Status Report

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 12 Feb 2004

By SpaceRef Editor

February 12, 2004

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

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 12 Feb 2004 — iss

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

CDR/SO Michael Foale and FE Alexander Kaleri worked several hours in the DC-1 “Pirs” docking compartment, preparing it for the EVA-9 on 2/26. [The setup in the Russian airlock consisted mainly in putting together several kits for the spacewalk, such as for cleaning up the worksite, decontamination activities before ingress, disposal of gloves after repress, etc. Orlan suits #14 and #23 were left in the DC-1, along with the portable O2 (oxygen) repressurization tanks (BNP). Preparation of the replaceable components of the Orlans is scheduled for 2/17, two days before the Soyuz ingress training.]

Mike Foale later entered the U.S. Airlock (A/L) to clear out its crewlock compartment for EVA-9 contingency ingress and prepare EVA camera equipment. [In the event of an emergency during the Russian EVA, the A/L will be configured for contingency ingress. The crewlock compartment needed to be cleared off any excess stowage, and Mike transferred the cargo to temporary locations in the Node and Lab forward endcone. He also located and prepared film canisters for the EVA Nikon cameras and collected drink bag equipment compatible with Orlan suits.]

After the ground turned off the BSMM payload computer’s time synchronization unit (BSV-M2) on the system power panel’s (PPS) master clock unit, Kaleri completed connecting cables from the SBI onboard measuring system to the BSPN server and BSK-5V power switching unit of the Russian “Matryoshka” payload in the Service Module (SM). The BSV-M2 was then commanded On again.

Sasha also attended to his regular daily inspection of the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 (“Plants-2”) experiment which studies growth and development of plants (peas) under spaceflight conditions in the Lada-4 greenhouse.

Foale completed the monthly maintenance of the CEVIS (cycle ergometer with vibration isolation), which consists mostly of an examination of the wire rope isolators for damage.

The CDR conducted the regular weekly IMS (inventory management system) tagup with IMS specialists at MCC-H, discussing open issues concerning identification of equipment and storage locations for the IMS databases, followed, at 7:05am EST, by his weekly teleconference with the JSC Astronaut Office (Kent Rominger).

FE Kaleri had his weekly private family conference (PFC) over Russian ground sites (RGS) via VHF/audio.

Mike performed the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh life support system and prepared the daily IMS “delta file” for automatic export/import to update the databases.

At 12:20pm, the CDR set up the PAO video equipment. At 12:40pm, he and Sasha Kaleri engaged in an interactive exchange with participants of the Project ARISE educational event at Shasta College in Redding, CA. [The crew responded to students and teachers from North California area schools, which had uplinked their questions beforehand. The event was aired live on NASA-TV.]

The Flight Control Team (FCT) completed the checkout of the RPCs (remote power controllers) on orbit that are currently not used (no loads). All 335 RPCs that were on/off-tested operated properly.

The TEPC (tissue equivalent proportional counter) installed yesterday in the SM is working OK, acquiring internal ISS radiation data.

The evacuation of the Lab window inter-pane “Volume D” called off yesterday because of a disagreement by Russian specialists will likely be scheduled after the EVA-9. [The equipment setup for the Lab window’s “Volume D” depressurization procedure is the same as for depresses of a PMA (pressurized mating adapter) and an MPLM (multi-purpose logistics module) vestibule. The Russians have requested more detailed drawings of the entire setup. In a related matter, a team of specialists is assessing the potential impacts of the rotation of a Lab window QD (quick disconnect) housing observed during tightening. Though any significant seal damage is unlikely, the QD seal integrity will be evaluated in conjunction with the Lab window volume evacuation procedure. The QD seal in question separates the ISS cabin from a port leading to the Lab window volume.]

During yesterday’s TVIS treadmill exercising, structural dynamics response was recorded experimentally with Russian accelerometer equipment. Moscow reported that the data were collected and downlinked OK, now to be evaluated by the payload specialists.

The TVIS repair activity to replace its failed roll-axis gyrodyne is scheduled for 3/9 & 3/10. Another loads evaluation by the crew with IWIS (internal wireless instrumentation system) data collection will not be required if the IFM (in-flight maintenance) is successful. If not, the testing will be performed on 3/12.

Early yesterday morning during crew sleep, the Elektron failed to the backup pump, which also failed two minutes later, shutting the O2 generator down. Elektron is now back up and running OK. [After the first shutdown, TsUP restarted the Elektron on the primary pump; after six minutes, it failed again to the backup pump and turned itself off. The ground commanded another restart, then immediately moded load performance to 16 amps. The machine has been working OK ever since. Because of the pressure variations, which cause pump shutdown through the phenomenon called cavitation, air bubbles in the condensate feed continue to be the suspect, indicating a faulty air/liquid separator unit (GZhS).]

Mike Foale reported that the access panel for the Lab forward ELPS (Emergency Lighting Power Supply) has an unserviceable fastener, which prevented him to complete the task-listed ELPS inspection yesterday. The crew will be authorized to permanently remove the damaged fastener from the access panel.

Yesterday, the crew could not complete the scheduled updating of the ISS IFM Leak Kit Procedures book, because the Structures & Mechanics Book, of which several procedures were to be transferred to the ISS IFM Leak Kit Procedures book, had erroneously been placed on Progress 12P, i.e., is no longer available. The missing procedures will be reprinted and incorporated onboard.

Starting at 4:00am ES this morning and running for seven hours, MCC-H and its support group in Moscow (HSG) completed another BCC (backup control center) dry-run in test mode, with no involvement of the ISS crew or vehicle. The dry run was fully successfully. [BCC utilizes the HSG command server and telemetry server. In test mode, HSG (as BCC) sends a single not-for-uplink PPCP (preplanned command packet) to MCC-M/TsUP, then cancels it after successful transmission. MCC-M plays back ACT (American contingency telemetry) recorded earlier (11/19/03), with HSG confirming successful receipt. TsUP commanding to the Russian segment (RS) via U.S. S-band as well as MCC-H-to-TsUP flow of status telemetry are also not affected, but MCC-H has no real-time telemetry and command capability via Russian ground stations (RGS) during the dry-run.]

Onboard consumables (food, water, prop, oxygen, nitrogen) are tracking well above skip cycle limits. [Progress 13P still has 20kg O2, as well as 659 kg propellants for ISS use. There are enough LiOH canisters for 50.6 days (both U.S. & Russian), with some lifetime expirations coming up later this year. RED canister cycle life and TVIS roller bearing life are also at comfortable levels.]

The thin strip-like piece of FOD (foreign object debris) seen floating away from the ISS on 2/5 after Progress thruster testing has still not been identified by either U.S. or Russian specialists. No systems anomaly that could be associated with the FOD has been observed to date.

Today’s CEO (crew earth observations) targets, in the current LVLH attitude no longer limited by flight rule constraints on the use of the Lab nadir/science window, except for the shutter closure and condensation-prevention plan (limited to 90 min. in 24 hours), were Saharan dust haze (Dynamic event. The present major dust transport event is establishing a slightly southward trajectory towards South America [typical during northern winters]. As ISS approached West Africa, the crew was asked to look left for a probable dust boundary of this dust “outblow”. Dust from the Sahara arrives in sufficient quantity to seed Amazon rainforest soils with critical trace nutrients), Tashkent, Uzbekistan (looking left of track on the foot of the mountains for Uzbekistan’s capital city), Panama Canal zone (Dynamic event. Good pass with very little cloud over this seldom seen site. The zone of equatorial cloud lies well south at this time of year), Madrid, Spain (looking just right of nadir for a view of the city of 3 million. One frame may be sufficient to capture the entire city), James Bay, Ontario (Dynamic event. Recent CEO images of this southernmost part of Hudson Bay show numerous ice floes as well as large areas of unbroken ice attached to coastlines. It would be interesting to follow the evolution of this freezing period in terms of floe movement and ice growth), Seattle, Washington (nadir pass and unusually clear midwinter weather), and Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba (Dynamic event. Trying to document the extent of ice on this major lake complex).

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 1:45pm EST).

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

Elektron O2 generator is powered On (16A). Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On (in Automatic Mode). U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is on Standby (ready in dual-bed mode). TCCS (trace contaminant control subsystem) is operating. SM Gas Analyzer has been calibrated and is used for ppO2 and ppCO2 monitoring. 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 On; SKV-2 is Off (repair incomplete).

SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 742; temperature (deg C) — 26.6; ppO2 (mmHg) — 155.1; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 2.4;
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 761; temperature (deg C) — 21.0.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 756; temperature (deg C) — 23.0.
Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 747.07; temperature (deg C) — 23.2 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 749.16; temperature (deg C) — 24.8; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 749.36; temperature (deg C) — 24.8; shell heater temp (deg C) — 23.7, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 23.3
PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 9.7

(n/a = data not available)

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

Both P6 channels fully operational. BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B both in Directed Position (2B: 235 deg; 4B: 125 deg); non-suntracking, “night glider”/”sun slicer” drag reduction mode.
SM batteries: Battery #8, formerly known as #7, is failed (to be replaced); all other batteries (7) are in “Partial Charge” mode.
FGB batteries: Battery #3 is off (capacity restoration mode, ROM); 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-1 MDM is Off; PL-2 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 1 dropped out 11/22).
SM Central Computer (TsVM): 2 redundant lanes (of 3) operational (string #3 dropped out 10/22).

Propulsion System:

Total propellant load available: 4115 kg (9072 lb) as of 2/5/04 [SM(755) + FGB(2701) + Progress M(0) + Progress M-1(659)]. (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:

LVLH YVV (local vertical/local horizontal = “earth-fixed”: z-axis in local vertical, y-axis in velocity vector [yaw: -90 deg, pitch: -9 deg, roll: 1.7 deg]), with CMG/TA (thruster assist) Momentum Management.

Communications & Tracking Systems:
F

GB 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, IAC-2 is off).
Video subsystem operating nominally.
HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.

Robotics:

SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at MBS PDGF #1/LEE B, 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, 4:51am EST [= epoch]):