NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 20 February 2008
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.
Wake/sleep cycle for the crew remains at 1:00am-4:30pm EST.
STS-122/Atlantis returned to Earth this morning after 12d 18h 22min in space, touching down at KSC on the first landing opportunity at 9:07am EST, after 202 orbits & 5.3 million miles. During the perfectly executed ISS 1E mission, its seven-member crew conducted three EVAs, delivered and installed the European Columbus laboratory, brought up new Expedition 16 crewmember Leopold Eyharts and returned his predecessor Dan Tani who spent 121 days in space (116 on board the station). It was the 121st flight of a Space Shuttle, the 24th Shuttle mission to visit the station and the 29th for Atlantis. Welcome back, Atlantis! Next up: STS-123/Endeavour/1J/A on March 11 with the Kibo laboratory module – Japan/JAXA’s BIG day.
FE-2 Eyharts began his day with a 15-min familiarization session of the ELITE-S2 payload, reviewing upcoming activation and checkout procedures. Later (~1:10pm EST), Leo conducted a teleconference with ground personnel, including Gianluca Neri, the experiment’s PD (Payload Developer). [The Italian (ASI) experiment ELITE-S2 (Elaboratore Immagini Televisive – Space 2) is a human motion analysis facility for technological characterization and potential application for multifactorial movement analysis, to study the connection between brain, visualization and motion in micro-G. By recording and analyzing the three-dimensional motion of astronauts, this study should help engineers apply ergonomics into future spacecraft designs and determine the effects of weightlessness on breathing mechanisms for long-duration missions.]
The FE-2 also continued commissioning of the COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory), finishing up readying the BLB (Biolab) facility. [Leo’s activities included BioGlovebox containment and sterilization testing, BioGlovebox health check as well as configuring the BGB LSM (Life Support Module) by setting the GN2 (gaseous nitrogen) valve on the Biolab Rack UIP (Utility Interface Panel) to “N2 Supply” and opening Life Support Gas B.]
Working in the “Quest” Airlock on more post-EVA cleanup tasks, CDR Whitson set up and started the periodic scrubbing process on the EMU (Extravehicular Mobility Unit) cooling water loops, by initiating ionic and particulate matter filtration (using a 3-micron filter) on suits #3006 & #3018, then starting (and later terminating) cooling loop iodination (biocide maintenance). Afterwards, the cooling loops were reconfigured and the EMU water processing kit disassembled and stowed. [Purpose of the scrubbing, including iodination of the LCVGs (Liquid Cooling & Ventilation Garments) for biocidal maintenance, is the elimination of any biomass and particulate matter that may have accumulated in the loops.]
FE-1 Malenchenko worked on the Russian BSPN Payload Server, upgrading the RSS1 laptop computer with new a software version from a file uplinked by TsUP-Moscow overnight.
In support of IP (International Partners) video requirements, Peggy Whitson used the Lab RWS (Robotic Workstation) for troubleshooting the faulty RS (Russian Segment) video setup for downlinking analog video signals via US Ku-band and digital “streaming video” packets via the MPEG-2 (Moving Pictures Expert Group 2) encoder, U.S. OpsLAN and Ku-band. [To look for the fault in the video setup, Peggy was to go by a process of elimination, connecting/disconnecting cables, swapping laptop shells and hard drives, etc.]
The FE-1 did more ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle)-related work by running tests of the connection of the KL-154 “Klest” television equipment with the ATV television control console (BRTK-PU).
The CDR performed a routine inspection of the MELFI (Minus Eighty Degree Laboratory Freezer for the International Space Station). [Purpose: to verify Dewar 3 configuration (tray & box module), remove any condensation found, and inspect the dewar’s box module lids.]
FE-2 Eyharts filled out the regular FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire), his first, on the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer). [By means of these FFQs, NASA/ESA astronauts keep a personalized log of their nutritional intake over time on special MEC software. Recorded are the 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.]
Afterwards, Eyharts set up and conducted the periodic (monthly) O-OHA (On-Orbit Hearing Assessment) test, a 30-min NASA EHS (Environmental Health Systems) examination to assess the efficacy of acoustic countermeasures, using a special MEC laptop application. It was Leo’s first onboard O-OHA session. [The O-OHA audiography test involves minimum audibility measurements for each ear over a wide range of frequencies (0.25-10 kHz) and sound pressure levels, with the crewmembers using individual-specific Prophonics earphones, Bose ANC headsets and the SLM (sound level meter). To conduct the testing, the experimenter is supported by special EarQ software on the MEC, featuring an up/down-arrow-operated slider for each test frequency that the crewmember moves to the lowest sound pressure level at which the tone can still be heard. The baseline test is required not later than about Flight Day 14 for each new Expedition and is then generally performed once per month. Note: There have been temporary hearing deficits documented on some U.S. and Russian crewmembers, all of which recovered to pre-mission levels.]
Whitson & Eyharts each completed a run with the MedOps WinSCAT (Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool) experiment by logging in on the MEC and performing the psychological evaluation exercise on the laptop-based WinSCAT experiment. It was Peggy’s fourth and Leo’s first session. [WinSCAT is a time-constrained questionnaire test of cognitive abilities, routinely performed by astronauts aboard the ISS every 30 days before or after the PHS (periodic health status) test or on special CDR’s, crewmembers or flight surgeons request.]
The CDR had 75 min reserved for unpacking and stowing 1E-delivered cargo, supported by an uplinked Unpack List.
Peggy also conducted the periodic (every two weeks) 10-min inspection of the RED (Resistive Exercise Device) canister cords and accessory straps as well as the canister bolts for re-tightening if required.
The crewmembers completed their regular 2.5-hr. physical workout program (about half of which is used for setup & post-exercise personal hygiene) on the CEVIS cycle ergometer (CDR, FE-2), TVIS treadmill (FE-1, FE-2), RED resistive exercise device (CDR) and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer (FE-1).
Peggy then transferred the crew’s exercise data file to the MEC laptop for downlinking, 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).
Continuing the current round of RS ventilation system maintenance, the FE-2 worked in the FGB module cleaning the ventilation screens of interior panels 201, 301 and 401.
FE-1 Yuri Malenchenko completed the routine servicing of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS) in the Service Module (SM). [Regular daily SOZh maintenance consists, among else, of checking the ASU toilet facilities, replacement of the KTO & KBO solid waste containers and replacement of EDV-SV waste water and EDV-U urine containers.]
Working off his discretionary “time permitting” task list, the FE-1 also was to –
- Perform the daily 20-min IMS (Inventory Management System) maintenance, updating/editing its standard “delta file” including stowage locations, for the regular weekly automated export/import to its three databases on the ground (Houston, Moscow, Baikonur),
- Conduct the daily monitoring, picture-taking and downloading on the newly set up BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 ("Plants-2") experiment [Rasteniya-2, researches growth and development of plants (peas) under spaceflight conditions in the Lada-12 greenhouse from IBMP (Institute of Bio-Medical Problems, Russian: IMBP). During its operation, the experiment requires regular daily maintenance of the experiment involving monitoring of seedling growth, humidity measurements, moistening of the substrate if necessary, and photo/video recording. During the duration of the BIO-5 experiment, students of the Moscow City Palace for Youth Creativity of the Meshchansky inter-regional center #15 in Moscow) and the Prince of Oldenburg Lyceum in St. Petersburg will be cultivating plants in parallel on the ground and conducting comparative observation of plant growth and development under gravity and zero-gravity conditions. They are receiving the photo images taken by Yuri],
- Do the regular checkup on the Japanese experiment GCF-JAXA (Granada Crystallization Facility) in the Russian TBU incubator, maintained at +20 degC, including a temperature check on its ART (automatic temperature recorder) [this is a daily monitoring/temp checking, carried on the Russian voluntary task list for the duration of Expedition 16],
- Perform the periodic downloading of accumulated log files from the Russian BSMM (Payload Matching Unit/computer) to the “Wiener” power laptop, then transfer its log files to US OCA for downlink, and
- Gather and prepare equipment required for a SOTR (Thermal Control System, US: TCS) test to measure KOB1 (Loop #1) hydraulic parameters [during recent RS SOTR operation, the coolant pressure in KOB1 dropped, possibly because of entrapped air or a minor leak in the accumulator bellows. A test to measure the free air volume in KOB1 and to conduct a leak check on the system is scheduled for tomorrow (2/21).]
A new task added to the US “job jar” task list is for Peggy to start prepack preparations for the next Shuttle visit, STS-123-1J/A next month.
No CEO photo targets uplinked for today.
CEO photography can be viewed and studied at the websites:
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov (about 700,000 NASA digital photographs of Earth are downloaded by the public each month from this “Gateway” site);
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/AstronautPhotography
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 9:00am EST [= epoch]):
Mean altitude — 337.8 km
Apogee height — 343.0 km
Perigee height — 332.6 km
Period — 91.29 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0007717
Solar Beta Angle — -56.4 deg (magnitude increasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.77
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 44 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 52997
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Standard, some changes possible.):
02/28/08 — ISS Reboost w/IWIS, SDMS
03/07/08 — ATV-1 “Jules Verne” launch/Ariane V (Kourou, French Guyana) (~11:23pm EST); docking 04/03
03/11/08 — STS-123/Endeavour/1J/A launch/1J/A, w/SLP-SPDM, JEM ELM-PS
03/12/08 — ATV CAM (Collision Avoidance Maneuver) demo
03/13/08 — STS-123/Endeavour/1J/A docking
03/18/08 — ATV1 parking orbit (loiter)
03/25/08 — STS-123/Endeavour/1J/A undocking
03/29/08 — ATV1 Demo Day 1
03/31/08 — ATV1 Demo Day 2
04/03/08 — ATV1 Demo Day 3 (docking)
04/07/08 — Progress M-63/28P undocking (DC1) & reentry
04/08/08 — Soyuz TMA-12/16S launch
04/10/08 — Soyuz TMA-12/16S docking (DC1)
04/19/08 — Soyuz TMA-11/15S undocking (FGB nadir port)
04/23/08 — Soyuz TMA-12/16S relocation (from DC1 to FGB nadir port)
05/14/08 — Progress M-64/29P launch
05/16/08 — Progress M-64/29P docking (DC1)
05/25/08 — STS-124/Discovery/1J launch – JEM PM “Kibo”, racks, RMS
05/27/08 — STS-124/Discovery/1J docking
06/05/08 — STS-124/Discovery/1J undocking
08/07/08(NET) — ATV-1 undocking (from SM aft port)
08/12/08 — Progress M-65/30P launch
08/14/08 — Progress M-65/30P docking (SM aft port)
08/28/08 – STS-125/Atlantis Hubble Space Telescope Service Mission 4 (SM4)
09/09/08 — Progress M-64/29P undocking (from DC1)
09/10/08 — Progress M-66/31P launch
09/12/08 — Progress M-66/31P docking (DC1)
10/01/08 — NASA 50 Years
10/11/08 — Progress M-65/30P undocking (from SM aft port)
10/12/08 — Soyuz TMA-13/17S launch
10/14/08 — Soyuz TMA-13/17S docking (SM aft port)
10/16/08 — STS-126/Discovery/ULF2 launch – MPLM Leonardo, LMC
10/18/08 — STS-126/Discovery/ULF2 docking
10/23/08 — Soyuz TMA-12/16S undocking (FGB nadir)
11/03/08 — Soyuz TMA-13/17S relocation (from SM aft to FGB nadir)
11/20/08 — ISS 10 Years
11/26/08 — Progress M-67/32P launch
11/28/08 — Progress M-67/32P docking (SM aft port)
12/04/08 — STS-119/Discovery/15A launch – S6 truss segment
12/06/08 — STS-119/Discovery/15A docking
12/15/08 — STS-119/Discovery/15A undocking
04/15/09 — Constellation’s Ares I-X Launch
04/23/09 — STS-127/Endeavour/2J/A launch – JEM EF, ELM-ES, ICC-VLD
05/??/09 — STS-128/Discovery/17A – MPLM, last crew rotation
05/??/09 — Six-person crew on ISS (following Soyuz 18S-2 docking)
08/??/09 — STS-129/Endeavour/ULF3 – ELC1, ELC2
10/??/09 — STS-130/Discovery/19A – MPLM
04/??/10 — STS-132/Discovery/20A – Node-3 + Cupola.
