NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 12 July 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. Flight Day 9 for STS-121; Day 7 of joint operation.

EVA-3 accomplished all objectives.

After crew wakeup at 1:38am EDT this morning (again moved one hour to the left), CDR Vinogradov and FE/SO Williams spent most of the day supporting EVA-3, the third and last spacewalk of Shuttle Mission Specialists Michael Rossum and Piers Sellers, while FE-2 Thomas Reiter continued working MPLM Leonardo cargo transfers.

Before egress, Jeff Williams deactivated the ham radio station in the FGB to prevent RF (radio frequency) interference with the spacewalkers. The external MISSE-5 (Materials ISS Experiment 5) was also turned off by ground command for the same reason.

Preceded by EMU (Extravehicular Mobility Unit) purge at ~4:20am EDT, prebreathe for one hour, and depressurization of the ISS Airlock crewlock (A/L C/L), the actual EVA began at 7:20am, minutes within the planned time. The spacewalkers egressed from the A/L C/L and successfully accomplished all tasks plus a get-ahead job. [Purpose of the EVA was to test RCC (Reinforced Carbon-Carbon) repair methods (DTO848) and the imaging performance of a new EVA crew handheld infrared (IR) camera on RCC material and ISS radiators (DTO851). In the Shuttle PLD (Payload Bay), the two spacewalkers tested crack and gouge repair techniques on a cargo bay pallet of pre-damaged RCC samples using non-oxide adhesive experimental (NOAX) material. The IR camera was used to image Discovery’s wing leading edge and the RCC pre-damaged samples in the cargo bay, to assess its ability to inspect RCC for damage on-orbit. Due to the early termination of these tasks, went ahead with the get-ahead task of relocating an FGB (Fixed Grapple Bar) from a cargo carrier to an ammonia tank on the S1 truss, setting the stage for the tank’s removal during a future spacewalk. Also, during the RCC repair test a spatula drifted overboard, moving outside the PLB in a starboard direction. Further trajectory analysis by ground controllers using recorded video is pending after the EVA.]

The EVA ended at 2:31pmEDT, with the crew repressurizing the ISS airlock after outer hatch closure. Total duration: 7h 11m. It was the 68th EVA of ISS assembly operations and the 21st from the ISS A/L.).

Transfer operations of return cargo from the ISS to the MPLM (Multipurpose Logistics Module) have made substantial progress, supported by a review of the transfer list and a transfer tagup by Reiter with ground specialists. The logistics transfers to and from the MPLM and Orbiter mid-deck were done at a much faster pace than scheduled, leaving time for selected add-on tasks. [As of last night, the combined crews had completed approximately 94% of total MPLM transfers, getting nearly ten hours ahead. Although no Middeck transfers were completed yesterday, Middeck transfer were ahead of plan as well (44% complete last night). Additional transfer time (4.5 hrs for MPLM and 5 hrs Middeck) have become available today for the crew to select from the task list. Candidate items include taking photos of the problem with the CCAA (Common Cabin Air Assembly) heat exchanger, installation of a grounding strap for the MELFI rack at the LAB1O5 location, and performing the first part of next week’s CEVIS installation (see below).]

Starting a new round of the monthly preventive maintenance of Russian segment (RS) ventilation systems, CDR Pavel Vinogradov first worked an hour in the FGB (Funktsionalnyi-Grusovoi Blok) for the regular cleanup of the detachable fan screens of the three SOTR (thermal control system) gas-liquid heat exchangers (GZhT4), as well as the fixed grill of GZhT #4.

Afterwards Pavel moved to the “Pirs” DC1 Docking Compartment to clean the air ducts and protective mesh screens of the VD1 & VD2 ventilator fans.

Supported by an instructional .wmv-video, FE-2 Thomas Reiter disassembled the old CEVIS (cycle ergometer with vibration isolation) for return on the Shuttle. The installation of the new CEVIS is scheduled for next week (7/20).

FE-1 Williams did the daily routine maintenance of the Service Module (SM)’s environment control & life support system (SOZh), including its toilet system (ASU), while CDR Vinogradov 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).

Working off his discretionary “time available” task list, Pavel completed the daily status check of the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 (“Plants-2”) experiment. The CDR also transferred accumulated Plants-2 experiment data to disk for subsequent downlink via BSR-TM or OCA. [Rasteniya researches growth and development of plants (peas) under spaceflight conditions in the Lada-9 greenhouse.]

Vinogradov also deinstalled the BPA-M (#20) nitrogen purge unit of the Elektron system and replaced it with a new unit (#21).

Pavel and Jeff 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). Thomas Reiter started his daily exercises with a one-hour session on the VELO. [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 4 of the first set).]

Afterwards, Williams transferred his and Pavel’s 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). [A MEC software update for Thomas is scheduled next week (7/21).]

At ~7:20am EDT, ISS attitude was changed to docked-TEA (Torque Equilibrium Attitude), still earth-fixed [i.e., +177.7 degrees Yaw, +22.5 deg Pitch, +359.6 deg Roll.]

Yesterday Jeff swapped out three failed LHAs (Lamp Housing Assemblies) that were stowed on ISS for future disposal with three good LHAs scavenged from the MPLM. This leaves six spare LHAs onboard ISS for future use.

The Elektron continues to be inactive as oxygen is being supplied by the Shuttle. Also off are the Russian air conditioners SKV-1 and SKV-2. The U.S. MCA (Major Constituents Analyzer) is in Operate mode. The Vozdukh CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) scrubber is on, as are the U.S. CDRA (CO2 Removal Assembly, after a temporary failure yesterday due to a leaking check valve in the system caused by stuck Zeolite particles) and the A/L CCAA (Common Cabin Air Assembly) humidity controller (air conditioner).

Sleep period begins for all nine crewmembers tonight at 5:08pm EDT. Wakeup for the ISS crew will be tomorrow morning again at 1:38am.

Upcoming Mission Events Overview:

• FD10 (7/13): ISS maintenance; rest for Shuttle crew;
• FD11 (7/14): Reberth MPLM “Leonardo” and OBSS in cargo bay; perform external inspections; complete cargo transfers;
• FD12 (7/15): Close hatches; undock from ISS; stop OBSS; perform external inspections;
• FD13 (7/16): Stow Shuttle cabin; check out reentry systems;
• FD14 (7/17): Prepare for deorbit and landing at KSC (9:07am EDT).

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

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.

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 5:38am EDT [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 341.0 km
• Apogee height– 348.1 km
• Perigee height — 334.0 km
• Period — 91.35 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.63 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.001036
• Solar Beta Angle — -20.3 deg (magnitude increasing)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.76
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 60 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 43713

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

• 07/06-15/06 — STS-121/ULF1.1 docked mission w/ISS (Landing 7/17, 9:07am EDT)
• 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
• 08/31/06 — Pavel Vinogradov’s birthday
• 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)
• 10/31/06 — Russian EVA-17
• 12/14/06 — STS-116/12A.1 launch (earliest)
• 12/16-24/06 — 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).

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.

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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.