Status Report

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 10 Sep 2003

By SpaceRef Editor

September 10, 2003

Filed under ISS, ISS On-orbit status, NASA HQ, US

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 10 Sep 2003 — iss

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

No breakfast this morning for Commander (CDR) Malenchenko until after completion of the Russian medical experiment PZE MO-11 (blood chemistry analysis), assisted by Science Officer (SO) Lu as Crew Medical Officer (CMO). Malenchenko last night had destowed kits and accessories of the German-built Reflotron 4 blood analyzer (earlier versions were already flown on Mir). [For the test. 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 are then determined from the collected sample. Using various reagent tabs, the blood is tested for such parameters as hemoglobin, glucose, bilirubin, amylase, uric acid, triglycerides, urea, etc. The tubes with blood samples are then stored in the refrigerator. The Reflotron 4 uses 40 W of power, supplied by the Service Module’s (SM) electrical system.]

Ed Lu worked in the “Pirs” Docking Compartment (DC-1), changing out two dust filters (PF1 & PF2) of its air ventilation system and cleaning the mesh screens of the V1 & V2 ventilator fans (last time done: 7/28). He also cleaned the VD1 and VD2 air ducts and the V3 ventilator fan screen (last time done: 7/2).

Both crewmembers in turn took the periodic on-orbit hearing assessment (O-OHA) test, a NASA EHS (environmental health systems) examination to assess the efficacy of acoustic countermeasures. [The O-OHA test involves minimum audibility measurements for each ear over a wide range of frequencies and sound pressure levels, with the crewmembers using individual-specific Prophonics earphones, Bose ANC headsets and the SLM (sound level meter). To conduct the testing, the experimenter is supported by special “EarQ” software on the MEC (medical equipment computer). The baseline test is required for about Flight Day 14 for each new Expedition and is then performed once per month. Last time done: 8/13.]

The crew had two hours each scheduled to continue Progress 12P unloading and cargo transfers, going by a list that was uplinked to support operations, and tracking transfer and stowage details in the IMS (inventory management system).

After reconfiguring the SSC7 (station support computer #7) laptop for Airlock (A/L) operations, FE/SO Ed Lu initiated total discharge on spacesuit batteries #2032 and #2033 in the A/L’s battery stowage assembly (BSA), charged up in the last two days as part of nominal battery maintenance. SSC7 was then reset to nominal configuration. [EMU (extravehicular mobility unit) battery maintenance is performed every 50 days, and consists of fully charging and then discharging the batteries to prolong its useful life.]

Malenchenko began downlinking payload data from the TEKh-20 Plasma Crystal 3 (PK-3) experiment in the SM, obtained during its run on 8/1. [The transmission, via “Telescience” equipment to Russian ground sites (RGS), began today and will continue over several more TV downlink opportunities.]

Ed took on the daily maintenance of the SM SOZh life support system (including ASU toilet facilities) and also performed the regular status checkup of the autonomous Increment 7 payloads in the Lab.

At 8:30am EDT, the SO set up and conducted an amateur radio pass with students at Webster Thomas High School, Webster, New York. [The school, opening its doors in 2001 to 9th and 10th grade students, offers a comprehensive program of advanced placement offerings, Regents courses, technology, art, music, and more. Students have the opportunity to compete in numerous varsity and junior varsity sports, as well as participate in many extra-curricular activities.]

Some time ago the crew reported Portable Microphone (P-MIC7) #7 as first intermittent, then completely failed, then intermittent again. A manifest request is in work for bringing up twonew PMICs on the next available flight. Until then, P-MIC 7 will be stowed for return and not used.]

An updated plan for the use of the resistive exercise device (RED), after the launch of new components on 12P and their upcoming installation, has been developed for Expedition 7 and Expedition 8.

Water supply: Trending normally. On-board quantity (~1083 kg) is higher than expected. [This is a topic at a Technical Interchange Meeting (mini-TIM) currently taking place in Moscow.]

Propellant supply: ~5000 kg at present. [29 kgs of propellant were used to perform manual CMG desaturation and 12P docking during last week. Progress 11P undocked on 9/4, without transferring any of its excess deorbit propellant (it is currently in its own orbit performing observations for the Russian Ministry of Emergency Management). Before that, Progress 10P departed early (due to changes in Russian vehicle traffic), carrying some contaminated propellant and its deorbit propellants.]

Today’s CEO (crew earth observation) targets, limited in the current XPOP attitude by flight rule constraints on the use of the Lab nadir/science window, and including the targets of the Lewis & Clark 200-year memorial locations, were Eastern Mediterranean Dust (dust reported at Benghazi in NE Libya with visibilities down to 1-2 miles. Looking left of track for obliques towards the sun. Sunglint effects could be interesting over the sea surface), Khartoum, Sudan (nadir pass. This hard-to-see city lies in the angle made by the Blue and White Niles), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (as clear as it has been for many weeks), Gulf of Maine plankton (looking at nadir [or wherever plankton can be seen] and shooting a mapping swath. Comparison of surface and space-borne camera data is eagerly anticipated. Ferry data most recently acquired just yesterday), St. Thomas, NE Caribbean (looking a touch right. Site for coral mapping project), St. John, NE Caribbean (looking a touch right. Site for coral mapping project), St. Croix, NE Caribbean (looking a touch right. Site for coral mapping project), Lower Amazon River Basin (inshore pass. Looking left for detailed views of the coastlines and islands. The latter especially are now known to move downstream wholesale), and Panama Canal (Dynamic event. Break in ITC (equatorial) cloud for this seldom seen site.

CEO images can be viewed at the websites

See also the website “Space Station Challenge” at
http://voyager.cet.edu/iss/

U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 1:50pm EDT).

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

Elektron O2 generator is powered Off (O2 and air being supplied by Progress 12P). Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On (in Manual Mode 5/3). 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) — 742; temperature (deg C) — 28.0; ppO2 (mmHg) — data invalid; ppCO2 (mmHg) — data invalid.
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 751; temperature (deg C) — 20.4.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 744; temperature (deg C) — 23.0.
Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 733.71; temperature (deg C) — 24.0 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — 158.4; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 3.9.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 735.73; temperature (deg C) — 23.1; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 735.83; temperature (deg C) — 28.1; shell heater temp (deg C) — 24.8, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 24.5
PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 13.4.

(n/a = data not available)

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

Both P6 channels fully operational. BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B both in AutoTrack mode (solar tracking).
SM batteries: Battery #2 is failed and off; battery #7 is in Discharge mode; all other batteries (6) are in “Partial Charge” mode (battery #1 is degraded).
FGB batteries: Battery #1 is disconnected; all other batteries (5) are in “Partial Charge” mode.
Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 in Standby mode; PCU-2 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-2 is operating; INT-1 is Off.
EXT-2 is On (primary), EXT-1 is Off (both now upgraded to R3).
LA-1, LA-2 and LA-3 MDMs are all operating.
PL-2 MDM is Off; PL-1 MDM is Operational.
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.

Propulsion System (PS):

Total propellant load available: 5000 kg (11,023 lb) as of 9/11 [SM(755) + FGB(3685) + Progress M(560) + Progress M-1(0)]. (Capability: SM — 860 kg; FGB — 6120 kg).

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-1

Flight Attitude:
XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane = “sun-fixed” [yaw: 0.5 deg, pitch: -9.0 deg., roll: 0

deg]), with CMG TA (thruster assist).

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 (on string 2).
Ku-band is operating nominally.
Audio subsystem is operating nominally (IAC-2 is prime).
Video subsystem operating nominally.
HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.

Robotics:

SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at MBS PDGF #1 with Keep Alive (KA) power on both strings.
MBS: KA power on both strings.
MT: latched and mated at WS4.
POA: KA power on both strings.
RWS (robotics workstations): Lab RWS is On (DCP connected); Cupola RWS is Off.

ISS Orbit (as of last night, 11:15pm EDT [= epoch]):