MRPO Daily Status Report 09-04-02

GMT Date: 247

Calendar Date: 09/04/02

Increment: 5

Stage: UF2

Week 13

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 remains powered-down. Following the successful change-out of a faulty smoke detector, the rack grounding strap broke and must be replaced before rack power can be restored. 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. Photographs inside the ADVASC growth chamber are planned for Saturday, 9/7.

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

The MSG facility is powered and supporting a SUBSA run. Nominal health and status data is being received.

SUBSA operations were resumed today. The crew discovered the quartz ampoule enclosing the primary sample planned for processing was observed to cracked and the back-up sample was successfully processed instead. Video showing the sample and nominal temperatures for the run was received. The processed sample is in the cool-down phase and will be removed and stowed tomorrow.

PFMI is stowed in the US Lab and is scheduled to operate in the MSG following completion of SUBSA operations.

All SAMS sensors in EXPRESS Racks and the MSG are operating nominally. Data downlink from the two EXPRESS Rack sensors that stopped sending data yesterday was restarted via ground commanding. SAMS data is also being posted to the acceleration measurement web page.

STES-8 is down-linking nominal health and status data. Four of the six growth chambers remain activated.

Near-term Outlook:

Week 13 (9/2-9/8) – Planning for this week was based on approximately 4 hours of crew time availability for NASA payload operations. Post EVA activities are continuing.
ADVASC photos inside the growth chamber are planned and an additional SUBSA run may occur this week.

Week 14 (9/9-9/15) Preliminary planning for this week is being based on approximately 16 hours of crew time availability for NASA payload operations. The crew will perform robotic arm procedures during this week. Additional SUBSA runs are scheduled.

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
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