Expedition 16

ISS Expedition
Name = Expedition 16
Insignia = ISS Expedition 16 patch.png CallSign = Expedition 16
NumberOfCrew = 3
LaunchDate = October 10, 2007 (Soyuz TMA-11),
October 23, 2007 (STS-120),Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts120/|title=STS-120|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=October 9|publisher=National Aeronautics and Space Administration|year=2007|author=NASA|language=English]
February 7, 2008 (STS-122),
March 11, 2008 (STS-123)
LaunchSite = Baikonur, Cape Canaveral
LaunchVehicle = Soyuz TMA-11 (Whitson/Malenchenko),
"Atlantis" STS-117 (Anderson),
"Discovery" STS-120 (Tani),
"Atlantis" STS-122 (Eyharts),
"Endeavour" STS-123 (Reisman)
StationVisitLength =
StationEVALength =
LandingDate = April 19, 10:30 UTC 2008 (Soyuz TMA-11),
November 7, 2007 (STS-120),
February 20, 2008 (STS-122),
March 27, 2008 (STS-123),
June 11, 2008 (STS-124) (est.)
LandingSite =
LandingVehicle = Soyuz TMA-11 (Whitson/Malenchenko),
"Discovery" STS-120 (Anderson),
"Atlantis" STS-122 (Tani),
"Endeavour" STS-123 (Eyharts),
"Discovery" STS-124 (Reisman)
Duration = 192 days
Orbits =
Distance =
Mass =
CrewPhoto = International_Space_Station_Expedition_16_Crew_Portrait.jpg
CrewCaption = The official Expedition 16 crew portrait. (left to right) Anderson, Malenchenko, Tani, Eyharts, Whitson, Reisman
previous = Expedition 15
next = Expedition 17

Expedition 16 was the 16th expedition to the International Space Station (ISS).Cite web|url=http://en.rian.ru/science/20070920/79981305.html|title=Space station Expedition 16 crew approved|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=October 9|publisher=RIA Novosti|year=2007|author=RIA Novosti|language=English] The first two crew members, Yuri Malenchenko and Peggy Whitson, launched on October 10 2007, aboard Soyuz TMA-11, and were joined by spaceflight participant Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, the first Malaysian in space.Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2007/feb/HQ_0739_Three_ISS_Crews.html|title=NASA Announces Three International Space Station Crews|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=October 9|publisher=NASA|year=2007|author=NASA|language=English] Cite web|url=http://www.space-travel.com/reports/Expedition_16_Crew_To_Launch_From_Baikonur_999.html|title=Expedition 16 Crew To Launch From Baikonur|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=October 9|publisher=Space Travel Exploration and Tourism - SpaceDaily|year=2007|author=SpaceDaily|language=English]

Expedition 15 Flight Engineer Clayton Anderson did not land with the Soyuz TMA-10, so he was considered part of Expedition 16 for the few weeks prior to the arrival of STS-120.Cite web|url=http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/070925_exp15_exp15_crewswap.html|title=Space Station Astronauts Prepare for Crew Swap |accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=October 9|publisher=Space.com|year=2007|author=Tariq Malik|language=English] STS-120 launched on October 23, docked on October 25, and replaced Anderson with new Flight Engineer Daniel Tani.Cite web| url=http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/current.html|title=Discovery docks with space station|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=October 25|publisher=CBS News|year=2007|author=William Harwood |language=English] Cite web|url=http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Science/2007/10/25/discovery_successfully_docks_at_the_iss/4898/|title=Discovery successfully docks at the ISS|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=October 25|publisher=United Press International|year=2007|author=UPI|language=English] Following docking, the Soyuz seat liners for Anderson and Tani were swapped, and Anderson became part of the STS-120 crew. Léopold Eyharts, who came aboard during STS-122, joined the mission on February 9 2008, replacing Tani.Cite web|url=http://www.spacefacts.de/iss/english/exp_16.htm|title=Expedition 16|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=October 9|publisher=Spacefacts|year=2007|author=Spacefacts|language=English] The crew was then joined by Garrett Reisman, who was launched aboard "Endeavour" with STS-123, on March 11, 2008, replacing Eyharts. Reisman joined Expedition 16 in progress, and will be part of Expedition 17 as well. Upon reentry, the astronaut's Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft suffered a minor malfunction, causing the craft to follow a very steep ballistic descent. As a result, the crew experienced forces up to 10 G, ending up about 260 miles (418km) west of the targeted landing site. Roscosmos reported all three crew members were doing just fine and in good health. [ [http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/space/04/19/skorea.soyuz/index.html Soyuz crew endures severe G-forces on re-entry - CNN.com ] ]

Crew

First part (October 2007)

*Peggy Whitson (2) Commander - NASA flagicon|USA
*Yuri Malenchenko (4) Flight Engineer 1 - RSA flagicon|RUS
*Clayton Anderson (1) Flight Engineer 2 - NASA

econd part (October 2007 to February 2008)

*Peggy Whitson (2) Commander - NASA
*Yuri Malenchenko (4) Flight Engineer 1 - RSA
*Daniel Tani (2) Flight Engineer 2 - NASA

Third part (February to March 2008)

*Peggy Whitson (2) Commander - NASA
*Yuri Malenchenko (4) Flight Engineer 1 - RSA
*Léopold Eyharts (2) Flight Engineer 2 - ESA flagicon|FRA

Fourth part (March to April 2008)

*Peggy Whitson (2) Commander - NASA
*Yuri Malenchenko (4) Flight Engineer 1 - RSA
*Garrett Reisman (1) - Flight Engineer 2 - NASA

(#) number of spaceflights each crew member has completed, including this mission.

Back-up crew

*Michael Fincke Commander - NASA (for Whitson)
*Salizhan Sharipov Flight Engineer 1 - RSA (for Malenchenko)
*Greg Chamitoff Flight Engineer 2 - NASA (for Anderson)
*Sandra Magnus Flight Engineer 2 - NASA (for Tani)
*Frank De Winne Flight Engineer 2 - ESA (for Eyharts)
*Timothy Kopra Flight Engineer 2 - NASA (for Reisman)

Mission details

*Docked: October 12, 2007 14:50 UTC
*Undocked: April 19, 2008 6:06 UTC
*Time Docked: 192 days

Expedition 16 is the first ISS mission to include two crew members who have served on a previous expedition, and the first time a former commander (Malenchenko) returned as a flight engineer. Whitson is the first female commander of an ISS expedition,Cite web|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,299313,00.html|title=Astronauts Ponder State of Space Exploration|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=October 9|publisher=Fox News|year=2007|author=Tariq Malik|language=English] and with STS-120 commanded by female astronaut Pamela Melroy, it marked the first time that two female mission commanders were in orbit simultaneously.Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2007/jul/HQ_M07096_whitson_melroy_liveshots.html|title=Female Space Commanders Available for Interviews|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=October 9|publisher=NASA|year=2007|author=NASA|language=English] Cite web|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20761344/|title=Female commanders set for landmark mission|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=October 9|publisher=MSNBC|year=2007|author=Tariq Malik|language=English] Cite web|url=http://www.local6.com/news/14290968/detail.html?rss=orlpn&psp=news|title=History In Space: 2 Women Commanders|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=October 9|publisher=Local6.com Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. |year=2007|author=Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. |language=English] On her first expedition, Whitson implemented a "Friday night movie night" to help the crew wind down at the end of the week, and plans to keep the custom of adding some levity to the station going for Expedition 16.Cite web|url=http://www.abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=3777490&page=1|title=Space Boredom Busters: Movies, Music, Jokes|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=October 26|publisher=ABC News - Associated Press|year=2007|author=Gina Sunseri|language=English] Anderson incorporated some entertainment into the daily planning conference with the ground, quizzing the ground team on a wide variety of subjects, and Michael Lopez-Alegria did a similar activity with movie and music trivia.

TS-120

The first major objective of the increment was accomplished successfully on October 26, when the crew of STS-120 delivered the "Harmony" module, and attached it to a temporary location on the "Unity" module.Cite web|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts120/071026fd4/index3.html|title=Harmony module pulled from cargo bay|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=November 19|publisher=Spaceflight Now|year=2007|author=William Harwood for CBS News] Cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/26/science/26cnd-shuttle.html?hp|title=New Room Added to Space Station|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=October 26|publisher=The New York Times|year=2007|author=John Schwartz] The new addition added over ft3 to m3|2500|abbr=no|wiki=yes to the station's living volume.Cite web| url=http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=3781048|title=Astronauts Attach Space Station Addition|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=October 26|publisher=ABC News / The Associated Press|year=2007|author=Liz Austin Peterson|language=English] The joint crews also moved the P6 truss, and relocated it from its position on top of the station, to its final port-side position, during the third of four spacewalks.

Configuration of "Harmony"

Following the departure of STS-120, a series of Extra-vehicular activity (EVA) and robotic activities were carried out to move the Pressurized Mating Adapter (PMA-2) from the end of the Destiny laboratory, to the end of "Harmony". Whitson and Malenchenko carried out the increment's first EVA on November 9, that prepared the docking port for relocation.Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition16/eva_pma_harmony.html|title=Station Spacewalk Prepares for PMA, Harmony Moves|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=November 19|publisher=NASA|year=2007|author=NASA] On November 12, Whitson and Tani used the station's Mobile Servicing System (robotic arm) to detach the docking port, and relocated it to the forward port of "Harmony".Cite web|url=http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/hitch111507.xml&headline=ISS%20Crew%20Moves%20Harmony%20Node&channel=space|title=ISS Crew Moves Harmony Node|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=November 19|publisher=Aviation Week|year=2007|author=Frank Morring, Jr.] On November 14, the Tani and Whitson again used the robotic arm and moved "Harmony" from its temporary location, to its permanent location on the forward port of "Destiny".Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition16/exp16_harmony_move.html|title=Harmony Moved to Front of Space Station|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=November 19|publisher=NASA|year=2007|author=NASA]

On November 20, Whitson and Tani completed the second EVA for the increment, a 7-hour, 16-minute spacewalk to outfit the "Harmony" node in its new position. All tasks were accomplished, and three get-ahead tasks were performed.Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition16/exp16_eva_112007.html|title=Spacewalkers Harmonize on Node Hookup Tasks|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=November 24|publisher=NASA|year=2007|author=NASA] On November 24, Whitson and Tani completed the third EVA for the increment, a 7 hour, 4 minute spacewalk to complete the outfitting of "Harmony". All task were accomplished, and photographic inspection of the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ) was performed, as well as some ISS maintenance get-ahead tasks.Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition16/exp16_eva_112407.html|title=Spacewalkers Complete More Harmony Hookup Work|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=November 24|publisher=NASA|year=2007|author=NASA] Cite web|url=http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/iss_reports/reports2007/11-24-2007.htm|title=ISS On-Orbit Status report 11/24/07|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=November 27|publisher=NASA|year=2007|author=NASA]

EVA milestone

On December 18, 2007, during the fourth spacewalk of Expedition 16 to inspect the S4 starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ), the ground team in Mission Control informed Whitson that she had become the female astronaut with the most cumulative EVA time in NASA history, as well as the most EVAs, with her fifth EVA. Three hours and 37 minutes into the spacewalk, Whitson surpassed NASA astronaut Sunita Williams with a total time at that point of 29 hours and 18 minutes.Cite web|url=http://www.space.com/ISS/|title=Space Station Commander Breaks Spacewalking Record|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=December 18|publisher=Space.com|year=2007|author=Tariq Malik|language=English] Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition16/exp16_eva_121807.html|title=Spacewalkers Find No Solar Wing Smoking Gun|accessyear=2007|accessmonthday=December 18|publisher=NASA|year=2007|author=NASA] At the completion of Whitson's fifth EVA, the 100th in support of ISS assembly and maintenance, Whitson's cumulative EVA time became 32 hours, and 36 minutes, which placed her in 20th place for total EVA time.

TS-122

STS-122 delivered Columbus and replaced Dan Tani by Léopold Eyharts.

TS-123

STS-123 delivered the first element of Kibō and replaced Léopold Eyharts by Garrett Reisman.

ATV "Jules-Verne"

Expedition 16 has also seen the arrival of the first Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) to the station, named Jules Verne after the science fiction author.

oyuz TMA-12

Expedition 16 has also seen the arrival of the first Korean astronaut, Yi So-yeon.

Extra-vehicular activity

References

External links

* [http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/expeditions/expedition16/index.html NASA: Expedition 16]
* [http://www.federalspace.ru/Start1Show.asp?STARTID=631 Roscosmos:Soyuz TMA-11 launch page in English] ,
* [http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts120/ NASA: STS-120]
* [http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts122/index.html NASA: STS-122]
* [http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts123/index.html NASA: STS-123]