MRPO Daily Status Report 07-31-02

GMT Date: 212

Calendar Date: 07/31/02

Increment: 5

Stage: UF2

Week 8

Payloads currently on-board ISS:
ADVASC, BSTC, InSPACE, MAMS, MEPS, MSG (facility), PFMI, SAMS, StelSys,
STES-8, SUBSA and ZCG. InSpace will not operate during this increment.

Status:
MRPO payloads ADVASC, MAMS, SAMS, and STES 8 continue nominal unattended
operations. BSTC, MEPS, StelSys, and ZCG operations have been successfully
completed.

EXPRESS RACKS 1, 2 and 4 (ER1, ER2 & ER4) are powered and supporting
payload operations. ER3 is installed in the US Lab and will be checked
out later. ER5 was checked out during Increment 4 and powered down.

ADVASC is downlinking nominal health and status data. Gas and nutrient
exchange samples were taken yesterday.

MAMS is operating nominally in the quasi-steady mode. HiRAP is turned-off.
MAMS data is available on the acceleration measurement web page.

The MSG facility is powered and operating nominally in support of a SUBSA
test run today.

PFMI is stowed in the US Lab and is schedu122to operate in the MSG during
Stage 9A.

SAMS equipment in all EXPRESS racks is operating nominally. The SAMS
sensor in the MSG is currently un-powered. SAMS data is also being posted
to the acceleration measurement web page.

STES-8 is downlinking nominal health and status data. Two of the six
growth chambers have been deactivated.

Preparation procedures for a SUBSA test run were performed by the crew
earlier today. Furnace power-up, without a sample loaded, will occur later
today so the critical period of elevated temperatures can coincide with
KU-band acquisition of signal periods. A SUBSA operation with a sample
is planned for Thursday.

ZCG is working with ARCTIC to have seven of ZCG’s autoclaves removed
from the ZCG furnace and placed in the ARCTIC freezer to assure no degradation
occurs. The other twelve autoclaves are to be placed in normal stowage.

Near-term Outlook:

Week 8 (7/29-8/4) – Planning for this week was based on approximately
12 hours of crew time availability for NASA payload operations. The crew
will be performong robotic arm procedures today and tomorrow. The Progress
vehicle will be used to reboost the ISS to a higher orbit tomorrow. MSG/SUBSA
operations are continuing.

Week 9 (8/5-8/11) – Preliminary planning is being based on approximately
15 hours of crew time availability for NASA payload operations. Significant
crew time will be devoted to preparation for an EVA during week 10. MSG/SUBSA
operations are included.

M. Vlasse, PhD, DSc
MRPO Increment Scientist

ACRONYMS:

ADVASC – Advanced Astroculture
BCSS — Biotechnology Cell Science Stowage
BSTC– Biotechnology Specimen Temperature Controller (General status information
on this payload will include coverage of the following items of support
equipment: BTR, BCSS and GSM)
BTR — Biotechnology Refrigerator
ER1– EXPRESS RACK 1
ER2 — EXPRESS RACK 2
ER3 – EXPRESS RACK 3
ER4 – EXPRESS RACK 4
ER5 – EXPRESS RACK 5
GSM — Gas Supply Module
InSPACE- Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates
ISS – International Space Station
MAMS — Microgravity Acceleration Measurement System
MCOR -Medium Rate Communication Outage Recorder
MEPS – Microencapsulation Electrostatic Processing System
MSG – Microgravity Science Glovebox
PFMI – Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation
SAMS — Space Acceleration Measurement System II
STES – Protein Crystal Growth – Single Thermal Enclosure System
SUBSA – Solidification Using a Baffle in Sealed Ampoules
ZCG – Zeolite Crystal Growth