Station Reboosted; Crew Readies ATV-2 for Undocking

Europe’s Automated Transfer Vehicle “Johannes Kepler” (ATV-2) fired its engines for nearly 40 minutes Wednesday raising the International Space Station’s altitude over 6 statute miles. A second reboost originally scheduled for Wednesday was postponed until Friday over power management considerations, and will put the station in the proper orbit for upcoming visiting vehicle activities.

With most of its propellant depleted, the ATV-2 filled with discarded cargo and trash will undock Monday from the aft end of the Zvezda service module for destruction over the Pacific Ocean. The undocking makes room for the ISS Progress 43 resupply craft launching June 21 from Kazakhstan and docking two days later. Space shuttle Atlantis is at the launch pad in Florida undergoing preparations to begin the STS-135 mission, with a target launch date of July 8.

Commander Andrey Borisenko and his crew mates conducted an emergency medical response drill Wednesday to familiarize themselves with medical equipment, locations and procedures. They also practiced communication and coordination in the unlikely event a crew member needed emergency medical attention.

Flight Engineers Ron Garan, Satoshi Furukawa and Mike Fossum also conducted a conference with specialists on the ground about how to pack and stow items that will return to Earth aboard space shuttle Atlantis when it arrives at the station next month.

The station’s newest trio, Flight Engineers Sergei Volkov, Fossum and Furukawa, continue familiarization and orientation activities. The rest of the crew continued cargo transfers, maintenance and science activities.