ISS On-Orbit Status 3 Apr 2002

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted
previously or below. There is now a 40 percent chance that rain or
thunderstorms could force a delay in tomorrow’s launch of STS-110/8A.
If not delayed, docking is scheduled for Saturday, 4/6, at 11:49 am EST.

The crew was thanked by the ground for their patience with stowage and
return item issues yesterday, particularly with regard to the completed
Z1 dome ingress and LiOH canister “choreography”.

At about 4:50 am EST, FE-1 Carl Walz terminated the Metox (metal oxide)
canister regeneration after 14 hours of successful operation. Metox
cans are regenerated by heating in a special oven in the U.S. Airlock
(A/L) and are then reused in the EMU spacesuits and A/L ECLSS
(environment control and life support system) as filters for carbon
dioxide and other harmful contaminants instead of the conventional
nonreusable LiOH (lithium hydroxide) filters.

CDR Yuri Onufrienko and FE-1 Carl Walz completed a major removal and
replacement job (R&R) of the heat exchanger unit (BTA) of the Russian
segment’s #1 air conditioner (SKV-1). After deactivating the two fans
of the system, they disconnected the BTA from the SKV condensate line
and its electrical connections and instead installed a new BTA unit,
which had been stowed in the FGB. The R&R also required powerdown of
the SKV-2 and of the BITS2-12 onboard measurement telemetry system (by
the ground), demating of its TMI connectors from the SKV, and later TMI
re-mating and BITS power-up. [Accompanied by successive leak checks, the
new heat exchanger was connected step by step first to the compressor
(KU), then the condenser unit (BK) and finally mated to its electrical
connections. The entire operation had been carefully planned for about
6.5 hours, broken into several increments throughout the day. The SKV
air conditioners in the SM use Freon as coolant, and the SKV-1 had been
shut down since last year when its heat exchanger developed a small
Freon leak.]

With Carl Walz occupied with the SKV R&R, most of the other activities
today rested with Dan Bursch. He performed the second and final ADVASC
(advanced astroculture) plant tissue sampling for the Expedition 4
increment. Since the last harvesting activity on 3/15, the
second-generation “space plants” (Mustard) have grown and even begun
flowering. Prior to the start of today”s sampling activity, the ground
turned off ADVASC power and terminated water flow. Bursch was asked to
include at least one side-view photo of the growth chamber during his
picture-taking activity, to provide the ground with an idea of the
plants” height and branching. Only three plants were harvested today,
and the ground had uplinked a photograph to indicate which ones.

In addition to the ADVASC plant sampling, Dan removed excess condensate
from the ADVASC growth chamber, to aid in drying of the plants. After he
was finished, the ground powered up and configured the ADVASC equipment
remotely.

Carl Walz completed activation of the BSTC GSM (biotechnology specimen
temperature controller–gas supply module) that was added to the crew’s
“job jar” task list last night. Although the GSM will not operate
again until mission UF-2, it will be more efficient to activate it now
because installation of the ARCTIC experiment in EXPRESS rack #4 during
8A will make it more difficult to remove the GSM from the locker for
activation later. [BSTC and GSM are part of the CBOSS (cellular
biotechnology operations support system), which provides a controlled
environment for the cultivation of cells into healthy, three-dimensional
tissues that retain the form and function of natural, living tissue
thanks to their zero-G environment. CBOSS investigations will focus on
normal and cancerous mammalian cells, including ovarian and colon cancer
cells, neural precursor and human renal cells. Other CBOSS subsystems
besides BSTC and GSM are the BTR (biotechnology refrigerator) and BCSS
(biotechnology cell science stowage)].

Dan Bursch performed routine maintenance on the CSA-CP (compound
specific analyzer-combustion products), which required one hour of
unattended data collection by the instrument, and power-cycled the
IV-CPDS (intravehicular-charged particle directional spectrometer) to
enable ground commanding.

Bursch also reconfigured the CCAA (common cabin air assembly)
dehumidifiers in the Lab by switching them from the port unit to the
starboard channel. The port system’s heat exchanger will now dry out
and stand by as backup during the 8A mission.

Maintenance of the bolts of the RED (resistive exercise device) was
scheduled today for Dan, as well as the periodic inspection of the
device (done once every two weeks). Later, he also was to do the monthly
maintenance of both the CEVIS (cycle ergometer with vibration
isolation) and TVIS (treadmill with vibration isolation and
stabilization) exercise equipment.

MCC-H uplinked revised instructions for the continuing use of TVIS,
derived from additional analysis of the tripping of its circuit breaker
on 2/26. [For motorized treadmill exercise, CDR Onufrienko and FE-2
Bursch must restrict their running speed to no higher than 8 mph (8 mph
or lower is acceptable); there are no limitations on non-motorized
exercise. For FE-1 Walz, motorized exercise is restricted to running not
faster than 6 mph (6 mph or lower is acceptable), and there are no
limitations on non-motorized exercise. If the TM circuit breaker trips
again, crewmembers are to stop exercise and consult MCC-H.]<P>

In the Airlock, Bursch terminated charging of the first EMU battery from
the PSA (power supply assembly) utility outlet and initiated the process
on the second battery.

Dan also performed the regular daily systems tasks of SOSH life support
systems maintenance, Lab payloads status checks and MS delta file
preparation, while Yuri did the routine inspection of the BRPK-1 water
condensate separator system.

Experts at NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) have now analyzed the
acceleration data from the TeSS (temporary sleep station) test which
Bursch performed on 4/1 to check on possible interference between the
TeSS and EXPRESS Rack 2. The SAMS (space acceleration measurement
system) acceleration data clearly show transient disturbances for the
repeated entries/exits he performed. SAMS and TeSS personnel are
working jointly on how and when to reconfigure the TeSS buckle. No
additional crew action is required at this time.

Today’s target areas for the CEO (crew earth observations) program were
Hyderabad, India(the megacity of Hyderabad passed left [NW] of track,
directly WNW of the Krishna River delta complex on the east coast. Clear
weather should hold over this fast-growing urban center. Despite XPOP
attitude, a somewhat oblique view of the city and its surroundings,
particularly clearing and other land-use changes, should have been
possible), Somalia Coast (as ISS traversed the coastal fringe of
Somalia, crew was asked to take a detailed mapping strip [10% frame
overlap] of the dune fields and vegetated valley inland from the dunes.
Although there may have been local thunderstorms, weather should have
been favorable), S. Patagonian Glaciers (the southernmost ice fields of
Patagonia were just left [N] of track. Clear weather should hold,
permitting the crew to photograph the glaciers that feed lakes along the
eastern mountain front. Fall photos, in the early phase of annual snow
accumulation, will be used in investigations of the global fresh-water
budget and in climate modeling), Lake Poopo(crew was to document autumn
water levels in Lake Poopo and other nearby salars. El Nino-neutral
conditions prevail at present, but there are suggestions that the next
cycle could begin developing. ISS photos will provide invaluable
baseline data and contribute to a lengthy time series of this critical
region for climate modeling).
NASA gateway for Earth photography from space: http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/

U.S. and Russian Segment Status(as of 2:06 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) — 760, temperature (deg C) —
  
• 26.8, ppO2 (mmHg) — 148.7, ppCO2 (mmHg) — 3.8.
  
• SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 767, temperature (deg C) —
  
• 20.3.
  
• FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 756, temperature (deg C) — 23.3.
  
• Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 753.07, temperature (deg C) — 23.5 (shell);
  
• ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
  
• U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 756.33, temperature (deg C) — 25.2, ppO2
  
• (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a;
  
• Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 756.13, temperature
  
• (deg C) — n/a; shell heater temp (deg C) — 22.7, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a;
  
• ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
  
• PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 23.3
  
• PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 13.9
  

(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: batteries #8 and #4 are failed & off-line; all other
  
• batteries (6) in “partial charge” mode.
  
• FGB battery #6 is offline (capacity restoration mode [ROM]); battery #2
  
• 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 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-1 MDM is prime; GNC-2 is Backup.
  
• 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, 6:55 am EST):

• Mean altitude — 388.9 km
  
• Apogee — 391.3 km
  
• Perigee — 386.5 km
  
• Period — 92.3 min.
  
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
  
• Eccentricity — 0.000361
  
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.59
  
• Altitude decrease — 350 m (mean) in last 24 hours
  
• Solar Beta Angle: 44.0 deg (magnitude decreasing)
  
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. ’98) — 19223
  
• 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