The International Space Station (ISS) has been occupied continuously since 1 November 2000, with the arrival of the Expedition 1 Crew. Much had changed by the time the Expedition 9 Crew came aboard. The Station had nearly doubled in size, with a large increase in capability.

Expedition 9 initiated with the launch of Soyuz TMA-4 atop a Starsem booster from Baykonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, on 18 April 2004 at 10:19 PM CDT (03:19 19 April GMT). Aboard were Station and Soyuz Commander Gennady Padalka, and Flight Engineer Mike Fincke. In the third seat was ESA Astronaut Andre Kuipers of the Netherlands, on the Delta Mission. They spent the next two days chasing ISSy for rendezvous and docking, which took place at 12:01 AM (05:01 GMT) on 21 April. The three men were warmly greeted by the outgoing crew of Expedition 8. These were Commander Mike Foale and Flight Engineer Alexander "Sasha" Kaleri. A week of joint operations ensued, with the station being finally handed over to the Expedition 9 crew. Andre Kuipers, and the Expedition 8 crew entered their Soyuz TMA-3 vehicle to return to Earth on 29 April 2004.

During their six month stay aboard, the Expedition 9 crew carried out Four EVAs (Extra-Vehicular Activity or spacewalk) and an extensive but flexible program of science. These included some 21 different experiments in five categories. These were Bioastronautics, the Physical Sciences, Space Product Development, Space Flight, and Space Biology. More can be learned about the Expedition 9 Science program Here, and Here.

With the arrival of the Expedition 10 Crew, and Cosmonaut Yuri Shargin of the Russian Space Forces, on 15 October 2004, the final week of Expedition 9 was at hand. As is usual practice, the two crews worked together for a week to familiarize the new men with their home in orbit. On 23 October at 4:08 PM CDT (21:08 GMT), the Soyuz TMA-4 undocked from ISSy for the return home. Cosmonaut Shargin was aboard with the Expedition 9 crew for the ride. A safe landing was achieved near Arkalyk Kazakhstan on 23 October at 7:36 PM CDT (00:36 24 October GMT). Expedition 9 was a productive and successful mission to ISS, and all ended very well. Total flight duration: 187 days 21 hours 17 minutes.

Friday 3rd September 2004 was the date of the last EVA for the Expedition 9 Crew of ISSy. Called EVA 9d, the mission sortied from the PIRS docking and airlock module using Russian Orlan Space Suits.

(EVA 9d Reference - Explains Tasks Carried Out) The main purpose of this EVA was to remove and replace a failed pump assembly on Zarya, and to (amongst other things) add several new guidance anntenae to the docking equipment at the aft end of the Zvezda service module of ISS. These modifications were made to accommodate the new ESA (European Space Agency) ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) to be launched for the first time in 2007. This robotic freighter will operate in similar fashion to the current Progress cargo craft bringing supplies to ISS. The difference is that the new ESA craft will carry two and a half time the payload of a Progress vehicle, in production and use since 1978.

Both pictures at left are are NASA computer generated animations. The picture at top shows the layout of the Russian part of ISSy.

The FGB, PIRS, and Zvezda are the modules involved with this EVA. Soyuz is the manned spacecraft used to get to and from the station. It can also be used as a "life boat", for a swift return to Earth, in the event of a dire emergency. Progress is the cargo carrier used to deliver essential supplies to the ISS.

The lower picture illustrates the FGB, PIRS, and the crewmen installing the new pump. Please note crew in spacesuits at top center of the FGB, along with the white cannister carrying the new pump assembly.

During the installation of the new guidance antennae, several protective plastic caps were jettisoned into space. At the close of the spacewalk, the crewmen cleaned up their gloves with disposable wipes as well. All of these, caps and towels, were tossed "overboard", but under specific instructions on how and in what direction from Russian Mission Control in Korolev (TsUP), near Moscow. These precautions are taken to insure that the dumped material does not return on a later orbit to collide with the station.

This spacewalk lasted 5 hours 21 mintutes, beginning at 11:43 AM CDT (16:43 GMT) with the PIRS hatch opening. It ended early and successfully at 5:04 PM CDT (22:04 GMT) with the final resealing of the airlock hatch. This was the 6th spacewalk for Commander Padalka, and the fourth for Flight Engineer Fincke. It was the 56th ISS Assembly & Mainenance EVA, and the 31st from the Station itself.

At approximately the 90 minutes mark in the spacewalk, the crew were working to replace the worn out pump assembly on the exterior of the Zarya module. As they labored, an amazing 4 1/2 minute period of time elapsed. During this time, no less than eleven strobing objects were seen. These were observed to be flitting past the station at some apparent distance. All of this was broadcast "live" on NASA Select TV. In this examination, we will concentrate on the most startling of these anomalies.

Those more familiar with Shuttle operations might suspect this object to be simple ice or common debris. BUT, ISSy doesn't have what NASA Shuttle technicians jokingly refer to as "dandruff".

Water is NOT produced aboard the station as it is on Shuttles. Shuttles derive their electrical energy, and water supplies, from H2 /O2 Fuel Cells. These produce copious amounts of water, and when there's too much, it's unceremoniously dumped overboard.

This is absolutely not the case on the station. It uses passive solar arrays to generate energy from sunlight. Every drop of water used aboard ISSy must be imported from the ground. Visiting Shuttles also contribute water by filling large plastic conainers with the excess from the fuel cells. Water is so precious that even urine is converted back to H2 and O2 via electrolysis, employing a Russian device called Elektron. The oxygen is used for breathing, and the hydrogen jettisonned overboard. So, we have established that there is no source for loose flakes of ice coming from ISSy.

In the case of orbital debris, there simply is none MOST of the time. ISSy has been on orbit for a number of years now, and no new modules or components having loose bits of junk to float away, have been added since 2002. The only source for debris on EVAs would be released by the crew as they manipulate experiments, tools, and parts such as the pump which was replaced on this spacewalk.

About an hour before the anomalous objects came into view, it had been announced that the rocket thrusters had been inhibited in favor of the control moment gyros to control station attitude. This step was taken in order to protect the crewmen outside of the station from being exposed to the rocket exhaust, and from being jerked loose from handholds, both obviously dangerous eventualities. (Example of one of these thrusters firing) So, we can rule out the thruster jets as a source of material flying about.

As Cosmonaut Gennady Padalka and Astronaut Michael Fincke continued their work on the outer hull of the Zarya Module, we were afforded an 8 second view from the Truss camera. We could see a crewman (overexposed due to wide open camera iris), a solar panel, and Zarya to the left. There were also three strobing objects seen. The very most interesting of these emerged from behind the panel, JUMPED a distance almost instantly, then CHANGED DIRECTION before the INCO switched cameras again.

We will momentarily explore a few animated GIFs of this object so that you can see its incredible behavior for yourself. First, some animations to orient you with where this happened, where to look for the object, where it went, and what it did.

So, how about we spend a little time studying the visual presentation which has been prepared for you, eh?

This frame is prepared to help orient you to the "red" sequence. When the camera was changed, the view was flipped upside down relative to this one.

Within the yellow circle is the Astronaut, orange circle denotes two protruding antennae in the "red" sequence. The red arrow shows the camera angle from the other truss.

Now we will focus on the "red" sequence, as I call it. This due to the fact that because of the solar angle, and an ongoing problem with this particular camera, everything is tinted a pinkish color.

The yellow circle shows where to look for the object of our interest. The blue box indicates the area of zoom in the enhancements to come later.

What do we have in this incident? We have an unusual object, appearing "out of nowhere", which exhibits behavior unlike anything normally encountered on orbit. NOTHING known to present day physics can transport itself INSTANTLY from one point to another. As you could see for yourself in the visual presentation above, it did this from a dead stop as well. In addition, this object also made a turn after its amazing intstantaneous jump.

For these reasons, I classify this object as an unknown.

***

At all times during these two incidents, the camera and audio feed were under the control of the CATO in Houston Mission Control.

(INCO - INstrument & Communication Officer - The man in Houston Mission Control Center who is responsible for operating the Shuttle payload bay, and robotic arm, cameras. He also remotely operates the helmet cameras in space suits. In the case of ISS, this officer is referred to as the CATO - Communications And Tracking Officer. In both cases, these persons CONTROL everything which is PERMITTED to go out on broadcast to the public. It is a commonly believed falacy that the cameras are operated by Astronauts & Cosmonauts on the Shuttles, and Space Station. Very little camera work is done by the crews. They're way too busy for that.)

At the end of the day, it's up to YOU to draw your own conclusions.

© 2006 Jeff Challender