International Space Station Status Report: SS05-012

International Space Station Status Report: SS05-012

The focus for the International Space Station crew this week was the arrival of the Progress cargo spacecraft. Expedition 10 Commander Leroy Chiao and Flight Engineer Salizhan Sharipov spent some of the early part of the week preparing for the Wednesday docking of the unpiloted Russian cargo carrier, and much of yesterday and today unloading it.

The Progress docked at 3:10 p.m. EST, Wednesday with more than two-point-three tons of equipment and supplies, including propellant, oxygen and air, and water. This is the 17th Progress to go to the Station.

A 160-day supply of food is on the Progress, as well as spare parts and equipment for the Russian environmental control system and toilet. Cameras and telephoto lenses to photograph thermal protection tiles on the Space Shuttle Discovery during its Return to Flight mission in May were also delivered. The cargo includes a new heat exchanger for the U.S Quest airlock, which should allow resumption of U.S. spacewalks from the Station.

Early-week preparations involved Sharipov setting up and practicing with a manual docking system for use in the unlikely event of a problem with the automated docking system. It was not needed. The automated system functioned well.

Unloading activities included entering items of the cargo into the Inventory Management System, a computerized bar code system that keeps track of items aboard the Station.

In preparation for Progress activities, crew members shifted their sleep period later, getting their wakeup tone at about 6:30 a.m. EST instead of the standard 1 a.m. EST much of the week. They will return gradually to their usual schedule.

Chiao and Sharipov continued daily exercise sessions, did scheduled maintenance on Station systems and participated in several medical and other scientific experiments.

The crew talked with high school students in the Levelland, Texas, area on Monday. Late yesterday, Chiao radioed congratulations to Steve Fossett, who completed a three-day, non-stop, solo around-the-world flight without refueling. For comparison, Chiao and Sharipov circle the Earth more than 15 times a day, as they have for four months.

Allard Beutel Headquarters, Washington (Phone: 202/358-4769)

James Hartsfield Johnson Space Center, Houston (Phone: 281/483-5111) Mar. 4, 2005 STATUS REPORT: SS05-012

e-mail helps Iraqi citizens report insurgent activity

Phone line, e-mail helps Iraqi citizens report insurgent activity

MOSUL, Iraq – Iraqi Special Police Commandoes are tapping technology to give citizens here an avenue for reporting suspected insurgent activity.

A telephone line set up nearly two months ago and a more recently established e-mail address are generating about 35 tips a week, a commando adviser reported. One recent tip, about a Jihad being issued against commandoes and U.S. forces, led to the detainment of the person responsible for the edict.

“The process is working and the people of Mosul are getting tired of the terrorists,” said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Chris Paschel, an adviser who works with the commandoes.

While most of the tips are coming in through the telephone line, about a dozen have been delivered through e-mail. The success of the elections helped boost the frequency of calls, but the tips started pouring in after commandoes started broadcasting confessions of anti-Iraqi forces on a local television station after the elections, Paschel said.

A Web site is also being developed. Using such technology is a new concept, Paschel said.

“At first, they thought the Internet was a hindrance because it was always going up and down,” he said. “But once the tips started pouring in, (one of the interrogators) was very happy to have a way for the public to send them in. It’s their job here to rid Mosul of terrorist activity.”

Tips can be e-mailed to: mosulcommando@yahoo.com or called in to: 07701730863. The information is currently relayed through a local television station, but the commandoes plan to put up billboards advertising the e-mail address and telephone number in the future, Paschel said.

For more information, please visit mnstci.iraq.centcom.mil -30-

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 4, 2005 Contact: Capt. Steven Alvarez IRAQNA Cell: 011-964-0790-191-0615E-mail: alvarezsj@mnstci.iraq.centcom.mil

PRESS RELEASE MULTI-NATIONAL SECURITY TRANSITION COMMAND – IRAQ