Expedition 18: NASA Preflight Interview: Astronaut Michael Fincke
Of all the careers in all the world that a person could aspire to, you ended up a professional space traveler. What was it that motivated you, or inspired you, to become an astronaut?
When I was 2 and 3 years old, I remember watching people walk on the Moon, and that was enough to inspire me so that for my entire life. All I wanted to do was, was to become an astronaut. And when I was 29 years old it happened, and... Read Full Story
Expedition 18: NASA Preflight Interview: Astronaut Michael Fincke
Of all the careers in all the world that a person could aspire to, you ended up a professional space traveler. What was it that motivated you, or inspired you, to become an astronaut?
When I was 2 and 3 years old, I remember watching people walk on the Moon, and that was enough to inspire me so that for my entire life. All I wanted to do was, was to become an astronaut. And when I was 29 years old it happened, and... Read Full Story
Expedition 18: NASA Preflight Interview: Astronaut Michael Fincke
Of all the careers in all the world that a person could aspire to, you ended up a professional space traveler. What was it that motivated you, or inspired you, to become an astronaut?
When I was 2 and 3 years old, I remember watching people walk on the Moon, and that was enough to inspire me so that for my entire life. All I wanted to do was, was to become an astronaut. And when I was 29 years old it happened, and... Read Full Story
Atlantis at Space Station; Spacewalk TodayToday
Nasa, (rushprnews) June 11, 2007 -After a busy Sunday in which the STS-117 crew arrived at the International Space Station, attention has turned to the mission’s first spacewalk. Read Full Story
International Space Station Status Report: SS07-29
Washington, DC (rushprnews) May 31, 2007-Two International Space Station cosmonauts stepped outside Wednesday for a 5-hour, 25-minute spacewalk, installing Service Module Debris Protection panels and rerouting a Global Positioning System antenna cable. Read Full Story
Dec 20, 2:30 PM EST By MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press Writer CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- Discovery astronauts began a detailed inspection of the shuttle's heat shield Wednesday, making sure it's in good shape to return to Earth later this week. Using the shuttle's crane-like robotic arm and 50-foot boom, the crew started combing over the spacecraft's right wing, looking for any damage caused in space by micrometeoroids. Later, they will examine the nosecap and left wing. Like the one... Read Full Story
Dec 16, 12:15 PM EST By RASHA MADKOUR Associated Press Writer HOUSTON (AP) -- NASA started powering down parts of the international space station Saturday, hours before spacewalking astronauts were to resume rewiring the orbiting outpost and trying to get a stubborn solar array folded up. Systems on the U.S. section of the space station - about half of the lights, a fire alarm, some ventilation ducts and some communication - were turned off as a safety precaution to the Discovery astronauts... Read Full Story
11/10/08: International Space Station On-Orbit Status Report.
In the US Airlock (A/L), Fincke terminated the discharge of EMU(Extravehicular Mobility Unit) battery #2073 in BC4 (Battery Charger4). In preparation for the STS-126 spacewalks, Mike then initiated
recharge procedures on REBA (Rechargeable EVA Battery Assemblies), HL(Helmet Light), PGT (Pistol Grip Tool), and EMU (Extravehicular Mobility Unit) batteries in BC1/2/3/4 of the BSA (Battery Stowage Assembly). This is the... Read Full Story
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 7:13am EDT [= epoch])
Mean altitude — 345.9 km
Apogee height – 351.7 km
Perigee height — 340.2 km
Period — 91.46 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0008585
Solar Beta Angle — -47.9 deg (magnitude increasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.74
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 75 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 62269
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below... Read Full Story
