Status Report

ISS On-Orbit Status 10 Feb 2003

By SpaceRef Editor

February 10, 2003

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

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously or below. Day 79 in space for the Expedition 6 crew. Week 11 for Increment 6.

Before breakfast, all crewmembers completed another session of the periodic Russian medical experiment protocols PZEh-MO-7 (calf volume measurement) and PZEh-MO-8 (body mass measurement). FE-1 Nikolai Budarin set up the MO-8 “scales” equipment and later broke it down and stowed it away. [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. For determining body ass in zero-G, where things are weightless (but not massless), the Russian IM “scales” measure the inertial forces that arise during the oscillatory motion of a mass driven by two helical metering springs with known spring constants. By measuring the time period of each oscillation of the unknown mass (the crewmember) and comparing it to the period of a known mass, the crewmember’s mass is calculated by the computer and displayed].

Later in the day, Budarin started another round of the Russian MBI-8 “Profilaktika” (countermeasures) fitness test series, today on the VELO (stationary bike ergometer). [The test is identical to the Russian MO-5 assessment, but in addition to the nominal test procedure, it calls for the use of the TEEM-100M gas analyzer, measurement of the lactate level in the subject’s blood with the AccuSport device, and subjective evaluation of physical exertion levels during the test. Results were entered on a log sheet. TEEM and ECG (electrocardiograph) data were transferred to Laptop 3 and prepared for later downlink via Regul-Packet comm.]

Budarin and CDR Ken Bowersox continued unloading and stowing cargo from Progress 10P while keeping track of items for the IMS (inventory management system) database.

A PCS HDD (portable computer system/hard disk drive) swap scheduled for Bowersox today was deferred to next week.

FE-2/SO Don Pettit worked on EXPRESS Rack 2 (ER2), setting the ARIS (active rack isolation system) up for standard control, by removing the ARIS ICE (isolation characterization experiment) Type 1553 cable and replacing it with a shorting plug.

Preparations for troubleshooting the deactivated MSG (microgravity science glovebox) continue on the ground, and a tagup/conference was conducted with Don Pettit at 11:00am EST. [The working group established by the ESA/Industrial Team and the Inquiry Board at ESA/ESTEC (Noordwijk/Holland) is narrowing down the possible causes of the failure. It already appears that the circuit breaker tripping was not a hard short-circuit but due to a non-nominal overload on the 12Vdc line, which also affected the data transmission within the MSG core facility. Until the failure is completely isolated, the Glovebox rack will not be powered up, to avoid “waterfall”-type failures in its different subsystems. ESA inputs to MSFC POC (Payload Operations Center) for the physical troubleshooting were expected not earlier than today. Actual on-orbit troubleshooting is scheduled for Wednesday (2/12), after another teleconference with Pettit tomorrow.]

Nikolai Budarin took an EVARM (EVA radiation monitoring) badge reading, first unstowing and powering up the EVARM Reader, letting it warm up, then reading all badges and finally turning the Reader off again. [These badge readings help characterize the on-board radiation trends prior to and after an EVA.]

Nikolai performed the daily routine task of SOSh life support system (incl. ASU toilet system) maintenance, Don prepared the daily IMS “delta” file for updating the inventory database, and Sox conducted the daily status check of Lab payloads.

Pettit continued the daily monitoring of CO2 partial pressure (ppCO2) levels in the SM and Lab (two readings) with the CO2 monitoring kit (CDMK).

Budarin completed his routine 24-hr. checkup and watering of the Russian BIO-5 Rasteniya-2/Lada-2 (“Plants-2”) plant growth experiment.

MCC-Houston continued IMV (intermodular ventilation) troubleshooting. [One of the crew’s task list items in support of this activity is to check the Node “butterfly” plate (valve) positions. The ground is also unpowering and repowering the IMV fans at the Node aft port, Node aft starboard, and Lab aft port positions fans to capture and compare their power (current) signatures.]

Using the Kodak DSC760 or Nikon D1 digital camera, Budarin had 15 min. scheduled for today’s Uragan (“hurricane”) Earth observations. [Nikolai was advised to take a series of images of the Genaldon River valley and the Northern slope of Kazbek-Dzhimarai mountain plexus in Russia,- former location of the Kolka Glacier. Land-based survey and aerial survey of the area are being conducted today as well. An Inter-Departmental Commission is currently evaluating the status of Kolka and Maili Glaciers and the condition of the debris/ice cone associated with these glaciers. Based on the results of this research, the Commission will develop recommendations on the continuation/improvement or possible cessation of activities that are currently being carried out in the area. This is why the ISS-based imagery of the area is such an important part of this effort.]

Coming up tomorrow: (a) ISS reboost by Progress 10P [for 21-22 minutes at 6:34am EST, using 430 kg propellants for ~6 m/sec delta-V. Altitude increase of 10.4 km is calculated to protect a possible Shuttle launch in mid-June (Shuttle-compatible altitude: 320 km).] (b) Transfer of 20 liters water from the Lab condensate tank to a CWC (contingency water container).]

Today’s targets for the CEO (crew earth observations program) were Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (the Saudi capital lied just right of track), Lisbon, Portugal (ISS had a nadir pass over the Portuguese capital, situated just inland on the north shore of the Tagus River estuary), Mexico City, Mexico (crew had a nice, midday pass at nadir over the Mexican capital city), Tucson, Arizona (weather may be marginal by the time of this pass, otherwise it will be a nadir view in midday sun of this desert city), and Albuquerque, New Mexico (fair weather should hold over this target. Crew had a nadir view of the city located mostly east of the Rio Grande River).
CEO images can be viewed at the website
http://eol.jsc.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 (32 Amp mode). Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On (auto mode). 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 Regeneration mode, bed #2 in Purify mode. RS air conditioner SKV-1 is On; SKV-2 is Off.

SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 753; temperature (deg C) — 27.6; ppO2 (mmHg) — 160.9; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 2.5 (suspect).
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 751; temperature (deg C) — 20.4.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 752; temperature (deg C) — 21.7.
Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 744.52; temperature (deg C) — 21.5 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — 167.2; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 5.2.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 747.04; temperature (deg C) — 22.8; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a;
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 746.94; temperature (deg C) — 20.9; shell heater temp (deg C) — 22.2, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 22.2
PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 17.0

(n/a = data not available)

Propulsion System (PS):

Total propellant load available [SM(820) + FGB(2804) + Progress(868)] — 4492 kg (9903 lb) as of 2/6/03. (Capability: SM — 860 kg; FGB — 6120 kg).

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

Both P6 channels fully operational. Beta Gimbal Assembly (BGA) 2B and 4B both in “blind” dual-angle mode (directed position).
SM batteries: Batteries #6 and #7 are off line; all other batteries (6) are in “Partial Charge” mode.
FGB batteries: Battery #1 is off line; 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-3 MDM is prime, C&C-2 is back-up, and C&C-1 is in standby.
GNC-1 MDM is prime; GNC-2 is Backup.
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 (diagnostic
APS-1 (automated payload switch #1) and APS-2 are both On.
SM Terminal Computer (TVM): 2 redundant lanes (of 3) operational. Lane 1 is out of the set (as of 11/14/02).
SM Central Computer (TsVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.

Attitude Source:

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

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]), CMG/TA (thruster assist) momentum management).
Solar Beta Angle: -30.0 deg (magnitude increasing).

Communications & Tracking Systems: