NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 1 May 2009
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. SPACE DAY! (Courtesy Lockheed Martin). Light-duty day for the crew.
FE-1 Barratt continued his first session of sleep logging for the experiment SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) from his Actiwatch to the HRF-1 (Human Research Facility 1) laptop as part of a week-long run. This is similar to Barratt’s BCD (Baseline Data Collection) which was performed pre-flight for comparison. [To monitor the crewmember’s sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dr. Mike wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by them as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition and uses the payload software for data logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment’s laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days.]
As part of the crew’s regular morning inspection tour, CDR Padalka conducted the routine checkup of DC1 (Docking Compartment) circuit breakers and fuses. [The monthly checkup in the “Pirs” module 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.]
FE-2 Wakata began the day by closing the CBEF (Cell Biology Experiment Facility) door in the Saibo Rack to provide room in the JPM (JEM Pressurized Module). Later in the day, the CBEF door was opened again to reduce the humidity level in the incubator.
The FE-1 set up the G1 video camcorder with MPC (Multipurpose Converter) and IPU (Image Processing Unit) for high-definition TV recording of the subsequent Medical Contingency drill, covering stowage lockers, hardware, and deployment locations as well as crew positioning during CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation).
Afterwards, the crew undertook the one-hour medical contingency OBT (Onboard Training) drill which provides crewmembers the opportunity to practice communication and coordination necessary to perform medical emergency procedures (such as for nose bleed or eye injury), determine hardware deployment locations and practice CPR delivery in zero-G. [The recorded video with audio commentary is desired for ground training purposes. The G1 camcorder was used to record audio/video during the drill for subsequent playback on the MPC.]
Barratt & Wakata also completed the regular monthly session of the HMS (Health Maintenance System) training protocol, a 30-min. exercise to refresh their CMO (Crew Medical Officer)’s acuity in a number of critical health areas. The proficiency drill today focused on ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support). [The HMS (Health Maintenance Systems) hardware, including ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) equipment, may be used in contingency situations where crew life is at risk. To maintain proficiency, crewmembers spend one hour per month reviewing HMS and ACLS equipment and procedures via the HMS and ACLS CBT (computer-based training). The impact of not maintaining proficiency with the HMS hardware and procedures could lead to a substantial impact to ISS operations, potential evacuation of ISS, and loss of crew life.]
The FE-1 set up the G1 video equipment in a fixed position in the Node-2 to cover the entire ARED (Advanced Resistive Exercise Device) with its exercise envelope for recording its subsequent use by the crewmembers for biomechanical analysis on the ground. [The video was downlinked live during the exercise and recorded on the ground VTR (Video Tape Recorder) for later playback.]
In the DC1, CDR Padalka serviced the MATRYOSHKA-R (RBO-3-2) radiation suite’s LULIN-5 electronics box near the associated spherical “Phantom” unit, checking/adjusting date & time, taking readings and entering a time tag, followed by a brief reboot of the Lulin-5 electronics box to clear data. [Data accumulated by LULIN comprise measurement date, time, mode, three-directional flux data (sq.cm per sec.), and three-directional dose rate.]
Gennady Padalka had ~15 min to conduct Earth observations with the GFI-8 “Uragan” (hurricane) earth-imaging program, using the NIKON D2X digital camera to take 800mm-lens telephotos.
Wakata conducted the daily procedure of flushing the PWD (Potable Water Dispenser) ambient line with ~50mL of water (into a towel/Ziploc bag). PWD water is currently cleared only for hygienic use (see below).
The CDR performed 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.]
Shortly before sleeptime, Mike Barratt is to remove the IWIS (Internal Wireless Instrumentation System) RSU (Remote Sensor Unit) accelerometer from the ARED (Advanced Resistive Exercise Device) frame where it had measured the structural dynamics of the exercise machine.
The crew completed their regular daily 2.5-hr. physical workout program (about half of which is used for setup & post-exercise personal hygiene) on the TVIS treadmill (CDR, FE-1, FE-2), and ARED (CDR, FE-1, FE-2).
Afterwards, Barratt downloaded the exercise data file to the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) for downlink, including the daily wristband HRM (Heart Rate Monitor) data of the workouts on ARED, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).
At ~11:00am EDT, Mike & Koichi participated in the periodic teleconference with the ISS Program Scientist and staff.
At ~2:10pm, the ISS crew is scheduled for their regular weekly tagup with the Lead Flight Director at JSC/MCC-H via S-band/audio. [S/G-2 (Space-to-Ground 2) phone patch via SSC (Station Support Computer).]
Also on the schedule, for ~3:00pm, is the crew’s weekly teleconference with ISS Program Management at JSC/Houston via Ku-band/video & S-band/audio.
Potable Water Usage Update: During the 90-day checkout, a significant number of PWD (Potable Water Dispenser) samples were taken for ground and in-flight analysis. The hot water had consistently zero microbial readings. Product water from WRS (Water Recovery System) showed consistently very low or zero indications. The ambient-temperature line was consistently above the medical requirement of 50 cfu. A 40 ppm iodine shock was implemented to reduce level of colony count. Three strains of microbes were found in the ambient leg that are usually found in municipal water systems, none of which are pathogenic. The medical limit number is an “alert limit” to trigger analysis to consider total bacterial count, negative coliforms, and pathogenic status. With the results obtained, specialists are recommending oral consumption even though the results exceed the med limit. At this point, CSA, ESA, JAXA, and NASA are go for PWD potable use, but the Russian medical specialists are not ready yet for making a decision. The waiver issue will be revisited early next week, as will the waiver of iodine monitoring.
CEO (Crew Earth Observation) photo targets uplinked for today were Madeira Island, Portugal (HMS Beagle site. Looking just left of track), Key Largo, Florida (looking a touch right of track), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (looking right of track. The prominent bay is the visual cue from orbit, with Rio and neighboring cities strung out along its shoreline. Rio airport lies on an island in the bay),.Tucson, Arizona (looking at nadir and a touch right, between the Catalina Mts. and rectangular spoil tips of the copper mines), Sky Islands, Arizona & Mexico (a mapping strip of overlapping images just right of nadir for 2 mins was requested. The forested mountain-top “sky island” habitats extend well into southern Arizona), Mexico City, Mexico (looking right in the basin between forested mountain ranges for this city of >22 million), and Villarrica Volcano, Chile (looking right. The line of glacial lakes extending at right angles away from track is your visual cue, with Villarrica between two of these lakes. Shooting along the line of lakes to capture the target. Snow-covered Villarrica is one of Chile most active volcanoes and one of only four worldwide known to have an active lava lake within its crater.
CEO photography can be studied at this “Gateway” website:
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov (as of 9/1/08, this database contained 770,668 views of the Earth from space, with 324,812 from the ISS alone).
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 8:17am EDT [= epoch])
Mean altitude — 351.6 km
Apogee height – 357.6 km
Perigee height — 345.6 km
Period — 91.57 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0008933
Solar Beta Angle — 32.9 deg (magnitude increasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.72
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 46 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 59860
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time, some changes possible!):
05/06/09 — Progress M01M/32P undocking (~11:18am) & deorbit
05/07/09 — Progress M-02M/33P launch (on Soyuz-U, 51st rocket of this type) – 2:37pm
05/11/09 — STS-125/Atlantis Hubble Space Telescope Service Mission 4 (SM4)
05/12/09 — Progress M-02M/33P docking – ~3:23pm
05/27/09 — Soyuz TMA-15/19S launch
05/29/09 — Soyuz TMA-15/19S docking (FGB nadir)
Six-person crew on ISS
06/05/09 — Russian EVA-22
06/10/09 — Russian EVA-23
06/13/09 — STS-127/Endeavour/2J/A launch – JEM EF, ELM-ES, ICC-VLD
07/17/09 – Progress M-02M/33P undock & deorbit
07/20/09 — Soyuz TMA-14/18S relocation (from SM aft to DC1)
07/24/09 — Progress 34P launch
07/26/09 — Progress 34P docking (SM aft)
08/06/09 — STS-128/Discovery/17A – MPLM (P), LMC
09/01/09 — H-IIB (JAXA HTV-1) launch – tentative
09/07/09 — H-IIB (JAXA HTV-1) berth
09/30/09 — Soyuz TMA-16/20S launch
10/02/09 — Soyuz TMA-16/20S docking (SM aft, until MRM2 w/new port)
10/08/09 — H-IIB (JAXA HTV-1) unberth
10/11/09 – Soyuz TMA-14/18S undock
10/15/09 — Progress 35P launch
11/10/09 — 5R/MRM2 (Russian Mini Research Module, MIM2) on Proton — tentative
11/12/09 — STS-129/Atlantis/ULF3 – ELC1, ELC2
12/07/09 — Soyuz TMA-17/21S launch
12/26/09 — Progress 36P launch
02/03/10 — Progress 37P launch
02/??/10 — STS-130/Endeavour/20A – Node-3 + Cupola — tentative
02/11/10 — STS-131/Atlantis/19A – MPLM(P), LMC — tentative
04/02/10 — Soyuz TMA-18/22S launch
04/08/10 — STS-132/Discovery/ULF4 – ICC-VLD, MRM1 — tentative
04/27/10 — Progress 38P launch
05/29/10 — Soyuz TMA-19/23S launch
05/31/10 — STS-133/Endeavour/ULF5 – ELC3, ELC4 — tentative
06/??/10 – ATV2 – Ariane 5 (ESA)
06/25/10 — Progress 39P launch
08/11/10 — Progress 40P launch
09/29/10 — Soyuz TMA-20/24S launch
12/??/11 — Proton 3R/MLM w/ERA.
10/19/10 — Progress 41P launch
12/??/11 – 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA – on Proton.
