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.

Submitted by Arthur - N1ORC

International Space Station Status Report #03-10

4 p.m. CST, Friday, March 7, 2003

Expedition Six Crew

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 cameras on the Canadarm2 to conduct a survey of the Starboard 1 (S1)

truss, inspecting the thermal covers on the radiator beam valve module's

quick disconnects and the interface between the S0 and S1 trusses. On

Thursday the two crewmembers conducted a similar survey of the Port 1 (P1)

truss. The S1 and P1 trusses are attached to the S0 truss and each provides

structural support for the station's Active Thermal Control System, with

three radiators on each truss containing eight panels each.

Crew science activities this week focused on the Foot/Ground Reaction Forces

During Spaceflight (FOOT) FOOT experiment by Bowersox and a Russian plant

growth experiment managed by Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin. The FOOT

experiment measures the electrical activity of muscles; the angular motions

of the hip, knee, and ankle joints; and the force under both feet using an

instrumented pair of Lycra cycling tights with 20 carefully placed sensors

that can be used to record 14 hours of data. The data will help researchers

determine more precisely how Bowersox used his arms and legs differently in

space than on the Earth.

Pettit, working with specialists at the Payload Operations Center at NASA's

Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., continued troubleshooting

the Microgravity Sciences Glovebox in the station's Destiny laboratory. The

MSG, developed by the European Space Agency along with scientists at MSFC,

provides an enclosed space for experiments involving fluids or flames.

Thursday all three crewmembers spoke with students at Glenwood Elementary

School in Perrysburg, Ohio and on Friday Bowersox and Pettit talked with

reporters from the Indianapolis Star and KPAM Radio in Portland, Ore.

Bedford, Ind. is Bowersox's hometown, while Pettit grew up in Silverton,

Ore.

Information on the crew's activities aboard the space station, future launch

dates, as well as station sighting opportunities from anywhere on the Earth,

is available on the Internet at:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/

Details on station science operations can be found on an Internet site

administered by the Payload Operations Center at NASA's Marshall Space

Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., at:

http://scipoc.msfc.nasa.gov/

The next ISS status report will be issued on Friday, March 14, or sooner if

events warrant.