Status Report

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 16 Sep 2003

By SpaceRef Editor

September 16, 2003

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

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 16 Sep 2003 — iss

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously or below. The crew received kudos for their spectacular Hurricane Isabel pictures, which “went public” worldwide.

CDR Yuri Malenchenko performed his sixth session with the Russian MedOps cardio experiment MO-1 (Study of the Bioelectric Activity of the Heart at Rest), with Ed Lu assisting as CMO (crew medical officer). [During the 30-min. test, the crew tagged up with ground specialists during a Russian ground site (RGS) and downlinked data from the Gamma-1M ECG (electrocardiogram) for about 5-6 minutes.]

Supported by his crewmate, Malencheno dismantled the Kurs-A rendezvous and approach radar system of the 12P/Progress M-48’s motion control and navigation system (SUDN), and removed it from the cargo drone, a three-hour job. These valuable components, which include the BTsVK onboard digital computer, will be returned to Earth for “recycling” (when Shuttle flights have resumed). [KURS-A is the active half of the Russian space program’s proven S-band radar system for automated flight, which measures relative motion parameters between Progress (or Soyuz) and the ISS during rendezvous operations, to enable the autopilot’s calculation of corrective impulses. There are two sets of KURS-A electronics (for redundancy) housed in a common container in the Cargo Module. The passive counterpart (KURS-P) of the system is on the Service Module (SM), with one antenna each at the tip of the two solar array wings.]

The crew performed the second part of the elaborate troubleshooting of the RED resistive exerciser. Recovery of Flexpack canister #1010 is vital to ensure availability of adequate RED resources for Expedition 7 and 8. Performing this IFM (in-flight maintenance) is required to have any hope of recovering this can. [After yesterday’s disassembly of #1010, followed by inspection, component cleaning and replacement of a failed Flexpack and two adjacent Flexpacks with spare units, today’s work involved the insertion of shims in the canister, replacing its wireway/coldplate cover with a thinner aluminum cover, installation of the canister in the RED, and its on-orbit calibration. The crew also downlinked images of the failed Flexpack to help the MCC failure analysis.]

Because of the IFM, Ed Lu’s planned RED bolt inspection, photographic Lab/Airlock fire port surveys, and inventory of hygiene items have been deferred to a later date.

Malenchenko replaced the WIN-P1 battery of the European Winograd student experiment (for growing “Winogradski” columns in the zero-G environment toward the 7S visit in October) with a fresh battery, WIN-P2. [These battery replacements are required every 16 days.]

Ed Lu activated the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) and took up work again with the PFMI (Pore Formation & Mobility Investigation) experiment, today installing the PFMI-14 sample into the thermal chamber for the fifth of seven planned PFMI runs in Increment 7. [PFMI deals with defects generated in solidifying (crystallizing) materials that compromise desired material properties and science (for example, measurement of microstructural features, i.e., dendrite arm spacing, is inaccurate). The MSG investigation is intended to promote our understanding of detrimental porosity formation and mobility during controlled directional solidification processing in a microgravity environment. This is studied by utilizing a transparent material, Succinonitrile (SCN), so that direct video observation and recording of pore generation and mobility during controlled directional solidification can be made.]

The crew again had time reserved on their schedule for familiarization with the SSSP kit, which includes the Garmin-GPS map-76 localizer and the Motorola-9505 Iridium satellite phone intended for use after landing of Soyuz 6S in late October. [The charging of the phone’s battery, considered potentially hazardous, is scheduled for next Monday (9/22), pending the outcome of currently on-going tests of charging in a CTB bag at White Sands.]

Ed Lu reviewed the OCBT (on-orbit computer-based training) for the newly arrived HPA (Hand Posture Analysis) investigation, deferred from yesterday. [The proficiency OCBT for the HPA, which involves use of a sensor-equipped glove (PAG, posture acquisition glove) and a pinch force dynamometer, covers the purpose, ops concept, and operational warnings associated with each of the four HPA protocols and includes the new procedure for compressing the HPA data files and transferring them to the OCA machine for downlink.]

The Science Officer also conducted another comparison of the O2 concentration readings of the primary CSA-CP (compound specific analyzer-combustion products) and its backup. [MCC-H engineers are trending the data from the CSA-CP instruments in order to troubleshoot possible drifts in their oxygen (O2) sensors. Yesterday, the primary unit read 19.4% O2 while the backup unit indicated 21.5% O2, showing a similar level of divergence as the earlier readings. Ground specialists continue to evaluate these results.]

Yuri performed today’s maintenance of the SM SOZh life support system (including ASU toilet facilities).

Both crewmembers worked out according to their regular daily physical exercise program of 2.5 hrs on TVIS treadmill, RED exerciser (using canisters #1011 and #1012), and VELO ergometer cycle with load trainer.

Ground engineers have concluded that the failed SM PCS (portable computer system) machine requires a new hard drive. A spare onboard hard drive has been located and its installation is being scheduled for later in the week.

Progress 12P unloading is almost complete. [According to crew report, there are approximately 30 min. of unloading activity remaining. That time will be scheduled this week.]

After the crew reported seeing debris on the CCD (charge-coupled device) arrays of the DCS 760 digital cameras, instructions were uplinked and placed on the “job jar” task list for CCD cleaning, with a Go for camera #1010. [Crew is to notify the ground if additional cameras require cleaning. Video of the cleaning procedure is not required but would be useful in the training of future crews.]

Questions were uplinked that will be used in the upcoming new EPO (Educational Payload Operations) demo of the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) for a NASA educator guide targeted at students in grades 5-8.

Should Hurricane Isabel’s landfall affect NASA east coast facilities, it could have minimal-to-moderate impact on emergency ISS/Soyuz-6S support on the two Russian VHF (very-high frequency) channels to Soyuz 6S (in case of return) or the SM. [Both Wallops and White Sands VHF channels are routed through Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), but Dryden VHF goes directly to JSC ( thus would be best bet for continental US passes requiring emergency VHF). GSFC also provides updated Soyuz-6S/TDRS acquisition vectors, which in case of GSFC outage could be handled manually from the other sites in the unlikely event that TDRS vector data should go “stale”.]

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 Angolan Biomass Burning (looking left for views of the most flammable savanna on the planet. The burning season is nearing an end as rains slowly penetrate south with the change of season), Industrialized SE Africa smoke (pass across the center of the South African plateau where smoke, dust and smog accumulate. Shooting obliques left and right. The crew should also have seen all three landscape levels, central plateau, eastern mountain plateau, and coastal lowlands, and air masses over each may have displayed different aerosol loadings),.SW Brazil smoke (Dynamic event. Looking left and right of track for continued biomass burning in Brazil’s frontier), and Andean dust (Dynamic event. Weather satellite suggests dust may be blowing off the high Andes into Argentina. The discovery of this phenomenon, with its implications for understanding soil nutrient supply in the Amazon rainforest, derives from handheld photos taken over 15 years. Existing theory suggests that Amazon soil nutrient derives from the Sahara Desert, an ocean away). There were also two opportunities to view Hurricane Isabel within the night hemisphere for lightning events.
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 1:41pm 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) — 25.6; ppO2 (mmHg) — data invalid; ppCO2 (mmHg) — data invalid.
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 751; temperature (deg C) — 20.7.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 752; temperature (deg C) — 22.7.
Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 752.16; temperature (deg C) — 24.1 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 754.31; temperature (deg C) — 23.7; ppO2 (mmHg) — 152.3; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 4.0.
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 754.41; temperature (deg C) — 31.3; shell heater temp (deg C) — 27.5, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 24.1
PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 12.4.

(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, biased 45 deg for drag reduction).
SM batteries: Battery #2 is failed and off; battery #7 is in Capacity Restoration (ROM) mode; all other batteries (6) are in “Partial Charge” mode (battery #1 is degraded).
FGB batteries: All batteries (6) are online, 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: 4434 kg (9775 lb) as of 9/12 [SM(755) + FGB(2815) + Progress M(864) + 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).
Solar Beta angle: 40 deg (magnitude increasing).

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-1 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 this morning, 10:15am EDT [= epoch]):