MRPO Daily Status Report 12-31-02

GMT Date: 365

Calendar Date: 12/31/02

Increment: 6

Stage: 11A

Week 5

Payloads currently on-board ISS:
BSTC, CGBA, CSLM-2, InSPACE, MAMS, MSG (facility), PFMI, SAMS, STES-10,
SUBSA and ZCG.

Status:
MRPO payloads MAMS, SAMS, STES-10 and ZCG continue nominal, basically
unattended, operations. BSTC, CGBA, CSLM-2, InSpace, PFMI, and SUBSA are
inactive. MSG is inactive/failed, awaiting replacement parts. The first
opportunity for replacements parts to be launched to the ISS will be on
Progress 10, tentatively scheduled for February 2nd. Crew conference was
held Monday to discuss options after replacement parts are delivered.

EXPRESS RACKS 1, 2 and 4 (ER1, ER2 & ER4) are powered and supporting
payload operations. ER3 and ER5 are available to support payload operations
but are currently inactive. BSTC and GSM were relocated to ER3 Friday
in preparation for ULF-1 operations.

ADVASC relocation to ER4 was accomplished last Tuesday in preparation
for operations during ULF-1.

MAMS is operating nominally in the quasi-steady mode. Recent data collected
will be analyzed to determine impact of +YVV attitude on the quasi-steady
microgravity environment. HiRAP is currently inactive. MAMS data is available
on the acceleration measurement web page. The MAMS team is assessing the
success of the recently installed High Rate Communications Outage Recorder
(HCOR) to capture MAMS data.

SAMS is operating nominally after a power cycle of the SAMS ICU was performed.
The SAMS sensor in the MSG is currently turned-off. Plans are being developed
to obtain SAMS data during a crew exercise activity from a sensor mounted
on CEVIS, which will be installed on 1/6/03. SAMS data is also being posted
to the acceleration measurement web page.

STES-10 health and status data is nominal with a temperature reading
of 22.06 degrees C. The temperature of the exhaust is 26.26 degrees C.
STES-10 is configured with diffusion-controlled chambers which require
no crew operation activities.
ZCG furnace operations were initiated on 12/17/02 and the payload is continuing
to down-link nominal health and status information. The furnace is scheduled
to operate until New-Years Day. A second furnace operation is planned
immediately after the first run ampoules are removed. The deactivation
for the first run is scheduled for 1/1/2003 and activation of the second
ZCG run is scheduled for 1/3/2003.

OCR Status

zcguall000004 Review
zcgnall000048 Approved
zcgnall000054 Approved
zcgnall000055 Approved
zcgnall000057 Review
zcgnall000058 Review
sam2all00103 Review

Near-term Outlook:

Week 5 (12/30-1/05) – Preliminary planning for this week is being
based on approximately 10 hours of crew time availability for NASA payload
operations. ZCG furnace operations will continue until 1/1/03 when the
heater will be deactivated. The 2nd run for ZCG will start on 1/3/03 to
process spare autoclaves from the last two flights.

Week 6 (1/06 – 1/12) – Preliminary planning for this week
is based on approximately 11 hours of crew time availability for NASA
payload operations. SAMS CEVIS install and remove will occur on 1/6 but
the crew time will not be charged to payloads.

M. Vlasse, PhD, DSc
MRPO Increment Scientist

ACRONYMS:

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
CEVIS Cycle Ergometer Vibration Isolation System
CGBA Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus
ER1 EXPRESS RACK 1
ER2 EXPRESS RACK 2
ER3 EXPRESS RACK 3
ER4 EXPRESS RACK 4
ER5 EXPRESS RACK 5
GSM Gas Supply Module
HCOR High-Rate Communications Outage Recorder
InSPACE Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates
ISS International Space Station
MAMS Microgravity Acceleration Measurement System
MCOR Medium-Rate Communications Outage Recorder
MSG Microgravity Science Glovebox
OCR Operations Change Request
PFMI Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation
PGBA Plant Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus
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