ISS On-Orbit Status 17 Jan 2003

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously
or below. With yesterday’s spectacular launch of STS-107/Columbia, near-Earth
space is now populated by ten humans plus a menagerie of other nice Earth
creatures (rats, fish, silkworms, spiders, ants and bees).

Wake and sleep times aboard ISS are back to the standard 1:00am-to-4:30pm
EST cycle.

For FE-1 Nikolai Budarin, work started off with the daily routine inspection
of the Russian BIO-5 Rasteniya-2/Lada-2 plant growth experiment.

With CDR Ken Bowersox, Budarin then uninstalled and removed the SUDN
(motion control and navigation system) Kurs-A rendezvous and approach
radar system from the Progress M1-258 (9P), a three-hour chore. These
valuable components will be returned to Earth and "recycled".

Later, at 1:00pm (Daily Orbit 15 & into DO1), Budarin, with TsUP
support, conducted the 30-min. space-to-space (wireless) TORU test, i.e.,
between the TORU control station in the Service Module (SM) and the Progress
M1-258 cargo ship. [TORU is the manually teleoperated backup approach
and docking system for the automated Progress ships. It will be on "hot
standby" during the upcoming arrival of Progress M-247 (10P).]

The originally scheduled TVIS treadmill active/passive experiment by
Sox and Don was deferred to some future date after the crew voiced concern
over possible excessive bungee loading by the planned activity. To resolve
this issue, ground engineers, flight surgeon and crew need more time
for review and analysis. [The objective of the test is to gather motion
data while crewmembers are running and walking on the treadmill at varying
loads, speeds and power configurations. These data will enable specialists
to determine differences in leg motions that occur while TVIS is in motorized
(active) and non-motorized (passive) mode. The experiment is to be set
up with video camcorders and special photogrammetric targets on and around
the TVIS for subsequent analysis of the imagery.]

FE-2/SO Don Pettit conducted the monthly maintenance of the CEVIS (cycle
ergometer with vibration isolation), examining the wire rope isolators
for damage.

CDR Bowersox powered up the EXPRESS Rack 5 (ER5) laptop computer, before
the ground initiated ER5 power for the subsequent loading of new software
on the PC and the RIC (rack interface controller). Laptop and ER5 were
later powered down again. [Bowersox retrieved the RIC software from OCA
and started the RIC loading, which then proceeded automatically, after
which he was again needed to complete the activity. This was the first
of five ER and laptop software upgrades. ER5 is not equipped with ARIS
(active rack isolation system), which simplified the procedure somewhat.]

Don Pettit worked with the TOCA (total organic carbon analyzer), initiating
reagent mixing for the upcoming TOCA water sample analyses. [TOCA is
a water quality monitoring instrument for determining concentrations
of total organic carbon, total inorganic carbon, total carbon, pH value
and conductivity in water.]

Pettit also set up the two CDMs (carbon dioxide monitor) sensors with
new batteries and stowed the old batteries. The CDMs were then used by
Sox and Don during their TVIS exercise, to measure the CO2 in the atmosphere
near the exercise device. [One CDM was statically deployed near the treadmill,
the other was attached to the exercising crewmember.]

Nikolai Budarin initiated the 24-hr. regeneration mode of filter cartridge
#1 of the BMP micropurification system, a subsystem of the SM’s atmosphere
revitalization system. Absorbent bed #2 remains in Purify mode.

The discharge of two EVA batteries initiated yesterday was terminated,
and the process was started on the remaining pair. [EVA battery discharging
is currently accomplished by depleting the storage units with the running
EMU/suit fans. In the future, the discharging will be done with the BCA
(battery charger assembly).]

The daily routine tasks of SOSh life support system servicing and IMS
inventory update file preparation were completed by Budarin, while Bowersox
performed the daily status checkup of autonomous Lab payloads.

Continuing the necessary sync-up between on-orbit stowage and the ground-kept
IMS (inventory management system) database, additional questions were
uplinked by TsUP for another 20-min. IMS tagup with the crew, conducted
today at 8:35am via S-band.

At 6:30am, MCC-H conducted a full ("zero"-) calibration of
the MCA (major constituents analyzer). After the calibration run, which
took about 20 minutes, the crew closed the MCA oxygen valve (HV02) manually.

At 12:35pm, the crew downlinked a PAO message of greetings to the opening
of the 31st Russian National Space Competition in Korolev near Moscow
on 1/21. The two-day Finale of the student competition is dedicated to
the 40th anniversary of the first group space flight (Vostok-5/Vostok-6).
[The competition has become a tradition and has been held annually since
1971 to encourage children’s creative abilities, to support talented
youth, and help educate Russia’s intellectual elite. Sponsors are the
Soyuz Russian National Youth Aerospace Association, the Ministry of Education
of the Russian Federation, Rosaviakosmos, the Moscow City Government,
the Moscow Region Government administration, the Khrunichev Space Center,
and RSC Energia in Korolev. The finale is attended by over 250 participants
from 42 Russian cities, (including Baikonur), as well as from Belarus
and Ukraine. The jury consists of cosmonauts, scientists, rocket-space
technology engineers, and representatives from the major aerospace university
departments in Moscow.]

The Russian Vozdukh CO2 removal machine is again down (pump failure).
The U.S. CDRA (CO2 removal assembly) in the Lab was started up last night
(after a power cycle of its controlling LSYS MDM) and is operating.

A depressurization alarm by one of three rapid depress sensors in the
SM last night was identified as a false sensor indication. The associated
software algorithm worked correctly, and affected subsystems were recovered.

The reworked MSG PDC (microgravity science glovebox power distribution
controller) is expected at Huntsville tonight for integrated systems
testing. The recertified unit needs to be in Moscow by 1/23 latest, along
with the ESEM3 (exchangeable standard electronic module 3). The last
airplane for Baikonur leaves Moscow on 1/24. Progress 10P will be sealed
up on 1/25.

Progress 10P launch remains set for 2/2, with docking on 2/4 after the
standard two-day ascent/rendezvous template. There is to be no special
Kurs test before the arrival. If 10P is launched on the backup day, 2/3,
the ascent/rendezvous will take three days, for prop efficiency. Progress
9P, currently docked to the SM aft end, will be separated and jettisoned
on 2/1.

Yesterday’s readiness review for the major software transition in February
went well. When approved, the new loads are to be uplinked on 2/6, and
transition begins on 2/10.

Today’s targets for the CEO (crew earth observations program) were Industrialized
SE Africa (looking for smog buildup–especially right of track towards
the Witwatersrand complex), Cape Town, South Africa (good pass. The city
lies on Table Bay at the north end of the peninsula, on the slopes of
Table Mountain), Palmerston Island atoll (nadir pass over this enclosed
reef [11 km diameter]. Dry land amounts to six tiny islets along the
reef [highest point on one of these is The Mountain at 6.8 m]. Detailed
views needed for mapping project of the productive parts of the reef
system), Falkland Islands Plankton (Dynamic event. Looking left and right
of track for a large bloom stretching north from the Falklands to the
River Plate. Clear weather and your many high latitude passes allow repeat
photography of this phenomenon, to show change with time).

CEO images can be viewed at the website
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov

U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 1:54pm EST).

Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):
Elektron O2 generator is powered On (16 Amp mode). Vozdukh CO2 scrubber
is Off (failed vacuum pump). U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is On. TCCS (trace
contaminant control subsystem) is off. MCA (major constituents analyzer)
is operating. BMP Harmful Impurities unit: Absorbent bed #1 in Regeneration
mode, bed #2 in Purify mode.

SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 753; temperature (deg C)
— 24.0; ppO2 (mmHg) — 165.8; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 3.8 (suspect).
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 751; temperature (deg C)
— 18.8.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 752; temperature (deg C) — 22.3.
Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 745.80; temperature (deg C) — 23.7 (shell);
ppO2 (mmHg) — 168.9; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 3.1.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 748.05; temperature (deg C) — 22.6; ppO2
(mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a;
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 748.05, temperature (deg
C) — 21.9; shell heater temp (deg C) — 22.6, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2
(mmHg) — n/a.
PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 25.1
PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 12.7
(n/a = data not available)

Propulsion System (PS): Total propellant load available (SM + FGB +
Progress) — 3689 kg (8133 lb) [as of 1/16/03].

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):
Both P6 channels fully operational. Beta Gimbal Assembly (BGA) 2B and
BGA 4B both in Autotrack (sun-following) mode.
SM batteries (as of 3am): Battery #7 is off line (failed); battery #8
is in "Cycle" mode; all other batteries (6) are in "Partial
Charge" mode.
FGB batteries (3am): Batteries #3 is offline (failed); all other batteries
(5) are in "Partial Charge" mode.
Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 and PCU-2 both in Standby mode.

Thermal Control Systems:
Air conditioner SKV-1 is On, SKV-2 is Off.

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 (new patches loaded on both).
EXT-2 is On (primary), EXT-1 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 down (as of 11/14).
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
Attitude — U.S. SIGI-1
Angular rates — U.S. RGA-1

Flight Attitude:
XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane = "sun-fixed" [yaw:
-178.0 deg, pitch: -6.0 deg., roll: 0 deg]), CMG/Thruster Assist Momentum
Management).
Solar Beta Angle: 25.4 deg (magnitude increasing).

Communications & Tracking Systems:
FGB MDM-1 is powered Off; FGB MDM-2 is operating.
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.
HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.

Robotics:
SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at Lab 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, 6:50am EST [= epoch]):
Mean altitude — 389.7 km
Apogee — 393.5 km
Perigee — 386.0 km
Period — 92.35 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.63 deg
Eccentricity — 0.00056
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.59
Altitude loss — 160 m (mean) in last 24 hours
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. ’98) — 23749

For more on ISS orbit and worldwide naked-eye visibility dates/times,
see
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/viewing/issvis.html