ISS On-Orbit Status 14 Apr 2003
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously or below. Week 20 is underway. Also: Today is Day 142 for Expedition 6 (since STS-113 launch on 11/23/02).
The crew started preparations for their return on Soyuz TMA-1/5S on 5/4, focusing today on handover procedures for the Russian segment (RS). [The task involved review of the crew handover (RPS) procedures book and the incorporation of new data that the Expedition 7 crew will need.]
As part of the preparations, the crew completed the scheduled fit check of the “Kazbeks”, the three contoured shock-absorbing seats in the Soyuz descent capsule (SA). This required them to don their Sokol pressure suits, take their seats and measure the gap between the top of the head and the top edge of the structure facing the head with a ruler. The results were reported to MCC-M. [The Kazbek-Us are designed to withstand g-loads during launch and orbital insertion as well as during reentry and brake-rocket-assisted landing. Each seat has two positions: cocked (armed) and noncocked. In the cocked position, they are raised to allow the shock absorbers to function during touchdown. The fit check assures that the crew, whose bodies gain in length during longer-term stay in zero-G, will still be adequately protected by the seat liners for their touchdown in Kazakhstan on 5/4.]
In the Service Module (SM), FE-1 Nikolai Budarin replaced the TA765B ROM (read-only memory) storage units in three TA251M local temperature sensor switch devices (commutators, LKT1A2, LKT1B2, LKT1V2) with new spares. There are 11 of these LKTs behind various SM panels which receive, convert and transmit temperature sensor data via the local analog telemetry switch (LKA) to the database. [Before exchanging the TA765B boxes, Budarin pulled their BITS2-12 onboard telemetry system connections, after the ground had powered the BITS off. RS systems have been powered off during the BITS component replacement. All BITS connectors were later to be remated for activation and checkout of the installation by the ground.]
FE-2/SO Don Pettit hade another highly successful day with the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox), today running test 24 of the InSPACE (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions) experiment.
Target areas for the Russian Uragan earth imaging program on Nikolai’s task list for today, cloud cover permitting, were the Angara River and Irkutsk, Ulan-Ude and the Selenga River, Kolka glacier in the north of the Kazbek mountains, the Chirkeisk reservoir, the hydrological situation on the Rivers Ishim (at Astana, near the Kazakhstan landing site for Soyuz 5S), Irtysh (near Pavlodar), Ob (near Biisk), Maly and Verkhny Yenisei (near Kyzyl).
CDR Ken Bowersox worked in the Joint Airlock, returning its configuration to pre-EVA conditions. [This involved buttoning up the EMU suits, checking switch settings, and stowing EVA hardware as required.]
In a tagup with Don Pettit, Huntsville/POC (Payload Operations Center) specialists discussed the newly developed procedures for the repair of the ARCTIC freezer/refrigerator. The crew’s comments will be incorporated in the final version of the work-around procedures by end of this week. As requested by the crew, the work will be placed on the “job jar” task list, and POC will work with the timeliners to get the repair scheduled before the end of this increment. [The ARCTIC-1 has been inoperative due to two failed thermo-electric cooling units since last December. The procedure would restore some capability to the system by bypassing the units. ARCTIC’s cooling capability would be reduced, but tests are needed to show by how much. If functionality can be reasonably restored, new research activities are being looked at which might be flown up on Progress.]
The crew performed the six-month maintenance of the TVIS (treadmill with vibration isolation and stabilization). [The three-hour task required removal of the TVIS from the “pit” in the SM floor. The work, which is part of the yearly scheduled TVIS maintenance activities, was followed by a one-hour physical exercise session on the treadmill, serving as a checkout.]
Budarin completed the regular daily maintenance of the SOZh life support system in the SM, while Bowersox prepared the daily inventory update file for downlink to the IMS (inventory management system) database and performed the regular status checkup of autonomous payloads in the Lab (PCG-STES010, CGBA).
The VTR-2 (video tape recorder #2) playback problem reported before (4/11/03) turned out to be just a video cable issue, which has been cleared meanwhile.
The EarthKAM system at the Lab window was deactivated and stowed. The next session is scheduled to start on 4/25 (Friday), to be going on during the Soyuz 6S docked phase. EK images can be viewed on the Internet at
http://datasystem.earthkam.ucsd.edu/cgi-bin/datasys/ek_images_station .]
In Part 1 of the IFM (in-flight maintenance) on the cardiac defibrillator, Bowersox determined that the defibrillator is working OK. Part 2 showed that the device’s PDIM (power data interface module) is currently not charging its batteries. Troubleshooting continues, and the defibrillator is cleared for nominal operations, as long as batteries are available (which may have to be replaced if recharge cannot be restored).
Budarin completed his regular daily 5-min. inspection of the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2/Lada-2 (“Plants-2”) plant growth experiment.
All crewmembers performed their regular daily physical exercise program on RED, TVIS and VELO with load trainer.
At 11:50am EDT, amateur radio operator Ken Bowersox chatted with students of Lounsberry Hollow Middle School in the NW corner of New Jersey in a rural community. [The school has 947 fifth and sixth graders, and the school district is the largest in the county.]
The predicted conjunction with the TRMM satellite (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission, object #25063), reported on 4/11, has passed without requiring avoidance action, after the satellite was maneuvered by the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC).
Three old on-orbit HDDs (hard disk drives) have been reconfigured for PCS (portable computer system) use and are now available as spares. A fourth HDD can also be utilized if required.
The laptop of EXPRESS 1 (ER1) has developed a problem and is powered off. ER1 itself continues to work nominally, and there is no issue with lack of memory.
At today’s General Designers Review (GDR) at RSC-Energia in Moscow, Energia experts confirmed the Soyuz 6S’ readiness for launch on 4/26. The Soyuz vehicle will be sent to the fueling station on 4/16 (Wednesday), starting irreversible operations. The Expedition 7 crew will depart from Star City to Baikonur on 4/20.
Today’s CEO (crew earth observations) targets, including near-vertical targets from the city target list due to the current LVLH attitude, were Lima, Peru (nadir pass; ESC [electronic still camera]), Alexandria, Egypt (nadir pass; ESC), Tucson, Arizona (nadir pass; ESC), and Albuquerque, New Mexico (nadir pass; ESC).
CEO images can be viewed at the websites
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov and
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov
U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 1:55pm EST).
Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):
- Elektron O2 generator is powered Off. Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is Off. 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 Off; SKV-2 is Off.
- SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 742; temperature (deg C) — 28.3; ppO2 (mmHg) — data invalid; ppCO2 (mmHg) — data invalid.
- SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 751; temperature (deg C) — 20.2.
- FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 752; temperature (deg C) — 22.7.
- Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 741.34; temperature (deg C) — 22.5 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
- U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 743.30; temperature (deg C) — 22.5; ppO2 (mmHg) — 164.2; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 3.6;
- Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 743.40; temperature (deg C) — 22.6; shell heater temp (deg C) — 23.1, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
- PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 23.1
- PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 17.0
(n/a = data not available)
Propulsion System (PS):
- Total propellant load available: 3798 kg (8373 lb) as of 4/10/03 [SM(774) + FGB(2670) + Progress(354)]. (Capability: SM — 860 kg; FGB — 6120 kg).
Electrical Power Systems (EPS):
- Both P6 channels fully operational. BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B both in Autotrack (sun-following).
- SM batteries: Battery #8 is in “Cycle” mode; all other batteries (7) are in “Partial Charge” mode.
- FGB batteries: Battery #5 is disconnected; all other batteries (5) are in “Partial Charge” mode.
- Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 and PCU-2 both in Standby mode (after the EVA)
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-1 is operating; INT-2 is Off.
- 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
- APS-1 (automated payload switch #1) and APS-2 are both On.
- SM Terminal Computer (TVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational. Being upgraded.
- SM Central Computer (TsVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational. Being upgraded.
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-2
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]), with CMG/ TA (thruster assist) Momentum Management).
- Solar Beta Angle: -24.7 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.
- Ku-band is operating nominally.
- Audio subsystem operating nominally.
- Video subsystem operating nominally (VTR1 is operable again; VTR2 in troubleshooting).
- HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.
Robotics:
- SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at MBS PDGF with Keep Alive (KA) power on both strings.
- MBS: KA power on both strings.
- MT: latched at WS4, with KA power.
- POA: KA power on both strings.
- RWS (robotics workstations): Lab RWS is Off; Cupola RWS is Off.
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 6:34am EDT [= epoch]):
- Mean altitude 393.0 km
- Apogee — 397.4 km
- Perigee — 388.6 km
- Period — 92.42 min.
- Inclination (to Equator) — 51.63 deg
- Eccentricity — 0.0006548
- Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.58
- Solar Beta Angle: -24.7 deg (magnitude increasing)
- Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 70 m
- Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. ’98) — 25105
- For more on ISS orbit and worldwide naked-eye visibility dates/times, see http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/viewing/issvis.html
