All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously or below. After an eminently successful Russian EVA-5, Progress 6P docking hooks are now closed, with "hard dock" accomplished.

The day began for the crew with wakeup at 12:00 am (midnight), followed by the usual preparations for a Russian segment (RS)-based spacewalk. CDR Culbertson removed the air duct to the Soyuz crew return vehicle and prepared its ASU (toilet) for use from the DC-1 docking compartment.

PLT Dezhurov and FE-1 Tyurin configured the DC-1 and the SM PkhO Transfer Chamber for EVA and tested the Orlan BSS interface units in both compartments.

Both spacewalkers underwent the regular MedOps body mass measurement and biochemical urine test, before and after the EVA.

Egress through hatch 1 of the DC-1 was slightly ahead of schedule, at 8:20 am EST. The two cosmonauts translated along the SM to its aft end, carrying a package of selected EVA tools. The obstruction in the ASA-G docking mechanism was immediately identified as a piece of rubber seal and removed without difficulty. The docking probe retracted the interface on remote command from TsUP, and at 9:51 am EST the hooks were reported as closed. The crew then returned to the DC-1 for ingress. Hatch closing was at 11:06 am. Total duration of EVA-5: about 2 h 46 min.

Other scheduled activities today include a leak check of the Progress-to-PkhO pressure seal, which takes several hours, and hatch opening.

At egress, ISS flight attitude control was moded to momentum management by the U.S. CMGs, and at 9:00 am the SM reaction control thrusters were inhibited for the duration of the EVA since its worksite was in the vicinity of the Zvezda thrusters. Without thrusters, however, desaturation of the CMGs is not possible, and if accumulated momentum had reached 99% the vehicle would have automatically moded to free drift. In a normal configuration momentum would not be expected to go above approximately 60% but the off-nominal SM/Progress interface added uncertainty. Thus, the ground was prepared to go to free drift if required.

Launch of UF-1/STS-108 is still on for tomorrow, at 5:37 pm EST. Probability of KSC weather prohibiting launch is currently predicted as 20%.

Crew earth observations (CEO) targets today were Tuamotu Archipelago (of interest: documenting the extent and water color features of this coral reef archipelago), South Africa Aerosols (low illumination of the surface may have enhanced the visibility of aerosols in the atmosphere to the right of track), Chilean Glaciers (advantage: good illumination and relatively fair summer weather pattern to document the extent and conditions of the ice fields and glaciers of this remote region), Chilean Glaciers (second chance today to try for good views of features and extent of the ice fields here), and High Central Andean Glaciers (the challenge of photographing these glaciers is their small size relative to frequent cloud formations at this time of the year).

Source: NASA