NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 15 April 2011
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.
Upon wake-up, FE-2 Borisenko performed the regular daily check of the aerosol filters at the Russian Elektron O2 (oxygen) 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). [Andrey 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.]
FE-1 Samokutyayev terminated his first experiment session, started last night, for the long-term Russian sleep study MBI-12/Sonokard, taking the recording device from his Sonokard sports shirt pocket and later copying the measurements to the RSE-Med laptop for subsequent downlink to the ground. [Sonokard objectives are stated to (1) study the feasibility of obtaining the maximum of data through computer processing of records obtained overnight, (2) systematically record the crewmember’s physiological functions during sleep, (3) study the feasibility of obtaining real-time crew health data. Investigators believe that contactless acquisition of cardiorespiratory data over the night period could serve as a basis for developing efficient criteria for evaluating and predicting adaptive capability of human body in long-duration space flight.]
Early in the morning, FE-3 Garan concluded his HRF (Human Research Facility) Generic 24-hr urine collection session, started yesterday. Afterwards, Ron underwent the associated blood draw, with FE-5 Nespoli assisting with the phlebotomy as Operator/CMO. FE-3 then set up the RC (Refrigerated Centrifuge) for spinning the samples prior to stowing them in the MELFI, along with the urine specimen. [Generic blood & urine procedures are used which 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 must verify their choice selection before continuing with operations to ensure their specific instruction. Urine samples go into MELFI within 30 minutes after collection. Every individual urine/blood sample tube must be labeled with time of void and Crew ID. Barcodes can be called down, placed in crew notes or the barcode reader can be used. For the blood draw, there is a prior 8-hr fasting requirement, i.e., no food or drink, but water consumption is highly encouraged to ensure proper hydration. Exercise should not be conducted during the 8 hrs prior to the blood draw.]
As part of the crew’s regular morning inspection tour, CDR Kondratyev performed the routine checkup of circuit breakers & fuses in the MRM1 Rassvet & MRM2 Poisk research modules. [The monthly checkup in DC1 (Docking Compartment), MRM1 & MRM2 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 & MRM1 were derived from the DC1 concept and are very similar to it.]
In the DC1, the CDR afterwards tightened the BZV quick release screw clamps of the SSVP docking mechanism on the DC1/Progress 41P StA docking interface, a periodic task.
Afterwards, Kondratyev completed the periodic cleaning of the screen of the BVN air heater fan assembly in the Orbital Module (BO) of the Soyuz 25S (#230) spacecraft, docked at the MRM1 port.
In the DC1. Dmitri also configured the usual pumping equipment (compressor #41, hoses, adapters) and initiated the transfer of urine from 4 EDV-U containers (#829, #876, #924, #835) to the empty BV2 Rodnik storage tank of the Progress M-09M/41P at DC1 Nadir. The transfer equipment was left intact for the next transfer activity. [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.]
Samokutyayev set up and started his 2nd session of the standard 24-hour ECG (electrocardiograph) recording under the Russian MedOps PZE MO-2 protocol. [After the ECG recording and BP (blood pressure) measurements with the Kardiomed system, Dmitri doffed the five-electrode Holter harness that read his dynamic (in motion) heart function from two leads over the past 24 hours, recording data on the “Kardioregistrator 90205” unit. The examination results were then downloaded from the Holter ECG device to the RSE-Med laptop, controlled by the Kardiomed application. Later, the data were downlinked as a compressed .zip-file via OCA.]
Andrey Borisenko completed his first session of the MedOps PZE MO-2 24-hour protocol with ECG & BP measurements.
In the SM (Service Module), Alex performed a 2.5-hr. IFM (Inflight Maintenance) on the EPS (Electrical Power System), removing & replacing the PTAB-1M current converter of the #3 800A battery. The old part was prepared for disposal on Progress 41P. [The ZRU charge/discharge unit #3 was deactivated by TsUP/Moscow beforehand and later reactivated. Each of the eight 800A 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 control unit (BUPT), and three charge/discharge current integrators (MIRT-3).]
Using KPT-2 BAR science instrumentation, FE-2 Borisenko took airflow temperature measurements in the SM with the TTM-2 anemometer-thermometer and Iva-6A thermohygrometer and then photographed nine temperature sensors set up in the SM at various locations, in an attempt to track down the cause of high temperature in the RO (Working Compartment) reported by the crew.
FE-3 Garan retrieved & stowed the four passive FMK (Formaldehyde Monitoring Kit) sampling assemblies, deployed by him on 4/13 in the Lab (at P3, below CEVIS) and SM (at the most forward handrail, on panel 307), to catch any atmospheric formaldehyde on a collector substrate for subsequent analysis on the ground. [Two monitors each are usually attached side by side, preferably in an orientation with their faces perpendicular to the direction of air flow.]
In the ESA COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory), FE-5 Nespoli powered on the PWS1 (Portable Workstation 1) in support of troubleshooting activity by ground engineers at Oberpfaffenhofen. [Paolo needed to verify that the LAPAP laptop application was active after power-on, the DMS (Data Management System) Status indicator was Green and the GPS (Global Positioning System) time was incrementing. After turning the PWS1 off and waiting more than 10 seconds, FE-5 was to power it on again and verify that the LAPAP, DMS and GPS parameters were as before.]
After the missing straight-nozzle grease gun was found recently by Nespoli, Cady Coleman today had 2 hrs set aside for preparing all four grease guns for the upcoming ULF6 EVAs. [Cady equipped them with new MLI (multi-layer insulation), loaded them with grease cartridges and installed tether points on two of them – one straight-nozzle and one J-hook nozzle grease gun.]
Later, Coleman used the Microbiology SSK (Surface Sampling Kit) to collect surface samples at selected sites in Node-1, Node-2, Node-3 and JPM (JEM Pressurized Module). Cady also sampled in the FGB on panels 406 & 408, which have shown some fungal growth in the past.
Samokutyayev conducted 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.]
Borisenko 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).
Kondratyev had 3h50m reserved for trash transfer & loading on Progress 41P. Nespoli gathered US trash & excessed items and transferred them to the DC1 for inclusion in the 41P loading.
Sasha & Andrey meanwhile spent ~1.5 hrs on more cargo unloading from Soyuz 26S and transferring it to the ISS, with IMS logging of the transfers.
Ron Garan & Paolo Nespoli reviewed briefing material on the new EVA prebreathe protocol ISLE (In-Suit Light Exercise) which will be used on STS-134/ULF3 for EVA-3 (and possibly also on EVA-4, depending on real-time decision). This was followed by a 30-min teleconference with ground specialists to discuss ULF6 spacewalk details. [Purpose of ISLE is to denitrogenate the body prior to going to vacuum to prevent DCS (Decompression Sickness), i.e., the same purpose as of all EVA prebreathe protocols (i.e. Campout, CEVIS Exercise, 4 Hr In-Suit). There are different methods to denitrogenate the body to prevent DCS, which lead to different prebreathe protocols, all of which require breathing >95% oxygen. ISLE is derived (but very different) from pre-EVA exercise with CEVIS: it combines mask prebreathe, in-suit prebreathe and “exercise” to prevent DCS, but whereas CEVIS exercise requires non-suited heavy exercise during beginning of mask prebreathe, ISLE requires in-suit light exercise for 50 min during a 100 min EMU prebreathe. CEVIS exercise & ISLE protocols add movement, or exercise, while breathing >95% oxygen, which aids in the denitrogenation process, while the traditional “Campout” and 4-hr in-suit protocols by design do not need the added exercise. During 100 min of ISLE EMU prebreathe, 50 min of light in-suit exercise is required at an RPE >=7 (RPE = Rating of Perceived Exertion, on a scale from 6-20, where 6 is “at rest” and 7 is “extremely light activity”). ISLE has Pros (e.g., saving O2, no Campout, no mask time, etc.) and Cons (e.g., increased prebreathe time, timeline impacts, 20-30 min longer than Campout).]
The three newcomers, FE-1, FE-2 & FE-3, again had their free time for general orientation (adaptation, station familiarization & acclimatization) as is standard daily rule for fresh crewmembers for the first two weeks after starting residence, if they choose to take it.
Before crew sleep time, Paolo & Cady will be the subjects for another PanOptic eye test which requires application of eye drops (Tropicamide [Mydriacyl]) causing eye dilation for subsequent ophthalmic examination, performed by Paolo as CMO (Crew Medical Officer) with an ophthalmoscope on Cady, then by Cady on Paolo. [The procedure, guided by special software on the T61p RoBOT laptop (#1026), captures still & video images of the eye, including the posterior poles, macula & optic disc with the optic nerve, for downlink and expert analysis. Prior to the test, Paolo sets up the equipment including video camera, and afterwards downloads the data, then disassembles & stows the gear.]
At ~3:55am EDT, Dmitri, Alex, Andrey, Paolo & Cady held the regular (nominally weekly) tagup with the Russian Flight Control Team (GOGU/Glavnaya operativnaya gruppa upravleniya), including Shift Flight Director (SRP), at TsUP-Moscow via S-band/audio, phone-patched from Houston and Moscow.
At ~4:30am, CDR & FE-1 linked up with TsUP/Moscow stowage specialists via S-band to conduct the weekly IMS tagup, discussing inventory & stowage issues, equipment locations and cargo transfers.
At ~6:40am, the three Russian crewmembers conducted an audio conference with schoolchildren from Taldom, a district in the Moscow region. [Taldom does a very good job in career guidance for schoolchildren. One of the areas of this activity is based at the Students Activity Center in Toldoma, and it has very close ties with cosmonautics. The Students Activity Center houses Ikar Creative Association, which is involved in aviation and space-rocket model building. Taldom region holds celebration events to commemorate 50th anniversary of first human flight to space.]
At ~10:00am. Garan, Nespoli, Coleman & Kondratyev joined in a 30-min teleconference with ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) specialists on the ground, discussing the upcoming ATV stowage activities beginning next week. [The next two weeks will feature over 30 hrs of ATV ops. There will also be 32 hrs nominal ATV stowage activities on the ULF6 timeline (plus more for 1-2 day mission extension). ATV ops will be finished up after ULF6.]
At ~1:10pm, Coleman conducted her regular IMS stowage conference with Houston stowage specialists.
At ~3:55pm, the six crewmembers are scheduled for their regular weekly tagup with the Lead Flight Director at JSC/MCC-Houston.
The crew worked out with their regular 2-hr physical exercise on the TVIS treadmill (CDR, FE-1, FE-2), ARED advanced resistive exercise device (CDR, FE-3, FE-5, FE-6), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (FE-3, FE-5, FE-6) and VELO ergometer bike with load trainer (FE-1, FE-2).
WRM Update: A new WRM (Water Recovery Management) “cue card” was uplinked to the crew for their reference, updated with their latest CWC (Contingency Water Container) water audit. [The new card (27-0041D) lists 94 CWCs (1,868.4 L total) for the five types of water identified on board: 1. technical water (12 CWCs with 486.9 L, for Elektron electrolysis, incl. 181.9 L in 5 bags containing Wautersia bacteria and 134.2 L in 3 clean bags for contingency use; 2. potable water (no CWCs); 3. iodinated water (70 CWCs with 1,277.6 L for reserve; 4. condensate water (76.6 L in 10 bags incl. 7.1 L in 1 bag to be used only for OGA, plus 5 empty bags); and 5. waste/EMU dump and other (27.3 L in 2 CWCs from hose/pump flush). Wautersia bacteria are typical water-borne microorganisms that have been seen previously in ISS water sources. These isolates pose no threat to human health.]
CEO (Crew Earth Observation) targets uplinked for today were Kerguelen Is., S. Indian Ocean (there may have been a break in the cloud for nadir views of this glacier-capped island near the bottom of the orbit. Cook Glacier on the high west side is the focus of interest. With an area of ~403 km2 it is quoted as “France’s largest glacier” since the islands are parts of France. More than a century ago, for the 1874 transit of Venus, George Bidell Airy of the UK’s Royal Observatory organized five expeditions to different parts of the world, three of which were sent to the Kerguelen Islands), and Levant cities at night (looking left and near nadir for Israel’s coastal cities, Jerusalem, Amman and Damascus.)
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 8:18am EDT [= epoch])
Mean altitude – 349.0 km
Apogee height – 350.9 km
Perigee height – 347.0 km
Period — 91.52 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0002899
Solar Beta Angle — 59.7 deg (magnitude increasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.73
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 171 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) – 71,103
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————–Six-crew operations————-
04/22/11 — Progress M-09M/41P undock ~7:41am EDT
04/26/11 — Progress M-09M/41P deorbit ~9:15am
04/27/11 — Progress M-10M/42P launch
04/29/11 — Progress M-10M/42P docking (DC-1 nadir)
04/29/11 — STS-134/Endeavour launch ULF6 (ELC-3, AMS) ~3:47:49pm EDT
05/01/11 — STS-134/Endeavour docking ~1:31pm
05/13/11 — STS-134/Endeavour landing (KSC) ~9:29am
05/16/11 – Soyuz TMA-20/25S undock/landing (End of Increment 27)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-02M/27S launch – M. Fossum (CDR-29)/S. Furukawa/S. Volkov
06/01/11 — Soyuz TMA-02M/27S docking (MRM1)
————–Six-crew operations————-
06/xx/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)
06/28/11 — STS-135/Atlantis launch ULF7 (MPLM) ~3:30pm EDT NET
06/30/11 — STS-135/Atlantis docking ULF7 (MPLM) NET
07/27/11 – Russian EVA #29
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-03M/28S launch – D.Burbank (CDR-30)/A.Shkaplerov/A.Ivanishin
10/02/11 – Soyuz TMA-03M/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-02M/27S undock/landing (End of Increment 29)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-04M/29S launch – O.Kononenko (CDR-31)/A.Kuipers/D.Pettit
12/02/11 — Soyuz TMA-04M/29S docking (MRM1)
————–Six-crew operations—————-
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)
02/29/12 — ATV3 launch readiness
03/05/12 — Progress M-12M/44P undock
03/16/12 — Soyuz TMA-03M/28S undock/landing (End of Increment 30)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/30/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/30S launch – G.Padalka (CDR-32)/J.Acaba/K.Volkov
04/01/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/30S docking (MRM2)
————–Six-crew operations—————-
05/05/12 — 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA – launch on Proton (under review)
05/06/12 — Progress M-14M/46P undock
05/07/12 — 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) – docking (under review)
05/16/12 — Soyuz TMA-04M/29S undock/landing (End of Increment 31)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/29/12 – Soyuz TMA-06M/31S launch – S.Williams (CDR-33)/Y.Malenchenko/A.Hoshide
05/31/12 – Soyuz TMA-06M/31S docking
————–Six-crew operations—————-
09/18/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/30S undock/landing (End of Increment 32)
————–Three-crew operations————-
10/02/12 — Soyuz TMA-07M/32S launch – K.Ford (CDR-34)/O.Novitskiy/E.Tarelkin
10/04/12 – Soyuz TMA-07M/32S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/16/12 — Soyuz TMA-06M/31S undock/landing (End of Increment 33)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/30/12 — Soyuz TMA-08M/33S launch – C.Hadfield (CDR-35)/T.Mashburn/R.Romanenko
12/02/12 – Soyuz TMA-08M/33S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
03/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-07M/32S undock/landing (End of Increment 34)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-09M/34S launch – P.Vinogradov (CDR-36)/C.Cassidy/A.Misurkin
03/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-09M/34S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
05/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-08M/33S undock/landing (End of Increment 35)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-10M/35S launch – M.Suraev (CDR-37)/K.Nyberg/L.Parmitano
05/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-10M/35S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
09/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-09M/34S undock/landing (End of Increment 36)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-11M/36S launch – M.Hopkins/TBD (CDR-38)/TBD
09/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-11M/36S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-10M/35S undock/landing (End of Increment 37)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-12M/37S launch – K.Wakata (CDR-39)/R.Mastracchio/TBD
11/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-12M/37S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
03/xx/14 – Soyuz TMA-11M/36S undock/landing (End of Increment 38)
————–Three-crew operations————-
