NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 16 November 2007
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.
The crew conducted the regular weekly three-hour task of thorough station cleaning. ["Uborka", normally done on Saturdays, includes removal of food waste products, cleaning of compartments with vacuum cleaner, damp cleaning of the Service Module (SM) dining table, other frequently touched surfaces and surfaces where trash is collected, as well as the FE’s sleep station with a standard cleaning solution; also, fan screens and grilles are cleaned to avoid temperature rises. Special cleaning is also done every 90 days on the HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) bacteria filters in the Lab.]
As part of the house cleaning, FE-1 Malenchenko performed preventive maintenance cleaning on the V3 fan screen in the DC1 (Docking Compartment) and on the VPkhO, VdPrK, VPrK and TsV2 fan grilles in the FGB (Funktsionalnyi-Grusovoi Blok).
In preparation for the first data collection session with the CEVIS-based OUM-PFE (Oxygen Uptake Measurement-Periodic Fitness Evaluation) by Whitson & Tani scheduled tomorrow, the CDR broke out and set up the OUM-PFE gear on the HRF-2 (Human Research Facility 2) rack, including the HRF PFM/PAM (Pulmonary Function Module/Photoacoustic Analyzer Module), Mixing Bag System and GDS (Gas Delivery System). [The OUM-PFE experiment, which uses the CEVIS cycle ergometer, demonstrates crewmembers’ capability to perform periodic fitness evaluations with continuous oxygen consumption measurements within 14 days after arrival on ISS, and once monthly during routine PFEs. Once the capability of the pulmonary function system (PFS) to perform PFEs is verified, crewmembers will be able to integrate their monthly PFE with oxygen consumption measurements to fulfill the requirement for cardiovascular fitness evaluations during long-duration space flight.]
After a 15-min familiarization review of reference material, FE-2 Dan Tani had 2.5 hrs reserved for his first test session with the payload SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites). In support of this important experiment, the ground yesterday activated CDRA (Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly). [The SPHERES experiment is a test bed for the development and testing of formation flying and other multi-spacecraft control algorithms. SPHERES, done first by FE-1 Jeff Williams on Expedition 13, serves to mature autonomous satellite formation flight, rendezvous and docking algorithms in a long duration, microgravity environment. Dan set up the Work Area, dimmed GLAs (General Luminaire Assemblies), programmed & deployed two & three gas-propelled satellites (orange, red, blue), with five beacons, and used two PD-100 camcorders for video capture. Per applicable Flight Rule, SPHERES operations have no CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) output constraints if the CDRA (CO2 Removal Assembly) is operating in dual-bed or single-bed mode. Should CDRA not work properly, ECLSS (Environmental Control & Life Support System) engineers will assess the ppCO2 flight rule requirement. The experiment run was time-critical since Ku-band is required for real-time video downlink.]
Also in the “station onboard science research” regime, Dr. Whitson set up the CFE (Capillary Flow Experiments) payload, i.e., unstowing hardware, preparing the Lab MWA (Maintenance Work Area), securing CFE gear on the MWA surface and positioning the camcorder. Afterwards, Peggy conducted a ~2 hrs single-block test run of the CFE-CL1 (Contact Line 1) experiment and later tore down & restowed the hardware.
Peggy and Dan completed their first run with the MedOps WinSCAT (Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool) experiment by logging in on the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) and performing the psychological evaluation exercise on the laptop-based WinSCAT experiment. [WinSCAT is a time-constrained questionnaire test of cognitive abilities, routinely performed by astronauts aboard the ISS every 30 days before or after the PHS (periodic health status) test or on special CDR’s, crewmembers or flight surgeons request.]
Yuri Malenchenko performed the routine servicing of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS) in the SM. [Regular daily SOZh maintenance consists, among else, of replacement of the KTO & KBO solid waste containers and replacement of EDV-SV waste water and EDV-U urine containers. Weekly SOZh reports (on Sundays) to TsUP/Moscow deal with number & dates of water and urine containers, counter readings of water consumption & urine collection, and total operating time of the POTOK air filtration system.]
The crewmembers completed their regular 2.5-hr. physical workout program (about half of which is used for setup & post-exercise personal hygiene) on the CEVIS cycle ergometer (CDR), TVIS treadmill (FE-1, FE-2), RED resistive exerciser (CDR, FE-2) and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer (FE-1).
Afterwards, Dan Tani transferred the crew’s exercise data file to the MEC for downlink.
At ~1:35pm EST, the crew held 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-10 (Station Support Computer 10)].
At ~4:00pm, Yuri Malenchenko is scheduled for a PAO TV downlink to TsUP/Moscow as part of “Space Era Anniversary” features, today in support of the first talk show project “Great Ukrainians” on Channel INTER TV. [Talk show guests include General Director of NKAU/Ukrainian National Space Agency Yuri Alekseev, the first Ukrainian Cosmonaut, Leonid Kadeniuk and the great-grandson of Konstantin E. Tsiolkovsky, Sergey Samburov. Yuri will be answering a number of questions (“Do you perceive yourself as a Ukrainian?”; “Which Ukrainian do you consider to be great?”). Note: Great Ukrainians in the field of spaceflight also include Sergey P. Korolev, M.K. Yangel, and others.]
Plaque Hanging: At 12:50-1:15pm EST, the traditional official plaque hanging took place in ISS Mission Control/Houston for the Increment 15 Plaque.
Russian Solar Array Efficiency Test: At 6:40pm-10:00pm EST, during crew sleep, TsUP/Moscow is scheduled to conduct the periodic SM Solar Array Efficiency Testing. No ISS attitude change from the current +XVV (X-axis in Velocity Vector) will be necessary. [If SNT (Voltage & Current Stabilizer) powerdown between USOS & RS is required, it will be a real-time call.]
Task List Items: Among the items waiting for Whitson & Tani on their discretionary “job jar” list are two audits – of onboard CTBs (Cargo Transfer Bags) and the “stowage rack of the week”, currently the one at LAB1P5 — using a new Audit function introduced with the implementation of the laptop-based IMS 2.0 version on Increment 15. [This function allows the user to setup audits of bags, kits, stowage locations, just about anything that is considered a container, via a special Audit window with a linked Object Properties window.]
CEO (Crew Earth Observation) photo targets uplinked for today were Afar Rift Zone, Ethiopia (this target is located at the northern end of the Great Rift Valley System of east Africa, just inland from the southern end of the Red Sea. In recent years, this region has become increasingly seismically active leading geologists to believe that major visible changes, with potential sea flooding, are possible in the future. Observers are monitoring this area for landscape changes in water bodies, fault lines, and volcanic activity. On this late morning pass the crew tried for a nadir mapping strip from NW to SE), Tin Bider Impact Crater (this 70-million year old impact site is located in central Algeria just south of the extensive sand sea known as the Grand Erg Oriental. On this pass in mid-morning sun the target was just left of track. Since the crater itself is just 6-km in diameter, requested were only context views this time. As ISS approached from the NW, the crew was to locate the southern end of the Erg and try for views of the plateau just to the south), Mississippi Delta Region (this classic, “bird’s foot”, river delta system is a prominent and dynamic feature of the northern Gulf of Mexico. A cold front has just passed, skies should have been clear, and tides were low on this mid-morning pass. As ISS tracked SE-ward across Louisiana, the crew was to locate the Mississippi River and then try mapping the delta area, especially the more dynamic southwestern flank), Volcan de Colima (the Colima volcanic complex is the most prominent volcanic center of the western Mexican Volcanic Belt. It consists of two distinctive volcanoes, Nevado de Colima [the 4320-m-high point of the complex] on the north and the 3850-m-high historically active Volcan de Colima at the south. Weather looked excellent and the view from the station was near nadir, so the crew tried for a long lens view of structural details of this feature. ISS approach was from the NW, over the Mexican coast in mid-morning), and Honolulu, HI (CREW REQUEST: This may have been one of the last opportunities for the crew to find the Hawaiian Islands in adequate light for the next several weeks. Oahu was well right of track to the SW. There probably was some fair weather cumulus at mid-morning. However, with the long lens settings the crew may still have obtained decent detail of Honolulu).
CEO photography can be viewed and studied at the websites:
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov (about 700,000 NASA digital photographs of Earth are downloaded by the public each month from this “Gateway” site);
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/AstronautPhotography
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 8:36am EST [= epoch]):
Mean altitude — 341.0 km
Apogee height — 341.9 km
Perigee height — 340.0 km
Period — 91.35 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0001414
Solar Beta Angle — -2.9 deg (magnitude decreasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.76
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 155 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 51481
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Standard, some changes possible):
11/20/07 — US EVA-11 “Bravo” (Whitson/Tani)
11/24/07 — US EVA-12 “Charlie” (Whitson/Tani)
12/06/07 — STS-122/Atlantis/1E launch — Columbus Module, ICC-Lite
12/08/07 — STS-122/Atlantis/1E docking
12/15/07 — STS-122/Atlantis undocking
12/18/07 — STS-122/Atlantis landing
12/22/07 — Progress M-61/26P undocking (DC1) & reentry
12/23/07 — Progress M-62/27P launch
12/25/07 — Progress M-62/27P docking (DC1)
01/31/08 — ATV-1 “Jules Verne” launch/Ariane V (Kourou, French Guyana)
01/31/08 — 50-Year Anniversary of Explorer 1 (1st U.S. satellite on Redstone rocket) [Check it out at http://usspace50.com/ ]
02/06/08 – Progress M-62/27P undocking
02/07/08 — Progress M-63/28P launch
02/09/08 — Progress M-63/28P docking
02/14/08 — ATV-1 docking (SM aft port)
02/14/08 — STS-123/Endeavour/1J/A launch/1J/A — SLP-SPDM, JEM ELM-PS (NET)
02/16/08 — STS-123/Endeavour/1J/A docking
02/27/08 — STS-123/Endeavour undocking
02/29/08 — STS-123/Endeavour landing
04/08/08 — Soyuz TMA-12/16S launch
04/10/08 — Soyuz TMA-12/16S docking (DC1)
04/19/08 — Soyuz TMA-11/15S undocking (FGB nadir port)
04/23/08 — Soyuz TMA-12/16S relocation (from DC1 to FGB nadir port)
04/24/08 — STS-124/Discovery/1J launch – JEM PM “Kibo”, racks, RMS.
04/26/08 — STS-124/Discovery/1J docking
05/02/08 — STS-124/Discovery/1J undocking
05/14/08 — Progress M-64/29P launch
05/16/08 — Progress M-64/29P docking (DC1)
07/29/08 — ATV-1 undocking (from SM aft port)
08/11/08 — Progress M-64/29P undocking (from DC1)
08/12/08 — Progress M-65/30P launch
08/14/08 — Progress M-65/30P docking (SM aft port)
09/13/08 — Progress M-66/31P launch
09/15/08 — Progress M-66/31P docking (DC1)
09/20/08 — (NET) STS-126/Discovery/ULF2 launch – MPLM(P), LMC
10/01/08 — (NET) STS-126/Discovery/ULF2 undocking.
10/11/08 — Progress M-65/30P undocking (from SM aft port)
10/14/08 — Soyuz TMA-13/17S launch
10/16/08 — Soyuz TMA-13/17S docking (SM aft port)
04/??/09 — Six-person crew on ISS
04/15/09 — Constellation’s Ares I-X Launch.
Note: The daily ISS On-Orbit Status reports can also be found at
