NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 03 September 2012
ISS On-Orbit Status 09/03/12
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Underway: Week 10 of Increment 32 (six-person crew). U.S. Labor Day Holiday.
CDR Padalka performed the routine inspection of the SM (Service Module) PSS Caution & Warning panel as part of regular Daily Morning Inspection.
FE-4 Malenchenko conducted the weekly checkup behind ASU/toilet panel 139 in the SM of a fluid connector (MNR-NS) of the SM-U urine collection system, looking for potential moisture.
FE-2 Revin serviced the BTKh-26 KASKAD experiment, extracting the top of the bioreactor (#6) from the TBU-V incubator (+29 degC), shaking it with “moderately strong” movements for 2 minutes without taking it out of the case and inserting it again in TBU-V. [Started on 8/23, this activity is being carried out for 21 days, once in the morning and once in the evening.]
With EVA-19 now set for Wednesday, 9/5, the USOS crew continued preparing for the spacewalk. During EVA-19, Sunita Williams & Akihiko Hoshide will –
Temporarily remove & stow the MBSU1 (Main Bus Switching Unit 1) near the worksite,
Go through different inspection & cleaning techniques for the MBSU stanchion and coldplate, i.e. –
Inspect with suit-mounted WVS (Wireless Video System) cameras,
Inspect/clean with a magnet,
Check H1 tolerance by hand,
Perform cleaning as required,
Lubricate, and
Check thread quality of H2 bolt using a scavenged bolt (see below),
Install the MBSU (it may also have to brought inside the station),
Remove the failed SSRMS Boom B CLPA (Camera, Light, Pan/Tilt Assembly) and replace with spare CLPA,
Do Get-aheads.
In the A/L (Airlock), Joe Acaba terminated the recharge process on the final batch of EVA Helmet Light, PGT (Pistol Grip Tool) & REBA (Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly) batteries in the BSA (Battery Stowage Assembly) and stowed REBA cables and two REBAs.
Later, Joe joined Sunita & Akihiko in another 2h 20m-session of configuring EVA tools, including going through a familiarization drill on the use of the EVA grease gun which may have to be used during the EVA. [In order to inspect & clean the threads of the bolt/posts on the S0 Truss, the crew has scavenged a bolt from a spare PVCU MDM (Photovoltaic Controller Unit Multiplexer/Demultiplexer) bracket that is identical to the H2 bolt on the MBSU. The scavenged bolt will help to tell if the threads on the truss are damaged, and it will “chase” the threads to help remove any FOD (Foreign Object Debris). To turn the bolt and to perform cleaning, Joe, Sunita & Aki built a number of new hand-tools, such as a bolt interface tool, as well as cleaning & lubricating tools using a toothbrush and a wire brush for hand- or PGT use. For in-hole cleaning, Aki build a “chimney-sweep” tool.]
Also in the A/L, FE-5 Williams terminated the regeneration process on METOX (Metal Oxide) CO2 absorption canisters #0013 & #0022 for the spacewalk.
Suni & Aki prepared the E-LK (Equipment Lock), the EMUs (Extravehicular Mobility Units) including LCVG (Liquid Cooling Ventilation Garments) with their biomed equipment, and other ancillary hardware.
Later in the day, the two spacewalkers had another one-hour block set aside for reviewing EVA-19 procedures.
This was followed at ~12:20pm by a 30-min teleconference with EVA-19 specialists on the ground via S- and Ku-band in which Joe Acaba joined.
FE-2 Sergei Revin completed his 2nd preliminary (predvariteljnaya) orthostatic hemodynamic endurance test run with the Russian Chibis suit in preparation for his return to gravity on 9/16 with Soyuz 30S (along with Gennady Padalka & Joe Acaba), conducting the ODNT exercise protocol in the below-the-waist reduced-pressure device (ODNT, US: LBNP/Lower Body Negative Pressure) on the TVIS treadmill. CDR Padalka acted as CMO (Crew Medical Officer for both crewmembers as Subjects. FE-2 was supported in his one-hour session by telemetry downlink/monitoring via VHF at 6:34am-6:52am EDT. [The Chibis provides gravity-simulating stress to the body’s cardiovascular/circulatory system for evaluation of the crewmember’s orthostatic tolerance (e.g., the Gauer-Henry reflex) after his long-term stay in zero-G. The preparatory training consists of first imbibing 150-200 milliliters of water or juice, followed by a sequence of progressive regimes of reduced (“negative”) pressure, set at -20, -25, -30, and -35 mmHg for five min. each while shifting from foot to foot at 10-12 steps per minute, wearing a sphygmomanometer to measure blood pressure and the REG ShKO Rheoencephalogram Biomed Cap, supported by the Gamma-1M biomed data control system. The body’s circulatory system interprets the pressure differential between upper and lower body as a gravity-like force pulling the blood (and other liquids) down. Chibis data and biomed cardiovascular readings are recorded. The Chibis suit (not to be confused with the Russian “Pinguin” suit for spring-loaded body compression, or the “Kentavr” anti-g suit worn during reentry) is similar to the U.S. LBNP facility (not a suit) used for the first time on Skylab in 1973/74, although it appears to accomplish its purpose more quickly.]
Afterwards, Gennady collected the periodic condensate water (KAV) sample in the SM from the SRV-K2M Condensate Water Processor (Water Recovery System), taking it upstream of the FGS gas/liquid mixture filter/separator and the BKO water purification (multifiltration) unit. The CDR then removed sampler & separator and disposed of flush water.
Wearing “mess-up” mitts, safety goggles & dust mask, Joe worked in Node-3 on the WRS-2 (Water Recovery System) Rack 2, replacing the UPA (Urine Processor Assembly)’s full RFTA (Recycle Filter Tank Assembly) #2 with a new unit (#1) retrieved from PMM (Permanent Multipurpose Module) stowage and temporarily stowed RFTA #2 until it can be drained into ATV-3 (Automated Transfer Vehicle 3). [RFTAs collect the substances (brine) cleaned from the pretreated urine by the UPA as it turns it into water. They need to be replaced when filled and constitute an important resupply item from the ground.]
Malenchenko completed the routine daily servicing of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS) in the SM. [Regular daily SOZh maintenance consists, among else, of checking the ASU toilet facilities, replacement of the KTO & KBO solid waste containers, replacement of EDV-SV waste water and EDV-U urine containers and filling EDV-SV, KOV (for Elektron), EDV-ZV & EDV on RP flow regulator.]
Later, Yuri broke out and set up the Reflotron-4 kit (#23) & Saliva IMMUNO kit (#75) from the SM Medlocker and prepared for a session with the MBI-29 IMMUNO experiment, scheduled for him tomorrow. [Reflotron-4 is a sophisticated clinical analyzer used for periodic biochemical blood and saliva analysis to monitor crew health or to be used diagnostically on Flight Surgeon request. Built in earlier versions originally by Boehringer in Mannheim/Germany for the Mir program, the Reflotron-4 consists of the analyzer itself, which has a mass of 13-lbs. and uses 40W power, a set of measuring strips and a small equipment kit.]
Joe performed regular maintenance calibration on the sensors of the two CSA-O2 (Compound Specific Analyzer-Oxygen) units 1047 & 1055 in preparation for using them for the EVA, after equipping them with fresh batteries (#1290 for 1047, #1327 for 1055).
Before Presleep (~3:30pm), Acaba turns on the MPC (Multi-Protocol Converter) and starts the Ku-band data flow of video recorded during the day to the ground, with POIC (Payload Operations & Integration Center) routing the onboard HRDL (High-Rate Data Link). After about an hour, Joe turns MPC routing off again. [This is a routine operation which regularly transmits HD onboard video (live or tape playback) to the ground on a daily basis before sleeptime.]
At ~5:40am EDT, CDR Padalka & FE-2 Revin held a Soyuz TMA-04M/30S Descent Conference with Russian SAR (Search & Rescue) officials on the ground, discussing their return on 9/16.
At ~8:00am, the three Russian crewmembers supported a Russian PAO TV event, using RS (Russian Segment) assets to downlink messages of greetings to (1) the participants in the International Congress of Children’s Volunteers celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Russian Children’s Fund, and (2) the participants of Russia’s Fifth National Ophthalmology Forum. [(1) On 10/14, Russian Children’s Fund (RDF) will be 25 years old. This is the first non-government association for childhood protection in the country. The fund was created in 1987 as V. I. Lenin Soviet Children’s Fund. Pilot-cosmonaut V. I. Sevastianov used to be a council member of the fund, pilots-cosmonauts V. N. Kubasov and V. P. Savinykh are still very good friends of the Fund. The RDF operation is based on the UN Convention for Children’s Rights and has a consultative status at UN Economic & Social Council (ECOSOS); it is a member of the Federal Interagency Committee on Education (FICE), which cooperates with UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), UNESCO, Russian Red Cross, and other organizations. The 25th anniversary of RDF has been widely celebrated throughout 2012. The International Congress of Children’s Volunteers is just one of this events.—(2) On 10/3-5, the Moscow Helmholtz Science & Research Institute for Eye Diseases will host a workshop conference for the Fifth Russian National Ophthalmology Forum, and the Sixth Russian Intraregional Symposium “Elimination of Avoidable Blindness: World Health Organization (WHO) World-wide Initiative “Vision 2020″. Elimination of Glaucoma-Related Blindness and Vision Impairment”. Forum and Symposium are conducted in advance of annual World Sight Day (second Thursday in October). The Russian National Ophthalmology Forum is one of the most significant events in the world of ophthalmology. Annually over 1500 participants from all over the country and abroad attend it.]
CDR, FE-2 & FE-4 had their regular weekly PMCs (Private Medical Conferences), via S- & Ku-band audio/video, Gennady at ~10:20am, Sergei at ~10:35am, Yuri at ~11:02am EDT.
The crew worked out on the CEVIS cycle ergometer with vibration stabilization (FE-5, FE-6), TVIS treadmill with vibration isolation & stabilization (CDR, FE-2/2x, FE-3), ARED advanced resistive exercise device (CDR, FE-3, FE-5, FE-6), and VELO ergometer bike with load trainer (FE-4/2x). [FE-6 & FE-5 are on the special experimental SPRINT protocol which diverts from the regular 2.5 hrs per day exercise regime and introduces special daily sessions involving resistive and aerobic (interval & continuous) exercise, followed by a USND (Ultrasound) leg muscle self scan in COL. No exercise is being timelined for Friday. If any day is not completed, Suni & Aki pick up where they left off, i.e., they would be finishing out the week with the last day of exercise on her off day. Suni’s protocol for today was on ARED/CEVIS (cont.), with CEVIS (int., 30 s.), ARED/T2 or CEVIS (cont.), T2 or CEVIS (int., 4 m.) & T2 Kinematics for the next 4 days. Aki’s protocol for today showed CEVIS (int. 30 sec) for today, with ARED/CEVIS & T2 or CEVIS (int., 4 min.) for the next 2 days.]
Due to power limitations with the current three-MBSU jumper configuration, T2/COLBERT has been powered down because it is a big power draw on Channel 4. For the time being, T2 sessions have been rescheduled as CEVIS for Suni, Aki & Joe, and TVIS for Gennady.
Tasks listed for Revin, Malenchenko & Padalka on the Russian discretionary “time permitting” job for today were –
• More preparation & downlinking of reportages (written text, photos, videos) for the Roskosmos website to promote Russia’s manned space program (max. file size 500 Mb), and
• A detailed & general view photo session with TEKh-52 Vizir of the flooding which occurred overnight on 8/21-22 at the Black Sea; [the disaster zone includes the towns Novomikhalovsky, Lermontovo and Tenginka, the Shapsukho & Nechepsukho river valleys and the adjacent mountain region. Novomikhalovsky is located on the Tuapse-Novorossiisk Highway, 33 km from Tuapse and 14 km from Dzubgi. The town is situated in the Nechepsukho river valley and its tributary Psebe, where Nechepsukho is falling into Mikhalovsky Bay in the Black Sea. As a result of torrential rain the Nechepsukho River flooded. 600 houses, a hospital and a school were in the disaster zone. Four people died, 1500 were affected, including 275 children. Municipal infrastructures need to be restored. Lermontovo is located on the shores of Tenginsky Bay of the Black Sea, at the inflow of Shapsukho River. The valley of that river is approx. 40 km in length, 5 km to the east of Dzubgi on the Tuapse-Novorosskiisk highway and 55 km from Tuapse. The Tenginka village is located 4 km upriver], and
• A ~30-min. session for Russia’s EKON Environmental Safety Agency, making observations and taking KPT-3 aerial photography of environmental conditions on Earth using the NIKON D3X camera with the RSK-1 laptop.
Conjunction Alert: Flight Controllers are tracking a conjunction with Object 30188 (Fengyun 1C Debris) with TCA (Time of Closest Approach) tomorrow, 9/4, at 4:36pm EDT. With a PC (Probability of Collision) of 1.4 x 10-4 (0.00014) the conjunction is classified as Red (high concern). NASA and Russian Ballistics are preparing maneuver data for a DAM (Debris Avoidance Maneuver) of 0.8 m/s delta-V, to be conducted at 2:15pm tomorrow afternoon. This burn option has been screened by USSTRATCOM and is clear of other conjunctions.
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 9:33am EDT [= epoch])
Mean altitude — 415.8 km
Apogee height — 426.4 km
Perigee height — 405.2 km
Period — 92.88 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.001557
Solar Beta Angle — -40.1 deg (magnitude increasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.50
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 107 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 79,020
Time in orbit (station) — 5036 days
Time in orbit (crews, cum.) — 4323 days.
No CEO (Crew Earth Observation) targets uplinked for today.
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————–Six-crew operations—————-
09/05/12 — U.S. EVA-19 (egress ~7:15am EDT)
09/xx/12 — HTV3 undocking
09/xx/12 — HTV3 reentry
09/16/12 — Soyuz TMA-04M/30S undock/landing – 5:56pm/9:20pm
(End of Increment 32)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/25/12 — ATV3 undocking
10/15/12 — Soyuz TMA-06M/32S launch – K.Ford (CDR-34)/O.Novitsky/E.Tarelkin
10/17/12 — Soyuz TMA-06M/32S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/01/12 — Progress M-17M/49P launch
11/03/12 — Progress M-17M/49P docking
11/12/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/31S undock/landing (End of Increment 33)
————–Three-crew operations————-
12/05/12 — Soyuz TMA-07M/33S launch – C.Hadfield (CDR-35)/T.Mashburn/R.Romanenko
12/07/12 — Soyuz TMA-07M/33S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
12/25/12 — Progress M-16M/48P undocking
12/26/12 — Progress M-18M/50P launch
12/28/12 — Progress M-18M/50P docking
03/19/13 — Soyuz TMA-06M/32S undock/landing (End of Increment 34)
————–Three-crew operations————-
04/02/13 — Soyuz TMA-08M/34S launch – P.Vinogradov (CDR-36)/C.Cassidy/A.Misurkin
04/04/13 — Soyuz TMA-08M/34S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
05/16/13 — Soyuz TMA-07M/33S undock/landing (End of Increment 35)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/29/13 — Soyuz TMA-09M/35S launch – M.Suraev (CDR-37)/K.Nyberg/L.Parmitano
05/31/13 — Soyuz TMA-09M/35S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
09/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-08M/34S undock/landing (End of Increment 36)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-10M/36S launch – M.Hopkins/TBD (CDR-38)/TBD
09/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-10M/36S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-09M/35S undock/landing (End of Increment 37)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-11M/37S launch – K.Wakata (CDR-39)/R.Mastracchio/TBD
11/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-11M/37S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
03/xx/14 — Soyuz TMA-10M/36S undock/landing (End of Increment 38)
————–Three-crew operations————-
