NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 18 January 2006

SpaceRef note: This NASA Headquarters internal status report, as presented here, contains additional, original material produced by SpaceRef.com (copyright © 2006) to enhance access to related status reports and NASA activities.

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

With the Elektron deactivated, the Flight Engineer serviced the Russian BMP Harmful Impurities Removal System, starting the “bake-out” cycle to vacuum on absorbent bed #1 of the regenerable dual-channel filtration system. Before sleep time today, the bake-out will be terminated. Regeneration of bed #2 follows tomorrow.  [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). Replacement of the Elektron s external vent valve has been deferred to a later Russian EVA. An atmospheric repressurization from Progress 19 oxygen reserves is planned for tomorrow (1/19), followed by Elektron reactivation on Friday (1/20). ppO2 (oxygen partial pressure) levels remain within Flight Rule limits: today s MCA (Major Constituents Analyzer) readings were 170.3 mmHg (22.9% O2).]

The crew had three hours to conduct the Soyuz descent training exercise, standard procedure for each crew returning on a Soyuz. The exercise, which strictly forbids any command activation (except for switching the InPU display), was supported by a tagup and discussions with a ground instructor at TsUP/Moscow via S-band.  [The training session included a review of the pertinent ODF (operational data files), specifically the books on Soyuz Insertion & Descent Procedures, Emergency Descents, and Off-Nominal Situation Procedures, and it featured special emphasis on nominal operations with the Neptune-ME cockpit console.]

After the descent training, FE Tokarev deactivated the gas analyzer (GA) in the Soyuz capsule via its InPU Integrated Control Panel.

As early on-board preparations for the Russian Orlan EVA-15 are getting underway, the FE today had an hour to set up the Russian Glisser-M video system that is to be used to cover external payload operations during the spacewalk, and to conduct a recording test, supported by ground specialist tagup.

Also for EVA-15, Valery terminated the charging cycle on the first (of three) 825í3 batteries for the Orlan-M spacesuits and started the process on the second battery pack in the ZU-S battery charger, with the POTOK air purification system running.

After locating the missing hardware for the PromISS (Protein Crystal Growth Monitoring by Digital Holographic Microscope) experiment, the Science Officer used the time originally scheduled for another FOOT experiment (Foot/Ground Reaction Forces during Space Flight) to prepare for PromISS activities.  [McArthur connected the MLC (MSG Laptop Computer) to the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) to start battery charging, activated the MSG rack, finished the initial hardware setup, retrieved the PromISS-4 return container #2 from the Russian KUBIK-AMBER incubator, installed he return container in the MSG work volume to begin sample conditioning, and finally performed initial software operations.]

The FE used the Russian MO-21 Ecosfera air sampler & incubation equipment for another check on the station s sanitary-hygiene status by conducting the standard 40-min. microbial analysis (T+7 days) on the air samples collected on 1/11 and incubated since then in the MO-21 equipment.  [MO-21 determines microbial contamination of the ISS atmosphere, specifically the total bacterial and fungal microflora counts and microflora composition according to morphologic criteria of microorganism colonies.]

McArthur performed GSC (Grab Sample Container) air sampling in the cabin.

The ground-commanded BCAT-3 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test) activity is continuing, taking time-lapse flash photography of BCAT sample 6 at the MWA (Maintenance Work Area) via EarthKAM camera and SSC-7 laptop. Later in the day, Bill McArthur conducted a check of the alignment and focus of the camera on the sample and position of flash. The imaging is to continue until 1/26.

Both crewmembers completed their regular 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on the TVIS treadmill, RED resistive exerciser and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer.  [Valery s daily protocol prescribes a strict four-day microcycle exercise with 1.5 hr on the treadmill in unmotorized mode and one hour on VELO plus load trainer (today: Day 1 of the first set).]

Afterwards, Bill 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).

The CDR also performed the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s environment control & life support system (SOZh) and later updated/edited the standard IMS (Inventory Management System) delta file , including locations, for the regular weekly automated export/import to its three databases on the ground (Houston, Moscow, Baikonur).

Valery checked the operation of the Japanese experiment GCF-JAXA (Granada Crystallization Facility) in the Russian TBU incubator, maintained at 20 degC, including a temperature check on its ART (automatic temperature recorder).  [This daily monitoring/temp checking, carried on the Russian voluntary “time available” task list, will continue until 4/30.]

Also working off his discretionary task list, Tokarev conducted the regular daily status check of the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 (“Plants-2”) experiment, including filling its water canister for the Lada-8 greenhouse.

Activities to commission the recently rebuilt VOA (Volatile Organics Analyzer) continued today with a calibration run, followed by two sample runs.  [Each run takes approximately 3.5 hours before producing results.]

A transition of the U.S. ITCS (Internal Thermal Control System) from single MTL (Moderate Temperature Loop) to single LTL (Low Temperature Loop) was executed today by the ground.  [Reasons for the switch include: Single Loop mode (either Single LT or Single MT) is preferred to minimize the run time on ITCS pumps, and the LTL pump is preferred over the MTL pump since it already has a longer run time and there is a desire to save the MTL pump run time as much as practical. Also: it is theorized that the coolant temperature at the PPA may have been a contributing factor in the MTL PPA (Pump Package Assembly) failure in March 2003 due to there being more particulate in the ITCS coolant at the MTL temperature versus the LTL temperature and this additional particulate may have contributed to the suspected bearing failure of the failed PPA. Thirdly: the very slow ITCS leak, which has been isolated to a specific Lab location, was first observed in Single LT. There is a desire to return to Single LT to verify that the leak is not present while in that configuration.]

Today’s CEO (Crew Earth Observation)photo targets, in the current LVLH attitude no longer limited by flight rule constraints on the use of the Lab nadir/science window, were Salamat Basin fans, Chad (this pass brought the ISS over the SE portion of the Salamat Basin. Overlapping mapping swaths along track are desired to map individual fan boundaries within the basin. Look for wetlands and contorted drainage patterns as indicators of fan boundaries), Hyderabad, India (night practice target. This nadir pass carried the station over the center of the Hyderabad metropolitan region. Clear weather over central India provided excellent visibility for the city lights), and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (night practice target. The lights of this major east African city should contrast strongly with the surrounding rural areas).

Over 177,000 of CEO (Crew Earth Observation) images have been taken in the first five years of the ISS.

  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 12 crew visit:

• http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-12/ndxpage1.html at NASA’s Human Spaceflight website.

Expedition 12 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, 6:52am EST [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 347.2 km
• Apogee height — 354.2 km
• Perigee height — 340.2 km
• Period — 91.48 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0010395
• Solar Beta Angle — -59.2 deg (magnitude increasing)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.74
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 70 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 40957

Events Ahead (all dates Eastern; tentative):

• 02/02/06 — Russian EVA-15
• 03/03/06 — Progress M-54/19P undocking & reentry
• 03/22/06 — Soyuz TMA-8/12S launch (Exp. 13 + Marcus Pontes/Brazil)
• 03/24/06 — Soyuz TMA-8/12S docking (DC1)
• 04/01/06 — Soyuz TMA-7/11S undocking & return (Exp. 12 + Marcus Pontes)
• 04/06/06 — Soyuz TMA-8/12S relocation (DC1 to FGB nadir port)
• 04/09/06 — Progress M-55/20P undocking & reentry
• 04/10/06 — Progress M-56/21P launch
• 04/12/06 — Progress M-56/21P docking
• 06/28/06 — Progress M-57/22P launch
• 06/30/06 — Progress M-57/22P docking
• 09/12/06 — Progress M-56/21P undocking & reentry
• 09/13/06 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S launch
• 09/15/06 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S docking
• 09/23/06 — Soyuz TMA-8/12S undocking & reentry
• 09/28/06 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S relocation (DC1 to FGB nadir port)
• 10/18/06 — Progress M-58/23P launch
• 10/20/06 — Progress M-58/23P docking
• 12/19/06 — Progress M-57/22P undocking & reentry
• 12/20/06 — Progress M-59/24P launch
• 12/22/06 — Progress M-59/24P docking.

 
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.