Status Report

ISS On-orbit Status 21 Jan 2003

By SpaceRef Editor
January 21, 2003
Filed under , ,
ISS On-orbit Status 21 Jan 2003
ISS

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

After wake-up (1:00am EST), morning inspection, morning hygiene and
breakfast, FE-1 Nikolai Budarin did the regular daily status checkup
of the Russian BIO-5 Rasteniya-2/Lada-2 ("Plants-2") experiment,
which studies plant growth in the zero-G environment.

Later, he worked on the Russian/ESA Plasma Crystal-3 (PK-3) payload
which he had prepared yesterday. [After first powering up the turbopump
for evacuating the PK chamber, he created a software installation diskette,
instaled the s/w on the payload, and performed hardware testing. The
turbopump was to be deactivated again in the evening.]

CDR Kenneth Bowersox set up the video equipment for filming TVIS (treadmill
with vibration isolation and stabilization) exercise during the day.
In the evening, after the exercise sessions, the video hardware was stowed
again. [The schedule called for video of a full 30-minute session, including
at least 5 minutes of harness donning for each crewmember, with the entire
body in the video frame during the workout. Of interest: running style
and foot strike on the belt.]

Bowersox transferred a file of the FOOT (foot/ground reaction forces
during space flight) experiment to a laptop for downlink and later set
up for tomorrow’s scheduled FOOT session, preparing the equipment for
EMG (electromyography) calibration with video recording.

With FE-2/SO Don Pettit, Bowersox also completed a refresh review of
the DOUG (dynamic operational ubiquitous graphics) software with new
files for the upcoming Robotics operations on 1/23 (Thursday). Later,
he checked out the SSRMS operator RWS (robotic workstation), taking pictures
to verify the correct alignment of the RWS monitor video and electronic
overlays. [DOUG is a sophisticated software program that provides a graphic
birdseye-view graphical image of the SSRMS (space station remote manipulator
system), showing its real-time location and configuration on a PC during
its operation.]

Budarin worked on the Service Module (SM) ventilation system, replacing
the four PF1-4 dust filter cartridges and completing the periodic preventive
maintenance of the Group A ventilation fans.

Bowersox conducted the periodic 90-day health check of the GASMAP (gas
analyzer system for metabolic analysis physiology) payload. After the
unit was powered up in the morning, it had to warm up for five hours
before Sox could run the check, using the HRF (human research facility)
computer. [The 90-day health check is essentially intended to verify
that a vacuum has been maintained inside the GASMAP’s analyzer module
(AM) chamber. The instrument measures a crewmember’s metabolic activity,
in conjunction with exercise equipment, in a shirtsleeve, intravehicular
space environment. It consists of a quadruple mass spectrometer, known
as the AM, the calibration module (CM) and a stored gas supply. Today’s
procedure, an auto calibration, was different from the normal 90-day
health check since it has been over one year since the last auto calibration.]

FE-1 Nikolai Budarin was scheduled for the two-hour task of changing
out one of two BD database monoblocks (TA985M) of the BITS2-12 on-board
telemetry measurement system’s. [The BD blocks, located behind an SM
panel, receive data from local subsystems and store it, and also output
data to the data acquisition program or onboard users in response to
an address request. The removed TA985M was prepared for return to the
ground.]

Budarin also performed the periodic functional test of the emergency
vacuum valves (AVK) of the Vozdukh CO2 removal system. [The AVKs are
critical because they close the Vozdukh’s vacuum access lines in the
event of a malfunction in the regular vacuum valves (BVK) or a depressurization
in the Vozdukh valve panel (BOA). Access to vacuum is required to vent
carbon dioxide during the regeneration of the absorbent cartridges (PP).
During nominal operation, the AVK valves remain open.]

Yesterday morning, MCC-H noticed erratic behavior on the loop B delta-pressure
(dP) sensor of tank 2 of the ETCS (external thermal control system) ATA
(ammonia tank assembly). [This ammonia loop on the P1 truss will not
be activated until Mission 12A.1. Whereas dP should be zero, the sensor
randomly showed spikes down to -8 kPa (kilo-Pascal) and up to 50 kPa
(FDIR limit for a Caution message is 69 kPa). The software that controls
the tank pressure is currently inhibited, but Caution messages were inhibited
even though it is believed that they would not cause a risk.]

FE-2/SO Don Pettit set up the PD100 video camcorder for observing the
coil assemblies of the "InSpace" (investigating the structure
of paramagnetic aggregates from colloidal emulsions) experiment, in order
to check the individual coil assemblies for possible damage, leaks and
bubbles as well as to ensure proper dispersion of particles in the fluid.
[Purpose of the MSG (microgravity science glovebox) InSPACE experiment
will be to obtain basic data on magnetorheological fluids, i.e., a new
class of "smart materials" that can be used to improve or develop
new brake systems, seat suspensions robotics, clutches, airplane landing
gear, and vibration damper systems.]

The regular daily routine tasks were performed by Don Pettit (SOSh life
support systems maintenance) and Budarin (IMS inventory delta file preparation).

The crew was thanked for their help yesterday with troubleshooting
a problem with the DAIU (docked audio interface unit). Loop-back testing
showed the DAIU itself to be healthy. Some more work is required by
the ground.

On MCC-M go-ahead, the ISS cabin atmosphere was pressurized with fresh
oxygen (O2) from the Progress 9P O2 tank.

Today’s targets for the CEO (crew earth observations program) were Aerosols
in SE Africa (mapping pass [near nadir, overlapping pictures] to cover
fires and firescars in the forested coastal mountains of southern Africa),
Tuamotu-Austral Islands (pass along the axis of the island chain. Detailed
views of fringing coral reefs requested for global map), Cape Town, South
Africa (nadir pass; ESC [electronic still camera]. Crew was to try to
shoot the expanding margin of the urban region on the flat country far
east of the city center [the port on Table Bay]), Johannesburg, South
Africa (nadir pass. Shooting detailed near vertical views either side
of track. ESC), and Patagonian Glaciers (this pass crossed the northern
ice field. Ice tongues, especially on the east [less cloudy] side, show
changes even during the course of a few seasons).

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

U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 1:25pm EST).

Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):
Elektron O2 generator is powered On (16 Amp mode). Vozdukh CO2 scrubber
is On. U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is Off. TCCS (trace contaminant control
subsystem) is off. 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) — 753; temperature (deg C)
— 25.4; ppO2 (mmHg) — 168.4; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 0.8 (suspect).
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 751; temperature (deg C)
— 20.0.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 752; temperature (deg C) — 22.3.
Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 743.89; temperature (deg C) — 24.0 (shell);
ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 745.52; temperature (deg C) — 23.1; ppO2
(mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a;
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 745.73, temperature (deg
C) — 21.9; shell heater temp (deg C) — 22.6, ppO2 (mmHg) — 167.1;
ppCO2 (mmHg) — 2.8.
PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 24.9
PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 14.2
(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); all other
batteries (6) are in "Full 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.

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-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 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:
-179.5 deg, pitch: -8.8 deg., roll: 0 deg]), CMG/Thruster Assist Momentum
Management).
Solar Beta Angle: 31.6 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, 7:41am EST [= epoch]):
Mean altitude — 389.1 km
Apogee — 393.0 km
Perigee — 385.2 km
Period — 92.34 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0005784
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.59
Altitude loss — 175 m (mean) in last 24 hours
Solar Beta Angle — 31.6 deg (magnitude increasing)
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. ’98) — 238412

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

SpaceRef staff editor.