NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 13 July 2008

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Sunday – light duty for CDR Volkov, FE-1 Kononenko & FE-2 Chamitoff. Ahead: Week 13 of Increment 17.

Crew Sleep Cycle: Currently remaining at 5:30am – 9:00pm EDT.

After wakeup and before breakfast, FE-2 Chamitoff downloaded the SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data from his Actiwatches to the HRF-1 (Human Research Facility 1) laptop. [To monitor the crewmember’s sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, crewmembers wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by them as well as their patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days.]

Also upon wakeup, the FE-2 started the next part (3rd of 5) of the periodic acoustic measurement protocol by recording post-sleep data of the crew-worn acoustic dosimeters, later deploying the dosimeters statically (Part 4), one in the Node-2 and two the Kibo JPM (JEM Pressurized Module). Tonight (~5:55pm), Chamitoff will record the data taken by the three static dosimeters during the day (Part 5). [Acoustic data must be taken twice per Increment, each time for the duration of the 16-hour crew workday.]

CDR Volkov & FE-1 Kononenko spent most of their workday with equipment preparations in the DC1 “Pirs” Docking Compartment for the second Orlan EVA (#20) on 7/15.
After configuring the DC1 communications link to support their presence in “Pirs”, Volkov & Kononenko today –

• Terminated the recharge process on the 825M3 Orlan battery in the ZU-S recharge unit,
• Prepared spacesuit replaceable elements, both individual and supplemental,
• Conducted pressure checks on the SM BK-3 oxygen (O2) tanks and the BNP portable repress O2 tank in the SM PkhO Service Module Transfer Compartment),
• Ran leak checks & valve functionality tests on the Orlans and their BSS interface/gas-liquid separation unit in the DC1 & PkhO from the EVA support panels (POV);
• Performed leak checking on the backup bladder of suit #27, and
• Installed US add-on gear on the Orlan #25,
• Prepared the BRTK electronic control system (with Central & Terminal Computer Systems check), and
• Checked out the Orlan & BSS systems, including the BRTA-1M comm/telemetry units.

In the Lab, the FE-2 serviced the US OGS (Oxygen Generation System), removing the PWR (Payload Water Reservoir) from in front of the WDS (Water Delivery System) and replacing it with a filled PWR. [Like the Russian Elektron, OGS produces O2 from water by electrolysis, dumping the also generated H2 (hydrogen) through venting.]

Gregory also completed the periodic inspection of the SPS ELPS (Secondary Power System/Emergency Lighting & Power Supply) subsystems in Node-2, A/L (US Airlock), Lab, and Node-1. [This activity, now hard scheduled, was suggested yesterday on the US discretionary “job jar” task list.]

For today’s workouts by all crewmembers on the RED (Resistive Exercise Device), Chamitoff set up the video camcorder for filming and recording the sessions via ground commanding. Afterwards, the video equipment was put back in stowage, and the video was to be downlinked from the VTR (Video Tape Recorder) by ground commanding. [The RED video, showing the apparatus on the “ceiling” hatch of the Node, is periodically required to support biomechanical evaluation of the exercising crewmember and assessment of the on-orbit setup of equipment during data collection.

Greg conducted today’s routine maintenance of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS) in the SM, including ASU toilet facilities systems/replaceables.

Working off the Russian discretionary “time permitting” task list, Oleg 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).

Chamitoff completed the regular monthly & quarterly maintenance of the TVIS (Treadmill with Vibration Isolation & Stabilization), inspecting the condition of harnesses, belt slats, corner bracket ropes, IRBAs (Isolation Restorative Bungee Assemblies) and gyroscope wire ropes for any damage or defects, lubricating as required plus recording time & date values.

The crew conducted their regular 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), RED resistive exercise device (CDR, FE-1, FE-2), and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer (CDR, FE-1).

At ~5:35pm EDT, Volkov & Kononenko will support a Russian PAO TV event by downlinking a message of greetings and well-wishing for replay at the grand opening of a new administration building of the Korolev Traffic Police on 7/15 in the City of Korolev, in the presence of Russian Interior Ministry officials; B. V. Gromov, the Governor of the Moscow region; N. V. Golovkin, the Head of Traffic Police in the Moscow Region; and A. F. Morozenko, the Mayor of Korolev.

At ~6:45pm, the FE-2 is scheduled for his weekly PFC (Private Family Conference) via S-band/audio and Ku-band/MS-NetMeeting application (which displays the uplinked ground video on an SSC laptop).

No CEO (Crew Earth Observations) photo targets uplinked for today.

CEO photography can be studied at this “Gateway” website:
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov (as of 3/1/08, this database contained 757,605 views of the Earth from space, with 314,000 from the ISS alone).

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time, some changes possible.):
07/15/08 — Russian EVA-20 (1:14pm)
07/18/08 — ATV1 reboost
08/30/08 — Progress M-64/29P undocking, from FGB nadir
09/05/08 — ATV1 undocking, from SM aft port (loiter until ~9/25 for nighttime reentry/observation)
09/10/08 — Progress M-65/30P launch
09/12/08 — Progress M-65/30P docking (SM aft port)
10/01/08 — NASA 50 Years
10/08/08 — STS-125/Atlantis Hubble Space Telescope Service Mission 4 (SM4)
10/11/08 — Progress M-65/30P undocking (from SM aft port)
10/12/08 — Soyuz TMA-13/17S launch
10/14/08 — Soyuz TMA-13/17S docking (FGB nadir port)
10/23/08 — Soyuz TMA-12/16S undocking (DC1 nadir)
11/10/08 — STS-126/Endeavour/ULF2 launch – MPLM Leonardo, LMC
11/12/08 — STS-126/Endeavour/ULF2 docking
11/20/08 — ISS 10 Years
11/26/08 — Progress M-66/31P launch
11/28/08 — Progress M-66/31P docking
02/10/09 — Progress M-67/32P launch
02/12/09 — Progress M-67/32P docking
02/12/09 — STS-119/Discovery/15A launch – S6 truss segment
03/25/09 — Soyuz TMA-14/18S launch
05/15/09 — STS-127/Endeavour/2J/A launch – JEM EF, ELM-ES, ICC-VLD
07/30/09 — STS-128/Atlantis/17A – MPLM(P), last crew rotation
05/27/09 — Six-person crew on ISS (following Soyuz 19S docking, May ’09)
10/15/09 — STS-129/Discovery/ULF3 – ELC1, ELC2
12/10/09 — STS-130/Endeavour/20A – Node-3 + Cupola
02/11/10 — STS-131/Atlantis/19A – MPLM(P)
04/08/10 — STS-132/Discovery/ ULF4 – ICC-VLD, MRM1
05/31/10 — STS-133/Endeavour/ULF5 – ELC3, ELC4 (contingency).