MRPO Daily Status Report 10-09-02
Calendar Date: 10/09/02
Increment: 5
Stage: UF2
Week 18
STS-112/9A docked with the ISS today at 10:17 a.m. CDT. STS/ISS Joint
Operations will last until Wednesday, 10/16.
Payloads being launched on STS-112/9A:
CGBA, CGBA Sortie Science Insert, PGBA, STES-7, and ZCG Samples
Payloads being returned on STS-112:
ADVASC, CGBA Sortie Science Insert, MEPS Samples, SAMS Hard Drive/Battery,
StelSys, STES-8, and ZCG Samples
A CGBA Sortie Science Insert thermal control problem has been reported
by the shuttle crew. Trouble-shooting procedures have been developed and
are being coordinated for implementation.
Payloads currently on-board ISS:
ADVASC (HW), BSTC, InSPACE, MAMS, MEPS, MSG (facility), PFMI, SAMS, SUBSA
and ZCG. InSpace was not planned to operate during this stage.
Status:
MRPO payloads MAMS and SAMS continue nominal operations. ADVASC, BSTC,
MEPS, StelSys, SUBSA and ZCG operations have been successfully completed.
STES-8 continues to be powered for thermal control but all growth chambers
have been deactivated.
EXPRESS RACKS 1 and 4 (ER1 & ER4) are powered and supporting payload
operations. ER2 power was turned-off this morning to conserve energy during
joint operations. ER3 is installed in the US Lab and will be checked out
later. ER5 was checked out during Increment 4 and powered down.
ADVASC was deactivated Monday and cables to the payload were removed
and stowed yesterday in preparation for return of the growth chamber on
STS-112.
ARTIC 1, which contains the StelSys samples is nominal. The StelSys samples
will be transferred to a cryodewar Friday for return on STS-112.
The ZCG samples that have been stowed in ARTIC 2 were removed yesterday
in preparation for return on STS-112.
MAMS is operating nominally in the quasi-steady and HiRAP modes. HiRAP
was turned-on prior to STS-112/9A docking. MAMS data is available on the
acceleration measurement web page.
MSG power was turned-off yesterday following completion of PFMI sample
# 6 processing Monday. There are no plans to re-power the MSG during joint
operations.
PFMI sample #6 operations were completed Monday and the sample was removed
from the thermal chamber and stowed yesterday. Additional PFMI operations
are not planned until after completion of the STS/ISS joint operations
period.
All SAMS sensors in EXPRESS Racks are operating nominally. The SAMS
sensor in the MSG is turned-off. SAMS data is also being posted to the
acceleration measurement web page.
STES-8 is nominal. The four remaining activated growth chambers were
deactivated today before STS-112/9A docked with ISS. On Friday STES-7
and STES-8 will be exchanged and STES-7 will be activated.
Near-term Outlook:
Week 18 (10/7-10/13) – EVA #1 will occur on Thursday. Reboost #1
of ISS to a higher orbit and EVA #2 are planned Saturday. STES 7/8 transfer
exchanges and STES-7 activation in ER4 are scheduled. Stelsys and ZCG
samples are to be transferred to the Shuttle mid-deck. New ZCG samples
will be transferred from the shuttle mid-deck and installed in the ZCG
furnace, located in ER2, and activated. PGBA will also be transferred
from the shuttle mid-deck, installed in ER4 and activated.
Week 19 (10/14-10/20) – Reboost #2 and EVA #3 are planned for Monday
10/14. Tuesday, 10/15, will be a crew off-duty day and 9A undock is planned
for Wednesday 10/16. CGBA will be transferred from the shuttle mid-deck
and installed in ER4.
M. Vlasse, PhD, DSc
MRPO Increment Scientist
ACRONYMS:
ADVASC – Advanced Astroculture
ARIS–Active Rack Isolation System
ARTIC 1 – On-board Freezer
ARTIC 2 – On-board refrigerator
BCSS — Biotechnology Cell Science Stowage
BSTC– Biotechnology Specimen Temperature Controller (General status information
on this payload will include coverage of the following items of support
equipment: BTR, BCSS and GSM)
BTR — Biotechnology Refrigerator
ER1– EXPRESS RACK 1
ER2 — EXPRESS RACK 2
ER3 – EXPRESS RACK 3
ER4 – EXPRESS RACK 4
ER5 – EXPRESS RACK 5
EVA – Extra-vehicular Activity
GSM — Gas Supply Module
InSPACE– Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates
ISS – International Space Station
MAMS — Microgravity Acceleration Measurement System
MEPS – Microencapsulation Electrostatic Processing System
MSG – Microgravity Science Glovebox
PFMI – Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation
SAMS — Space Acceleration Measurement System II
STES – Protein Crystal Growth – Single Thermal Enclosure System
SUBSA – Solidification Using a Baffle in Sealed Ampoules
ZCG – Zeolite Crystal Growth
