NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 18 April 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.

After the 4/12 deferral of the periodic biomedical assessments PZEh-MO-7 (calf volume measurement) and PZEh-MO-8 (body mass measurement) because of the crew s PAO work load on that day (Cosmonautics Day), CDR Vinogradov and FE/SO Williams performed their first session of these medical tests before breakfast and first exercise, using the IM mass measurement device, later breaking it down for stowage.  [Calf measurements (left leg only) are taken with the IZOG device, a custom-sewn fabric cuff that fits over the calf, using the knee and lower foot as fixed reference points, to provide a rough index of deconditioning in zero-G and effectiveness of countermeasures. For determining body mass in zero-G, where things are weightless but not massless, the Russian IM “scales” measure the inertial forces that arise during the oscillatory motion of a mass driven by two helical metering springs with known spring constants. By measuring the time period of each oscillation of the unknown mass (the crewmember) and comparing it to the period of a known mass, the crewmember s mass is calculated by the computer and displayed.]

The Science Officer performed the Contact Line 2 part of the CFE (Capillary Flow Experiment) investigation,- the fourth run of the CFE aboard the ISS.  [CFE makes use of the micro-G environment of the ISS to investigate the special dynamics of capillary flow, i.e., the interaction of liquid with solid that can draw a fluid up a narrow tube and can be exploited to control fluid orientation so that fluid systems on spacecraft perform predictably. Contact Line 1 was performed on Increments 9 (Mike Fincke) and 10 (Leroy Chiao), with the crewmember perturbing the fluid (colored silicon oil) in a test chamber in the Lab MWA (Maintenance Work Area) in a variety of ways to record on video the responses and damping times of the liquid.]

The CDR meanwhile worked on the Russian BTKh-12 “Bioekologiya” kit in the forward area of the Service Module (SM), downloading logged data from the automated temperature logger (ART) to the payload laptop for subsequent downlink via BSR-TM or OCA comm, and afterwards replaced the ART batteries.

Vinogradov configured the second-string time synchronization unit (BSV-M2) of the Russian BSMM payload computer (multiplexer/demultiplexer) for firmware upgrading and then performed the software uploading from a PCMCIA memory card in the TP2 laptop. The activity was supported by ground specialist tagup.

Pavel also checked out the Russian medical computer, an A31p laptop, connecting it to its 28 VDC power supply and 28-to-16VDC adapter, then powering it up and checking its functionality by inspecting its desktop displays.

Part of CDR Vinogradov s schedule today was taken up by searches for missing hardware.  [The lost items were (1) an IK0501 gas analyzer converter (for measuring H2O partial pressure), (2) a power supply unit for the SKV2 air conditioner delivered (but not used) on Increment 3, (3) a short air duct section (used for Soyuz docking during Expedition 1, and (4) two (of four) hatch accessory tool kits that the crew was unable to find during the recent Airlock Campout SDTO (Station Development Test Objective).]

FE Williams performed the routine daily maintenance of the SOZh environment control & life support system in the SM, including ASU toilet facilities, and also 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). 

Afterwards Jeff conducted the daily atmospheric status check for ppO2 (Partial Pressure Oxygen) and ppCO2 (pp Carbon Dioxide), using the CSA-O2 (Compound Specific Analyzer-Oxygen Sensor) and CDMK (CO2 Monitoring Kit).

Both crewmembers worked out in their regular 2.5-hr. physical exercise program (about half of which is used for setup & post-exercise personal hygiene) on the TVIS (FE, CDR), RED (CDR) and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer (FE).  [Pavel Vinogradov 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, Williams transferred the exercise data files to the MEC 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 ~11:25am EDT, the crew engaged in an interactive televised PAO event with Wisconsin Public Radio (Mike Simonson) in Superior, Wisconsin. The interview was taped by the station for later broadcast and also for NASA TV. In the second part of the communications window, the crew downlinked a message of congratulations to ESA on the occasion of the successful conclusion of work on the Columbus module in Bremen/Germany, to be aired later at the Columbus pre-delivery event ( rollout ).

As all new station crews, CDR Vinogradov and FE Williams had one hour each set aside on today s schedule for ISS familiarization and adaptation, to help in adjusting to their new surroundings and activities.  [This unstructured and discretionary session has become a valuable standard requirement for new station occupants for the first two weeks.]

SSC-7 (Station Support Computer 7) and SSC-10 yesterday indicated loss of connectivity of its KFX (Ku-band File Transfer) software with other clients, and SSC-5 had some difficulty transferring EarthKAM files. After crew intervention, SSC-7 is now back in service and SSC-10 remains to be cycled. SSC-5 was rebooted by the crew, and the ground is now looking at the EarthKAM software.

EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students) activities are continuing. Over 5000 students are participating in determining targets for EK imaging.

ISS Reboost:  The station reboost using the SM main engines is scheduled for tomorrow (4/19) at 3:49pm EDT, for a burn time of 10s, an expected delta-V of 0.35 m/s and a mean altitude increase of 0.6 km.  [The reboost is really a test of the SM main engines (KD1 & KD2) which have never been fired with Zvezda linked to the ISS. Intended for orbit correction, they are located symmetrically besides the SM aft docking port in the center.]

Update on TEPC (Tissue Equivalent Proportional Counter):  Ground review of data dumped from the radiation monitor has shown that the TEPC anomaly reported yesterday was not a hardware problem but an error due to data corruption during software processing. The unit was returned to Acquire mode this morning and is performing nominally.

Update on RPCM (Remote Power Controller Module) LA1B_H:  The removal and replacement (R&R) of the failed RCPM in the Lab will be performed on 4/24 (Monday). Access to the RPCM will require moving the TeSS (Temporary Sleep Station) rack temporarily out of the way. A review session will precede the R&R on Friday (4/21).

Update on Progress M-56/21P:  Prelaunch processing activities at Baikonur continue. Today, the cargo ship was docked to the transfer compartment in the Spacecraft Assembly & Testing Facility (see picture, below).

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 Zambezi River Flooding, Africa (Dynamic Event. Seasonal rains have led to flooding of the Zambezi River, threatening several settlements with inundation. Looking to the right of track for widespread regions of standing water), and Mozambique, Africa (ISS had a descending nadir pass through the center of this currently undeveloped region. Planned oil exploration activities in the area are expected to significantly alter the existing landscape and ecosystems of the region. Capturing baseline imagery to assess future ecosystem impacts. A mapping swath of overlapping images along track was requested – this can be mosaiced together to provide seamless coverage of large portions of the site).

To date, more than 186,000 of CEO images have been taken in the first five years of the ISS, almost one third of the total number of images taken from orbit by astronauts. Increment 12 alone produced 12,962 pictures.

CEO photography can be viewed and studied at the websites:

• http://exploration.nasa.gov/programs/station/CEO.html
• 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 13 crew visit:

• http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-13/ndxpage1.html at NASA’s Human Spaceflight website.

Expedition 13 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.

Significant Events Ahead (all dates subject to change):

• 04/19/06 — SM main engines test/ISS reboost (3:49pm EDT; 0.35 m/s delta-V)
• 04/20/06 — Retest of SM yaw thruster (-RZ, manifold-2)
• 04/24/06 — Progress M-56/21P launch
• 04/26/06 — Progress M-56/21P docking (SM aft port)
• 05/20/06 — Progress M-56/21P loading complete; hatches closed
• 06/14-16/06 — Russian EVA-16
• 06/17/06 — Progress M-55/20P undocking (DC1) & reentry
• 06/18/06 — Progress M-57/22P launch
• 06/20/06 — Progress M-57/22P docking (DC1)
• 07/01/06 — NET STS-121/ULF1.1 launch
• 07/??/06 — US EVA-5
• 08/28/07 — NET STS-115/12A launch
• 09/13/06 — Progress M-56/21P undocking (SM aft port) & reentry
• 09/14/06 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S launch (Expedition 14 + VC11)
• 09/16/06 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S docking (SM aft port)
• 09/24/06 — Soyuz TMA-8/12S undocking (FGB nadir port) & reentry
• 10/08/06 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S relocation (SM aft port to FGB nadir port)
• 10/18/06 — Progress M-58/23P launch
• 10/20/06 — Progress M-58/23P docking (SM aft port)
• 11/16/06 — NET STS-116/12A.1 launch
• 12/19/06 — Progress M-57/22P undocking (DC1) & reentry
• 12/20/06 — Progress M-59/24P launch
• 12/22/06 — Progress M-59/24P docking (DC1)
• 02/06/07 — Progress M-59/24P undocking (DC1) & reentry
• 02/07/07 — Progress M-60/25P launch
• 02/09/07 — Progress M-60/25P docking (DC1)
• ??/??/07 — Progress M-58/23P undocking (SM aft port) & reentry
• 03/09/07 — Soyuz TMA-10/14S launch (Expedition 15 + VC12)
• 03/11/07 — Soyuz TMA-10/14S docking (SM aft port)
• 03/19/07 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S undocking (FGB nadir port)
• 03/22/07 — NET STS-117/13A launch
• ??/??/07 — Soyuz TMA-10/14S relocation (SM aft port to FGB nadir port)
• 06/14/07 — NET STS-118/13A.1.

(NET = no earlier than)

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.