On September 2006, a contract was concluded between Federal Space Agency and Space Adventures for a flight of Richard Garriott as a space flight participant of Visiting Mission 15 to the International Space Station (ISS) and implementation of a program of scientific studies and experiments under Generation II Astronaut (GTA) project.
The program of Visiting Mission 15 calls for performing on-board ISS nine experiments under the GTA project, out of which two experiments (MUSCLE-G and MOP-G) are to be performed by R.Garriotte in the interests of ESA medical program and three experiments (IMMUNO-G, SLEEP-G and CORNEA-G) are to be performed under the US medical program. In addition to this, there are plans to perform some public relations and symbolic activities in the course of the spaceflight participant flight as a member of the Visiting Mission 15.
Breakdown of Experiments and Number of Sessions by Areas of Research
Experiments under the GTA project
Life Science Experiments |
"MUSCLE-G" |
Evaluation of microgravity effects on contractile and neurophysiological properties of human quadrocetal muscle. |
"MOP-G" |
Vestibular adaptation to changes in gravity. |
"CORNEA-G" |
Studying the effect of microgravity on cornea. |
"IMMUNO-G" |
Immune system monitoring. |
"SLееP-G" |
Recording activities during sleep and after awakening and effects of exposure to light during space flight. |
Biotechnological Experiments |
"PCG" |
Protein crystallization in microgravity environment. |
Technological Research and Experiments |
"DHL-G" |
Demonstration of the energy conservation law. |
Educational and humanitarian projects |
"PICTURE" |
Painting a picture in microgravity environment. |
"ARISS-TV" |
Ham radio communications using a low-frame-rate TV system. |
Six experiments under the GTA project are to be conducted on the ISS Russian Segment. Three experiments (IMMUNO-G, SLееP-G, CORNEA-G) are to be conducted on the US Orbital Segment.
To be used in carrying out the work under the GTA project is both the hardware that is to be delivered within the framework of the project and the hardware that is already onboard ISS (in both Russian and US segments).
Two experiments under the GTA project involve participation of Russian cosmonauts in taking photographs and videos.
According to the Contract the following resources are allocated for VC-15 spaceflight participant:
CARGO FLOW |
|
Ascent to ISS RS:
by Soyuz TMA-13
TOTALLY:
|
16.78 kg
16.78 kg
|
|
Return of materials with SE results:
by Soyuz TMA-12
TOTALLY:
|
5.51 kg
5.51 kg
|
POWER CONSUMPTION |
|
Daily average
|
up to 100 W
|
CREW TIME |
|
VC-15 spaceflight participant
Russian cosmonauts
TOTALLY:
|
33 h 00 min
5 h 00 min
38 h 00 min
|
|
|