Status Report

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 19 June 2006

By SpaceRef Editor

June 27, 2006

Filed under ISS, ISS On-orbit status, NASA HQ/SpaceRef/NASA Watch, US

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 19 June 2006 — http://images.spaceref.com/news/exp.13.jpg

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. Underway: Week 11 of Increment 13.

Progress M-55/20P undocked this morning on schedule (10:04am EDT) and performed nominal separation and deorbit burns for subsequent reentry over the Pacific Ocean. This freed the DC1 Docking Compartment port for 22P (docking on 6/26; ~12:27pm). [After its undocking by spring force at ~0.12 m/s and subsequent separation burns (two required this time because of near-nadir undock attitude), 20P passed ~2300m below the ISS at 10:28am (overtaking it), performed its deorbit burn (delta-V: 85.1 m/s) at 1:06-1:08pm, and reentered the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean at ~1:41pm. Splashdown of surviving pieces was at about 1:53pm. For the undocking, ISS attitude control was handed over to Russian MCS (Motion Control System) at ~8:15am and returned to U.S. momentum management at ~10:35am, still in earth-fixed LVLH (local vertical/local horizontal). During the undocking, the station was in free drift for ~9 min. Structural response data were taken by MAMS (Microgravity Acceleration Measuring System) and the external truss-mounted SDMS (Structural Dynamic Measurement System). The undocking was preceded at ~4:10am by a temporary shutdown of the amateur radio equipment in the FGB (Ericsson) and SM (Kenwood) to prevent radiofrequency interference with the departing Progress vehicle.]

CDR Pavel Vinogradov and FE/SO Jeffrey Williams performed their periodic (monthly) Russian biomedical assessments PZEh-MO-7 (calf volume measurement) and PZEh-MO-8 (body mass measurement). [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. , using later disassembling it for stowage. For determining body mass in zero-G, where things are weightless but not massless, the specially designed Russian mass measurement “scales” (IM), measures 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 IM was later dismantled again.]

Both crewmembers completed the clinical examination of the U.S. PHS (Periodic Health Status) Without Blood Labs protocol, assisting each other as CMO (Crew Medical Officer) as required. [The procedure is guided by special IFEP (In-Flight Examination Program) software on the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer), which also records the resulting data.]

In addition, Vinogradov broke out and set up the equipment for tomorrow’s planned Russian “Urolux” biochemical urine test (PZE MO-9) which complements today’s PHS exam. [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/PHS) evaluation as part of the “PHS/Without Blood Labs” exam. The analysis uses the sophisticated in-vitro diagnostic apparatus Urolux developed originally for the Mir program. The data are also logged by MEC/IFEP.]

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Soyuz | Progress
ISS News | ATV

In preparation for Progress 357/22P docking next week (6/26), the crew completed the standard three-hour training course with the TORU teleoperator system, which provides a manual backup mode to the Progress’ KURS automated rendezvous radar system. Afterwards, Pavel and Jeff tagged up with TORU specialists at TsUP/Moscow via S-band audio. [The drill included procedure review, rendezvous, docking data and rendezvous math modeling data review, fly-around, final approach, docking and off-nominal situations (e.g., video or comm loss). Two modes were simulated on the RSK1 laptop: 22P from stationkeeping range (30 m) in sunlight (insolation), and 22P in final approach in darkness (eclipse). The TORU teleoperator control system lets an SM-based crewmember perform the approach and docking of automated Progress vehicles in case of KURS failure. Receiving a video image of the approaching ISS, as seen from a Progress-mounted docking television camera (“Klest”), on a color monitor (“Simvol-Ts”, i.e. “symbol center”) which also displays an overlay of rendezvous data from the onboard digital computer, Vinogradov would steer the Progress to mechanical contact by means of two hand controllers, one for rotation (RUO), the other for translation (RUD), on adjustable armrests. The controller-generated commands are transmitted from the SM’s TORU control panel to the Progress via VHF radio. In addition to the Simvol-Ts color monitor, range, range rate (approach velocity) and relative angular position data are displayed on the “Klest-M” video monitor (VKU) which starts picking up signals from Progress when it is still approximately 7 km away. TORU is monitored in real time from TsUP over Russian ground sites (RGS) and via Ku-band from Houston, but its control can not be taken over from the ground. On 6/26, Progress KURS will be activated at 10:59am EDT on Daily Orbit 1 (DO1), SM KURS two minutes later. Progress headlight will be switched on at a range of ~8 km. Flyaround to the DC1 (~400 m range, in sunlight) starts at 12:10pm. Start of final approach: 12:21pm. Estimated time of contact at DC1: 12:30pm. Local sunset: ~12:44pm.]

CDR Vinogradov worked in the SM, removing a component (Exchange Module FL001) of the Russian TV system from behind panel 127 and pre-packing it for return to Earth on ULF1.1.

Pavel also prepared the twelfth batch of raw data (broadcast sync commands & message files) from the ongoing testing of the ASN-M satellite navigation system by TsUP, for subsequent downlink via U.S. OCA assets. [ASN-M will be required for the arrival of the European ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) “Jules Verne” next year. During the extensive checkout from ESA (European Space Agency)/Oberpfaffenhofen, special software on Laptop 3 (running the “Solaris” Operating System) is being used for onboard storage of test data and logs. MCC-H has created a special subfolder for ASN data on the OCA file server to facilitate subsequent downlinking of the ASN-M output data, which is performed every other day throughout the 28-day test period for comparison with the uplinked data. The objective of this test is to verify compliance of the ASN-M data with approved requirements and to update ESA’s ASN-M model.]

FE Williams completed the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh environment control & life support system, including its ASU toilet system, while the CDR, working off his discretionary “time permitting” task list, updated/edited the standard IMS “delta file”, including locations, for the regular weekly automated export/import to its three databases on the ground (Houston, Moscow, Baikonur).

Also off his voluntary task list, the CDR was to look for some missing pieces of a complement of 26 CO2 filter units and six KL-152 TV cameras listed for return to Earth on ULF1.1.

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 treadmill (FE, 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 (today: Day 1 of the latest microcycle).]

Afterwards, Williams performed the standard weekly maintenance on the TVIS treadmill, primarily checking the condition of the SPDs (Subject Positioning Devices) and recording time & date values.

Later, 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 RED, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).

The CDRA (Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly) in the U.S. Lab was deactivated this morning, at a CO2 level of 1.29 mmHg. [For reference, Flight Rule action points are: 5.3 mmHg (5-day average), 6.0 mmHg (1-day average), 7.6 mmHg (immediate action required).]

The Elektron O2 generator is operating nominally in 19-Ampère mode. Cabin oxygen concentration is 23.4%.

No CEO (crew earth observations) photo targets uplinked for today.

Note: During the next week or two, ISS daylight “awake” passes will be located primarily in the Southern Hemisphere where lighting is approaching its seasonal minimum (Solstice is next week, 6/21) and winter weather will further reduce the crew’s viewing opportunities. Station tracks for now are also paralleling the terminator and sun angles will remain low. There will probably be a number of days where no suitable CEO target will be available for daily uplink.

To date, more than 198,000 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:

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, 7:26am EDT [= epoch]):