ISS On-Orbit Status 25 Oct 2002

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

No breakfast this morning for CDR Valery Korzun and FE-2 Sergei Treschev until after completion of the MBI-4 “Farma” biomedical experiment, using the Reflotron-4 equipment.  [The Farma experiment studies particulars of pharmacological effects under long-duration space flight conditions, involving onboard analysis of blood and saliva samples after taking specific pharmaceuticals,- today Paracetamol.  For the blood test, results from yesterday’s regular MO-11experiment were used.  After ingesting the medication, Korzun and Treschev collected saliva samples at six different times during the day, preserving them in the Russian Kriogem-03 refrigerator for analysis.  Reflotron 4 is a clinical analyzer used for periodic biochemical blood and saliva analysis to monitor crew health or to be used diagnostically on Flight Surgeon request.  Built by Boehringer in Mannheim/Germany for the Mir program, the Reflotron-4 consists of the analyzer itself, which has a mass of 13-lbs. and uses 40W power, a set of measuring strips and a small equipment kit.]  

FE-1/SO Peggy Whitson terminated discharge of EMU battery #2030 in the BSA (battery stowage assembly).  This time, the discharge was fully successful.  All four spacesuit batteries are now depleted OK.  [The cause of yesterday’s discharge failure of 2030 is under investigation to ensure a good battery.  There is some suspicion of an issue with connector fit tolerance in the BSA.]  

Whitson then ran the 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 Peggy 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.]

FE-1/SO Whitson today also worked on the ARCTIC-2 refrigerator/freezer system, performing a preliminary thermal control inspection and configuration verification as the first step of the ongoing troubleshooting of fluid lines.  Additional anomalies cropped up yesterday when the ground, in preparation for today, commanded both ARCTICs On.  [ARCTIC-2 accepted the command to cool down, but temperatures did not change at all.  ARCTIC-1 also had a temperature problem for a while but it then cleared up. Troubleshooting continues but hardware changes, with 11A offering the last opportunity, are not anticipated.]

FE-2 Treschev conducted the periodic close inspection of the Service Module’s (SM) interior hull for moisture, residue, and pitting behind specific panels.  [If there is accumulated residue, Sergei was to describe color and state (solid, crumbly, powdery), and use wipes to remove it.  The depth of any pits were to be measured (using chewing gum).  The inspection also included the area underneath the TVIS.  Early this year (March), accumulations of mildew-like contaminants were discovered on the SM inner hull, and 10 samples were taken for analysis, six for Moscow and four for Houston.  The last inspection was performed by Treschev on 9/5/02.]

CDR Korzun meanwhile did maintenance work in the DC-1 “Pirs” docking module, cleaning the VD1 and VD2 air ducts.

While in DC-1, Valery also completed the long-term/periodic checkout of the docking compartment’s circuit breakers (AZS) on the BVP amp switch panel (they should all be On) and the 14 LEDs (light emitting diodes) of the fuses in fuse panels BPP-30 and BPP-36.

Peggy Whitson did the regular PCMCIA data file transfer from the U.S. exercise machines (TVIS, RED and CEVIS) to the medical equipment computer (MEC) for later downlinking.

Daily routine maintenance tasks were performed by Korzun (SOSh life support systems servicing; IMS inventory delta file preparation) and Whitson (autonomous Lab payloads status checkup).

Whitson and Korzun were thanked for their excellent work conducting yesterday’s SSRMS/Robotics operations.  The P1 truss dry run, LAB PDGF (power and data grapple fixture) checkout and other pre-launch checkout activities were all completed nominally.  No further arm operations are scheduled between now and 11A launch.  [There only remains a final pre-launch checkout of the MT (mobile transporter), which was deferred from today because of the extreme cold temperatures caused by the current large negative solar Beta angle of the ISS orbit. Work is underway to find an opportunity before 11A launch to complete the MT checkout.]

In the Russian segment, the MCS (motion control system) has run into a problem with the GIVUS, which normally provides attitude rates (angular rotations around body axes) to the ISS attitude control system. With GIVUS failed, the MCS was switched to the ORT medium-accuracy rate sensor system.  Since the US segment still has problems with the GPS-based SIGIs (space integrated GPS inertial navigation systems), recovery of high-accuracy rate determination from GIVUS or GPS (for attitude source), with 5S docking only a week away, is an urgent requirement.  For re-calibration/corrections of GIVUS, usually a three-day job, the Russian BOCS fixed star mappers are needed, but this requires LVLH (local vertical/local horizontal) or “barbecue” attitude instead of the current sun-“fixed” XPOP). [The GIVUS system, an important part of the SM MCS, is a high-accuracy rate (velocity) sensor package consisting of four single-degree-of-freedom floated gyroscopes with gas bearings, magnetic centering, electronic subsystems, secondary power source, and single thermal control system.  It contains four independent measurement channels.  The much simpler ORT medium-accuracy rate sensor is a gyroscopic device to measure angular velocities for use in the BINS strap-down inertial navigation system.  It contains three measurement channels, each including a single-degree-of-freedom gyroscope, electronic feedback loop and precision integrating current-to-frequency converter.]

All U.S. onboard command and control computers (C&C MDMs), external computers (EXT MDMs) and payload computers (PLD MDMs) have been prepared with new file loads and are ready for 11A.

A major SDTO (station development test objective) involving the TVIS treadmill is planned for next Monday, 10/28.  Concurrence from the Russian side is being obtained by tonight.  [Its purpose is to gather structural dynamics data with the IWIS (internal wireless instrumentation system) to correlate different operational configurations of the treadmill during various exercise modifications for analyzing their impacts on the ISS structure.  For the SDTO, the TVIS will also be marked with special photogrammetric targets to record its dynamics with the digital video camcorder.]

MedOps personnel in Houston and Moscow have worked out a joint sleep shifting plan for the upcoming vehicle visits to the ISS (5S and 11A), which adequately protects against a launch delay of up to five days.

The crew had two hours set aside on their schedule for review of and familiarization with the upcoming taxi mission with visiting crew 4 (VC-4), arriving on Soyuz 5S at 11:56pm EST on 10/31 and lasting through 11/9.  It is the first flight of the new Soyuz TMA spacecraft, modified from the current TM version for the ISS Program with NASA funding.  [5S, to be docked at the DC-1 docking compartment, will bring the crew of CDR/VC-4 Sergei Zalyotin (Russia), FE-1/VC-4 Frank De Winne (Belgium) and FE-2/VC-4 Yuri Lonchakov.  Their extensive science research program includes 17 experiments in the ESA “Odissea” mission and four Russian experiments (Akustika, Diatomeya, Uragan, Biodegradation).  At mission end, Zalyotin, Lonchakov and De Winne will return in the “old” 4S/Soyuz TM-34, leaving TMA-1 (also known as TM-211) as new CRV (crew return vehicle) for the next 200+ days.]

In preparation for the Soyuz 5S docking on Thursday night, MCC-M/TsUP will conduct a test of the Kurs-P system in the SM tonight at about 7:21pm EDT, during DO 13 (daily orbit 13).  Two orbits earlier, TsUP will activate the US22-1 matching unit and uplink top-level Kurs testing commands.

For 5S rendezvous proximity operations, TsUP has requested initiation of the ISS maneuver to docking attitude about 28 min earlier than originally planned, due to changed lighting conditions.  Soyuz and ISS will remain in stationkeeping during 25 min. of eclipse before entering RGS (Russian ground site) comm pass for docking.  NASA is assessing the request to adjust power consumption accordingly.  Also requested were S- and Ku-band support for the docking.

Immediately before pre-sleep period tonight (6:00pm), Peggy Whitson will initiate the second round of Metox canister regeneration in the Airlock (AL) bakeout oven.  [In preparation for the 14-hr. process, ITCS LTL (internal thermal control system low temperature loop) flow will be started to the A/L in preparation for the subsequent activation of the A/L CCAA (common cabin air assembly) air conditioner for its checkout prior to Metox regen.  Later, Whitson will deactivate the CCAA, remove the air duct (so that the A/L hatch can be closed) and start the regeneration of the CO2 absorbers.]

Today’s targets for the crew earth observations (CEO) program were Yucatan storm damage (Dynamic event.  Large swaths of dead vegetation in the wake of Hurricane Isidore should have been visible left of track), Hurricane Kenna (Dynamic event–first opportunity. What has been called a strong „brawling storm‰ [120 knot winds, category 3] is headed for Puerto Vallarta on the Mexican coast.  Center was right of track.  Low sun angles allowed good views of the morphology of the cloud surface.  A second opportunity came later:  With 120 knot winds, this category 3 storm was heading out into the Pacific but is now re-curving towards the tourist city of Puerto Vallarta.  Center was left of track. Low sun angles again allowed good views of the morphology of the cloud surface.), Yangtze River Delta (views left and right of track of this estuary of one of China‚s two largest rivers), Borneo smoke (Dynamic event: Crew was to look right for a generalized smoke pall blowing off the west coast of Borneo, where numerous fires rage. Oblique views, low sun and water as backdrop are very favorable conditions for aerosol documentation), NW India dust (Dynamic event. Dust chemistry shows that aerosols moving into the Arabian Sea come from several points, one of which is arid NW India.  Crew to look right for light loadings of dust going out to sea [dust appears best against the sea surface].  Photographs are of specific assistance to researchers), Eastern Mediterranean Dust (small plumes blowing off North Africa in advance of the approaching storm), Lower Amazon River Basin (sun glint opportunity for coastlines of the Amazon estuary; left and right of track).

U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 1:18 pm EDT):

Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):

• Elektron O2 generator is powered On (32 Amp mode, on backup pump).  Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is ON in MANUAL cycle mode #5, i.e., 10-min. cycle time (vacuum pump failed).  U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is offline. TCCS is operational.  BMP Harmful Impurities unit: Absorbent bed #1 in Purify mode, bed #2 in Purify mode.

• SM Working Compartment:  Pressure (mmHg) — 761; temperature (deg C) — 26.7; ppO2 (mmHg) — 158.7; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 3.9.
• SM Transfer Compartment:  Pressure (mmHg) — 762; temperature (deg C) — 20.5.
• FGB Cabin:  Pressure (mmHg) — 756; temperature (deg C) — 20.3.
• Node:  Pressure (mmHg) — 754.07; temperature (deg C) — 25.2 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — 167.3; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 5.0.
• U.S. Lab:  Pressure (mmHg) — 755.62; temperature (deg C) — 24.7; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a;
• Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock):  Pressure (mmHg) — 755.62, temperature (deg C) — 22.4; shell heater temp (deg C) — 25.2, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
• PMA-1:  Shell heater temp (deg C) — 23.3
• PMA-2:  Shell heater temp (deg C) — 11.9

(n/a = data not available)

Propulsion System (PS):  Total propellant load available (SM + FGB + Progress) — 3903 kg (8605 lb) [as of 10/24/02].

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

• Both P6 channels fully operational.  Beta Gimbal Assembly (BGA) 2B and BGA 4B in Autotrack mode (solar-tracking).
• SM batteries:   Battery data not available.
• FGB batteries:  Battery #1 is offline; all other batteries (5) 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 On; SKV-2 is Off.

Command & Data Handling Systems:

• C&C-3 MDM is prime, C&C-2 is back-up, and C&C-1 is in standby.
• GNC-2 MDM is prime; GNC-1 is Backup.
• EXT-1 is On (primary), EXT-2 is off.
• LA-1, LA-2 and LA-3 MDMs are all operating.
• PL-1 MDM is On (primary); PL-2 MDM is off (diagnostic
• 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): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.

Attitude Source:

• 3 CMGs on-line.
• State vector  Russian segment
• Attitude — Russian segment
• Angular rates — Russian segment

Communications & Tracking Systems:

• All Russian communications & tracking systems are nominal.
• S-band is operating nominally.
• Ku-band is operating nominally.
• Audio subsystem operating nominally.
• Video subsystem operating nominally.
• MCOR (medium-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.

Robotics:

• SSRMS/Canadarm2 at MBS PDGF3 (mobile base system/power & data grapple fixture 3) and 11A park position, with Keep Alive power on both strings.
• MBS: Keep Alive power on both strings.  POA: Keep Alive power on both strings.
• RWS (robotics workstations): Lab RWS is Off; Cupola RWS is Off.

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 7:19am EDT [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 395.5 km
• Apogee — 405.7 km
• Perigee — 385.4 km
• Period — 92.47 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.63 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0014986
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.57
• Solar Beta Angle — -63.7 deg (magnitude increasing)
• Altitude loss — 190 m (mean) in last 24 hours
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. ’98) — 22429
• Current Flight Attitude — XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane = “sun-fixed” [yaw: -5.0, pitch: -8.6 deg., roll: 0.4 deg]),with CMG/Thruster Assist Momentum Management).

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