NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 10 November 2012

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Saturday – Crew off duty.

After wakeup, FE-2 Tarelkin performed the routine inspection of the SM (Service Module) PSS Caution & Warning panel as part of regular Daily Morning Inspection.

FE-1 Novitskiy completed the daily reboot of the Russian RSS1 & RSS2 laptops.

FE-5 Williams had Day 5 of her 5th and final (FD180) suite of sessions with the controlled Pro K diet protocol (Dietary Intake Can Predict and Protect against Changes in Bone Metabolism during Spaceflight and Recovery) with diet logging after the urine pH spot test, for a 5-day period after start of collections. In addition to closing out the associated 24-hr urine sample collections, Sunita today also underwent the generic blood draw, assisted by Akihiko Hoshide, then set up the RC (Refrigerated Centrifuge) in COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory) for spinning the samples prior to stowing them in the JPM MELFI (JEM Pressurized Module Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). Later, Suni stowed the equipment used for the urine and blood collections. [For the Pro K (Dietary Intake Can Predict and Protect against Changes in Bone Metabolism during Spaceflight and Recovery) protocol, there are five in-flight sessions (FD15, FD30, FD60, FD120, FD180) of samplings, to be shared with the NUTRITION w/Repository protocol, each one with five days of diet & urine pH logging and photography on the last day. The crewmember prepares a diet log and then annotates quantities of food packets consumed and supplements taken. Urine collections are spread over 24 hrs; samples go into the MELFI (Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS) within 30 min after collection. Blood samples, on the last day, are centrifuged in the RC (Refrigerated Centrifuge) and placed in MELFI at -80 degC. There is an 8-hr fasting requirement prior to the blood draw (i.e., no food or drink, but water ingestion is encouraged). MELFI constraints: Maximum MELFI Dewar open time: 60 sec; at least 45 min between MELFI dewar door openings. Background on pH: In chemistry, pH (Potential Hydrogen) is a measure of the acidity or basicity of a watery solution. Pure water is neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at 25 degC. Solutions with a pH less than 7 are “acidic” and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are “basic” or “alkaline”. pH measurements are important in medicine, biology, chemistry, agriculture, forestry, food science, environmental science, oceanography, civil engineers and many others.]

In COL, Sunita reached midpoint at about 11:40am EST for her on-going 4th (FD135) session of the ICV Ambulatory Monitoring assessment, after which she began the second 24h data collection period, with Makita batteries for the Cardiopres swapped and recharged during the day. [For the second 24 hr period, the Cardiopres was temporarily doffed and the HM2 HiFi CF Card and AA Battery were changed out to allow continuation of the session for another 24 hours. After data collection is complete, the Actiwatches and both HM2 HiFi CF Cards are downloaded to the HRF PC1, while Cardiopres data are downloaded to the EPM (European Physiology Module) Rack and transferred to the HRF PC1 via a USB key for downlink. The sessions are scheduled at or around FD14, FD30, FD75, FD135 and R-15 (there will be fewer sessions if mission duration is less than six months). (ICV activities consist of two separate but related parts over a one-week time period: an ultrasound echo scan & an ambulatory monitoring session.)]

FE-6 Hoshide completed Day 4 of his 5th and final (FD180) suite of sessions with the controlled Pro K diet protocol (Dietary Intake Can Predict and Protect against Changes in Bone Metabolism during Spaceflight and Recovery) with diet logging after the urine pH spot test, for a 5-day period after start of pH testing. After recording his diet input today, Aki began the urine collections for his Nutrition/Repository/Pro K 24-hour protocol and then prepared the equipment for the associated blood sampling (fasted) tomorrow, with Pro K photography.

Working as a team, the six crewmembers conducted the regular weekly three-hour task of thorough cleaning of their home, including all USOS (US Orbit Segment) modules like Lab, Nodes, COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory) and Kibo JPM (JEM Pressurized Module). [“Uborka”, usually done on Saturdays, includes removal of food waste products, cleaning of compartments with vacuum cleaner, damp cleaning of the SM dining table, other frequently touched surfaces and surfaces where trash is collected, as well as the sleep stations with a standard cleaning solution; also, fan screens and grilles are cleaned to avoid temperature rises. Special cleaning is also done every 90 days on the HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) bacteria filters in the Lab.]

As part of Uborka house cleaning, Oleg Novitskiy, Yuri Malenchenko & Evgeny Tarelkin also completed regular weekly maintenance inspection & cleaning of fan screens in the FGB (TsV2) plus Group E fan grilles in the SM (VPkhO, FS5, FS6, VP), the grilles of the BMP Harmful Contaminants Removal System and the SKV air conditioner in the SM, and the Russian VKS (Auxiliary Computer System) laptops.

Kevin Ford performed the regular (~weekly) inspection & maintenance, as required, of the CGBA-4 (Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 4) and CGBA-5 payloads in their ERs (EXPRESS Racks) at Lab O2 & O1, focusing on cleaning the muffler air intakes.

Hoshide terminated his 5th session with the ESA/German experiment CRHYT (Circadian Rhythms), started on 11/8, de-instrumenting himself by removing the Thermolab double sensors and belt-worn Thermolab control unit, then cleaned the sensors and stowed the equipment. [The main objective of the experiment is to get a better basic understanding of any alterations in circadian rhythms in humans during long-term space flights. Such knowledge will not only provide important insights into the adaptations of the human autonomic nervous system in space over time, but also has significant practical implications by helping to improve physical exercise, rest- and work shifts as well as fostering adequate workplace illumination in the sense of occupational healthcare in future space missions. The Circadian Rhythms experiment is performed over 3 days (from Day 1 to Day 3) and involves: Instrumentation (Day 1); 36-hrs continuous measurement (Day 1 + 2 + 3), and De-instrumentation (Day 3). On-orbit measurements are planned for FD 15, FD30 and then at 30 day intervals until return. During day 1, the instrumentation is performed late in the afternoon. This consists of donning the Thermolab Double Sensors at the forehead and sternum positions. By powering on the Thermolab Control Unit the 36 hours measurement is started. During day 2, the Thermolab Control Unit will measure throughout the day. No interaction is required other than confirming the Thermolab Control Unit is measuring by checking the display from time to time.

Later, Aki performed regular maintenance on the JAXA MOST (Medaka Osteoclast [killifish]) AQH (Aquatic Habitat) Aquariums 1 & 2, testing their water quality using nitrate & nitrite test strips from the Lab MELFI-3 Dewar 4 to measure the concentration of ammonium, nitrate and nitrite in water samples from the WCU (Water Circulation Unit). The test strips were then returned to MELFI-3.

Oleg completed the routine daily servicing of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS) in the SM. [Regular daily SOZh maintenance consists, among else, of checking the ASU toilet facilities, replacement of the KTO & KBO solid waste containers, replacement of EDV-SV waste water and EDV-U urine containers and filling EDV-SV, KOV (for Elektron), EDV-ZV & EDV on RP flow regulator.]

At ~7:50am EST, FE-4 Malenchenko & CDR Williams held a teleconference with personnel of the Russian GPSK Search-and-Rescue (SAR) forces who will support their return on 11/18.

At ~8:10am, the six crewmembers held the regular WPC (Weekly Planning Conference) with the ground, discussing next week’s “Look-Ahead Plan” (prepared jointly by MCC-H and TsUP-Moscow timeline planners), via S-band/audio, reviewing upcoming activities and any concerns about future on-orbit events.

FE-2, FE-4 & FE-6 had their weekly PFCs (Private Family Conferences) on their schedule, via S-band/audio and Ku-band/MS-NetMeeting application (which displays the uplinked ground video on an SSC laptop), Evgeny at ~6:00am, Yuri at ~9:40am, Aki at ~10:55am EST.

The crew worked out on the CEVIS cycle ergometer with vibration isolation & stabilization (CDR), TVIS treadmill with vibration isolation & stabilization (FE-1, FE-2, FE-4/2x), ARED advanced resistive exercise device (CDR, FE-2, FE-3), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (FE-3, FE-6) and VELO ergometer bike with load trainer (FE-1). [CDR & FE-6 are on the special experimental SPRINT protocol which diverts from the regular 2.5 hrs per day exercise regime and introduces special daily sessions involving resistive and aerobic (interval & continuous) exercise, followed by a USND (Ultrasound) leg muscle self scan in COL. No exercise is being timelined for Suni on Friday, for Aki on Thursday. If any day is not completed, Suni & Aki pick up where they left off, i.e., they would be finishing out the week with the last day of exercise on her off day. Suni’s protocol for today showed ARED/CEVIS (continuous), with T2 (interval, 2 min.), ARED/CEVIS (cont.), T2 (int., 30 sec.), ARED/T2 (cont.), T2 (int., 4 min.), none, ARED/T2 (cont.) and T2 (2 min) for the next 8 days. Aki’s protocol for today showed T2 (int. 2 min.), with ARED/CEVIS (cont.), T2 (int., 30 sec.), ARED/CEVIS (cont.), none, T2 (int., 4 min.), ARED/T2 (cont.), T2 (int. 2 min.) and ARED/CEVIS on the following 8 days. Explanation: After 10 min. warmup (active, i.e., motorized): Aerobic “T2 30 sec” (passive, i.e., nonmotorized) = 7-8 sets of exercise at HRmax (max. heart rate) for 30 sec, with 15 sec rest in between. Aerobic “T2 2 min” (motorized) = 6 sets of 2 min each at 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%, 90%, 80% HRmax. Aerobic “T2 4 min” (motorized) = 4 sets of 4 min, with 3 min rest period in between. ]

Tasks listed for FE-4 Malenchenko on the Russian discretionary “time permitting” job for today were –
* More preparation & downlinking of reportages (written text, photos, videos) for the Roskosmos website to promote Russia’s manned space program (max. file size 500 Mb),
* Shooting a video for the Roskosmos TV studio in its joint production with Channel Russia 24 for the weekly program “Space”,
* A 10-min. photography session for the DZZ-13 “Seiner” ocean observation program, obtaining SKPF-U (Photo Image Coordinate Reference System) HDV (Z1) camcorder footage of color bloom patterns in the waters of color bloom patterns in the waters of Central-Eastern Atlantic (CEA), then copying the images to the RSK-1 laptop,
* A ~30-min. run of the GFI-8 “Uragan” (hurricane) earth-imaging program with the NIKON D3X digital camera with Sigma AF 300-800mm telelens and PI emission platform using the SKPF-U to record target sites on the Earth surface, and
* A ~30-min. 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.

Weekly Science Update (Expedition Thirty-Three – Week 7)

2D NANO Template (JAXA): Mission completed.

3D SPACE: Complete.

ACE-1 (Advanced Colloids Experiment 1, NASA):

ALTCRISS (Alteino Long Term monitoring of Cosmic Rays on the ISS): Complete.

ALTEA SHIELD Shielding (NASA/ASI): To date, the session#2 has progressed nominally, with 89 cumulative days (of minimal 40 / preferred 60 days, no maximum acquisition duration) of science acquisition. The science team has formally confirmed the validity of the session#2 data. Though the preferred amount of data acquisition is reached, it is planned to continue measuring until the storage of ALTEA SHIELD. Further data collection is expected to support statistical analyses later on. [Background: Cosmic radiation consists of very small, atomic-sized particles that are flying around in space at tremendous speeds. Their energy is so high that these particles, like tiny bullets, can permeate through the complete structure of the ISS. Exposure of astronauts to cosmic radiation is risky from a medical point of view. The best way to protect our astronauts against cosmic radiation is to build the complete ISS from lead! This would solve the problem but the enormous mass can impossibly be launched into space. Therefore different materials, much lighter than lead, are being tested to be used as shielding materials. Two of those will be investigated in the ALTEA-SHIELD experiment. The effectiveness of the shielding materials will be measured on board by a set of special radiation detectors. Some detectors will be covered with tiles made of shielding materials, some others will not. We are looking forward to find out what difference it will make!”]

Amine Swingbed (NASA): During fault tree analysis, the project determined the root cause for the position sensor anomaly experienced on 6/23. It was discovered that the set screws that secure the valve drive key on the motor gearbox (launched aboard 30S and installed on 6/11) were not torqued sufficiently. This causes the drive key to slip within the gearbox, thus not rotating the valve fully. The project presented a recovery plan to the Payload Failure Investigation Team (PFIT) and were given the go ahead to implement the plan. This includes tightening the set screws as well as verifying the proximity sensor functions properly. Additionally during ground testing, it was discovered that our payload control software has a minor calculation error that would prohibit successful operation. Independent of the crew procedure, the project is working an updated software load that can be completed from the ground. The project’s presentation to the ISS Ops Tag-up has been placed on hold pending programmatic direction. Software updates are in progress and on-orbit procedures are prepared for formal review.

AMS-02 (Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer): AMS has downlinked data for over 24 Billion cosmic ray events. On 11/1, AMS lost 16 hours of science due to a partial power down to alleviate thermal issues encountered during the US EVA20 +YVV attitude. Once the attitude returned to +XVV, AMS recovered and returned to nominal science operations. Suni, thank you for troubleshooting and reconnecting the AMS Laptop!

APEX (Advanced Plant Experiments on Orbit) -Cambium: No report.

APEX-TAGES (Transgenic Arabidopsis Gene Expression System): No report.

Asian Seed 2010 (JAXA): Returned on ULF6.

BASS (Burning and Suppression of Solids, NASA): (The BASS hardware has been stowed until we resume tests beginning sometime in December 2012 or January 2013.)
BCAT-6 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test 6, CSA): No report. [Colloids are particles as small as a few tens of nanometers (a thousandth of a thousandth of a millimeter) that are suspended in a medium, usually a liquid or a gas. The name “colloid” comes from the Greek word for “glue”, and expresses very important properties of colloids: when small and light enough, particles can be influenced in their behavior by forces of electromagnetic origin, and make them stick together, or repel each other depending on the configuration. Colloids are widely studied in science because the forces between particles can be controlled and tuned and because particles, while being small enough to be influenced by such forces, are big and slow enough to be seen with a relatively simple and inexpensive laboratory instrument like a microscope. This is why colloids are often studied as model for molecular systems (like standard gases or liquids) where molecules, the individual constituents, are much smaller than colloids and cannot be seen with light. As mentioned, forces between colloids can be tuned giving rise to a rich variety of phenomena. One of them is aggregation, which is when particles stick together and tend to form structures. Among the many ways to induce particle aggregation, one allows to do so by controlling the temperature of the solution in which the particles are immersed, thanks to very weak forces called “critical Casimir forces” that have been predicted more than 30 years ago but just partially verified in experiments. The objective of SODI COLLOID is to measure such forces and produce a controlled aggregation of tiny plastic particles. This would allow to shed light on critical Casimir forces and to make a step towards the fabrication of new nanostructured materials with remarkable optical properties for industrial applications.]

BCAT-C1 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test C1, CSA): No report.

BLB (Biolab, ESA): No report.

BIORHYTHMS 48 (Biological Rhythms, JAXA): “Aki, thank you for Actiwatch and Holter ECG measurement on 11/3-11/7. Suni, your Actiwatch measurement will be started from 11/9 and Holter measurement will be started from 11/12.

BISE (Bodies in the Space Environment, CSA): No report.

BISPHOSPHONATES: No report.

BXF-Facility (Boiling eXperiment Facility, NASA): No report.

BXF-MABE (Microheater Array Boiling Experiment, NASA): No report.

BXF-NPBX (Pool Boiling Experiment, NASA): No report.

CARD (Long Term Microgravity Model for Investigating Mechanisms of Heart Disease, ESA): No report.

CARDIOCOG-2: Complete.

CB (JAXA Clean Bench): No report.

CBEF-2 (JAXA Cell Biology Experiment Facility)/SPACE SEED: No report.

CCISS (Cardiovascular & Cerebrovascular Control on Return from ISS): No report.

CERISE (JAXA): No report.

CCF (Capillary Channel Flow, NASA): No report.

CFE-2 (Capillary Flow Experiment 2, NASA): No report.

CFS-A (Colored Fungi in Space-A, ESA): No report.

CSI-5/CGBA-5 (CGBA Science Insert #5/Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 5): No report.

CGBA-2 (Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 2): Complete.

CIR (Combustion Integrated Rack), MDCA/Flex: No report.

CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS (ESA): “Thank you, Aki, for starting your 5th CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS measurement session!”

Commercial (Inc 23&24, JAXA): No report.

Commercial (Inc 25 & 26, JAXA): No report.

Commercial (Inc 32, JAXA): No report.

CSAC (Chip-Scale Atomic Clock, SPHERES): No report.

CSLM-2 (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures 2): No report.

CsPins (JAXA): No report.

CubeLab: No report.

CW/CR (Cell Wall/Resist Wall) in EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System): Complete.

DECLIC-ALI (Device for the Study of Critical Liquids & Crystallization-ALICE-like, CNES/NASA): No report.

DomeGene (JAXA): Complete.

DOSIS-3D (3D Dose Distribution Inside ISS, ESA): “Thank you, Aki and Suni, for the relocation of the DOSIS-3D passive detector on 11/6. The photos are on the ground, pending science team assessment.”

DTN (Delay Tolerant Network, NASA): No report.

EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students): No report.

EDR (European Drawer Rack, ESA): No report.

EKE (Endurance Capacity by Gas Exchange and Heart Rate Kinetics During Physical Training, ESA): No report.

ELITE-S2 (Elaboratore Immagini Televisive – Space 2): “Kevin, thank you for completing your second ELITE-S2 session which included the Imagine & Move protocols. We are especially grateful for extending your time and allowing the completion of both experiments. The data has been downlinked to the ground for assessment. The science team reported that their quality is outstanding. This means you carried out excellent camera pointing, calibration and protocol performances.”

EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System): No report.

ENERGY (ESA): No report. [Background: In the ENERGY experiment, astronauts are invited to participate in a study that aimed to evaluate how much food is needed for astronauts during long-term space missions. To do so, the science team will measure every component or variable of the astronaut’s energy expenditure reflecting his energy needs. Those variables will be measured twice: up to 4 months before flight and after at least 3 months in space but 3 weeks before landing. The changes in the astronaut’s energy balance and expenditure will be measured, which will help in deriving an equation for energy requirements in weightlessness. This will contribute to planning adequate, but not excessive cargo supplies for food.]

ENose (Electronic Nose): No report.

EPM (European Physiology Module): No report.

EPO (Education Payload Operations, NASA) Demos: No report.

EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (Eye in the Sky; Sleep 2): No report.

EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (Sesame Street): No report.

EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (Kids in Micro-G): No report.

EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (Earth/Moon/Mars Demo): No report.

EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (Space Sports): No report.

EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (ISS Orbit): No report.

EPO (Educational Payload Operations, ESA): No report.

EPO CONVECTIONS (ESA): “No report.

EPO MISSION X (ESA): No report.

EPO Spaceship Earth (ESA): No report.

EPO LES-2 (ESA): No report.

EPO GREENHOUSE (ESA): No report.

EPO 3-min Video (JAXA): No report.

EPO J-Astro Report (JAXA): No report.

EPO Dewey’s Forest (JAXA): Closed out on 3/15.

EPO Space Clothes (JAXA): Complete.

EPO Hiten (Dance, JAXA): No report.

EPO Lego Bricks (NASA, JAXA): No report.

EPO Moon Score (JAXA): No report.

EPO OpticSphere & ISSOrbit-Demo (NASA): No report.

EPO Kibo Kids Tour (JAXA): Complete.

EPO Paper Craft (Origami, JAXA): No report.

EPO Poem (JAXA): No report.

EPO-5 SpaceBottle (MIB/Message in a Bottle, JAXA): No report.

EPO-6 Spiral Top 2 (JAXA): No report.

EPO-7 Doctor Demo (JAXA): No report.

EPO-7 Green Tea Preparation (JAXA): No report.

EPO-7 Ink Ball (JAXA): No report.

EPO-7 Video (JAXA):

EPO-7 Try Zero-G (JAXA): No report.

EPO-8 Space Sakura (JAXA): No report.

EPO-8 Space Musical Instruments (JAXA): No report.

EPO-9 (JAXA): No report.

EPO-10/11 (JAXA): No report.

EPO-10/Try Zero-G (JAXA): “Aki, thank you for making ice for the experiment.”

ERB-2 (Erasmus Recording Binocular, ESA): [ERB-2 aims are to develop narrated video material for various PR & educational products & events, including a 3D interior station view.] No report.

ETD (Eye Tracking Device): Completed.

FACET-2 (JAXA): No report.

FERULATE (JAXA): No report.

FIR/LMM/CVB (Fluids Integrated Rack / Light Microscopy Module / Constrained Vapor Bubble): No report.

Fish Scales (JAXA): Completed on FD7/ULF-4 and returned on STS-132.

FOAM STABILITY EPO (ESA): No report.

FOCUS: No report.

FSL (Fluid Science Laboratory, ESA): No report.

FWED (Flywheel Exercise Device, ESA): No report.

GENARA-A (Gravity Regulated Genes in Arabidopsis A/ESA): No report.

GEOFLOW-2 (ESA): Experiment completed! [Background: Everybody is familiar with liquids. In an average day we get to use, handle or drink water or other liquids. And everybody knows how fluids (that is liquids and gases) behave: when subjected to a net force, may be pressure, a temperature difference or gravity, they can move freely. Scientists have been studying how fluids move for centuries, and managed to write mathematical formulas that can describe and predict such movements. Unfortunately, these equations are extremely complex and only approximate solutions are known. As a result, our quantitative understanding of fluid movement is just partial. This is especially true for natural phenomena where the forces can be enormous and unpredictable, like in oceans or in the atmosphere, or the interior of the earth, where rocks are exposed to pressures and temperatures so incredibly high that they slowly move and adapt their shape. That is, over hundreds of years rocks flow just like a very viscous liquid. Scientists try to study such flows but cannot observe them directly due to the fact that they take place deep beneath the surface of our planet. The only way is to have computers simulating those movements starting from the equations, but how to check whether computers are correct? This is what Geoflow II is trying to answer on board the International Space Station. Geoflow II is a miniature planet that has some of its essential ingredients: a fluid can freely move inside a spherical container that rotates, has temperature differences and has a simulated gravity directed towards the centre just like in a real planet. By taking pictures of the fluid movements, scientists are able to understand the essential characteristics of the flows and determine whether computer simulations are correct or whether they need to be refined and improved towards a better understanding of the elusive movements that take place inside our planet.]

GLACIER (General Laboratory Active Cryogenic ISS Experiment Refrigerator, NASA): No report.

HAIR (JAXA): Samples collected from Inc. 27/28, 29/30 and 31/32 were returned by SpX-1.

HDTV System (JAXA): No report.

Hicari (JAXA): No report.

Holter ECG (JAXA): No report.

HQPC (JAXA): No report.

HREP (HICO/Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean & RAIDS/Remote Atmospheric & Ionospheric Detection System/JAXA): HICO has taken 6756 images to-date. The most recent HICO images include Mount Everest, part of India and an area of New Mexico that had experienced wild fires earlier this year. RAIDS is continuing to collect secondary Science data including nighttime atmospheric disk photometry, spectra and temperatures. Extreme Ultra Violet airglow spectroscopy and optical contamination studies will also be performed.

HRF-1 (Human Research Facility 1, NASA): No report.

HydroTropi (Hydrotropism & Auxin-Inducible Gene Expression in Roots Grown under Microgravity Conditions/JAXA): No report.

ICE CRYSTAL (JAXA): Complete.

ICV (Integrated Cardiovascular): “Great job on the echoes this week! Aki’s scan set a new speed record! Thanks to both Aki and Suni for your patience and flexibility while the ground worked through the video privatization issues. Suni and Kevin had a much more relaxed session and we’re really pleased that Kevin had the opportunity to do a bit of handover so he can pass that knowledge along to Tom and Chris. Next echoes for Suni and Aki will be in Houston!”

IMMUNO (Neuroendocrine & Immune Responses in Humans During & After Long Term Stay at ISS; RS): No report.

INTEGRATED IMMUNE: No report.

InSPACE-3 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions 3): No report.

IRIS (Image Reversal in Space, CSA): No report.

ISS Amateur/Ham Radio: No report.

ISSAC (ISS Agricultural Camera, NASA): ISSAC operations are ongoing and nominal. Last week, ISSAC took 15 strip targets, of which 3 strip targets were focused on Hurricane Sandy in support of International Disaster Charter. The collected images were post-processed and delivered to U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). ISSAC_Hurricane Sandy’s images are now available to download via USGS Hazards Data Distribution System (HDDS).

IV Gen (Intravenous Fluids Generation): No report.

JOURNALS (Behavioral Issues Associated with Isolation and Confinement, NASA): No report. [Studies conducted on Earth have shown that analyzing the content of journals and diaries is an effective method for identifying the issues that are most important to a person. The method is based on the reasonable assumption that the frequency that an issue or category of issues is mentioned in a journal reflects the importance of that issue or category to the writer. The tone of each entry (positive, negative, or neutral) and phase of the expedition also are variables of interest. Study results will lead to recommendations for the design of equipment, facilities, procedures, and training to help sustain behavioral adjustment and performance during long-duration space expeditions to the ISS, asteroids, the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Results from this study could help to improve the behavioral performance of people living and working under a variety of conditions here on Earth.]

KUBIK 3/6, KID (ESA): No report.

LMM/PACE-2 (Light Microscopy Module / Preliminary Advanced Colloids Experiment): No report.

LEGO Bricks: No report.

LOCAD-PTS (Lab-on-a-Chip Application Development-Portable Test System): No report.

MAMS (Microgravity Acceleration Measurement System, NASA): No report.

Marangoni Exp. (JAXA): No report.

Marangoni DSD – Dynamic Surf (JAXA): Payload name was change from Marangoni DSD to Dynamic Surf.

Marangoni UVP (JAXA): No report.

MARES (Muscle Atrophy Research & Exercise System, ESA/NASA): No report.

Matryoshka-2 (RSA): No report.

MAXI (Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image, JAXA): External payload. Continuing telemetry monitoring. The Visual Star Camera (VSC) raw image data was downloaded on 11/5 and 11/7.

MCE (Multi-Mission Consolidated Equipment, JAXA): Ground team has been continuing the operation for IMAP, SIMPLE, HDTV and REX-J.

MDCA/Flex-2: On 10/30, we successfully performed three MDCA/FLEX-2 Convective Flow test points using 100% decane fuel at a 1.0-atm chamber environment of 25% oxygen and 75% nitrogen. These test points were a continuation of the tests performed on 10/15. On 10/15, we were trying to ignite fuel droplets with larger initial droplet diameters (Do >= 5.5 mm) to achieve radiative extinction of the flame. Droplets this large are challenging to ignite because the settings of the igniters need to be precisely adjusted. On 10/30, we performed these same tests to gather more data. On 11/5, we performed six MDCA/FLEX-2 Quiescent test points using 100% decane fuel at a 0.5-atm chamber environment of 25% oxygen and 75% helium. This is the first time for FLEX-2 that we have used helium for dilution of the atmosphere. Out of six tests, we were able to achieve only one test with a sustained burn (approximately 5 seconds). It appears that this atmosphere (helium diluted atmosphere at 0.5 atm) is at the threshold of the limit at which we can sustain a steady diffusive flame. Because of this, we have decided to perform subsequent test points at 1 atm instead of 0.5 atm.

MEIS (Marangoni Experiment for ISS) in JAXA FPEF (Fluid Physics Experiment Facility): No report.

MELFI (Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS, NASA): No report.

METERON (ESA): No report.

Microbe-3 (JAXA): Samples returned by SpX-1.

Micro-G Clay (JAXA EPO): Complete.

Micro-6 (NASA): No report.

Miscible Fluids in Microgravity (MFMG): No report.

MISSE-8 (Materials ISS Experiment 8): MISSE-8 is nominal. PASCAL performed nominal commanding that produced IV curves of the solar cells. IV curves are plots of the current versus voltage for solar cells and tell a lot about how these are performing. The SpaceCube experiment is continuing to run code for new radiation hardening by software.

MMA (JAXA/Microgravity Measurement Apparatus): No report.

MOST (Medaka Osteoclast, JAXA): “Kevin, thank you for performing the third water quality check and maintenance on 11/2. Aki, thank you for performing the fourth water quality check and maintenance on 11/6. The ground team has been continuing feeding and observation.”

MPAC/SEED (JAXA): No report.

MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox, NASA): No report.

MSG-SAME (Microgravity Science Glovebox -Smoke Aerosol Measurement Experiment): No report.

MSPR (Multi-Purpose Small Payload Rack, JAXA): No report.

MSL (Materials Science Laboratory, ESA): No report.

MTR-2 (Russian radiation measurements): Passive dosimeters measurements in DC-1 “Pirs”.

MULTIGEN-1: Completed.

MYCO 3 (JAXA): On 9/22, Mike and Satoshi completed sample collection.

MyoLab (JAXA): Completed on 4/20.

NanoRacks (NASA): No report.

NANOSKELETON (Production of High Performance Nanomaterials in Microgravity, JAXA): No report.

NANO STEP (JAXA): “Aki, thank you for performing the cell cartridge replacement for run#3 on 11/5. The ground team confirmed it is ready for run#3 to be started from 11/11. Run#2 had been completed on 11/2.”

NEURORAD (JAXA): No report.

NEUROSPAT (ESA/Study of Spatial Cognition, Novelty Processing and Sensorimotor Integration): No report. [During microgravity stay, the human body goes through multitude of physiological changes in order to accommodate to the new environment. As the brain is a master organ where major crucial processes take place, it is fundamental to understand how it manages adaptation for living in Space. One of the main purposes of Neurospat (NES) experiment is to focus on how microgravity environment influences cerebral activity of astronauts aboard ISS. For this, the global electrical activity of the brain of the astronaut is measured thanks to electroencephalogram (EEG) technique, while he or she is executing specific tasks through a computer as if it was a kind of videogame. In practice, the astronaut is wearing a specially equipped cap with passive, gel filled electrodes that are in contact with his/her scalp while he or she is performing the specific tasks that we have designed. These are visual-orientation perception and visuo-motor tracking tasks that may be encountered on a daily basis. The tasks allow the study of 5 cognitive processes: Perception, Attention, Memorization, Decision and Action. Besides there are also task-irrelevant images that are showed to the astronaut in order to assess how well he or she processes novel visual stimuli. The electrodes all over the scalp are linked to sensitive amplifiers that allow us to measure small variations of electrical potential between different regions of the scalp. These signals are in turn used to estimate activity in the cerebral cortex related to the task being performed. Also, they serve to identify the mental processes associated with these tasks and to localize in the brain the sources of the underlying neural activity. After analysis of the data we can better understand whether the novel environment of microgravity accompanied by a multitude of stressors may place an increased load on the cognitive capacity of the human brain and whether the sensory signals and motor responses of astronauts are processed and interpreted differently because a new reference frame.]

NightPod (ESA): No report.

NOA-1/-2 (Nitric Oxide Analyzer, ESA): Complete.

NUTRITION w/REPOSITORY/ProK: “Suni, Aki, and Kevin, thank you for collecting SLAMMD data for us this Monday, hope you enjoyed working with this hardware. Kevin – You’ve successfully completed 1 of 5 sessions for Nutrition/Repository. Thank you for reporting your barcodes for your urine samples. Having the barcode information helps tremendously with sample return. Your next session will be at ~FD30. We look forward to working with you again in the next few weeks. Have a great week!”

ODK-2 (Onboard Diagnostic Kit 2, JAXA): “Aki, thank you for performing the EEG and other various measurements. The ground team confirmed that the EEG data, which couldn’t be displayed on the Onboard Diagnostic Kit Software, had no problems and it was properly acquired. You were working hard later into the night than we had expected, so there was a discrepancy in the parameter setting that we had set.”

PADIAC (Pathway Different Activators, ESA): No report.

PADLES (JAXA, Area PADLES 6/7; Passive Area Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiment in Space): “Aki, thank you for the transfer and the installation of 17 dosimeters on JPM and JLP on 10/25.”

PASSAGES (JAXA): No report. [PASSAGES is an experiment about the strategies involved in the perception of the world around us. Seeing correctly the world is necessary to success our gestures, our actions, such as catching a ball, stepping an obstacle on the ground or passing through an opened door. In this experiment, we want to know if the strategies involved on Earth continue to be used when the astronaut is in a weightlessness environment for a long period. To investigate this question, the participant sees 3D scenes on the screen of a laptop such as a video game. The scene is a room with an opening which can vary in width. The task of the participant is to decide if yes or no he or she could pass through the aperture without rotating or scrunching the shoulders. The science team uses typical methods from psychophysics and manipulates several factors to highlight the strategies used by the participant. Then, the science team will compare the performances obtained on ground with those obtained onboard.]

PCDF-PU (Protein Crystallization Diagnostic Facility – Process Unit): No report.

PCG (JAXA, Protein Crystal Growth): Mission completed last week.

PCRF (Protein Crystallization Research Facility) Reconfiguration (JAXA): See PCG.

PLSG (Plant Signaling, NASA/ESA): No report.

PMDIS (Perceptual Motor Deficits in Space): Complete.

POLCA/GRAVIGEN (ESA): Complete.

Portable PFS: No report.

Pro K: No report.

RadGene & LOH (JAXA): Complete.

RadSilk (JAXA): No report.

Reaction Self Test (RST/Psychomotor Vigilance Self Test on the ISS): “Suni, Aki, and Kevin, thank you for your participation in Reaction Self Test. We greatly appreciate your efforts!”

REBR-2 (Re-Entry Breakup Recorder 2, JAXA): No report.

REM (Radiation Environment Monitor, NASA): No report.

Resist Tubule (RTS, JAXA): Samples returned by SpX-1.

Reversible Figures (ESA): “Suni, from the downlink after your last session, the science team confirmed great quality of the data sets of all your sessions / trials. They also expressed appreciation for the helpful comments that you wrote at the end of the sessions. Kevin, the science team confirmed great quality of the data set of your first session.” [Background: The objective of this study is to understand the relationship between gravity and depth perception. Another objective is to identify the problems associated with depth and distance perception in astronauts with the goal of developing countermeasures to reduce any associated performance alteration. This experiment investigates cases in which what astronauts might think to see, fails to achieve a correct representation of the environment, namely, optical illusions. Ten ambiguous figures, with or without depth cues, are presented to an astronaut in virtual reality goggles. These figures are ambiguous because they can be seen at first sight in two different ways. The figure does not change, but after some time the brain reverses (flip-flops) its interpretation. The astronaut is asked to look closely at each figure and to indicate with a mouse trackball which view he/she sees first, and when the view flip-flops. The interval between the views will be compared between 1g and 0g conditions. In 0g, the astronaut will do the test while free-floating to eliminate all orientation cues. This experiment will be performed three times pre-flight, then up to six times in-flight, and again three times post-flight. The science team will then compare the results of these tests across these gravitational environments. It is expected that the frequency of flip-flops of figures with depth cues will be different in between 0g and 1g, and that an adaptation to long-term exposure to weightlessness, as well as a re-adaptation to Earth gravity, will take place.]

ROALD-2 (Role of Apoptosis in Lymphocyte Depression 2, ESA): No report. [Background: The ROALD-2 experiment studies how the function of T-cells from the immune system are affected by microgravity and spaceflight. T-cells play an important role in controlling the immune systems response to infection. It has previously been shown that the immune response of astronauts can be reduced following spaceflight and it has also been shown that the activation of T-cells in culture is reduced in microgravity. A series of experiments on T-cells and other immune system cells have been previously performed by different scientific teams on Space Shuttle and the ISS over the last 30 years. The data from these individual experiments provides information which together can be used to understand the mechanisms by which gravity or the absence of gravity can affect T-cell function.]

Robonaut (NASA): No report.

RRM (Robotic Refuelling Mission, NASA): In standby mode, awaiting the next task/run, refueling. [The RRM investigation demonstrates and tests the tools, technologies and techniques needed to robotically service and refuel satellites in space, especially satellites not originally designed to be serviced. RRM is expected to reduce risks and lay the foundation for future robotic servicing missions in microgravity.]

RYUTAI Rack (JAXA): No report.

SAIBO Rack (JAXA): No report.

SAMS/MAMS (Space & Microgravity Acceleration Measurement Systems): No report.

SAMPLE: Complete.

SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation Testbed, NASA): SCAN Testbed successfully completed its second week of antenna characterization. The goal of antenna characterization is to understand the antenna patterns of SCAN, in the relative environment. The methodology is to use radio and Space Network (SN)/Near Earth Network (NEN) telemetry as an indicator of received power, in an effort to understand antenna gain. The outcome of this effort will provide a better understanding of payload performance in preparation for radio commissioning and experiments.
This week’s tests were conducted using the General Dynamics (GD) and Harris SDRs. Multiple passes were conducted each day, using both the NEN and SN, for a total of 19 events. Both Low Gain S-Band Antennas, the Medium Gain S-Band Antenna and the High Gain Ka-Band Antenna were used to transmit and receive. [Background: The SCaN Testbed provides an orbiting laboratory on space station for the development of SDR (Software Defined Radio) technology. These systems will allow researchers to conduct a suite of experiments over the next several years, enabling the advancement of a new generation of space communications. The testbed is the first space hardware to provide an experimental laboratory to demonstrate many new capabilities, including new communications, networking and navigation techniques that utilize SDR technology. The SCaN Testbed includes three such radio devices, each with different capabilities. These devices will be used by researchers to advance this technology over the Testbed’s five year planned life in orbit. Two SDRs were developed under cooperative agreements with General Dynamics and Harris Corp., and the third was developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, Calif. JPL also provided the five-antenna system on the exterior of the testbed, used to communicate with NASA’s orbiting communications relay satellites and NASA ground stations across the United States.]

SCOF (Solution Crystallization Observation Facility, JAXA): No report.

SEDA-AP (Space Environment Data Acquisition Equipment-Attached Payload, JAXA): Continuing telemetry monitoring.

SHD (Space Headaches, ESA): “Kevin, your first weekly questionnaire which you filled on 11/2 was well received on the ground via the DCT.” [Background: The neurologists from Leiden University want to study the question whether the astronauts, while in space, suffer from the headaches. With the help of simple questionnaires the astronauts will register the headache episodes and the eventual accompanying symptoms. The results will hopefully help to characterize the frequency and characteristics of space headache and to develop countermeasure to prevent/minimize headache occurrence during the space flight.]

SHERE II (Shear History Extensional Rheology Experiment II): No report.

SLAMMD (Space Linear Acceleration Mass Measurement Device): No report.

SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight): No report.

SLICE (Structure & Liftoff In Combustion Experiment): No report. [See under BASS.]

SMILES (JAXA): External payload. Continuing telemetry monitoring.

SODI/IVIDIL (Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument/Influence of Vibration on Diffusion in Liquids, ESA): No report.

SODI/COLLOID (Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument/Colloid): No report.

SODI-DSC (Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument/Diffusion & Soret Coefficient, ESA): No report. [Background: Fluids and gases are never at rest. This statement is in apparent contradiction with our experience: when we pour water in a glass and wait until all flows have disappeared and the temperature of the liquid is in equilibrium with that of the room, we see that water appears to be completely at rest. However, if we were able to see the individual molecules of water with a very powerful microscope, we would discover that they are incessantly moving and collide with each other following frantic, random paths even if the liquid appears to be quiescent at naked eye. Scientists are interested in observing and measuring such movements because they reveal important, practical information: how fast does heat propagates in a fluid? How fast do liquid mixtures mix? Such phenomena occur in absence of a macroscopic flow, that is when the fluid appears to be at rest, and are called heat and mass diffusion respectively. While the theoretical prediction of heat and mass diffusion is still quite challenging, its measurement is a standard laboratory practice, but may become extremely difficult or impossible when dealing with mixtures of many liquids, due to the fact that such measurement needs to be carried out when the fluid is quiescent, a condition sometimes impossible to achieve on ground. This is precisely the objective of the SODI DSC experiment carried out on board the International Space Station: the measurement of diffusion in mixtures of liquids. By using very sensitive optical techniques, it will be possible to measure mass diffusion, compare with current theories, and improve our present understanding of how molecules move in liquid mixtures. The results will be used by the large team of scientists involved in the project to try to understand which of the many existing theories for mass diffusion is correctly predicting the experimental behavior.]

SOLAR (Solar Monitoring Observatory, ESA): Sun Visibility Window #58 (SVW) was successfully concluded on 10/26. SOLSPEC calibration performed nominally on 11/5. The next SVW#59 is predicted to start on 11/18.

SOLO (Sodium Loading in Microgravity): No report.

Space-DRUMS (Space Dynamically Responding Ultrasonic Matrix System): No report.

Space Food (JAXA): No report.

SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellite): No report.

SPHINX (SPaceflight of Huvec: an Integrated eXperiment, ESA): No report.

SPICE (Smoke Point In Co-flow Experiment): No report.

SPINAL (Spinal Elongation): No report.

SPRINT: “Great job Aki with your final Sprint VO2 max session this week! The PI has the data and is reviewing it. The team looks forward to seeing you on the ground!”

SSD (Small Satellite Deployer, JAXA): No report.

SS-HDTV (Super Sensitivity High Definition Camera, JAXA): Mission completed.

STP-H3 (Space Test Program – Houston 3): All STP-H3 experiments are functional and are in a nominal configuration. MHTEX is currently in a priming operation for the Capillary Pumped Loop (CPL) in preparation for additional testing. VADER continues to characterize the performance of the Aerogel blanket attached to the backside of the experiment. Canary downloaded data from three data takes last week including a data take during the EVA 20 EAS Jumper activity. Canary also collected data after EVA 20 to determine if the sensor is sensitive enough to detect any leaking ammonia. DISC took new images this week and continues to process images that were taken in previous weeks.

SWAB (Characterization of Microorganisms & Allergens in Spacecraft): No report.

TASTE IN SPACE (ESA): No report.

THERMOLAB (ESA): No report.

TRAC (Test of Reaction & Adaptation Capabilities): Planned.

TREADMILL KINEMATICS: “Sunita, thanks for being a great Treadmill Kinematics subject!”

TRIPLELUX-B (ESA): No report.

TRITEL (Three-Axis Telescope, ESA): “Aki, we all appreciated very much that despite the difficult day for you on 11/6 due to LS1 server issues, you managed well to install the Portable Power Supply and the TRITEL Electronic Unit and active detector. On 11/9 a check-out activity is planned which will allow the science team to confirm hopefully good functionality based on their data assessment. We keep you informed of course!”

ULTRASOUND: Planned.

UMS (Urine Monitoring System (NASA): No report.

VASCULAR (CSA): No report.

VCAM (Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Module, NASA): No report.

VESSEL ID System (ESA): Nominal data acquisition with the NorAIS receiver. To deduce the cause of correlation between a reduced performance of the VESSEL ID AIS and the S-Band String 1 configuration, during the current period – started on 11/1 – some S-Band 1 devices would be switched off to allow to deduce the cause of the interference. [Background: As the ISS circles Earth, it has been tracking individual ships crossing the seas beneath. An investigation hosted by ESA in COL module has been testing the viability of monitoring global maritime traffic from the station’s orbit hundreds of kilometers above since June 2010. The ship-detection system being tested is based on the AIS (Automatic Identification System), the marine equivalent of the air traffic control system. Astronauts were instrumental in enabling the COLAIS experiment, which is an in-orbit demonstration project of ESA’s General Support Technology Program. COL was not originally outfitted with VHF antennas to capture the AIS signals; they were installed on the outside of the module during a spacewalk in November 2009, with the remaining piece of hardware, the ERNOBox control computer, installed inside COL along with the NORAIS receiver in May 2010.- The two operational phases with the first receiver from Norway, or NORAIS, which is operated by FFI/Norway, have been extremely successful, with data telemetry received by the N-USOC, in Trondheim, Norway, via ESA’s COL-CC in Germany. Data has been received by NORAIS in almost continuous operation, and all modes of operation have worked extremely well. On a good day, approximately 400,000 ship position reports are received from more than 22,000 different ship identification numbers (Maritime Mobile Service Identity, or MMSI). — The NORAIS Receiver has a sample mode that can collect the raw signal, digitize it and send it to ground for analysis of signal quality, which is proving very helpful in making additional improvements/ refinements to the system. This is used both to investigate the signal environment and to evaluate the performance of new receiver technologies on the ground. Several hundred data sets have been collected and processed with new candidate algorithms for next generation receivers.– From the assessment of these data sets, an updated version of the decoder algorithm has been worked. The development benefits from the investigations of the sampled data and ongoing work in other ESA projects. The firmware was uploaded to the NORAIS Receiver through the station’s communications network. This upgrade #1 (“NORAIS Receiver FPGA firmware v18”), was activated on 1/20/2012.– The on-orbit data of the NORAIS Receiver v18 have been analyzed since and show very good results. The teams are confident in the operation and performance of v18 and have now preliminary results of the comparison of the performance of the upgraded NORAIS Receiver (v18) relative to the version operated prior to the upgrade (v16).– Changes of the signal environment on ISS can influence the number of correctly decoded messages, which makes it important to compare the results of this upgrade to a period running the old algorithm with a similar background level.– The daily averages are calculated for 11 days for both receiver versions. For the upgrade, the period considered for comparison is 1/21-1/31/2012, which are the first 11 days of operation. When selecting the period for the reference data it was important to find a period with the same background signal level as the 11 days with the upgraded NORAIS Receiver. The period from 11/27 – 12/7/2011 was. Even though the two 11 day periods are 45 days apart, the ship traffic should not be very different around the world, except for some regions in the north that may be hampered by sea ice. — The performance has been studied as the average number of decoded messages per day for the current upgrade v18 of the firmware and the original NORAIS Receiver software. The improvement is the ratio of these numbers (so average numbers of messages per day before the upgrade divided by number of messages after the upgrade). The number of messages from ships in various geographic areas shows a variation in the ratio of messages from 1.2 to 2.0, whereas the ratio of MMSI’s ranges from 1.1 to 1.9. The improvement in the Mediterranean is almost a factor of 2.0 in number of messages, and more than 1.6 in number of distinct ships per day. The improvement in other high-traffic zones, at the Gulf of Mexico and East Asia, is even higher.]

VESSEL IMAGING (ESA): “Thanks, Aki, for a smooth scan session for VESSEL IMAGING on 11/5. The science team confirmed good images and all objectives were met. Thanks, Suni, for a smooth scan session for VESSEL IMAGING on 11/7. The science team confirmed good images and all objectives were met. ” [Background: It is known that the ability of blood vessels to vasoconstrict – the ability of the muscular vessel wall to narrow the diameter of the blood vessel – is impaired during and after a human has been in space. “Vessel Imaging” is using the Ultrasound scanner on board the ISS to take images of the five different blood vessels in the lower abdomen and in the legs to study what changes occur to cause the blood vessels to be less able to vasoconstrict. For each vessel, a 5 second scan is performed to observe the blood vessel during several heart beats, followed by a scan where the ultrasound scan-head is tilted to allow a “cut through the blood vessel wall”. The same scans are also performed before flight, and these pre-flight images are used as the baseline to which the in-flight data is compared with. The images are analyzed to detect any changes in the blood vessel wall properties, such as wall thickness, elasticity or structure, changes in the size of the blood vessel or blood flow (volume) while the crewmember is in orbit.]

VIABLE (eValuatIon And monitoring of microBiofiLms insidE the ISS Payload Touch, NASA): No report.

VO2max (NASA): No report.

VLE (Video Lessons ESA): No report.

WAICO #1/#2 (Waving and Coiling of Arabidopsis Roots at Different g-levels; ESA): No report.

YEAST B (ESA): No report.

YOUTUBE SpaceLab: No report.

CEO (Crew Earth Observation): Through 11/4 the ground has received 8,211 of ISS CEO frames from Expedition 33 for review and cataloging. “We are pleased to report that we have received imagery this week with camera times corresponding to our CEO target request times as follows: Urumqi, China – 22 frames – target acquired – longer lens views are still required; Niwot Ridge, CO – 26 frames in two sessions – target not acquired; Hurricane Sandy Damage, NE US Coast – 42 frames in two sessions – target area acquired for this International Disaster Charter site – under evaluation for content. Thanks for your continued support of our payload despite the transient, poor illumination conditions that have developed recently. Your colorful view of Isla Santiago, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador was published on the NASA/GSFC Earth Observatory website this past weekend. This photo provides excellent documentation of the volcanic structures, lava flow distribution, and vegetation pattern of this island located in the equatorial Pacific area most directly influenced by the sea surface temperature changes of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle. Nice job!”

CEO targets uplinked for today were Ganga River Sand Bars–Central sector, India (looking right for the Ganges River: in its present low-water stage conditions are good for documenting the enormous sand bars that move slowly downstream during each wet season. Analysis of a recently acquired set of images has begun with a collaborator in Australia. This target occurs at the same time as the neighboring Ganges-East sector target), Ganga River Bars–East sector, India (looking at nadir for the Ganges River), Mumbai, India Aerosol (looking left for margins of haze mass moving slowly off the Indian subcontinent. The crew was to include the coastline at some point in the sequence of images to assist locating images geographically. They were also to look right into the Arabian Sea if any margins of the mass can be followed that far. Conditions were good for acquiring this subtle phenomenon: (i) relatively low sun, (ii) a water-surface backdrop, and (iii) flight path that allows oblique views [these lengthen the line of sight through the atmosphere, thereby enhancing visibility of the haze], and East Cuba, coastal vegetation (looking mainly right to document coastal vegetation. Images were requested to support a new project aimed at acquiring baseline data. Scattered cloud was
expected, but detailed imagery between clouds allows the database to be built).

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 8:23am EST [= epoch])
Mean altitude – 413.0 km
Apogee height – 423.4 km
Perigee height – 402.6 km
Period — 92.83 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0015271
Solar Beta Angle — -62.4 deg (magnitude decreasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.51
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 52 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 80,075
Time in orbit (station) — 5104 days
Time in orbit (crews, cum.) — 4391 days.

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————– Inc-33: Six-crew operations ————-
11/18/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/31S undock/deorbit/landing – 5:26pm/7:58pm/8:53pm EST (local: 11/19, 7:53am) End of Increment 33)
————– Inc-34: Three-crew operations ————-
12/05/12 – Soyuz TMA-07M/33S launch – C.Hadfield (CDR-35)/T.Mashburn/R.Romanenko
12/07/12 – Soyuz TMA-07M/33S docking
————– Inc-34: Six-crew operations ————-
02/11/13 – Progress M-16M/48P undocking
02/12/13 – Progress M-18M/50P launch
02/14/13 – Progress M-18M/50P docking
03/15/13 — Soyuz TMA-06M/32S undock/landing (End of Increment 34)
————– Inc-35: Three-crew operations ————-
04/02/13 — Soyuz TMA-08M/34S launch – P.Vinogradov (CDR-36)/C.Cassidy/A.Misurkin
04/04/13 — Soyuz TMA-08M/34S docking
04/23/13 — Progress M-18M/50P undock/landing
————– Inc-35: Six-crew operations ————-
05/16/13 — Soyuz TMA-07M/33S undock/landing (End of Increment 35)
————– Inc-36: Three-crew operations ————-
05/29/13 — Soyuz TMA-09M/35S launch – M.Suraev (CDR-37)/K.Nyberg/L.Parmitano
05/31/13 — Soyuz TMA-09M/35S docking
————– Inc-36: Six-crew operations ————-
09/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-08M/34S undock/landing (End of Increment 36)
————– Inc-37: Three-crew operations ————-
09/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-10M/36S launch – M.Hopkins/TBD (CDR-38)/TBD
09/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-10M/36S docking
————– Inc-37: Six-crew operations ————-
11/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-09M/35S undock/landing (End of Increment 37)
————– Inc-38: Three-crew operations ————-
11/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-11M/37S launch – K.Wakata (CDR-39)/R.Mastracchio/TBD
11/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-11M/37S docking
————– Inc-38: Six-crew operations ————-
03/xx/14 — Soyuz TMA-10M/36S undock/landing (End of Increment 38)
————– Inc-39: Three-crew operations ————-