ISS On-Orbit Status 7 Apr 2003

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously or below.  Week 19 is underway.
 

After wakeup (2:00am EDT), before breakfast and first exercise session, all crewmembers underwent the regular periodic Russian biomedical assessments MO-7 (calf volume measurement) and MO-8 (body mass measurement).  [FE-1 Nikolai Budarin set up the BMM mass measuring device, which uses calibrated springs to determine the subject’s mass in weightless space, and stowed it away after the tests.  Calf measurements (left leg only) are taken with the ISOG device, a custom-sewn fabric cuff that fits over the calf, using the knee and lower foot as fixed reference points, to provide a rough index of deconditioning in zero-G and effectiveness of countermeasures.]

CDR Ken Bowersox and FE-2/SO also completed another round of the medical assessment MO-9 of the Russian crew health-monitoring program, preparatory to tomorrow’s EVA.  [MO-9 is biochemical urinalysis, conducted regularly every 30 days (and also before and after EVAs), and it is one of five nominal Russian medical tests adopted by NASA for US crewmembers for PHS (periodic health status) evaluation as part of the “PHS/Without Blood Labs” exam.  The analysis uses the sophisticated in-vitro diagnostic apparatus “Urolux” developed originally for the Mir program.  Budarin stowed the equipment after the sessions.]

Budarin worked on the IK0501 gas analyzer in the Service Module which for some time has been suspect of not functioning correctly.  [After disconnecting the instrument from BITS2-12 data control mode (VD-SU) and power-up of VD-SU and BITS from the ground, Budarin took a range of voltage measurements on IK0501.  The instrument was then powered off again and data transmission was reconnected.  The device analyzes the air flow pumped through it for humidity (H2O), oxygen partial pressure (ppO2), carbon dioxide partial pressure (ppCO2), volumetric fractions of CO2 and hydrogen (H2), and measures gas flow.  The measurements are going to a monitoring laptop and, if they exceed limit values, to the caution and warning panel (PSS).]

In a second SM maintenance activity, Nikolai Budarin, with ground support from MCC-Moscow, performed testing on the AFU antenna feeder unit of the television subsystem (TVS), where last month some new hardware items, including loads, cables and circulators were installed.

Preparations continued for tomorrow’s EVA by CDR Ken Bowersox and FE-2/SO Don Pettit, supported by a space-to-ground tag-up.  Yesterday’s repositioning of the SSRMS (space station remote manipulator system) went nominally, and the crew is able to see the worksite quite well via Canadarm2 cameras.  [All EVA systems, including suits, backpacks, SAFERs, batteries, Metox canisters and Airlock (except for BC-1, battery charger 1) have checked out fine and are ready for the spacewalk.  After 1-hr. EMU pre-breathe (on CEVIS) at 6:30am EDT and 50-min. A/L Crewlock depress, hatch opening is expected at 8:30am.  With a total planned duration of 6.5 hrs. for the spacewalk, A/L ingress should be completed at 3:00pm.]

In preparation for the EVA (which includes a recabling of CMG-1 and -2 to ensure that no single electrical power system failure will result in loss of two of the three operating control moment gyros), a GNC (guidance, navigation & control) configuration file was uplinked for loading on the GNC MDM.  [Its purpose is to make the MDMs “aware” of the new RPCs (remote power controllers) for CMG-1 and -2 resulting from the recabling.  The loading will involve a swap of the MDMs.  Also, prior to the EVA CMG-2 needs to be powered off for the task and then spun up again afterwards, with recovery of both CMGs.]

At 7:30am EDT, in support of the GNC/ACS (attitude control system) update, ISS was maneuvered to minimum propellant attitude (MPA) in LVLH and then turned over to Russian segment motion control (RS MCS).  At about 9:20am, attitude control returned to the U.S. CMGs, with a coincident maneuver back to LVLH TEA (local vertical/local horizontal torque equilibrium attitude).  [Detailed recovery procedures in case of a primary GNC MDM failure during the upload had been uplinked to the crew overnight.]

Budarin completed his regular daily 5-min. inspection of the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2/Lada-2 (“Plants-2”) plant growth experiment.

Pettit activated and checked out another science experiment in the Lab, the Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA), by connecting cables and powering the payload on.  [The CGBA supports commercial life science investigations with applications in biomaterials, biotechnology, medicine and agriculture.  Its ICM (isothermal containment module) requires almost no crew time for nominal operations.  CGBA was originally delivered on STS-112 and left onboard unpowered, until the next opportunity to be brought home.]

Budarin performed observations and photography for the Russian GFI-8 Uragan (“hurricane”) program, depending on cloud cover.  Areas of interest today were the Russian Geographic Society and Medvezhy glaciers as well as northern Iraq, the city of Baghdad, and the northern coast of the Cheleken peninsula.

Science Officer Pettit completed the regular pre-EVA EVARM (EVA radiation monitoring) background reading, first activating the EVARM badge reader, then taking the readings.  After downloading the data from the reader to the HRF (human research facility) PC for later downlink, Pettit stowed the equipment again.

Bowersox performed the regular Lab payload status checkup, and Pettit prepared the daily IMS inventory delta file for download.

All crewmembers completed their daily physical exercise program on TVIS (treadmill with vibration isolation and stabilization), RED (resistive exercise device), and VELO ergometer cycle with load trainer.  Don also performed the weekly maintenance of the treadmill after his workout on it.

For the recent CCS (command & control software) step-up from version R2 to R3, 3559 parameters were “de-selected” (stricken) from the down-telemetry format for the BGA (beta gimbal assembly) contingency mode, in order to make room for new parameters for the P4 truss segment on Mission/Stage 12A.  Ground specialists have now verified that all necessary parameters for crew and vehicle safety are still available.

Post-burn evaluation shows that the Progress 10P reboost on 4/4 on the “healthy” thruster manifold #2, was perfectly nominal.  [The dynamic test of 3/14, however, had indicated an underperformance of the #1 manifold, producing only 70% of nominal thrust by spending nearly equal amounts of fuel and oxidizer, i.e., 30% oxidizer underuse from the nominal.  Therefore, the #2 manifold  will be used only in a contingency, after special MCC-M decision.] 
 
With Progress 11P scheduled for June and 12P for September, planning for the optimum vehicle sequence is underway.  [As currently planned, after its upcoming (second) reboost on Thursday, 4/10, 10P will serve three functions, viz.: support CMG attitude control, perform reboosts (using back-pumped props) and provide protection of the SM aft end against solar heating.  It would stay attached after the arrival of 11P, which would dock on the side for providing ISS roll control to conserve station propellant.  In September, 11P would be discarded and replaced by the new Progress 12P.  MCC-M is re-assessing the sequence for NASA to verify its optimality (e.g., retaining 10P instead of 11P).]

A space debris conjunction of the ISS was tracked and evaluated by MCC-H and MCC-M over the weekend, with the decision point for a DAM (debris avoidance maneuver) early Saturday morning (2:30am).  No action was required.  [Predictive forward-calculations from tracking data did not show stable convergence for quite some time as the decision point came and went, and the DAM was not considered necessary.  The object fluctuated briefly between the “yellow” and “red” probability zones briefly for a period, then turned “yellow” and finally cleared up.  The crew was informed of the ongoing tracking before their sleep time.]

Today’s CEO (crew earth observations) targets, currently restricted by flight rule constraints limiting the use of the science window in the Lab, were Hyderabad, India (nadir pass; ESC [electronic still camera]), Urumqui, China (nadir pass over this oil-rich city in China’s western province of Sinkiang.  This is China’s Muslim west, agitating for greater autonomy from distant Beijing.  ESC camera), Recife, Brazil (nadir pass over this coastal city.  ESC camera), Western Mediterranean Smog (good perspective on smog that is issuing from central France down the Rhone valley into the Mediterranean basin.  Shooting obliques left towards the French coast), Algiers, Algeria (nadir pass over this port city.  ESC camera), Rome, Italy (nadir pass.  Rome is inland from the coast by 25 miles and somewhat difficult to discern. ESC camera), Lake Poopo, Bolivia (crew was to document water levels in this rainfall-sensitive enclosed lake basin), and Dallas, Texas (Dallas Fort Worth [DFW] metroplex left of track.  ESC camera).
CEO images can be viewed at the websites
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov and
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov

U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 1:45pm EST).

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

• Elektron O2 generator is powered On.  Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On (manual mode 5).  U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is Off.  TCCS (trace contaminant control subsystem) is operating.  MCA (major constituents analyzer) is operating.  BMP Harmful Impurities unit: Absorbent bed #1 in Purify mode, bed #2 in Purify mode.  RS air conditioner SKV-1 is On; SKV-2 is Off.
• SM Working Compartment:  Pressure (mmHg) — 735; temperature (deg C) — 27.9; ppO2 (mmHg) — 180.6 (suspect); ppCO2 (mmHg) — 2.4 (data suspect).
• SM Transfer Compartment:  Pressure (mmHg) — 741; temperature (deg C) — 19.5.
• FGB Cabin:  Pressure (mmHg) — 744; temperature (deg C) — 21.0.
• Node:  Pressure (mmHg) — 734.35; temperature (deg C) — 22.3 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
• U.S. Lab:  Pressure (mmHg) — 736.63; temperature (deg C) — 22.4; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a;
• Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock):  Pressure (mmHg) — 736.74; temperature (deg C) — 21.2; shell heater temp (deg C) — 21.3, ppO2 (mmHg) — 163.3; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 4.1.
• PMA-1:  Shell heater temp (deg C) — 23.3
• PMA-2:  Shell heater temp (deg C) — 19.6

(n/a = data not available)

Propulsion System (PS):

• Total propellant load available [SM(774) + FGB(2746) + Progress(474] — 3994 kg (8805 lb) as of 4/3/03.  (Capability: SM — 860 kg; FGB — 6120 kg).

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

• Both P6 channels fully operational.  BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B both in dual-angle (“blind”) mode.
• SM batteries:  Battery #5 is disconnected; all other batteries (7) are in “Partial Charge” mode.
• FGB batteries:  Battery #5 is disconnected; all other batteries (5) are in “Partial Charge” mode.
• Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 and PCU-2 both in Standby mode.

Command & Data Handling Systems:

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

Attitude Control Systems:

• 3 CMGs on-line (CMG-1 failed).
• State vector source — U.S. SIGI-1 (GPS)
• Attitude source — U.S. SIGI-1 (GPS)
• Angular rate source — RGA-2

Flight Attitude:

• LVLH TEA (local vertical/local horizontal = “earth-fixed”: z-axis in local vertical, x-axis in velocity vector [yaw: -10 deg, pitch: -9.1 deg, roll: 0 deg]), with CMG/ TA (thruster assist) Momentum Management).
• Solar Beta Angle: 3.5 deg (magnitude decreasing).

Communications & Tracking Systems:

• FGB MDM-1 is powered Off; FGB MDM-2 is operational.
• All other Russian communications & tracking systems are nominal.
• S-band is operating nominally.
• Ku-band is operating nominally.
• Audio subsystem operating nominally.
• Video subsystem operating nominally (VTR1 is operable again).
• HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.

Robotics:

• SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at Lab PDGF with Keep Alive (KA) power on both strings.
• MBS: KA power on both strings. 
• MT: latched at WS4, with KA power. 
• POA: KA power on both strings.
• RWS (robotics workstations): Lab RWS is Off; Cupola RWS is Off.

ISS Orbit  (as of this morning, 2:49am EDT [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude  391.2 km
• Apogee — 394.1 km
• Perigee — 388.3 km
• Period — 92.38 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) —  51.64 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0004235
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.59
• Solar Beta Angle:  3.5 deg (magnitude decreasing)
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 200 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. ’98)  — 24994
• For more on ISS orbit and worldwide naked-eye visibility dates/times, see http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/viewing/issvis.html