XA/EVA Project Office Weekly Activity Report September 27, 2001
ISS-3 EVA COER
The ISS-3 EVA COER was conducted September 25, 2001. The three ISS-3 EVA’s are scheduled to occur on October 8, October 14, and November 5, 2001. The major tasks include the activation of DC-1 and installation of the SEEDS and Kromka experiments. The RSC-Energia briefing involved discussion of potential contamination on the multi-layer insulation (MLI) blankets that cover the docking target and passive Kurs antennas that are installed during EVA 1. Energia plans to nominally bag the gloves used for this EVA. The U.S primary item of concern was the issue of observed residue in the area where Kromka will be installed which drove an exception for EVA that must be closed. Forward work with toxicology is underway to adapt the existing tox level 3 procedures for use in the event any visible residue is observed and obtain agreement with Russian partners that this is acceptable for ISS-3.
Russian EVA TIM
A Russian EVA TIM was conducted in Russia from September 10-21, 2001, at the RSC-Energia and Zvezda facilities in Russia. Twenty topics were addressed during the two-week TIM. Many agreements were made, and some actions were taken. Some of the major topics discussed pertained to UF-2 service module MMOD shields task, contamination concerns during the Kromka task during EVA -3 on October 14, 2001, use of U.S. EVA hardware on the Russian segment, Orlan EVA out of the joint airlock, and ISS maintenance requirements. The safety certification and acceptability of use with the Orlan/Russian segment for the multi use tether, Orlan tether adapter, OTA tether extension, and swing arm assembly was completed. Russia is currently evaluating twenty additional items for certification and use. Actions taken from the TIM will be addressed at the weekly Joint EVA working Group or the next EVA TIM, which is tentatively scheduled in January 2002.
STS-111/UF-2 and Increment 5 EVA Crew Assignments
EVA Project Office personnel participated in the ISS Joint Operations Crew Tasking Panel for STS-111/UF2. The primary issue before the panel was the crew assignment for EVA 1 on the flight. During EVA 1 the crew will remove the service module debris panels (SMDP) from the Shuttle payload bay, translate them to the service module (SM), install the SMDP’s on the SM, and prepare the mobile remote servicer base system (MBS) for installation by removing thermal covers. The EVA could be conducted by the two Shuttle EVA crewmembers who will be conducting EVA 2 or by an EVA team made up of one Shuttle and one Increment 5 crewmember, Peggy Whitson or Valeri Korzun. The panel determined that crewmember Korzun’s training load was too high to support the additional requirements of EVA training. His training load is higher than the other Increment 5 crewmember since he is the ISS commander. The panel determined that an EVA team of two Shuttle crewmembers or one shuttle crewmember and crewmember Peggy Whitson was acceptable. Since the SMDP installation is a joint Russian EVA, Team Zero will discuss these options and make the final decision between these two options.
G. Allen Flynt
Manager
