Payload Retention Devices (PRDs) to the A/L External Tool Stowage 

Devices (ETSDs). [IVA] [Imagery] 

C. 	 Retrieve and return expired life ISS safety tethers. [IVA] 

D. 	 Retrieve and return APFR ingress aid. [IVA] 

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30. 	 Perform USOS/Russian payload research operations. [IVA] 

31. 	 Perform SDTO 13005-U, ISS Structural Life Validation and Extension, for LF1 

undocking. [Ground] [Imagery] 

32. 	 Rotate Resupply Stowage Platform (RSP) to evaluate the re-designed drive pins 

and verify the ease of on-orbit rack tilting (only if crew time available). [IVA] 

[Imagery] 

33. 	 Perform Imagery survey of the ISS exterior during Orbiter fly around after undock. 

[IVA] [Imagery] 

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Flight LF1 Undock to Flight ULF1.1 Dock (Stage LF1) Requirements 

This section identifies ISS requirements applicable for Flight LF1 undock through 

Flight ULF1.1 dock. 

STAGE TASKS (IN DESCENDING PRIORITIZED ORDER) 

These tasks, listed in order of ISS Program priority, are to be executed during this stage. 

The order of execution for these tasks in the nominal plan may vary, depending on timeline 

efficiencies. The following numbered tasks which include no Station based EVAs shall be 

accomplished for successful completion of this interval. 

1. 	 Perform high priority USOS/Russian maintenance activities, including those 

systems required as Shuttle Launch Commit Criteria (LCC) for the next flight. 

[IVA] [Imagery] 

Perform Treadmill Vibration Isolation System (TVIS) replacement, activation and 

checkout. [IVA] 

2. 	 Perform imagery of Orbiter TPS during rendezvous Rbar Pitch Maneuver (RPM) 

and downlink the data. [Imagery] 

A. 	 Perform OBT for imagery of Orbiter during RPM [IVA] 

3. 	 Complete 17 Progress trash loading and undock. [IVA] [Imagery] 

4. 	 Dock 18 Progress M to SM aft port and transfer cargo. [IVA] [Imagery] 

5. 	 Perform high priority U.S./Russian medical operations (average of 7 hours/week). 

[IVA] [Imagery] 

6. 	 Perform high priority OBT (average of 2.67 crew hours per week) [IVA] [Robotics] 

7. 	 Unpack and stow hardware delivered by Flight LF1 to permanent stowage 

locations. [IVA] 

8. 	 Complete preparations for arrival of ULF1.1 including [IVA]: 

A. 	 MSS prelaunch checkout [Robotics] 

B. 	 Install and checkout CBCS. 

C. 	 Prepack for ULF1.1. 

D. 	 Destow lab rack location LAB1O4 and remove Zero-g stowage rack (ZSR) for 

MELFI. 

E. 	 Prepare Lab Starboard Common Cabin Air Assembly (CCAA) H/X for removal. 

F. 	 Clear PMA 2 and NODE1 D2 of stowage. 

G. 	 Clear EXPRESS Rack 3 for the European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS). 

H. 	 Clear EXPRESS Rack 5 for SpaceDrums. 

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I. 	EVA preparation 

-	 Airlock unstow 

-	 EVA Tool Configuration 

-	 SAFER checkout / Perform Joint Airlock cooling loop scrubbing and 

re-iodinization <TBR 3-32> 

-	 Replace failed General Luminaire Assemblies (GLAs) in the Joint Airlock. 

J. 	 Perform Internal Thermal Cooling Loop (ITCS) fluid sampling not earlier than 

ULF1.1 launch. [IVA] 

K. 	 Perform Respiratory Support Pack (RSP) checkout [IVA] 

9. 	 Perform PCS transition from XDs (R8) to A31Ps (R9). [IVA] 

10. 	 Perform high priority USOS/Russian payload operations (average of 4.5 crew 

hours per week). [IVA] 

A. 	 Mandatory daily maintenance for powered payloads. 

B. 	 Daily scheduled payload operations and data capture. 

C. 	 HRF Rack 2 reconfiguration. 

11. 	 Perform high priority PAO activities (average of 1.25 crew hours per week). [IVA] 

[Imagery] 

12. 	 Perform remaining high priority USOS payload operations (average of 0.5 crew 

hours per week). [IVA] 

12. 	 Perform medium priority USOS/Russian maintenance activities. [IVA] [Imagery] 

13. 	 Reboost ISS with Progress as required. [Ground] 

13. 	 Perform survey of S1 and P1 HRS radiators from RS windows (to be performed 

once, 6 months after completion during Increment 10). [IVA] [Imagery] 

15. 	 Install permanent Fire Port labels and update SODF. [IVA] 

16. 	 Assemble equipment to set up the proximity communications equipment (МБРЛ) 

via the ATV – ISS RS radio channel: [IVA] 

A. 	 Install the onboard computer system (БВС) network channel controller 

[КСК-2] in the nominal location for relaying multiplex exchange channel [МКО] 

interface signals to the SM МБРЛ hardware. 

B. 	 Route the onboard cable network (БКС), install and connect the МБРЛ

monoblock. 

C. 	 Install the ATV control panel (ПУ), route and connect the onboard cable 

network (БКС). 

D. 	 Install and connect the antenna switch control unit (БУАП). 

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Flight and Stage Requirements 

Apr 05May 05Jun 05Jul 05Aug 05Sep 05 

FGB 10 Soyuz 10 Soyuz 

DC1 Apr 17 Dock 10 Soyuz 173 days 10 Soyuz 173 days Aug 26 Dock 19 Progress 19 Progress 

SM 17 Progress 17 Progress Jun 9 Jun 12 Dock Jun 12 Dock 18 Progress Sep 26 (U/R)

Stage 

10S 

21 d 

Stage LF1 

51 days 10S 

Crew 

Orient. 

Stage 

10S

21 d

Stage LF1

51 days 10S

Crew

Orient. 11S USOS #4 RS #14 * * Stage ULF1.1 72 days FE-2 Orient. Prep for return 

8/10 9/

Orie

8/10 14 

11S USOS #4 RS #14

* * Stage ULF1.1

72 days

FE-2

nt.

Prep for

return

9/14

Exp-10 LF1 Prep• Prepack (45 hrs) • Prepack (45 hrs)• SPCU Hx R&R • SPCU Hx R&R

9/29 Doc

9/29 Doc

U R U R R U R 

10S Stage 10S Stage LF1 Stage ULF1.1 Stage

• EMU 3005 assembly • EMU 3005 assembly 4/25 Undock 4/25 Undock LF1ULF1.1

May 17 Dock May 17 Dock Jul 14 Dock

8 Days7 Days

• EVA Tool Config • EVA Tool Config

Vehi cle • Prep for LF1 • Prep for LF1 • LF1 Stow • Stowage consolidation, ULF1.1 S

• Stowage consolidation, ULF1.1 S

• 17P packing and undock • 17P packing and undock • Soyuz relocation • Soyuz relocation Traffic • 18P docking and unpack • 18P docking and unpack • 19P docking and unpack • 19P docking and unpack

• Prep for ULF1.1 • Prep for ULF1.1 • 18P packing and undock • 18P packing and undock• ATV1 PCE Checkout (U/R) • ATV1 PCE Checkout (U/R) • Departure prep • Departure prep

• Jt. A/L Flush • Jt. A/L Flush (Joint Ops) (Joint Ops) • TVIS R&R • TVIS R&R • USOS EVA #4 • USOS EVA #4 AssemblyAssembly • SCU2 swap • SCU2 swap (Joint Ops) (Joint Ops) • CCAA Hx prep for transfer • CCAA Hx prep for transfer • RS EVA #14 • RS EVA #14

& Ma int. • ITCS sampling • ITCS sampling • RSP checkout • RSP checkout • CEVIS Assembly & c/o • CEVIS Assembly & c/o • Lab Condensate sampling • Lab Condensate sampling • PCS XDs (R8) to A31Ps (R9) • PCS XDs (R8) to A31Ps (R9) • TVIS ORU replacements • TVIS ORU replacements

• R&R LHAs and BBAs • R&R LHAs and BBAs • R&R LHAs and BBAs • R&R LHAs and BBAs • R&R LHAs and BBAs • R&R LHAs and BBAs

• ROOBA Install (U/R) • ROOBA Install (U/R) • CCAA Hx mate and checkout • CCAA Hx mate and checkout

NASAPayloadsPayloads

(High Priority)

• FOOT #1 • FOOT #1• Renal • ADUM Scan A • ADUM Scan A (Joint Ops)• Journals • Journals (Joint Ops)• GASMAP checkout • GASMAP checkout• MSG Re-certification • MSG Re-certification (Joint Ops)• HRF PC H/D Swap • HRF PC H/D Swap• EarthKAM

• FOOT #2 • FOOT #2• FOOT #3 • FOOT #3• Renal • Journals• Journals• GASMAP checkout • GASMAP checkout• HRF Reconfig • HRF Reconfig• DAFT 

• FOOT #4• R enal• Journals• Journals• GASMAP• HRF 1 checkout • HRF 1 checkout• MELFI checkout • MELFI checkout• EarthKAM• EMCS checkout • EMCS checkout• HRF PC & WS H/D swap • HRF PC & WS H/D swap

• SW• D• P• S• E• T

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Spacewalks 

Two spacewalks are planned during Expedition 11 by Commander Sergei Krikalev and 

Flight Engineer and NASA International Space Station Science Officer John Phillips. The 

first is scheduled in August; the other is scheduled in September. 

Krikalev has made seven spacewalks during his previous spaceflight missions. The 

spacewalks will be the first for Phillips who has experience in intravehicular activity support 

during a Space Shuttle mission. 

The following activities are to be accomplished during the Expedition 11 spacewalks: 

U.S. Segment Extravehicular Activity: 

• 	 Install Materials International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) 3 & 4 

• 	 Replace S1 truss Multiplexer De-Multiplexer (STR MDM) 

• 	 Install Floating Potential Measurement Unit (FPMU) 

• 	 Install Video Stanchion Support Assembly (VSSA) 

• 	 Install Node 2 Shunt Jumper 

• 	 Install 4 Spool Position Devices (SPDs) at the S0/Node 2 location 

• 	 If required, install SPD on S1 Radiator Beam Valve Module (RBVM) F15 or F21 

Russian Segment Extravehicular Activity: 

• 	 Relocate Strela adapter from Functional Cargo Block (FGB) to Pressurized Mating 

Adapter (PMA) 3 

• 	 Remove panel 3 of Micro-Particles Capture/Space Environment Exposure Device 

(MPAC/SEEDS) 

• 	 Retrieve Matroyska payload 

• 	 Retrieve Biorisk container No. 1 

• 	 Jettison Orlan spacesuit with radio 

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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 already docked to 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 located here. The 

module also contains life support supplies and batteries used during descent, as well as the 

primary and backup parachutes and landing rockets. It also contains custom-fitted seat 

liners for each crewmember's couch/seat, which are individually molded to fit each person's 

body -- this ensures a tight, comfortable fit when the module lands on the Earth. When 

crewmembers are brought to the station aboard the Space Shuttle, their seat liners are 

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brought with them and transferred to the existing Soyuz spacecraft as part of crew 

handover activities. 

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, which has 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. 

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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), 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. 

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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. 

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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 laterally around the second stage central 

core. The boosters are identical and cylindrical-conic in shape with the oxygen tank 

located in the cone-shaped portion and the kerosene tank in the cylindrical portion. 

An NPO Energomash RD 107 engine with four main chambers and two gimbaled vernier 

thrusters is used in each booster. The vernier thrusters provide three-axis flight control. 

Ignition of the first stage boosters and the second stage central core occur simultaneously 

on the ground. When the boosters have completed their powered flight during ascent, they 

are separated and the core second stage continues to function. 

First stage booster separation occurs when the 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 differs 

from those of the boosters by the presence of four vernier thrusters, which are necessary 

for three-axis flight control of the launcher after the first stage boosters have separated. 

An equipment bay located atop the second stage operates during the entire flight of the first 

and second stages. 

Third Stage 

The third stage is linked to the Soyuz second stage by a latticework structure. When the 

second stage’s powered flight is compelte, the third stage engine is ignited. Separation of 

the two stages occurs by the direct ignition forces of the third stage engine. 

A single-turbopump RD 0110 engine from KB KhA powers the Soyuz third stage. 

The third stage engine is fired for about 240 seconds, and cutoff occurs when the 

calculated velocity increment is reached, After cutoff and separation, the third stage 

performs an avoidance maneuver by opening an outgassing valve in the liquid oxygen tank. 

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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. 

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 located in the Republic of Kazakhstan in Central Asia between 45 

degrees and 46 degrees North latitude and 63 degrees East longitude. Two launch pads 

are dedicated to Soyuz missions. 

Final Launch Preparations 

The assembled launch vehicle is moved to the launch pad on a horizontal railcar. Transfer 

to the launch zone occurs two days before launch, during which the vehicle is erected and 

a launch rehearsal is performed that includes activation of all electrical and mechanical 

equipment. 

On launch day, the vehicle is loaded with propellant and the final countdown sequence is 

started at three hours before the liftoff time. 

Rendezvous to Docking 

A Soyuz spacecraft generally takes two days after launch to reach the space station. The 

rendezvous and docking are both automated, though once the spacecraft is within 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. 

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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 

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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 

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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 

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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 

Crew report on burn performance upon AOS 

- HM and DM pressure checks read down 

- Post burn Form 23 (AOS/LOS pad), Form 14 and "Globe" 

corrections voiced up 

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

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

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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. 

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 

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Orbit 19 (3) CO2 SCRUBBER CARTRIDGE CHANGE OUT

 Free time 

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

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

Orbit 20 (4) Free time 

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

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

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

 Free time 

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

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

Orbit 22 (6) - 27 

(11) 

Crew sleep, off of Russian tracking range 

- Emergency VHF2 comm available through NASA VHF Network 

FLIGHT DAY 3 OVERVIEW 

Orbit 28 (12) Post sleep activity 

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

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

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

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

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

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

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

- Uplink of auto rendezvous command timeline 

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

- Radar and radio transponder tracking 

FLIGHT DAY 3 AUTO RENDEZVOUS SEQUENCE 

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

- Active and passive vehicle state vector uplinks 

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

- Radio transponder tracking 

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 

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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 

Typical Soyuz Ground Track 

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Expedition 10 / ISS Soyuz 9 (TMA-5) Landing 

For the fifth time in history, an American astronaut will return to Earth from orbit in a 

Russian Soyuz capsule. Expedition 10 Commander Leroy Chiao will be aboard the ISS 

Soyuz 9 (TMA-5) capsule as he, Soyuz Commander Salizhan Sharipov and European 

Space Agency astronaut Roberto Vittori touch down in the steppes of north central 

Kazakhstan to complete their mission. Chiao and Sharipov will be wrapping up six months 

in orbit, while Vittori will return after a brief 10-day flight. 

The grounding of the Space Shuttle fleet following the Columbia accident on 

Feb.1, 2003, necessitated the landing of the Expedition 10 crew in a Soyuz capsule, as did 

the Expedition 6, 7, 8 and 9 crews back in May and October 2003 and in April and October 

2004. The Soyuz always provides an assured crew return capability for residents aboard 

the ISS. 

The Expedition 7, 8 and 9 crews landed precisely on target, but as a precaution against any 

possibility that the Soyuz could land off course as did the Expedition 6 crew, Chiao, 

Sharipov and Vittori will be equipped with a satellite phone and Global Positioning System 

locator hardware for instant communications with recovery teams. 

About three hours before undocking, Chiao, Sharipov and Vittori will bid farewell to the new 

Expedition 11 crew, Commander Sergei Krikalev and Flight Engineer John Phillips. The 

departing crew will climb into the Soyuz vehicle, closing the hatch between Soyuz and 

Zarya. Chiao will be seated in the Soyuz’ right seat for entry and landing. Sharipov will be 

in the center commander’s seat, and Vittori will occupy the left seat as flight engineer. 

After activating Soyuz systems and getting approval from Russian flight controllers at the 

Russian Mission Control Center outside Moscow, Sharipov will send commands to open 

hooks and latches between Soyuz and Zarya which held the craft together since the Soyuz’ 

arrival back on Oct. 16, 2004. 

Sharipov will fire the Soyuz thrusters to back away from Zarya, and six minutes after 

undocking and with the Soyuz about 20 meters away from the Station, he will conduct a 

separation maneuver, firing the Soyuz jets for about 15 seconds to begin to depart the 

vicinity of the ISS. 

A little less than 2 1⁄2 hours later, at a distance of about 19 kilometers from the ISS, Soyuz 

computers will initiate a deorbit burn braking maneuver of about 4 1⁄2 minutes in duration to 

slow the spacecraft and enable it to drop out of orbit to begin its re-entry to Earth. 

Less than a half hour 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 

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Module, which houses the engines and avionics, will pyrotechnically separate and burn up 

in the atmosphere. 

The Descent Module’s computers will orient the capsule with its ablative heat shield 

pointing forward to repel the buildup of heat as it plunges into the atmosphere. The crew 

will feel the first effects of gravity in almost six months at the point called Entry Interface, 

when the module is about 400,000 feet above the Earth, about three minutes after module 

separation. 

About eight 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 

before touchdown. 

At this point, 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. Initially, the Descent Module will hang underneath the main parachute 

at a 30-degree angle with respect to the horizon for aerodynamic stability, but the 

bottommost harness will be severed a few minutes before landing, allowing the Descent 

Module to hang vertically through touchdown. The deployment of the main parachute 

slows down the Descent Module to a velocity of about 7 meters per second. 

Within minutes, 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. 

With the jettisoning of the capsule’s heat shield, the Soyuz altimeter is exposed to the 

surface of the Earth. Using a reflector system, 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 Sharipov 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, enabling 

the Soyuz to land to complete its mission, settling down at a velocity of about 1.5 meters 

per second. 

A recovery team, including a U.S. flight surgeon and astronaut support personnel, will be in 

the landing area in a convoy of Russian military helicopters awaiting the Soyuz landing. 

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Once the capsule touches down, the helicopters will land nearby to begin the removal of 

the crew. 

Within minutes of landing, 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, one-by-one. They will be seated in special 

reclining chairs near the capsule for initial medical tests and to provide an opportunity to 

begin readapting to Earth’s gravity. 

Within two hours after landing, the crew will be assisted to the helicopters for a flight back 

to Kustanai, in northwest Kazakhstan near the Russian border, where local officials will 

welcome them. The crew will then board a Russian military transport plane to be 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 at around eight hours 

between landing and return to Star City. 

Assisted by a team of flight surgeons, the crew will undergo more than two weeks of 

medical tests and physical rehabilitation before Chiao and Sharipov return to the U.S. for 

additional debriefings and follow-up exams. Vittori’s acclimation to Earth’s gravity will take 

a much shorter period of time due to the brevity of his flight. 

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Key Times for Expedition 11/10 International Space Station Events 

Expedition 11 / ESA Launch on ISS Soyuz 10 (TMA-6): 

April 14 at 7:46 p.m. CT, 00:46 GMT on April 15; 4:46 a.m. Moscow time on April 15; 6:46 

a.m. Baikonur time on April 15 (49 minutes after sunrise). 

Expedition 11 / ESA Soyuz Docking to the ISS (Pirs Docking Compartment): 

April 16 at 9:17 p.m. CT, 217 GMT on April 17, 6:17 a.m. Moscow time on April 17. 

Expedition 11 / ESA Hatch Opening to the ISS (2 orbits after docking): 

April 17 at 12:15 a.m. CT, 515 GMT on April 17, 9:15 a.m. Moscow time on April 17. 

Expedition 10 / ESA Hatch Closing: 

April 24 at 10:31 a.m. CT, 1531 GMT on April 24; 7:31 p.m. Moscow time on April 24, 9:31 

p.m. Kustanai time on April 24. 

Expedition 10 / ESA Undocking from the ISS on 9 Soyuz: 

April 24 at 1:39 p.m. CT, 1839 GMT on April 24, 10:39 p.m. Moscow time on April 24, 12:39 

a.m. Kustanai time on April 25. 

Expedition 10 / ESA Deorbit Burn: 

April 24 at 4:10 p.m. CT, 2110 GMT on April 24, 1:10 a.m. Moscow time on April 25, 3:10 

a.m. Kustanai time on April 25. 

Expedition 10 / ESA Landing on Soyuz TMA-5: 

April 24 at 5:01pm CT, 2201 GMT on April 24, 2:01 a.m. Moscow time on April 25, 4:01 

a.m.Kustanai time on April 25. (landing 2 hours, 16 minutes before sunrise which occurs at 

about 6:17 a.m. Kustanai time, according to flight dynamics). 

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Soyuz Entry Timeline 

Separation Command to Begin to Open Hooks and Latches: 

Undocking Command + 0 mins. 

1:36 p.m. CT April 24 

1836 GMT April 24 

10:36 p.m. Moscow time April 24 

12:36 a.m. Kustanai time April 25 

Hooks Opened / Physical Separation of Soyuz from Pirs nadir port 

at .1 meter/sec: 

Undocking Command + 3 mins. 

1:39 p.m. CT April 24 

1839 GMT April 24 

10:39 p.m. Moscow time April 24 

12:39 a.m. Kustanai time April 25 

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Separation Burn from ISS (15 second burn of the Soyuz engines, .57 meters/sec; 

Soyuz distance from the ISS is ~20 meters): 

Undocking Command + 6 mins. 

1:42 p.m. CT April 24 

1842 GMT April 24 

10:42 a.m. Moscow time April 24 

12:42 a.m. Kustanai time April 25 

Deorbit Burn (appx 4:23 in duration; Soyuz distance from the ISS 

is ~19 kilometers): 

Undocking Command appx + 2 hours, 

30 mins. 

4:10 p.m. CT on April 24 

2110 GMT on April 24 

1:10 a.m. Moscow time on April 25 

3:10 a.m. Kustanai time on April 25 

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Separation of Modules (~28 mins. after Deorbit Burn): 

Undocking Command + ~2 hours, 

57 mins. 

4:34 p.m. CT on April 24 

2134 GMT on April 24 

1:34 a.m. Moscow time on April 25 

3:34 a.m. Kustanai time on April 25 

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

after Deorbit Burn): 

Undocking Command + ~3 hours 

4:38 p.m. CT on April 24 

2138 GMT on April 24 

1:38 a.m. Moscow time on April 25 

3:38 a.m. Kustanai time on April 25 

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Command to Open Chutes (8 minutes after Entry Interface; 39 minutes after 

Deorbit Burn): 

Undocking Command + ~3 hours, 8 mins. 

4:46 p.m. CT on April 24 

2146 GMT on April 24 

1:46 a.m. Moscow time on April 25 

3:46 a.m. Kustanai time on April 25 

Two pilot parachutes are first deployed, the 

second of which extracts the drogue chute. 

The drogue chute is then released, 24-square 

meters; slowing the Soyuz from a descent 

rate of 230 meters/second to 

80 meters/second. 

The main parachute is then released, 

covering an area of 1000-square 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. 

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Soft Landing Engine Firing (6 engines fire to slow the Soyuz descent rate to 

1.5 meters/second just .8 meter above the ground) 

Landing - appx. 2 seconds 

Landing (~47 minutes after Deorbit Burn): 

Undocking Command + ~3 hours, 

24 mins. 

5:01 p.m. CT on April 24 

2201 GMT on April 24 

2:01 a.m. Moscow time on April 25 

4:01 a.m. Kustanai time on April 25 

(2 hours, 16 minutes before sunrise at 

the landing site). 

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International Space Station: Expedition 11 Science Overview 

Expedition 11 – the 11th science research mission on the International Space 

Station – is scheduled to begin in April 2005, when the 11th crew arrives at the Space 

Station aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. 

Designated the 10S mission for the 10th Soyuz to visit the Station, a two-person crew of 

NASA Space Station Science Officer John L. Phillips and Russian Commander Sergei K. 

Krikalev, will maintain the Station and work with science teams on the ground to operate 

experiments and collect data. 

The current Expedition 10 crew, Leroy Chiao and Salizhan Sharipov, is scheduled to return 

home in April on another Soyuz spacecraft – 9S – now docked at the Station. 

During Expedition 11, two Russian Progress cargo flights – called 18P and 19P for the 18th 

and 19th Progress vehicles – are scheduled to dock with the Space Station. The Progress 

re-supply ships will transport supplies to the Station and carry scientific equipment. 

Much of the research activities for Expedition 11 will be carried out with scientific facilities 

and samples already on board the Space Station, as well as with new research facilities 

transported by the next two Space Shuttle missions – STS-114 scheduled for launch in 

May 2005, and STS-121 scheduled for a July 2005 launch. Additional experiments are 

being evaluated and prepared to make use of limited cargo space on the Soyuz or 

Progress vehicles. The research agenda for the expedition remains flexible. While most 

equipment and samples can remain on board the Station with minimal or no detrimental 

effects, a few perishable samples – urine samples, for example – may be returned to Earth 

on the Soyuz. 

The Expedition 11 crew has more than 100 hours scheduled for U.S. payload activities. 

Space Station science also will be conducted by remote "crewmembers" – the team of 

controllers and scientists on the ground, who will continue to plan, monitor and operate 

experiments from control centers across the United States. 

A team of controllers for Expedition 11 will work in the Space Station's Payload Operations 

Center – NASA's science command post for the Space Station – at NASA’s Marshall Space 

Flight Center 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 crew aboard the Station. 

EXPERIMENTS USING ON-BOARD RESOURCES 

Many experiments from earlier Expeditions remain aboard the Space Station and will 

continue to benefit from the long-term research platform provided by the orbiting laboratory. 

These experiments include: 

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Crew Earth Observations (CEO) takes advantage of the crew in space to observe and 

photograph natural and man-made changes on Earth. The photographs record Earth 

surface changes over time, as well as more fleeting events such as storms, floods, fires 

and volcanic eruptions. Together they provide researchers on Earth with vital, continuous 

images needed to better understand the planet. 

Dust Aerosol Measurement Feasibility Test (DAFT) releases particles in the Space 

Station atmosphere to test the ability of different equipment to measure the levels of dust 

and air quality. 

Materials on the International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) is a suitcase-sized 

experiment attached to the outside of the Space Station. It exposes hundreds of potential 

space construction materials to the environment. The samples will be returned to Earth for 

study during a later expedition. Investigators will use the resulting data to design stronger, 

more durable spacecraft. 

Protein Crystal Growth Single-locker Thermal Enclosure System (PCG-STES) will 

continue to process crystals that have been growing since Expedition 6, launched in 

October 2002. Crystals that also were grown on Expeditions 2 beginning in March 2001, 

as well as Expedition 4 launched in December 2001, and Expedition 5 beginning in June 

2002, were returned to Earth for analysis. The facility provides a temperature-controlled 

environment for growing high-quality protein crystals of selected proteins in microgravity for 

later analyses on the ground to determine the proteins’ molecular structure. Research may 

contribute to advances in medicine, agriculture and other fields. 

Space Acceleration Measurement System II (SAMS-II) and Microgravity Acceleration 

Measurement System (MAMS) sensors measure vibrations caused by crew, equipment 

and other sources that could disturb microgravity experiments. 

HUMAN LIFE SCIENCE INVESTIGATIONS 

Many continuing experiments will use measurements of Expedition 11 crewmembers to 

study changes in the body caused by exposure to the microgravity environment. 

Chromosomal Aberrations in Blood Lymphocytes of Astronauts (Chromosome), will 

study space radiation on humans. The expected results will provide a better knowledge of 

the genetic risk of astronauts in space and can help to optimize radiation shielding. 

Promoting Sensorimotor Response to Generalizability: A Countermeasure to 

Mitigate Locomotor Dysfunction After Long-duration Spaceflight (Mobility) studies 

changes in posture and gait after long-duration spaceflight. Study results are expected to 

help in the development of an in-flight treadmill training program for Station crewmembers 

that could facilitate rapid recovery of functional mobility after long duration space flight. 

Behavioral Issues Associated with Isolation and Confinement: Review and Analysis 

of Astronaut Journals obtains information on behavioral and human factors related to the 

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design of the equipment and procedures and sustained human performance during longduration missions. Study results will provide data that could be used to place a priority on 

various behavioral issues to prepare for future missions. 

Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity (ADUM) involves crewmembers 

conducting ultrasound exams on one another to determine the accuracy of using 

ultrasound to diagnose certain types of on-orbit injuries and to assess whether the 

ultrasound is a feasible option for monitoring in-flight bone alterations. 

The Biopsy experiment allows researchers to take biopsies of their calf muscles before 

and after their stay on board the Space Station. This will allow scientists to begin 

developing an in-space countermeasure exercise program aimed at keeping muscles at 

their peak performance during long missions in space. 

Foot/Ground Reaction Forces During Space Flight (Foot) studies the load on the lower 

body and muscle activity in crewmembers while working on the Station. This study will 

provide better understanding of the bone and muscle loss in the lower extremities 

experienced by astronauts in microgravity. The results of this experiment will help in future 

space flights, as well as have significance for understanding, preventing and treating 

osteoporosis on Earth. 

The Renal Stone experiment collects urine samples from the crew and tests a possible 

countermeasure for preventing kidney stone formation. 

A Comprehensive Characterization of Microorganisms and Allergens in Spacecraft 

(Swab) will use genetic techniques for the first time to comprehensively evaluate germs on 

board the Space Station, including pathogens, and to study how the germ community 

changes as spacecraft visit the Space Station and modules are added. This study will 

monitor Station modules prior to launch to evaluate sources of new germs and find ways of 

preventing additional contamination onboard spacecraft. 

Space Flight-Induced Reactivation of Latent Epstein-Barr Virus (Epstein-Barr) 

performs tests to study changes in human immune function using blood and urine samples 

collected before and after space flight. The study will provide insight for possible 

countermeasures to prevent the potential development of infectious illness in crewmembers 

during flight. 

SPACE SHUTTLE EXPERIMENTS 

Many other experiments are scheduled to be performed during the Space Shuttle STS-121 

mission. These experiments include: 

Fungal Pathogenesis, Tumorigenesis, and Effects of Host Immunity in Space (FIT) 

studies the progression of cancerous and benign tumors in sensitized mutant lines – cells 

that will turn into tumors – that show an increase in tumor formation. The effect of radiation 

exposure will be coupled to this study. 

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Incidence of Latent Virus Shielding During Spaceflight (Latent Virus) will support and 

expand information on latent virus – or those inactive in the human system – that can 

reactivate, such as a cold sore in space flight. Latent virus reactivation may be an 

important threat to crew health during extended space missions as crewmembers live and 

work in a closed environment. Potential applications of this research include the 

development of a rapid and sensitive diagnostic method for identifying crewmembers at 

increased risk of illness due to viral infections, and new technology from this investigation 

will be beneficial to both NASA and commercial applications. 

Bioavailablity and Performance Effects Of Promethazine During Spaceflight (PMZ) 

aims to develop the scientific and technological foundations for a safe and productive 

human presence in long duration space exploration. The experiment will identify 

differences between ground-based and in-flight results in the availability and effects of 

promethazine – an antihistamine drug used to treat allergies or motion sickness. 

Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure During Spaceflight (Sleep) will help to 

better understand the effects of spaceflight on sleep, as well as aid in the development of 

effective countermeasures for both short and long-duration spaceflight. The advancement 

of state-of-the-art technology for monitoring, diagnosing and assessing treatment 

effectiveness is vital to the continued treatment of insomnia on Earth and in space. 

NEW SPACE STATION FACILITIES 

Three new Space Station facilities are scheduled to be launched aboard the next two 

Space Shuttle flights – STS-114 and STS-121. 

Human Research Facility-2 (HRF-2) will provide an on-orbit laboratory that enables 

human life science researchers to study and evaluate the physiological, behavioral and 

chemical changes induced by space flight. 

Minus Eighty-degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) is a cold storage unit that will 

maintain experiment samples at ultra-cold temperatures throughout a mission. 

European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS) is a large incubator that will provide 

control over the atmosphere, lighting and humidity of growth chambers to study plant 

growth. The facility was developed by the European Space Agency. 

DESTINY LABORATORY FACILITIES 

Several research facilities are in place aboard the Station to support Expedition 11 science 

investigations. 

The Human Research Facility is designed to house and support a variety of life sciences 

experiments. It includes equipment for lung function tests, ultrasound to image the heart 

and many other types of computers and medical equipment. 

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The Microgravity Science Glovebox is the other major dedicated science facility inside 

Destiny. It has a large front window and built-in gloves to provide a sealed environment for 

conducting science and technology experiments. The Glovebox is particularly suited for 

handling hazardous materials when a crew is present. 

The Destiny lab also is outfitted with five EXPRESS Racks. EXPRESS (Expedite the 

Processing of Experiments to the Space Station) racks are standard payload racks 

designed to provide experiments with a variety of utilities such as power, data, cooling, 

fluids and gasses. The racks support payloads in a several 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 11 experiments and payload operations, 

click on 

http://www.scipoc.msfc.nasa.gov 

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Space Administration 

The Payload Operations Center 

The Payload Operations Center 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, to 

return to the Moon and explore our Solar System. 

The International Space Station will accommodate dozens of experiments in fields as 

diverse as medicine, human life sciences, biotechnology, agriculture, manufacturing, Earth 

observation, and more. 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 a critical one. 

The Payload Operations Center continues the role Marshall has played in management 

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 carried to orbit in the '80s and ‘90s by the Space Shuttle for more than a 

dozen missions -- was the prototype for Marshall’s Space Station science operations. 

Today, the team at the POC is responsible for managing all U.S. science research 

experiments aboard the Station. The center also is home for coordination of the missionplanning work of a variety of sources, all U.S. science payload deliveries and retrieval, and 

payload training and payload safety programs for the Station crew and all ground 

personnel. 

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State-of-the-art computers and communications equipment deliver round-the-clock reports 

from science outposts around the United States to systems controllers and science experts 

staffing numerous consoles beneath the glow of wall-sized video screens. 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. These will be constantly in cycle: new payloads will be delivered by the 

Space Shuttle, or aboard launch vehicles provided by international partners; completed 

experiments and samples will be returned to Earth via the Shuttle. This dynamic 

environment provides the true excitement and challenge of science operations aboard the 

Space Station. 

The POC works with support centers around country to develop an integrated U.S. payload 

mission plan. Each support center is responsible for integrating specific disciplines of study 

with commercial payload operations. They are: 

• 	 Marshall Space Flight Center, managing microgravity (materials sciences, microgravity 

research experiments, space partnership development program research) 

• 	 John 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 all these centers into a U.S. payload operations master 

plan, delivered to the Space Station Control Center at Johnson Space 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 execution of science experiments and operations in orbit. 

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Housed in a two-story complex at Marshall, the POC is staffed around the clock by three 

shifts of systems controllers. During Space Station operations, center personnel routinely 

manage three to four times the number of experiments as were conducted aboard 

Spacelab. 

The POC’s main flight control team, or the "cadre," is headed by the Payload Operations 

Director, who 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 

ISS crew conducting payload operations and the researchers whose science is being 

conducted. 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 TV Operations Manager and Data Management 

Coordinater 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, procedure changes, 

and maintain configuration management of on-board stowed payload hardware. 

For updates to this fact sheet, visit the Marshall News Center at: 

http://www.msfc.nasa.gov/news 

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Russian Research Objectives (Increment 11) 


Category Experiment Code Experiment Name Hardware Description Research Objective 

Commercial KHT-1 GTS Electronics unit; 

Antenna assembly with attachment mechanism 

Global time system test development 

Commercial KHT-2 MPAC&SEED Equipment for catching microparticles 

and for exposing MPAC&SEED materials Special returnable cassette Transfer rack with interface 

Study of meteoroid and man-made environment and of the outer space factor effects on exposed materials 

Commercial KHT-20 GCF-JAXA GCF-02 kit Protein crystallization Commercial KHT-29 ROKVISS Monoblock unit of manipulator ROBOT 

Onboard controller 

Receiver-transmitter with mechanical adapter array 

Hinge joints operation working-off 

Technology &Material Science 

ТХН-7 SVS (СВС) "СВС" researching camera 

"Telescience" hardware from "ПК-3" 

equipment 

Self-propagating high-temperature fusion in space 

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

ultraviolet system Highly sensitive image 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 durinthe entry of space vehicles into the Earth upper atmosphere 

Geophysical ГФИ-8 Uragan Nominal hardware: 

Kodak 760 camera; Nikon D1 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 

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Category Experiment Code Experiment Name Hardware Description Research Objective 

Received from RSC Energia Payload Division March, 2005 Biomedical МБИ-1 Sprut-MBI "Sprut-K" kit 

Nominal Hardware: "Tsentr" power supply; Central Post Computer laptop 

Study of human bodily fluids during long-duration space flight 

Biomedical МБИ-2 Diurez Urine receptacle kit; 

KB-03 container; 

Nominal Hardware: "Kriogem-03" freezer; "Plazma-03" kit; "Hematocrit" kit 

Study of fluid-electrolyte metabolism and hormonaregulation of blood volume in microgravity 

Biomedical МБИ-4 Farma "Saliva-F" kit Study of specific pharmacological effects under 

long-duration space flight conditions 

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 

Biomedical МБИ-7 Biotest Nominal Hardware: 

"Gamma-1M" equipment; "Hematocrit" kit 

Biochemical mechanisms of metabolic adaptation to space flight environment 

Biomedical МБИ-8 Profilaktika "Lactat" kit; 

TEEM-100M gas analyzer; Accusport device; 

Nominal Hardware: "Reflotron-4" kit; TVIS treadmill; ВБ-3 cycle ergometer; Set of bungee cords; Computer; "Tsentr" equipment power supply 

Study of the action mechanism and efficacy of various countermeasures aimed at preventing locomotor system disorders in weightlessness 

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Category Experiment Code Experiment Name Hardware Description Research Objective 

Received from RSC Energia Payload Division March, 2005 Biomedical МБИ-9 Pulse Pulse set, Pulse kit; 

Nominal Hardware: Computer 

Study of the autonomic regulation of the human cardiorespiratory system in weightlessness 

Biomedical МБИ-11 Gematologia "Erythrocyte" kit 

Nominal hardware: "Kriogem-03" freezer "Plazma-03" kit "Hematocrit" kit 

New data obtaining of the outer space factor effecton human blood system in order to extend its diagnostic and prognostic capabilities, studying the mechanism of appearance of changes in hematological values (space anemia, lymphocytosis) 

Biomedical МБИ-15 Pilot Right Control Handle 

Left Control Handle Synchronizer Unit (БС) ULTRABUOY-2000 Unit 

Nominal hardware: 

Laptop No3 

Researching for individual features of state psychophysiological regulation and crewmembers professional activities during long space flights. 

Biomedical БИО-2 Biorisk "Biorisk-KM" set (4 units) 

"Biorisk-MSV" containers (6 units) 

Study of space flight impact on microorganismssubstrates systems state related to space technique ecological safety and planetary quarantine problem 

Biomedical БИО-5 Rasteniya-2 "Lada" greenhouse; 

Water container; 

Nominal Hardware: Sony DVCam; Computer 

Study of the space flight effect on the growth and development of higher plants 

Biomedical БИО-10 Mezhkletochnoe 

vzaimodeistvie 

(Intercellular 

interaction) 

"Fibroblast-1" kit "Aquarius" hardware (+37oC during 

24 hours) Glovebox 

Nominal hardware: "Kriogem-03" freezer КВ-03 container 

Study of microgravity influence on cells surface behavior and intercellular interaction 

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Category Experiment Code Experiment Name Hardware Description Research Objective 

Received from RSC Energia Payload Division March, 2005 Biomedical БИО-11 Statoconia "Ulitka" (Snail) incubating container 

"ART" (Autonomous Recorder of Temperature) kit 

Statoconia growing potency research in organ of equilibrium of mollusca gasteropods under microgravity conditions 

Biomedical БИО-12 Regeneratciya 

(Regeneration) 

"Planariya" incubating container "ART" (Autonomous Recorder of Temperature) kit Thermostat 

Study of microgravity influence on regeneration processes for biological objects by electrophysiological and morphological indices 

Biomedical РБО-1 Prognoz Nominal Hardware for the radiation 

monitoring system: 

P-16 dosimeter; ДБ-8 dosimeters (4 each) 

Development of a method for real-time prediction odose loads on the crews of manned spacecraft 

Biomedical РБО-2 Bradoz "Bradoz" kit Yersinia Bioradiation dosimetry in space flight Biomedical РБО-3 

РБО-3-1 

(1 stage) 

РБО-3-3В

(3 stage) 

(SDTO 16006A) 

Matryeshka-R 

Passive detectors unit 

"Phantom" set 

"Matryeshka" equipment (monoblock) 

Study of radiation environment dynamics along the 

ISS RS flight path and in ISS compartments, and dose accumulation in antroph-amorphous phantomlocated inside and outside ISS 

Study of Earth natural resources and ecological monitoring 

ДЗЗ-2 Diatomea Nikon F5 camera; 

DSR-PD1P video camera; Dictaphone; Laptop No. 3; "Diatomea" kit 

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 

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Category Experiment Code Experiment Name Hardware Description Research Objective 

Received from RSC Energia Payload Division March, 2005 Study of Earth natural resources and ecological monitoring 

ДЗЗ-11 Volny (Waves) LSO hardware Observation of wave disturbances (of man-caused 

and natural origins) in intermediate atmosphere 

Biotechnology БТХ-2 Mimetik-K 

"Luch-2" biocrystallizer 

Anti-idiotypic antibodies as adjuvant-active 

glycoproteid mimetic 

Biotechnology БТХ-4 Vaktsina-K Structural analysis of proteins-candidates for 

vaccine effective against AIDS 

Biotechnology БТХ-20 Interleukin-K Obtaining of high-quality 1α, 1β interleukins crysta

and interleukin receptor antagonist – 1 

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 "Bioekologiya" kit; 

(Kits 3 and 4) 

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 

Technical Studies ТЕХ-5 

(SDTO 16002-R) 

Meteoroid Nominal micrometeoroid monitoring 

system: MMK-2 electronics unit; Stationary electrostatic sensors КД1, 

КД2, КД3, and КД4; Removable electrostatic sensor КДС

Recording of meteoroid and man-made particles othe ISS RS Service Module exterior surface 

Technical Studies ТЕХ-8 Toksichnost “Biotoks-10A” test-system Development of a system for express monitoring o

water toxicity in space flight 

Technical Studies ТЕХ-20 Plazmennyi 

Kristall (Plasma 

Crystal) 

"Plazmennyi kristall" equipment Telescience flight equipment 

Study of the plasma-dust crystals and fluids under microgravity 

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Category Experiment Code Experiment Name Hardware Description Research Objective 

Received from RSC Energia Payload Division March, 2005 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 

Technical Studies ТЕХ-25 Scorpion "Scorpion" equipment Development, testing, and verification of a 

multi-functional instrument to monitor the science experiment conditions inside ISS pressurized compartments 

Complex Analysis. Effectiveness Estimation 

КПТ-3 Econ "Econ" kit 

High resolution hardware set Nominal Hardware: Nikon D1 digital camera, Laptop No3 

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 

Space energy systems 

ПКЭ-1В Kromka Tray with materials to be exposed Study of the dynamics of contamination from 

liquid-fuel thruster jets during burns, and verificatioof the efficacy of devices designed to protect the ISS exterior surfaces from contamination 

Pre/Post Flight Motor control Electromiograph, control unit, 

tensometric pedal, miotometer «Miotonus», «GAZE» equipment 

Study of hypo-gravitational ataxia syndrome; 

Pre/Post Flight MION Impact of microgravity on muscular characteristicsPre/Post Flight Izokinez Isokinetic ergometer «LIDO», 

electromiograph, reflotron-4, cardiac reader, scarifier 

Microgravity impact on voluntary muscular contraction; human motor system re-adaptation to gravitation. 

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Category Experiment Code Experiment Name Hardware Description Research Objective 

Pre/Post Flight Tendometria Universal electrostimulator 

(ЭСУ-1);bio-potential amplifier (УБП-1-02); tensometric amplifier; 

osciloscop with memory; oscillograph 

Microgravity impact on induced muscular contraction; long duration space flight impact on muscular and peripheral nervous apparatus 

Received from RSC Energia Payload Division March, 2005 Pre/Post Flight Ravnovesie "Ravnovesie" ("”Equilibrium") 

equipment 

Sensory and motor mechanisms in vertical pose control after long duration exposure to microgravity

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/Post Flight Lokomotsii Bi-lateral video filming, tensometry, 

miography, pose metric equipment. 

Kinematic and dynamic locomotion characteristics prior and after space flight. 

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 

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Category Experiment Code Experiment Name Hardware Description Research Objective 

Pre/Post Flight Polymorphism No hardware is used in-flight Genotype parameters related to human individual 

tolerance to space flight conditions. 

Received from RSC Energia Payload Division March, 2005 

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Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Scott Dulchavsky, Chair, Department of Surgery, Henry Ford 

Health System, Detroit 

Overview 

Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity (ADUM) will be used to determine the 

ability of minimally trained Station crewmembers to perform advanced ultrasound 

examinations after using a computer-based training program. The crewmember being 

“examined” will be immobilized on the Crew Medical Restraint System. The other 

crewmember will then examine him using the Human Research Facility ultrasound 

equipment under the direction of a sonographer in the Mission Control Center in Houston. 

Verification of these advanced ultrasound techniques and telemedicine strategies could 

have widespread applications in emergency and rural care situations on Earth. 

Flight History 

The concept of performing ultrasound examinations with remote guidance from the ground 

team was first tested during Expedition 5. The ADUM experiment, which uses remote 

guidance methodologies, has been conducted during Expeditions 8, 9 and 10 and is 

scheduled for completion with the Increment 11 crew. 

Flight Operations 

The Ultrasound Imaging System provides 

three-dimensional image enlargement of the heart and 

other organs, muscles and blood vessels. It is capable 

of high-resolution imaging in a wide range of 

applications, both research and diagnostic, such as: 

• Echocardiography, or ultrasound of the heart 

• Abdominal ultrasound, deep organ 

• Vascular ultrasound 

• Gynecological ultrasound 

• Muscle and tendon ultrasound 

• Transcranial ultrasound 

• Ultrasound contrast studies 

• Small parts ultrasound 

The only maintenance to be performed by Space Station crewmembers on the ultrasound 

system is vacuuming an inlet air debris screen as necessary. 

The Ultrasound equipment located in 

the Human Research Facility provides 

three-dimensional imaging of the heart 

and other organs, muscles and blood 

vessels. (NASA/JSC) 

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Benefits 

Ultrasound techniques developed by NASA to examine International Space Station 

crewmembers are finding new uses in treating medical emergencies on Earth. The 

procedures can be readily learned by non-physicians and can provide an accurate 

diagnostic tool when coupled with Internet, telephone or wireless transmission of 

ultrasound images to remote experts. Developers are investigating satellite phone 

technology to allow the technique to be expanded for use on ambulances or at accident 

sites. 

More Information 

For more information and photos on the Human Research Facility, visit: 

http://www.scipoc.msfc.nasa.gov/ 

http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/ 

hrf.jsc.nasa.gov 

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Space Administration 

Effect of Prolonged Spaceflight on 


Human Skeletal Muscle (Biopsy)


Experiment Name: Effect of Prolonged Spaceflight on Human Skeletal Muscle 

Missions: Expeditions 5-11, preflight and postflight 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Robert H. Fitts, Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wis. 

Co-investigators: Dr. Scott Trappe and Dr. David Costill, Ball State University, Muncie, 

Ind., and Dr. Danny Riley, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 

Project Manager: Bradley Rhodes, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas 

Overview 

As engineers develop technologies that will carry humans to Mars, scientists search for 

ways to make sure space travelers will arrive on the Red Planet healthy and ready to 

explore – and return to Earth healthy, too. One of the human systems most affected by 

extended stays in space is the neuromuscular system. Past space missions have shown 

weightlessness can cause deterioration of muscle fiber, nerves and physical strength. 

Research Objective 

To determine the time course and extent of functional and structural change in limb 

skeletal muscle with prolonged spaceflight, establish the cellular mechanisms of the 

observed functional alterations, and calculate the new steady state that would likely be 

reached in calf muscle structure and function following a trip to Mars and back. 

Flight History/Background 

A series of human physiology experiments during the Space Shuttle STS-78 Life and 

Microgravity Spacelab mission in June 1996 focused on the effects of weightlessness 

on skeletal muscles. Astronauts provided biopsies before and after flight, and exercised 

in space using a Torque Velocity Dynamometer to measure changes in muscle forces in 

the arms and legs. This mission provided the first set of data for use in determining how 

long it takes for change in skeletal muscle structure and function to occur. Expeditions 

5-11 build on that 17-day mission. Results are needed from the longer stays in space, 

which the International Space Station can provide, before longer crewed missions 

exploring deeper into space can take place. 

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Space Administration 

Benefits 

Crew safety is NASA’s top priority when planning human space exploration. The results of 

this research will be used to calculate specific changes that will happen to muscles on a 

flight to Mars and back, so effective countermeasures can be developed, ensuring the 

arrival – and return – of a healthy crew. 

For more about Expedition 11 science experiments please visit the Web at: 

www.scipoc.msfc.nasa.gov 

www.spaceflight.nasa.gov 

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Space Administration 

Crew Earth Observations (CEO) 

Principal Investigator: Kamlesh Lulla, Ph.D., NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston 

Payload Developer: Sue Runco, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston 

Overview 

By allowing photographs to be taken from space, the Crew Earth Observations (CEO) 

experiment provides people on Earth with image data needed to better understand our 

planet. The photographs—taken by crewmembers using handheld cameras—record 

observable Earth surface changes over a period of time, as well as more fleeting events 

such as storms, floods, fires and volcanic eruptions. 

Orbiting 220 miles or more above the Earth, the International Space Station offers an ideal 

vantage point for crewmembers to continue observational efforts that began in the early 

1960s when space crews first photographed the Earth. This experiment on the Space 

Station began during Expedition 1, STS-97 (ISS Assembly Flight 4A), and is planned to 

continue throughout the life of the Space Station. 

History/Background 

This experiment has flown on every crewed NASA space mission beginning with Gemini in 

1961. Since that time, astronauts have photographed the Earth, observing the world’s 

geography and documenting events such as hurricanes and other natural phenomena. 

This database of astronaut-acquired Earth imagery is a national treasure for both the 

science community and general public. As a precursor to this Space Station experiment, 

crews conducted Earth observations on long-duration NASA-Mir missions and gained 

experience that is useful on board the International Space Station. 

Over the years, space crews also have documented human impacts on Earth—city growth, 

agricultural expansion and reservoir construction. The CEO experiment aboard the Space 

Station will build on that knowledge. 

Benefits 

Today, images of the world from 10, 20 or 30 years ago provide valuable insight into Earth 

processes and the effects of human developments. Photographic images taken by space 

crews serve as both primary data on the state of the Earth and as secondary data to be 

combined with images from other satellites in orbit. Worldwide more than five million users 

log on to the Astronaut Earth Photography database each year. Through their photography 

of the Earth, Space Station crewmembers will build on the time series of imagery started 35 

years ago—ensuring this record of Earth remains unbroken. These images also have 

tremendous educational value. Educators use the image database to help make future 

generations of children “Earth-smart.” 

For more information visit: http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/ 

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Space Administration 

Chromosomal Aberrations in Blood 


Lymphocytes of Astronauts 


Principal Investigator: Günter Obe, Ph.D., University of Essen, Germany 

Research Objectives 

Cosmic radiation is a major risk factor in human spaceflight. This study will assess the 

mutagenic impact of ionizing radiations in crewmembers by analyzing chromosomal 

aberrations in blood lymphocytes, from pre- and post-flight blood samples. 

Previous investigations studying chromosomal aberrations were conducted using 

conventional block stained Giemsa preparations. A disadvantage of this method is that 

only unstable aberrations, which are of less biological significance, can be detected. 

In the past few years, new methods of chromosome recognition were developed, such as 

fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), multi-color FISH (mFISH), and multi-color banding 

FISH (mBAND), which enable researchers to mark all chromosome pairs and allow 

detection of almost all aberration types in the genome, including stable and unstable ones. 

These new methods will provide new information about the effects of space radiation on 

humans. 

Flight Operations Summary 

The investigation requires 10-15 ml of venous blood to be collected preflight and postflight 

from each participating crewmember. Preflight, the blood draw is scheduled together with 

the L-10 physical, the postflight blood draw is performed within a week of landing. 

Flight History/Background 

Obe and his investigator team had conducted chromosomal aberration studies on 18 

astronauts and cosmonauts flown on board the Space Shuttle and the Mir Space Station 

between 1993 and 1997. 

The study will include blood samples from 20 astronauts: 10 short-duration shuttle 

crewmembers, and 10 long-duration Expedition crewmembers, living on board the 

International Space Station. The investigation is part of the experiment compliment of ISS 

Increment 6 through 10, and part of the experiment complement for the STS-115, STS-116 

and STS-117 Shuttle flights. 

Benefits 

The expected results will provide a better knowledge of the genetic risk of astronauts in 

space and in consequence can help to optimize radiation shielding. The data will allow 

calculation of aberration frequencies expected during deep-space missions. 

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Space Administration 

Dust Aerosol Measurement Feasibility Test (DAFT) 

In order to improve fire detection in space, Glenn’s Life Support and Habitation Projects 

Office within the Exploration Systems Division initiated the Dust Aerosol Measurement 

Feasibility Test (DAFT) in 2003. This project is a risk mitigation experiment performed on 

the International Space Station (ISS) in support of the Smoke Aerosol Measurement 

Experiment (SAME). DAFT is a collaborative effort between Glenn and the following 

organizations: ZIN Technologies, NCMR, NIST, and Akima. Two instruments from DAFT, 

the DustTrak and P-Trak, arrived on ISS in December 2004. Beginning in February of this 

year, they have been collecting data on the ISS atmosphere including aerosol particle 

counts and mass concentration readings. Four test points have been successfully 

completed so far. 

The DAFT experiment consists of three commercially developed pieces of hardware: 

DAFT-1 (DustTrak), DAFT-2 (P-Trak), and DAFT-4 (unmodified P-Trak). DAFT-3 is a 

collection of additional materials for the experiment including bags, some Arizona Road 

Dust, and a fill mechanism which inflates the bags and regulates pressure in the system. 

DAFT’s main objective is to test the P-Trak’s ability to make air quality measurements in a 

microgravity environment due to its potential susceptibility to gravity. The P-Trak is a handheld device that counts particles in the atmosphere. The DustTrak verifies the P-Trak 

device and measures mass per unit volume of particles floating in the atmosphere. Due to 

weight constraints, only the DustTrak and P-Trak were initially sent to ISS aboard the 

Russian Progress Flight 16P. 

During the recent testing, the DustTrak and P-Trak were placed side by side with a hose 

running in between and sampled cabin air in three different locations on ISS. Two pieces 

of Velcro were used to generate dust particles for one of the test points. The P-Trak 

successfully responded to manual control and displayed reasonable particle counts and 

mass concentration measurements. 

Once DAFT-3 and DAFT-4 are delivered in the summer of 2005 on Shuttle flight 

STS-121/ULF1.1, more quantitative data on the functionality of the P-Trak will be available. 

Commenting on the success of DAFT, Project Manager Bill Sheredy said, “Through our 

expertise at Glenn, we can take commercial technologies and make them viable in 

microgravity. Taking a project from a concept to flight readiness in less than a year is both 

a challenge and a reward.” 

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Space Administration 

Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle 


School Students 


Experiment Location on ISS: The U.S. Laboratory Window 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Sally Ride, University of California, San Diego 

Operations Manager: Brion J. Au, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston 

Overview 

EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle school students) is a NASA education 

payload that enables students to photograph and examine Earth from a space crew’s 

perspective. 

Using the Internet, working through the EarthKAM Mission Operations Center located at the 

University of California at San Diego (UCSD), middle school students direct a camera 

mounted at the science-grade window in the station’s Destiny science module to capture 

high-resolution digital images of features around the globe. Students use these images to 

enhance their study of geography, geology, botany, history, earth science, and to identify 

changes occurring on the Earth’s surface, all from the unique vantage point of space. Using 

the high-speed digital communications capabilities of the ISS, the images are downlinked in 

near real-time and posted on the EarthKAM web site for the public and participating 

classrooms around the world to view. 

Experiment Operations 

Funded by NASA, EarthKAM is operated by the University of California, San Diego, and 

NASA field centers. It is an educational payload that allows middle school students to 

conduct research from the International Space Station as it orbits 220 miles above the 

Earth. Using the tools of modern technology – computers, the Internet and a digital camera 

mounted at the Space Station’s laboratory window – EarthKAM students are able to take 

stunning, high-quality digital photographs of our planet. 

The EarthKAM camera is periodically set-up in the International Space Station, typically for 

a 4-day data gathering session. Beginning with the Expedition 2 crew, in May 2001, the 

payload is scheduled for operations that coincide with the traditional school year. When the 

ISS crew mounts the camera at the window, the payload requires no further crew 

interaction for nominal operations. 

EarthKAM photographs are taken by remote operation from the ground. When the middle 

school students target the images of terrestrial features they choose to acquire, they submit 

the image request to the Mission Operation Center at UCSD. Image requests are collected 

and compiled into a “Camera Control File” for each ISS orbit that the payload is operational. 

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Space Administration 

This camera control file is then uplinked to a Station Support Computer aboard the Space 

Station that controls when the digital camera captures the image. The Station Support 

Computer activates the camera at the specified times and immediately transfers these 

images to a file server, storing them until they are downlinked to Earth. With all systems 

performing nominally, the entire cycle takes about five hours. 

EarthKAM is monitored from console positions in the Tele-Science Support Center (Mission 

Control) at Johnson Space Center in Houston. As with all payloads, the EarthKAM 

operations on board the Space Station are coordinated through the Payload Operations 

Integration Center (POIC) at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. 

EarthKAM is a long-term payload that will operate on the Space Station for several 

Increments. 

Flight History/Background 

In 1994, Dr. Sally Ride, a physics professor and former NASA astronaut, started what is 

now EarthKAM with the goal of integrating education with the space program. EarthKAM 

has flown on five Shuttle flights. Its first flight was aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis in 1996, 

with three participating schools taking a total of 325 photographs. Since 1996, EarthKAM 

students have taken more than 20,350 images of the Earth. 

EarthKAM invites schools from all around the world to take advantage of this educational 

opportunity. Previous participants include schools from the United States, Japan, Germany, 

France, Chile, Canada and Mexico. 

Benefits 

EarthKAM brings education out of textbooks and into real life. By integrating Earth images 

with inquiry-based learning, EarthKAM offers students and educators the opportunity to 

participate in a space mission while developing teamwork, communication and problemsolving skills. 

No other NASA program gives students such direct control of an instrument flying on a 

spacecraft orbiting Earth, and as a result of this, students assume an unparalleled personal 

ownership in the study and analysis of their Earth photographs. 

Long after the photographs are taken, students and educators continue to reap the benefits 

of EarthKAM. Educators are able to use the images alongside suggested curriculum plans 

for studies in physics, computers, geography, math, earth science, botany, biology, art, 

history, cultural studies and more. 

More information on EarthKAM and the International Space Station can be found at: 

www.earthkam.ucsd.edu 

www.spaceflight.nasa.gov 

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Epstein-Barr: 


Space Flight Induced Reactivation 


of Latent Epstein-Barr Virus 


Principal Investigator: Raymond Stowe, Ph.D., The University of Texas Medical 

Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas 

Payload Developer: Principal Investigators: Raymond Stowe and Alan Barrett, 

University of Texas Medical Branch 

Increment(s) Assigned: 5, 6, and 11 

Operations: Pre- and Post-flight 

Previous Missions: Earlier studies of the Epstein-Barr virus began on STS-108. 

These studies paved the way for the current experiment. Stowe and his team 

discovered from their Shuttle research that stress hormones released before and during 

flight decreased the immune system's ability to keep the virus deactivated. That 

discovery was the basis for the research. 

Objective: This experiment is designed to examine the mechanisms of space flight 

induced alterations in human immune function and dormant virus reactivation. 

Specifically, this study will determine the magnitude of immunosuppression as a result of 

space flight by analyzing stress hormones, measuring the amount of Epstein-Barr virus 

activity, and measuring white blood cells' virus-specific activity. 

Brief Summary: Decreased immune system response has been observed in space 

flight. This experiment determines how space flight reactivates Epstein-Barr (virus that 

causes Mononucleosis) from latency, which results in increased viral replication. This 

investigation provides insight into the magnitude of human immunosuppression as a 

result of space flight. The effects of stress and other acute or chronic events on 

Epstein-Barr viral replication are evaluated. 

Space Applications: In the United States, approximately 90% of adults have been 

infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), one of the most common human viruses. It 

establishes a lifelong dormant infection inside the body, but can be reactivated by 

illness or stress. Once active, it can cause infectious mononucleosis (also known as 

mono). Decreased cellular immune function is observed during and after human space 

flight. With longer-duration space missions, latent viruses are more likely to become 

reactivated, placing the crew at risk of developing and spreading infectious illness. If 

this is the case, drug therapies must be created to protect crewmembers during 

long-term and interplanetary missions (i.e., trips to Mars). This study will help provide 

information related to immune function and virus activity in space to develop such 

remedies and ensure future exploratory space missions. 

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Results: This experiment is still being conducted aboard the ISS, but earlier studies 

aboard the shuttle, which were the predecessors to this, suggested that virus reactivation 

results from decreased T-cell function. If Epstein-Barr yields similar results, it will allow for 

a very specific focus on developing drug therapies that will allow for more rapid treatment 

for space travelers and those on Earth. 

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Foot Reaction Forces During Spaceflight 

Principal Investigator: Peter Cavanagh, Ph.D., The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 

Cleveland 

Overview 

Without appropriate countermeasures, astronauts traveling in space can lose as much 

bone mineral in the lower extremities in one month as a typical post-menopausal woman 

loses in an entire year. Muscle strength can also be lost rapidly during spaceflight. Such 

decrements as a result of prolonged exposure to microgravity have important implications 

for performance and safety during space missions and thus the identification of 

mechanisms and countermeasures for such changes are a high priority for NASA. 

It is widely believed that changes in bone and muscle are directly related to the decrease in 

mechanical loading. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that little or no bone mineral 

is usually lost from the upper extremities—which may be used even more frequently in orbit 

than they are on the ground. The objective of the experiment called Foot is to quantify and 

explore the relationship between loading of the human body and changes in the 

musculoskeletal system during spaceflight. 

Experiment Operations 

Foot will accomplish its objective through direct measurement of forces on the feet, joint 

angles and muscle activity in astronauts during typical entire days of daily life both on earth 

and on the Space Station. In addition, bone mineral density, muscle strength and muscle 

volume will be measured before and after the mission. 

The heart of the Foot experiment is an instrumented suit called the Lower Extremity 

Monitoring Suit (LEMS). This customized garment is a pair of Lycra cycling tights 

incorporating 20 carefully placed sensors and the associated wiring, control units and 

amplifiers. LEMS will enable the electrical activity of muscles, the angular motions of the 

hip, knee and ankle joints, and the force on both feet to be measured continuously. 

Information from the sensors can be recorded for up to 14 hours on a small wearable 

computer. Measurements will also be made of the arm muscles. The crewmembers will 

put the suit on in the morning before they start their work day and, after calibration, they will 

go about their regular daily activities. Throughout the day, the sensors will capture data 

that will allow researchers to characterize differences between use of the arms and legs on 

Earth and in space. 

Before launch and after landing, DXA scans, MRIs and Cybex testing will be used to 

measure the changes in bone mineral density, muscle volume and muscle strength, 

respectively. Researchers will relate these changes to the measurements made from the 

LEMS. 

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Expedition 11 marks the third time Foot will be performed in flight. Foot was previously 

done on Expeditions 6 and 8. 

Benefits 

Foot has the potential to shed significant new light on the reasons for bone and muscle loss 

during spaceflight and on the design of exercise countermeasures. The data should allow 

the "dose" of mechanical load to be chosen based on the measurements performed in the 

study. Ideally, exercise countermeasures should replace the critical mechanical input that 

is present on Earth but missing in space. The Space Station environment offers an ideal 

setting in which the experimental hypothesis can be examined. In addition, the theories 

that are to be explored in this project have significance for understanding, preventing and 

treating osteoporosis on Earth, which is a major public health problem. 

Artist’s impression of the LEMS 

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Hand Posture Analyzer (HPA) 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Valfredo Zolesi, Kayser Italia, Livorno, Italy 

Co-Investigators: Prof. Francesco Lacquaniti - IRCCS - S. Lucia - Roma 

Dr. Federico Posteraro - Hospital Versilia - Camaiore - Lucca 

Dr. Paolo Pastacaldi - Hospital S. Chiara - Pisa 

Project Manager: Dr. Aleandro Norfini - Kayser Italia - Livorno 

Program Manager: F. Bracciaferri - ASI - Roma 

Overview 

The research objective of the ASI Facility Hand Posture Analyzer (HPA) is to investigate 

the performance degradation of the human upper limb muscle-skeletal apparatus and its 

morphological-functional modifications during long-term exposure to weightlessness and to 

study the role of gravity in the planning-execution hierarchy of reaching, grasping, 

manipulating and transporting objects. 

The HPA Facility consists of a Hand Grip Device (HGD) and a Pinch Force Dynamometer 

(PFD), an instrumented Posture Acquisition Glove (PAG) with 15 degrees of freedom 

allowing the measurement of the bending angles on individual phalanxes, coupled to a 

Wrist Electronic Box (WEB) housing an inertial tracking system to acquire triaxial 

acceleration and rotation of the forearm. 

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HPA devices 

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Flight Operations Summary 

The crew will set up the HPA specific hardware and will be guided by the HPA software 

running on the International Space Station laptop to perform the following experimental 

protocols: 

• CHIRO: Crew Health Investigation on Reduced Operability 

(P.I: V. Zolesi – Kayser Italia-Livorno; Co.I.: P. Pastacaldi-Hospital S. Chiara-Pisa;) 

Measurement of hand grip and pinch isometric force with visual and proprioceptive 

feedback. 

After application of the maximum voluntary contraction, the astronaut is guided by the 

software to maintain a certain level of force (25, 50 and 75 percent of MVC) for 24 

seconds; during the first eight seconds he gets a visual feedback from the laptop, then 

he operates for other eight seconds only with proprioceptive feedback and again for the 

last eight seconds with visual feedback. Each level is repeated three times during the 

session. 

The following parameters are recorded and computed: 

MVC, time history of the force, force RMS, frequency contents, fatigue index, statistical 

data. 

• MAIS: Manipulation Activities In Space 

(P.I.: F. Posteraro-Hospital Versilia - Camaiore; Co.I.: S. Micera- Scuola Superiore S. 

Anna-Pisa; V. Zolesi, Kayser Italia-Livorno) 

Grasping and reaching of target objects of different sizes. 

Three small cylinders of different size are placed in front of the astronaut, standing 

with the hand at the sternum as rest position, and wearing the instrumented glove 

and the wrist electronics box; he is guided by the software instructions to reach the 

first cylinder (without grasping it) and to go back to the rest position, and then to 

repeat the movement grasping and taking the object to the sternum. The protocol is 

repeated in sequence three times for each cylinder. The following parameters are 

recorded and computed: 

Time history of angles of phalanxes (15), triaxial acceleration and angular velocities 

of the wrist. 

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• 	 IMAGINE: Imagery of object Motion Affected by Gravity In Null-gravity Experiments 

(P.I.: F. Lacquaniti-IRCCS S. Lucia - Roma; Co.I: M. Zago, E. Daprati, V. Maffei – 

IRCCS – S. Lucia -Roma; Co-I: Zolesi –Kayser Italia-Livorno) 

Launch and grasping of a virtual ball with different gravity and force. 

The astronaut is standing with his upper limb in rest position along the body, palm 

toward the leg; while wearing the instrumented glove and the wrist electronics box he 

is then prompted by the software to imagine to launch an imaginary tennis ball against 

the ceiling and to catch it after bouncing, thinking to be (as it is in effect) at zero-g 

condition. This has to be done four times each impressing to the virtual ball a low, a 

medium, and a high initial velocity, for a total of 12 launches. The entire sequence has 

then to be repeated thinking to be at normal gravity. The following parameters are 

recorded and computed: 

Time history of angles of phalanxes (15), triaxial acceleration and angular velocities of 

the wrist. 

History/Background 

This is the very first facility conceived by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) for the utilization 

on ISS. 

A precursor flight of the CHIRO experiment was executed in April 2002 during the taxi flight 

Soyuz TM34, with the ESA astronaut R. Vittori, collecting data in the Russian segment of 

the ISS during seven mission days. 

Benefits 

The ISS is a unique platform to perform experiments of human physiology in space. In 

particular, the research conducted on upper limb will gain more importance in the next 

future for the following reasons: 

• 	 The upper limb is the normal locomotion medium for the crewmembers in 

weightlessness. 

• 	 The hand is an organ subjected to significant stress and fatigue, particularly during 

EVA. 

• 	 The performance degradation of the muscle-skeleton apparatus, the disturbances 

on the motor control and the adaptation to the new environment, are revealed and 

objectively measured on the hand, with protocols repeated during the permanence 

aboard. Then they are compared with the baseline data collection taken on ground 

before and after the flight. 

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• 	 For the purpose of determining the effectiveness and usefulness of the introduction 

of appropriate countermeasures to reduce the bone and muscle mass loss, it is 

essential to perform local measurement on the upper limb. 

• 	 The motor control programs learned on the ground are deeply altered by the 

reduced gravity on ISS, not only due to the changed characteristic of the 

biomechanical apparatus, but also by the different environment as subjectively 

perceived by the astronaut. It is therefore of uppermost importance to verify the 

speed of learning of the new processes. 

The results of the experiments can be transferred on ground to subjects with local trauma 

or with central nervous system diseases, in order to study the correct protocols for their 

rehabilitation. 

PAG and WEB 

HGD 


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Human Research Facility Rack 2 

Project Manager: Cindy Haven, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston 

Overview 

A new Space Station facility will be launched aboard the Space Shuttle on its STS-114 

mission. Tucked inside the Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module aboard Discovery 

will be the Human Research Facility-2 (HRF-2) rack, a science station designed to 

boost biomedical research capabilities of the International Space Station. The HRF-2 

rack will be installed inside the Station's U.S.-built Destiny laboratory. The HRF-2 

provides an on-orbit laboratory that will enable life science researchers to study and 

evaluate the physiological, behavioral and chemical changes in human beings induced 

by spaceflight. 

HRF racks provide Space Station services and utilities to experiments and instruments 

installed in the racks. These include electrical power, command and data handling, 

cooling air and water, pressurized gases and vacuum. The design accommodates 

interchangeable drawer-mounted instruments and provides basic utilities to on-board 

experiments. 

HRF-1, the first of the two HRF racks, was transported to the Space Station on Mission 

5A.1 on March 8, 2001, during Expedition 2. It is in the Destiny module. HRF-2 will 

deliver additional capabilities on orbit to continue biomedical research on the Space 

Station. These capabilities include: 

• 	 Refrigerated Centrifuge 

• 	 Space Linear Acceleration Mass Measurement Device 

• 	 Workstation 2, an upgrade of the current HRF Workstation 

• 	 Gas Delivery System 

• 	 Photo-acoustic Analyzer Module/Pulmonary Function Module (provided by the European 

Space Agency) 

History/Background 

Experiments conducted on board Spacelab, the Space Shuttle and the Russian space 

station Mir have required unique equipment to be transported for individual 

investigations. The Human Research Facility uses the research approach adopted by 

the Space Station whereby its standardized equipment can support multiple 

experiments, reducing the amount of equipment transported to and from the Space 

Station. 

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The development phase began in 1995 with the formation of a science working group 

made up of non-NASA researchers and medical practitioners. They defined the needs 

of prospective science experiment investigators and assisted NASA in designing and 

developing the racks and associated hardware. 

Benefits 

Areas of concern to human well-being and performance, such as renal stone risk, bone 

density deterioration and the effects of ionizing radiation, will be studied using the Human 

Research Facility system and hardware. The human research will contribute to improving 

the scientific foundation of our understanding of the processes related to life; health and 

disease; strengthening the scientific underpinning of programs to assure safe and 

productive human spaceflight; and developing various applications of space technologies 

relevant to solutions of scientific and medical problems on Earth. 

More HRF Information: 

http://hrf.jsc.nasa.gov/ 

http://www1.msfc.nasa.gov/NEWSROOM/background/facts/hrf.html 

Images of the HRF-2 are available at: 

http://hrf.jsc.nasa.gov/hardware/rack2/rack2pics.asp 

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Journals 

Behavioral Issues Associated with Isolation and Confinement: 

Review and Analysis of ISS Crew Journals 

Principal Investigator: Jack W. Stuster, Ph.D., Anacapa Sciences, Inc., Santa 

Barbara, Calif. 

Increment(s) Assigned: 8, 9, 10 and 11 

Operations: In-flight 

Manifest Status: Ongoing 

Objective: The purpose of this experiment is to collect behavioral and human factors data 

for analysis, with the intention of furthering our understanding of life in isolation and 

confinement. The objective of the experiment is to identify equipment, habitat and 

procedural features that help humans adjust to isolation and confinement and remain 

effective and productive during future long-duration space expeditions. The method used 

in the experiment is analyzing the content of journals maintained by International Space 

Station crews for this purpose. 

Brief Summary: In-flight journals maintained by crewmembers are studied to gain an 

understanding of factors that may play a role in the stress felt by crews during long-duration 

spaceflight. Conclusions will be used for interplanetary mission planning (e.g., Mars 

missions) and selection and training of astronaut crews for these missions. 

Description: A previous content analysis of journals maintained during expeditions on 

Earth provided quantitative data on which to base a rank-ordering of behavioral issues in 

terms of importance. This experiment will test the hypothesis that the analogous conditions 

provide an acceptable model for spacecraft (i.e., to validate or refute the results of the 

previous study). The objective of the study is to obtain behavioral and human factors data 

relevant to the design of equipment and procedures to support adjustment and sustained 

human performance during long-duration space expeditions. 

Space Applications: Studies conducted on Earth have shown that analyzing the content 

of journals and diaries is an effective method for identifying the issues that are most 

important to a person. The method is based on the reasonable assumption that the 

frequency that an issue or category of issues is mentioned in a journal reflects the 

importance of that issue or category to the writer. The tone of each entry (positive, 

negative or neutral) and phase of the expedition also are variables of interest. Study 

results will lead to recommendations for the design of equipment, facilities, procedures and 

training to help sustain behavioral adjustment and performance during long-duration space 

expeditions to the ISS, moon, Mars and beyond. 

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Acquisition & Analysis of Medical & Environment Data 

Aboard the International Space Station 

Acquisition & Analysis of Medical & Environment Data 

Project Manager: 	William Foster, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland 

Acquisition & Analysis of Medical & Environment Data 

Research Leads: 	Richard DeLombard, NASA Glenn Research Center 

Kenol Jules, NASA Glenn Research Center 

Overview 

Providing a quiescent microgravity, or low-gravity, environment for fundamental scientific 

research is one of the major goals of the International Space Station Program. However, 

tiny disturbances aboard the Space Station mimic the effects of gravity, and scientists need 

to understand, track and measure these potential disruptions. Two accelerometer systems 

developed by the Glenn Research Center are being used aboard the Station to measure 

the acceleration environment. Operation of these systems began with Expedition 2 and will 

continue throughout the life of the Station. 

The Space Acceleration Measurement System II (SAMS-II) measures accelerations caused 

by vehicle, crew and equipment disturbances. To complement the SAMS-II 

measurements, the Microgravity Acceleration Measurement System (MAMS) records 

accelerations caused by the aerodynamic drag created as the Station moves through 

space. It also measures accelerations created as the vehicle rotates and vents water. 

These small, quasi-steady accelerations occur in the frequency range below 1 Hertz. 

Using data from both accelerometer systems, the Principal Investigator Microgravity 

Services team at the Glenn Research Center will help investigators characterize 

accelerations that influence their ISS experiments. The acceleration data will be available 

to researchers during the mission via the World Wide Web. It will be updated nominally 

every two minutes as new data is transmitted from the ISS to Glenn’s Telescience Support 

Center. A catalog of acceleration sources also will be maintained. 

Experiment 

Space Acceleration Measurement System II (SAMS-II) 

Project Manager:	 William Foster, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland 

The Space Acceleration Measurement System II (SAMS-II) began operations on 

International Space Station Mission 6A. It measures vibrations that affect nearby 

experiments. SAMS-II uses small remote triaxial sensor systems that are placed directly 

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next to experiments throughout the laboratory module. In EXPRESS (Expedite the 

Processing of Experiments to the Space Station) Racks 1 and 4, it will remain on board the 

Station permanently. 

As the sensors measure accelerations electronically, they transmit the measurements to 

the interim control unit located in an EXPRESS rack drawer. SAMS-II is designed to record 

accelerations for the lifetime of the Space Station. As larger, facility-size experiments fill 

entire Space Station racks in the future, the interim control unit will be replaced with a more 

sophisticated computer control unit. It will allow on-board data analysis and direct 

dissemination of data to the investigators’ telescience centers at university laboratories and 

other locations around the world. 

Experiment 

Microgravity Acceleration Measurement System (MAMS) 

Project Manager: William Foster, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland 

The Microgravity Acceleration Measurement System (MAMS) measures accelerations that 

affect the entire Space Station, including experiments inside the laboratory. It fits in a 

double middeck locker, in the U.S. Laboratory Destiny in EXPRESS Rack No.1. It was 

preinstalled in the rack, which was placed in the laboratory during Expedition 2, ISS Flight 

6A. It will remain on board the Station permanently. 

Unlike SAMS-II, MAMS measures more subtle accelerations that only affect certain types 

of experiments, such as crystal growth. Therefore MAMS will not have to be on all the 

time. During early expeditions, MAMS will require a minimum operational period of 48 or 

96 hours to characterize the performance of the sensors and collect baseline data. During 

later increments, MAMS can be activated for time periods sufficient to satisfy payload or 

Space Station requirements for acceleration data. 

MAMS is commanded on and off from the Telescience Support Center at Glenn. MAMS is 

activated when the crew switches on the power switch for the EXPRESS Rack No. 1, and 

the MAMS computer is powered up from the ground control center. When MAMS is 

powered on, data is sent to Glenn Research Center’s Telescience Support Center where it 

is processed and displayed on the Principal Investigator Microgravity Services Space 

Station Web site to be viewed by investigators. 

History/Background 

The Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) – on which SAMS-II is based -- first 

flew in June 1991 and has flown on nearly every major microgravity science mission. 

SAMS was used for almost four years aboard the Russian space station Mir where it 

collected data to support science experiments. 

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Materials on the International Space Station Experiment 

(MISSE) 

Overview 

The Materials on the International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) Project is a 

NASA/Langley Research Center-managed cooperative endeavor to fly materials and other 

types of space exposure experiments on the Space Station. The objective is to develop 

early, low-cost, non-intrusive opportunities to conduct critical space exposure tests of space 

materials and components planned for use on future spacecraft. 

The Boeing Co., the Air Force Research Laboratory and Lewis Research Center are 

participants with Langley in the project. 

History/Background 

Flown to the Space Station in 2001, the MISSE experiments were the first externally 

mounted experiments conducted on the International Space Station. The experiments are 

in Passive Experiment Containers (PECs) that were initially developed and used for an 

experiment on Mir in 1996 during the Shuttle-Mir Program. The PECs were transported to 

Mir on STS-76. After an 18-month exposure in space, they were retrieved on STS-86. 

PECs are suitcase-like containers for transporting experiments via the Space Shuttle to and 

from an orbiting spacecraft. Once on orbit and clamped to the host spacecraft, the PECs 

are opened and serve as racks to expose experiments to the space environment. 

The first two MISSE PECs (MISSE 1 and 2) were transported to the Space Station on STS105 (ISS Assembly Flight 7A.1) in August 2001. About 1,500 samples were tested on 

MISSE 1 and 2. The samples include ultra-light membranes, composites, ceramics, 

polymers, coatings and radiation shielding. In addition, components such as switches, solar 

cells, sensors and mirrors will be evaluated for durability and survivability. Seeds, plant 

specimens and bacteria, furnished by students at the Wright Patterson Air Force Research 

Laboratory, are also being flown in specially designed containers. 

During STS-114, astronauts will remove the original PECs (1 and 2) from the Station and 

install MISSE PEC 5. Like the myriad of samples in MISSE PECs 1 and 2, MISSE PEC 5 

will study the degradation of solar cell samples in the space environment. PECs 1 and 2 will 

be returned to NASA Langley Research Center where they will be opened in a clean room 

and contents distributed to researchers for study. 

MISSE PECs 3 and 4 will be launched on STS-121 (July 2005) and placed in the same 

location that 1 and 2 previously occupied. PECs 3, 4 and 5 will all remain on orbit for one 

year to continue to study the effects of space exposure on various materials. 

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The MISSE PECs are integrated and flown under the direction of the Department of 

Defense Space Test Program's Human Space Flight Payloads Office at NASA's Johnson 

Space Center. 

Examples of tests to be performed in MISSE include: new generations of solar cells with 

longer expected lifetimes to power communications satellites; advanced optical 

components planned for future Earth observational satellites; new, longer-lasting coatings 

that better control heat absorption and emissions and thereby the temperature of satellites; 

new concepts for lightweight shields to protect crews from energetic cosmic rays found in 

interplanetary space; and the effects of micrometeoroid impacts on materials planned for 

use in the development of ultra-light membrane structures for solar sails, large inflatable 

mirrors and lenses. 

Benefits 

New affordable materials will enable the development of advanced reusable launch 

systems and advanced spacecraft systems. 

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Promoting Sensorimotor Response Generalizability:


A Countermeasure to Mitigate Locomotor Dysfunction After 


Long-duration Spaceflight (MOBILITY) 


Principal Investigator: Dr. Jacob Bloomberg, Johnson Space Center, Houston 

Overview 

Astronauts returning from spaceflight can experience difficulty walking as the brain must 

readapt to programming body movements in a gravity environment. The MOBILITY 

experiment will use tests taken before and after a long-duration spaceflight to determine 

whether a specific training regimen using the Station’s treadmill can help astronauts 

recover more quickly when they return to Earth. Specifically, do astronauts who use this 

unique treadmill workout in space readjust more quickly when once again exposed to the 

effects of gravity? 

Two tests, the Treadmill Locomotion Test and the Functional Mobility Test, will be 

performed by each participating crewmember both before and after their mission (pre- and 

post-flight). The pre-flight data will be collected on or around six months, four months and 

60 days before launch. Post-flight data will be collected on post-landing days 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 

24 and 48. 

Benefits 

How quickly an astronaut’s body readjusts to gravity after a long-duration spaceflight is very 

important, both for Space Station missions and for any future long-duration missions within 

our own solar system. 

Researchers are continuing to search for the best exercise program that will keep 

astronauts fit while in space and ensure a quick return to their pre-flight physical conditions 

once they re-encounter the effects of Earth’s gravity. 

For more information on any Expedition 11 science experiment, visit the Web at: 

www.scipoc.msfc.nasa.gov 

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/science/index.html 

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Protein Crystal Growth (PCG) Single-locker Thermal Enclosure 


System (STES) Housing the Protein Crystallization Apparatus for 


Microgravity (PCAM) 


Missions: The STES on orbit went up on 11A (STS-113) and will return on 

ULF1 (STS-114). 

Experiment Location on ISS: U.S. Lab EXPRESS Rack No. 4 

Project Manager: Clark Darty, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 

Overview 

Structural biological experiments conducted in the Single-locker Thermal Enclosure System 

(STES) may provide a basis for understanding the function and structure of 

macromolecules. The scope of biological macromolecules includes proteins, 

polysaccharides and other carbohydrates, lipids and nucleic acids of biological origin, or 

those expressed in plant, animal, fungal or bacteria systems. 

The fundamental goal for growing biological macromolecular crystals is to determine their 

three dimensional structure in order to understand the biological processes in which they 

are involved. Scientists select macromolecules, crystallize them, and analyze the atomic 

details -- often by using X-ray crystallography. By sending an intense X-ray beam through 

a crystal, scientists try to determine the three-dimensional atomic structure of the 

macromolecule. Understanding these structures may impact the studies of medicine, 

agriculture, the environment and other biosciences. Every chemical reaction essential to 

life depends on the function of these compounds. 

Microgravity – the near weightlessness condition created inside a spacecraft as it orbits the 

Earth – offers an environment which sometimes allows the growth of macromolecular 

structures – crystals – that show greater detail when exposed to X-ray diffraction (the 

pattern showing the structure of crystals when exposed to X-ray beams) than those crystals 

grown on Earth. 

The International Space Station provides for longer-duration experiments in a more 

research-friendly, acceleration-free (no change in the rate of speed, or velocity, of the 

spacecraft that could affect the experiments), dedicated laboratory, than provided by the 

Space Shuttle. Mission ULF-1 is a continuation of similar structural biology experiments to 

characterize the use of the Space Station for this type of research. 

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Flight History/Background 

Mission Year 

STS-62 1994 

STS-63 1995 

STS-67 1995 

STS-73 1995 

STS-83 1997 

STS-94 1997 

STS-85 1997 

STS-95 1998 

STS-101 2000 

STS-100 delivery to ISS; 

returned on STS-104 

2001 

STS-108 delivery to ISS; 

returned STS-110 

2001 

2002 

STS-111 delivery to ISS; 

returned STS-112 

2002 

STS-112 delivery to ISS; 

returned STS-113 

2002 

Benefits 

With science being performed on the International Space Station, scientists are no longer 

restricted to relatively short-duration flights to conduct structural biology experiments. This 

research will enable the more accurate mapping of the 3-dimensional structure of 

macromolecules. Once the structure of a particular macromolecule is known, it may 

become much easier to determine how these compounds function. Every chemical 

reaction essential to life depends on the function of these compounds. 

Additional Information/Photos 

Additional information on structural biology crystal growth in microgravity is available at: 

http://crystal.nasa.gov 

http://crystal.nasa.gov/technical/pcam.html 

http://www.microgravity.nasa.gov/ 

http://www.scipoc.msfc.nasa.gov 

http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov 

http://spaceresearch.nasa.gov/ 

http://mix.msfc.nasa.gov/ABSTRACTS/MSFC-9807368.html 

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Passive Observatories for Experimental Microbial Systems in 

Microgravity (POEMS) 

Principal Investigator: Michael Roberts, Ph.D., Dynamac Corp., 

Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 

Overview 

This experiment will evaluate the effect of stress in the space environment on the 

generation of genetic variation within model microbial cells. 

Research Summary 

This experiment uses a new system for microbial cultivation in the spaceflight environment 

to observe the generation and maintenance of genetic variation within microbial populations 

in microgravity. POEMS will contain experiments studying the growth, ecology and 

performance of diverse assemblages of microorganisms in space. 

Understanding microbial growth and ecology in a space environment is important for 

maintaining human health and bioregenerative life support functions in support of NASA 

Exploration Systems requiring Advanced Life Support. 

Research Operations 

Replicate cultures are inoculated on the ground and launched on the Space Shuttle. Half 

the cultures are returned with the Shuttle that they launch on and half are transferred to the 

Space Station where they are preserved (frozen in the MELFI freezer) at successive timepoints over the course of six months. These cultures will then be returned to Earth and 

compared to ground controls to determine if the space environment affected the rate of 

generation of new mutants. 

Flight History/Background 

POEMS will be launched on ULF1.1 (STS-121). Increment 11 is its first mission. 

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Renal Stone 


Renal Stone Risk During Spaceflight: 


Assessment and Countermeasure Validation 


Principal Investigator: Peggy A. Whitson, Ph.D., NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston 

Payload Developer: Peggy A. Whitson (Expedition 5 Flight Engineer), NASA Johnson 

Space Center 

Project Manager: Michelle Kamman, NASA Johnson Space Center 

Increment(s) Assigned: 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 11 

Operations: Inflight 

Objective: This experiment examines the risk of renal (kidney) stone formation in 

crewmembers during the pre-flight, in-flight and post-flight timeframes. Potassium citrate 

(K-cit) is a proven ground-based treatment for patients suffering from renal stones. In this 

study, K-cit tablets will be administered to astronauts and multiple urine samples will be 

taken before, during and after spaceflight to evaluate the risk of renal stone formation. 

From the results, K-cit will be evaluated as a potential countermeasure to alter the urinary 

biochemistry and lower the risk for potential development of renal stones in microgravity. 

This study will also examine the influence of dietary factors on the urinary biochemistry, 

investigate the effect flight duration on renal stone formation and determine how long after 

spaceflight the risk exists. 

Brief Summary: Kidney stone formation is a significant risk during long-duration 

spaceflight that could have serious consequences since it cannot be treated as it would on 

Earth. Quantification of the renal stone-forming potential that exists during long-duration 

spaceflight and the recovery after spaceflight is necessary to reduce the risk of renal stone 

formation. This is a long-term study to test the efficacy of potassium citrate as a 

countermeasure to renal stone formation. 

Strategic Objective Mapping: This is a long-term study to test the efficacy of potassium 

citrate as a countermeasure to renal stone formation. Kidney stone formation is a 

significant risk during long-duration spaceflight that could impair astronaut functionality. 

Space Applications: Human exposure to microgravity results in a number of physiological 

changes. Among these are changes in renal function, fluid redistribution, bone loss and 

muscle atrophy, all of which contribute to an altered urinary environment and the potential 

for renal stone formation during and immediately after flight. In-flight changes previously 

observed include decreased urine volume and urinary citrate and increased urinary 

concentrations of calcium and sodium. The formation of renal stones could have severe 

health consequences for crewmembers and negatively impact the success of the mission. 

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This study will provide a better understanding of the risk factors associated with renal stone 

development during and after flight, as well as test the efficacy of potassium citrate as a 

countermeasure to reduce this risk. 

Earth Applications: Understanding how the disease may form in otherwise healthy 

crewmembers under varying environmental conditions will also provide insight into stone 

forming diseases on Earth. 

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Serial Network Flow Monitor (SNFM) 

Principal Investigator: Carl Konkel, The Boeing Co., Houston 

Overview 

Located in EXPRESS (EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to the Space Station) 

Rack 5, this experiment will measure the amount of data flowing through the Station's Local 

Area Network (LAN) to validate computer models and determine how best to monitor the 

LAN. The Serial Network Flow Monitor (SNFM) experiment will use the rack's laptop to 

gather and store data during several test runs during the Increment. 

Research Summary 

This experiment studies the function of the computer network on board the International 

Space Station. On-orbit packet statistics are captured and used to validate ground based 

medium rate data link models and enhance the way that the LAN is monitored. This 

information will allow monitoring and improvement in the data transfer capabilities of onorbit computer networks. 

Research Operations 

The crew loads software onto an EXPRESS laptop. Once activated, SNFM monitors the 

network and captures packet statistics until its buffer has filled, at which point the capture 

file is saved and then downlinked for further analysis. 

Flight History/Background 

This experiment was performed for the first time during Expedition 9. It was then used 

during Expedition 10. 

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A Comprehensive Characterization of Microorganisms and 


Allergens in Spacecraft (Swab) 


Principal Investigator: Duane L. Pierson, Ph.D., NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston 

Overview 

Generic techniques will be used for the first time to comprehensively evaluate the 

microbes, including pathogens, on the Space Station, and how the microbial community 

changes as spacecraft visit and modules are added. 

Research Summary 

Previous microbial analysis of spacecraft only identify microorganisms that will grow in 

culture, omitting more than 90 percent of all microorganisms including pathogens such as 

Legionella (the bacterium which causes Legionnaires' disease) and Cryptosporidium (a 

parasite common in contaminated water). The incidence of potent allergens, such as dust 

mites, has never been systematically studied in spacecraft environments and microbial 

toxins have not been previously monitored. 

This study will use modern molecular techniques to identify microorganisms and allergens. 

Direct sampling of the Station allows identification of the microbial communities present, 

and determination of whether these change over time. 

Research Operations 

Each new Station module and visiting vehicle is sampled before launch to develop a 

baseline of contamination. A set of collections is done each time a new vehicle docks, for a 

total of eight dockings. Each set of collections consists of four air samples, 12 surface 

samples and three water samples. 

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Once returned to Earth, modern molecular biology, advanced microscopy and 

immunochemical techniques will be applied to these samples to identify bacteria and fungi 

(total composition and specific pathogens), pathogenic protozoa, specific allergens and 

microbial toxins. 

SWAB Return Kit interior - full (left), empty (right) 

Flight History/Background 

Expedition 11 will be the first opportunity for the Swab investigation. 

Website 

For more information on Swab, visit: 

http://hrf.jsc.nasa.gov/science/swab.asp 

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Italian Soyuz Mission Eneide 

Italian European Space Agency astronaut Roberto Vittori will fly into space on the Italian 

Soyuz mission Eneide on April 15, 2005. His 10-day flight will include eight days on the 

International Space Station. Eneide is an ESA mission, which is co-sponsored by the 

Italian region of Lazio and the Italian Ministry of Defence with the support of Finmeccanica, 

FILAS and the Rome Chamber of Commerce (CCIAA). The mission takes its name from 

the epic tale written by the Latin poet Virgil in the first century BC, telling the story of the 

journey of Aeneas from Troy to Italy and the foundation of Rome. 

Vittori will carry out a full program of scientific experiments in human physiology and 

biology, technology demonstrations and educational activities. An important set of scientific 

and technological experiments for the mission have been developed by Italian researchers 

and built by Italian industry and research institutions. 

The mission also has an educational focus. Vittori will spend time carrying out activities 

with the objective of stimulating primary and secondary school pupils, and students of 

technology and space. This will help to bring the European human spaceflight program 

and research performed in space to a wider public. 

From a European perspective, the Italian Soyuz mission is important because it increases 

ESA’s astronaut experience ahead of the launch of Columbus, Europe’s own Space Station 

laboratory. Vittori will also be gaining valuable experience in the operation and use of ISS 

modules. 

Vittori’s flight is the result of longstanding cooperation between Europe and Russia. It is 

one outcome of a framework agreement signed between ESA and the Russian Space 

Agency Roscosmos, at that time called Rosaviakosmos, in May 2001, paving the way for 

European astronauts to fly to the Space Station on Russian Soyuz vehicles. 

The cooperation between ESA and Roscosmos allows for European astronauts to take up 

positions normally occupied by Russian cosmonauts, performing technical functions during 

the Soyuz flights to and from the Space Station. Eight Europeans are trained as Soyuz 

Board engineers for return and re-entry. Four of these are trained for the function in the 

newer Soyuz TMA spacecraft with three more in training. It is for this reason that ESA is 

proposing to continue the cooperation with Russia to give European astronauts additional 

flight opportunities. 

The cooperation is motivated by ESA’s desire to develop operational expertise for Europe’s 

astronauts and perform research on the Space Station before Europe’s own laboratory for 

scientific research, technology experiments and application purposes, the Columbus 

laboratory, becomes available. 

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A sign of Europe’s growing experience and the developing trust between ESA and 

Roscosmos is that this will be the first time that an ESA astronaut undertakes his second 

mission on a Soyuz spacecraft to the Space Station, following Vittori’s first flight to the 

Station in 2002 on the Marco Polo mission. ESA’s close ties with Canada also play a role 

in the mission with Canadian Space Agency astronaut Robert Thirsk being the backup to 

the prime European astronaut. 

Under the 2001 agreement, five ESA astronauts have participated in Soyuz missions so far 

– Claudie Haigneré (France), Vittori (Italy), Frank De Winne (Belgium), Pedro Duque 

(Spain) and André Kuipers (the Netherlands). 

Two further European astronauts, Umberto Guidoni (Italy) and Philippe Perrin (France), 

have participated in Space Shuttle missions to the Space Station in the framework of 

bilateral agreements with NASA. With the return to flight of the Space Shuttle, Europe 

expects more astronauts to fly to the Space Station on a Space Shuttle, including for a long 

term Station mission. 

These missions are an important bridge between the end of Spacelab and the start of 

Columbus because, according to the international agreements ruling the Space Station, 

European astronauts will not get automatic access to the Space Station until ESA’s 

Columbus module becomes operational in space. 

To date, some 38 space missions have been performed by 31 astronauts from ESA and its 

Member States, providing Europe with a wealth of accumulated experience on human 

space activities. 

Regular flight opportunities have given European astronauts invaluable all-round 

experience – from performing spacewalks or acting as flight engineer on Soyuz, to 

participating in long-term space missions. 

The mission is not the only example of cooperation with Russia. One month after this 

launch, another Soyuz will lift off from Baikonur on May 31 carrying a Foton capsule for 

ESA and its suite of European science experiments. 

Europe is also cooperating with Russia for the future launch of Soyuz rockets from Kourou 

in French Guiana, which one day could possibly also be used for launching men and 

women into space. 

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Experimental Program Summary 

Experimental Program in Human Physiology 

Name Description Team Members 

Hand Posture 

Analyzer 

An experiment using different scientific 

protocols to determine the degradation 

in performance of the upper limbs in 

weightlessness and to help to facilitate 

studies on learning mechanisms for 

motor control. 

V. Zolesi, A. Norcini, Kayser 

Italia S.r.l, Livorno, Italy 

F. Lacquaniti, Università Tor 

Vergata, Rome, Italy 

P. Pastacaldi, Azienda 

Ospedaliera Pisana, Pisa, Italy 

F. Posteraro, Ospedale della 

Versilia, Lido di Camaiore (LU), 

Italy 

Nerve Growth 

Factor 

Research into stress responses related 

to astronauts before, during and after a 

space mission. To this end the 

experiment will focus on Nerve Growth 

Factor (NGF), a protein regulating brain 

development and function. 

D. Cantucci, Istituto Superiore di 

Sanità, Rome, Italy 

Visual 

Subjective 

Vertical 

Determination of the contribution of viscer 

receptors sensitive to blood mass shifts, 

mainly located in the kidneys and in the 

chest, to the detection of the subjective 

vertical. 

Col. E. Tomao, T.Col. M. 

Lucertini, T.Col. C. De Angelis, 

Italian Air Force: CSV-RMAS, 

Italy 

V.Zolesi, P. L. Ganga, Kayser 

Italia S.r.l, Livorno, Italy 

Eye Tracking 

Device 

The main scientific objectives of this 

experiment are to measure the 

orientation of the so-called Listing’s 

plane in a weightless environment and 

further determine if the Listing’s plane is 

linked or not to a co-ordinate frame of 

reference of the vestibulo-oculomotor 

response. Listing’s plane describes the 

movement of the eyes in the head. 

A.H. Clarke, Klinikum Benjamin 

Franklin, Berlin, Germany 

I. Kozlovskaya, Institute for 

Biomedical Problems, Moscow, 

Russia 

T. Haslwanter, University of 

Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland 

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Experimental Program in Biology 

Name Description Team Members 

Agrospace 

Experiments Suit 

This consists of two experiments 

related to seed germination. One 

aims to involve and interest children 

in space science by having them 

follow the progress of seed 

germination in space whilst 

germinating the same type of seeds 

on Earth. The other experiment 

aims to evaluate the feasibility of 

producing vegetable sprouts in 

space for food purposes and to 

study the influence of 

weightlessness on germination, 

growth and the nutritional quality of 

sprouts. 

G. Colla, Università della 

Tuscia, 

Viterbo, Italy 

M. Casacci, AZIMUTH, 

Rome, Italy 

Fischer Rat 

Thyroid Low 

Serum 5% 

This experiment is aimed at assessing 

the effects of the space environment 

(weightlessness and radiation) on rat 

thyroid cells. One of the reasons for 

choosing these specific thyroid cells is 

the relevance they have to human 

physiology and medicine. 

F. Curcio, S. Ambesi, Università 

di Udine, Udine, Italy 

MICROSPACE Different microbial strains will be flown 

to the ISS in order to study the effect 

that space radiation and the weightless 

environmental conditions onboard the 

ISS have on the cultures. 

F. Canganella, G. Bianconi, P. 

Lamantini, Università della 

Tuscia, 

Viterbo, Italy 

VINO The aim of the VINO experiment is to 

test the survival and growth in space o 

tendril grafts from vines. 

V. Zolesi, G. Neri, Kayser Italia 

S.r.l, Livorno, Italy 

CRISP-2 The objective of CRISP-2 is to study th 

effects of weightlessness on the 

development of nerve cells in crickets. 

E. Horn, University of Ulm, Ulm, 

Germany 

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Ground Experiments 

Name Description Team Members 

Blood and 

Oxidative Stress 

Blood will be analysed before and after 

spaceflight to determine the levels of 

certain substances that can cause 

damage to blood cells (prooxidants) and 

levels of substances that counter the 

damaging effects (antioxidants). The 

experiment will also determine the 

damage to red blood cell membranes 

and the time it takes to recover. 

B. Berra, A. Rizzo, Università di 

Milano, Milan, Italy 

M. Giardi, CNR Research Area 

of Rome, Rome, Italy 

Biodosimetry in 

astronauts 

This experiment will analyse tissue sampl 

taken before and after spaceflight to help 

clarify the effect that space radiation has o 

DNA, and the role of the space environme 

in modifying the radiation sensitivity of the 

bodily system of organs and tissues, 

primarily the bone marrow, spleen, tonsils 

and lymph nodes, involved in the 

production of blood. 

M. Durante , G. Gialanella, G. 

Grossi, P. Scampoli, M. 

Pugliese, 

Università di Napoli “Federico II” 

Naples, Italy 

Sympatho The Sympatho experiment is an 

ongoing study of adrenal activity of the 

sympathetic nervous system in 

weightlessness. The sympathetic 

system is that part of the nervous 

system that accelerates the heart rate, 

constricts blood vessels, and raises 

blood pressure. 

N. Christensen, 

University of Copenhagen, 

Copenhagen, Denmark 

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Technology Demonstrations 

Name Description Team Members 

LAZIO High precision detection and identification 

of cosmic rays; to determine the relation o 

cosmic rays to the so-called Light Flash 

phenomenon in astronauts; to study the 

effect of different shielding materials in 

reducing the radiation environment; to 

measure the intensity and the variations o 

the magnetic field within the ISS, and to 

correlate this data with the measurements 

of the particle fluxes. 

R. Battiston, INFN Sezione 

Perugia, 

Perugia, Italy 

P. Piccozza, Università di Roma 

Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy 

M. Casolino, INFN Sezione 

Roma 2, Rome, Italy 

V. Sgrigna, Università degli Studi 

Roma 3, Rome, Italy 

ASIA The ASIA Flight experiment aims to 

verify the capability of a High 

Performance Computer Board, 

equipped with state-of-the-art Central 

Processing Units (CPUs), to sustain 

large doses of radiation when exposed 

to a space environment. 

A. Orlandi, Information 

Technologies Services, Rome, 

Italy 

L. Paita, Alta SpA, Ospedaletto 

(PI), Italy 

A. Murli, Istituto di Calcolo e Reti 

ad Alte Prestazioni, Naples, Italy 

B.Pelon, CSPI – Corporate HQ, 

Massachusettes, USA 

Specular Poin 

like Quick 

Reference 

Test of a ground-based imaging 

system, using special optics and image 

processing. This will help to determine 

the feasibility of developing an 

operational system, capable of higher 

than current resolution imaging of the 

ISS and visiting spacecraft, from the 

ground. 

F. Graziani, A. Paolozzi, M. 

Porfilio, Università di Roma 

“La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy 

D. Curie, University of Maryland, 

Maryland, USA 

Electronics 

Space Test 

A technology demonstrator, which will 

fly to the ISS on the Italian Soyuz 

Mission, with the aim of validating 

electronic components. The aim is that 

this demonstration will lead to the 

availability of future low cost “off-theshelf” components for micro and pico 

satellites. 

G. Pontetti, R. Bellarosa, 

G & A Engineering S.r.l 

Oricola (AQ) and Rome, Italy 

Electric Nose 

Monitoring 

An artificial olfactory system (or simply 

put, an electronic nose) will be tested 

under weightless conditions to verify its 

applicability to space applications. It 

A. D’Amico, E. Martinelli, 

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represents an interesting tool for 

various applications such as food 

quality control, and identification of 

noxious gases and compounds in 

industrial sites. 

Heart Beat 

Monitoring 

The experiment aims at testing the 

development of ‘intelligent’ clothing for 

astronauts, capable of monitoring their 

vital functions using both wireless and 

non-wireless devices to allow free 

movement of astronauts in a closed 

orbiting environment. 

A. D’Amico, E. Martinelli, F. Lo 

Castro, Università di Roma Tor 

Vergata, Rome, Italy 

Food Tray in 

Space 

The objective of the experiment is to 

increase the variety and quality of food 

available to crews in space 

O. Temperini, A. De Benedetto, 

ARSIAL, Rome, Italy 

GOAL This project is a test of astronaut 

clothing based on the research of new 

structural materials suited to the 

peculiarities of the specific ISS 

environment. The aim is to increase 

astronaut comfort and efficiency by 

improving their psychological and 

physiological well being by means of 

garment wearability, aesthetics, colours, 

thermal stability and bodily hygiene. 

A. Dominoni, Spin Design, 

Politecnico di Milano, Milan, Italy 

ENEIDE ENEIDE is an experiment, which will 

apply advanced navigation techniques 

based on the European Geostationary 

Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), 

Europe’s first venture into satellite 

navigation. The objective is to measure 

and verify in Low Earth Orbit, the GPS 

and EGNOS signals, which will be used 

in the combined GPS/EGNOS 

navigation system for spacecraft control 

and guidance. 

G. Fuggetta, S. Landenna, 

C. Aloisi, 

Alenia Spazio – Laben, 

Milan, Italy 

M. S. Lavatola, 

Alenia Spazio, 

Turin, Italy 

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Experimental Program in Education 

Name Description Team Members 

Bone Proteomi This experiment will study the 

molecular mechanisms that regulate 

the physiology of human osteoblasts 

(bone-forming cells) in weightlessness. 

The experiment consists in stimulating 

osteoblast cells in weightlessness with 

a molecule known as ATP. 

A. Costessi, 

ESA, Noordwijk, The Netherlands 

ARISS ARISS is an international working 

group of national amateur radio 

societies of the countries participating 

in the ISS programme. The aim of this 

experiment is to provide real time radio 

transmissions from the ISS, during 

which pupils in selected Italian primary 

schools will put questions to astronaut 

Roberto Vittori, and to build, develop 

and maintain the amateur radio 

activities on board the ISS. 

G. Bertels, 

ARISS-Europe, Brussels, 

Belgium 

Electrostatic 

Self-Assembly 

Demonstration 

This experiment involves filming two sets 

of small spheres composed of different 

materials that charge with opposite 

polarities to each other. Once charged 

the spheres will assemble themselves in 

ordered structures. For all demonstratio 

comparable on-ground experiments will 

performed and filmed in order to 

familiarize students with the differences 

between the Earth and space 

environments. 

W. Carey, S. Ijsselstein, 

ESA, Noordwijk, The 

Netherlands 

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Short Description of Experiments 

Experimental Program in Human Physiology 

Hand Posture Analyzer 

Fatigue can have major effects on the hand, and forearms of astronauts in weightlessness, 

which can have a significant impact on their performance, especially when you consider 

that the upper limbs are the principal means of locomotion for astronauts living in a space 

environment. 

This experiment will make use of hardware for measuring handgrip and pinch forces, 

bending angles on individual fingers, and determination of the linear and angular motion, 

rotation and acceleration of the hand and forearm in all directions. By using different 

scientific protocols this experiment will make it possible to determine the degradation in 

performance affecting the muscle-skeletal apparatus in the upper limbs weightlessness and 

help to facilitate studies on learning mechanisms for motor control. 

The results of such experiments can help to find methods of countering fatigue, thus 

maintaining the condition and improving the performance of astronauts, which is of greater 

importance with proposed longer-term missions. Such methods can also be used on Earth 

for the treatment of subjects with local traumas, muscle atrophy, or diseases of the Central 

Nervous System (CNS). 

Nerve Growth Factor 

The purpose of this experiment is to perform research on stress responses related to 

astronauts before, during and after a space mission. To this end the experiment will 

analyse blood samples pre-flight and post-flight and saliva samples pre-, during and postflight for the presence of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF). This is a protein regulating brain 

development and function. 

The cells in the body that this protein stimulates, so-called NGF target cells, have been 

identified in the body’s nervous system, immune system and endocrine system. A growing 

body of evidence suggests that these cells play an important role in regulating coping 

mechanisms and physiological equilibrium in addition to its role of nerve cell regulation, 

growth and maintenance. 

This research should shed light on the role of nerve growth factors in the manifestation of 

stress as well as nervous and immune system disorders. This research follows on from 

previous studies, which includes preliminary data on circulating NGF levels in ESA 

astronaut Roberto Vittori before and after the “Marco Polo” Mission to the ISS in 2002. 

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Visual Subjective Vertical 

On Earth, the subjective sense of vertical is due to many inputs from specialised sensors 

located in the eye, in the inner ear, and in joints and muscles. More recently, a further 

contribution to the detection of subjective vertical was observed from visceral receptors 

sensitive to blood mass shifts, mainly located in the kidneys and in the thorax. The aim of 

this present experiment is the analysis of visceral receptor performance within an 

environment, which rules out possible bias due to visual and gravitational inputs. 

Analysis will be performed pre-, during and post-flight with an instrument called a 

Subjective Vertical Analyser (SVA), which will provide a completely darkened environment. 

During flight, the experiment will include the manipulation of body fluid mass with the use of 

a Lower Body Negative Pressure device. This is a standard method to shift fluids into the 

lower extremities of the body through suction. This manipulation will help in determining 

the role that the visceral receptors may play in finding the subjective vertical. 

Globally, this study could contribute to clarify the role that these receptors play in the 

detection of body axis both on Earth and under microgravity, and increase scientific 

knowledge on spatial orientation and flight safety. 

Eye Tracking Device 

Listing’s plane can be described as a co-ordinate framework, which defines the movement 

of the eyes in the head. On Earth it appears to be dependent on inputs from the vestibular 

system, which controls the body’s balance, orientation and posture. The main scientific 

objectives of the ETD experiment are: 

• 	 To measure the orientation of Listing’s plane in a weightless environment 

• 	 To determine how Listing’s plane is linked to the co-ordinate frame of reference of 

the vestibular system - as reflected by the vestibulo-oculomotor response. This 

response allows the eyes to stay visually fixed during natural head movements by 

making compensatory eye movements 

The experiment will be carried out using the Eye Tracking Device, which consists of a 

headset that includes two digital camera modules for binocular recording of horizontal, 

vertical and rotational eye movements and sensors to measure head movement. 

This type of research can further provide an insight into problems with balance experienced 

by astronauts following re-entry and vestibular disorders on Earth such as Meniere's 

disease, and related vestibular symptoms such as vertigo and nausea. 

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EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM IN BIOLOGY 

Agrospace Experiments Suite 

This experiment actually consists of two separate experiments: an education oriented 

experiment “Space Beans for Students” and a biology experiment “Seedlings”. 

Space Beans for Students aims to involve and interest children in space science to help 

with the continuous exploitation of space technology and its application to every day life on 

Earth. To this end the experiment will consist of beans being germinated in space at the 

same time as being germinated by students in classrooms on Earth. This will provide the 

student with answers about the following key questions: What do plant seeds need to 

germinate? What changes do seeds and seedlings undergo during germination and early 

growth? What are the main differences between seeds germinating on Earth and those 

germinating in space in weightlessness? 

The objectives of the Seedlings experiment are: to evaluate the feasibility of producing 

vegetable sprouts in space for food purposes and to study the influence of weightlessness 

on germination, growth and the nutritional quality of sprouts. Sprouts of herbaceous crops 

(e.g., soybean, broccoli) have a high nutritional value and production is very fast (5-7 days) 

and easy, requiring only seeds, water and suitable environmental conditions (e.g., 

temperature, relative humidity). For these reasons, producing sprouts directly in the ISS 

may represent an interesting opportunity to offer high-quality fresh food to the astronauts. 

Rocket seeds will be germinated in orbit. On return to Earth the seedlings will be sent for 

quality analysis (e.g., vitamin C, carbohydrates, nitrates, antioxidants). 

Fischer Rat Thyroid Low serum 5% 

This experiment is aimed at assessing the effects of the space environment 

(weightlessness and radiation) on rat thyroid cells. The cell type chosen are the FRTL5 rat 

thyroid cell strain, hence the name of the experiment. One of the reasons for choosing 

these specific thyroid cells is the relevance they have to human physiology and medicine. 

This experiment should provide further indications that may help in understanding why the 

sensitivity of the cells to radiation damage is related to their cell cycle and to the kinetics of 

the radiation. Furthermore it will help improve our knowledge of the effect of the space 

environment on the human body, especially with longer-term missions planned in the future 

(e.g., Mars). 

The cells will be incubated in a controlled temperature of 37°C, with half of the cells kept in 

a quiescent state and half the cells kept in a proliferative state (i.e., induced to produce the 

hormone thyroxine by the presence of thyroid-stimulating hormone). The cells will be 

tested on return to Earth for DNA modifications due to radiation and magnetic fields, and 

the effect of weightlessness on cell behaviour. In evaluating the response of cells to the 

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thyroid-stimulating hormone, cells will be analysed for indications of mutation and changes 

in complex cell behaviour such as programmed cell death, and duplication efficiency. 

MICROSPACE 

Microorganisms are well known for their capabilities to withstand extreme environmental 

conditions such as elevated temperature, high salinity, hydrostatic pressure, and toxic 

compounds. The exposure to radiations, vacuum, electricity, and magnetic waves has 

been investigated in the past, but still little information is available about the effects of the 

space environment on microorganisms. 

Different microbial strains will be flown to the ISS in order to study the effect that space 

radiation and the weightless environmental conditions onboard the ISS have on the 

cultures. The microbial strains selected for the experiment are non hazardous, of 

environmental origin, and some of them (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Escherichia coli, 

Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus acidophilus) are commonly hosted by humans. 

This experiment may improve our understanding on the basic biology of microorganisms, 

particularly on their tolerance to the spacecraft environment and on how the genetic 

material in the cells can be affected by in-flight space conditions. The experiment can 

further provide a greater understanding of the spacecraft environment itself. 

VINO 

The aim of the VINO experiment is to test the survival and growth in space of tendril grafts 

from vines coming from Sassicaia vineyards in Tuscany, Italy. Tendrils are twisting, 

threadlike structures by which a twining plant, such as a grape or cucumber, grasps an 

object or a plant for support. The vine grafts, will be launched into orbit in a 

pressure/vacuum proof sealed metallic container to avoid any environment contamination, 

with the cuts and grafting already executed on ground. Inside the container the grafts will 

be kept within plastic bags. 

Once back on the Earth, the tendrils will be implanted, to test their growth. These will be 

compared to equivalent plants that were treated in a similar fashion in parallel on the 

ground for reference purposes. This experiment could provide useful results regarding 

plant survival in future long duration space flights such as in the human exploration of Mars. 

CRISP-2 

The objective of this experiment is to study the effects of weightlessness on the 

development of neurons (nerve cells) in crickets. Past results from developmental biology 

research carried out in space have shown that weightlessness modifies the properties of 

cells, thus possibly influencing the embryonic development of organisms. This study is a 

follow-up of a previous experiment, CRISP, carried out during the Neurolab STS-90 

mission in 1998. 

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The experiment uses Crickets (Acheta domesticus) as test specimens, because they 

possess neurons that can be unequivocally identified in each individual animal. This 

specific feature allows for the study of the anatomical and physiological characteristics of 

neurons in the context of their natural environment (the body itself) in a large number of 

animals.Once on board the ISS, inseminated female crickets will be given access to soil 

deposits in special egg collectors to induce fertilization and laying of their eggs in the soil. 

(The female can store male sperm for weeks before this happens). The females will have 

this opportunity on days one and four on the ISS. The first set of eggs will have sufficient 

time for the neural development to be completed in the embryos. The second set of 

embryos will continue this process after return to Earth, i.e., under normal gravity 

conditions. Once returned to Earth, the females will be allowed to deposit eggs for a third 

time under normal gravity conditions. The success of this period of egg deposition will be 

determined 15 days later by counting the hatching larvae and by executing specific neural, 

anatomical and behavioural tests. 

Ground Experimental Program 

Blood and Oxidative Stress 

Loss of red blood cell mass, volume of blood plasma, and haemoglobin has been 

continuously observed in astronauts during space missions. This phenomenon has been 

termed “spatial anaemia” and the underlying mechanisms causing this are still not clear. 

This could be due to suppressed production of red blood cells or increased destruction of 

red blood cells. 

By comparing astronaut blood samples before and after spaceflight, this experiment aims 

to determine the degree of ‘stress’ that the red blood cells have undergone to bring about 

cell damage, the quantity of substances in blood serum that would prevent this damage 

(antioxidants), the damage that the red blood cell membranes have undergone, and the 

time it takes to recover. This will be done by measuring the antioxidant status of astronauts 

prior to and after space flight, and the time it takes to recover from oxidative stress 

occurring during space radiation exposure. Moreover red blood cells will be analysed to 

evaluate their membrane composition and the activities of the enzymes involved in 

antioxidant defences. 

This experiment will provide results that will help in finding methods to reduce the current 

effects of oxidative space anaemia by, for example integrating appropriate dietary elements 

and natural compounds that act as antioxidants. These results will also impact on future 

longer-term space missions to, for example, Mars. 

Biodosimetry in astronauts 

This experiment will analyse tissue samples taken before and after spaceflight to help 

clarify the effect that space radiation has on DNA, and the role of the space environment in 

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modifying the radiation sensitivity of the bodily system of organs and tissues, primarily the 

bone marrow, spleen, tonsils, and lymph nodes, involved in the production of blood. 

On Earth, our atmosphere provides some form of protection from the intense levels of 

radiation emanating from space. In space, however the absence of this protective shield 

exposes astronauts to these higher levels of radiation. Even though astronauts find 

themselves within spacecrafts, the habitable modules usually have skins that are a few 

millimetres thick, and thus do not provide substantial protection from this radiation. 

It is known that DNA is damaged by ionising radiation, which may lead to chromosomal 

aberrations (i.e., malfunction or malformation of chromosomes). This in turn could lead to 

elevated risks of cancer and other disorders and syndromes. More results regarding the 

effects of radiation are still needed to fully understand its effects on the human body, and 

possibly to come up with suitable countermeasures. 

Sympatho 

The Sympatho experiment is an ongoing study of adrenal activity of the sympathetic 

nervous system in weightlessness. The sympathetic system is that part of the nervous 

system that accelerates the heart rate, constricts blood vessels, and raises blood pressure. 

The experiment will test the hypothesis that after initially low adrenal activity in the first 24 

hours in space, the adrenal activity increases due to a fall in the blood volume in the 

cardiovascular system. 

In space, sympathetic activity was expected to be decreased but experiments have shown 

that it actually increases during weightlessness. Analysing blood samples pre- and post 

spaceflight, will provide more results, which will hopefully provide clues to why this type of 

behaviour is manifested in space. Since this system controls the physiological elements 

that are linked to stress, clear scientific results can provide useful information in the clinical 

research of physical and mental stress patterns in patients. 

Technology Demonstrations 

LAZIO 

A detailed study and understanding of the radiation environment in space and its effects on 

human physiology has a growing importance with current work on the International Space 

Station (ISS) and of a future mission to Mars. The objectives of the LAZIO experiment are: 

• 	 to detect and identify cosmic rays with high precision tracking capability. 

• 	 to determine the relation of cosmic rays to the so-called Light Flash phenomenon in 

astronauts. Light Flashes consist of unexpected visual phenomena caused by the 

interaction of cosmic rays with the eyes of the astronaut. 

• 	 to study the effect of different shielding materials in reducing the radiation 

environment. 

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• 	 to measure the intensity and the variations of the magnetic field within the ISS, and 

to correlate this data with the measurements of the particle fluxes.This is related to 

the high accuracy monitoring of the short time stability of the Van Allen belts, to 

study the possibility of precursor earthquake related phenomena. 

ASIA 

The ASIA Flight experiment aims to verify the capability of a High Performance Computer 

Board, equipped with state-of-the-art Central Processing Units (CPUs), to sustain large 

doses of radiation when exposed to a space environment. The study will evaluate the 

radiation sensitivity of the computer board after its exposure to the environment in the 

International Space Station (ISS), by analysing the effects caused by protons, heavy ions 

and cumulated dose. 

The evaluation of radiation effects will only be performed after the return to Earth of the 

board, by comparing its operability after exposure to space with that recorded before the 

launch. The final objective of this study is to determine whether or not, depending on how 

the board is affected by radiation, these computer boards can be used in future generation 

satellites, providing enhanced performances. 

Specular Point-like Quick Reference (SPQR) 

The Shuttle Columbia disaster has emphasized the importance of imaging in the detection 

of exterior damage of manned spacecraft in orbit. As in the case of Columbia, serious 

damage may not always be readily visible to astronauts from inside their vehicle. Various 

approaches to this problem are being investigated by NASA and other organizations. 

However, many of these methods require a number of months (or years) to implement the 

first set of tests. 

This experiment proposes the test of a ground-based imaging system, using special optics 

and image processing, to determine the feasibility of developing an operational system. In 

principle, such a system would have a linear resolution on the International Space Station 

(ISS) of less than 20 cm. While a resolution of 1 cm or better would be ideal, this would be 

extremely expensive and require a long time to implement. 

The SPQR experiment will be based on a Cube Corner Reflector (CCR) that will be fixed 

close to an ISS window and will reflect a laser beam coming from a ground station. If the 

test is successful, in the future it will also be possible to use a small inexpensive spherical 

mirror to provide the point source of light. This will passively reflect the sun, and would 

provide a bright specular reflection of the sun without any need for power or control of the 

orientation. 

Electronics Space Test 

Over the past few years there have been major technical improvements and reduction in 

size of electronic and microelectronic devices for space applications. These devices are 

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designed to withstand the rigours of launch and the harsh space environment, and radiation 

resistant devices for space applications can cost up to 1000 times more than similar 

industrial components. 

The Electronics Space Test is a validation of low-cost industrial components kept within a 

specially developed radiation protective casing. It is a technology demonstrator containing 

an electronic subsystem, which includes all the element parts of the industrial family 

chosen. The Electronics Space Test has passed all its ground tests and therefore a 

demonstration in space is now necessary. The demonstrator, which will fly to the ISS will 

validate an electronic high density power system, new generation batteries, advanced 

calculus devices for real-time computing, programmable and re-programmable devices for 

micro and pico satellite subsystems and different kinds of sensors typically found on-board 

spacecraft. 

A positive outcome to this demonstration will lead to the availability of future low cost “offthe-shelf” components for micro and pico satellites. 

Electric Nose Monitoring 

An artificial olfactory system (or simply put, an electronic nose) represents an interesting 

tool for various applications such as food quality control, identification of noxious gases and 

compounds in industrial sites and biomedicine. This type of system can also be useful as a 

diagnostic tool for space applications. The device could also be used on board the ISS for 

the detection of stagnation states, where the air circulation is limited and where carbon 

dioxide or other gases can be present at high concentration or where mould could grow. 

The Electronic Nose Monitoring experiment is based on a very promising tool, which uses a 

new class of chemical sensors that are designed to provide the overall olfactory profiles of 

a large number of chemical compounds within a closed environment. The objective of this 

experiment is to test the technology of this system under weightless conditions and to verify 

its applicability to space applications. 

Heart Beat Monitoring 

The Heart Beat Monitoring experiment aims at testing the development of ‘intelligent’ 

clothing for astronauts, capable of monitoring their vital functions using both wireless and 

non-wireless devices to allow free movement of astronauts in a closed orbiting 

environment. Sensors are embedded in a special vest, which is worn by the astronauts. 

These sensors transfer information directly to a laptop computer using either a wireless or 

cable connection. 

Two protocols will be carried out during the experiment recording data at rest and during 

exercise. This data will be returned to Earth for analysis. The final objective of this study is 

developing hardware that allows for heart rate monitoring without having to use any items, 

which attach to the skin of subjects being tested (i.e., suction pads, sticking plaster, gel). 

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Food Tray in Space 

The objective of the Food Tray in Space experiment is to increase the variety and quality of 

food available to crews in space, more specifically the International Space Station (ISS). 

This will be done by identifying new food items (typical, traditional food) from the Italian 

Lazio region, to be served in a tray-container as a meal on the ISS. FTS will be a 

demonstration that food items, produced from high quality products, are tasty and nutritious 

and they do not loose their quality in space flight conditions. As part of this demonstration 

the astronaut will fill out a questionnaire based on the food tasted. This will be analysed 

after return to Earth. 

GOAL 

The aim of the GOAL experiment is to increase astronaut comfort and efficiency by 

improving the psychological and physiological well being by means of garment wearability, 

aesthetics, colours, thermal stability and bodily hygiene on board the ISS. The project is 

based on the research of new structural materials suited to the peculiarities of the specific 

ISS environment with the aim of containing human skin inside clothes. Also, peculiar cuts, 

patterns and colours taking into account the ‘neutral body posture’ adopted by astronauts in 

weightlessness, will be studied. The results of this test will help design future garments for 

longer and more complex missions with crews of different gender, race and size. Spin-offs 

of the experiment will extend the applications to different fields such as the medical 

environment. 

ENEIDE 

ENEIDE is an experiment, which will apply advanced navigation techniques based on the 

European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS). EGNOS is Europe’s first 

venture into satellite navigation and will augment the two military satellite navigation 

systems now operating, the US GPS and Russian GLONASS systems, making them 

suitable for safety critical applications such as flying aircraft or navigating ships through 

narrow channels. 

The objective is to measure and verify in Low Earth Orbit, the GPS and EGNOS signals, 

which will be used in the combined GPS/EGNOS navigation system for spacecraft control 

and guidance. The experiment will exploit the EGNOS signals with the use of a 

spaceborne Global Navigation Satellite System receiver developed by Alenia Spazio in 

1999. This will verify the performance of the GPS/EGNOS receiver on board the Soyuz 

spacecraft and compare results from the combined receiver during different phases of the 

mission with equivalent data received from the spacecraft and the ISS. 

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Experimental Program in Education 

Bone Proteomics 

Long periods of weightlessness induce bone mass loss in astronauts. Previous 

experiments indicate that this negative effect is mainly due to a reduced activity of 

osteoblasts, the cells that physiologically produce the bone material throughout our life. 

The Bone Proteomics experiment will study the molecular mechanisms that regulate the 

physiology of human osteoblasts in weightlessness. The experiment consists in stimulating 

osteoblast cells in weightlessness with a molecule known as ATP. 

The specific objectives of the experiment are: 

• 	 To study whether ATP can stimulate osteoblast cells in weightless conditions, 

possibly balancing or overcoming the negative effects of weightlessness. 

• 	 To study, for the first time, the whole protein content of these cells, looking for 

possible explanations of the altered physiology of osteoblasts in weightlessness. 

This is called a proteomics approach, thus the name of the experiment. 

This experiment will be the first proteomic study on mammalian cells in space, possibly 

revealing new aspects of osteoblast biology, and it will provide new data for a better 

understanding of osteoblast physiology at the molecular level. The results of this 

experiment are beneficial for both space and ground research. The former, in the field of 

bone physiology in microgravity and microgravity-induced bone loss, particularly for longduration space missions, and the latter for bone disease research on Earth (e.g., 

osteoporosis). 

ARISS 

The objectives of this activity are to provide a live radio link from the ISS to selected 

children from Italian schools, to allow them to have the experience of interacting with 

someone in orbit around the Earth. Students will prepare and put questions to ESA 

astronaut Roberto Vittori. The schools selected are the winners of a space-oriented 

competition. 

The radio contact will be provided by ARISS, Amateur Radio on the ISS, an international 

working group of volunteering amateur radio operators. The radio contact will be 

established during a pass of the space station over western Europe. 

This exercise serves as an educational tool for making children aware of space, a topic that 

is often not covered in school syllabuses. It is important to bring space to the children to 

provide them with a better understanding of the benefits of space and how science in space 

can also improve life for us here on Earth. 

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Electrostatic Self-Assembly Demonstration 

Electrostatic self-assembly occurs when different types of components charge with 

opposite electrical polarities. The interplay of repulsive interactions between like-charged 

objects and attractive interactions between unlike-charged ones results in the selfassembly of these objects into highly ordered, closed arrays. 

This experiment involves filming two sets of small spheres composed of different materials 

that charge with opposite polarities to each other. These spheres are contained within a 

polycarbonate cube container. Once charged, the spheres will assemble themselves into 

ordered structures. For all demonstrations comparable on-ground experiments will be 

performed and filmed in order to familiarize students with the differences between the Earth 

and space environments. 

Video footage of the demonstrations will be used to develop an ISS DVD Lesson, fitting the 

basic European science and technology curriculum of the target age group: 12-18 year 

olds. The DVD will be distributed in 12 languages to secondary school teachers in ESA 

Member States. 

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Media Assistance 

NASA Television Transmission 

NASA Television can be seen in the continental United States on AMC-6, at 72 degrees 

west longitude, Transponder 9, 3880 MHz, vertical polarization, audio at 6.8 MHz. If you 

live in Alaska or Hawaii, NASA TV can now be seen on AMC-7, at 137 degrees west 

longitude, Transponder 18, at 4060 MHz, vertical polarization, audio at 6.8 MHz. 

The schedule for television transmissions from the orbiter and for mission briefings will be 

available during the mission at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.; Marshall Space Flight Center, 

Huntsville, Ala.; Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif.; Johnson Space Center, 

Houston, Texas; and NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC. The television schedule will 

be updated to reflect changes dictated by mission operations. 

Status Reports 

Status reports on countdown and mission progress, on-orbit activities and landing 

operations will be produced by the appropriate NASA news center. 

Briefings 

A mission press briefing schedule will be issued before launch. During the mission, status 

briefings by a flight director or mission operations representative and when appropriate, 

representatives from the payload team, will occur at least once each day. The updated 

NASA television schedule will indicate when mission briefings are planned. 

Internet Information 

Information is available through several sources on the Internet. The primary source for 

mission information is the NASA Human Space Flight Web, part of the World Wide Web. 

This site contains information on the crew and its mission and will be updated regularly with 

status reports, photos and video clips throughout the flight. The NASA Shuttle Web's 

address is: 

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov 

General information on NASA and its programs is available through the NASA Home Page 

and the NASA Public Affairs Home Page: 

http://www.nasa.gov 

or 

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

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Shuttle Pre-Launch Status Reports 

http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/status/stsstat/current.htm 

Information on other current NASA activities is available through the Today@NASA page: 

http://www.nasa.gov/today/index.html 

The NASA TV schedule is available from the NTV Home Page: 

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/nasatv/schedule.html 

Resources for educators can be found at the following address: 

http://education.nasa.gov 

Access by CompuServe 

Users with CompuServe accounts can access NASA press releases by typing "GO NASA" 

(no quotes) and making a selection from the categories offered. 

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Debbie Rahn International Partners 202-358-1638 

NASA Headquarters 

Washington 

Debra.J.Rahn@nasa.gov 

Allard Beutel Shuttle, Space Station Policy 202-358-0951 

NASA Headquarters 

Washington 

allard.beutel@nasa.gov 

J.D. Harrington Space Science Policy (202) 358-5241 

NASA Headquarters 

Washington, D.C. 

J.D.Harrington@nasa.gov 

James Hartsfield Astronauts/Mission Operations 281-483-5111 

NASA Johnson Space Center 

Houston 

james.a.hartsfield@nasa.gov 

Rob Navias Mission Operations 281-483-5111 

NASA Johnson Space Center 

Houston 

rob.navias-1@nasa.gov 

Kylie Clem Space Station Operations 281-483-5111 

NASA Johnson Space Center 

Houston 

kylie.s.clem@nasa.gov 

Steve Roy Microgravity Programs 256-544-6535 

NASA Marshall Space Flight Center 

Huntsville, Ala. 

Steven.E.Roy@nasa,gov 

Kari Kelley Allen International Space Station 281-226-4844 

The Boeing Company 

Houston 

kari.k.allen@boeing.com 

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