NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 05 June 2012
ISS On-Orbit Status 06/05/12
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.
After wakeup, Oleg Kononenko performed the routine inspection of the SM (Service Module) PSS Caution & Warning panel as part of regular Daily Morning Inspection.
Joe Acaba continued his first (FD15) suite of sessions with the controlled Pro K diet protocol (Dietary Intake Can Predict and Protect against Changes in Bone Metabolism during Spaceflight and Recovery) with diet logging after the urine pH spot test, for a 5-day period after start of collections. After recording his diet input today, Joe will begin the urine collections for pH value on Thursday (6/7) and blood sampling on Friday (6/8). [For Pro K, there are five in-flight sessions (FD15, FD30, FD60, FD120, FD180) of samplings, to be shared with the NUTRITION w/Repository protocol, each one with five days of diet & urine pH logging and photography on the last day (science sessions are often referred to by Flight Day 15, 30, 60, etc. However, there are plus/minus windows associated with these time points so a “Flight Day 15” science session may not actually fall on the crewmember’s 15th day on-orbit). The crewmember prepares a diet log and then annotates quantities of food packets consumed and supplements taken. On Days 4 & 5, urine collections are spread over 24 hrs; samples go into the MELFI (Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS) within 30 min after collection. Blood samples, on the last day, are centrifuged in the RC (Refrigerated Centrifuge) and placed in MELFI at -80 degC. There is an 8-hr fasting requirement prior to the blood draw (i.e., no food or drink, but water ingestion is encouraged). MELFI constraints: Maximum MELFI dewar open time: 60 sec; at least 45 min between MELFI dewar door openings.]
FE-1 Padalka completed the routine verification of yesterday’s automated refreshes of the IUS AntiVirus program on all Russian VKS auxiliary network laptops RSS1, RSS2, RSK1-T61p & RSK2. [Antivirus update procedures have changed since the SSCV4 software update some time ago. Before the installation on 8/8/11 of the new automated procedure, the refresh was done manually on Mondays on RSS2, copying the files to the RSS2 service folder, then launching update scripts on the network laptops RSS1, RSK1-T61p & RSK2 and finally manually updating non-network laptops RSE-Med & RSE1. On Tuesdays, the anti-virus scanning results are regularly verified on all laptops. Nominally, Russian network laptops have software installed for automatic anti-virus update; fresh data is copied on RSK1-T61p & RRSK2 every time a computer is rebooted with a special login, and on RSS1 once daily. On Russian non-network laptops antivirus definition file update is done by the crew once every two weeks on Monday.]
Gennady also had more time set aside for continuing the IFM (Inflight Maintenance) on the BITS2-12 onboard measurement telemetry system’s TA968MA units of the PTsB Central Processor Subsystem primary & backup sets in the SM by taking voltage measurements on the power buses of the BGPO1 & BGPO2 Exchange Programs Generators.
Oleg Kononenko performed a 4-hr IFM (Inflight Maintenance) on the EPS (Electrical Power System), removing & replacing the BUPT-1M current control unit (box A402) of the 800A battery #2 charge/discharge unit and a command commutator. The old parts were prepared for disposal on Progress 47P. [The battery’s ZRU charge/discharge unit #2 was deactivated by TsUP/Moscow beforehand and reactivated later. Each of the eight 800A 28 Volt batteries in the SM (the FGB has six) has its own ZRU charge/discharge unit, which tracks 49 battery parameters and is designed to increase the operating life of the battery by setting up charging & discharging modes. Each ZRU is comprised of one battery current converter (PTAB), one PTAB current control unit (BUPT-1M), and three charge/discharge current integrators (MIRT-3). Before connecting the new BUPT, TsUP turned off the BITS2-12 onboard telemetry measurement system and VD-SU control mode. BITS2-12 was later turned back on in order for ground checkout of the new current controller.]
In COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory), FE-5 Kuipers configured the PPFS (Portable Pulmonary Function System) hardware plus MBS (Mixing Bag System) in COL, including calibrating the PPFS software and checking instruments, and then conducted his 5th session with the VO2max (Evaluation of Maximal Oxygen Uptake & Submaximal Estimates of VO2max before, during and after long-duration space station missions) assessment, integrated with Thermolab (head sensors). After the session, Andrépowered down, cleaned up & partially stows the equipment, then downloaded the data to a PCS laptop. [The experiment VO2max uses the PPFS, CEVIS ergometer cycle with vibration isolation, PFS (Pulmonary Function System) gas cylinders and mixing bag system, plus multiple other pieces of hardware to measure oxygen uptake, cardiac output, and more. The exercise protocol consists of a 2-min rest period, then three 5-min stages at workloads eliciting 25%, 50% & 75% of aerobic capacity as measured pre-flight, followed by a 25-watt increase in workload every minute until the crewmember reaches maximum exercise capacity. At that point, CEVIS workload increase is stopped, and a 5-min cool down period follows at the 25% load. Rebreathing measurements are initiated by the subject during the last minute of each stage. Constraints are: no food 2 hrs prior to exercise start, no caffeine 8 hrs prior to exercise, and must be well hydrated.]
Continuing the IFM on the IPU (Image Processing Unit) of the Ryutai Rack in the JAXA JPM (JEM Pressurized Module) started by Andréyesterday, FE-6 Pettit set up the G1 camcorder for real-time monitoring and then replaced the failed IPU power supply unit with a new one, then closed out the G1 coverage.
FE-3 Acaba re-installed the three PaRIS (Passive Rack Isolation System) lock-down alignment guides on the CIR (Combustion Integrated Rack) at Lab bay S3, engaged the snubber pins and locked safety pins to protect its ARIS (Active Rack Isolation System) from external loading (dynamic disturbances).
In Node-3, Joe afterwards performed routine maintenance on the WRS (Water Recovery System), first changing out the TOCA WWB (Total Organic Carbon Analyzer Waste Water Bag) with a new one, then taking water samples for analysis in the TOCA, after first initializing the software and priming (filling) the TOCA water sample hose with water from the WOPA (Water Processor Assembly) and buffer solution from the TOCA Buffer Container. [After the approximately 2 hr TOCA analysis, results were transferred to the SSC-5 (Station Support Computer 5) laptop via USB drive for downlink, and the data were also logged.]
FE-2 Revin worked ~4.5 hrs in the “Zarya”, performing the periodic thorough cleaning of structural surfaces by using microbial growth wipes and Fungistat disinfectant to wipe areas behind wall panels which have shown some microbial contamination. [Today’s treatment focused on spaces behind panels 426, 427, 112 & 113. The time-consuming work requires clearing cargo out of the way, removing bungees, photographing enclosure spaces, etc. Areas of interest are accessible frame sections, attachments, mounting bracket, pressurized shell surface areas, panel internal surfaces, etc.]
Andrérelocated and organized stowage goods in the JAXA Kibo laboratory in preparation for cargo to be delivered on HTV-3 (H-2 Transfer Vehicle 3).
FE-1 Padalka had another ~1:45h set aside for more “symbolic” activity with the Fujifilm FinPix REAL 3D W3 stereocamera, taking 3D still pictures of onboard scenes. [Scenes of interest: Cosmonauts conducting experiments onboard the station, leisure time (reading books, watching movies, talking to family), meals, sleep and mementos from Earth (books, photos, toys, children’s drawings). The photos were then copied from the memory card to a return hard drive for return on Soyuz 29S.]
FE-1 also replaced several components of the SUBA onboard equipment control system behind SM wall panels, including a KTK switch box (triple-command commutator), a KMTKU control unit and a BSV-M Frequency & Time Synchronization Unit (i.e., master clock) box.
Later, Gennady set up the educational experiment OBR-1/Fizika-Obrazovaniye and started a session with the “Physics-Phase” demo, several times taking photographs of the experiment. Sergei Revin recorded the activity on video. [Obrazovaniye (Education) is a suite of three educational demonstrations of physics in micro-G, viz., OBR-1-1/”Fizika-LT” (Motion), OBR-1-2/”Fizika-Faza” (Phase) and OBR-1-3/”Fizika-Otolit”. The current “Phase” demo studies a complete gas-liquid phase separation of fine dispersion particles in micro-G with diffusion and surface tension of the fluid. The experiment is conducted over several days, documented with photography.]
After visually inspecting and then activating the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) facility earlier in the day (later deactivating it), Don Pettit adjusted the video camera and, assisted by Joe Acaba for handover, conducted another session with the BASS (Burning and Suppression of Solids) experiment by conducting four flame test runs on samples, exchanging burner tubes between each test point, exchanging the digital tapes in the MSG VTR1 (Video Tape Recorder 1) & VTR2 and at the end performing a fan calibration to evaluate the air flow with the new fan flow constrictor installed. FE-3 Acaba performed the first test point alongside Pettit as a part of handover. [BASS uses SLICE equipment but burns solid fuel samples instead of gaseous jets. Each sample will be ignited several times for study. BASS examines the burning and extinction characteristics of a wide variety of fuel samples in microgravity. It will also guide strategies for extinguishing accidental fires in micro-G. Results will contribute to the combustion computational models used in the design of fire detection and suppression systems in space and on Earth.]
André& Joe had another 1h set aside for ATV-3 (Automated Transfer Vehicle 3) cargo operations (unloading & unpacking into stowage) and bag cleaning, i.e., stowing discarded bags and foam packing material in “Edoardo Amaldi”, including a tagup with the ground at ~2:40pm EDT for a status report.
Gennady & Sergei performed an ISS refresh with air from Progress 47P tankage to increase total interior atmospheric pressure.
With RS (Russian Segment) STTS audio comm systems temporarily configured for crew presence in the MRM2 “Poisk” module, Padalka later conducted an active session for the Russian experiment KPT-10 “Kulonovskiy Kristall” (Coulomb Crystal), followed by downlinking the video footage obtained with a SONY HVR-Z1J camcorder over two RGS (Russian Groundsite) passes (12:45pm-1:10pm & 2:20pm-2:45pm EDT) and reconfiguring STTS to nominal. [KPT-10 studies dynamic and structural characteristics of the Coulomb systems formed by charged dispersed diamagnetic macroparticles in the magnetic trap, investigating the following processes onboard the ISS RS: condensed dust media, Coulomb crystals, and formation of Coulomb liquids due to charged macroparticles. Coulomb systems are structures following Coulomb’s Law, a law of physics describing the electrostatic interaction between electrically charged particles. It was essential to the development of the theory of electromagnetism.]
Kuipers performed periodic maintenance of the ARED advanced resistive exercise machine, evacuating its cylinder flywheels to reestablish proper vacuum condition & sensor calibration.
Acaba set up the equipment for his 2nd Ambulatory Monitoring session of the ESA ICV (Integrated Cardiovascular) experiment, scheduled tomorrow.
Don Pettit reviewed procedures in an OBT (Onboard Training) video and made preparations for tomorrow’s IFM on the Amine Swingbed hardware which has a blown fuse in the swing valve motor circuitry. The motor itself will be replaced next week. [The Amine Swingbed, consisting of the Amine Swingbed, Controller with Vacuum Line, Amine Swingbed Mounting Plate, Amine Swingbed Mounting Hardware, Strain Relief Mounting Hardware, Electrostatic Symbol Decal) is a prototype of the CO2 and moisture control technology to be used in the Orion MPCV (Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle). It consists of two multilayer sorbent beds in one unit, with a single valve to alternate (“swing”) them between adsorbing from cabin air and desorbing to space vacuum. The system pulls air from the ISS atmosphere, dries it (and heats it) with a desiccant wheel, cools it back down, scrubs most of the CO2 and remaining water vapor out, then reheats the scrubbed air, rehumidifies it (and recools it) with the desiccant wheel, then returns the air to the cabin. Periodically (every 6 – 30 min) the sorbent beds are swapped to expose the freshly vacuum-desorbed bed to the process stream and start regenerating the CO2-laden bed. During bed swap transitions, additional air is saved by equalizing the bed about to be vented with a compressor-evacuated volume. This will be the first test of the Amine Swingbed payload. Its purpose is to determine if a vacuum-regenerated amine system can effectively remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the ISS atmosphere using a smaller more efficient vacuum regeneration system. A similar technology (amine-based pressure swing adsorption) was used on the Shuttle Extended Duration Orbiter, in the form of the RCRS (Regenerative Carbon Dioxide Removal System). The Amine Swingbed payload uses an amine with a significantly greater capacity for CO2 than the RCRS. Amines are organic compounds and functional groups that contain a basic nitrogen atom with two “lone pair” electrons. They are derivatives of ammonia (NH3) wherein one or more of the hydrogen atoms (H) have been replaced by a substituent such as an alkyl or aryl group. Important amines include amino acids, biogenic amines, trimethylamine, and aniline. Inorganic derivatives of ammonia are also called ammonia, such as chloramine (NClH2).]
In the USOS (US Segment), Oleg Kononenko replaced the RS Remote Laptop, with a new machine with upgraded software, then tested the connections.
Later, the CDR configured the Rodnik (“spring”) pumping equipment with the electric compressor (#41) and a T2PrU air line and started the standard bladder compression & leak check of the BV1 water tank of Progress 47P to get it ready for urine transfer. The BV2 tank has already been used for urine offloads. [Each of the spherical Rodnik tanks BV1 & BV2 consists of a hard shell with a soft membrane (bladder) composed of elastic fluoroplastic. The bladder is used to expel water from the tank by compressed air pumped into the tank volume surrounding the membrane and is leak-tested before urine transfers, i.e., with empty tanks, the bladders are expanded against the tank walls and checked for hermeticity.]
Revin 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.]
Sergei also took care of the daily IMS (Inventory Management System) maintenance, updating/editing its standard “delta file” including stowage locations, for the regular weekly automated export/import to its three databases on the ground (Houston, Moscow, Baikonur).
AndréKuipers reviewed procedures for the upcoming installation of the ALTEA (Anomalous Long Term Effects on Astronauts) Shield Tile payload in ER-3 (EXPRESS Rack 3) in COL.
CDR, FE-1, FE-2, FE-5 & FE-6 had their regular weekly PMCs (Private Medical Conferences), via S- & Ku-band audio/video, Andréat ~6:20am, Don at ~9:00am, Gennady at ~1:10pm, Sergei at ~1:30pm, Oleg at ~2:40pm EDT.
Don & Joe had a time slot/placeholder reserved each for making entries in their electronic Journals on the personal SSC. [Required are three journaling sessions per week.]
Before Presleep, Pettit will turn on the MPC (Multi-Protocol Converter) and start 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, Don 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.]
The crew worked out with their regular 2-hr physical exercise protocol on the CEVIS cycle ergometer with vibration isolation (FE-3, FE-5), TVIS treadmill with vibration isolation & stabilization (CDR/2x, FE-2), ARED advanced resistive exerciser (FE-1, FE-3, FE-5, FE-6), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (FE-6), and VELO bike ergometer with load trainer (FE-1, FE-2). [FE-6 is 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 Fridays. If any day is not completed, Don picks up where he left off, i.e., he would be finishing out the week with his last day of exercise on his off day. If any day is not completed, Don picks up where he left off, i.e., he would be finishing out the week with his last day of exercise on his off day. Today’s exercise called for T2 (aerobic/interval), with ARED+T2 (resistive+aerobic/continuous) and CEVIS (aerobic/interval) following in the next 2 days.]
Venus Transit: On 6/5 & 6/6. Don Pettit performs crew preference photography during the Venus Transit. Don will be open and closing the shutter of window 1 periodically throughout his crew sleep period to photograph the transit. To allow clear pictures, the scratch pane of the window is temporarily removed, as approved by ground specialists. [A transit of Venus across the Sun takes place when the planet Venus passes directly between the Sun and Earth, becoming visible against the solar disk. During a transit, Venus can be seen from Earth as a small black disk moving across the face of the Sun. The duration of such transits is usually measured in hours (the transit of 2004 lasted six hours). A transit is similar to a solar eclipse by the Moon. While the diameter of Venus is almost 3 1/2 times that of the Moon, Venus appears smaller, and travels more slowly across the face of the Sun, because it is much farther away from Earth. Transits of Venus are among the rarest of predictable astronomical phenomena. They occur in a pattern that repeats every 243 years, with pairs of transits eight years apart separated by long gaps of 121.5 years and 105.5 years. The periodicity is due to the fact that the orbital periods of Earth and Venus are close to 8:13 and 243:395 commensurabilities.]
CEO (Crew Earth Observation) targets uplinked for today were Polar Mesospheric Clouds – three opportunities (looking left of track towards the poles for these thin, silvery strands. PMCs form during the summer in polar regions at ~80 km altitude, far above the troposphere. Successful imaging requires viewing from the night hemisphere, looking north (left) towards the pole into the illumination from the sun. It is very difficult to pick up these wispy clouds with a short lens, so we are requesting the use of a 400mm to capture PMCs. PMCs have increased in brightness in the last four decades, and are appearing further south, even observed from Colorado and Virginia. These changes may be related to climate change).
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 8:46am EDT [= epoch])
Mean altitude – 398.8 km
Apogee height – 405.8 km
Perigee height – 391.7 km
Period — 92.54 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0010437
Solar Beta Angle — 63.8 deg (magnitude increasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.56
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 57 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 77,619
Time in orbit (station) — 4946 days
Time in orbit (crews, cum.) — 4233 days
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————–Six-crew operations—————-
07/01/12 — Soyuz TMA-03M/29S undock/landing (End of Increment 31)
————–Three-crew operations————-
07/15/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/31S launch – S.Williams (CDR-33)/Y.Malenchenko/A.Hoshide
07/17/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/31S docking
07/20/12 — HTV3 launch (~10:18pm EDT)
07/22/12 — Progress M-15M/47P undock
07/24/12 — Progress M-15M/47P re-docking
07/30/12 — Progress M-15M/47P undocking/deorbit
07/31/12 — Progress M16M/48P launch
08/02/12 — Progress M16M/48P docking
————–Six-crew operations—————-
09/17/12 — Soyuz TMA-04M/30S undock/landing (End of Increment 32)
————–Three-crew operations————-
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————-
12/26/12 — 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————-
