ISS On-Orbit Status 19 Mar 2003

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

After wake-up (1:00am EST), the crew received kudos for their great work yesterday in support of the thermal loop troubleshooting. 

Overnight U.S. and Russian onboard systems began to shut down when the Service Module’s (SM) Terminal Computer (TVM) declared “Loss of Attitude Control” (LoAC) after three failed attempts to activate the SM MCS (motion control system) following an inadvertent attitude control handover command sent from the U.S. C&C MDM (command & control computer).  The U.S. GNC MDM (guidance, navigation & control computer) was working properly and the CMGs (control moment gyros) were controlling adequately.  Restoration of all onboard systems to nominal ops has now been completed, but the onboard status is not quite back to “normal”: MCC-Houston and MCC-Moscow are still working to regain communications between the TVM and the GNC MDM.  [The LoAC event began last night when the newly upgraded TVM upon scheduled restart did not receive the correct address for the primary GNC MDM  from the  C&C MDM because the new C&C software Vers. R3 apparently assigns neither the primary nor the backup GNC as the default.  TVM interpreted this as “no GNCs are working”, when in reality U.S. control was OK, with GNCs and CMGs all functioning well.  While the crew was asleep, the two MCCs tried unsuccessfully to point the TVM to the primary GNC MDM.  MCC-H then decided to enable the automatic handover capability to the SM MCS to provide for CMG desaturation if required.  The “execute handover” command was sent from the C&C MDM to the TVM, but the MCS did not operate properly due to thruster manifold misconfiguration and a possible software problem with the 7.01 version.   Because of the perceived “GN&C not working” condition, the C&W (caution & warning system) started the automatic load shedding sequence in the U.S. and Russian segments, correctly commanded by the Russian TVM.  Things are now back to normal, and investigations are underway at both MCCs, but it seems that both the C&C R3 load and the TVM’s 7.01 load may contain some fault.]

As a result of the LoAC upset, today’s scheduled thermal system PPA pump troubleshooting has been postponed to tomorrow.  Thus, ITCS (internal thermal control system) is still depending on one cooling loop only, the low temperature LTL.
 
FE-1 Nikolai Budarin continued the periodic preventive maintenance of the air ventilation system in the RS, today changing out the four dust filter inserts (PF1-4) in the SM (last changeout: 2/19).

Budarin then moved into the DC-1 “Pirs” docking compartment, cleaning the V1 and V2 fan mesh screens and the VD1 and VD2 air ducts of its ventilation system (last done: 2/25).  Later, he also renewed the DC-1’s two dust filters PF1 & PF2 (last changeout: 1/23).

Due to the unexpected timeline impacts, today’s scheduled sixth Foot experiment (foot/ground reaction forces during space flight) for CDR Ken Bowersox was deferred.

FE-2/Science Officer Don Pettit was scheduled to complete another pre-EVA EVARM (EVA radiation monitoring) background reading, first activating the EVARM badge reader, then taking the readings.  Afterwards the data were downloaded from the reader to the HRF (human research facility) PC for later downlink, and the equipment was then again stowed.

Pettit continued his support of the ongoing MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) troubleshooting.  [Today’s activities were to bring up the facility and run it for approximately two hours with the newly installed left fan off (will be checked out in the near future), but center fan, right fan and illumination on.  Depending on Ku-band availability, the activities are being monitored by POC (Payload Operations Center) with video.]

After yesterday’s replacement of the CO2 filter unit in the IK0501 gas analyzer (GA) in the SM with a spare, Budarin today checked up on the GA by taking control readings with the IGZ constituent meter.

Also in the SM, Nikolai checked out docking assembly (StA) accessories for completeness, particularly looking for “modified” extensions used for the Progress hatch cover opening.  [These were delivered by Progress after Expedition 5 found some problems with the design of the original “long” extensions.]

Bowersox had two hours timelined today for the first part of an inventory audit in the Node, intended to verify various stowage locations and to provide the ground information for updating the IMS (inventory management system) database with the actual on-orbit stowage configuration.  [Sox worked from an uplinked table of about 120 items and locations for his on-site “truth-finding” verification.]
 
Pettit conducted the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh life support system (including ASU toilet facilities) and prepared the daily IMS inventory delta file, while Bowersox performed the regular payload status checkup in the Lab (PCG-STES010).

Budarin completed the weekly inspection of the BRPK air/condensate separator unit in the SM.  He also did his daily status check on the Russian BIO-5 Rasteniya-2/Lada-2 (“Plants-2”) plant growth experiment in the SM.

Shortly before sleep time (4:30pm EST), Nikolai is scheduled to set up the “Urolux” equipment for another session with the Russian biochemical urine test (PZE MO-9), on tomorrow’s timeline for him.

At 3:10am EST, while Nikolai was working on the Russian computers, amateur radio operator Don Pettit chatted with students of St. Ursula’s College in Toowoomba, Australia, during a 10-min. ham radio pass.  [St. Ursula is a senior catholic girls school with an enrolment of 760 students, ages 13 to 18.  Toowoomba (pop. 90,000) is Australia’s largest inland regional center, capital of Darling Downs region (pop. 250,000) in Queensland, 140 km west of Brisbane.]
 
All crewmembers completed their daily physical exercise program on RED (resistive exercise device), TVIS (treadmill with vibration isolation and stabilization), and VELO with load trainer.
 
Today’s targets for the CEO (crew earth observations) program (no Cities at Night included until LVLH attitude) were Industrialized Southeastern Africa(ISS pass over southern Africa bisected the late summer high-pressure area that has dominated weather there and smog formation from industrial activity.  Looking left of track up the Orange and Vaal River valleys towards Johannesburg and Pretoria for smog concentrations), and Lower Amazon River Basin (lighting was minimal, but the crew was asked to try for oblique context views to the right of track of the delta region, particularly noting sediment plumes if possible).
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 1:35pm EST).

Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):
Elektron O2 generator is powered On (24 Amp).  Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On (manual mode 5).  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 On; SKV-2 is Off.

SM Working Compartment:  Pressure (mmHg) — 745; temperature (deg C) — 25.9; ppO2 (mmHg) — 183.1; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 2.5 (data suspect).
SM Transfer Compartment:  Pressure (mmHg) — 751; temperature (deg C) — 20.0.
FGB Cabin:  Pressure (mmHg) — 752; temperature (deg C) — 23.0.
Node:  Pressure (mmHg) — 739.44; temperature (deg C) — 23.2 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — 166.0; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 4.1.
U.S. Lab:  Pressure (mmHg) — 741.08; temperature (deg C) — 22.4; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a;
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock):  Pressure (mmHg) — 741.18; temperature (deg C) — 20.9; shell heater temp (deg C) — 21.9, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
PMA-1:  Shell heater temp (deg C) — 24.7
PMA-2:  Shell heater temp (deg C) — 12.2
         (n/a = data not available)

Propulsion System (PS):
Total propellant load available [SM(786) + FGB(2746) + Progress(490)] — 4022 kg (8867 lb)as of 3/13/03.  (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 dual-angle “blind” mode (directed position).
SM batteries:  All batteries (8) are in “Complete Charge” mode (data are static).
FGB batteries:  Batteries #2 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-1 MDM is prime, C&C-2 is back-up, and C&C-3 is in standby.
• GNC-2 MDM is prime; GNC-1 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:

• XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane = “sun-fixed” [yaw: -179.0 deg, pitch: -8.8 deg., roll: 0 deg]), with CMG Momentum Management).
• Solar Beta Angle:  46.0 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).
• 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, 7:10am EST [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 390.6 km
• Apogee — 396.1 km
• Perigee — 385.2 km
• Period — 92.37 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) —  51.63 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0008072
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.59
• Solar Beta Angle:  46.0 deg (magnitude increasing)
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 125 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. ’98)  — 24701
• For more on ISS orbit and worldwide naked-eye visibility dates/times, see http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/viewing/issvis.html