Expedition 7

ISS Expedition 7 is the mission name for the seventh long-term crew of the International Space Station. The crew lived and worked from 28 April 2003 to 27 October 2003 on board the ISS.

Team

• Yuri Ivanovich Malenchenko ( third space flight), Commander ( Roscosmos / Russia)
• Edward Tsang Lu ( third space flight), flight engineer (NASA / USA)

Originally, the team should consist of three people. As a Flight Engineer Sergei only Moschtschenko was provided but was replaced by Alexander Kaleri in December 2002. After the disaster of the space shuttle Columbia in February 2003, the team was reduced to two.

Backup crew

The subsequent occupation of the ISS Expedition 8, but in reversed roles:

• Alexander Jurjewitsch Kaleri, Commander ( Roscosmos / Russia)
• Colin Michael Foale, Flight Engineer (NASA / USA)

Mission Description

The original plan was a crew of three people to bring with STS -114 to the ISS. After the disaster of the space shuttle Columbia in February 2003, the space shuttle flights have been suspended temporarily. To save resources, the following master crews were reduced to two people and all connecting flights performed by Soyuz rocket.

The seventh crew of the International Space Station was launched on 25 April 2003 in the Soyuz TMA-2 from the Russian Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan. It docked on 28 April 2003 and the crew took over the command of the ISS.

Main task of the new crew was to keep the station in operation and to perform some long-term research on. The supply of the crew happened by unmanned, automated Progress cargo. With their propulsion system and the path of the International Space Station has been raised at irregular intervals.

After several days of continuous delivery of the station, the routine began. The Scientific Program, which has been reduced due to the limited supply and the almost complete lack of return transportation, included experiments to medicine, Earth observation, biology, materials science and space technology. Without further materials ran studies on natural and man-made phenomena on Earth and in the atmosphere (Experiments: Crew Earth Observation, ESTERS, Biotomea, Uragan, Molniya SM) to structures on the earth's surface by the remote control of a station camera by student groups on the earth ( EarthKAM ), cooperation between station and ground crew ( Crew Interactions ) to radiation and acceleration measurements within the station ( radiation Monitoring, Prognoz, BraDoz, MAMS, SAMS ) and various material tests ( Kromka, MPAC, SEED, MISSE, meteoroid ). To hundreds of different sample material are attached to the outside of the station. The samples are changed at longer intervals. Also without supervision ran the test a system for the use of a global time signal ( Global Time System ), the recording of the motion parameters of the station as well as the test of forecast systems ( Tenzor, vector T Izgib ) and the search for heavy solar and galactic nuclei ( Platan ). An extensive complex dealt with the effects of weightlessness, radiation and the specific biological environment values ​​within the station on living organisms ( Biorisk, Konjugazija ) and especially on plants ( rastenija 2 in the Lada greenhouse ). Medical records to muscle and bone changes, effects on the circulatory and immune systems, and the like were partly collected during the flight, but mostly before and after the stay in space ( Sprut - MBI, periodontium, Farma, cardio ODNT, Profilaktika, pulses, Gematologia, MION, Isokinez, Tendometria, biopsy, etc.). Material experiments employed, for example, with the growth of protein crystals ( PCG- STES, ZCG ), with the behavior of magnetic particles in magnetorheological fluids ( new, "smart" fluids with adjustable magnetism ) in microgravity ( InSpace ) or the formation of bubbles in the solidifying melting ( PFMI ).

At Star mail it came to the exchange of electronic messages imaged the spaceman with their families and friends. Diurez dealt with the metabolism of liquid electrolytes in the body and with the influence of hormonal changes on the volume of blood bioassay with the biochemical mechanisms of metabolic adaptation to the environment. With the pilot experiment, individual characteristics of the psycho physiological regulation of spaceman with long flights were explored. Meschkletochnoje Wsaimodeistwije had the study of cell surfaces and intercellular interactions in zero gravity to the object, Konjugatsija changes in the genetic material of bacteria and the development of MSC stem cells in zero gravity. Furthermore, were roundworms of the species Caenorhabditis elegans studied ( experiment CEMMS ). They have a short life cycle. Therefore, long-term changes can be identified more quickly to them. Another object of investigation was Streptococcus pneumoniae ( SPEGIS ). Here, the researchers were primarily interested in whether in weightlessness the danger of bacteria altered by genetic adaptations. S. pneumoniae can cause pneumonia, sinus infections and chronic bronchitis. Most people carry the bacteria already in itself, but only a weakened immune system favors infections of the lung. The medical examinations after the flight included the thermography of the arms and legs to control the function of thermoregulation during adaptation to gravity. Further experiments devoted to the movements of the smallest particles in electric fields under excitation by electromagnetic waves ( plasma crystal experiment 3) and the stability of solid -liquid mixtures as a function of forming " grain size " of the solid ( coarsening in Solid Liquid Mixtures ). Newly added to the program were test operations with the manipulator arm of the station, where cameras for future investigations of the heat shield docked space shuttles were calibrated.

The program also dry runs for a spacewalk without the assistance of a remaining in the third station crew member and frequent press conferences or interviews with students around the globe. Were On May 30, the station went on an evasive maneuver. The sheet was raised by 1.8 km, so as not to come too close to the satellite MEGSAT. It was only the sixth maneuvers of this kind

On 11 June, the transport spaceship Progress- M1 coupled 10 to the Pirs module of the station. With him came catering, spare parts, water, clothing, office supplies and experiments for the ESA mission in the fall. Progress- M 48 docked on August 31 ( starting August 28 ) with fuel, water and supplies at the rear of the station after Progress M - 47 was disconnected three days earlier. He was followed on 4 September Progress- M1 10 Both transport ships were laden with waste and burned up in Earth's atmosphere.

During this mission, Yuri Malenchenko married on August 10, 2003 his wife Ekaterina. By video link, he was connected to the auditorium of the Johnson Space Center ( JSC) in Houston, where the ceremony was conducted. Ed Lu acted as best man and played on a keyboard the wedding march.

On 20 October 2003, coupled with Soyuz TMA- 3, the first manned spacecraft to since the arrival of Malenchenko and Lu, to the ISS. On board was the next long-term crew consisting of Michael Foale and Alexander Kaleri. It was also the ESA astronaut Pedro Duque on board.

Malenschenko and Lu landed together with Pedro Duque on 28 October 2003 in Kazakhstan, after a little more than six months in space.

The seventh ISS Expedition had no spacewalks.