ISS On-Orbit Status 24 Oct 2002

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously or below.

Before breakfast, CDR Korzun and FE-2 Treschev  completed the Russian medical experiment PZE MO-11 (blood chemistry analysis), each taking turns as CMO (crew medical officer).  For the test, Treschev last night had destowed kits and accessories of the German-built Reflotron 4 blood analyzer (earlier versions were already on Mir). [Fresh blood was drawn from the subject’s finger with an Autoclix mini-lancet and a pipette, after the subject had imbibed 250 ml of warm water or plain (unsugared) tea.  Clinical parameters were then determined from the collected samples.  Using various reagent tabs, the blood was tested for such parameters as hemoglobin, glucose, bilirubin, amylase, uric acid, triglycerides, urea, etc.  The tubes with blood samples were then stored in  the refrigerator.  The Reflotron 4 uses 40 W of power, supplied by the SM electrical system.]

CDR Korzun conducted a performance test of the DS-7A smoke detector #8 that was installed in the Service Module (SM) on 10/18.

Around 10:00am EDT, payload operators, with FE-1/SO Peggy Whitson’s support, powered on the MSG (microgravity science glovebox) laptop to uplink 15 new PFMI EPFs (Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation experiment parameter files) in support of next week’s PFMI runs. The computer was then turned off again.

After MCC-H powered up the MSS (mobile service system) during the crew’s post-sleep period, Korzun and Whitson spent several hours on today’s scheduled SSRMS/Robotics activities.  Their primary objective was to perform a dry run of the P1 truss installation operations and a checkout of the Lab PDGF (power and data grapple fixture) in preparation for 11A.  [With the SSRMS based on MBS (mobile base system) PDGF3, the LEE (latching end effector) was ungrappled from MBS PDGF2 and maneuvered to the P1 dry run start position.  The arm was then commanded to grapple the (simulated) P1 from the Shuttle arm and transfer it to the pre-install position, followed by P1 installation and ungrapple trajectories.  Afterwards the LEE was grappled and mated to the Lab PDGF for a power, data, and video connectivity checkout through the Lab PDGF by the ground. The SSRMS base function was then switched to the Lab PDGF, followed by more checkouts.  Later, robotics ops focused on collecting SSRMS force moment sensor (FMS) data and high rate LEE mechanism data, by releasing and grappling the Lab PDGF several times.  Finally, the Lab PDGF was released and the arm maneuvered to the 11A park position.]

FE-2 Sergei Treschev meanwhile collected water samples from the BRP-M potable water heater in the SM.  [The BRP-M collects purified water from the SRV-K2 condensate water processor and heats it to 80-95 degC, in the process sterilizing (“pasteurizing”) it for safe ingestion by the crew.]

Afterwards, Sergei also took a sample of the humidity condensate from the SRV-K2 and then deactivated it to perform an R&R (removal and replacement) of its BKO multifiltration unit, which has reached its service life limit.  The BKO was replaced with a new unit and stowed for deorbiting in Progress 9P.  [The BKO, which contains five purification columns to rid the condensate of dissolved mineral and organic impurities, has a service lifetime of at least 450 liters throughput.]

Treschev performed the periodic functional closure test of the spare emergency vacuum valve (AVK) of the Vozdukh carbon dioxide (CO2) removal system.  He then restowed the valve assembly behind an SM panel.  [The AVKs are critical because they close the Vozdukh’s vacuum access lines in the event of a malfunction of the regular vacuum valves (BVK) or a depressurization in the Vozdukh valve panel (BOA).  Access to vacuum is required to vent CO2 during the regeneration of the absorbent cartridges (PP).  During nominal operation, the AVK valves remain open.]

Korzun completed his regular daily inspection of the Rasteniya-2 plant growth status.  Experiment data files were then copied to laptop 3 for downlink via Regul-Packet as a compressed file.

Sergei completed the regular inspection of the BRPK condensate water separator and checked the VR fan of the active SKV-1 air conditioner for accumulated humidity.

Daily routine SOSh life support system maintenance was done by Korzun, while Treschev prepared the IMS (inventory management system) delta file for downlinking, and Peggy Whitson checked up on payload status in the Lab.

At 10:27am EDT,  FE-1/SO Peggy Whitson participated in a 20-min. live interview on Iowa Public Television’s “Living in Iowa” show, which touched on a large variety of ISS and general human spaceflight topics.

All crewmembers performed their daily physical exercise program on TVIS (treadmill), VELO (cycle with load trainer), RED (resistive trainer), and CEVIS (cycle ergometer).

Preparatory to Peggy Whitson’s first 11A prepack activity scheduled for tomorrow, the ground uplinked the initial version of the detailed prepack list for the crew’s return on STS-113/Endeavour in mid-November.

As one of the Russian task list items, the crew prepared the laptop #3 for a test of the upgraded Regul-Packet radiogram transmission system, running at its highest data rate of 32 kilobits per seconds (both up and down).  The test was then conducted during a comm pass, with the ground operator transmitting and receiving from the computer.

Early in the morning, MCC-Houston, MCC-Moscow and HSG (Houston Support Group/Moscow) conducted a BCC (backup control center) dry run for test purposes (no uplink to the station), including playback of the ACT (American contingency telemetry) received during the Hurricane Lili contingency on 10/2 from MCC-M to HSG.  Purpose of the dry run was to check out HSR (Houston Support Room) software upgrades and hardware repairs, and for proficiency training of all personnel.

Yesterday’s discharge of battery 2030 terminated unexpectedly early.  Indications are that the battery may already have been discharged previously instead of #2010, perhaps because the serial numbers on the devices are hard to read (the procedure was changed to call out bar code numbers rather than serial numbers).  [As a troubleshooting step, the discharge scheduled for today was to attempt initially to discharge #2010, which, if successful, will support the above theory.  If the discharge is unsuccessful, the crew will attempt to discharge #2030 in a different location to ensure that it is not an interface problem with that battery.]

The Metox regeneration yesterday was completed successfully, but the Russian side was not satisfied with conditions at the times when the sampling were performed (3 and 3.5 hrs into the process).  Further action is underway to clarify specific conditions and pass/fail criteria.  Meanwhile, Metox regenerations will continue per the nominal plan.  An additional METOX regeneration without en-route sample collection is scheduled for tomorrow.

Today’s targets for the U.S. CEO (crew earth observations) program were Western Mediterranean Dust and Smog (another Atlantic storm and frontal system was forecast as approaching Western Europe at the time of this pass.  As ISS tracked northeastward from southern Spain to northern Italy, the crew was to look obliquely to the right of track for Saharan dust borne on strong southerly winds in advance of this weather system.  On a second pass, the crew was to look eastward as ISS approached the Algerian coast from the NW, for dust plumes and point sources of Saharan dust moving northward), and Eastern Mediterranean Dust and Smog (high pressure and light winds over the eastern Med should have provided favorable conditions for smog and other aerosol buildup, especially over Turkey.  As ISS tracked over Greece for the NW, crew was to look left of track for oblique views of smog palls there).

U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 2:22 pm EDT):

Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):

• Elektron O2 generator is powered On (32 Amp mode, on backup pump).  Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is ON in MANUAL cycle mode #5, i.e., 10-min. cycle time (vacuum pump failed).  U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is offline. TCCS is operational.  BMP Harmful Impurities unit: Absorbent bed #1 in Purify mode, bed #2 in Purify mode.

• SM Working Compartment:  Pressure (mmHg) — 763; temperature (deg C) — 26.9; ppO2 (mmHg) — 159.5; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 2.7.
• SM Transfer Compartment:  Pressure (mmHg) — 761; temperature (deg C) — 20.3.
• FGB Cabin:  Pressure (mmHg) — 756; temperature (deg C) — 21.0.
• Node:  Pressure (mmHg) — 754.70; temperature (deg C) — 25.0 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
• U.S. Lab:  Pressure (mmHg) — 756.63; temperature (deg C) — 24.7; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a;
• Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock):  Pressure (mmHg) — 756.63, temperature (deg C) — 31.2; shell heater temp (deg C) — 26.0, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
• PMA-1:  Shell heater temp (deg C) — 24.1
• PMA-2:  Shell heater temp (deg C) — 12.0

(n/a = data not available)

Propulsion System (PS):
Total propellant load available (SM + FGB + Progress) — 3903 kg (8605 lb) [as of 10/24/02].

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

• Both P6 channels fully operational.  Beta Gimbal Assembly (BGA) 2B and BGA 4B in Autotrack mode (solar-tracking).
• SM batteries:   Battery data not available.
• FGB batteries:  Battery #1 is offline; all other batteries (5) are in “Partial Charge” mode.
• Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 in Standby mode; PCU-2 in Standby mode.

Thermal Control Systems:

• Air conditioner SKV-1 is On; SKV-2 is Off.

Command & Data Handling Systems:

• C&C-3 MDM is prime, C&C-2 is back-up, and C&C-1 is in standby.
• GNC-2 MDM is prime; GNC-1 is Backup.
• EXT-1 is On (primary), EXT-2 is off.
• LA-1, LA-2 and LA-3 MDMs are all operating.
• PL-1 MDM is On (primary); PL-2 MDM is off (diagnostic
• APS-1 (automated payload switch #1) and APS-2 are both On.
• SM Terminal Computer (TVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.
• SM Central Computer (TsVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.

Attitude Source:

• 3 CMGs on-line.
• State vector  Russian segment
• Attitude — Russian segment
• Angular rates — Russian segment

Communications & Tracking Systems:

• All Russian communications & tracking systems are nominal.
• S-band is operating nominally.
• Ku-band is operating nominally.
• Audio subsystem operating nominally.
• Video subsystem operating nominally.
• MCOR (medium-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.

Robotics:

• SSRMS/Canadarm2 at MBS PDGF3 (mobile base system/power & data grapple fixture 3) and 11A park position, with Keep Alive power on both strings.
• MBS: Keep Alive power on both strings.  POA: Keep Alive power on both strings.
• RWS (robotics workstations): Lab RWS is Off; Cupola RWS is Off.

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 7:47am EDT [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 395.7 km
• Apogee — 405.7 km
• Perigee — 385.7 km
• Period — 92.47 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.63 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.00148
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.57
• Solar Beta Angle — -63.1 deg (magnitude increasing)
• Altitude loss — 175 m (mean) in last 24 hours
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. ’98) — 22420
• Current Flight Attitude — XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane = “sun-fixed” [yaw: -5.0, pitch: -8.6 deg., roll: 0.4 deg]),with CMG/Thruster Assist Momentum Management).

For more on ISS orbit and worldwide naked-eye visibility dates/times, see
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/viewing/issvis.html