NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 6 May 2005

SpaceRef note: This NASA Headquarters internal status report, as presented here, contains additional, original material produced by SpaceRef.com (copyright © 2005) to enhance access to related status reports and NASA activities.

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

After its Liquid Unit #5 (BZh-5) was replaced with BZh-6 yesterday by the crew, the “Elektron” O2 generator ran for about 3 minutes before shutdown, tripped off by the liquid sensor in the O2 vent line. Today the crew performed additional troubleshooting on BZh-6, including inspection of the outlets and a nitrogen (N2) purge that revealed no residue. However, a smell was detected during the purge and a sample taken. No additional troubleshooting activities are being conducted today. At present, ppO2 (oxygen partial pressure) is 154.9 mmHg; total pressure is 750.1 mmHg.

CDR Krikalev configured the Progress M-52 (17P) “Rodnik” tank system for liquid waste transfer from the SM holding tank to the empty Rodnik water tanks. Because of the Elektron troubleshooting, only two of six EDV-U urine containers were transferred to SM tankage by air compressor and thence to the Progress, with the remaining containers to be done at a later date. An additional five filled EDV-Us are slated for 17P disposal with contents intact. [The collapsed bladders of the Rodnik BV1 & BV2 water storage tanks in the Progress were pressurized on 4/29 to expel all water and air, plus leak check, preparatory to the liquid waste transfer to the tanks for disposal. Each of the two spherical Rodnik tanks consists of a hard shell with a soft membrane (bladder) composed of elastic fluoroplastic. The bladder is used to expel water from the tank by compressed air pumped into the tank volume surrounding the membrane.]

As is standard procedure for each ISS crew, Phillips and Krikalev conducted an SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator System) proficiency training run. After John connected the UOP DCP (utility outlet panel/display & control panel) bypass power cable at the Lab Robotics Work Station (RWS), the crewmembers reviewed the computerized DOUG (dynamic operations ubiquitous graphics) model and then had ~40 minutes for performing the Robotics exercise. Afterwards the DCP bypass power cable was disconnected again. [Objective of today’s ops was to maintain operator proficiency and to place the SSRMS in a position to support ground control commissioning ops planned in the near future. This was accomplished by maneuvering the robot arm from its current position to MBS PDGF-3 (Mobile Base System/Power & Data Grapple Fixture #3) pre-grapple. The maneuvers were executed in Joint OCAS (operator commanded auto sequence) and Single modes. DOUG is a software program on the MSS RWS (Mobile Service System/Robotics Workstation) laptops that provides a graphical birdseye-view image of the external station configuration and the SSRMS arm, showing its real-time location and configuration on a laptop during its operation.]

FE/SO John Phillips performed the periodic checkout of the crew’s RSP (Respiratory Support Pack), #1004. [The RSP is designed to “breathe” for an incapacitated crewmember in the event of a respiratory health event on board ISS. After RSP #1003 expired its certification a year ago, #1004 was flown on Progress 15 as a replacement but failed its initial BPM (breaths per minute) checkout on orbit on 8/20/04, when it would not turn off. Troubleshooting by Leroy Chiao on 12/13/04 corrected the calibration problem with the BPM valve knob and verified nominal performance. #1004 was restored to prime function, with #1003 designated as backup (after its BPM performance was also evaluated and found OK).]

On the MedOps defibrillator equipment, checked out successfully last Wednesday (5/4), John initiated the regular recharge process on battery #1 to full capacity and subsequently performed it also on battery #2. The task concluded with a battery voltage check. [Each NiCad battery was charged for ~3.5 hrs, and its open-circuit voltage was tested at the end with the Aeolus volt/ohm scopemeter, then removed and stowed again (if the Aeolus batteries were low on charge, they were to be replaced with the NiCad pack from the “Pilobolus” scopemeter). Nominally, the defib has a battery installed at all times, but with this particular unit the PDIM (power data interface module) is not functioning properly and would overcharge the batteries if left inside. They have to be charged every 60 days along with the defib checkout.]

Sergei meanwhile conducted an inspection/audit of the current “plug-in” setup in the Russian segment (RS), checking which electric outlets on SM (Service Module), DC1 (Docking Compartment) and FGB control panels are powering which equipment (either continuously or as-needed) against an uplinked plug-in plan.

John filled out the regular weekly FFQ (food frequency questionnaire), his second, which keeps a log of his nutritional intake over time on special MEC (medical equipment computer) software. [With the updated MEC software, John is using a new “personalized” file that reflects the food flown for his Increment. The FFQ records amounts consumed during the past week of such food items as beverages, cereals, grains, eggs, breads, snacks, sweets, fruit, beans, soup, vegetables, dairy, fish, meat, chicken, sauces & spreads, and vitamins. IBMP (Institute of Biomedical Problems)-recommended average daily caloric value of the crew’s food intake is 2200-2300 cal. If larger quantities of juices and fruits are taken into account, the value can go to 2400-2500 cal.]

The FE/SO worked on printing out updates of the SODF (station on-orbit data files).to update the various procedures books with new pages. [John was also asked by the ground to start cleaning up SODF material by weeding out outdated and no-longer-needed SODF documents that apparently exist in the various station modules according to the IMS (Inventory Management System) and previous crew reports.]

Phillips also took the periodic (weekly) reading of the cabin air’s current CO2 partial pressure in the SM and Lab, using the U.S. CDMK (CO2 monitor kit), for calldown (along with the battery status) for use in trending analyses.

Sergei completed the regular weekly maintenance reboot on the operational PCS (portable computer system) laptops, and John did the bi-monthly restart of the OCA comm SSC router laptop.

The FE performed the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh environment control & life support system, including its ASU toilet system, and the CDR, as a voluntary task list item, prepared the regular IMS “delta” file for its automated export/import to the IMS databases.

Krikalev also held the weekly IMS tagup with specialists at TsUP/Moscow, discussing open issues concerning identification of equipment and storage locations for the IMS databases. [Issues under discussion today included identification of actual stowage locations of equipment transferred from Soyuz-216/10S, the location of the loose cap caught by Sergei recently, the serial numbers of dust filters installed last Wednesday (5/4) in the SM, etc.]

The crew again had one hour each set aside on today’s schedule for adaptation and ISS familiarization, to help in getting used to their new surroundings and activities. [This “free” activity session has become a valuable standard requirement for new station occupants for the first two weeks.]

During today’s TVIS (Treadmill with Vibration Isolation System) exercise, the crew noted that the TVIS stopped, when it lost power. The ground had Phillips check the circuit breakers, and he found one of them tripped. Additionally the crew was asked to download the information from the TVIS PCMCIA memory card. Engineering has reviewed the available data for additional questions to be asked of the crew during tonight’s DPC (Daily Planning Conference). No TVIS exercise will be performed until the issue is resolved, but alternate means of crew exercise are available.

At ~10:40am EDT, the crew held their standard (once every two weeks) teleconference with the JSC Astronaut Office (Kent Rominger), via S-band S/G.

Later, at ~3:30pm, they are also scheduled for their second regular (nominally weekly) teleconference with the Lead Flight Director at MCC-H via S-band/audio.

TsUP/Moscow today ended the extended ground-controlled testing of the onboard ASN-M satellite navigation system, deactivating the equipment and inhibiting the SV (state vector) updates performed by the ASN-M, to secure from off-nominal deactivation behavior. [The ASN-M, which uses Russian GLONASS satellite similarly to the US GPS system, will be employed for navigation of the European ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) next year.]

TsUP testing of the downlink functionality of the Russian BSR-TM Regul interface unit continued throughout the day, limited to RGS (Russian ground sites) and not requiring crew involvement. [BSR-TM telemetry capability, a part of the Russian radio control & communications system, is a crucial component of the upcoming experiments with the ROKVISS robotics experiment. A second important part of the automated files downlinking for ROKVISS, the onboard “Sigma” application on the EGE-2 laptop (a ballistic navigation program to compute the station’s ground track on the Earth), was found during the testing to be short on memory allocation. A software patch was uploaded for Sergei to modify Sigma suitably at his convenience.]

The current thermal mapping of Control Moment Gyroscope #1 (CMG-1) in LVLH -YVV attitude was extended by MCC-H to 5/11 for additional data gathering, this time with the spin bearing heater inhibited. [Approximately every 12 hours, CMG-1’s outer gimbal is commanded via time tag (prestored command) to a new position, eight in all. The purpose is to characterize CMG-1 thermal environment without presence of internal heat sources such as the spin motor, bearing drag, etc. such that only the natural environment with solar heating and the Earth’s “back” radiation (albedo) affects the CMG. The thermal mapping may assist in root cause failure analysis of CMG-1 and provide a baseline for evaluating other CMG anomalies.]

Today’s CEO (crew earth observations) photo targets, in the current LVLH attitude no longer limited by flight rule constraints on the use of the Lab nadir/science window, were Patagonian Glaciers (lighting conditions are slowly improving over this target area, but winter is closing in. The next major storm system is forming to the west and there should be enough breaks in the clouds for a few good nadir views of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. The crew was to try capturing details of the glacier features, concentrating on the southern and western flanks where clouds permitted), Internal waves, Patagonian Shelf (this pass was not cloud free, but good glint opportunities in the near coastal waters were expected from the Valdes Peninsula to the entrance of the Rio de la Plata. Looking left of track), and High Central Andean Glaciers (in the tropical section of the Andes, the ice fields and glaciers are quite small compared to those in Patagonia. Because of their size and location, they are very sensitive indicators of climate change. Their small size and the frequency of afternoon cloud formations make these very challenging targets. On this pass, as ISS approached Lake Titicaca from the SW, the crew was to look for either the white patches of the Cordillera Real to the E or the Nudo de Apolobamba to the N).

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 11 crew visit:

• http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-11/ndxpage1.html at NASA’s Human Spaceflight website.

Expedition 11 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.

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 7:38am EDT [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 353.8 km
• Apogee height — 359.2 km
• Perigee height — 348.3 km
• Period — 91.61 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0008081
• Solar Beta Angle — 63.5 deg (magnitude decreasing)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.72
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 60 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 36912

Some Increment 11 Main Events (not final):

• ISS Reboost — 5/11 (to adjust phasing for 18P, 19P, and LF-1);
• Progress M-52 (17P) undock — 6/16;
• Progress M-53 (18P) launch — 6/17 (dock 6/19);
• LF-1/STS-114 launch — NET 7/13 (dock 7/15, undock 7/23), tentative;
• Soyuz TMA-6 (10S) relocate (from DC-1 to FGB) — 8/16;
• Progress M-53 (18P) undock — 8/23;
• Progress M-54 (19P) launch — 8/24 (dock 8/26);
• ULF1.1/STS-121 launch — NET 9/9 (dock 9/11, undock 9/19), tentative;
• Soyuz TMA-7 (11S) launch — 9/27 (dock 9/29);
• Soyuz TMA-6 (10S) return — 10/7.

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.