Expedition 25 Commander Doug Wheelock along with Flight Engineer Shannon Walker continued working on the Water Processing Assembly (WPA). They worked to install a hose and sample port adapter to provide an alternate source of potable water to the WPA. Working on the WPA proved difficult due to a loose component which prevented them from rotating a rack as required by their procedures.
The duo also conducted a question and answer session with students from Parker Elementary School, Johnston Middle School and Westbury High School in Houston, Texas. The astronauts discussed the challenges of living in microgravity such as exercising, experimenting with liquids and riding the Soyuz spacecraft. Walker, the first native Houstonian astronaut, attended all three schools.
Flight Engineer Fyodor Yurchikhin worked in the Russian side of the International Space Station. He installed an Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) control panel in the Zvezda service module and connected cables to the space-to-space radio for the ATV. Yurchikhin also monitored the temperature of a device inside the Elektron oxygen generator after activating the system.
Three new Expedition 25 crew members are preparing for their launch aboard the new Soyuz TMA-01M spacecraft. Flight Engineers Scott Kelly, Oleg Skripochka and Alexander Kaleri are in their crew quarters in Baikonur, Kazakhstan, training and exercising before their Oct. 7 launch. They are scheduled to dock to the International Space Station Oct. 9 returning the orbiting laboratory to six-member crew operations.
Final External Fuel Tank Arrives
During space shuttle Discovery’s final spaceflight, the STS-133 crew members will take important spare parts to the International Space Station along with the Express Logistics Carrier-4. Discovery has been moved to Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. STS-133 is slated to launch Nov. 1.
Review Finds No Lightning damage to Discovery, Pad
An extensive review of space shuttle Discovery’s systems and the ground support equipment at Launch Pad 39A found no damage from any of the five lightning strikes that occurred in the vicinity of the pad Tuesday.
Technicians at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida are preparing to move ahead with shuttle processing tonight as long as weather conditions allow it.
Discovery is targeted for launch Nov. 1 on a mission to the International Space Station. It will also be the final flight of NASA’s oldest active space shuttle.
