NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 12 June 2011

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Sunday – Crew off-duty. ATV2 reboosts. Ahead: Week 13 of Increment 27/28.

Happy Russia Day! Den’ Rossii is Russia’s National Holiday (established by Boris Yeltsin to celebrate national unity after the Russian parliament in 1990 formally declared its sovereignty), with large crowds in Red Square in Moscow, extending to Monday, 6/13.

As one of the first “handover” activities, CDR Borisenko & FE-4 Volkov jointly conducted the routine daily servicing of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS) in the SM (Service Module), including the weekly collection of the toilet flush (SP) counter and water supply (SVO) readings for calldown to TsUP-Moscow. [SOZh servicing includes 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].

Andrey & Sergei also performed the weekly checkup on the Russian POTOK-150MK (150 micron) air filter unit of the SM’s & FGB’s SOGS air revitalization subsystem, gathering weekly data on total operating time & “On” durations for reporting to TsUP.

FE-3 Garan closed the protective external shutters of the Lab, Node-3/Cupola & Kibo JPM (JEM Pressurized Module) windows preparatory to today’s ATV2 reboosts.

Later, Ron worked briefly in the COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory), first adjusting the VCA1 (Video Camera Assembly 1) for situational monitoring, then removing the cold spot sponge of the BLB (Biolab) incubator’s biological isolation filter and labeling it as trash.

FE-5 Furukawa & FE-6 Fossum were to undergo another obligatory CMS (Countermeasures Systems) overview, required of each new crewmember prior to the first physical exercised session, but could not complete it due to their currently missing exercise shoes.

Shortly before their sleeptime, Satoshi & Mike are to prepare their individual CEVIS (cycle ergometer with vibration isolation) PCMCIA memory cards by inserting them into their personal SSC (Station Support Computer), to be loaded with their exercise protocols by OCA uplink from the ground.

FE-1, FE-4 & FE-5 took their weekly PFCs (Private Family Conferences) via S-band/audio and Ku-band/MS-NetMeeting application (which displays the uplinked ground video on an SSC laptop), Sergei at ~6:55am, Sasha at ~8:30am, Satoshi at ~2:30pm EDT.

FE-5 & FE-6 also had their third post-launch PMCs (Private Medical Conferences), via S- & Ku-band audio/video, Mike at ~11:30am, Satoshi at ~12:55pm.

The “old” crew worked out with their regular 2-hr physical exercise protocol on the ARED advanced resistive exercise device (CDR, FE-3), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (CDR, FE-1, FE-3), and VELO ergometer bike with load trainer (FE-1). FE-4 Sergei Volkov also exercised for one half of the protocol, on the T2 treadmill.

Jobs listed for Samokutyayev, Borisenko & Volkov today on the Russian discretionary “time permitting” task list were –
Another ~30-min. run of the GFI-8 “Uragan” (hurricane) earth-imaging program with the NIKON D3X digital camera photography with Sigma AF 300-800mm telelens [uplinked targets were the volcanoes Popocatepetl in Mexico & Puyeue in Chile],
A session for Russia’s EKON Environmental Safety Agency, making observations and taking KPT-3 aerial photography of environmental conditions on Earth using the NIKON D3X camera with the RSK-1 laptop,
Repacking 9 full-size CTBs (Cargo Transfer Bags) in the RS (Russian Segment) for transfer to the ATV2 (Automated Transfer Vehicle 2) for disposal as per USOS agreement, and
Preparing & downlinking more reportages (text, photos, videos) for the Roskosmos website to promote Russia’s manned space program (max. file size 500 Mb).

ISS Reboosts: ATV2 “Johannes Kepler” conducted two separate one-burn reboosts of the ISS with its OCS (Orbit Correction System) thrusters, controlled by pre-set time tag cyclogram (BPP). Results to be reported tomorrow. Purpose: to deplete ATV2 of remaining propellant and set up phasing for 43P and ULF7:
. Reboost 1: 10:15am EDT: Duration 36 min 06 sec, delta-V 5.2 m/s (17.1 ft/s). Expected mean altitude gain: ~9.2 km (5 nmi).
. Reboost 2: 2:20pm: Duration 40 min 12 sec, delta-V 5.8s (19.0 ft/s). Expected mean altitude gain: ~10.1 km (5.5 nmi).

No CEO (Crew Earth Observation) targets uplinked today. (Current daylight-awake orbit tracks have transitioned into a seasonal pattern in which they temporarily parallel the terminator. Consequently most of the nadir views of CEO target areas fall below the criteria for illumination, with darkness to the right of track and adequate lighting left of track. Today none of the standard target areas has sufficient illumination. This condition is expected to persist for the next 7-10 days. Meanwhile, CEO researchers are continuing to look for dynamic events targets for which oblique views to left of track may be useful or nighttime targets. Auroral activity in the Northern Hemisphere has spiked recently with the dramatic solar flare on 6/7. May-June is also the seasonal peak period for observing noctilucent clouds (a.k.a. polar mesospheric clouds) in the Northern Hemisphere.)

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————–Six-crew operations————-
06/20/11 — ATV-2 “Johannes Kepler” undock (SM aft)
06/21/11 – ATV-2 “Johannes Kepler” reentry
06/21/11 — Progress M-11M/43P (#411) launch – 10:38:18am EDT
06/23/11 — Progress M-11M/43P docking (SM aft) ~12:35pm EDT
07/08/11 — STS-135/Atlantis launch ULF7 (MPLM) – 11:26:46am EDT
07/10/11 — STS-135/Atlantis docking ULF7 (MPLM) ~11:09am EDT
07/18/11 — STS-135/Atlantis undock ULF7 (MPLM) – 1:59pm EDT
07/20/11 — STS-135/Atlantis landing KSC ~7:07am EDT
07/27/11 — Russian EVA #29
08/29/11 — Progress M-11M/43P undocking
08/30/11 — Progress M-12M/44P launch
09/01/11 — Progress M-12M/44P docking (SM aft)
09/16/11 – Soyuz TMA-21/26S undock/landing (End of Increment 28)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-03M/28S launch – D.Burbank (CDR-30)/A.Shkaplerov/A.Ivanishin
10/02/11 – Soyuz TMA-03M/28S docking (MRM2)
————–Six-crew operations————-
10/25/11 — Progress M-10M/42P undocking
10/26/11 — Progress M-13M/45P launch
10/28/11 — Progress M-13M/45P docking (DC-1)
11/16/11 — Soyuz TMA-02M/27S undock/landing (End of Increment 29)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-04M/29S launch – O.Kononenko (CDR-31)/A.Kuipers/D.Pettit
12/02/11 — Soyuz TMA-04M/29S docking (MRM1)
————–Six-crew operations—————-
12/26/11 — Progress M-13M/45P undock
12/27/11 — Progress M-14M/46P launch
12/29/11 — Progress M-14M/46P docking (DC-1)
02/29/12 — ATV3 launch readiness
03/05/12 — Progress M-12M/44P undock
03/16/12 — Soyuz TMA-03M/28S undock/landing (End of Increment 30)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/30/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/30S launch – G.Padalka (CDR-32)/J.Acaba/K.Volkov
04/01/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/30S docking (MRM2)
————–Six-crew operations—————-
05/05/12 — 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA – launch on Proton (under review)
05/06/12 — Progress M-14M/46P undock
05/07/12 — 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) – docking (under review)
05/16/12 — Soyuz TMA-04M/29S undock/landing (End of Increment 31)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/29/12 – Soyuz TMA-06M/31S launch – S.Williams (CDR-33)/Y.Malenchenko/A.Hoshide
05/31/12 – Soyuz TMA-06M/31S docking
————–Six-crew operations—————-
09/18/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/30S undock/landing (End of Increment 32)
————–Three-crew operations————-
10/02/12 — Soyuz TMA-07M/32S launch – K.Ford (CDR-34)/O.Novitskiy/E.Tarelkin
10/04/12 – Soyuz TMA-07M/32S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/16/12 — Soyuz TMA-06M/31S undock/landing (End of Increment 33)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/30/12 — Soyuz TMA-08M/33S launch – C.Hadfield (CDR-35)/T.Mashburn/R.Romanenko
12/02/12 – Soyuz TMA-08M/33S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
03/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-07M/32S undock/landing (End of Increment 34)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-09M/34S launch – P.Vinogradov (CDR-36)/C.Cassidy/A.Misurkin
03/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-09M/34S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
05/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-08M/33S undock/landing (End of Increment 35)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-10M/35S launch – M.Suraev (CDR-37)/K.Nyberg/L.Parmitano
05/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-10M/35S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
09/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-09M/34S undock/landing (End of Increment 36)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-11M/36S launch – M.Hopkins/TBD (CDR-38)/TBD
09/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-11M/36S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-10M/35S undock/landing (End of Increment 37)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-12M/37S launch – K.Wakata (CDR-39)/R.Mastracchio/TBD
11/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-12M/37S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
03/xx/14 – Soyuz TMA-11M/36S undock/landing (End of Increment 38)
————–Three-crew operations————-