The Expedition 20 crew members aboard the orbiting International Space Station were busy Thursday making last minute preparations for the relocation of the Soyuz TMA-14 spacecraft.
Commander Gennady Padalka and flight engineers Mike Barratt and Koichi Wakata undocked the spacecraft from the aft port of the Zvezda service module at 5:29 p.m. EDT and piloted it over to the Pirs docking compartment, redocking the vehicle at 5:55 p.m. The move clears the way for the arrival of the ISS Progress 34 supply ship, which is scheduled to arrive later this month.
Flight engineers Frank De Winne, Bob Thirsk and Roman Romanenko remained inside the station during the move to assist the Soyuz crew during the maneuver and to monitor station systems.
Crew members adjusted their sleep schedule Thursday to accommodate the late start time of the move. A wake up time of 9:30 a.m. set in motion final preparations for Padalka, Barratt and Wakata, including closing the hatches, conducting leak checks and donning their Sokol launch and entry suits.
Throughout the week, crew members set up camera and video equipment to monitor the move and reviewed Soyuz relocation procedures with specialists at the Russian Mission Control Center.
Over the weekend, crew members will make preparations for the upcoming STS-127 mission as well as continue their regular maintenance, housekeeping and exercise activities. They also will enjoy some off-duty time and have an opportunity to speak with family members.
