NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 5 May 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 wakeup and before breakfast and first exercise, CDR Pavel Vinogradov and FE/SO Jeff Williams completed their first session with the Russian crew health-monitoring program’s medical assessment MO-9/Biochemical Urinalysis. Afterwards, both crewmembers performed the PHS (Periodic Health Status) Clinical Evaluation protocol on each other, before the FE logged the data and stowed the hardware. [MO-9 is conducted regularly every 30 days (and also before and after EVAs) and is one of five nominal Russian medical tests adopted by NASA for US crewmembers for IMG PHS (Integrated Medical Group/Periodic Health Status) evaluation as part of the “PHS/Without Blood Labs” exam. The Clinical Evaluation is the second part of the PHS assessment. The analysis uses the sophisticated in-vitro diagnostic apparatus Urolux developed originally for the Mir program. Afterwards, the data are entered in the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer)’s special IFEP software (In-Flight Examination Program).]

Vinogradov continued the current round of monthly preventive maintenance of Russian segment (RS) air ventilation systems (SOTR) by finishing the cleaning of Group B & C ventilation fans in the SM, including a checkout of the ventilators and a thorough cleaning of fan screens and flexible air ducts.

Working on the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) in the Lab, Science Officer Williams removed the PFMI-14 SAA (Sample Ampoule Assembly) specimen of the PFMI (Pore Formation & Migration Investigation) experiment from the thermal chamber and the last g-LIMIT (Glovebox Integrated Microgravity Isolation Technology) Bypass 8mm video tape, before deactivating the MSG facility. [PFMI, using Succinonitrile crystals with added water, throws light on the serious problem of defect generation during solidification of liquid materials, which on Earth shows itself in particle segregation driven by gravity (“freckle” effect) and in microgravity in pore or bubble formation of trapped gas due to lack of buoyancy, by helping to improve our understanding of such detrimental phenomena occurring during controlled directional solidification processing. Of 21 experiments initiated on board to date, 17 were successfully completed; the others were interrupted by various causes. The current plan for May is to re-process three samples to investigate other solidification phenomena.]

Pavel Vinogradov serviced the Russian SKV-1 air conditioner by removing and replacing the VTK1 fan of its heat exchanger condenser. The old unit was stowed for disposal.

Working on the Service Module (SM) power system, the CDR also replaced a fuse insert (VP1-1) in the BSKU 5-112 (Common Power Distribution & Switching Unit, blok silovoj kommutatsii). Ground specialist support by tagup was available.

The FE performed the regular weekly maintenance reboot on the operational PCS (Portable Computer System) laptops and the bi-monthly restart of the OCA comm router SSC (Station Support Computer) laptop.

Williams resupplied the onboard CSA-CP (Compound Specific Analyzer-Combustion Products) units, transferring new items from the resupply kit delivered by 21P to onboard stowage, then replacing the battery packs in the sampling pump and two new CSA-CPs (#1043, #1045), followed by checking and zero-calibrating them for immediate use. The old units (#1012, #1017) and used batteries were stowed for return to Earth. [21P delivered 16 new lithium battery packs, one new “zero” filter. And two spare sampling pump filters.]

Moving to the MEC, Jeff filled out the regular weekly FFQ (food frequency questionnaire), his third, which keeps a log of his nutritional intake over time on special MEC software. [The FE is using his 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/Moscow (Institute of Biomedical Problems, Russian: IMBP – Institute of Medico-Biological 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.]

FE Williams 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).

The CDR completed the routine daily maintenance of the SOZh environment control & life support system in the SM, which today included the regular weekly inspection of the air/liquid condensate separation and pumping unit (BRPK). [The BRPK is part of the condensate water processor (SRVK) that processes the condensate coming from the currently active air conditioner (SKV) for the Elektron.]

Vinogradov also performed the periodic (about twice a month) replenishing of the Elektron’s water supply for electrolysis, his second, filling the KOV thermal loops’ EDV container with water from an EDV containing water from the BKO multifiltration/purification column unit. [The 40-minute procedure is specially designed to prevent air bubbles larger than ~10 mm from getting into the BZh-8 Liquid Unit where they could cause Elektron shutdown. In the procedure, the BKO water is carefully transferred with a pump (BP), located behind SM panel 420, from the EDV-1 through the air/liquid separator unit (GZhS) into the empty EDV-2 while the crewmember checks for any air bubbles accumulating in the GZhS (and, if visible, estimates their number, with no more than two 1 cm diameter bubbles permitted in EDV-2). Elektron water is also supplied from U.S. condensate in a CWC (collapsible water container) that is checked for its contents of air bubbles and is rejected if the estimated total air bubble volume is more than 30 cubic centimeters (1 cm air bubble is about 0.5 ccm).]

To support future resupply planning, Jeff Williams had an hour to inventory and consolidate onboard crew provisions. [Recorded were batteries (weekly use of size AAs), rubber gloves (number per week), wet wipes (packs per week), printer supplies (black ink, color ink, reams of paper per week), clothing (slipper socks, Polartec socks, headbands, handkerchiefs), and housekeeping (disinfectant wipes, vacuum cleaner accessories).]

Jeff conducted the daily atmospheric status check for ppO2 (Partial Pressure Oxygen) and ppCO2 (pp Carbon Dioxide), using the CSA-CP (Compound Specific Analyzer-Combustion Products), CSA-O2 (CSA-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 CEVIS cycle ergometer (FE), TVIS treadmill (CDR), RED resistive exerciser (FE) and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer (CDR). [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, recorded in terms of number, alternation and duration of walking and running sessions (today: Day 2 of the first set).]

Afterwards, Jeff 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 CEVIS and RED, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).

At ~8:25am EDT, the crew conducted the weekly IMS tagup with specialists at TsUP/Moscow, discussing open issues concerning identification of equipment and stowage locations for the IMS databases via S-band. [Topics of discussion included transfers from Progress M-56/21P (Statokonia and ALC hardware transfers were cancelled for the time being), stowage of A31p upgrade software disks, requirements for downlinking IMS bulk data on a regular basis, and preferred crew method for keeping track of transfers.]

At ~8:40am, the crew held the regular (nominally weekly) tagup with the Shift Flight Director (SRP) at TsUP via S-band/audio, phone-patched from Houston and Moscow. [Earlier than usual in view of the upcoming Russian weekend and holiday.]

The regular tagup with the Lead Flight Director at MCC-Houston will be conducted separately at 3:00pm, preceded by the standard weekly teleconference with the JSC Astronaut Office (Kent Rominger), via S-band S/G (space-to-ground), at ~2:40pm.

The CDR still had the roll-over task to search for “missing” Russian equipment items on his discretionary “time available” task list (which now includes locating a DVD disk required for an upcoming task on the A31p laptop RS1).

A new task added to Pavel’s voluntary “job jar” was a checkout of the hard disks of the Russian RSK1 and RSE1 laptops using a specific monitoring application for producing commensurate log files for downlink to TsUP.

A second new addition to the task list for Pavel was photography of a section of the Progress M-55/20P air duct to help evaluate the performance of intermodular ventilation through the DC1 Docking Module.

At ~4:55am EDT, the crew downlinked a number of PAO/TV greetings to upcoming special events in Russia. [The messages addressed (1) the participants of the International Soccer Tournament in Moscow dedicated to Victory Day (May 9), for its closing day on 6/4; (2) the ceremonial opening of an Exhibition dedicated to the 45th Anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s flight in the city of Chelyabinsk; and (3) the participants of the 5th Russian Youth Delphian Games “It is best together” in Krasnoyarsk on May 19-24.]

Update on ISS reboost: Actual results of yesterday’s station reboost by 21P DPO thrusters were as follows: Delta-V – 1.59 m/s (predicted: 1.6 m/s); delta-altitude – 2.8 km (predicted: 2.8 km); mean altitude achieved – 344.6 km (predicted: 344.5 km).

Both Progress cargo ships are currently exhibiting problems with their US-21 matching units (the electronic interface between SM and Progress for SM computer control of Progress propulsion). [While investigation of the resulting inability of configuring Progress thrusters is underway by a special commission, SM is prime for both attitude control and CMG desaturation (i.e., impact remains minimal as long as ISS attitude is under CMG TA control). DAMs (debris avoidance maneuvers) and ISS reboosts can still be performed by Progress – by commanding directly via uplink from RGS (Russian Ground Sites), bypassing the US-21s, although DAM preparation timeline would be affected.]

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 Irrawaddy River Delta, Burma (looking right of track towards the delta for any signs of residual flooding from Cyclone Mala; also documenting delta morphology), Lake Nasser, Toshka Lakes, Egypt (water levels in the Toshka lakes have been fluctuating lately. A context view of the lakes will help to document this event as well as possibly point to a cause), Glacial features – South Libya (investigators are looking for subtle relict glacial features. Mapping pass across the target area), Glacial features, North Libya (investigators are looking for subtle relict glacial features. Mapping pass across the target area), and Internal waves, E & W Florida coasts (looking left of track [off the western Florida coast] for sunglint enhancement of internal wave features on the sea surface).

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.

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.

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.

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 6:37am EDT [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 344.5 km
• Apogee height — 351.1 km
• Perigee height — 337.9 km
• Period — 91.43 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0009789
• Solar Beta Angle — 15.1 deg (magnitude decreasing)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.75
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 50 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 42642

Significant Events Ahead (all dates subject to change):

• 05/20/06 — Progress M-56/21P loading complete; hatches closed
• 06/01/06 — Russian EVA-16
• 06/08/06 — ISS reboost
• 06/19?/06 — Progress M-55/20P undocking (DC1) & reentry
• 06/24/06 — Progress M-57/22P launch
• 06/26/06 — Progress M-57/22P docking (DC1)
• 07/01/06 — NET STS-121/ULF1.1 launch
• 07/03-11/06 — NET STS-121/ULF1.1 docked mission w/ISS
• 07/??/06 — US EVA-5
• 08/28/07 — NET STS-115/12A launch
• 08/30-09/06 — NET STS-115/12A docked mission w/ISS
• 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
• 09/??/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/??/06 — Russian EVA-17
• 12/14/06 — NET STS-116/12A.1 launch
• 12/16-23/06 — NET STS-116/12A.1 docked mission w/ISS
• 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)
• 01/22/07 — US EVA-6
• 01/26/07 — US EVA-7
• 01/31/07 — US EVA-8
• 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)
• 02/22/07 — NET STS-117/13A launch
• 02/24-03/03/07 — NET STS-117/13A docked mission w/ISS
• 03/08/07 — 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)
• 06/11/07 — 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.