MRPO Daily Status Report 10-07-02
GMT Date: 280
Calendar Date: 10/07/02
Increment: 5
Stage: UF2
Week 18
ISS Information:
The 9A Flight launched at approximately 2:45 p.m. CDT today. Docking with
the ISS is planned Wednesday at approximately 10:30 a.m. CDT.
Payloads being launched on 9A:
CGBA, PGBA, STES-7, Seed Culture (sortie), and ZCG Samples
Payloads being returned on 9A:
ADVASC, MEPS Samples, SAMS Hard Drive/Battery, Seed Culture (sortie),
StelSys, STES-8, and ZCG Samples
Payloads currently on-board ISS:
ADVASC (HW), BSTC, InSPACE, MAMS, MEPS, MSG (facility), PFMI, SAMS, SUBSA
and ZCG. InSpace was not planned to operate during this stage.
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. ER2 is powered to support ARIS adjustments in preparation
for ZCG operations on 9A. 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 nominal. The payload has been configured for plant and seed
dry-out for return on 9A. A gas sample is to be taken by the crew today
and deactivation of the payload will occur several hours after launch.
ARTIC 1, which contains the StelSys samples, and ARTIC 2, which contains
ZCG samples, are nominal.
MAMS is operating nominally in the quasi-steady mode. HiRAP is currently
turned-off. MAMS data is available on the acceleration measurement web
page.
MSG power was turned-on Sunday to support PFMI sample # 5 processing.
MSG continues to be powered to support PFMI sample # 6 operations and
is nominal.
PFMI sample #4 was removed from the thermal chamber Sunday and stowed.
PFMI sample #5 was installed and processed Sunday. PFMI Sample #5 was
removed from the thermal chamber and stowed this morning and sample #6
was installed. This run is in progress and nominal.
All SAMS sensors in EXPRESS Racks and in MSG are operating nominally.
SAMS data is also being posted to the acceleration measurement web page.
STES-8 is nominal. The four remaining activated growth chambers are
to be deactivated after launch of 9A but before 9A docks with ISS. Current
plans call for deactivation on Wednesday.
Near-term Outlook:
Week 18 (10/7-10/13) – Docking should occur Wednesday and EVA #1
on Thursday. Reboost #1 of ISS to a higher orbit and EVA #2 are planned
Saturday. ADVASC deactivation, cable disconnect and prepack for return
are planned. STES-8 deactivation, STES 7/8 transfer exchanges and STES-7
activation in ER4 are scheduled. Stelsys and ZCG samples are to be transferred
to the Shuttle mid-deck. New ZCG samples will be transferred from the
shuttle mid-deck and installed in the ZCG furnace, located in ER2, and
activated. PGBA will also be transferred from the shuttle mid-deck, installed
in ER4 and activated.
Week 19 (10/14-10/20) – Reboost #2 and EVA #3 are planned for
Monday 10/14. Tuesday, 10/15, will be a crew off-duty day and 9A undock
is planned for Wednesday 10/16. CGBA will be transferred from the shuttle
mid-deck and installed in ER4.
M. Vlasse, PhD, DSc
MRPO Increment Scientist
ACRONYMS:
ADVASC – Advanced Astroculture
ARIS–Active Rack Isolation System
ARTIC 1 – On-board Freezer
ARTIC 2 – On-board refrigerator
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
