Status Report

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 10 Oct 2003

By SpaceRef Editor

October 10, 2003

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

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

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

In preparation for his return to gravity, CDR Yuri Malenchenko had the first preliminary training session in the “Chibis” LBNP suit (lower body negative pressure; Russian: ODNT), assisted by FE/SO Ed Lu. [“Chibis” is the Russian below-the-waist reduced-pressure device designed to provide gravity-simulating stress to the body’s cardiovascular/circulatory system. The suit forms an airtight seal around the waist and applies suction to the lower body. The preparatory training generally consists of first imbibing 150-200 milliliters of water or juice, followed by a sequence of progressive regimes of reduced (“negative”) pressure, set at -20, -30, -35, and -40 mmHg for five minutes each while shifting from foot to foot at 10-12 steps per minute. The body’s circulatory system interprets the pressure differential between upper and lower body as a gravity-like force pulling the blood (and other liquids) down. It prepares the body’s orthostatic tolerance (e.g., the Gauer-Henry reflex) after Yuri’s six-month stay in zero-G. Chibis data and biomed cardiovascular readings are recorded. The Chibis suit (not to be confused with the Russian “Pinguin” suit for spring-loaded body compression, or the “Kentavr” anti-g suit worn during reentry) is quite similar to the U.S. LBNP facility (not a suit) used for the first time on Skylab in 1973/74, although it appears to accomplish its purpose quicker.

In accordance with Russian preventative measures, Malenchenko was also advised by the ground to take one tablet each of Dekamevit, glutamic acid and ascorbic acid twice daily, after breakfast and after lunch, from yesterday through the day of departure on 6S (10/27). [When taking these food supplements, Yuri is not to take food ration-provided vitamins or any other vitamin supplements.]

Later, Malenchenko 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. He also cleaned the VD1 and VD2 air ducts and the V3 ventilator fan screen (last time done: 9/10).

Ed Lu conducted another session with the ISSI (In-Space Soldering Investigation), preparing the remainder of the soldering coupons for the upcoming tests by using various shapes (stripped and twisted) of wire and solder.

Malenchenko terminated the bake-out cycle on the BMP micropurification system’s channel 2, moding the channel back to Purify. This restored both filter beds to Purify mode.

Lu took the TVIS treadmill dimensional measurements required to ensure that the BD-1 contingency treadmill manufactured by Russia for use in case of TVIS chassis failure will be compatible with the existing on-board mounting hardware.

The CDR worked on the accuracy verification tests of two out-of-calibration scopemeters (“Hank” & “Natalie”), using a third, still-in-calibration scopemeter (“Pilobolus”), resistors of known value, and the (known) power supply voltage.

Ed Lu performed troubleshooting on the SAMS II (space acceleration measurement system 2) laptop, whose battery has been decreasing in charge. [Ed’s task was to check the battery LCD (liquid crystal display) status and the proper seat of the laptop cables and battery. Since a clean shutdown of the SAMS interface control unit (ICU) was important, the activity was timed to be synchronized with ground commanding.]

The SO also terminated the maintenance discharging of EMU batteries #2029 & #2030 in the Airlock’s battery stowage assembly (BSA) initiated yesterday.

Malenchenko conducted the weekly IMS (inventory management system) tagup with IMS specialists at MCC-M, discussing open issues concerning identification of equipment and storage locations as well as the uplinked manifest of 6S return items. [The manifest currently specifies 62 Russian item types and 11 NASA cargoes, including samples of air (SSAS, FMK, GSC), water, condensate, and coolant liquid, the failed EMU/spacesuit gas trap, and three TVIS rollers for analysis.]

At noon, the crew conducted a teleconference with the VC-5/ISS-8 crew to discuss mission details of the joint ops period from 10/20 to 10/27. [Besides the complex handover activities between the two Expedition crews, operations will be mostly concerned with the VC’s (visiting crew’s) ESA science program “Cervantes”. The event of simultaneous VC visit and Expedition crew handover is a genuine “First” for the station. Other Increment 8 “Firsts” are the required drill/demo of Orlan-suited crew ingress in Soyuz from the DC-1 docking compartment (in case of a lifeboat contingency involving the Orlans), the planned Russian EVA-9 next year without IV (intravehicular crewmember), and SSRMS/Robotics ops without a second manipulator operator.]

Yuri Malenchenko transferred stored Russian ASN (satellite navigation system) data from PCMCIA memory card on payload Laptop #3 via the ISS Wiener laptop and floppy disk to the Packet-Laptop, for downlink to the ground. The PCMCIA card will return to the ground with 6S.

Ed Lu worked with the ground on the IWIS (internal wireless instrumentation system), troubleshooting the problem preventing retrieval of stored structural vibrations data of the recent Progress 11P undocking from it.

Further evaluation of the unexpectedly tripped RPC-4 (remote power controller #4) in one of the Lab RPC modules (RPCMs) showed no evidence of an overcurrent, so it is suspected that the RPCM has a firmware problem. Since such problems with other on-orbit RPCMs have resulted in a spontaneous reset that opened all RPCs on the RPCM, this will probably require replacement of the module. [The opening of RPC-4 removed power from VSU-1 video system. Among else, the RPCM also controls the C&C-1 MDM (command & control computer #1) which is currently the primary C&C. If it should lose power, then FDIR (failure detection, isolation, and recovery) software will bring up the backup C&C-2. There may be a brief loss of comm but there are no time critical actions required on the part of the crew. The loss of VSU-1 also means that no video is available from the LAB Camera Port (either the Node or Airlock systems will be used instead for PAO events), the LAB RWS (robotics workstation), or VTR-1 (video tape recorder #1.]

Both crewmembers completed physical exercise on TVIS (aerobic) and RED exerciser (anaerobic). Ed Lu then transferred data files from the physical exercise equipment to the MEC (medical equipment computer) via memory card and RED log entries, for downlink on OCA comm.

Later, Ed also performed the periodic transfer of accumulated data files from the wristband HRM (heart rate monitor) receiver stations to the MEC for downlink, then deleted them on the HRM.

Yuri also prepared the daily delta file for IMS (inventory management system) database updating, while Ed completed the regular routine status checkup of the current autonomous Lab payloads.

Upcoming Soyuz Events:

7S launch: 10/18 (Saturday), 1:37am Eastern, 9:37am Moscow, 11:37am Baikonur;
7S docking: 10/20 (Monday), 3:20am Eastern, 11:20am Moscow;
6S undocking: 10/27 (Monday), 6:20pm Eastern, 2:20am (10/28) Moscow;
6S landing: 10/27 (Monday), 9:36pm Eastern, 5:36am (10/28) Moscow.

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 (shooting fires and smoke left and right of track), Congo-Zimbabwe Biomass Burning (shooting fires and smoke left and right of track. Lake Tanganyika, one of Africa’s Great Lakes, was cloud-free to the right of track), Chinese Launch Site, W China (looking right of track 2 degrees), Cairo, Egypt (nadir pass), Tel Aviv, Israel (nadir pass), Amman, Jordan (nadir pass), Philadelphia, PA (looking left of track), Gulf of Maine plankton (clearer than we have seen the gulf in months. Requested was a mapping swath looking nadir and left, preferably with some coastline to assist image orientation), Fort Ramon, MT (LEWIS & CLARK SITE: Nadir pass over the sometime St. Louis Missouri Fur Co. trading post, at the mouth of the Bighorn River. It was originally named Fort Ramon [or Fort Raymond], popularly but confusingly known later as Fort Manuel and Lisa’s Fort), Fort Mandan, ND (LEWIS & CLARK SITE: The expedition spent the winter of 1804-5 here. The site is near the present town of Stanton. Nadir pass: Crew was to look on the south side of the large reservoir, Lake Sacagawea. Stanton is on the west bank of the Missouri near where the river turns sharply from south to east), Johnston Island, Central Pacific (remote island with coral reef. Looking just left of track), and Nihoa reef, Hawaiian chain (nadir pass).
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 2:00pm EDT).

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

Elektron O2 generator is powered On, 18A (air also being supplied by Progress 12P). Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On (in Manual Mode 5/3). U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is in Standby. TCCS (trace contaminant control subsystem) is operating. MCA (major constituents analyzer) is off (in Life Extending Mode). BMP Harmful Impurities unit: absorbent bed #1 in Purify mode, bed #2 in Purify mode. RS air conditioner SKV-1 is Off; SKV-2 is Off.

SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 742; temperature (deg C) — 26.3; ppO2 (mmHg) — data invalid; ppCO2 (mmHg) — data invalid.
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 761; temperature (deg C) — 20.9.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 756; temperature (deg C) — 22.7.
Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 760.43; temperature (deg C) — 24.1 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 761.08; temperature (deg C) — 24.3; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 760.09; temperature (deg C) — 29.0; shell heater temp (deg C) — 25.4, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 25.3
PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 13.7.

(n/a = data not available)

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

Both P6 channels fully operational. BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B both in Autotrack (solar tracking, biased 45 degrees for drag reduction).
SM batteries: Battery #5 is in “Cycle” mode; all other batteries (7) are in “Partial Charge” mode (batteries #1 and #3 are degraded).
FGB batteries: Batteries #6 and #1 are off; all other batteries (4) 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): 2 redundant lanes (of 3) operational; string #2 dropped out 9/26.
SM Central Computer (TsVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.

Propulsion System (PS):

Total propellant load available: 3891 kg (8578 lb) as of 10/9 [SM(755) + FGB(2784) + Progress M(352) + 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: -6.9 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, IAC-1 is suspect).
Video subsystem operating nominally.
HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.

Robotics:

SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at MBS PDGF #2/LEE A, 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, 4:50am EDT [= epoch]):