MRPO Daily Status Report 08-07-02
GMT Date: 219
Calendar Date: 08/07/02
Increment: 5
Stage: UF2
Week 9
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, basically unattended, operations. BSTC, MEPS, StelSys, and ZCG operations have been successfully completed.
EXPRESS RACKS 1 and 4 (ER1 & ER4) are powered and supporting payload operations. ER2 is powered but is currently not supporting any active payloads. 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. A nutrient exchange sample is scheduled to be taken next Wednesday.
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 currently powered-up to support a SUBSA run today. The facility is down-linking nominal health and status data and will be powered down tomorrow following removal of the SUBSA sample from the furnace.
PFMI is stowed in the US Lab and is scheduled to operate in the MSG during Stage 9A.
SAMS equipment in all EXPRESS racks and in the MSG is operating nominally. SAMS data is also being posted to the acceleration measurement web page.
STES-8 is downlinking nominal health and status data. Four of the six growth chambers remain activated.
A SUBSA sample was installed in the furnace earlier today. Furnace power will be turned on later today so the availability of KU-band communications will allow the ground team to closely monitor the operation, via data and video, as the sample reaches near melt-point temperatures. At the suggestion of Flight Engineer Peggy Whitson, an extra SUBSA run has been scheduled for this coming weekend as a catch-up activity.
Near-term Outlook:
Week 9 (8/5-8/11) – Planning for this week was based on approximately 15 hours of crew time availability for NASA payload operations. Significant crew time is being devoted to preparation for an EVA during week10. MSG/SUBSA operations are occurring today.
Week 10 (8/12-8/18) – Planning is being based on approximately 6 hours of crew time availability for NASA payload operations. The majority of crew time will be devoted to preparation for, and implementation of, an EVA on 8/16. During the EVA, the crew will install debris panels on the Russian Service Module and remove and replace an external Russian payload. Post EVA activities will also require significant crew time. The ADVASC sample procedure is the only MRPO payload crew activity scheduled during this week.
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
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
