ISS On-Orbit Status 28 Mar 2002
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously or below.
The crew was congratulated on another great PAO event, with reference to yesterday’s live interactive TV exchange with Bath Elementary School in Bath, North Carolina.
CDR Onufrienko and FE-1 Walz continued unloading of Progress 7P, using the IMS (inventory management system).
In particular, during the unloading Onufrienko transferred the Russian radiobiology experiment RBO-2 “Bradoz” from the Progress and installed it in the SM. Bradoz is an IBMP-developed experimentÊ to detect integral absorbed doses of ionizing radiation using thermoluminescent detectors as well as fluxes and spectra of linear energy transfers of heavy charged particles with plastic track detectors, and to use biological objects to detect radiation damage to the genetic system. [Purpose of this research is to develop radiobiological dosimetry methods for more accurate assessment of biologically significant radiation dose commitments for humans during long-term space flight. Space radiation, even in small doses, can damage not only the somatic, but also the generative tissues in the human body, making it crucial to quantitatively assess the genetic damage caused by space radiation. The experiment consists of six assemblies, five Bradoz-1 (A21-A25) units and one Bradoz-2 (A26) unit. They include thermoluminescent dosimeters made of lithium fluoride crystals, NR-39-type plastic track detectors made of tissue-equivalent plastic, and packets with biological samples of dry seeds of higher plants. Th”/glluminescent detectors can detect integral absorbed doses of ionizing radiation within the range of measured doses 5 x 10-4 – 50 Gray. The plastic track detectors detect fluxes and spectra of linear energy transfer of heavy charged particles in the range of measured charged particle fluxes 1-105 particles/cm2 and spectra of linear energy transfers in the range of 50-400 KeV/m. The plastic track detector configuration in the Bradoz assembly makes it possible to identify the anisotropy of heavy charged particle fluxes.]
FE-2 concluded the SSAS (solid sorbent air sampler) activity begun yesterday in the Lab and SM. He also collected the FMK (formaldehyde monitoring kit) badges deployed 24 hours ago in Lab and SM.
CDR Onufrienko completed Part 2 of the inspection of the docking assembly (ASP-O) at the SM aft end (+x direction), collecting surface samples for possible contamination. Part 1 was performed on 3/13, before the Progress M1-8 arrival.Ê [This activity is related to the troubleshooting of the Progress-256 docking anomaly, which required an EVA by Dezhurov and Tyurin on 12/3/01 to remove a piece of rubber seal from the docking cone. Of interest are the inner surface of the docking drogue, currently folded 90 deg out of the hatchway to Progress 7P, as well as the normally vacuum-exposed outer docking ring. The inspection was performed with a magnifying glass, and the ring as well as the highly polished docking cone surface were then wiped with tissue, which Yuri stored for analysis. If any glue-like substance was found, he was to secure a sample of it. Similar inspection activities are planned to be performed after Shuttle (8A) docking.]
Yuri also performed the second part of the BINS strap-down inertial guidance system update/correction using the VP2 and PUMA viewfinder/sighting devices. For today’s testing, the U.S. motion control system switched to Attitude Hold mode at 10:20 am EST, then back to CMG momentum management mode at 11:00 am.
For Dan Bursch and Carl Walz, today was another robotics day. They reviewed the updated procedures of the MSS (mobile servicer system) operations required during 8AÊ and then completed a dry run of the S0 installation, after the ground had powered up the Lab RWS (robotics workstation) and SSRMS Redundant string at about 9:00 am.Ê [As part of the troubleshooting for the Prime string brake bus, MCC-H wanted to monitor the Prime string while operations were performed on the Redundant string. The S0 transfer simulation began at the end of S0 unberth from the Orbiter payload bay (PLB), starting at the S0 PLB hover point, in order preclude any failures that could prevent an Orbiter docking. The arm was then run through the new S0 trajectory ending at S0 RTL (ready-to-latch) position, followed by a series of single joint maneuvers to get back to the starboard side of the ISS. This maneuver is very close to the single joint sequence the SSRMS would have to take if the S0 installation has to be done on the Prime string. It placed the arm in an out-of-the-way position to allow the Shuttle RMS to support EVA 1 activities. The crew then flew the arm in Manual to Lab FRGF pre-grapple, and MCC-H powered down the video equipment, but left the SSRMS operational for tomorrows activities.]
In preparation for the 8A spacewalks, Dan and Carl performed a thorough checkout of two SAFER (simplified air for EVA rescue) units, #1004 & 1005.
The two flight engineers also prepared the Joint Airlock (A/L) for the coming EVAs, among else unstowing EMU (extravehicular mobility unit) equipment bag and EMU servicing kit, and attaching the equipment bag at a designated location in the A/L, ready for use. EMU reconfiguration and spacesuit sizing is scheduled for tomorrow.
Bursch completed the weekly FFQ (food frequency questionnaire) on the MEC laptop, which keeps track of the crew’s nutritional input, while Onufrienko did the regular BRPK-1 condensate water separator.
The crewmembers performed their daily physical exercise.
Conjunctions: Object 22658 (Delta 2 rocket body): today (3/28), time of closest approach (TCA) 3:44 pm EST. With a predicted miss distance of about 14 km, a maneuver was not required).
Today’s target areas for the CEO program were Lake Eyre, Australia (most of the Lake Eyre basin was to the right [SE] of the ascending track. XPOP attitude should have been favorable for photographing the whole ephemeral lake. In photos returned from STS 109 earlier this month, the ground has seen increasing water in Warburton Groove, the north-trending fault-controlled trough in NW Lake Eyre. Conditions have been wet in the region recentlyÊ crew was to document water levels), South Sandwich Islands (weather conditions have opened up in the Southern Ocean and may have permitted documentation of the sea-ice limit as fall progresses. XPOP attitude should be good for such long oblique views), North Patagonian Glaciers (clear conditions prevail over the North Patagonian Ice Field. Despite XPOP attitude, it should have been possible to get good context photos, particularly of the southern limits of this field), and South Patagonian Glaciers (clear weather and two good passes over the South Patagonian Ice Field allowed the crew to get a needed context photo on this first encounter, followed by a more detailed view. Both flanks of the Andes should be visible, including the glacier-fed lakes along the east side).
U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 2:00 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, bed #2 in Purify mode.
- SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 762, temperature (deg C) — 26.4, ppO2 (mmHg) — 156.7, ppCO2 (mmHg) — 2.5.
- SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 767, temperature (deg C) — 25.0.
- FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 760, temperature (deg C) — 25.0.
- Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 755.98, temperature (deg C) — 23.5 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
- U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 757.74, temperature (deg C) — 24.0, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a;
- Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 757.54, temperature (deg C) — 22.0; shell heater temp (deg C) — 21.7, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
- PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 23.2
- PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 13.3
(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 siontrack mode.
- SM batteries: battery #2 offline (capacity restoration mode [ROM]); all other batteries (7) in “partial charge” mode.
- FGB battery #6 is offline (capacity restoration mode [ROM]); 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 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-2 MDM is prime; GNC-1 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 Progress viewing position, with Keep Alive power on both strings.
- RWS (robotics workstations) are Off.
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 7:50 am EST):
- Mean altitude — 390.6 km
- Apogee — 393.0 km
- Perigee — 388.2 km
- Period — 92.4 min.
- Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
- Eccentricity — 0.0003534
- Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.59
- Altitude decrease — 225 m (mean) in last 24 hours
- Solar Beta Angle: +55.0 deg (magnitude peaking)
- Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. ’98) — 19145
- Current Flight Attitude — XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane = “sun-fixed” [yaw: ~180 deg, pitch: -5 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
