ISS On-Orbit Status 9 Apr 2003

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously or below.  Space Day 137 for Expedition 6 (since STS-113 launch on 11/23/02).

Yesterday’s outstanding extravehicular work by CDR Ken Bowersox and FE-2/SO Don Pettit drew rave reviews from the ground (particularly for their 10-12 hammer raps on the stuck MT lighting stanchion, a no-frills but successful closure to countless “viewgraphs and action items”).

Before breakfast and first exercise, Bowersox and Pettit underwent another session with the Russian biochemical urinalysis MO-9, getting post-EVA data for medical comparison with the pre-EVA data of 4/7.  FE-1 Nikolai Budarin afterwards stowed the Urolux equipment.  [MO-9, conducted before and after EVAs, also regularly every 30 days, is one of five nominal Russian medical tests adopted by NASA for US crewmembers for PHS (periodic health status) evaluation as part of the “PHS/Without Blood Labs” exam.  The analysis uses the sophisticated in-vitro diagnostic apparatus “Urolux” developed originally for the Mir program.]

Don Pettit activated the AR (air revitalization) rack, then started the PuFF (pulmonary function in flight) equipment for a standard post-EVA breathing test by himself and Ken Bowersox.  Later in the day, Don powered the PuFF equipment down, leaving it deployed for the time being.  [PuFF supports the continuing investigation of the effects of long-term micro-G exposure and EVAs on the pulmonary (lung) function, utilizing the GASMAP (gas analyzer system for metabolic analysis physiology) in the Human Research Facility, along with a variety of other PuFF equipment such as a manual breathing valve, flowmeter, pressure-flow module, pressure and volume calibration syringes and disposable mouthpieces.]

Budarin worked on the “Wiener” power laptop in the Russian segment (RS), upgrading the SUBA BSMM multiplex bus synchronization unit of the Russian OpsLAN network with new software (rev. 1.2) from a CD-ROM delivered on Progress.  [The code was first copied to the laptop.  Then, the BSMM was updated on the HDD (hard disk drive) with MCC-Moscow support via S-band during several tag-ups.]

Bowersox and Pettit had another session with the SSRMS (space station remote manipulator system), for about 30 min.  [SSRMS was maneuvered from yesterday’s EVA support viewing position to the FMS (force moment sensor) data gathering position #1. The purpose of this ten-step single joint maneuver was to move Canadarm2 away from obstructing the Lab science window and to position the Tip LEE (latching end effector) in a specific orientationwhich provides desired lighting conditions to collect FMS data. A Tip LEE “fast checkout”, one of the remaining OCRs (on-orbit checkout requirements), was deferred to the next Robotics day, Friday, 4/11.]

Pettit set up and performed the long-awaited re-activation of the EarthKAM payload, which he installed at the Lab (nadir) science window.   [EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle school students) is using an ESC 460C electronic still camera mounted at the Lab’s down-facing window, equipped with a 50mm lens (f1.4).  Powered by 16Vdc from a 120 Vdc adapter, EarthKAM takes pictures by remote operation from the ground, without crew interaction.  It is available for Middle School-ers, who submit image requests and conduct geographic research.  The requests are uplinked in a camera control file to an SSC (station support computer) laptop which then activates the camera at specified times and receives the digital images from the camera’s storage card on its hard drive, for subsequent downlink via OPS LAN.]

Bowersox meanwhile took care of two more cleanup items from yesterday’s EVA:  EMU water recharge and Metox (metal oxide) CO2 adsorbent regeneration in the Airlock’s Metox oven.  Tomorrow (4/10) and Friday (4/11), the crew will also discharge all four EMU batteries in order to preserve battery capacity.

Budarin destowed three new biomedical harnesses (PKOs), brought up on Progress, and replaced the old harnesses located in the Orbital Module of the Soyuz TMA-1 (211) with them.

Nikolai also performed the regular routine inspection of the BRPK condensate/air separator and then worked about an hour on preventive maintenance in the FGB, cleaning the protective mesh screens of the module’s ventilation fans.

Bowersox did the periodic radio comm check with the Wallops ground site, with MCC-H initiating the proficiency test call on VHF-1 (very high frequency channel 1) upon ISS AOS (acquisition of sight) from Wallops.

Budarin started the 24-hr. regeneration cycle on absorbent bed 1 of the BMP micropurification subsystem, a part of the air revitalization system (SOGS), leaving channel 2 in Purify mode.

Today’s routine servicing of the SOZh life support system (including ASU toilet facilities) in the SM fell to Sox.  He also did the regular Lab payload status checkup as well as the preparation of the daily IMS inventory delta file.

The Russian Flight Engineer performed observations and photography for the geophysical GFI-8 Uragan (“hurricane”) program, as cloud cover permitted.  Areas of interest today were cities of Northern Iraq, a perspective panoramic shot of the Caucasus range, and dust storms of the Aral Sea.  [Stated purpose of imaging Iraq is to record effects of the ecological disaster resulting from the combustion of petroleum products.]

For Cosmonautics Day on Saturday (4/12), the crew downlinked another cordial message of greeting, today addressing the City of St. Petersburg.  The video was taken with the crew floating in front of the St. Petersburg flag.  [“On this day we acknowledge with pride that Russia remains the leading space power, despite the complex domestic and international climates.  The St. Petersburg flag has been onboard the International Space Station since November 2002.  This year, throughout Russia we will celebrate the tri-centennial of your city’s founding by Peter the Great.  We wish Happy Cosmonautics Day to the administration and all the residents of the city on the Neva.  From the bottom of our hearts, we wish you good health and active productive work, as well as simple human happiness”.]

“Kolya” (Nikolai) and his crewmates also used the ham radio equipment to chat with Russian schoolchildren at Kursk, assembled at the Russian National Olympics for Young Astronomers and Space Physicists at the Kursk Polytechnic Museum.  A list with questions had been uplinked last night.  [“Have you seen interplanetary space stations and have you communicated with them?”]

All crewmembers performed their daily program of physical exercise on TVIS, CEVIS, and RED.

Onboard the ISS, all TCS (thermal control system) elements are back in nominal configuration following yesterday’s SPD (spool positioning device) installations.

With the completion of the CMG (control moment gyro) reconfiguration task yesterday, a number of MCS (motion control system) laptop displays show incorrect RPC (remote power controller) status for CMG-1 and -2 because they refer to pre-EVA RPC status.  The displays will remain this way until Mission 12A.1.  Meanwhile, the CMGs’ power-on status can still be verified by the crew with an appropriate software command.

The CDRA (CO2 removal assembly) is currently running in addition to the Vozdukh, in support of the Metox canister regeneration (which produces CO2).

During three orbits today, a degradation assessment test was performed on the U.S. solar arrays, similar to the Russian efficiency tests.  Before the test, the BGAs (beta gimbal assemblies) were moded to Autotrack (from fixed dual-angle) to improve power generation during the test, and afterwards returned to dual angle, with “night glider” drag reduction feathering.  [For the test, the solar array output is shunted (switched) such that the SSU (sequential shunt unit) circuit current can be recorded to determine solar array output capability.  The amount of current shunted by the arrays will decrease slowly over time as they degrade in the orbital environment.  The test is performed periodically (approximately twice a year) at a Beta angle of 0 plus/minus 5 deg.]

The second reboost by Progress 10P will take place tomorrow morning at 6:55am EDT.  The burn, lasting for 11 min. to produce an expected delta-V of 1.48 m/s and 2.6 km altitude increase, is designed to meet Soyuz 6S launch and Soyuz 5S landing constraints on orbital phasing.  [As required by Flight Rule criterion, there are no MMOD conjunctions predicted within 36 hours after the burn.]

Today’s CEO (crew earth observations) targets, including near-vertical targets from the city target list due to the current LVLH attitude, were S Chad wetland (Dynamic event: river patterns in complex wetland are best captured in sun glint–at nadir and a touch right), Amman, Jordan (nadir pass over the Jordanian capital.  ESC [electronic still camera]), Western Mediterranean smog (smog accumulation likely in the Rhone valleyleft of track in this coastal pass.  Smog may have been more visible right of track against the sea surface), Barcelona, Spain(nadir pass; ESC), Sabancaya landslide site, Peru (nadir pass over this hazard site.  Suggest detailed images under and either side of track to document a long and oversteepened hillside that is in danger of collapsing), and Newfoundland ice (Dynamic event: Ice break up in the Gulf of St Lawrence combined with prevailing westerly winds have resulted in a massive ice accumulation downwind, along the western shore of Newfoundland.  Also, crew was to look left to document sea ice patterns in the Labrador Sea).
CEO images can be viewed at the websites
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov and
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov

U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 1:45pm EST).

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

• Elektron O2 generator is powered On (16 Amp Mode).  Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On (manual mode 5).  U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is On.  TCCS (trace contaminant control subsystem) is operating.  MCA (major constituents analyzer) is operating.  BMP Harmful Impurities unit: Absorbent bed #1 in Regeneration mode, bed #2 in Purify mode.  RS air conditioner SKV-1 is On; SKV-2 is Off.
• SM Working Compartment:  Pressure (mmHg) — 735; temperature (deg C) — 27.2; ppO2 (mmHg) — data invalid; ppCO2 (mmHg) — data invalid.
• SM Transfer Compartment:  Pressure (mmHg) — 751; temperature (deg C) — 19.3.
• FGB Cabin:  Pressure (mmHg) — 752; temperature (deg C) — 22.0.
• Node:  Pressure (mmHg) — 746.43; temperature (deg C) — 22.0 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
• U.S. Lab:  Pressure (mmHg) — 748.65; temperature (deg C) — 22.5; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a;
• Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock):  Pressure (mmHg) — 748.76; temperature (deg C) — 21.1; shell heater temp (deg C) — 20.9, ppO2 (mmHg) — 171.8; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 3.6.
• PMA-1:  Shell heater temp (deg C) — 23.3
• PMA-2:  Shell heater temp (deg C) — 21.1

(n/a = data not available)

Propulsion System (PS):

• Total propellant load available [SM(774) + FGB(2746) + Progress(474] — 3994 kg (8805 lb) as of 4/3/03.  (Capability: SM — 860 kg; FGB — 6120 kg).

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

• Both P6 channels fully operational.  BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B both in Autotrack (sun-following) mode.
• SM batteries:  Battery #3 is in “Cycle” mode; all other batteries (7) are in “Partial Charge” mode.
• FGB batteries:  Battery #5 is disconnected; all other batteries (5) are in “Partial Charge” mode.
• Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 and PCU-2 both in Standby mode.

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 Backup.
• INT-1 is operating; INT-2 is Off.
• EXT-1 is On (primary), EXT-2 is Off.
• LA-1, LA-2 and LA-3 MDMs are all operating.
• PL-2 MDM is On (primary); PL-1 MDM is Off
• 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 Control Systems:

• 3 CMGs on-line (CMG-1 failed).
• State vector source — U.S. SIGI-1 (GPS)
• Attitude source — U.S. SIGI-1 (GPS)
• Angular rate source — RGA-2

Flight Attitude:

• LVLH TEA (local vertical/local horizontal = “earth-fixed”: z-axis in local vertical, x-axis in velocity vector [yaw: -10 deg, pitch: -9.1 deg, roll: 0 deg]), with CMG/ TA (thruster assist) Momentum Management).
• Solar Beta Angle: -5.0 deg (magnitude increasing).

Communications & Tracking Systems:

• FGB MDM-1 is powered Off; FGB MDM-2 is operational.
• All other Russian communications & tracking systems are nominal.
• S-band is operating nominally.
• Ku-band is operating nominally.
• Audio subsystem operating nominally.
• Video subsystem operating nominally (VTR1 is operable again).
• HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.

Robotics:

• SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at Lab PDGF with Keep Alive (KA) power on both strings.
• MBS: KA power on both strings. 
• MT: latched at WS4, with KA power. 
• POA: KA power on both strings.
• RWS (robotics workstations): Lab RWS is Off; Cupola RWS is Off.

ISS Orbit  (as of this morning, 6:24am EDT [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude  390.9 km
• Apogee — 393.9 km
• Perigee — 387.9 km
• Period — 92.38 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) —  51.63 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0004441
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.59
• Solar Beta Angle:  -5.0 deg (magnitude increasing)
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 135 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. ’98)  — 25027
• For more on ISS orbit and worldwide naked-eye visibility dates/times, see http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/viewing/issvis.html