NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 3 March 2005

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All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.

Still on shifted sleep cycle, crew wakeup today was at 6:30am EST, five hours delayed from the usual time.  Sleep time tonight begins at 6:30pm.

After yesterday’s successful docking of the cargo ship Progress M-52 (17P), the crew started the day with a final leak check of the Progress-to-Service Module (SM) vestibule, then disassembled the docking & internal transfer system (SSVP) in the hatchway, followed by removal and dismantling of the probe-and-cone docking mechanism (StM).   [The StM is the “classic” probe-and-cone type, consisting of an active docking assembly (ASA) with a probe (SSh), which fits into the cone (SK) on the passive docking assembly (PSA).  The ASA is mounted on the Progress’ GrO cargo module, while the PSA sits on the docking ports of the SM, FGB and DC-1.]

With the passage to 17P cleared, Salizhan Sharipov and Leroy Chiao started cargo transfer operations which will extend over the remainder of this week, supported by the IMS (Inventory Management System) for reference and log-in.  The CDR had a teleconference with specialists at MCC-H to support US cargo transfers.

Sharipov s priorities in cargo transfer were a number of Russian/RSC-Energia biotechnical experiments with fresh samples delivered on Progress.

Among them are:

• GCF-JAXA (Granada Crystallization Facility for Japan, for protein crystal growth studies in zero-G, placed in TBU cooler);
• Mimetik-K payload (high-quality protein crystal development for later X-ray diffusion analysis, stowed in Kriogem-03 refrigerator);
• Statokonia with the ULITKA ( snail ) incubator (study of the composition of statoconia, i.e., the organ of equilibrium in snails, and other phenomena exhibited by ulitka in zero-G and post-flight;
• MICROSPACE (Microbial Life in the Space Environment, a joint ESA/RSC-Energia experiment, stowed in the DC1 docking compartment).

Progress 17 also delivered the scientific equipment for seven experiments to be carried out by ESA cosmonaut Roberto Vittori on Soyuz TMA-6 (10S) during his VC (Visiting Cosmonaut)-7 mission Eneide to the ISS from 4/15-24:

• AES (Agrospace Experiment Suite), involving bean seeds for studying their growth patterns in micro-G;
• ASIA (Analysis, Experimentation, and Implementation Algorithms), with an electronics board for evaluating radiation effects on computers;
• ETD (Eye Tracking Device), measuring the orientation of Listing s plane (coordinate system describing eye movements in the head) in zero-G;
• Hand Posture Analyzer, to help find methods of countering fatigue on astronaut hands and forearms in zero-G;
• Lazio (Low Altitude Zone Ionization Observatory), for study of space radiation and the magnetic environment inside the ISS;
• MICROSPACE (see above)
• SPQR (Specular Point-like Quick Reference), involving a ground-based imaging system with special optics and image processing to try to detect external damage to a spacecraft in orbit from the ground (2000 years ago, SPQR also happened to stand for Senatus Populusque Romanus (Senate and People of Rome).

Chiao unpacked and printed out new SODF (systems operations data file) updates delivered on 17P for incorporation in the on-board ODF books.

The CDR also reconnected a PCS (portable computer system) laptop after MCC-H successfully swapped the C&C MDMs (Command & Control multiplexer/demultiplexer computers).   [This action was in support of next week’s reconditioning of P6 battery set 2B2.  In this configuration C&C-1 is Primary, C&C-3 is Backup and C&C-2 is Standby.]

Leroy completed the routine SOZh/ECLSS servicing/inspection in the SM, including the ASU toilet facilities.  Part of today’s ECLSS maintenance was the regular checkup on the BRPK air/liquid condensate separator apparatus. Later, Chiao prepared the daily IMS delta file for the automated export/import to the three IMS databases on the ground.

Salizhan conducted the regular periodic download of data & imagery collected of the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 (“Plants-2”) experiment to the computer for subsequent downlink to the ground.  Working off the Russian discretionary job jar, he then completed the regular daily inspection of the Lada-5 greenhouse equipment, including filling its water canister as required.

The crew performed their regular daily 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on TVIS, RED exerciser, CEVIS cycle and VELO cycle with bungee cord load trainer.   [Salizhan’s daily protocol currently prescribes a four-day microcycle exercise with 1.5 hr on the treadmill and one hour on VELO (today: Day 2 of a new set).]

Leroy then transferred the daily TVIS & RED exercise data files to the MEC (medical equipment computer) for downlink, as well as the daily wristband HRM (heart rate monitor) data, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium.

Yesterday’s restart of the Elektron O2 generator took several (5) attempts, as was expected from previous cold-start experience.  The unit is currently running in the 50 amp mode in order to boost the ppO2 (oxygen partial pressure) level to nominal values, after which it will be returned to the normal 16 amp mode for sustained operations.

At ~4:15pm EST, the crew downlinked a message of greetings to the 32nd Anniversary Public-Scientific Readings dedicated to the memory of Yuri Gagarin, a traditional annual lecture event.  This conference is timed to Yuri’s birthday (71st) on March 9 and convened every year on March 9-12.   [On April 12, 1961,  Yuri Alekseyevitch Gagarin landed on his parachute on a farm field nearby, after ejecting from the Vostok-1 capsule at 7 km altitude in concluding his 100-min. orbit flight as the world s first human in space.  April 12 has since become a national holiday in Russia, Denj Kosmonavtov.]

A second congratulatory address was downlinked by the ISS crew to the Cosmonaut Corps at GCTC (Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center) in Zwezdniy Gorodok (Star City) on the occasion of the Corps’ 45th anniversary and Yuri Gagarin’s birthday.   [“The Cosmonaut Corps has become our “Minor Motherland” for Soviet & Russian cosmonauts and astronauts from 24 countries.”]

Today’s CEO (crew earth observations) photo targets, limited in the current XPOP attitude by flight rule constraints on the use of the science window, which is available for only ~1/4 of each orbit when not facing forward (in ram), were Internal waves, Patagonian Shelf (weather was predicted to be clear in the northern Patagonia region for internal wave photography.  Looking to the left of track for the sunglint point; interesting wave patterns may have been visible around the Valdes Peninsula), and Cyclone Percy, S. Pacific (Dynamic Event.  Percy is now a Category 4 cyclone with sustained winds of over 140 knots.  Looking to the right of track for a well-formed eye and wall clouds).

CEO photography can be viewed and studied at the websites:

• http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov
• http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov
• http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/AstronautPhotography/

See also the website “Space Station Challenge” at:

• http://voyager.cet.edu/iss/

To view the latest photos taken by the expedition 10 crew visit:

• http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-10/ndxpage1.html at NASA’s Human Spaceflight website.

Expedition 10 Flight Crew Plans can be found at http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/timelines/

Previous NASA ISS On-orbit Status Reports can be found here. Previous NASA Space Station Status Reports can be found here. Previous NASA Space Shuttle Processing Status Reports can be found here. A collection of all of these reports and other materials relating to Return to Flight for the Space Shuttle fleet can be found here.

Upcoming Key Events:

• EVA-13 — 3/25;
• Soyuz TMA-6 (10S) launch — 4/15 with Expedition 11 (CDR Sergei Krikalev, FE/SO John Phillips) and VC7 cosmonaut Roberto Vittori;
• Soyuz TMA-5 (9S) undocking — 4/25 with Exp. 10 crew (after 193 days on orbit, 191 days on board ISS) and VC7 cosmonaut Roberto Vittori;
• LF1 (STS-114) — NET 5/12;
• Progress M-53 (18P) launch — 6/10;
• ULF1.1 (STS-121) — NET 7/10;
• Progress M-54 (19P) launch — 8/24;
• Soyuz TMA-7 (11S) launch — 9/27.

ISS Orbit  (as of this morning, 7:06am EST [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 357.6 km
• Apogee height — 360.5 km
• Perigee height — 354.7 km
• Period — 91.69 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0004318
• Solar Beta Angle — 44.3 deg (magnitude increasing)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.70
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 60 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 35906

ISS Altitude History

Apogee height — Mean Altitude — Perigee height

For more on ISS orbit and worldwide ISS naked-eye visibility dates/times, see http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/viewing/issvis.html. In addition, information on International Space Station sighting opportunities can be found at http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/ on NASA’s Human Spaceflight website. The current location of the International Space Station can be found at http://science.nasa.gov/temp/StationLoc.html at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. Additional satellite tracking resources can be found at http://www.spaceref.com/iss/tracking.html.