NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 21 June 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. Summer Solstice – the longest day.
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The crew entered PMA-3 (Pressurized Mating Adapter 3), which was pressurized and leak-checked yesterday. Spending several hours in the adapter, they removed the center disk cover of the CBM (Common Berthing Mechanism), uninstalled two of the four CPAs (Control Panel Assemblies), viz., #1 (overhead) & #4 (forward), worked on replacement of the PPRV (Positive Pressure Relief Valve) with the spare MPEV (Manual Pressure Equalization Valve) in the hatch cover, and prepacked equipment. The CPAs were then re-installed, as was the center disk cover. Before hatch closure, the crew also inspected the hatch seals. All was nominal. Depressurization of the PMA is scheduled for tomorrow. [Objective of PMA-3 stowage of selected cargo items that are approved for its extreme environment is to alleviate part of the overall stowage situation on board. A “stowage fit check” on the ground at MCC-H had preceded the activities, using the basic dimensions of each item to be stowed in PMA-3. The crew was to track all moves with the BCR (Bar Code Reader), an uplinked IMS (Inventory Management System) plan, or call them down for recording on the ground.]
In the 18P cargo ship, CDR Krikalev installed the LKT local temperature sensor commutator (TA251MB) of the BITS2-12 onboard telemetry system, along with its ROM unit (read-only memory, TA765B). The LKT was subsequently switched on by the ground to complete the basic configuration. [The BITS2-12, VD-SU control mode, and SKV-1 air conditioner were also temporarily powered off for the installation.]
With the Elektron O2 generator still off, Sergei worked on the Russian BMP harmful impurities removal system, starting the “bake-out” cycle to vacuum on absorbent bed #2 of the regenerable dual-channel filtration system. Before sleep time today, the bake-out will be terminated. [Regeneration of each of the two cartridges takes about 12 hours and is conducted only during crew awake periods. The BMP currently still uses the same vacuum vent valve for regeneration as the Elektron (the latter for venting hydrogen).]
Working off the discretionary “job jar” task list, the CDR completed the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh environment control & life support system and the weekly routine checkup of the IP-1 airflow sensors in the various RS hatchways and FGB-to-Node tunnel. He also prepared the regular IMS “delta” file for export/import to the IMS databases.
Both crewmembers worked out in their regular 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on the TVIS treadmill, RED resistive machine and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer. [Sergei’s daily protocol prescribes a strict four-day microcycle exercise with 1.5 hr on the treadmill and one hour on VELO plus load trainer (today: Day 1 of a new set).]
Afterwards, the FE transferred the exercise data files to the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) for downlink, as well as the daily wristband HRM (heart rate monitor) data of the workouts on RED, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).
At 4:17pm EDT, ISS attitude control will be handed over to the Russian MCS (motion control system) to allow the standard dynamic testing of Russian thruster systems, after yesterday’s installation of the US-21 matching unit. Control authority will be returned to the U.S. segment (USOS) at 6:55pm. [TsUP will conduct four different test firings of the Progress DPO (approach & attitude control) thrusters for yaw and pitch control and the Service Module (SM) MNFD thrusters for roll control, each of 1 second duration: two burns (5:10pm & 5:14pm) using Progress DPO manifold #1 and SM manifolds #1, followed by #2, the other two (6:46pm & 6:49pm) on Progress DPO manifold #2, again with SM manifolds #1, then #2.]
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 Konza Prairie, Kansas (ISS passed directly over this pristine prairie. Crew was asked to shoot overlapping nadir views for ~30 sec. Images contrasting Konza with the surrounding modified landscapes are the object of interest), Central-Arizona Phoenix (this pass allowed both the LTER [Long Term Environmental Research, see 5/14 Status report] and city sites to be imaged. Overlapping images requested along track for ~75 sec), and High Central Andean Glaciers (numerous snow-capped volcanoes of the Andes include many small glaciers. Shooting any peaks visible near nadir. Tropical glaciers are particularly important in understanding global climate change).
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:
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.
Some Increment 11 Main Events (not final):
- PMA-3 depress — 6/22 (4:40am EDT);
- Reboost — 6/29 (4:21pm, delta-V 2.3 m/s);
- LF-1/STS-114 launch — NET 7/13 (18-day window opens);
- LF-1/STS-114 dock — NET 7/15 (adding 110,713 kg to ISS mass);
- Soyuz TMA-6 (10S) relocate (from DC-1 to FGB) — ~8/17;
- Progress M-54 (19P) launch — 8/24 (dock 8/26);
- ULF1.1/STS-121 launch — NET 9/9 (launch window opens);
- 12A/STS-115 launch — NET 2/16/06;
- 12A.1/STS-116 launch — NET 4/23/06;
- 13A/STS-117 launch — NET 7/13/06.
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ISS Location NOW |
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 3:26am EDT [= epoch]):
- Mean altitude — 350.2 km
- Apogee height — 352.8 km
- Perigee height — 347.5 km
- Period — 91.54 min.
- Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
- Eccentricity — 0.0003903
- Solar Beta Angle — 37.4 deg (magnitude increasing)
- Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.73
- Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 70
- Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 37633
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.
