Status Report

NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 16 September 2008

By SpaceRef Editor
September 17, 2008
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NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 16 September 2008
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All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.

Post-Hurricane Ike Update: JSC/MCC-H remains closed. BAT/BCC (BCC Advisory Team/Backup Control Center) have maintained monitoring and commanding through JSC assets.  The BAT handed over to the BCC team at MSFC but remains powered through JSC assets so IPs (International Partners) have telemetry and commanding through the US assets. Communications with ISS are open from JSC (Link 10A), but on single server/string (no redundancy).

CDR Volkov, FE-1 Kononenko and FE-2 Chamitoff began their workday before breakfast with the periodic session of the Russian biomedical routine assessments PZEh-MO-7/Calf Volume Measurement & PZEh-MO-8/Body Mass Measurement, using the IM mass measurement device which Sergey Volkov broke down afterwards for stowage.  &nbsp [Calf measurements (left leg only) are taken with the IZOG device, a custom-sewn fabric cuff that fits over the calf, using the knee and lower foot as fixed reference pints, to provide a rough index of deconditioning in zero-G and effectiveness of countermeasures.  For determining body mass in zero-G, where things are weightless but not massless, the Russian IM "scales" measure the inertial forces that arise during the oscillatory motion of a mass driven by two helical metering springs with known spring constants.  By measuring the time period of each oscillation of the unknown mass (the crewmember) and comparing it to the period of a known mass, the crewmember’s mass is calculated by the computer and displayed.]

Sergey Volkov set up the hardware for the Russian MBI-21 PNEVMOKARD experiment and conducted the session, his fourth, which does not allow moving or talking during data recording. Afterwards, Kononenko had his fourth session.  The experiment is controlled from the RSE-med A31p laptop, equipped with new software, and uses the TENZOPLUS sphygmomanometer to measure arterial blood pressure.&nbsp &nbsp [PNEVMOKARD (Pneumocard) attempts to obtain new scientific information to refine the understanding about the mechanisms used by the cardiorespiratory system and the whole body organism to spaceflight conditions.  By recording (on PCMCIA cards) the crewmember’s electrocardiogram, impedance cardiogram, low-frequency phonocardiogram (seismocardiogram), pneumotachogram (using nose temperature sensors), and finger photoplethismogram, the experiment supports integrated studies of (1) the cardiovascular system and its adaptation mechanisms in various phases of a long-duration mission, (2) the synchronization of heart activity and breathing factors, as well as the cardiorespiratory system control processes based on the variability rate of physiological parameters, and (3) the interconnection between the cardiorespiratory system during a long-duration mission and the tolerance of orthostatic & physical activities at the beginning of readaptation for predicting possible reactions of the crewmembers organism during the their return to ground.]

Volkov and Kononenko also conducted another session with the Russian biomedical MBI-15 "Pilot-M"/NEURO signal response experiment after setting up the workplace and equipment, with Oleg today’s subject and Sergey assisting.   Afterwards, the FE-1 closed out the Pilot-M & Neurolab-2000M experiment and stowed the gear. &nbsp   [MBI-15 requires 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) under stopwatch control, as well as for studying special features of the psychophysiologic response of cosmonauts to the effects of stress factors in flight.]

The CDR performed the periodic maintenance of the active Russian BMP (Harmful Impurities Removal System) by starting the "bake-out" cycle to vacuum on absorbent bed #1 of the regenerable dual-channel filtration system.  The process will be terminated at ~5:15pm EDT and Bed #2 regeneration performed tomorrow.   [Regeneration of each of the two cartridges takes about 12 hours and is conducted only during crew awake periods.  The BMP’s regeneration cycle, normally done every 20 days, is currently performed four times more frequently (last time: 9/8 & 9/9).]

Sergey also completed the periodic (about twice a month) replenishing of the Elektron’s water supply for electrolysis, filling the KOV thermal loops’ EDV container with purified water from CWCs (Contingency Water Containers, #1064, #1074) collected by the U.S. CCAA (Common Cabin Air Assembly) dehumidifier. &nbsp [The 40-minute procedure is specially designed to prevent air bubbles larger than ~10 mm from getting into the BZh Liquid Unit where they could cause Elektron micropump shutdown.]

Gregory Chamitoff had an additional hour set aside for more unpacking and stowing crew provisions delivered on the ATV-1 (Automated Transfer Vehicle), to consolidate like items, reduce wasted stowage space and make room for additional cargo coming up on ULF2. [Provisions include such items as athletic shoes, running shorts, T-shirts, sleep shirts, Nitrile gloves, disinfectant wipes, printer paper, office supplies and gray & Kapton tape. All moves were recorded with the BCR (Bar Code Reader) to update the IMS (Inventory Management System), except for pens and pencils.]

In preparation for tomorrow’s Progress 30P docking, Chamitoff spent time in the COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory) to remove brackets and the FSL (Fluid Science Laboratory) GEOFLOW EC (Experiment Container) in order to prevent its bumping against the bottom of the CEM Upper drawer under the estimated g-load of the docking impact (which could damage shatterable material such as the lamp of the workspace lighting assembly).

In the SM (Service Module), CDR Volkov had almost three hours to work on recovering the KOB2 loop of the Russian SOTR internal thermal control system by replacing its failed 4SPN1 pump panel with a spare unit. Afterwards, the two micro pumps were tested with a manual pump assembly and a pressure gauge. Last 4SPN1 panel replacement: 4/28/08. [Each of the two SOTR KOB loops has two redundant pump panels with two redundant micro pumps each.  While in the early years of Mir and ISS the pumps were integral to the SPN panels, the current design allows them to be replaced without requiring an entire new SPN block.] 

The FE-2 continued the software upgrading on three onboard PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), after their charging,- two with BCR (Barcode Reader) software (replacing the previous “Dolphin” BCRs), the third with WINS (Wireless Network Survey) software. [The loading had to be preceded by powering off the RF LAN (Radio Frequency Local Area Network) Access Point (Proxim) and activation of the new Netgear WAPs (Wireless Access Points) in Node-1 and Node-2.]

Afterwards, Greg moved the wireless card-equipped SSC-14 (Station Support Computer 14) closer to the Node-2 hatch for more signal strength, activated the laptop and disconnected the ISL (Integrated Station OpsLAN) Ethernet “dragthrough” cables from the Node-2 ISL interface panel for stowage.

Chamitoff also looked for the Shuttle BOB (Breakout Box) and verified its readiness with the tools (fuses, test jumper, etc.) needed for upcoming Flowmeter IFM (In-Flight Maintenance) tasks.

Oleg Kononenko took the periodic readings of potentially harmful atmospheric contaminants in the SM, using the CMS (Countermeasure System), a component of the SKDS GANK-4M Real-Time Harmful Contaminant Gas Analyzer suite, today using preprogrammed microchips to measure for Isopropanol (“rubbing alcohol”, C3H8O), Methanol (“wood alcohol”, CH3OH) and Toluene (methylbenzene, C7H8).

After FE-2 Chamitoff set up and configured the usual equipment to downlink Russian analog video signals from the RS (Russian Segment) via streaming video on US Ku-band, he and the FE-1 checked it out with network “ping” tests. The supportive A31p laptop was later turned off again. Purpose of the video setup is to cover tomorrow’s Progress M-65/30P arrival. &nbsp [The equipment involves the KL-211 MPEG-2 Encoder, the RSS1 A31p laptop (for monitoring the digital video) and a U.S. SSC (Station Support Computer) laptop (for converting the analog TV from Russian PAL mode to U.S. NTSC).  Transmission tests with the ground followed (9:45am – 12:45pm EDT), checking out connections and the digital video transmission over JSL/Ethernet plus OCA/Ku-Band to MCC-Houston and from there to Moscow via the ESA Gateway for COL-CC/Oberpfaffenhofen transmission to at TsUP-Moscow, plus transfer of the USOS analog video of the RS ISS video downlink via Streambox 2 to NISN (i.e., the Moscow Ostankino communication hub).]

Kononenko took the periodic photographs of the barley plants growing in the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 ("Plants-2") Lada-13 greenhouse, using the Nikon D2 photo camera with F=17-55 mm lens, then downlinked the images via Regul BSR-TM.

After recharging the SONY HVR-Z1J digital high-definition camcorder’s battery, Oleg downlinked the video footage of “Life on ISS” filmed over the weekend for public viewing (on Russia’s “Vesti” 24 TV news channel in their “Kosmos” segment) to TsUP over RGS (Russian Groundsite) at ~3:50pm EDT. 

In the SM, Sergey completed the routine daily servicing of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS), today as a discretionary job from the “time permitting” task list. &nbsp [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.]

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 CEVIS cycle ergometer (FE-2), TVIS treadmill (CDR, FE-1), RED resistive exercise device (CDR, FE-1, FE-2), and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer (CDR, FE-1).

Later, Oleg transferred the exercise data files to the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) laptop for downlink, including the daily wristband HRM (Heart Rate Monitor) data of the workouts on RED, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).

CDRA Failure Update: Specialists are pursuing a theory that the CSV (CO2 Selector Valve), which selects between the two Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly absorption channels, gets to its latching positions (A/B) OK, but without contacting the position sensor at that position within the time required to produce the proper telemetry reading, thus showing “in transition”, i.e., seemingly being stuck. To test this theory, the ground today was to command CDRA activation after the crew connected the ITCS LTL (Low Temperature Loop) jumper for cooling. If the activation was successful, CDRA was to be operated for two cycles (channel switches) to get the correct timing data on the CSV and to bring down CO2 levels (last night 3.7 mmHg). If unsuccessful, CDRA was to be turned off and the LTL hose taken off again. More to come.

Progress Docking: Progress M-65/30P continues to “hold” in orbit on its Flight Day 7, in a good standby mode configuration. At ~3:22pm today, the spacecraft is to perform a small phasing boost (DV5, 4 m/s). Docking, originally scheduled on 9/12, has been deferred until tomorrow (9/17), see timeline below. To prepare for the docking and the associated reduction in solar array output, Flight Controllers are setting up a series of commands for power-downs on board (mostly shell heaters), power reconfigurations and attitude control handovers from CMGs (Control Moment Gyroscopes) to RS (Russian Segment) thrusters & back.

Timeline for Progress 30P Rendezvous & Docking on 9/17 (all times EDT):

  • ISS attitude handover to RS 11:10am
  • ISS mnvr to dock attitude 12:20-1:00pm
  • Progress Kurs-A Activation (T1) 1:08:30pm
  • SM Kurs-P Activation (T1) 1:10 :30pm
  • Good Kurs-P data at 80 km 1:34:24pm
  • Kurs-A/Kurs-P Short Test @ 15km 1:55pm
  • Range = 9km – VHF-2 activation 2:00pm
  • Range = 8km – Progress TV act. 2:00:44pm
  • AR&D Flyaround mode start 2:17:17pm
  • AR&D Stationkeeping start 2:26:17pm
  • AR&D Final Approach start 2:34pm
  • Local Sunrise 2:35:46pm
  • RGS AOS 2:41pm
  • 30P Docking at SM aft port 2:43pm
  • Local Sunset 3:04pm
  • ISS mnvr to US momentum mgmt. 3:03-3:43pm
  • ISS attitude handover to USOS 4:25pm.

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).

ISS Orbit  (as of this morning, 8:32am EDT [= epoch]):
Mean altitude — 352.9 km
Apogee height — 357.6 km
Perigee height — 348.2 km
Period — 91.60 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0006994
Solar Beta Angle — 53.7 deg (magnitude increasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.72
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 36 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 56290

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time, some changes possible.):
09/17/08 — Progress M-65/30P docking (~2:43pm EDT)
09/29/08 — ATV de-orbit (nighttime re-entry for observation from 2 NASA planes; 9:12pm)
10/01/08 — NASA 50 Years (official)
10/10/08 — STS-125/Atlantis Hubble Space Telescope Service Mission 4 (SM4) 12:33am
10/11/08 — Progress M-65/30P undocking (from SM aft)
10/12/08 — Soyuz TMA-13/17S launch (~3:03am EDT; Lonchakov, Fincke, Garriott)
10/14/08 — Soyuz TMA-13/17S docking (FGB nadir port, ~4:51am)
10/23/08 — Soyuz TMA-12/16S undocking (DC1 nadir) & landing
11/12/08 — STS-126/Endeavour/ULF2 launch – MPLM Leonardo, LMC
11/14/08 — STS-126/Endeavour/ULF2 docking
11/20/08 — ISS 10 Years
11/25/08 — Progress M-65/30P undocking & deorbit
11/26/08 — Progress M-66/31P launch
11/30/08 — Progress M-66/31P docking
02/09/09 — Progress M-66/31P undocking & deorbit
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
02/14/09 — STS-119/Discovery/15A docking
02/24/09 — STS-119/Discovery/15A undocking
02/26/09 — STS-119/Discovery/15A landing (nominal)
03/25/09 — Soyuz TMA-14/18S launch
03/27/09 – Soyuz TMA-14/18S docking (DC1)
04/05/09 — Soyuz TMA-13/17S undocking
04/07/09 — Progress M-67/32P undocking & deorbit
05/15/09 — STS-127/Endeavour/2J/A launch – JEM EF, ELM-ES, ICC-VLD
05/25/09 — Soyuz TMA-15/19S launch
05/27/09 — Six-person crew on ISS (following Soyuz 19S docking)
07/30/09 — STS-128/Atlantis/17A – MPLM(P), last crew rotation
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).

SpaceRef staff editor.