NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 17 August 2008

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Sunday – rest day for CDR Volkov, FE-1 Kononenko & FE-2 Chamitoff. Ahead: Week 18 of Increment 17.

Gregory Chamitoff started out with the week-long experiment SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight), using payload software for data logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop. [To monitor the crewmember’s sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Chamitoff wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew’s discretionary “job jar” task list.]

The FE-2 had three hours reserved for the regular weekly station cleaning in the USOS (US Segment) which wasn’t scheduled yesterday alongside the RS (Russian Segment) “uborka” housecleaning by his two crewmates.

Greg re-worked the “ghosting” of the SAMS ICU (Space Acceleration Measurement System/Interim Control Unit) laptop hard drive in the LAP2 Rack with new software image/structure. [The ICU stalled out yesterday during the uploading, and new instructions were uplinked overnight.]

CDR Volkov meanwhile performed the periodic service 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, and to terminate the process at ~3:30pm EDT, with Bed #2 regeneration to follow 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 more frequently to remove any lingering Freon-218 from the cabin atmosphere (last time: 8/5 & 8/6)];

Sergey conducted the routine daily servicing of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS) in the Service Module (SM), including the weekly collection of the toilet flush (SP) counter and water supply (SVO) readings for calldown to TsUP-Moscow. [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 CDR also checked up on the Russian POTOK-150MK (150 micron) decontamination filter unit of the SM’s SOGS air revitalization subsystem, gathering weekly data on Total Operating Time & “On” durations for reporting to TsUP-Moscow.

The three station residents 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).

As per the Russian voluntary “time permitting” task list, Oleg performed the regular status check on the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 ("Plants-2") experiment which researches growth and development of plants (peas) under spaceflight conditions in the Lada-13 greenhouse from IBMP (Institute of Bio-Medical Problems {Russian: IMBP}) and recharged its water tank.

A new suggested job for Gregory on the U.S. crewmember’s-choice “job jar” task list was to check out the BIOLAB ESEM3-2 (Exchangeable Standard Electronic Module 3-2) power board in the Columbus laboratory preparatory to the troubleshooting activities planned by ESA to recover all BIOLAB functionalities.

Meanwhile, “Cycle 11” software transition checkouts of Columbus systems are continuing, by ground control only.

As generally every day now, starting at ~9:00am and running until 3:00pm, the US CDRA (Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly) was activated intermittently for two half-cycles to control ppCO2 levels. In this configuration for the daily ops, connecting & disconnecting the ITCS (Internal Thermal Control System) cooling loop is not required. [A forward plan is in work for cycling the CSV (CO2 Selector Valve) to prevent its sticking.]

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).

Week 18 Scheduled Main Activities:

• Mon. (8/18): MO-7/MO-8 (all); BMP ch.2 regen; MO-1; ATV transfers; SHERE session; RED+Accessories inspect; EMU Battery 2071 discharge (BSA Ops).
• Tue. (8/19): AED Defib inspect; 85 Day Maint Initiate for EMU Battery 2071; VHF Emergency Comm Checkout; Rack Hardware Installation Prep; MO-9; NOA1; CSA-CP maint.; SSVP BZV docking & internal transfer system/screw clamps ops.
• Wed. (8/20): ANITA deactivation & stow; Ku-Band Forward Receiver Relocation & Checkout; Ground Strap/Pivot Fitting install in JPM; MO-10 (all); PFE-OUM setup & prep.
• Thu. (8/21): LULIN dosimeter placement; EMU Battery maint.; PFE-OUM ops; BKS cabling outfit for Zveno (Link) unit; DOUG revw/prep for JEMRMS Checkout #4; COL Cycle 11 transition for PWS-1; WRM/CWC water audit.
• Fri. (8/22): EMU batt. #2073 maint.; BKS cabling for Zveno (Link); Install new Zveno unit in ZVK LIV exp. video complex; RSE-2 laptop set-up for Zveno; PEPS inspect/checkout; Elektron BZh unit #56 leak check; Elektron On; JEMRMS Checkout #4; GANK & CDMK reading; Progress M-64 SSVP-StM docking mechanism install.

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 9:18am EDT [= epoch]):
Mean altitude — 356.0 km
Apogee height — 361.6 km
Perigee height — 350.4 km
Period — 91.66 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0008351
Solar Beta Angle — -38.1 deg (magnitude increasing, approaching peak)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.71
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 31 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 55819

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time, some changes possible.):
09/02/08 — Progress M-64/29P undocking, from FGB nadir
09/07/08 — ATV1 undocking, from SM aft port (loiter until 9/29 for nighttime reentry/observation)
09/10/08 — Progress M-65/30P launch
09/12/08 — Progress M-65/30P docking (SM aft)
10/01/08 — NASA 50 Years (official)
10/08/08 — STS-125/Atlantis Hubble Space Telescope Service Mission 4 (SM4)
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) or 10/24?
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
11/25/08 — 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).