ISS On-Orbit Status 13 Mar 2002

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

The robotics activities scheduled for today were completed as planned. Early in the morning, at about 7:00 am EST, the MSS (mobile servicing system) was powered up from the ground for the activities, which focused on reconfiguring the SSRMS/Canadarm2 wrist for viewing the LCA (Lab cradle assembly) on top of the Lab module by the ground later today. [During the upcoming Mission 8A (STS-110), the new truss segment S0 (Starboard Zero) will be lifted from the Shuttle cargo bay with the SSRMS and installed on the Lab by letting it be captured by the clamps of the LCA. Getting the arm into the desired viewing position with its tip LEE (latching end effector) camera required the crew to (a) set up cameras and computer overlays at the Lab RWS (robotics workstation), (b) verify SSRMS initial position (in “PMA-3 clearance” zone), (c) calibrate the hand controller, and (d) maneuver the arm via the redundant electronics string to the viewing position. More brake testing to gather baseline data was also scheduled for this activity. The MSS was to be powered down again at about 3:30 pm, during crew pre-sleep.]

Later, the two flight engineers reviewed the new DOUG (dynamic operations ubiquitous graphics) software in preparation for tomorrow’s Robotics Day #4, during which they are scheduled to use the SSRMS for exterior surveying of ISS radiator panels and base plates.

CDR Yuri Onufrienko and FE-1 Carl Walz continued loading opryoions on the Progress 6P, using the IMS (inventory management system) and stowage recommendations uplinked via MCC-M (TsUP) radiograms.

Routine daily systems maintenance was performed by FE-2 Dan Bursch (inspection of BRPK-1 condensate water separator, and Lab payload status checks) and CDR Yuri Onufrienko (SOSH life support maintenance).

Last night’s two station reboosts by Progress 6P thrusters went off nominally. [Burns #5 & #6 of the current UF-1 stage were conducted at the pre-set times, commanded from the SM MCS (motion control system) via the SM’s and Progressâ US-21 “matching units” (third-tier computers). They adjusted orbital phasing for the rendezvous with 7P and increased the ISS altitude by approximately 10.6 km (6.6 s.mi.), in line with 8A rendezvous requirements (check below for new altitudes). Progress-256 docked to the SM aft port on 11/28/01 (2:43 pm EST) and will be undocked on 3/19/02,i.e., after 111 d, about two days prior to launch of Progress-257 (7P) at Baikonur.]

Onufrienko inspected the docking assembly (ASP-O) at the SM aft end (+x direction) and collected surface samples for possible contamination. Of interest are the inner surface of the docking cone, currently folded 90 deg out of the hatchway to Progress 6P, as well as the normally vacuum-exposed outer docking ring. The inspection was performed with a magnifying glass, and the ring as well as the highly polished docking cone surface were then wiped with tissue, which Yuri stored for analysis. If any glue-like substance was found, he was to secure a sample of it. [This activity is related to the troubleshooting of the Progress-256 docking anomaly, which required an EVA by Dezhurov and Tyurin on 12/3/01 to remove a piece of rubber seal from the docking cone. Similar inspection activities are planned to be performed after Progress 7P and Shuttle (8A) docking.]

Bursch completed TVIS fungus sampling for microbial analysis using the SSK (surface sampling kit), transferring initial data to the MEC (medical equipment computer). Petri dish colonies count will be taken again after a five day incubation period.

The IV-CPDS (intravehicular charged particle directional spectrometer) was power-cycled (turned off and back on after 30 sec) by Carl Walz in time-critical sync with ground commanding.

The two flight engineers jointly completed the second part of the calibration of the refurbished RED resistive exercise device.

During a reserved comm “window” from 10:2710:42 am EST, the crew downlinked three special PAO TV “greetings from ISS” on Ku-band (video) and S-band (audio), which were taped on the ground for use at the actual events on later dates. The first was a message to audiences attending the openings of the new sensational IMAX 3-D film “Space Station” (narrated by Tom Cruise). The second message addressed the attendees of a major event at Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida, on March 19, gathered for the 20th anniversary and re-release of the four-fold Oscar-winning movie “E.T.” (with considerable restoration and enhancement of the film by Spielberg). The third was a special message to NASA/JSC observing the upcoming “R&R” of JSC’s Directors. For the E.T. message, Bursch and Walz in particular recognized Universal Studios Japan and 50 winning children from across Japan participating in the “E.T. Children’s Space Summit” in Osaka. Konichiwa!

Today’s target areas for the CEO program were E. Mediterranean Dust and Smog (a slow-moving winter storm was situated over the Aegean Sea with winds kicking up dust over Egypt. After passing the storm, crew was to look to either side of track in oblique views and try to detect dust plumes in the atmosphere over the extreme eastern Med), European Smog (Italy and the Adriatic Sea lie between storm systems. As ISS tracked down the E coast of the Adriatic, crew was to look southwestward to the right of track for aerosol buildup there), W. Mediterranean Dust and Smog (another cold front is advancing toward southwestern Europe. Of interest: dust plumes moving northward out of Algeria in advance of this weather system), Angolan Biomass Burning (most of this target area was to the SW this pass. It was not be cloud-free, but the crew was to try to detect early season fire sources in oblique views to the right of track), Congo-Zimbabwe Biomass Burning (of interest: searching for fire sources in oblique views to either side of track), and Lake Poopo (although the crew could expect some late-day cloudiness, lighting was good and this pass offered a good contextual view of the Altiplano Basin looking from the NE. Crew to look the right of track towards the bright salars located in the lower basin).

U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 2:17 pm EST today):

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

• Elektron O2 generator is On (32 Amps mode). Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is ON in MANUAL cycle mode #5 (vacuum pump failed). U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is in Standby.
  
• BMP Harmful Impurities unit: Absorbent bed #1 in Purify mode, #2 in Purify mode.
  
• SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 760, temperature (deg C) — 26.4, ppO2 (mmHg) — 158.5, ppCO2 (mmHg) — 2.6.
  
• SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 762, temperature (deg C) — 20.8; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
  
• FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 756, temperature (deg C) — 21.0; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
  
• Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 753.43, temperature (deg C) — 22.6 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
  
• U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 755.52, temperature (deg C) — n/a, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a;
  
• Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 755.22, temperature (deg C) — n/a; shell heater temp (deg C) — 22.5, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
  
• PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 22.3.
  
• PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 17.4.
  

(Note: Partial pressures ppO2 and ppCO2 in U.S. segment (USOS) not available because MCA [major constituent analyzer] is failed and in Extended Life mode [= a state that preserves mass spectrometer vacuum but produces no pp data]).

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

• Beta Gimbal Assembly (BGA) 2B in Autotrack mode, BGA 4B in Directed (“parked”) position at 125 degrees.
  
• SM batteries: battery #1 is cycling; all other batteries (7) in “partial charge” mode.
  
• FGB battery #6 is offline; all other batteries (5) are in “partial charge” mode.
  
• Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 in Standby mode; PCU-2 in Standby mode.
  

Thermal Control Systems:

• Air conditioner SKV-1 is Off (Freon leak). SKV-2 is On.
  

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 back-up.
  
• LA-1, LA-2 and LA-3 MDMs are all operating.
  
• 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): 2 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.
  

Communications Systems:

• S-band is operating nominally.
  
• Ku-band is operating nominally.
  
• Audio subsystem operating nominally.
  
• Video subsystem operating nominally.
  
• MCOR (medium-rate communications outage recorder) operating nominally.
  

Robotics:

• SSRMS/Canadarm2 at PMA-3 clearance position (out of Soyuz emergency escape trajectory zone), with Keep Alive power on both strings.
  
• RWS (robotics workstations) are Off.
  

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 7:31 am EST):

• Mean altitude — 395.3 km
  
• Apogee — 398.3 km
  
• Perigee — 392.4 km
  
• Period — 92.5 min.
  
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
  
• Eccentricity — 0.0004304
  
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.57
  
• Altitude increase — 10.2 km (mean) in last 24 hours
  
• Solar Beta Angle: -2.0 deg (magnitude decreasing)
  
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. ’98) — 18911895
  
• Current Flight Attitude — LVLH (local vertical/local horizontal = “earth-fixed”: z-axis in local vertical, x-axis in velocity vector [yaw: -10 deg, pitch: -7 deg., roll: 0 deg]).

  
  

For more on ISS orbit and naked-eye visibility dates/times (freshly updated to account for the reboost) check out
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/viewing/issvis.html