Status Report

NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 13 July 2010

By SpaceRef Editor
July 13, 2010
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NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 13 July 2010
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All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Today Sasha, Misha & Tracy have their 100th day on orbit. Congrats!

At wake-up, FE-3 Kornienko performed 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). [FE-3 will inspect the filters again before bedtime, currently a daily requirement per plan, with photographs to be taken if the filter packing is discolored.]

FE-4 Wheelock continued his second session of the medical protocol Pro K (Dietary Intake Can Predict and Protect against Changes in Bone Metabolism during Spaceflight and Recovery), with controlled diet and diet logging after the urine pH spot test. This run will close out tonight at 7:00pm EDT. [Under Pro K, the crewmember measures and logs the pH value of a urine sample, collected the same time of day every day for 5 days. The crewmember also prepares a diet log and then annotates quantities of food packets consumed and supplements taken during the day.]

Afterwards, FE-4 started another 24-hr collection of urine samples for the NUTRITION / Repository / Pro K protocol, his 2nd (FD30) onboard session with the new routine (modified from the past NUTRITION w/Repository protocol). Later in the day, Wheels broke out and set up the equipment for tomorrow’s blood sample collection. [The operational products for blood & urine collections for the HRP (Human Research Program) payloads have been revised, based on crew feedback, new cold stowage hardware, and IPV capabilities. Generic blood & urine procedures have been created to allow an individual crewmember to select their payload complement and see specific requirements populated. Individual crewmembers will select their specific parameter in the procedures to reflect their science complement. Different crewmembers will have different required tubes and hardware configurations, so they should verify their choice selection before continuing with operations to ensure their specific instruction.]

Also at wake-up, FE-2 Caldwell-Dyson conducted a run of the Reaction Self Test (Psychomotor Vigilance Self Test on the ISS) protocol. [The RST is performed twice daily (after wakeup & before bedtime) for 3 days prior to the sleep shift, the day(s) of the sleep shift and 5 days following a sleep shift. The experiment consists of a 5-minute reaction time task that allows crewmembers to monitor the daily effects of fatigue on performance while on ISS. The experiment provides objective feedback on neurobehavioral changes in attention, psychomotor speed, state stability, and impulsivity while on ISS missions, particularly as they relate to changes in circadian rhythms, sleep restrictions, and extended work shifts.]

After her inspection of the MERLIN (Microgravity Experiment Research Locker Incubator) last week (7/6), Shannon Walker today removed spent desiccant packs from the cooler and replaced them with fresh ones (condensation bake-out was not required). [MERLIN, the Galley fridge, is used for cold storage of crew food and drink. Today’s desiccant change-out sequence started a 24 hour dry-out at ambient temperatures with the MERLIN front door slightly open. The humidity sensor has been reading saturated since it was installed in April, and ground specialists want to understand why.]

Mikhail Kornienko had 2h 50m reserved for doing his 4th onboard session with the Russian biomedical MBI-15 "Pilot-M"/NEURO signal response experiment after setting up the workplace and equipment, assisted by CDR Skvortsov. Later, the Pilot-M & Neurolab-2000M gear was disassembled & stowed away, data files were downloaded, and Misha reported to TsUP on his run. [MBI-15 requires the Multipurpose Hardware Bench as a table, ankle restraint system, eyeball electrodes for an EOG (electrooculogram), and two hand controllers (RUO & RUD) for testing piloting skill in “flying” simulations on a laptop (RSK1) with software (v. 2.0) under stopwatch control, as well as for studying special features of the psychophysiologic response of cosmonauts to the effects of stress factors in flight.]

In the SM (Service Module), Skvortsov completed the periodic inspection of the SRV-K2M Condensate Water Processor’s sediment trap insert (VU). [The Russian SRVK-2M converts collected condensate into drinking water and dispenses the reclaimed potable water.]

Afterwards, the CDR spent several hours continuing the current round of monthly preventive maintenance of RS (Russian Segment) ventilation systems. [In the DC1 Docking Compartment, the CDR changed out the PF1 & PF2 dust filter cartridges, cleaned the V1 & V2 fan screens, the VD1 & VD2 air ducts and the V3 fan screen. In the MRM2 Poisk module, Alex also changed out the PF1 & PF2 dust filter cartridges and cleaned the V1 & V2 fan grills.]

In preparation for her first CFE (Capillary Flow Experiment) test run (the 20th aboard ISS), Caldwell-Dyson took ~30 min to study CFE reference & procedural material. [CFE is a suite of fluid physics experiments that investigate capillary flows and flows of fluids in containers with complex geometries. CFE takes advantage of the station’s micro-G environment to investigate the special dynamics of capillary flow, i.e., the interaction of liquid with solid that can draw a fluid up a narrow tube and can be exploited to control fluid orientation so that fluid systems on spacecraft perform predictably. Interest is in the critical wetting angles for various container geometries and determination of the hysteresis to a higher accuracy than before. CFE results will have applications to management of liquid fuels, cryogens, water-based solutions, and thermal fluids in spacecraft systems. The last CFE session, the 19th, was conducted by Peggy Whitson in 2007 on Expedition 16.]

FE-6 Walker set up video & equipment for another session of the experiment series called “Kids in Micro-G”. Assisted by Tracy with video & photo documentation, Shannon then conducted the third student experiment after replacing one suggested but found-to-be-“undoable” experiment. [The “Kids in Micro-G” suite of experiments was developed and written by 5th grade students to demonstrate Newton’s Laws of Motion both on ISS and in the classroom.]

Afterwards, Shannon undertook, as subject, her second (FD30) ICV (Integrated Cardiovascular) Resting Echo Scan in the US Lab, again assisted by Doug Wheelock as CMO (Crew Medical Officer) who helped to operate the scans. The ESA Vascular (Vessel) Echography scan was not performed this time. [Wearing electrodes, ECG (Electrocardiograph) cable & VOX, Shannon underwent the ultrasound scan for the Exercise Echo mode of ICV, with video being recorded from the HRF (Human Research Facility) Ultrasound and COL cabin camera. Heart rate was tracked with the HRM (Heart Rate Monitor). After confirmed file transfer, the gear was powered down and stowed. The ultrasound echo experiment uses the Image Collector software on the laptop and requires VOX/Voice plus RT Video downlink during the activity. Goal of the ICV experiment is to quantify the extent, time course, and clinical significance of cardiac atrophy and identify its mechanisms. The ICV experiment consists of two separate but related activities over a one-week time period: an ultrasound echo scan & an ambulatory monitoring session. The sessions are scheduled at or around FD14, FD30, FD75, FD135 and R-15 (there will be fewer sessions if mission duration is less than six months).]

Wheels performed the first steps of the scheduled X2R9 software transition, installing the first two R13 HDDs (hard disk drives) with the upgrade in two PCS (Portable Computer System) laptops, followed by power-up and network connection. Four remaining R13 HDDs were installed later in the day. The old R12 drives and one spare R13 drive stowed. [MCC-H continued the transition of the C&C Multiplexer/Demultiplexer (MDM) software to CCS (Command & Control System) R9, the Node 1 MDMs to NCS R4, the Payload MDMs to R9, and the PCS software step-up to PCS R13. The current C&C MDM configuration is as follows: C&C3 is prime, loaded with R9, C&C2 is backup, loaded with R8, C&C1 is standby with the new load but will be transitioned to backup this evening by ground controllers. Transitions activities will continue tomorrow.]

Tracy worked on the CIR (Combustion Integrated Rack) to prepare it for ground commanding. [Activities included, opening the upper door of the FCF (Fluids & Combustion Facility), opening the valves on all installed CIR Manifold Bottles to prepare for test points after FOMA (Fuel/Oxidizer Management Assembly) calibration, then closing the door, turning on two switches, and notifying POIC (Payload Operations Integration Center) that the rack was prepared for command on RPC (Remote Power Controller).]

Later in COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory), FE-2 activated the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) in order to remove the CSLM-2 (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures-2), disconnected & removed the experiment, disconnected the SAMS (Space Acceleration Measurement System) equipment, then stowed all hardware and deactivated MSG.

Also in COL, Tracy had additional time blocked out for attempting more troubleshooting on the FSL VMU (Fluids Science Laboratory / Video management Unit). [The troubleshooting concerns the DLT (Digital Line Tape) which is apparently stuck in its housing. The DLT came with the new Tape Recorder which Soichi Noguchi installed on 3/5 along with two new HDDs (Hard Disk Drives) to upgrade the VMU. This troubleshooting activity consists of demating and then remating the data and power connector from/to the VMU HDD’s and the DLT Tape Recorder in order to ensure a tight and stable connection. Crew was also requested to inspect the status of the connectors, to report to ground and photo document all the anomalies detected, and to leave the DLT door open to allow additional test from ground.]

In Node-3, Wheels completed another RFTA (Recycle Filter Tank Assembly) replacement on the WRS (Water Recovery System), stowing the old unit for return and the Tox-2 caps & plugs of the spare for re-use. [RFTAs collect the substances cleaned from the pretreated urine to turn it into water.]

After charging the battery of the photo/video system of the GFI-8 Uragan (hurricane) earth-imaging program, FE-5 Yurchikhin conducted an observation session with the payload from SM window #9, taking pictures of natural environment targets, including those showing man-made impacts on nature.

Fyodor teamed up with Mikhail Kornienko for several hours to look for and gather the outboard tools the two spacewalkers will need during their upcoming EVA-25 (7/26).

Alex Skvortsov meanwhile conducted another ~30-min photography session for the DZZ-13 “Seiner” ocean observation program, obtaining NIKON D3 photos and SONY HD video data on oceanic water blooms in the waters of North-Western Africa, then copying the images to the RSK-1 laptop.

Mikhail did 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).

Fyodor 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.]

Shannon had ~1h set aside for gathering US spacewalk tools to be used on the upcoming Russian EVA-25.

The CDR had ~1h 15m for more IMS-based cargo transfers from Progress M-06M/38P.

CDR, FE-2, FE-3 & FE-5 had their weekly PMCs (Private Medical Conferences), via S- & Ku-band audio/video, Tracy at ~12:05pm, Mikhail at ~12:30pm, Fyodor at ~1:50pm, Alex at ~2:20pm EDT.

The crew worked out on today’s 2-hr physical exercise protocol on the TVIS treadmill with vibration isolation & stabilization (CDR, FE-3, FE-5), ARED advanced resistive exercise device (CDR, FE-2, FE-4, FE-6), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (FE-2, FE-4) and VELO ergometer bike with bungee cord load trainer (FE-3, FE-5). [T2 currently must undergo a snubber inspection between exercise sessions.]

CEO Crew Earth Observation) photo targets uplinked for today were Bujumbura, Burundi (the small, land-locked, central African country of Burundi is situated on the northeastern shores of the rift-valley lake, Tanganyika. ISS had a late-morning pass in fair weather over the capital, Bujumbura. As it tracked northeastward over northern Lake Tanganyika, the crew was to look just left of track for this city of about one quarter of a million located at the extreme northeast corner of the lake), Dushanbe, Tajikistan (this capital city with a population nearing 750,000 is located in an agricultural area of the western part of the country at the confluence of the Varzob and Kofarnihon Rivers. ISS had a mid-afternoon pass in fair weather over this target. Looking nadir for the city as the station tracked northeastward towards high ranges of Tajikistan), Amman, Jordan (the Jordanian capital of about 2 million sprawls over a high, desert plateau just northeast of the Dead Sea. On this clear, midday pass, looking nadir for this target immediately after tracking northeastward over the sea), Baku, Azerbaijan (the capital city of Azerbaijan is located in the extreme eastern part of the country and situated on the south side of the Abseron Peninsula which juts into the southwestern Caspian Sea. Approach was from the southwest in early afternoon light with fair weather. As ISS approached the coast of the Caspian Sea, the crew was to look just right of track for this city of over 2 million), Rabat, Morocco (the population of the Moroccan capital is estimated to be approaching 1 million. It is located on the Atlantic coast in the northwestern part of the country. ISS had a near nadir pass in clear weather as it tracked northeastward just off the coast at the time), and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (the capital city of the Dominican Republic with a population of 2.2 million lies on the south coast of large Caribbean island of Hispaniola. ISS pass was at midday with partly cloudy conditions expected. As it approached from the southwest at this time, the crew was to look nadir for Santo Domingo).

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 9:40am EDT [= epoch])
Mean altitude – 352.1 km
Apogee height – 359.0 km
Perigee height – 345.1 km
Period — 91.58 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.65 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0010385
Solar Beta Angle — 1.9 deg (magnitude bottoming out)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.72
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours – 65 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) – 66,762

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————–Six-crew operations—————–
07/16/10 — ISS Reboost (Progress 38P) — ~4:25am EDT
07/26/10 — Russian EVA-25 (Yurchikhin/Kornienko) – MRM1 outfitting (~11:25pm-5:25am)
08/05/10 — US EVA-15 (Caldwell/Wheelock)
09/07/10 — Progress M-06M/38P undock
09/08/10 — Progress M-07M/39P launch
09/10/10 — Progress M-07M/39P docking
09/24/10 — Soyuz TMA-18/22S undock/landing (End of Increment 24)
————–Three-crew operations————-
10/08/10 — Soyuz TMA-20/24S launch – Kelly (CDR-26)/Kaleri/Skripochka
10/10/10 — Soyuz TMA-20/24S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
10/26/10 — Progress M-05M/37P undock
10/27/10 — Progress M-08M/40P launch
10/29/10 — Progress M-08M/40P docking
11/01/10 — STS-133/Discovery launch (ULF5 – ELC4, PMM) ~4:33pm EDT“target”
11/10/10 — Russian EVA-26
11/17/10 – Russian EVA-27
11/26/10 — Soyuz TMA-19/23S undock/landing (End of Increment 25)
————–Three-crew operations————-
12/10/10 — Soyuz TMA-21/25S launch – Kondratyev (CDR-27)/Coleman/Nespoli
12/12/10 — Soyuz TMA-21/25S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
12/15/10 — Progress M-07M/39P undock
12/xx/10 — Russian EVA-28
12/26/10 — Progress M-08M/40P undock
12/27/10 — Progress M-09M/41P launch
12/29/10 — Progress M-09M/41P docking
02/02/11 — STS-134/Endeavour (ULF6 – ELC3, AMS-02) ~4:19pm EDT“target”
03/16/11 — Soyuz TMA-20/24S undock/landing (End of Increment 26)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-22/26S launch – A. Borisienko (CDR-28)/R, Garan/A.Samokutayev
04/01/11 — Soyuz TMA-22/26S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
04/26/11 — Progress M-09M/41P undock
04/27/11 — Progress M-10M/42P launch
04/29/11 — Progress M-10M/42P docking
05/16/11 — Soyuz TMA-21/25S undock/landing (End of Increment 27)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/31/11 — Soyuz TMA-23/27S launch – M. Fossum (CDR-29)/S. Furukawa/S. Volkov
06/01/11 — Soyuz TMA-23/27S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
06/21/11 — Progress M-11M/43P launch
06/23/11 — Progress M-11M/43P docking
08/30/11 — Progress M-12M/44P launch
09/01/11 — Progress M-12M/44P docking
09/16/11 – Soyuz TMA-22/26S undock/landing (End of Increment 28)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-24/28S launch
10/02/11 – Soyuz TMA-24/28S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
10/20/11 — Progress M-10M/42P undocking
10/21/11 — Progress M-13M/45P launch
10/23/11 — Progress M-13M/45P docking
11/16/11 — Soyuz TMA-23/27S undock/landing (End of Increment 29)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-25/29S launch
12/02/11 — Soyuz TMA-25/29S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
12/??/11 — 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA – on Proton.
12/26/11 — Progress M-13M/45P undock

SpaceRef staff editor.