NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 1 January 2011

Happy New Year!

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Off-duty day for the Expedition 26/27 crew of CDR Scott Kelly, FE-1 Alexander Kaleri, FE-2 Oleg Skripochka, FE-4 Dmitri Kondratyev, F-5 Paolo Nespoli & FE-6 Catherine Coleman (who experienced 16 New Year’s Eve events – but officially celebrated only 3: on Houston, TX time, on GMT & on TsUP-Moscow time.)

FE-2 Oleg Skripochka conducted the regular daily early-morning check of the aerosol filters at the Russian Elektron O2 generator which Maxim Suraev had installed on 10/19/09 in gaps between the BZh Liquid Unit and the oxygen outlet pipe (filter FA-K) plus hydrogen outlet pipe (filter FA-V). [Oleg will inspect the filters again before bedtime tonight, currently a daily requirement per plan, with photographs to be taken if the filter packing is discolored.]

CDR Kelly performed another status check on the MERLIN (Microgravity Experiment Research Locker Incubator) Galley fridge, looking for any internal condensation moisture which would require replacing desiccants. [MERLIN, the Galley fridge, is used for cold storage of crew food and drink. If Scott found moisture, a change-out of the desiccant will be scheduled. Daily checks by the crew are currently required because the ground has lost insight into MERLIN due to issues with the failed ER6 (EXPRESS Rack 6) laptop software load on 12/28. A manual software load by a crewmember will be scheduled for 1/3. FDS (Fire Detection & Suppression) capabilities for the rack are still in place.]

As part of the crew’s regular morning inspection tour, Skripochka & Kondratyev conducted the routine checkup of circuit breakers & fuses in the DC-1 Docking Module. [The monthly checkup in the DC-1 looks at AZS circuit breakers on the BVP Amp Switch Panel (they should all be On) and the LEDs (light-emitting diodes) of 14 fuses in fuse panels BPP-30 & BPP-36. MRM2 “Poisk” & MRM1 “Rassvet” modules are also being inspected regularly since they are very similar to DC-1.]

Alex 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 and replacement of EDV-SV waste water and EDV-U urine containers.]

FE-5 & FE-6 had their weekly PFCs (Private Family Conferences) via S-band/audio and Ku-band/MS-NetMeeting application (which displays the uplinked ground video on an SSC laptop), Cady at ~9:20am, Paolo at ~11:35am EST.

The crewmembers worked out with their regular 2-hr physical exercise on the TVIS treadmill (FE-1, FE-2, FE-4), ARED advanced resistive exerciser (CDR, FE-2, FE-5, FE-6), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (CDR, FE-5, FE-6) and VELO ergometer bike with bungee cord load trainer (FE-1, FE-4).

Weekly Science Update (Expedition Twenty-Six — Week 6.

2D NANO Template (JAXA): No report.

3D SPACE: No report.

AgCam (Agricultural Camera): No report.

ALTCRISS (Alteino Long Term monitoring of Cosmic Rays on the ISS): Complete.

ALTEA SHIELD (NASA/ASI): No report.

APEX (Advanced Plant Experiments on Orbit) -Cambium: No report.

APEX-TAGES (Transgenic Arabidopsis Gene Expression System): No report.

BCAT-4/5 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test 4/5): “We are expecting to hear back soon from our P&G BCAT-5 Principal Investigator, Dr. Matthew Lynch. In a phone discussion with him earlier today, he said that he is reviewing the images taken for BCAT-5, sample 3. This review may require some fancy image processing to ascertain any sample evolution that occurred (and was photographed as a function of time) since the sample was mixed. Our thanks for the nice photographs, which are essential for good science, and a joy to receive.”

BIOLAB (ESA): “Dear Paolo and Cady, thanks for your efforts to remove the ATCS items for trash. Thanks, Cady, for your long and slim arm to remove the Insulation Layer.”

BIORHYTHMS (JAXA, Biological Rhythms): No report.

BISE (CSA, Bodies in the Space Environment): No report.

BISPHOSPHONATES: “Cady, thanks for completing your Nutrition urine collection last week. We will be data sharing with them for your in-flight sessions.”

CARD (Long Term Microgravity: Model for Investigating Mechanisms of Heart Disease, ESA): No report.

CARDIOCOG-2: Complete.

CB (JAXA Clean Bench): CB cleanup in the Saibo Rack was performed on 12/22.

CBEF (JAXA Cell Biology Experiment Facility)/SPACE SEED: CBEF video image troubleshooting was performed and ready for CsPINs.

CCISS (Cardiovascular & Cerebrovascular Control on Return from ISS): No report.

CERISE (JAXA): No report.

CFE-2 (Capillary Flow Experiment 2): No report.

CFS-A (Fungi-A): Awaiting ULF5 launch.

CSI-3/CGBA-5 (CGBA Science Insert #2/Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 5): Ongoing.

CGBA-2 (Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 2): Complete.

CIR (Combustion Integrated Rack), MDCA/Flex: On 12/28, four test points from the science matrix were successfully performed. The test points were performed with methanol fuel at a 1 atm chamber environment of 15% O2, 30% CO2, and 55% N2. None of the test points used the support fiber. Test #1 – Droplet diameter of 4 mm. Deployment was successful with virtually no drift. Burn time was ~8 sec. The flame oscillated prior to extinction. Test #2 – Droplet diameter of 3 mm. Deployment was again successful with virtually no drift. Burn time was ~10 sec. The flame oscillated prior to extinction. Test #3 – Droplet diameter of 2.5 mm. Deployment was successful, but droplet likely drifted out of camera view near the end of the burn. Burn time was ~14 sec. The flame oscillated prior to extinction. Test #4 – Droplet diameter of 2 mm. Deployment was successful, but droplet drifted out of camera view near the end of the burn. Burn time was ~11 sec with an abrupt extinction.

Commercial Photo (JAXA): No report.

CSLM-2 (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures 2): No report.

CubeLab: No report.

CW/CR (Cell Wall/Resist Wall) in EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System): Complete.

DECLIC (Device for the Study of Critical Liquids & Crystallization, CNES/NASA): No report.

DomeGene (JAXA): Complete.

DOSIS (Dose Distribution Inside ISS, ESA): Acquiring science data with DOSTEL-2 detector. Monthly data downlink performed on 12/15.

EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students): No report.

EDR (European Drawer Rack, ESA): No report.

ELITE-S2 (Elaboratore Immagini Televisive – Space 2): Planned.

EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System): No report.

ENose (Electronic Nose): No report.

EPM (European Physiology Module): Activated in support of CARD.

EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (Hobbies): No report.

EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (Kids in Space): No report.

EPO LES-2 (ESA): No report.

EPO GREENHOUSE (ESA): “Thank you, Paolo, for performing the Illumination Test! These images will help ground teams to derive the exact amount of light provided by the COL MLUs.”

EPO COMMERCIAL (JAXA): No report.
.
EPO 3-min Video (JAXA): No report.

EPO J-Astro Report (JAXA): No report.

EPO Dewey’s Forest (JAXA): Closed out on 3/15.

EPO Space Clothes (JAXA): Complete.

EPO Hiten (Dance, JAXA): No report.

EPO-5 SpaceBottle (Message in a Bottle, JAXA): Space Bottle has been wrapped with Kapton tape and moved to the airlock for ULF5 EVA on 10/14. This bottle will be exposed in space by ULF-5 shuttle EVA.

EPO Moon Score (JAXA): No report.

EPO Try Zero-G (JAXA): No report.

EPO Kibo Kids Tour (JAXA): Complete.

EPO Paper Craft (Origami, JAXA): No report.

EPO Poem (JAXA): No report.

EPO Spiral Top (JAXA): No report.

ERB-2 (Erasmus Recording Binocular, ESA): [ERB-2 aims are to develop narrated video material for various PR & educational products & events, including a 3D interior station view.] No report.

ETD (Eye Tracking Device): Completed.

FACET-2 (JAXA): No report.

FERULATE (JAXA): No report.

FIR/LMM/CVB (Fluids Integrated Rack / Light Microscopy Module / Constrained Vapor Bubble): No report.

Fish Scales (JAXA): Completed on FD7/ULF-4 and returned on STS-132.

FOAM STABILITY (ESA): No report.

FOCUS: No report.

FSL (Fluid Science Laboratory, ESA): No report.

FWED (Flywheel Exercise Device, ESA): No report.

GENARA-A (Gravity Regulated Genes in Arabidopsis A/ESA): No report.

GEOFLOW: No report.

HAIR (JAXA): No report.

HDTV System (JAXA): Was delivered by HTV1.

Holter ECG (JAXA): No report.

HQPC (JAXA): Was delivered by 34P.

HREP (HICO/Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean & RAIDS/Remote Atmospheric & Ionospheric Detection System/JAXA): No report.

HydroTropi (Hydrotropism & Auxin-Inducible Gene Expression in Roots Grown under Microgravity Conditions/JAXA): No report.

ICE CRYSTAL (JAXA): Complete.

ICV (Integrated Cardiovascular): “Cady, the ICV team is looking forward to your first Ambulatory Monitoring session late next week. This session will be just like BDC except that you will do all the prep work (format the Holter cards, program the Actiwatches, etc.) and 24 hour blood pressure measurements will be obtained using the EPM CBPD, aka Cardiopres, (the one you used in ICV training) instead of the Portapres.”

IMMUNO (Neuroendocrine & Immune Responses in Humans During & After Long Term Stay at ISS): Complete.

INTEGRATED IMMUNE: No report.

InSPACE-2 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions 2): No report.

IRIS (Image Reversal in Space, CSA): No report.

ISS Amateur/Ham Radio: No report.

IV Gen (Intravenous Fluids Generation): No report.

KID/KUBIK6: No report.

Kids in Micro-G: No report.

KUBIK 3 (ESA): No report.

LOCAD-PTS (Lab-on-a-Chip Application Development-Portable Test System): No report.

Marangoni Exp (JAXA): 24th run was completed on 12/22.

Marangoni DSD – Dynamic Surf (JAXA): Payload name was change from Marangoni DSD to Dynamic Surf.

Matryoshka-2 (RSA): No report.

MAXI (Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image, JAXA): As troubleshooting for MAXI data line (Medium rate) anomaly, MAXI DP was rebooted. MAXI data line was then recovered on 12/22.

MDCA/Flex: See under CIR.

MEIS (Marangoni Experiment for ISS) in JAXA FPEF (Fluid Physics Experiment Facility): No report.

Microbe-2 (JAXA): No report.

Micro-G Clay (JAXA EPO): Complete.

MMA (JAXA/Microgravity Measurement Apparatus): No report.

MISSE-7 (Materials ISS Experiment): MISSE-7 is operating nominally but PEC B was shut down on 12/16 due to thermal exceedances during the high beta period. The plan is to power on PEC B 1/3/2011.

MPAC/SEED (JAXA): Completed on 19A FD4.

MSG-SAME (Microgravity Science Glovebox-Smoke Aerosol Measurement Experiment): No report.

MSL (Materials Science Laboratory, ESA): No report.

MTR-2 (Russian radiation measurements): Passive dosimeters measurements in DC-1 “Pirs”.

MULTIGEN-1: Completed.

MYCO 3 (JAXA): No report.

MyoLab (JAXA): Completed on 4/20.

NANOSKELETON (Production of High Performance Nanomaterials in Microgravity, JAXA): Returned on 19A.

NEURORAD (JAXA): No report.

NEUROSPAT (ESA/Study of Spatial Cognition, Novelty Processing and Sensorimotor Integration): No report.

NOA-1/-2 (Nitric Oxide Analyzer, ESA): Complete.

NUTRITION w/REPOSITORY/ProK: “Paolo, great job on your first urine & blood collection! Your FD30 session will start up next week, with the blood draw later in the week. The urine collection activities are just placeholders, the 24hr collection close-out time will be noted in the Daily Summary the morning of your blood draw. We noted your request for relief from the diet. Thank you for all your effort and recording what is eaten and not eaten. Your FD30 session will only be a monitored diet starting next week. Cady, great job on your first urine & blood collection! We appreciate your feedback on the supplies – your FD30 session is right around the corner.

PADIAC (Pathway Different Activators, ESA): No report.

PADLES (JAXA, Area PADLES 3/4; Passive Area Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiment in Space): No report.

PASSAGES (JAXA): No report.

PCDF-PU (Protein Crystallization Diagnostic Facility – Process Unit): No report.

PCG (JAXA, Protein Crystal Growth): No report.

PCRF (Protein Crystallization Research Facility) Reconfiguration (JAXA): See PCG.

PMDIS (Perceptual Motor Deficits in Space): Complete.

POLCA/GRAVIGEN (ESA): Complete.

Pro K: No report.

RadGene & LOH (JAXA): Complete.

RadSilk (JAXA): No report.

RST/Reaction Self Test (Psychomotor Vigilance Self Test on the ISS): “Scott, Paolo and Cady, thank you for your participation in Reaction Self Test! We received your data on Monday and look forward to reviewing it. Thanks and Happy Holidays!”

RYUTAI Rack (JAXA): No report.

SAIBO Rack (JAXA): No report.

SAMS/MAMS (Space & Microgravity Acceleration Measurement Systems): No report.

SAMPLE: Complete.

SCOF (Solution Crystallization Observation Facility, JAXA): No report.

SEDA-AP (Space Environment Data Acquisition Equipment-Attached Payload, JAXA): Continuous operation from Inc 19&20.

SHERE (Shear History Extensional Rheology Experiment): Complete.

SLAMMD (Space Linear Acceleration Mass Measurement Device): No report.

SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight): “Scott, we are currently scheduling your next sleep logging session for next week.”

SMILES (JAXA): 10th recooling warm-up process is on-going (it is in warming process now).

SODI/IVIDIL (Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument/Influence of Vibration on Diffusion in Liquids, ESA): No report.

SODI/COLLOID (Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument/Colloid): No report.

SOLAR (Solar Monitoring Observatory): Sun observation window#36 started on 12/24. On 12/28, SOLAR encountered a (usual) AIB failure (2 lost orbits). On 12/23, a SOLACES sudden switch off occurred, but it was recovered. Sun observation window #36 is predicted to end on 01/06.

SOLO (Sodium Loading in Microgravity): No report.

Space-DRUMS (Space Dynamically Responding Ultrasonic Matrix System): No report.

SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellite): No report.

SPHINX (SPaceflight of Huvec: an Integrated eXperiment, ESA): No report.

SPICE (Smoke Point In Co-flow Experiment): No report.

SPINAL (Spinal Elongation): No report.

SWAB (Characterization of Microorganisms & Allergens in Spacecraft): No report.

TASTE IN SPACE (ESA): No report.

THERMOLAB (ESA): “Thank you, Cady, for participating in your first THERMOLAB session. Teams on ground are very happy about the data they got!”

TRAC (Test of Reaction & Adaptation Capabilities): Planned.

TRIPLELUX-B (ESA): No report.

ULTRASOUND: Planned.

VASCULAR (CSA): No report.

VCAM (Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Module, NASA): No report.

VESSEL ID System (ESA): Acquiring nominal science data.

VESSEL IMAGING (ESA): “Dear Cady, a big thank you for the great day you acquired during this 1st session. All went very smooth, and looks perfect science-wise!”

VO2max (NASA): “Cady, great job on your VO2max session Wednesday! The VO2max team enjoyed talking with you and helping work through the troubleshooting. As you noticed, the TFM insert needs to be tightened very hard in order to get a signal reading. We will update our Big Picture Overview with the photos you took as soon as possible. Your next session will be approximately 30 days away.”

VLE (Video Lessons ESA): No report.

WAICO #1/#2 (Waving and Coiling of Arabidopsis Roots at Different g-levels; ESA): No report.

YEAST B (ESA): No report.

CEO (Crew Earth Observation): No report.

No CEO (Crew Earth Observation) targets uploaded today.

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 4:46am EST [= epoch])
Mean altitude – 352.1 km
Apogee height – 355.7 km
Perigee height – 348.4 km
Period — 91.58 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.65 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0005418
Solar Beta Angle — -4.2 deg (magnitude increasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.72
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours – 118 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) – 69,465.

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):

————–Six-crew operations————-
01/13/11 — ISS Reboost Pt. 2
01/20/11 — HTV2 launch
01/21/11 — Russian EVA-27
01/24/11 — Progress M-08M/40P undock
01/27/11 — HTV2 berthing (Node-2 zenith)
01/28/11 — Progress M-09M/41P launch
01/31/11 — Progress M-09M/41P docking (DC1)
02/03/11 — STS-133/Discovery launch – 1:37:36 am EST
02/04/11 — STS-133/Discovery docking – ~9:43pm
02/11/11 — STS-133/Discovery undock – 4:42pm
02/13/11 — STS-133/Discovery land (KSC) – ~8:41pm
02/21/11 — Russian EVA-28
02/15/11 — ATV-2 “Johannes Kepler” launch
02/19/11 — Progress M-07M/39P undock
02/24/11 — HTV2 unberthing (Node-2 nadir)
02/26/11 — ATV-2 “Johannes Kepler” docking (SM aft)
03/16/11 — Soyuz TMA-01M/24S undock/landing (End of Increment 26)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/20/11 — Soyuz TMA-21/26S launch – A. Borisienko (CDR-28)/R.Garan/A.Samokutayev
03/22/11 — Soyuz TMA-21/26S docking (MRM2)
————–Six-crew operations————-
04/01/11 — STS-134/Endeavour (ULF6 – ELC3, AMS-02) launch – ~3:15am — NET
04/26/11 — Progress M-09M/41P undock
04/27/11 — Progress M-10M/42P launch
04/29/11 — Progress M-10M/42P docking (DC1)
05/xx/11 — Russian EVA-29
05/16/11 — Soyuz TMA-20/25S undock/landing (End of Increment 27)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-22/27S launch – M. Fossum (CDR-29)/S. Furukawa/S. Volkov
06/01/11 — Soyuz TMA-22/27S docking (MRM1)
————–Six-crew operations————-
06/04/11 — ATV-2 “Johannes Kepler” undock (SM aft)
06/21/11 — Progress M-11M/43P launch
06/23/11 — Progress M-11M/43P docking (SM aft)
08/29/11 — Progress M-11M/43P undocking
08/30/11 — Progress M-12M/44P launch
09/01/11 — Progress M-12M/44P docking (SM aft)
09/16/11 – Soyuz TMA-21/26S undock/landing (End of Increment 28)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-23/28S launch – D.Burbank (CDR-30)/A.Shkaplerov/A.Ivanishin
10/02/11 – Soyuz TMA-23/28S docking (MRM2)
————–Six-crew operations————-
10/25/11 — Progress M-10M/42P undocking
10/26/11 — Progress M-13M/45P launch
10/28/11 — Progress M-13M/45P docking (DC-1)
11/16/11 — Soyuz TMA-22/27S undock/landing (End of Increment 29)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-24/29S launch – O.Kononenko (CDR-31)/A.Kuipers/D.Pettit
12/02/11 — Soyuz TMA-24/29S docking (MRM1)
————–Six-crew operations—————-
12/??/11 — 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA – on Proton.
12/26/11 — Progress M-13M/45P undock
12/27/11 — Progress M-14M/46P launch
12/29/11 — Progress M-14M/46P docking (DC-1)
03/05/12 — Progress M-12M/44P undock
03/16/12 — Soyuz TMA-23/28S undock/landing (End of Increment 30)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/30/12 — Soyuz TMA-25/30S launch – G.Padalka (CDR-32)/J.Acaba/K.Valkov
04/01/12 — Soyuz TMA-25/30S docking (MRM2)
————–Six-crew operations—————-
05/15/12 — Soyuz TMA-24/29S undock/landing (End of Increment 31)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/29/12 – Soyuz TMA-26/31S launch – S.Williams (CDR-33)/Y.Malenchenko/A.Hoshide
05/31/12 – Soyuz TMA-26/31S docking
————–Six-crew operations—————-
09/09/12 — Soyuz TMA-25/30S undock/landing (End of Increment 32)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/23/12 — Soyuz TMA-27/32S launch – K.Ford (CDR-34)/O. Novitskiy/E.Tarelkin
09/25/12 – Soyuz TMA-27/32S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
10/07/12 — Soyuz TMA-26/31S undock/landing (End of Increment 33)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-28/33S launch – C.Hadfield (CDR-35)/T.Mashburn/R.Romanenko
11/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-28/33S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
03/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-27/32S undock/landing (End of Increment 34)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-29/34S launch.
03/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-29/34S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-

To send holiday greetings to the crew and get more information about the space station, visit
http://www.nasa.gov/station