NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 9 March 2008

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Sunday — off-duty day for CDR Whitson, FE-1 Malenchenko & FE-2 Eyharts. Ahead: Week 21 of Increment 16.

After a flawless, precise on-time launch last night at 11:03:04 pm EST at Kourou/French Guiana, ATV1 Jules Verne is on its way to the ISS. [Currently entering a period of test and orbit raising maneuvers, the European automated freighter will start “loitering” on 3/19 about 1200 miles ahead of ISS (which at that time is busy with STS-123/1J/A), then will begin maneuvering at 3/27, conduct checkout Demos toward an IMMT Go/No Go decision on 4/2, and Docking on 4/3 (start Final Approach: ~6:10am EDT, contact SM aft port: ~10:20am.]

Aboard the ISS, Leopold Eyharts performed the last sampling of his second session with the NASA/JSC experiment NUTRITION w/Repository, collecting a final urine sample upon wakeup for storage in the MELFI (Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). The sampling kit was then stowed away. [The current NUTRITION project is the most comprehensive in-flight study done by NASA to date of human physiologic changes during long-duration space flight. It includes measures of bone metabolism, oxidative damage, nutritional assessments, and hormonal changes, expanding the previous Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile (MR016L) testing in three ways: Addition of in-flight blood & urine collection (made possible by MELFI), normative markers of nutritional assessment, and a return session plus 30-day (R+30) session to allow evaluation of post-flight nutrition and implications for rehabilitation.]

Yuri Malenchenko completed the routine maintenance of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS) in the Service Module (SM), including ASU toilet facilities systems/replaceables plus the weekly collection of the toilet flush counter (SPK-U), water supply (SVO) readings and POTOK parameters for calldown to TsUP/Moscow. [Regular daily SOZh maintenance consists of replacement of the KTO & KBO solid waste containers, replacement of an EDV-SV waste water and EDV-U urine container, replacement of the KOV EDV for the Elektron-intended water, and processing U.S. condensate water as it becomes available in a filled CWC (Contingency Water Container) from the Lab humidifier. Weekly SOZh reports (on Sundays) to TsUP/Moscow deal with number & dates of water and urine containers, counter readings of water consumption & urine collection, plus data and total operating time of the Russian POTOK-150MK (150 micron) air filter unit of the SOGS air revitalization subsystem.]

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), TVIS treadmill (FE-1, FE-2), RED resistive exercise device (CDR) and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer (FE-1, FE-2).

After a ground-commanded “rapid sampling” auto sequence by the U.S. MCA (Major Constituent Analyzer), Malenchenko performed another cabin air repress with O2 from Progress 28P storage (SrPK). Later, MCA mode was changed by the ground to standard sequence of four times each in Lab, Node-1, Airlock, Node-2 and Columbus.

The FE-1 Malenchenko worked a number of standard maintenance/service tasks on Russian Segment (RS) systems from the voluntary “available time” suggestions list. Specifically, Yuri –

• Ran the regular daily 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);
• Performed the daily monitoring, picture-taking and downloading on the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 ("Plants-2") experiment which researches growth and development of plants (peas) under spaceflight conditions in the Lada-12 greenhouse from IBMP (Institute of Bio-Medical Problems, Russian: IMBP), including recharging the water tank of the greenhouse as required;
• Conducted the periodic collection and logging of accumulated data of seven Bubble Dosimeter detectors of the “Matryoshka-R” radiation payload suite (RBO-3-2) installed at various exposure locations in the RS, using the special Bubble Dosimeter Reader [the complex Matryoshka payload suite is designed for sophisticated radiation studies];
• Performed another session of the Russian GFI-8 "Uragan" (hurricane) earth-imaging program, using the Japanese HDV (High Definition) video camera provided by SFP Charles Simonyi to shoot video of the Pyrenees, Western Mediterranean, Spain, African & Madagascar terrain left of track, Azores & Canary Islands, US Southern Coastline, Cuba, the Caribbean Sea right of track; and
• Completed his ninth run of the Russian DZZ-2 "Diatomeya" ocean observations program [using the NIKON F-5 digital still camera with 80-200 mm lens and the SONY PD-150P camcorder at medium zoom for continuous nonstop video, focusing on high production zones and associated oceanic phenomena in the Atlantic Ocean (Newfoundland Island coastline, West Saharan offshore areas, and US coastline).]

CWC Update: An updated CWC (Contingency Water Container) “cue card” was uplinked for the crew’s reference. [The new card (16-0018W) lists 35 CWCs (~1355.2 L total) for the four types of water identified on board: technical water (792.9 L, for Elektron, flushing, hygiene), potable water (559.6 L), condensate water (2 L), waste/EMU dump and other (0.7 L). Of the 35 containers, 12 CWCs with technical water (519.9 L) and 2 CWCs with potable water (88.7 L) must be cleared for Wautersia bacteria by MCC-H before use.]

Did you know? –

• Jules Verne had a total mass 20,750 kg (45,746 lbs) at liftoff and carries 5752 kg of ATV propellant (Demos, ISS Reboost/Attitude Control, Contingency), 860 kg ISS refuel propellant, 20 kg oxygen gas, 280 kg water, and 1150 kg varied dry cargo.
• STS-122/1E Atlantis accomplished the following payload/cargo transfers:
• Cargo Bay hardware upmass to ISS: 29,105 lbs (i.e., Columbus 26,627 lbs; SOLAR 751 lbs; EuTEF 658 lbs; NTA 1069 lbs);
• ISS hardware downmass in Cargo Bay: 2242 lbs (i.e., NTA 1039 lbs; CMG: 1203 lbs);
• Shuttle Middeck Resupply to ISS: 2079 lbs (i.e., SARJ DLA; OTSD/ORU Transfer Stowage Device);
• ISS return items in Shuttle Middeck: 2022 lbs (i.e., BMRRM {largest ORU returned in middeck, 242 lbs}, TBA/Trundle Bearing Assembly, 8 CPAs/Controller Panel Assemblies.

No CEO photo targets uplinked for today.

CEO photography can be studied at this “Gateway” website:
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov (as of 3/1/08, this database contained 757,605 views of the Earth from space, with 314,000 from the ISS alone).

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 8:48am EDT [= epoch]):
Mean altitude — 341.4 km
Apogee height — 342.6 km
Perigee height — 340.2 km
Period — 91.36 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0001732
Solar Beta Angle — -3.8 deg (magnitude decreasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.76
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 138 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 53280

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time, some changes possible.):
03/11/08 — STS-123/Endeavour/1J/A launch/1J/A, w/SLP-SPDM, JEM ELM-PS (JLP) – 2:28am EDT, for a record 16+1+2 mission duration, incl. 5 EVAs;
03/12/08 — ATV1 “Jules Verne” CAM (Collision Avoidance Maneuver) demo, 3:59:28am EDT; orbit raising burns;
03/12/08 — STS-123/Endeavour/1J/A docking – ~11:27pm EDT
03/19/08 — ATV1 “Jules Verne” parking point (loiter) arrival 8:00am EDT ~1200 mi. in front of ISS;
03/24/08 — STS-123/Endeavour/1J/A undocking — ~7:55pm;
03/26/08 — STS-123/Endeavour/1J/A deorbit – ~7:33pm; landing (KSC) — ~8:35pm;
03/27/08 – ATV1 end of loiter; leave parking point – ~2:00am;
03/29/08 — ATV1 Demo Day 1
03/31/08 — ATV1 Demo Day 2
04/03/08 — ATV1 Demo Day 3 (docking) ~10:39am EDT
04/07/08 — Progress M-63/28P undocking (DC1) & reentry
04/08/08 — Soyuz TMA-12/16S launch – ~7:16am
04/10/08 — Soyuz TMA-12/16S docking (DC1) – ~8:43am
04/19/08 — Soyuz TMA-11/15S undocking/landing (FGB nadir port)
05/10/08 — 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 — ATV1 undocking
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
1QTR CY09 — STS-127/2J/A launch – JEM EF, ELM-ES, ICC-VLD
2QTR CY09 — STS-128/17A – MPLM, last crew rotation
05/??/09 — Six-person crew on ISS (following Soyuz 18S-2 docking)
3QTR CY09 — STS-129/ULF3 – ELC1, ELC2
4QTR CY09 — STS-130/19A – MPLM
1QTR CY10 – STS-131/ULF4
2QTR CY10 — STS-132/20A – Node-3 + Cupola
3QTR CY10 – STS-133/ULF5.