MRPO Daily Status Report 3-24-03

GMT Date: 083

Calendar Date: 03/24/03

Increment: 6

Stage: 11A

Week 17

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

Status:
MAMS, SAMS and STES-10 continue nominal, basically unattended, operations.
BSTC, CGBA, CSLM-2, InSpace, PFMI, SUBSA and ZCG are inactive. MSG
trouble-shooting is continuing.

EXPRESS RACKS 1, 2 and 4 (ER1, ER2 & ER4) are currently powered
and supporting payload operations. ER3 & ER5 are currently powered
down.

Evaluation of the MSG circuit breaker problem continues. Many tests
have been systematically conducted in an attempt to isolate the circuit
that caused a circuit breaker to trip. No anomalies have occurred during
these tests. Today’s MSG activities will include a test run with
PFMI (no sample heating) that will accomplish a long duration (11 hour)
MSG test, and a checkout of the new left Air Handling Unit fan. If no
anomalies occur, PFMI will be removed and InSpace installed Thursday
to prepare for InSpace payload operations.

InSpace Coil assemblies will be inspected tomorrow if today’s
MSG test is successful.
MAMS is currently operating nominally in the quasi-steady mode. HiRAP
is currently inactive. MAMS data is available on the acceleration measurement
web page.

PFMI hardware will be removed from MSG Thursday if today’s MSG/PFMI
test is successful.

SAMS data flow from all sensors in EXPRESS Racks and MSG is nominal.
The SAMS sensor in MSG was turned-on today as part of the MSG/PFMI test.
SAMS data is also available on the acceleration measurement web page.

STES-10 health and status data is nominal. STES-10 is configured with
diffusion-controlled chambers that require no crew operation activities.

Near-term Outlook:

Week 17 (3/24-3/30) – Planning for this week was based on approximately
10 hours of crew time for NASA payload operations. The crew will continue
preparations for the recently defined EVA now being planned for week
19. Time is allocated for MSG trouble-shooting, removal of PFMI and installation
of InSpace for operation.

Week 18 (3/31-4/6) – Preliminary planning for this week is being based
on approximately 14 hours of crew time for NASA payload operations. The
crew will continue preparations for the recently defined EVA now being
planned for week 19. InSpace operations were not included this week,
but if InSpace is installed in MSG as appears possible, every effort
will be made to schedule one or more runs.

M. Vlasse, PhD, DSc
PSR Increment Scientist

ACRONYMS:

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
CGBA Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus
ESEM Exchangeable Standard Electronic Module
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
MSG Microgravity Science Glovebox
OCR Operations Change Request
PAO Public Affairs Office
PFMI Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation
PGB Plant Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus
PSR NASA Code U Physical Sciences Research Division
RIC Rack Interface Controller
SAMS Space Acceleration Measurement System II
SPD NASA Code U Space Products Development Division
STES Protein Crystal Growth – Single Thermal Enclosure System
SUBSA Solidification Using a Baffle in Sealed Ampoules
ZCG Zeolite Crystal Growth