Petrivelli 2/6/07 11:15 AM Page 34

ISS / Columbus

Aldo Petrivelli Research Operations Department, Directorate of Human Spaceflight, Microgravity and Exploration, ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands

n the run-up to launching and operating iColumbus, ESA has gained broad experience Iiin operations on the International Space Station. This includes four Soyuz visits and the 6-month Astrolab mission, involving European astronauts, ground teams and infrastructure in a challenging collaboration with Russian and American partners.

Introduction With the launch of its Columbus laboratory module at the end of 2007, ESA will become fully responsible for operating the European segment of the International Space Station (ISS). The Agency has developed the internal and industrial set-up to manage the module’s integration with the ISS and its full-time operations, both independently and in collaboration with the Station’s inter- national partners. Five European astronauts have already flown Soyuz missions of up to 11 days to the Station: Claudie Haigneré on the Andromède mission, Roberto Vittori (Marco Polo and Eneide), Frank De Winne (Odissea), Pedro Duque (Cervantes) and André

esa bulletin 129 - february 2007 35 Petrivelli 2/6/07 11:15 AM Page 34

ISS / Columbus

Aldo Petrivelli Research Operations Department, Directorate of Human Spaceflight, Microgravity and Exploration, ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands

n the run-up to launching and operating iColumbus, ESA has gained broad experience Iiin operations on the International Space Station. This includes four Soyuz visits and the 6-month Astrolab mission, involving European astronauts, ground teams and infrastructure in a challenging collaboration with Russian and American partners.

Introduction With the launch of its Columbus laboratory module at the end of 2007, ESA will become fully responsible for operating the European segment of the International Space Station (ISS). The Agency has developed the internal and industrial set-up to manage the module’s integration with the ISS and its full-time operations, both independently and in collaboration with the Station’s inter- national partners. Five European astronauts have already flown Soyuz missions of up to 11 days to the Station: Claudie Haigneré on the Andromède mission, Roberto Vittori (Marco Polo and Eneide), Frank De Winne (Odissea), Pedro Duque (Cervantes) and André

esa bulletin 129 - february 2007 35 Petrivelli 2/6/07 11:16 AM Page 36

Human Spaceflight ISS / Columbus

Kuipers (DELTA). ESA’s centres and from EAC in Cologne (D). Overall teams were major players in four of mission management was provided these missions, with Andromède from ESTEC. directly supported by CNES and Eneide by ASI. The Russian cosmonauts were The Astrolab Mission involved in ESA’s experiments during The long-duration Astrolab mission these missions as part of the Soyuz began on 4 July 2006 when Space contracts, and NASA’s crewmembers Shuttle Discovery lifted off from also contributed. In all, more than a Odissea: Frank De Winne with the ESA-built Microgravity Science Kennedy Space Center in Florida with hundred European experiments were Glovebox Thomas Reiter and six NASA crew- performed. members. Thomas remained aboard the ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter also confirmed the need for careful Station as the third crewmember, and completed his 6-month stay aboard the coordination of ESA’s support for the returned in December 2006 on the next Station with the Astrolab mission in experiments conducted in the Station’s Shuttle, after 6 months of working as a December 2006. This in particular has Russian and US segments. This was flight engineer. He was accompanied on Astrolab: Thomas Reiter working on the Pulmonary Function given ESA first-hand experience of provided by the Operation Support the descent by ESA astronaut Christer System in Destiny. ESA provided the PFS for the Human Research Facility long-term and multi-crew operations, Centre in ESTEC, linked to the Belgian DELTA: André Kuipers in the Station’s Zvezda module Eneide: Roberto Vittori in the Destiny laboratory module Fuglesang, who played a key role in helping greatly to create and test the User Support Operations Centre Discovery’s Station assembly mission. management and organisation tech- (USOC), Mission Control Centre Real-time operations were coordinated ESA’s real-time operations were Reiter’s stay spanned Increments 13 and niques for working in the challenging Moscow (MCC-M) and to NASA’s from the Erasmus Payload Operation coordinated from the new Erasmus 14 (an ‘Increment’ denotes a resident Station environment. Huntsville Operational Support Center Centre at ESTEC. Invaluable experience Facility Responsible Centre, which was crew’s period aboard the Station). This (HOSC) and Mission Control Center was gained by the Flight Control Teams gaining its first experience for working was the first time since the Columbia The Soyuz Missions Houston (MCC-H). in different support centres, such as the with Columbus. tragedy there had been a 3-man ISS The Odissea mission began with the The Cervantes mission began on Spanish and Belgian USOCs, which DELTA also saw the first experi- crew. Soyuz launch from Baikonur Cosmo- 18 October 2003, with Pedro Duque assisted the ESA experiments. ments activated during the 2-day For ESA, Astrolab marked a new drome on the morning of 30 October flying on Soyuz-TMA 3 with cosmonaut A broad range of international journey of Soyuz to the Station – several phase in human spaceflight. It was a 2002. Aboard the maiden Soyuz-TMA Alexander Kaleri and astronaut cooperation was involved. The Euro- biology experiments were carried out in unique mission that witnessed numerous spacecraft were commander Sergei Michael Foale. Duque became the sixth pean Astronaut Centre (EAC), NASA the two ESA Kubik incubators. firsts for the Agency. As part of the Zalyotin and flight engineers Frank European astronaut to visit the Station, Marshall Telescience Support Center, The Eneide mission confirmed the Station crew, Thomas performed ISS De Winne and Yuri Lonchakov. Nine and during his 8-day stay he performed ESA’s Moscow Mission Operation objectives of the previous missions: systems tasks, routine tasks, scientific, days of intense effort aboard the Station 21 experiments in life and physical Support Team (MOST), Increment expand the experience of European technology and educational experiments, Astrolab: Thomas Reiter working on the Station’s internal thermal saw a range of scientific and educational sciences, Earth observation, education Management Control at NASA’s astronauts, obtain scientific results, and a spacewalk. This was his third control system activities successfully completed. On and technology. Johnson Space Center, NASA Payload promote research in science and venture outside, having already under- 10 November, the visiting crew returned Operation Integration Center at the technology, stimulate educational taken two spacewalks during his Mir in Soyuz-TM 34, making a rare night Marshall Space Flight Center and the interest in young people, expand mission of 1995–96. landing in Kazakhstan. communications network team at ESA’s operational experience with the Station, The system tasks normally demand Being able to deliver experiments via European Space Operations Centre and promote political and commercial most of the crew time, involving the unmanned Progress ferries and the (ESOC) all contributed to the mission international links. maintenance to onboard systems, manned Soyuz, combined with the success. During his 10-day flight and 8 days upgrading and adding facilities to meet available time of the three visiting The DELTA mission began with the aboard the Station in April 2004, new requirements and accommodating crewmembers, created a unique Soyuz-TMA 4 launch on 19 April 2004, Roberto Vittori successfully carried out modules. For example, during his opportunity for a long schedule of carrying André Kuipers, Gennadi 27 experiments developed mainly by mission, Station assembly flight 12A experiments. Odissea made full use of Padalka and Michael Fincke to the Italian industry and research centres took place in September 2006 and this opportunity. A total of 23 Station. This mission saw deep and ESA. Roberto also made numerous Soyuz-TMA 9 docked a few days later. experiments were performed, some with cooperation between ESA and the education and public relations contacts Those were very intense working days NASA astronaut Jeff Williams with the European Modular more than one human test subject and Dutch authorities – a difficult set of 28 with Italian organisations. for the astronauts and ground teams Cultivation System behind four in the ESA-developed Micro- experiments was prepared by a joint For the first time in these missions, alike. gravity Science Glovebox. The glovebox team from ESA and Dutch industry. the real-time operations were coord- Routine tasks involve housekeeping, ESA’s complement of experiments was installed in May 2002 in the US This collaboration was a key element in inated from the Columbus Control inspection of vital life-support systems, during Astrolab totalled 40, and several Destiny laboratory; the other experi- the mission’s success, and important Centre (Col-CC), in Oberpfaffenhofen inventory checks, personal hygiene, others were performed as part of the ments were carried out in Russian experience for handing over operations (D). This was the interface between physical exercise, eating and private overall set-up. In fact, the mission itself facilities. to industry. This mission also allowed Roberto, the USOCs and the control medical conferences with the crew extended beyond Reiter’s residence. Odissea was the first ISS mission ESA to run some experiments before centres in Moscow and Houston. All surgeon on Earth. These are all part of a Astrolab was part of the ESA Long requiring a distinct ESA structure. It Cervantes: Pedro Duque in October 2003 and after André’s visit. medical and crew aspects were managed normal day for ISS crewmembers. Duration Mission (LDM). Owing to the

36 esa bulletin 129 - february 2007 www.esa.int www.esa.int esa bulletin 129 - february 2007 37 Petrivelli 2/6/07 11:16 AM Page 36

Human Spaceflight ISS / Columbus

Kuipers (DELTA). ESA’s centres and from EAC in Cologne (D). Overall teams were major players in four of mission management was provided these missions, with Andromède from ESTEC. directly supported by CNES and Eneide by ASI. The Russian cosmonauts were The Astrolab Mission involved in ESA’s experiments during The long-duration Astrolab mission these missions as part of the Soyuz began on 4 July 2006 when Space contracts, and NASA’s crewmembers Shuttle Discovery lifted off from also contributed. In all, more than a Odissea: Frank De Winne with the ESA-built Microgravity Science Kennedy Space Center in Florida with hundred European experiments were Glovebox Thomas Reiter and six NASA crew- performed. members. Thomas remained aboard the ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter also confirmed the need for careful Station as the third crewmember, and completed his 6-month stay aboard the coordination of ESA’s support for the returned in December 2006 on the next Station with the Astrolab mission in experiments conducted in the Station’s Shuttle, after 6 months of working as a December 2006. This in particular has Russian and US segments. This was flight engineer. He was accompanied on Astrolab: Thomas Reiter working on the Pulmonary Function given ESA first-hand experience of provided by the Operation Support the descent by ESA astronaut Christer System in Destiny. ESA provided the PFS for the Human Research Facility long-term and multi-crew operations, Centre in ESTEC, linked to the Belgian DELTA: André Kuipers in the Station’s Zvezda module Eneide: Roberto Vittori in the Destiny laboratory module Fuglesang, who played a key role in helping greatly to create and test the User Support Operations Centre Discovery’s Station assembly mission. management and organisation tech- (USOC), Mission Control Centre Real-time operations were coordinated ESA’s real-time operations were Reiter’s stay spanned Increments 13 and niques for working in the challenging Moscow (MCC-M) and to NASA’s from the Erasmus Payload Operation coordinated from the new Erasmus 14 (an ‘Increment’ denotes a resident Station environment. Huntsville Operational Support Center Centre at ESTEC. Invaluable experience Facility Responsible Centre, which was crew’s period aboard the Station). This (HOSC) and Mission Control Center was gained by the Flight Control Teams gaining its first experience for working was the first time since the Columbia The Soyuz Missions Houston (MCC-H). in different support centres, such as the with Columbus. tragedy there had been a 3-man ISS The Odissea mission began with the The Cervantes mission began on Spanish and Belgian USOCs, which DELTA also saw the first experi- crew. Soyuz launch from Baikonur Cosmo- 18 October 2003, with Pedro Duque assisted the ESA experiments. ments activated during the 2-day For ESA, Astrolab marked a new drome on the morning of 30 October flying on Soyuz-TMA 3 with cosmonaut A broad range of international journey of Soyuz to the Station – several phase in human spaceflight. It was a 2002. Aboard the maiden Soyuz-TMA Alexander Kaleri and astronaut cooperation was involved. The Euro- biology experiments were carried out in unique mission that witnessed numerous spacecraft were commander Sergei Michael Foale. Duque became the sixth pean Astronaut Centre (EAC), NASA the two ESA Kubik incubators. firsts for the Agency. As part of the Zalyotin and flight engineers Frank European astronaut to visit the Station, Marshall Telescience Support Center, The Eneide mission confirmed the Station crew, Thomas performed ISS De Winne and Yuri Lonchakov. Nine and during his 8-day stay he performed ESA’s Moscow Mission Operation objectives of the previous missions: systems tasks, routine tasks, scientific, days of intense effort aboard the Station 21 experiments in life and physical Support Team (MOST), Increment expand the experience of European technology and educational experiments, Astrolab: Thomas Reiter working on the Station’s internal thermal saw a range of scientific and educational sciences, Earth observation, education Management Control at NASA’s astronauts, obtain scientific results, and a spacewalk. This was his third control system activities successfully completed. On and technology. Johnson Space Center, NASA Payload promote research in science and venture outside, having already under- 10 November, the visiting crew returned Operation Integration Center at the technology, stimulate educational taken two spacewalks during his Mir in Soyuz-TM 34, making a rare night Marshall Space Flight Center and the interest in young people, expand mission of 1995–96. landing in Kazakhstan. communications network team at ESA’s operational experience with the Station, The system tasks normally demand Being able to deliver experiments via European Space Operations Centre and promote political and commercial most of the crew time, involving the unmanned Progress ferries and the (ESOC) all contributed to the mission international links. maintenance to onboard systems, manned Soyuz, combined with the success. During his 10-day flight and 8 days upgrading and adding facilities to meet available time of the three visiting The DELTA mission began with the aboard the Station in April 2004, new requirements and accommodating crewmembers, created a unique Soyuz-TMA 4 launch on 19 April 2004, Roberto Vittori successfully carried out modules. For example, during his opportunity for a long schedule of carrying André Kuipers, Gennadi 27 experiments developed mainly by mission, Station assembly flight 12A experiments. Odissea made full use of Padalka and Michael Fincke to the Italian industry and research centres took place in September 2006 and this opportunity. A total of 23 Station. This mission saw deep and ESA. Roberto also made numerous Soyuz-TMA 9 docked a few days later. experiments were performed, some with cooperation between ESA and the education and public relations contacts Those were very intense working days NASA astronaut Jeff Williams with the European Modular more than one human test subject and Dutch authorities – a difficult set of 28 with Italian organisations. for the astronauts and ground teams Cultivation System behind four in the ESA-developed Micro- experiments was prepared by a joint For the first time in these missions, alike. gravity Science Glovebox. The glovebox team from ESA and Dutch industry. the real-time operations were coord- Routine tasks involve housekeeping, ESA’s complement of experiments was installed in May 2002 in the US This collaboration was a key element in inated from the Columbus Control inspection of vital life-support systems, during Astrolab totalled 40, and several Destiny laboratory; the other experi- the mission’s success, and important Centre (Col-CC), in Oberpfaffenhofen inventory checks, personal hygiene, others were performed as part of the ments were carried out in Russian experience for handing over operations (D). This was the interface between physical exercise, eating and private overall set-up. In fact, the mission itself facilities. to industry. This mission also allowed Roberto, the USOCs and the control medical conferences with the crew extended beyond Reiter’s residence. Odissea was the first ISS mission ESA to run some experiments before centres in Moscow and Houston. All surgeon on Earth. These are all part of a Astrolab was part of the ESA Long requiring a distinct ESA structure. It Cervantes: Pedro Duque in October 2003 and after André’s visit. medical and crew aspects were managed normal day for ISS crewmembers. Duration Mission (LDM). Owing to the

36 esa bulletin 129 - february 2007 www.esa.int www.esa.int esa bulletin 129 - february 2007 37 Petrivelli 2/6/07 11:16 AM Page 38

Human Spaceflight ISS / Columbus

repeated deferrals of the ULF-1.1 40 experiments that fitted into the launched. It provides online services within ESA. It is developing infra- (Utilization & Logistics Flight-1.1) available crew time, from educational (communications, monitoring, archiving, structures, organisation, experience and Shuttle launch, the LDM experiments demonstrations for school children to commanding), distribution of databases a strong team spirit, thanks to the had already started at the beginning of advanced plasma physics. The Columbus Control and coordination of all the centres. opportunities offered by previous Increment 12, when the first hardware The full achievements of the Astrolab Centre made its debut Astrolab’s Flight Control Team was missions. was uploaded and operated by Valery mission are still being assessed. Interim with the Eneide mission hosted there. The communications for After each mission and Increment, the in 2004 Tokarev and Bill McArthur. The same reviews with everyone involved and the real-time operations between Col-CC integration and operations processes are happened at the beginning of Incre- preliminary results confirm a very and the international partners, the evaluated, and recommendations are ment 13, when Station Commander positive outlook. Engineering Support Centres, USOCs made on improvements. Odissea was the Pavel Vinogradov took over 13 and EAC are provided by the IOT first ISS mission with an ESA experiments for ESA. Mikhail Tyurin, An Eye on Columbus Ground Segment service. organisation behind it. That organisa- the Russian cosmonaut of Increment 14, With an eye on Columbus operations, ESA’s Moscow Operations Support tion has developed and adapted as it has continued with some ESA activities. ESA has exercised most of the infra- Team in MCC-M provides Col-CC with supported subsequent missions. ESA experiments were continued by structure and teams before the module’s direct interfaces to the Russian team Apart from its undisputed value as a Greg Olsen, a member of the visiting launch. This was particularly the case when needed. long-duration mission, Astrolab was crew on Soyuz-TMA 7 and Anousheh for Astrolab. ESA assigned the European scientists are supported by also important as the première of the Ansari, part of the Soyuz-TMA 9 technical management to an industry several USOCs throughout Europe. The working mode for Europe involvement visiting crew. consortium: the Industrial Operator USOCs interface with, and can host, the in future Increments. It was a testbed for For the first time, preparation and Team (IOT). This is a joint industrial science teams. They are connected to the improving processes, reinforcing mission operations were run by effort, led by Astrium-ST-Germany and ESA ground network and work closely working modes and building working industry, paving the way for ESA’s Alcatel Alenia Spazio-Italy, with the with the Flight Control Team at Col-CC relationships among industries, research Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) and participation of German space agency for real-time operations of their experi- centres and space agencies in Columbus in 2007. DLR, aimed at providing an end-to-end ments, facilities or payloads. preparation for the launch and Astrolab was a commercial procure- turnkey service to ESA. In addition, the Training and simulations for real-time exploitation of the main European ment from the Russian Federal Space USOCs help to prepare and operate the mission operations are conducted in the Station assets: ATV and Columbus. Agency (Roskosmos) for a European payloads and experiments. takes care of the Soyuz crew training, Crew training for the ESA crew is ESA ground control centres (Col-CC, In almost all the activities, it was astronaut to stay aboard the ISS for In this set-up, ESA retains the overall while the Institute of BioMedical coordinated by EAC in close coopera- MOST and USOCs). Personnel train necessary to have fully integrated 6 months. With that, Thomas Reiter management of the mission, while the Problems is responsible for the medical tion with its Russian and NASA not only on ESA’s various operations European, Russian and US teams. This became part of the ISS crew as a IOT is responsible for the day-to-day aspects of manned flights. counterparts. For the Astrolab mission, tools and processes, but also those of the was also the case for the European ‘Russian cosmonaut’, able to work in technical management of European ESA’s Mission Coordination and most of Reiter’s payload training took ISS partners. Several simulations take teams: the science, commercial and both the Russian and American assets such as laboratories, ground Control Board (MCCB) has the place at EAC. There was also some at place before each mission, divided into educational users, the communication segments. network, space experiments and ultimate authority over ESA activities NASA in Houston because of his standalone simulations with only one teams, and the mission implementation Coordinating the mission with the astronauts involved in the ISS aboard the Station. It is chaired by the schedule and the location of the training centre, integrated simulations with teams from ESA, IOT and USOCs. All various international partners was Increments. ESA Mission Manager and co-chaired hardware. multiple European centres, and Joint needed to work closely together. This critical. All the Astrolab hardware was ESA manages the contracts for by IOT and USOC representatives. Some experiments, especially bio- Multilateral Simulation Training challenging set-up demands great effort delivered by Russian and US spacecraft, procuring IOT and USOC resources The MCCB mandates the Mission medical, require baseline data to be involving all European centres and but ESA can proudly display important mostly for use in the Russian segment and services, and procures flight Management Team (MMT) to provide collected on the astronaut before and partner centres. results for all to see. but some throughout the entire ISS. resources from NASA via specific programme oversight and direction after a flight for comparison with the The missions so far were unique This involved ESA in close and barter agreements and from Roskosmos during real-time operations in order to flight results. Most of the Astrolab Conclusions opportunities for ESA to gain signifi- continuous contact with Russian and via commercial contracts. assure crew safety, proper operations Baseline Data Collection (BDC) sessions Preparing for Station missions is cant operational experience rapidly and NASA organisations. The interfaces with NASA for specific and to improve mission success. It is took place at EAC, but for those in comparable to combining a number of to develop expertise for future European The same flight that took Thomas to missions and overall programme specific to each Increment and becomes Russia and the US the BDC different projects on a single road space activities. This does not mean by the Station also delivered three ESA management involve the Mission active upon the positive conclusion of coordinator worked closely with his leading to the flight and its activities. any stretch of the imagination that it is facilities: the Minus Eighty-degrees Management Team, the Increment the ESA Operations Readiness Review. counterparts there. These different projects each have their time to rest on our laurels. The missions Laboratory Freezer for the ISS (MELFI), Integration Team, the Training Control The MMT then coordinates all For Astrolab, the ESA control centres own organisations and teams that, most have been highly successfully, but not the European Modular Cultivation Board, the Payload Control Board, and functional areas running the mission were in regular operation for an entire of the time, want to bring their own totally so. They have given ESA System (EMCS) and the Percutaneous the Ground Segment Control Board. and is key to the success of the mission. Increment for the first time. ESA has set elements to the flight and have their own confidence, experience and working Electrical Muscle Stimulator (PEMS). The interfaces with the Russians are The Increment Integration Team up its own ground network to direct and exclusive control over the relationships with their international Thomas helped to commission EMCS much more streamlined. They are (IIT) is the forum where the mission interconnect the European centres as process. In practice, of course, this is not partners, but it is now the time for and MELFI into routine use. largely managed by RSC Energia as the elements are assembled into an integrated well as to the US and Russian centres. feasible. The necessity is to deliver to a consolidating, improving and ironing LDM’s key objectives were to extend hardware integrator for Progress and package. It is chaired by the Increment The Columbus Control Centre in team that integrates and operates all the out the wrinkles ready for adding and European knowledge and experience in Soyuz launches and as operator of the (Integration) Manager, who is responsible Germany is a key player in Europe’s elements efficiently and effectively; this exploiting the Columbus laboratory in human space missions, and to conduct Russian portion of the ISS. The to the ESA Mission Manager for timely Station operations. It will be ESA’s main is the industry mission integration and orbit. e microgravity experiments. ESA selected Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre mission reviews and deliveries. control centre once Columbus is operations team that is taking shape

38 esa bulletin 129 - february 2007 www.esa.int www.esa.int esa bulletin 129 - february 2007 39 Petrivelli 2/6/07 11:16 AM Page 38

Human Spaceflight ISS / Columbus

repeated deferrals of the ULF-1.1 40 experiments that fitted into the launched. It provides online services within ESA. It is developing infra- (Utilization & Logistics Flight-1.1) available crew time, from educational (communications, monitoring, archiving, structures, organisation, experience and Shuttle launch, the LDM experiments demonstrations for school children to commanding), distribution of databases a strong team spirit, thanks to the had already started at the beginning of advanced plasma physics. The Columbus Control and coordination of all the centres. opportunities offered by previous Increment 12, when the first hardware The full achievements of the Astrolab Centre made its debut Astrolab’s Flight Control Team was missions. was uploaded and operated by Valery mission are still being assessed. Interim with the Eneide mission hosted there. The communications for After each mission and Increment, the in 2004 Tokarev and Bill McArthur. The same reviews with everyone involved and the real-time operations between Col-CC integration and operations processes are happened at the beginning of Incre- preliminary results confirm a very and the international partners, the evaluated, and recommendations are ment 13, when Station Commander positive outlook. Engineering Support Centres, USOCs made on improvements. Odissea was the Pavel Vinogradov took over 13 and EAC are provided by the IOT first ISS mission with an ESA experiments for ESA. Mikhail Tyurin, An Eye on Columbus Ground Segment service. organisation behind it. That organisa- the Russian cosmonaut of Increment 14, With an eye on Columbus operations, ESA’s Moscow Operations Support tion has developed and adapted as it has continued with some ESA activities. ESA has exercised most of the infra- Team in MCC-M provides Col-CC with supported subsequent missions. ESA experiments were continued by structure and teams before the module’s direct interfaces to the Russian team Apart from its undisputed value as a Greg Olsen, a member of the visiting launch. This was particularly the case when needed. long-duration mission, Astrolab was crew on Soyuz-TMA 7 and Anousheh for Astrolab. ESA assigned the European scientists are supported by also important as the première of the Ansari, part of the Soyuz-TMA 9 technical management to an industry several USOCs throughout Europe. The working mode for Europe involvement visiting crew. consortium: the Industrial Operator USOCs interface with, and can host, the in future Increments. It was a testbed for For the first time, preparation and Team (IOT). This is a joint industrial science teams. They are connected to the improving processes, reinforcing mission operations were run by effort, led by Astrium-ST-Germany and ESA ground network and work closely working modes and building working industry, paving the way for ESA’s Alcatel Alenia Spazio-Italy, with the with the Flight Control Team at Col-CC relationships among industries, research Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) and participation of German space agency for real-time operations of their experi- centres and space agencies in Columbus in 2007. DLR, aimed at providing an end-to-end ments, facilities or payloads. preparation for the launch and Astrolab was a commercial procure- turnkey service to ESA. In addition, the Training and simulations for real-time exploitation of the main European ment from the Russian Federal Space USOCs help to prepare and operate the mission operations are conducted in the Station assets: ATV and Columbus. Agency (Roskosmos) for a European payloads and experiments. takes care of the Soyuz crew training, Crew training for the ESA crew is ESA ground control centres (Col-CC, In almost all the activities, it was astronaut to stay aboard the ISS for In this set-up, ESA retains the overall while the Institute of BioMedical coordinated by EAC in close coopera- MOST and USOCs). Personnel train necessary to have fully integrated 6 months. With that, Thomas Reiter management of the mission, while the Problems is responsible for the medical tion with its Russian and NASA not only on ESA’s various operations European, Russian and US teams. This became part of the ISS crew as a IOT is responsible for the day-to-day aspects of manned flights. counterparts. For the Astrolab mission, tools and processes, but also those of the was also the case for the European ‘Russian cosmonaut’, able to work in technical management of European ESA’s Mission Coordination and most of Reiter’s payload training took ISS partners. Several simulations take teams: the science, commercial and both the Russian and American assets such as laboratories, ground Control Board (MCCB) has the place at EAC. There was also some at place before each mission, divided into educational users, the communication segments. network, space experiments and ultimate authority over ESA activities NASA in Houston because of his standalone simulations with only one teams, and the mission implementation Coordinating the mission with the astronauts involved in the ISS aboard the Station. It is chaired by the schedule and the location of the training centre, integrated simulations with teams from ESA, IOT and USOCs. All various international partners was Increments. ESA Mission Manager and co-chaired hardware. multiple European centres, and Joint needed to work closely together. This critical. All the Astrolab hardware was ESA manages the contracts for by IOT and USOC representatives. Some experiments, especially bio- Multilateral Simulation Training challenging set-up demands great effort delivered by Russian and US spacecraft, procuring IOT and USOC resources The MCCB mandates the Mission medical, require baseline data to be involving all European centres and but ESA can proudly display important mostly for use in the Russian segment and services, and procures flight Management Team (MMT) to provide collected on the astronaut before and partner centres. results for all to see. but some throughout the entire ISS. resources from NASA via specific programme oversight and direction after a flight for comparison with the The missions so far were unique This involved ESA in close and barter agreements and from Roskosmos during real-time operations in order to flight results. Most of the Astrolab Conclusions opportunities for ESA to gain signifi- continuous contact with Russian and via commercial contracts. assure crew safety, proper operations Baseline Data Collection (BDC) sessions Preparing for Station missions is cant operational experience rapidly and NASA organisations. The interfaces with NASA for specific and to improve mission success. It is took place at EAC, but for those in comparable to combining a number of to develop expertise for future European The same flight that took Thomas to missions and overall programme specific to each Increment and becomes Russia and the US the BDC different projects on a single road space activities. This does not mean by the Station also delivered three ESA management involve the Mission active upon the positive conclusion of coordinator worked closely with his leading to the flight and its activities. any stretch of the imagination that it is facilities: the Minus Eighty-degrees Management Team, the Increment the ESA Operations Readiness Review. counterparts there. These different projects each have their time to rest on our laurels. The missions Laboratory Freezer for the ISS (MELFI), Integration Team, the Training Control The MMT then coordinates all For Astrolab, the ESA control centres own organisations and teams that, most have been highly successfully, but not the European Modular Cultivation Board, the Payload Control Board, and functional areas running the mission were in regular operation for an entire of the time, want to bring their own totally so. They have given ESA System (EMCS) and the Percutaneous the Ground Segment Control Board. and is key to the success of the mission. Increment for the first time. ESA has set elements to the flight and have their own confidence, experience and working Electrical Muscle Stimulator (PEMS). The interfaces with the Russians are The Increment Integration Team up its own ground network to direct and exclusive control over the relationships with their international Thomas helped to commission EMCS much more streamlined. They are (IIT) is the forum where the mission interconnect the European centres as process. In practice, of course, this is not partners, but it is now the time for and MELFI into routine use. largely managed by RSC Energia as the elements are assembled into an integrated well as to the US and Russian centres. feasible. The necessity is to deliver to a consolidating, improving and ironing LDM’s key objectives were to extend hardware integrator for Progress and package. It is chaired by the Increment The Columbus Control Centre in team that integrates and operates all the out the wrinkles ready for adding and European knowledge and experience in Soyuz launches and as operator of the (Integration) Manager, who is responsible Germany is a key player in Europe’s elements efficiently and effectively; this exploiting the Columbus laboratory in human space missions, and to conduct Russian portion of the ISS. The to the ESA Mission Manager for timely Station operations. It will be ESA’s main is the industry mission integration and orbit. e microgravity experiments. ESA selected Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Centre mission reviews and deliveries. control centre once Columbus is operations team that is taking shape

38 esa bulletin 129 - february 2007 www.esa.int www.esa.int esa bulletin 129 - february 2007 39