Status Report

ISS On-Orbit Status 29 Oct 2002

By SpaceRef Editor
October 29, 2002
Filed under , ,

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

CDR Valery Korzun and FE-2 Sergei Treschev hooked up a test tank and
conducted a functional test of the SNZh fluid level indicators of the
SVO water supply and storage system. [The activity consisted of 24 fillings
and drainings (12 each) from the test tank, using a hand pump, while taking
resistance readings of the two level indicator sensors with the MMTs-01
multimeter instrument for calibrating the graduated dial of the pump handwheel.
The procedure was videotaped with the Russian LIV equipment.]

At the Service Module (SM) BMP micropurification system, Treschev terminated
regeneration mode for absorption bed #1, switching it back to Purify mode.
Later, he initiated the regenerative bake-out of catalyst bed #2.

FE-1/SO Peggy Whitson spent about an hour with an OBT (on-board training)
review of the SSRMS/robotics operations required during the 11A mission.
[Main mission objective of 11A, after crew rotation, will be the installation
and safing of the P1 truss segment to the existing S0 central truss on
the port side (right side looking back from the docked Orbiter) using
both the Shuttle and station robotic arms. Whitson will be the primary
SSRMS operator throughout P1 installation and first spacewalk, and will
back up Exp. 6 CDR Ken Bowersox during the second and third EVAs.]

The TVIS treadmill SDTO (station development test objective) yesterday
was completed as planned. One of the IWIS RSUs (internal wireless instrumentation
system/remote sensor units) apparently failed to transmit acceleration
data, but engineers believe they obtained all the data needed for the
structural dynamics analysis.

All crewmembers performed their daily physical exercise routine on TVIS,
VELO (cycle plus load trainer), RED (resistive device) and CEVIS (cycle
ergometer).

The video from Peggy Whitson’s inspection of the TVIS stabilization gyro
last week was inspected on the ground. While it appears to be functioning
fine, some uncertainty remains about its position at rest and during power-up
and initial exercise. A new task was added to Peggy’s "job jar"
to take more videoof the forward gyro, with instructional details uplinked
overnight.

Korzun and Treschev performed the weekly TVIS maintenance.

Peggy Whitson reported that none of the PGBA (plant generic bioprocessing
apparatus) plants appear to have germinated. Ten new seed plugs from the
contingency kit were sowed, in addition to 20 from the harvest and stow
kit. Peggy stowed the seed plugs for return. There are no apparent hardware
problems which could explain the failure.

In the ongoing troubleshooting of the ARCTIC refrigerator/freezer system,
a review of computer error codes indicates that the ARCTIC computer memory
is more than 90 percent full, which could be the cause for the temperature
problem.

FE-2 Treschev completed the daily routine task of IMS inventory delta
file preparation for downlink to MCC-M. Korzun performed the regular maintenance
of the SM SOSh life support system and the Rasteniya-2 plant growth inspection,
and Whitson checked up on autonomous payload status in the Lab.

In preparation for the upcoming EVAs, Whitson changed a parameter setting
on the BCA (battery charger assembly). [Based on early BCA EMU (extravehicular
mobility unit) battery recharge results, the cut-off voltage on theBCA
chargerswas set toolow to fully charge an EMU battery in the BSA (battery
stowage assembly). The reset procedure increased this parameter to attemptto
rectify this shortfall caused by incomplete knowledge of the measuring
bias associated with the respective transducers.]

The crew continued with preparations for their departure on 11A in November,
when Increment 5 comes to an end. For the last two weeks of the current
increment, their schedule provides for 1.5 hours every work day to prepare
their return to Earth, including prepacking.

Later today, the two cosmonauts will set up the Russian LIV camcorder
for a TV session at 5:55pm EST, downlinking congratulatory greetings to
Moscow on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Moscow Research
Institute of Radio Communication (MNIIRS), a major scientific and manufacturing
enterprise involved in development and implementation of communications
systems in various industries from submarines to manned spacecraft. [Originated
on November 1, 1827, from an organization called Profradio, it developed
into a major plant which in 1958 was tasked by Sergei P. Korolev to develop
comm systems for spacecraft. The first space radiotelephone system, named
"Zarya" (dawn), served on board Vostok-1 with Yuri Gagarin.
Voskhod-M and Voskhod-FGB are MNIIRS-developed radio systems on the ISS,
while the "Korona-N" portable radio is used in the Orlan-M spacesuit.]

Late yesterday, the Elektron O2 generator failed some time after Korzun
and Treschev completed the installation of the new prototype gas-liquid
water separation unit (GZhS). The Elektron was restarted successfully
and is now back to normal ops. [Purpose of the new unit, installed in
the liquid feed line to the Elektron, that splits water (H2O) by electrolysis
into oxygen and hydrogen, is to clear the incoming water of air bubbles
that have interfered with the process. The prototype has never flown in
space before, and its current test mode in zero-G will extend beyond 11A,
with replacement at some later time by Expedition 6.]

Two new software patches have been approved for uplink to the US segment
for the GNC MDMs (guidance, navigation & control computers). They
will enable them to accept and process attitude solutions from the SIGI
(space integrated GPS/inertial navigation system). This will restore GPS
(global positioning system) capability for the ISS, which is currently
using Russian-provided attitude, with attitude rate propagated by the
U.S. RGA-1 (rate gyro assembly). [The uplink will be timed for right after
Soyuz 5S docking and hatch opening when ISS attitude is still under Russian
thruster control. After the installation of the patches, attitude will
be obtained from SIGI but not used (as yet) without prior inspection.
SIGI employs four commercial GPS antennas mounted on the S0 truss. The
system, supported by four RGAs, can determine station attitude and state
vector (position and velocity). SIGI-1 state vector data are currently
being used by the ISS MCS (motion control system).]

The checkout procedure on the MT (mobile transporter), which still remains
to be done after last week’s robotics ops, will be performed next week
on 11/4 (Monday) or 11/5 (Tuesday).

Russian and U.S measurements of onboard ppCO2 (carbon dioxide partial
pressure) exhibit a persistent difference, which today amounted to 4.7
(Russian) to 6.0 (US) mmHg, i.e., approaching the Flight Rule limit. ECLSS
(environment control & life support system) engineers from both sides
are looking into the sensor discrepancy.

Yesterday at 2:35pm EST,the station experienced an unexpected IAC (internal
audio controller) transition from IAC1 to IAC2, delaying the DPC (daily
planning conference) by several minutes. No hardware anomalies were discovered
during initial detailed troubleshooting, but it is similar to previous
events. The audio subsystem has been reconfigured to a nominal state.
Work is underway to determine the cause of the transient failure.

Over last weekend, the crew completed the following activities from their
task list: TVIS monthly maintenance, US segment hatch seal inspection,
plug-in-plan audit, and inspection of the intravenous pump battery in
the ALSP-2 (advanced life support pack #2).

At Baikonur, countdown continues for launch of 5S/Soyuz TMA-1 tonight
(10:11pm EST). [Booster tanking begins at 4:11pm, and the three crewmembers
assume their couches at 5:11pm. Based on this launch time, the spacecraft
will reach ISS proximity on Friday, 11/1, at 10:57pm EST, followed by
flyaround and extended station-keeping until 11:51pm. After emerging into
daylight and RGS (Russian ground site) comm range, approach and docking
will proceed, with docking at 12:00 midnight.]

Today’s targets for the U.S. CEO (crew earth observations) program were
Delhi, India (crew was to look left to see the metropolis spread out on
both banks of the Yamuna River), Tigris-Euphrates, Turkey (sun glint opportunity
right of track to document the many new lakes on the Euphrates River,
several of which are actively filling), Kuwait City, Kuwait (good general
sun glint views of the northwest part of the Persian Gulf, looking right
of track), W Mediterranean Smog and Ash (smog buildup over southern France
[under surprisingly cloudfree skies] and the W Mediterranean basin. Looking
left and right of track, the crew should have been able to see some or
all of the dense ash cloud being emitted by Mount Etna for the second
day. The volcano was just right of nadir and is Europe’s most active volcano),
Eastern Mediterranean Dust (ahead of the approaching front, dust plumes
were active in northern Egypt transporting dust into the E Mediterranean),
and Havana, Cuba (pass over the western tip of Cuba: on left a general
view of Havana [on the north coast] and possibly evidence of hurricane
damage [probably as wide swaths of lighter colored dead vegetation].)

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

U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 1:36 pm EST).

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
Regeneration mode.

SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 764; temperature (deg C) —
26.1; ppO2 (mmHg) — 156.5; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 4.7.
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 761; temperature (deg C) —
20.3.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 752; temperature (deg C) — 22.0.
Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 756.61; temperature (deg C) — 25.5 (shell);
ppO2 (mmHg) — 167.5; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 6.0.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 758.35; temperature (deg C) — 24.7; ppO2
(mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a;
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 758.45, temperature (deg
C) — 33.6; shell heater temp (deg C) — 26.2, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2
(mmHg) — n/a.
PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 23.7
PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 12.3
(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 #6 is cycling; all other batteries (7) are in "Partial
Charge" mode.
FGB batteries: Battery #1 is offline; battery #4 is cycling; 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; SKV-2 is On.

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 — U.S. SIGI-1
Attitude — Russian segment
Angular rates — U.S. RGA-1

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, 7:22am EST [= epoch]):
Mean altitude — 394.8 km
Apogee — 404.9 km
Perigee — 384.7 km
Period — 92.45 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.63 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0014879
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.57
Solar Beta Angle — -56.4 deg (magnitude decreasing)
Altitude loss — 190 m (mean) in last 24 hours
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. ’98) — 22492
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

SpaceRef staff editor.