MRPO Daily Status Report 09-26-02
GMT Date: 269
Calendar Date: 09/26/02
Increment: 5
Stage: UF2
Week 16
ISS Information:
Progress 9 was launched yesterday at approximately 12:00 noon CDT. Docking with the ISS should occur Sunday, 9/29.
The 9A Launch is planned for Wednesday, 10/2, and docking with the ISS Friday, 10/4, to begin the Joint operations period. EVA-1 will occur on Saturday, 10/5.
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, SUBSA and ZCG operations have been successfully completed.
EXPRESS RACKS 1 and 4 (ER1 & ER4) are powered and supporting payload operations. The ER4 Rack Interface Controller was rebooted today to reestablish communications with the Rack Lap Top computer. It was necessary to temporarily interrupt operation of the payloads in ER4 (ADVASC, SAMS, STES and ARTIC 1 & ARTIC 2) to accomplish the reboot. All payloads were restored to nominal operations after the reboot. ER2 is powered to support ARIS adjustments. 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 down-linking nominal health and status data. The payload has been configured for plant and seed pod dry-out for return on 9A. The crew performed fluid removal procedures Tuesday to assist the dry-out process.
MAMS is operating nominally in the quasi-steady mode. HiRAP is currently turned-off. HiRAP will be turned on prior to Progress 9 docking. MAMS data is available on the acceleration measurement web page.
The MSG power was turned-on today to support PFMI trouble-shooting. All systems are nominal.
PFMI encountered a problem with the gradient stage motor during the second sample run Monday and is trouble-shooting the problem today. The problem observed Monday has not been repeated during initial trouble-shooting today . The next PFMI run is scheduled for Monday, 9/30.
SAMS sensor operation in EXPRESS Racks is nominal following the ER4 reboot. Data from the SAMS sensor in MSG was not needed today for the PFMI trouble-shooting and is turned off. 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 16 (9/23-9/29) – Planning for this week was based on approximately 6 hours of crew time availability for NASA payload operations. The crew is performing EVA preparation activities including practicing robotic arm procedures.
Week 17 (9/30-10/6) – Preliminary planning for this week is being based on approximately 12 hours of crew time availability for NASA payload operations. An additional PFMI run will be conducted, ADVASC samples and deactivation will occur, STES 8 will be deactivated and STES 7 will be activated.
M. Vlasse, PhD, DSc
MRPO Increment Scientist
ACRONYMS:
ADVASC – Advanced Astroculture
ARIS–Active Rack Isolation System
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
EVA – Extra-vehicular Activity
GSM — Gas Supply Module
InSPACE- Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates
ISS – International Space Station
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
