NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 29 June 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.

CDR Pavel Vinogradov serviced the 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. After the recent successful IVA/EVA installation of a new H2 dump line for the Elektron, the BMP now uses its vacuum vent line/valve without having to share it with the electrolysis machine.]

As part of his regular monthly fitness evaluation, Vinogradov undertook another session of the Russian MO-5 MedOps protocol of cardiovascular evaluation during graded exercises on the VELO cycle ergometer, assisted by the FE as CMO (Crew Medical Officer). [The assessment, supported by ground specialist tagup (VHF) and telemetry monitoring (today on Daily Orbit 14), uses the Gamma-1 ECG equipment with biomed harness, skin electrodes and a blood pressure and rheoplethysmograph cuff wired to the cycle ergometer’s instrumentation panels. For the graded exercise, the subject works the pedals after a prescribed program at load settings of 125, 150, and 175 watts for three minutes each.]

The CDR worked on the Kurs-A rendezvous & approach radar assembly of the Progress motion control & navigation system (SUDN) previously removed from Progress M-55/20P, separating it from its mounting frames. These valuable components, which include the BTsVK onboard digital computer, will be returned to Earth on ULF1.1 for “recycling”. [KURS-A is the active half of the Russian space program’s proven S-band radar system for automated flight, which measures relative motion parameters between Progress (or Soyuz) and the ISS during rendezvous operations, to enable the autopilot’s calculation of corrective impulses. There are two sets of KURS-A electronics (for redundancy) housed in a common container in the Cargo Module. The passive counterpart (KURS-P) of the system is on the Service Module (SM), with one antenna each at the tip of the two solar array wings.]

Later, Vinogradov also prepared the KURS equipment originally removed from Progress M-54/19P for return to Earth by installing newly delivered protective caps on its connectors.

In the Soyuz 12S Descent Module (DM), the CDR dismantled a “Klest” (KL-152) TV camera and its light unit (one of two), stowing them for return to the ground on ULF1.1.

In the Lab, FE Williams set up and configured the FSS (Fluid Systems Servicer) for tomorrow’s scheduled operations plus a topping off of the ITCS (Internal Thermal Control System). [Using the FSS, the FE will remove fluid from the CCAA (Common Cabin Air Assembly) heat exchanger (HX) in preparation of its upcoming replacement IFM (in-flight maintenance) during the ULF1.1 docked period. With the FSS set up (which requires ~1.5-2 hours crewtime including teardown), the periodic top-off of the ITCS can also be performed. The water quantity in the ITCS accumulators has slowly decreased over time, requiring periodic topping off. The last one was performed in December 2004.]

Jeff had another three hours set aside for continuing to collect and prepack hardware slated for return on ULF1.1.

Pavel removed the separator unit from an air/liquid condensate separator apparatus (BRPK) for return to Earth on ULF1.1.

The CDR also changed out the PCMCIA (portable computer memory card international adapter) card in the ALC laptop of the newly activated ESA/RSC-Energia experiment ALTCRISS (Alteino Long Term monitoring of Cosmic Rays on the ISS) and dumped the spectrometer data for subsequent downlink via the OCA comm system. [ALTCRISS uses the ACT spectrometer employed by VC8 guest cosmonaut Roberto Vittori last year in the DC1 for the Italian LAZIO (Low Altitude Zone/Ionization Observatory) experiment. Spacers (to correct the spectrometer’s tilt) and new shielding tiles (LDM-ALC-101) were installed recently by the CDR]

Williams replaced the lithium batteries of the IWIS (Internal Wireless Instrumentation System), its NCU (Network Control Unit) and RSU (Remote Sensor Unit). [Expired lithium batteries, to be returned to the ground, require special handling for safety since they have a Tox Level 2 for liquid release and Tox Level 4 for a vapor release. Donning gloves, masks, and goggles for performing the procedure is by crew preference.]

Pavel performed the periodic (about twice a month) replenishing of the Elektron’s water supply for electrolysis, 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. technical water 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). CWCs can hold condensate, technical or potable water. Raw condensate is either processed through the SRV-K condensate water processor system into potable water or is used directly for flush water in the ASU toilet system. ]

The FE conducted the regular atmospheric status check for ppO2 (Partial Pressure Oxygen), using the CSA-O2 (Compound Specific Analyzer-Oxygen Sensor).

Vinogradov collected the weekly cabin air readings with the GANK-4M Real-Time Harmful Contaminant Gas Analyzer system of the SM SOGS (Pressure Control & Atmospheric Monitoring System). [GANK tests for Methane (CH4), Ammonia (NH3), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Formaldehyde (HCHO), Nitrogen Oxides (NO, NO2), Hydrogen Chloride (HCl), Hydrogen Fluoride (HF), and Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN).]

Pavel Vladimirovich also completed the routine daily maintenance of the SOZh environment control & life support system in the SM, including the ASU toilet facilities systems/replaceables.

Working off the “job jar” task list, the FE 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).

Williams conducted the periodic inventory/audit of the “pantry”, the station’s food supply system (Russian: SOP), determining the actual quantity of unopened food kits by verifying and updating the IMS (Inventory Management System) data records.

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). ULF1.1 will deliver a new CEVIS in MPLM “Leonardo” and return the old cycle. [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 3 of the first set).]

Afterwards, the FE transferred the exercise data files to the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) for downlink, as well as the daily wristband HRM data of the workouts on RED, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).

At ~10:25am EDT, Jeff and Pavel had their standard weekly teleconference with the JSC Astronaut Office (Kent Rominger), via S-band S/G (space-to-ground).

Overnight, starting at 1:00am EDT and running for seven hours, MCC-Houston and its Moscow support group (HSG) conducted another BCC (Backup Control Center) dry run in test mode, deferred from 6/13, with no involvement of the ISS crew or vehicle. Purpose of this periodic exercise is to demonstrate BCC functionality under Russian assets while providing proficiency training for HSG personnel at the HSR (Houston Support Room) and TsUP-Moscow specialists. [The ISS EMCC (Emergency Mission Control Center), located in Russia, comprises TsUP/Moscow as the Lead Control Center, coupled with HSR at TsUP. The BCC facility provides a command and control capability from TsUP if the EMCC must be activated. This is the case in situations that render MCC-Houston unable to provide telemetry, voice, and command capability for extended periods. EMCC is also used when the threat of severe weather results in evacuation of the MCC-H building for extended periods. In such an emergency, both Russian servers (CMD/command & TM/telemetry) are transitioned from MCC-H connectivity to BCC configuration, after which only the BCC can connect to the CMD and TM ports. An actual contingency requiring switchover to the BCC occurred on 10/2/2002 when Hurricane Lili forced MCC-H to shut down at 4:00am EDT, and more recently during the severe Hurricane Katrina emergency.]

Today’s CEO (crew earth observations) photo targets, limited in the current XPOP attitude by flight rule constraints on the use of the Lab nadir/science window, which is available for only ~1/4 of each orbit when not facing forward (in ram), were S Amazonian Fans, Brazil (weather may have remained clear for oblique shots looking left of any wavy white lines [ancient river courses] that appear on the rainforest floor. Any glint views of river patters are also of interest since river courses are highly changeable in the Amazon lowland), and Internal waves, W Florida coast (looking for possible internal waves off the west coast of Florida).

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:

• 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, 7:53am EDT [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 342.0 km
• Apogee height– 348.9 km
• Perigee height — 335.0 km
• Period — 91.37 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.63 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0010402
• Solar Beta Angle — 35.4 deg (magnitude decreasing)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.76
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 50 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 43510

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern and subject to change):

• 07/01/06 — STS-121/ULF1.1 launch (3:43pm) – window: 19 days
• 07/03-11/06 — STS-121/ULF1.1 docked mission w/ISS (earliest, 11:28am)
• 08/03/06 — US EVA-5
• 08/28/07 — STS-115/12A launch (earliest)
• 08/30-09/06 — STS-115/12A docked mission w/ISS (earliest) – P3/P4 trusses
• 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)
• 11/22-23/06 — Russian EVA-17
• 12/14/06 — STS-116/12A.1 launch (earliest)
• 12/16-23/06 — STS-116/12A.1 docked mission w/ISS (earliest) – P5 truss
• 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 — STS-117/13A launch (earliest) – S3/S4 trusses
• 02/24-03/03/07 — STS-117/13A docked mission w/ISS (earliest)
• 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)
• ??/??/07 — Soyuz TMA-10/14S relocation (SM aft port to FGB nadir port)
• 06/11/07 — STS-118/13A.1 (earliest).

ISS Altitude History

Apogee height — Mean Altitude — Perigee height

For more on ISS orbit and worldwide ISS naked-eye visibility dates/times, see http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/ on NASA’s Human Spaceflight website. Additional satellite tracking resources can be found at http://www.spaceref.com/iss/tracking.html.