ISS On-Orbit Status 22 Mar 2002
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously or below.
The crew enjoyed a “light-duty” day today due to the Progress docking on Sunday which impacts their regular rest-day timeline.
Launch of 7P/Progress M1-8 (#257) at Baikonur yesterday was nominal and on time (3:14 pm EST). The cargo ship is on its way to rendezvous with the station on Sunday, 3/24. Docking will be carried live on NASA TV (starting at 3:30 pm EST). Major 7P approach events on Sunday afternoon follow (times Eastern Standard):
11:55 am: ÊÊÊÊÊISS maneuvers to duty attitude
1:58 pm: ÊÊÊÊÊÊP6 arrays to Directed position (2B=39 deg; 4B=321 deg)
2:00 pm: ÊÊÊÊÊÊISS crew prepares for docking
2:08 pm: ÊÊÊÊÊÊProgress Kurs-A system activation
3:30 pm: ÊÊÊÊÊÊSunset
3:46 pm: ÊÊÊÊÊÊProgress final approach start
3:55 pm: ÊÊÊÊÊÊNOMINAL DOCKING
4:01 pm: ÊÊÊÊÊÊSunrise
4:10 pm: ÊÊÊÊÊÊProgress hooks closed; ISS maneuvers to XPOP; P6 arrays to Autotrack
6:10 pm: ÊÊÊÊÊÊProgress/SM leak check
7:00 pm: ÊÊÊÊÊÊSM/Progress hatches opened
7:20 pm: ÊÊÊÊÊÊClamps installation
In preparation for the docking, CDR Yuri Onufrienko and FE-1 Carl Walz today took an on-board training course with the TORU system, which provides a manual backup mode to the Progressâ (and Soyuzâ) KURS automated rendezvous radar. The training included rendezvous, fly-around, final approach, docking and off-nominal situations (e.g., video or comm loss). Afterwards, Yuri and Carl tagged up with TORU specialists at MCC-M (TsUP) via S-band audio. Ê[The TORU teleoperator control system lets an SM-based crewmember perform the approach and docking of automated Progress vehicles in case of KURS failure. Receiving a video image of the approaching ISS, as seen from a Progress-mounted docking television camera, on a color monitor (“Simvol-Ts”, i.e. “symbol center”) which also displays an overlay of rendezvous data from the onboard digital computer, Onufrienko would steer the Progress to mechanical contact by means of two hand controllers, one for rotation, the other for translation. The controller-generated commands are transmitted from the SM’s TORU control panel to the Progress via VHF radio. In addition to the Simvol-Ts color monitor, range, range rate (approach velocity) and relative angular position data are also displayed on the “Klest-M” video monitor (VKU) which starts picking up signals from Progress when it is still approximately 7 km away. TORU is monitored in real time from TsUP/Moscow as long as ISS is over Russian ground sites (RGS), but its control can not be taken over from the ground. Onufrienko’s Êpre-docking preps included a TV test of the data display of the Simvol-Ts monitor (which has its own timebase and power unit). This is important since Simvol-Ts is also used to monitor the approach of the Progress docking when in the nominal primary KURS mode.]
Later in the day, Onufrienko and Walz, supported by the ground, also ran a test of the 7P docking video setup which ties the Russian segment’s TV to the U.S. Ku-band via a temporarily spliced-in SSC laptop to convert Russian Secam and PAL TV formats to NTSC format used by the U.S. VDS (video distribution system).
Preparations for the April 4 launch of 8A/STS-110 are continuing on schedule, with the new 8A robotics plan coming together. The new procedures were uplinked for the crew as training material, broken down in the five major sections of S0 grapple, unberth, install, ungrapple, and reconfig for EVA-1. All new software patches will be tested and ready well in time for 8A. Ê[SSRMS/Canadarm2 will be operated with the fully functional Redundant electronic string; should it fail, the six-joints-only (6DOF) mode on the Primary string would provide a contingency procedure. Some software patches have been developed to fix “rough spots” uncovered during previous test runs, and in particular the 6DOF patch will permit the use of the SSRMS on six of its seven joints, leaving the failed Wrist Roll joint unpowered. In this contingency case, an EVA crewmember would come out, carried on the Shuttle RMS, to adjust the WR manually after S0 unberth. A new six-joints-only arm simulator in the Virtual Reality (VR) Lab at NASA/JSC is being given a workout today by STS-110 crewmember Ellen Ochoa. The actual 6DOF patch, to be tested in Canada this weekend, is due from CSA by 3/27.]
Because future ISS assembly missions will heavily rely on the SSRMS, the faulty WR joint needs to be replaced with a new unit during an EVA added to the UF-2/STS-111 mission. The necessary additional work will impact the UF-2 launch date, delaying it from 5/6. Since this was also close to the opening of one of the so-called “Beta cutout” periods (which, for thermal reasons, are off limit for a Shuttle Orbiter docked to the station), launch must wait until end of the cutout, which would make it on or about 5/31, extending the staytime of the current Expedition 4 accordingly. A final decision for this is still pending.
The crew was thanked for their excellent video downlinks of yesterday’s PuFF (pulmonary function in flight) activities, which made the PuFF team at POIC/Huntsville “very happy”.
Houston MedOps personnel report that an engineering evaluation of the TVIS treadmill SLD (subject load device) cables have cleared the treadmill for further use, with no additional restrictions. The observed split in the cable sheath is indicative of expected wear and tear from the pulley rubbing on the cable that normally occurs as the machine is used. Thus, no immediate action is required to remediate the split, and the crew can continue to exercise nominally. At some later time, the sheath will need to be trimmed, but the SLD can be used as long as the metal cable itself shows no fraying or crimping.
With yesterday’s deactivation of PCAM (protein crystallization apparatus for microgravity) cylinder #10 in the PCG-STES007 (protein crystal growth/single locker thermal enclosure system), all STES007 activities are now complete.
When CDR Onufrienko attempted to switch regeneration of filter #2 of the Russian BMP micropurification assembly back to purification mode yesterday, the BMP indicated an error condition, and the moding failed. Moscow/TsUP today stated that this is a known and long-lasting problem with old sensors providing false information on valve position. There is no immediate repair considered, but a software patch is to be implemented next week as a workaround.
Checkout of the MACE Silo 2 mass storage device, newly installed by the crew in the SSC OpsLAN system, has been successful. The second silo, which contains an additional 17 gigabyte (GB) hard drive for file storage, a tape drive for additional backups and archiving, and a DVD drive, is now operational.
Yesterday, ARIS (active rack isolation system) specialists completed a ground-commanded hyperextension test on the ARIS rack, which had posed some difficulties to the crew during the installation of alignment guides due to tightness of the guides on the snubber pins. The test was to ensure that the rack is still properly constrained to protect the pushrods and actuators, and results indicate the snubber positions have not changed since their last adjustment. To make future installations and removals of alignment guides easier, work is underway to implement suitable modifications.
Dan Bursch completed another EVARM (EVA radiation monitoring) pre-EVA badge reading to help characterize the on-board radiation trends prior to the 8A EVAs. These pre-EVA readings will be repeated three additional times prior to the first spacewalk. Afterwards he downloaded the data to the HRF PC, making it available for the next downlinking opportunity.
During the primary C&C3 MDM computer failure in the U.S. segment (USOS) on 2/27 due to a faulty PPL data file load, the U.S. motion control authority automatically transferred to the Russian motion control system, with one result being loss of Ku-band and S-band HDR (high data rate). After thorough investigation of this unexpected handover, the joint anomaly resolution team reported today that the event is now fully understood and that a software change, essentially lengthening the elapsed-time setting of a timer, is being implemented to make the system more robust in the future.
EXPPCS (Experiment of Physics of Colloids in Space): Still no joy from the payload’s computer. All attempts to recover it have failed to date.
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Metox canisters: Due to continuing concerns of Russian specialists about the planned resumption of regeneration of the new Metox (metal oxide) units aboard the U.S. Airlock (A/L), safety, medical and life support experts from both sides will convene next week on the “Team Zero” level to provide final clearance for 8A. The U.S. side had already satisfied itself that flammability and/or toxicity during the regeneration process of the recyclable CO2/contaminant absorbers are non-issues, and had planned onboard regeneration of the first 4-6 Metox canisters for tomorrow (2/23). This has now been postponed by one week to accommodate the Team Zero review. With 18 new LiOH (lithium hydroxide) canisters manifested on 8A, there would be enough of these non-recyclable backup units for all planned EVAs on 8A. However, to avoid incurring considerable LiOH logistics impact for future EVAs, a number of Metox canisters must be regenerated in the A/L oven before the 8A Orbiter departs the station.
Correction: Yesterday’s report of the completion of bracket installation in the Lab to secure the TeSS (temporary sleep station) was in error. The task was deferred until TeSS engineers could determine if the small, easy-to-overlook cap causing the lower interference could be removed. This is not the case, but it was found that interference at the top/front of the TeSS can be removed. When a procedure to secure the TeSS using the nominal method for the top/front brackets and zip ties for the lower/front has been developed, the task will be rescheduled.
Today’s target areas for the CEO (crew earth observations) program were Industrialized Southeastern Africa (the urban-industrial complex of Pretoria and Johannesburg was to the right of track. Oblique views of any aerosol accumulations in the highlands are needed, and the current XPOP attitude may favor such shots), Santa Maria Volcano (Dynamic Event: Santa Maria volcano, just to the right [SW] of ISS track, continues to throw ash and steam into the air. Low morning light should favor photographing details of the summit — e.g., changes in the caldera wall), Patagonian Glaciers (broad, oblique context views of the North Patagonian ice field are needed. Glaciers that feed into the large lakes on the eastern flank of the Andes are of particular interest. Weather commonly prevents photography of these features, but weather should have been clear for this pass), and Tuamotu Archipelago (the whole of the northern Tuamotu Archipelago was to the right of ISS track. ISS attitude may have prevented near-nadir photos of the small atolls closest to track, but views of the whole northern cluster of islands will be valuable for context in reef-mapping efforts).
U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 2:15 pm EST today):
Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):
- Elektron O2 generator is On (24 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 failed to mode to Purify.
- SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 764, temperature (deg C) — 27.9, ppO2 (mmHg) — 159.4, ppCO2 (mmHg) — 2.6.
- SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 767, temperature (deg C) — 21.2; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
- FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 756, temperature (deg C) — 22.7; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
- Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 757.88, temperature (deg C) — 23.8 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
- U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 759.66, temperature (deg C) — 24.9, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a;
- Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 759.36, temperature (deg C) — 21.8; shell heater temp (deg C) — 21.5, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
- PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 23.4.
- PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 12.6.
(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 Autotrack mode.
- SM batteries: #4 is in cycle mode; all other batteries (7) in “partial charge” mode.
- FGB battery #6 is offline,in capacity restoration mode (ROM), #5 is in “cycle” mode; all other batteries (4) 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, with Keep Alive power on both strings.
- RWS (robotics workstations) are Off.
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 7:12 am EST):
- Mean altitude — 392.3 km
- Apogee — 394.8 km
- Perigee — 389.7 km
- Period — 92.4 min.
- Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
- Eccentricity — 0.0003778
- Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.58
- Altitude decrease — 350 m (mean) in last 24 hours
- Solar Beta Angle: +39.0 deg (magnitude increasing)
- Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. ’98) — 19051
- Current Flight Attitude — XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane = “sun-fixed” [yaw: ~180 deg, pitch: -6 deg., roll: 0 deg])
For more on ISS orbit and naked-eye visibility dates/times, see
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/viewing/issvis.html
