How Astronauts Train for an ISS Expedition

TL;DR

Expedition 47/48 crew members prepared for their International Space Station mission through emergency exercises, Russian hatch checks, equipment procedures, communications practice, and official photography. NASA astronaut Jeff Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka were scheduled to launch aboard Soyuz TMA-20M on March 18, 2016, from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

Transcript

One more. All right, this time a little more expression. There you go. Those look nice. Good. Ready on three. One, two, three. Great. Couple more. Good. Awesome. Like I say, head tilt just a touch. Perfect. And Jeff, just a little bit of head tilt for me. All right, ready guys? Good. All right, let's do a little more expression this time. Happy, ha... Read More

Key Insights

• The crew is preparing for an Expedition 47/48 mission aboard the International Space Station. The named participants are NASA astronaut Jeff Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka, who appear in both training activities and official photography.
• Emergency preparation is part of the crew's training. An instructor refers to using all the emergency skills already learned, performing Russian hatch checks, locating a possible fire, and deciding how to respond while communicating through a station-to-ground channel.
• Station communications are incorporated into procedural exercises. The transcript includes calls to Houston and references to Station on Space Ground One, along with status reporting, confirmation that information was received, and statements that no questions remained after an exercise.
• Technical instruction covers station equipment and operating conditions. Crew members discuss electrical power equipment, a hardwired power-down condition, operational ranges, procedures, monitoring, and the locations of items shown on displays or training materials.
• Camera operation is addressed during the preparation activities. The discussion covers leaving a camera powered on, battery drainage caused by a small light, approximate operating time depending on settings, data capacity, and the forgiving nature of operation within an acceptable range.
• Formal photography is part of the recorded crew preparation. A photographer repeatedly directs smiles, facial expression, head tilt, chin position, camera gaze, and body orientation while taking individual and group portraits of Jeff, Oleg, and Alexey.
• The crew received congratulations after completing examinations. The transcript records a message congratulating them on the exams, indicating that assessment formed part of their preparation before the planned space station mission.
• The planned launch is aboard Soyuz TMA-20M on March 18, 2016. The listed departure point is the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and the destination is the International Space Station for the crew's upcoming Expedition 47/48 mission.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did the Expedition 47/48 crew train for the space station?

The crew prepared through a mixture of emergency exercises, equipment procedures, station communications, Russian hatch checks, and discussions about locating a possible fire. The footage also shows work with displays and specific procedures, monitoring instructions, camera operation, and electrical power equipment. Formal individual and group photography was another recorded part of the preparation activities.

Q: Who participated in the Expedition 47/48 training footage?

The footage features NASA astronaut Jeff Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka. They were preparing for an upcoming mission aboard the International Space Station. During the recorded activities, their names are used in photography directions and technical instruction, and the description identifies all three as the crew scheduled to fly aboard Soyuz TMA-20M.

Q: What emergency skills did the space station crew practice?

The emergency exercise called on the crew to use skills they had already learned. The transcript specifically mentions conducting Russian hatch checks, locating a possible fire, and determining how to proceed after finding it. Crew members were also directed to use a station-to-ground communications channel, connecting emergency actions with communication and monitoring procedures.

Q: What technical subjects appear in the crew training?

The training includes station equipment, procedures, monitoring, communications, and emergency response. The transcript mentions electrical power equipment, a hardwired power-down condition, Russian hatches, fire location, operational ranges, display locations, and station-to-ground communication. It also includes a numbered procedure and instructions to leave something open for WST while maintaining contact and monitoring during an effect.

Q: Why did the crew discuss camera batteries and settings?

The camera discussion addresses practical operation during the recorded activities. Participants note that leaving a camera on can drain its battery over several days because of a small light. They also state that operating time depends on the settings and may be around an hour, while describing the available data capacity and operation within an acceptable range as forgiving.

Q: What happened during the crew photography session?

A photographer took multiple individual and group images while giving precise directions to the crew. The instructions included looking into the camera, smiling, adding more expression, adjusting head tilt, raising or lowering the chin, turning slightly, and holding a position while the camera refocused. Jeff, Oleg, and Alexey are each addressed during the session.

Q: When and where was the Expedition 47/48 crew scheduled to launch?

Jeff Williams, Alexey Ovchinin, and Oleg Skripochka were scheduled to launch on March 18, 2016. Their departure point was the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, and their spacecraft was Soyuz TMA-20M. According to the description, the purpose of the launch was to carry the crew to their upcoming mission aboard the International Space Station.

Q: How were communications used during the training activities?

Communications supported status reporting, procedural confirmation, and emergency exercises. The transcript includes a call to Houston concerning electrical power equipment and a hardwired power-down condition, followed by confirmation that there were no questions. It also directs the crew to use Station on Space Ground One during an exercise involving emergency skills, hatch checks, and locating a possible fire.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The Expedition 47/48 crew participated in preparations for an upcoming mission aboard the International Space Station. The footage identifies NASA astronaut Jeff Williams and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka, showing them during technical instruction, procedural discussions, communications work, emergency exercises, and formal crew photography.

• Training included practicing emergency skills, checking Russian hatches, locating a possible fire, monitoring station conditions, and using station-to-ground communications. The transcript also records discussions about electrical power equipment, operational ranges, camera settings, battery drainage, data capacity, and procedures associated with station systems and crew responsibilities.

• Alongside technical exercises, the crew completed individual and group portraits under detailed direction from a photographer. Their planned mission called for departure aboard Soyuz TMA-20M on March 18, 2016, launching from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for service aboard the International Space Station.