 | ISS EO-6
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24 November 2002 00:49 GMT. Landing Date: 2003-05-04 02:07:00. Flight Time: 161.05 days. Alternate Name: STS-113 (Bowersox, Budarin, Pettit). Flight Up: STS-113. Flight Back: Soyuz TMA-1. Call Sign: Endeavour. Crew: Bowersox, Budarin, Pettit. Program: ISS. Of note: First station crew to have to return in a lifeboat spacecraft. What went wrong: OMS valve stuck on shuttle during ascent, requiring orbital manoeuvres with the single remaining engine. On return to earth aboard Soyuz guidance failed and a ballistic entry subjected the crew to over 8 G's and a landing 460 km short of the planned location.The three-man Russian/American crew arrived aboard shuttle mission STS-113 and was to have supported a sequence of major shuttle station assembly missions over a six-month period. Instead, the grounding of the shuttle fleet after the STS-107 disaster meant that they provided the vital link to keep the station operational until relieved by a two-man crew that would provide minimal manning of the space station while shuttle was grounded.
With the grounding of the shuttle fleet, Soyuz TMA-1 became the lifeboat for return of the EO-6 crew of Bowersox, Budarin, and Pettit. Following the arrival of the EO-7 skeleton crew to keep the station in operation, the EO-6 crew readied the TMA-1 for landing. They undocked from the ISS at 22:40 GMT on 2 May. This marked the first return of American astronauts in a Soyuz capsule (though several had ridden Soyuz capsules to the Mir station). During the re-entry, the first for the Soyuz TMA-1 model, the guidance failed and the capsule reverted to a rolling ballistic re-entry. This subjected the crew to over 8 G's during re-entry, as opposed to the 3 G's of a normal Soyuz lifting re-entry. It also resulted in a landing 460 km short of the target, and a delay of over two hours before recovery forces arrived at the capsule. The flight program consisted of the following main activities:
- Launch of the ISS EO-6 crew on Space Shuttle in Flight 11A;
- Operational support for undocking of vehicle Progress M1-9;
- Operational support for docking of vehicle Progress M-47;
- Unloading of Progress M-47 and the Space Shuttle;
- ISS maintenance and repairs;
- Performance of the science and application research program and experiments (Relaksatsia, Uragan, Molniya-SM, Parodont, Farma, Cardio-ODNT, Profilaktika, Pulse, Biorisk, Rastenia-2, Prognos, Brados, Diatomeya, Meteoroid, Tenzor, Vektor-T, Izgib, Privyazka, Iskazheniye, Identifikatsia, Plasma crystal-3, Skorpion, Kromka, Platan), as well as contracted commercial activities (GTS, MPAC&SEED);
- Crew handover to Expedition ISS EO-7 and return of the ISS EO-6 crew to Earth on Soyuz TMA-1.
ISS EO-6 Chronology - 2002 Nov 24 - STS-113 Crew: Wetherbee, Lockhart, Lopez-Alegria, Herrington, Bowersox, Budarin, Pettit. Spacecraft: Endeavour. Payload: Endeavour F19 / P1. Mass: 115,000 kg (253,000 lb). Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Vehicle: Shuttle. Duration: 13.78 days. Perigee: 379 km (235 mi). Apogee: 397 km (246 mi). Inclination: 51.60 deg. Period: 92.30 min.
ISS assembly mission ISS-11A delayed from August 22, September 6, 19, October 6, November 2, 10, 11, 19 and 23 due to SSME problems and then damage to the Shuttle's manipulator arm. Shuttle mission STS-113 carried a crew of seven astronauts (six American and one Russian) and a 13.7-m truss of 12.5 tons to the International Space Station (ISS). During several hours of EVA, the crew installed and secured the truss assembly. The truss was to provide structural support for the station's thermal control radiators, and brought the total mass of the ISS to over 200 tons. Prior to leaving the ISS, the shuttle released a pair of tethered (15-m long) picosatellites. It was to leave the ISS on December 2.
- 2002 Nov 24 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #02
Endeavour's crew was awakened at 8:50 a.m. today to begin its first full day in orbit, a day dedicated to preparations for Monday's docking to the International Space Station. As the crew awoke, Endeavour and the station were separated by about 2,700 miles, with Endeavour slightly below and behind the ISS. Onboard the station, the Expedition Five crew, Commander Valery Korzun, NASA ISS ...more...
- 2002 Nov 24 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #03
Endeavour's crew spent its first full day in space preparing for its arrival at the International Space Station. Endeavour, now 1,400 miles behind the station and closing, is scheduled to dock at 3:26 p.m. Central time Monday. In preparation for Monday's docking, Endeavour's crew - Commander Jim Wetherbee, ...more...
- 2002 Nov 25 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #04
The crew of Endeavour awakened at 7:29 a.m. to begin final preparations for this afternoon's docking with the International Space Station. Endeavour is now 350 miles behind the space station closing the distance between them at the rate of about 130 miles every orbit. Docking is slated to occur at 3:26 p.m. central time today with the two spacecraft high over the Kazakh/Uzbekistan border. Onboard the space station, the Expedition Five crew - Commander Valery Korzun, NASA ...more...
- 2002 Nov 25 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #05
Endeavour docked with the International Space Station at 3:59 CST this afternoon, bringing a new crew and another segment of the station's backbone, the Port One (P1) segment of the Integrated Truss System. The rendezvous and docking of Endeavour with shuttle Commander Jim Wetherbee at ...more...
- 2002 Nov 26 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #06
The crew of Endeavour was awakened at 7:26 a.m. to begin a day that will see the installation of the Port One (P1) truss onto the International Space Station. The P1 is the third such truss to be installed on the station this year and is one of 11 truss segments that will make up the station's final Integrated Truss Structure. Beginning around 9:20 a.m., Endeavour Commander Jim Wetherbee will use the shuttle's ...more...
- 2002 Nov 26 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #07
Endeavour and International Space Station crewmembers completed a smooth installation of the Port One (P1) truss and a spacewalk to hook up connections between P1 and the rest of the station. The spacewalk, by Mission Specialists Michael Lopez-Alegria and John Herrington successfully completed scheduled tasks. P1 was removed from Endeavour's payload bay at 9:22 a.m. CST by the shuttle's robotic ...more...
- 2002 Nov 27 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #08
Endeavour's crew today will focus its efforts on transferring supplies and equipment to the International Space Station that will be used by the station's Expedition Six crew during their four-month stay aboard the complex. The station and shuttle crew members also will move supplies, equipment and completed experiments that were used by the Expedition Five crew to the shuttle for return to Earth. In the afternoon, Endeavour's crew - Commander Jim Wetherbee, Pilot Paul Lockhart ...more...
- 2002 Nov 27 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #09
Endeavour and International Space Station crewmembers worked today to transfer equipment and supplies between their docked spacecraft. Expedition 5 crewmembers exchanged notes with their Expedition 6 successors and mission specialists Michael Lopez-Alegria and John Herrington prepared for a Thanksgiving Day spacewalk. The transfer of items between the two spacecraft is going smoothly, as are the handover ...more...
- 2002 Nov 28 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #10
A Thanksgiving Day spacewalk will highlight activities aboard Endeavour and the International Space Station today. Endeavour Mission Specialists Mike Lopez-Alegria and John Herrington will exit the ...more...
- 2002 Nov 28 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #11
Endeavour astronauts Michael Lopez-Alegria and John Herrington completed the second of three spacewalks of the STS-113 mission, accomplishing all their scheduled tasks on the International Space Station's new Port One (P1) truss and doing two additional jobs during the 6-hour, 10-minute outing. The Thanksgiving Day spacewalk started at 12:36 p.m. CST, almost 45 minutes ahead ...more...
- 2002 Nov 29 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #12
With the Expedition Six crewmembers settling into their new on-orbit home, today's activities largely will focus on continuing transfer of equipment, experiments and hardware, and a formal Change of Command ceremony between resident crews on board the International Space Station. Among the items to be transferred today are various science experiments, two returning ...more...
- 2002 Nov 29 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #13
Transfer of equipment and supplies from Endeavour's middeck to the International Space Station passed the 1,700-pound mark today, with about 75 percent of the total material from the shuttle now aboard the orbiting laboratory. More than 750 pounds of material has been moved from the station to Endeavour's crew compartment. Handover briefings of the Expedition 6 crew, Commander Ken Bowersox, cosmonaut Nikolai ...more...
- 2002 Nov 30 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #14
Today Mission Specialists Michael Lopez-Alegria and John Herrington will perform their third and final spacewalk of the mission. The spacewalk is set to begin at 1:20 p.m. Central Time. Pilot Paul Lockhart will coordinate the spacewalk from the aft flight deck of Endeavour. ...more...
- 2002 Nov 30 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #15
The third and final spacewalk of STS-113 ended at 8:25 p.m. central time today, as Mission Specialists Mike Lopez-Alegria and John Herrington climbed back inside the Quest Airlock. The two spacewalkers spent seven hours outside the International Space Station today, continuing the outfitting of the newly-installed P1 truss segment. Today's spacewalk began at 1:25 p.m., with Herrington being asked to look for possible ...more...
- 2002 Dec 1 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #16
With most of their mission objectives successfully completed, the crews of Endeavour and the International Space Station will enjoy some scheduled time off during their last full day of joint operations. Since Endeavour arrived at the station on November 25, the 10 astronauts and cosmonauts ...more...
- 2002 Dec 1 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #17
The crews of Endeavour and the International Space Station today got ready to say goodbye to one another, checking out tools that will be used during undocking of the two spacecraft on Monday. They also configured and stowed spacesuits used in the mission's three spacewalks. Crewmembers got some afternoon time off to relax and talk via radio with family members. This morning Endeavour Commander Jim Wetherbee initiated a series of firings of ...more...
- 2002 Dec 2 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #18
Today, the crews of Endeavour and the International Space Station will bid each other a final farewell and shortly after will close hatches between the two spacecraft in preparation for Endeavour's departure this afternoon. Endeavour will leave behind the Expedition Six Crew - Commander Ken Bowersox, NASA ...more...
- 2002 Dec 2 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #19
Endeavour undocked from the International Space Station today, leaving behind the Expedition 6 crew -- Commander Ken Bowersox, NASA ISS Science Officer Don Pettit and Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin -- to begin its four-month stay. After final farewells among the STS-113 and Expedition 5 and 6 crews, the hatches ...more...
- 2002 Dec 3 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #20
Endeavour's crew will turn its attention to a return trip home today as they prepare for a possible landing Wednesday at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Weather permitting, Endeavour is scheduled for a landing at 2:48 p.m. central time Wednesday. The crew will spend its day stowing away equipment and hardware, and preparing their ...more...
- 2002 Dec 3 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #21
Activities aboard Endeavour today focused on preparations for Wednesday's planned landing at the Kennedy Space Center, concluding a voyage of 4.5 million miles. Commander Jim Wetherbee, Pilot Paul Lockhart and Flight Engineer John Herrington ...more...
- 2002 Dec 4 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #22
Activities aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour today will focus on a planned landing at the Kennedy Space Center this afternoon. Endeavour has two opportunities to land today. The first begins with a deorbit burn ...more...
- 2002 Dec 4 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #23
The Space Shuttle Endeavour will spend at least one more day in space awaiting acceptable landing weather after two opportunities to return to Florida today were bypassed due to low clouds at the landing site. Flight controllers are now focusing on opportunities for landing on Thursday at ...more...
- 2002 Dec 5 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #24
The Space Shuttle Endeavour will spend at least one more day in space after rain, clouds and windy conditions at the Kennedy Space Center prompted flight controllers to wave off today's opportunities to bring Endeavour and its crew of seven home. There are two opportunities for Endeavour to return home to Florida on Friday. The ...more...
- 2002 Dec 6 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #25
Flight controllers will once again closely watch weather conditions at the Kennedy Space Center in hope of bringing Endeavour and its seven-member crew home today. There are two landing opportunities in Florida today. The first begins with a deorbit ...more...
- 2002 Dec 6 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #26
A stalled cold front at the Kennedy Space Center, resulting in low clouds and overcast weather, will keep Endeavour aloft for another 24 hours. For the third consecutive day, flight controllers were forced to wave off opportunities to bring Endeavour home to Florida. There are a total of four landing opportunities on Saturday, two in Florida and ...more...
- 2002 Dec 7 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #27
With the most favorable weather forecast so far this week, Endeavour and crew are focusing on a landing today preferably at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla., although a landing at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., where the weather is clear and calm, is possible. This is the fourth day of landing attempts for Endeavour. There are four landing ...more...
- 2002 Dec 7 - STS-113 MCC Status Report #28
Endeavour descended to a flawless landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida this afternoon, ending four days of landing attempts thwarted by bad weather and returning home an International Space Station crew that spent 185 days in space. Commander Jim Wetherbee guided Endeavour to a touchdown on KSC's shuttle runway ...more...
- 2002 Dec 13 - International Space Station Status Report #02-53
Nearing the end of their third week on orbit, the crewmembers of the sixth expedition to the International Space Station have dug in to the agenda of scientific research laid out for their four-month tour of duty. Early this week Commander Ken Bowersox, Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin, and NASA ...more...
- 2002 Dec 20 - International Space Station Status Report #02-54
After almost a month on the International Space Station, crewmembers were literally bouncing off the walls of the orbiting laboratory on Monday. They wound up the week with extensive and successful robotic arm operations on Thursday and on Friday worked with setup of the High Rate Communications Outage Recorder (HCOR). The contact with the walls of the station's U.S. laboratory Destiny was carefully ...more...
- 2002 Dec 27 - International Space Station Status Report #02-55
International Space Station Expedition 6 crewmembers, Commander Ken Bowersox, Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin, and NASA ISS Science Officer Don Pettit, began their second month aboard the orbiting laboratory on Christmas Day. While they had some duties to attend to - checking the environmental control system and the status of payloads aboard the U.S. laboratory Destiny - it was basically a day off. Crewmembers did get a Christmas call from NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe, who chatted ...more...
- 2003 Jan 3 - International Space Station Status Report #03-1
The Year 2003 began quietly for the International Space Station Expedition 6 crew. Commander Ken Bowersox, Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin, and NASA ISS Science Officer Don Pettit crossed the international date line 15 times during the last day of 2002, officially greeting the new year at midnight Greenwich Mean Time during their sleep shift. The first day of the new year involved only a few routine maintenance tasks, exercise and time off for the crew. Work aboard the orbiting outpost resumed on Jan. 2, highlighted by a practice fire ...more...
- 2003 Jan 10 - International Space Station Status Report #03-2
Preparations continue in orbit for the 50th spacewalk dedicated to assembly and maintenance of the International Space Station. Commander Ken Bowersox and NASA ISS Science Officer Don Pettit are scheduled to step outside Wednesday about 6:30 a.m. CST. The crewmembers spent this week reviewing the timeline and procedures, organizing ...more...
- 2003 Jan 15 - EVA ISS EO-6-1 Crew: Pettit, Bowersox. EVA Type: Extra-Vehicular Activity. EVA Duration: 0.29 days.
The spacewalk was originally planned for December 12 and a crew of Budarin and Bowersox. But Budarin was prohibited by NASA from further EVA's (at least using US spacesuits) for undisclosed medical reasons. It took over a month for the plans for the spacewalk to be revised (since Budarin was not qualified to operate the space arm, Petit and Bowersox would have to move around the outside of the gigantic station without its assistance). They deployed the 23 m high central radiator panel on the P1 struss, cleaned up a docking port, installed external lighting on the S1 truss, and retrieved tools left on the Z1 truss.
- 2003 Jan 15 - International Space Station Status Report #03-3
Expedition 6 Commander Ken Bowersox and NASA Science Officer Don Pettit continued the assembly of the International Space Station today and set the stage for a series of complex shuttle construction flights to the complex later this year during a 6-hour, 51-minute spacewalk staged out of the Quest Airlock. The spacewalk, which was the first for both Bowersox and Pettit, was the 50th excursion ...more...
- 2003 Jan 16 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #01
Columbia lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center this morning on the first shuttle mission of the year, carrying the first Israeli astronaut into orbit along with six crewmates on a marathon international scientific research flight. Commander Rick Husband, Pilot Willie McCool, Mission Specialists Dave Brown, Kalpana ...more...
- 2003 Jan 16 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #02
Columbia's crewmembers unstowed equipment and began activation of the Spacehab Research Double Module in the shuttle's cargo bay, setting the stage for 24-hour-a-day science during the shuttle's 16-day research mission. Columbia lifted off at 9:39 a.m. CST from the Kennedy Space Center in near-perfect ...more...
- 2003 Jan 17 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #03
In their first full day in orbit, Columbia's seven crewmembers completed activation of the SPACEHAB Research Double Module in the shuttle's cargo bay and all of its scientific experiments. Red Team members Commander Rick Husband, Mission Specialists Kalpana Chawla and ...more...
- 2003 Jan 18 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #04
Space shuttle Columbia's astronauts pointed two Israeli cameras over the Atlantic and the Mediterranean today in search of small dust particles that might impact the weather and began experiments in human life sciences in the third day of the STS-107 scientific research flight. Red Team members Commander Rick Husband, Mission Specialists Kalpana Chawla and ...more...
- 2003 Jan 19 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #05
Columbia's astronauts studied combustion properties and the response of their own bodies in weightlessness and the behavior of soot in space one-quarter of the way through their marathon scientific research mission. Red Team members Commander Rick Husband, Mission Specialists Kalpana Chawla and ...more...
- 2003 Jan 20 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #06
Columbia's astronauts conducted scientific studies ranging from the behavior of granular materials in weightlessness to the effects of microgravity on fungi, and filmed the sprites associated with thunderstorms across the globe as their scientific research flight continued in its fifth day. Red team members Commander Rick Husband, Mission Specialists Kalpana Chawla and ...more...
- 2003 Jan 21 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #07
The seven astronauts aboard Columbia continued to conduct scientific studies 24-7 today, concentrating their efforts on combustion in weightlessness, the growth of cell cultures, and measurements of the ozone layer. The Blue Team was awakened at 3:39 p.m. CDT to the sounds of "The Wedding Song" ...more...
- 2003 Jan 22 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #08
The seven astronauts aboard Columbia beamed down television views of their smallest companions in orbit today, including insects, spiders, fish, bees and silk worms that are part of the Space Technology and Research Students package of experiments designed and developed by students in six countries. The television pictures showed ants busily creating and moving about tunnels in ...more...
- 2003 Jan 23 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #09
The STS-107 scientific research mission aboard Columbia passed the halfway mark today as the 80 microgravity investigations continue on schedule. Highlighting the investigations today for both the Blue and Red Teams were the SOFBALL ...more...
- 2003 Jan 24 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #10
Research continued aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia today as the seven astronauts aboard continued to work in shifts, coordinating work with investigators on the ground. Commander Rick Husband, Mission Specialists Kalpana Chawla and Laurel Clark, and ...more...
- 2003 Jan 25 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #11
Space shuttle Columbia's astronauts completed an experiment studying the activity of bone cells in microgravity and began final tests with a technology demonstration designed to investigate the behavior of capillary-pumped loops in space as the 16-day international science mission completed Flight Day 10. Toward the end of their workday at 1 a.m. CST this morning, Pilot Willie McCool ...more...
- 2003 Jan 26 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #12
Scientific research continued aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia today as the STS-107 mission headed into the homestretch with a variety of experiments in multiple disciplines. The Red team of astronauts, working by day, and the Blue team, working by night, ...more...
- 2003 Jan 27 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #13
Some experiments have run their course aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, but there is more in store as STS-107 science continues around the clock in the Spacehab Research Double Module. The Structures of Flame Balls experiment, looking at ways of improving engine combustion ...more...
- 2003 Jan 28 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #14
The Red team of astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia accomplished repairs on the third and final combustion experiment of STS-107 this afternoon, and support scientists on the ground were looking forward to working with the Blue team on the first scientific runs. Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla reported a good leak check of the Combustion Module-2 ...more...
- 2003 Jan 29 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #15
Columbia's seven astronauts took a break from their around-the-clock scientific research today to answer reporters' questions in the traditional on-orbit crew news conference. Commander Rick Husband, Pilot Willie McCool, Mission Specialists Dave Brown, Kalpana ...more...
- 2003 Jan 30 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #16
Astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia are completing their final runs on experiments in the Spacehab Research Double Module and beginning preparations for Saturday's landing. Most of the 80 experiments already have completed their data collection, and today ...more...
- 2003 Jan 31 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #17
Columbia crewmembers deactivated experiments and began stowing gear to prepare for their scheduled Saturday landing at the Kennedy Space Center. Commander Rick Husband, Pilot Willie McCool, Mission Specialists Dave Brown, Kalpana ...more...
- 2003 Feb 1 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #19
The Space Shuttle Columbia and its seven astronauts were lost today when the vehicle broke up over north central Texas during its reentry from orbit. Communications were lost with Columbia and its crew at around 8:00 a.m. CST, while ...more...
- 2003 Feb 2 - International Space Station Status Report #03-4
A Russian Progress 10 resupply craft lifted off today from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, carrying supplies and new scientific systems hardware to the International Space Station. The cargo ship was launched on time at 6:59 a.m. CST (1259 GMT) and successfully ...more...
- 2003 Feb 2 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #20
Aided by federal and local agencies, NASA stepped up its inquiry into the loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia and its seven astronauts. Multiple investigative teams continue to pore over engineering data in an effort to uncover the cause of the breakup of the orbiter over Texas on Saturday 16 minutes from landing. Space Shuttle Program Manager Ron Dittemore told an afternoon briefing that a Mishap ...more...
- 2003 Feb 3 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #21
NASA engineers continued to review data and recover debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia today as the analysis of what caused the orbiter to break up Saturday en route to landing continued. Space Shuttle Program Manager Ron Dittemore told an afternoon briefing that several ...more...
- 2003 Feb 4 - International Space Station Status Report #03-5
A Russian Progress 10 resupply craft successfully docked to the International Space Station today, two days after it was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The cargo ship linked up to the aft port of the Zvezda Service Module at 8:49 a.m. ...more...
- 2003 Feb 4 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #22
As NASA paused to pay tribute to Columbia's astronauts, the agency reported making "considerable progress" in recovering debris from the Space Shuttle and analyzing data in the search for clues to what caused the orbiter to breakup 16 minutes before its landing last Saturday. President and Mrs. Bush joined NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe in honoring astronauts ...more...
- 2003 Feb 5 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #23
The search for clues about what caused Columbia's breakup during reentry Saturday, and the hunt for key debris from the orbiter, expanded today with recovery teams deployed in California and Arizona. Four days after Columbia broke apart 16 minutes prior to landing, Space Shuttle ...more...
- 2003 Feb 6 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #24
The independent board charged with determining what caused the destruction of the Space Shuttle Columbia and the loss of its seven astronauts began its work today at the Johnson Space Center, Houston. Recovery teams continued to search for debris from California to Louisiana. Under the leadership of retired Navy admiral Harold Gehman, Jr., the Columbia Accident ...more...
- 2003 Feb 7 - International Space Station Status Report #03-6
As they complete their eleventh week on orbit, the International Space Station's Expedition 6 crewmembers are unpacking a new shipment of supplies while helping mission managers plan for the remainder of their time in space. A Russian Progress resupply ship docked to the aft docking port of the station's ...more...
- 2003 Feb 7 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #25
The independent board charged with determining what caused the destruction of Columbia met with NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe at the Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston. Space Shuttle Program Manager Ron Dittemore flew to the External Tank manufacturer in Michoud, La. to discuss processing of the tank with engineers. Recovery teams continued to search for debris. Dittemore told an afternoon briefing that a small portion of the reinforced carbon-carbon ...more...
- 2003 Feb 10 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #26
NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe reported today approximately 12,000 pieces of debris from the Space Shuttle Columbia have been collected along a 500-mile swath between Ft. Worth, Texas, and the Louisiana-Texas border. The debris is being tagged for identification and transported to the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Fla., for use in the on-going investigation. There is no primary or favorite theory as to what caused the Feb. 1 Shuttle accident. ...more...
- 2003 Feb 11 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #27
Columbia debris recovery efforts continued today centered in areas of eastern Texas and western Louisiana. More than 1,600 recovered items are at Barksdale Air Force Base, Shreveport, La. Barksdale is the central field collection point for debris being shipped to the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Fla., to begin Shuttle Columbia reconstruction. In addition, more than 300 items are at each of the field collection sites in Lufkin, ...more...
- 2003 Feb 12 - STS-107 MCC Status Report #18
A Space Shuttle contingency has been declared in Mission Control, Houston, as a result of the loss of communication with the Space Shuttle Columbia at approximately 9 a.m. EST Saturday as it descended toward a landing at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. It was scheduled to touchdown at 9:16 a.m. EST. Communication and tracking of the shuttle was lost at 9 a.m. EST at an altitude of about 203,000 feet in the area above north central Texas. At the time communications were lost. The shuttle was traveling approximately 12,500 ...more...
- 2003 Feb 14 - International Space Station Status Report #03-7
Approaching three months into their stay in space aboard the International Space Station, the Expedition 6 crewmembers continued unpacking newly arrived supplies this week, watched their home's altitude rise, held a news conference and operated the station's robotic arm. A Russian Progress resupply ship arrived at the station last week delivering a ton ...more...
- 2003 Feb 21 - International Space Station Status Report #03-8
The Expedition 6 crew marked its 90th day in orbit today. Commander Ken Bowersox, Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin and NASA ISS Science Officer Don Pettit have been in orbit since their launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 23. The crew began the week by taking samples of the station's water supply to ensure ...more...
- 2003 Feb 28 - International Space Station Status Report #03-9
Approaching their 100th day in orbit, the International Space Station's Expedition 6 crewmembers completed an important test of on-orbit spacewalk preparation this week, while program managers cleared the way for a crew rotation scenario that will bring the three-man crew back to Earth in Kazakhstan in May. Monday Commander Ken Bowersox and Flight Engineer Don Pettit conducted a successful test of the ability of two crewmembers to safely get into American spacesuits without the assistance of a third crewmember; that ability is a prerequisite to sending smaller crews to ISS while the space shuttle fleet remains grounded during the investigation of the Columbia accident. As Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin videotaped the activity and offered his advice, Bowersox and Pettit helped each other into their Extravehicular Mobility Units, donned jet backpacks called SAFERs, set up the necessary equipment for a pre-breathe of oxygen to purge nitrogen from their bloodstreams, and then got out of the spacesuits. Through a series of meetings, ISS partners announced that near-term station crew ...more...
- 2003 Mar 7 - International Space Station Status Report #03-10
The crew of the International Space Station's sixth expedition passed the benchmark of 100 days in space this week while focusing on routine maintenance of station systems and a survey of the station using the Canadarm2 robotic arm. On Tuesday, Commander Ken Bowersox and NASA ISS Science Officer Don Pettit used ...more...
- 2003 Mar 14 - International Space Station Status Report #03-11
The Expedition 6 crew aboard the International Space Station, Commander Ken Bowersox, Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin and NASA ISS Science Officer Don Pettit, spent their week doing routine maintenance, completing the troubleshooting of the Microgravity Science Glovebox and continuing a survey of the outside of the station using the Canadarm2 robotic arm. Throughout the week, Pettit worked with specialists at the Payload Operations Center ...more...
- 2003 Mar 21 - International Space Station Status Report #03-12
Expedition 6 crewmembers on the International Space Station this week continued science investigations and made repairs and upgrades to their orbital home. They also studied plans for the second spacewalk of their mission. Commander Ken Bowersox and NASA ISS Science Officer Don Pettit on Monday installed ...more...
- 2003 Mar 28 - International Space Station Status Report #03-13
Expedition 6 crewmembers are finishing their 18th week on the International Space Station, preparing for a second spacewalk and for their return to Earth in a Russian spacecraft in May. Commander Ken Bowersox, Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin and NASA ISS Science Officer Don Pettit spent the week advancing their science agenda and getting a major experiment apparatus, the Microgravity Sciences Glovebox (MSG), working again after weeks of troubleshooting an electrical problem. The MSG, which provides a sealed environment for delicate microgravity experiments ...more...
- 2003 Apr 4 - International Space Station Status Report #03-14
International Space Station crewmembers, Commander Ken Bowersox, Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin and NASA ISS Science Officer Don Pettit, spent much of this week preparing for their spacewalk next Tuesday. The 61/2-hour spacewalk is scheduled to begin about 7:30 a.m. CDT, with NASA Television coverage slated to start at 6 a.m. Spacewalk tasks include reconfiguring power connections, providing a second power ...more...
- 2003 Apr 8 - EVA ISS EO-6-2 Crew: Bowersox, Pettit. EVA Type: Extra-Vehicular Activity. EVA Duration: 0.27 days.
The Quest airlock was depressurized at 1236 GMT. Cosmonaut Budarin supported the operations from inside the station. One of the more important tasks was to reroute power cables for two of the station's critical control moment gyros, so that the pair could not be disabled by any single power disruption. This was important to provide extra redundancy, since one of the four total gyros has already failed and could not be replaced due to the grounding of the shuttle fleet after the STS-107 disaster.
- 2003 Apr 8 - International Space Station Status Report #03-15
Expedition 6 Commander Ken Bowersox and NASA Science Officer Don Pettit reconfigured critical power cables and continued the external outfitting of the International Space Station today during a 6 hour, 26 minute spacewalk designed to complete a number of get-ahead tasks for future ISS assembly. Taking advantage of the final days of a three-man presence on the ISS before the ...more...
- 2003 Apr 11 - International Space Station Status Report #03-16
A remarkable week of spacewalk and science activities is winding down for the International Space Station's Expedition 6 crew, Commander Ken Bowersox, Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin and NASA ISS Science Officer Don Pettit. During a 6-hour, 26-minute spacewalk Tuesday, Bowersox and Pettit reconfigured critical ...more...
- 2003 Apr 18 - International Space Station Status Report #03-17
The Expedition 6 crewmembers on board the International Space Station stepped up their preparations for returning to Earth this week, while the next permanent crew for the station received its final certification for a launch scheduled for the end of next week. Monday the Expedition crewmembers -- Commander Ken Bowersox, Flight Engineer Nikolai ...more...
- 2003 Apr 25 - International Space Station Status Report #03-18
A major step in assuring the continued permanent human presence in space aboard the International Space Station was realized tonight with the flawless launch of a cosmonaut and astronaut aboard a Russian rocket. Expedition 7 Commander Yuri Malenchenko and Flight Engineer Ed Lu, who will become ...more...
- 2003 Apr 28 - International Space Station Status Report #03-19
New residents arrived aboard the International Space Station today to take over occupancy of the orbital outpost from the crew that has been aloft for more than five months. Expedition 7 Commander Yuri Malenchenko and Flight Engineer and NASA ISS Science ...more...
- 2003 May 2 - International Space Station Status Report #03-20
International Space Station crewmembers are wrapping up a week largely devoted to handover briefings and activities for the Expedition 7 crew and their Expedition 6 predecessors. The week will culminate with the undocking of the Soyuz TMA-1 from the station at 5:40 p.m. CDT on Saturday. A little over three hours later, at 9:07 p.m., the Expedition 6 crew, Commander ...more...
- 2003 May 4 - International Space Station Status Report #03-21
The Expedition 6 crew touched down in northern Kazakhstan in its Soyuz spacecraft at 9:07 p.m. CDT Saturday, after an undocking from the International Space Station. The Soyuz landed well short of the predicted site and it took almost three hours for a search plane to find the capsule and report that all appeared well. The Soyuz landed about 275 miles west and a little south of its predicted touchdown ...more...
- 2003 May 4 - Landing of Soyuz TMA-1
The loss of the shuttle Columbia on the STS-107 mission grounded the shuttle fleet and meant that the Soyuz TMA-1 attached to the ISS would be used in its lifeboat role for the first time. Soyuz TMA-2 carried the EO-7 skeleton crew to the ISS with the mission of keeping the station in operation until shuttle flights could resume. This allowed the EO-6 crew, after their extended stay aboard the ISS, to finally return home. They readied the TMA-1 for landing and then undocked from the ISS at 22:40 GMT on 2 May. This marked the first return of American astronauts in a Soyuz capsule (though several had ridden Soyuz capsules to the Mir station). During the re-entry, the first for the Soyuz TMA-1 model, the guidance failed and the capsule reverted to a rolling ballistic re-entry. This subjected the crew to over 8 G's, as opposed to under 3 G's for a normal Soyuz lifting re-entry. It also resulted in a landing 460 km short of the target. Soyuz TMA-1 landed at 2:07 GMT, but htere was a delay of over two hours before recovery forces arrived at the capsule.
- 2003 May 4 - Landing of Soyuz TMA-1
The loss of the shuttle Columbia on the STS-107 mission grounded the shuttle fleet and meant that the Soyuz TMA-1 attached to the ISS would be used in its lifeboat role for the first time. Soyuz TMA-2 carried the EO-7 skeleton crew to the ISS with the mission of keeping the station in operation until shuttle flights could resume. This allowed the EO-6 crew, after their extended stay aboard the ISS, to finally return home. They readied the TMA-1 for landing and then undocked from the ISS at 22:40 GMT on 2 May. This marked the first return of American astronauts in a Soyuz capsule (though several had ridden Soyuz capsules to the Mir station). During the re-entry, the first for the Soyuz TMA-1 model, the guidance failed and the capsule reverted to a rolling ballistic re-entry. This subjected the crew to over 8 G's, as opposed to under 3 G's for a normal Soyuz lifting re-entry. It also resulted in a landing 460 km short of the target. Soyuz TMA-1 landed at 2:07 GMT, but htere was a delay of over two hours before recovery forces arrived at the capsule.
Bibliography and Further Reading
- McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Report (Internet Newsletter), Harvard University, Weekly, 1989 to Present. Essential internet newsletter recording worldwide weekly space events. Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.
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