NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 18 April 2009
ISS On-Orbit Status 04/18/09
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Saturday – half-duty day for CDR Padalka, FE-1 Barratt, FE-2 Wakata.
Barratt & Wakata began the second day of their session with the NASA/JSC experiment NUTRITION w/Repository, after the 8-hr overnight fast. This was an all-day session, the second for both, of urine sample collections for both several times until termination tomorrow after 24 hrs. Barratt also assisted the FE-2 in his blood draw. Dr. Mike’s phlebotomy (blood sample collection) from an arm vein is scheduled tomorrow. [The NUTRITION project is the most comprehensive in-flight study done by NASA to date of human physiologic changes during long-duration space flight. It includes measures of bone metabolism, oxidative damage, nutritional assessments, and hormonal changes, expanding the previous Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile (MR016L) testing in three ways: Addition of in-flight blood & urine collection (made possible by supercold MELFI dewars), normative markers of nutritional assessment, and a return session plus 30-day (R+30) session to allow evaluation of post-flight nutrition and implications for rehabilitation.]
Wakata started the day with the daily download of the overnight data of the SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment from his Actiwatch to the HRF-1 (Human Research Facility 1) laptop as part of another week-long session with SLEEP, his second.
The crew performed the regular weekly three-hour task of thorough station cleaning. [“Uborka”, usually done on Saturdays, includes removal of food waste products, cleaning of compartments with vacuum cleaner, damp cleaning of the SM (Service Module) 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, Padalka conducted regular maintenance inspection & cleaning on fan screens in the FGB (TsV2), DC1 (V3), and SM (VPkhO, VPrK, FS5, FS6 & FS9), with replacement of dust filters in the DC1.
The CDR also did the periodic maintenance of the Russian POTOK-150MK (150 micron) air purification subsystems in the SM and FGB by cleaning the pre-filters with a vacuum cleaner with narrow nozzle attachment and later restarting the POTOK in automatic mode.
Barratt performed the daily procedure of flushing the PWD (Potable Water Dispenser) ambient line with ~50mL of water (into a towel/Ziploc bag). PWD water is currently cleared only for hygienic use. [While final analysis of the PWD sample results on the ground is still pending, experts recommend keeping water flowing in the line daily to help control microbial growth. The flushing will be done daily unless at least this amount has been dispensed for other activities during the day.]
Dr. Mike also did the daily status check on the BCAT-4 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test-4) science payload, running by itself since 4/3. [The status check, conducted on the last image taken by the DCS 760 digital still camera which is controlled by EarthKAM software on an A31p laptop, is to verify proper image focus and camera alignment. The SSC (Station Support Computer) is taking photography of the phase separation occurring in the BCAT Sample 3, with the photo flash going off every half hour.]
For his VolSci (Voluntary Weekend Science) program today, Barratt conducted his second session with the BISE (Bodies in the Space Environment) experiment, setting up the video camcorder for recording the activity, configuring the “Neurospat” hardware and activating the BISE software on its A31p SSC (Station Support Computer) laptop. Barratt then had ~40 min for completing the experiment protocol. [The CSA (Canadian Space Agency)-sponsored BISE experiment studies how astronauts perceive Up and Down in microgravity. The test involves having subjects view a computer screen through a cylinder that blocks all other visual information. The astronauts will be presented with background images with different orientations relative to their bodies. On top of these images will be superimposed a letter that could be either a “p” or a “d” depending on its orientation. They will indicate which letter they see and the scientists will measure the transition points where the letters change from a “p” to a “d” and back again. The angle between those two are then taken as the perceptual Upright, and researchers can alter that perceptual Upright by changing body orientation or visual orientation. After Barratt’s runs, the study will be also conducted by Canadian astronaut Dr. Robert (Bob) Thirsk, the CDR of Increment 20/21. Launching in June 2009, this mission will mark a milestone of Canada’s Manned Space Program as Thirsk takes part in the first-ever long-duration mission and research flight to the ISS.]
The FE-1 filled out the regular weekly FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire) on the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer), his third. [On the FFQs, NASA astronauts keep a personalized log of their nutritional intake over time on special MEC software. Recorded are the amounts consumed during the past week of such food items as beverages, cereals, grains, eggs, breads, snacks, sweets, fruit, beans, soup, vegetables, dairy, fish, meat, chicken, sauces & spreads, and vitamins. The FFQ is performed once a week to estimate nutrient intake from the previous week and to give recommendations to ground specialists that help maintain optimal crew health. Weekly estimation has been verified to be reliable enough that nutrients do not need to be tracked daily.]
CDR Padalka meanwhile performed 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.]
The crew performed their regular daily 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), ARED advanced resistive exercise device (FE-1, FE-2), and VELO with bungee cord load trainer (CDR). [The CEVIS (Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation), which had shown anomalous workload indications, is currently “No-Go” as engineers are developing a forward plan for an inspection of its internals. All CEVIS exercise is being replaced with TVCIS exercise for the near term.]
Afterwards, Dr. Mike transferred the exercise data file to the MEC for downlink, including the daily wristband HRM (Heart Rate Monitor) data of the workouts on ARED, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).
Gennady had three new items on his Russian discretionary “time permitting” task list for today, leading off with a session of the GFI-8 “Uragan” (hurricane) earth-imaging program, using the NIKON D2X digital camera to take 800mm-lens telephotos for subsequent downlinking on the BSR-TM payload data channel. [Uplinked targets for today were the Western slopes of the Carpathian Mountains, the City of Uzhgorod, Lake Sevan, Lake Urmia and volcanoes, general views of the Zagros Mountains stretched along the Persian Gulf, Swiss Alps, Allaline Glacier, towns on the eastern seaboard of Italy after the earthquake, the largest volcanoes of Peru, Volcano Huascaran, Kuril Islands, the Kronotsky Preserve in the eastern part of Kamchatka, Uzon Caldera with geysers and mud volcanoes.]
The second voluntary task for Padalka was to search for and prepare the hardware of the ESA cardiological experiment CARD (Long Term Microgravity: A Model for Investigating Mechanisms of Heart Disease), specifically the Russian CDL Holter Arterial Blood Pressure (BP) instrument and batteries for powering it. [CARD was performed last by ESA crewmember Thomas Reiter in November 2006. Astronauts experience lowered blood volume and pressure during space missions due to relaxation of the cardiovascular system in microgravity which may be a result from decreased fluid and sodium in the body. CARD examines the relationship between salt intake and the cardiovascular system when exposed to the microgravity environment and explores whether blood pressure & volume can be restored to the same levels that were measured during groundbased measurements by adding additional salt to the crew’s food. Results from this may lead to new health safety measures for astronauts to protect them on long duration missions.]
As third task item, the CDR conducted another session for Russia’s Environmental Safety Agency (EKON), making observations and taking KPT-3 aerial photography of environmental conditions on earth using the Nikon D2X with the SIGMA 300-800mm telephoto lens. [Today’s target: the seasonal Volga Delta flooding, to compare with images taken on 4/12.]
At ~4:00am, Padalka set up the SM’s amateur radio equipment (Kenwood TM-D700 VHF transceiver with manual frequency selection, headset, and power supply) and conducted a ham radio session with attendants at the Volga Region Space Education Center in Nizhniy Novgorod, about 250 people from 17 cities of Russia participating in the Twelfth Readings in Memory of S. A. Kaplan and in preparation for the 50th Anniversary of Yu. A. Gagarin’s flight (2011).
At ~7:00am, Gennady supported a TsUP-Moscow PAO event, downlinking a phone message of greetings to the trainees of the sailing school ship “Kruzenshtern”. [The international trans-Atlantic expedition of the renowned training sailing ship Krusenstern will begin in Kaliningrad on 4/19. In the course of this expedition 150 trainees and apprentices will undergo the Sea School training and participate in the international sail boat regatta “Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge”.]
At ~10:00am EDT, the crew conducted their regular WPC (Weekly Planning Conference) with the ground, discussing next week’s “Look-Ahead Plan” (prepared jointly by MCC-Houston and TsUP-Moscow timeline planners) via S-band/audio, reviewing the monthly calendar, upcoming activities, and any concerns about future on-orbit events.
At ~4:20pm, Mike Barratt is scheduled for his weekly PFC (Private Family Conference) via S-band/audio and Ku-band/MS-NetMeeting application (which displays the uplinked ground video on an SSC laptop).
CEVIS Troubleshooting: Engineers need additional data to analyze the CEVIS (Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation) anomaly. One data take, with the CCC (CEVIS Contingency Controller) is scheduled on 4/21, with close-up video coverage. On 4/23, CCC and Control Panel will be swapped prior to an exercise run. An IFM (Inflight Maintenance) is also planned on 4/23.
SSRMS “Runaway” Event: During the FMA (Force Moment Accommodation) checkout on 4/17, the SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator System) exhibited an unexpected small motion without crew commanding by moving ~10 cm in the Y-axis on its own. Further FMA OCR (On-orbit Checkout Requirement) testing has been discontinued until the behavior is understood. No apparent damage was done, and the SSRMS was backed away from the grapple fixture.
Conjunction Advisory: A conjunction with space debris (Object 12497, Atlas Centaur rocket body) is being tracked for a close approach on 4/20 (Monday); TCA (Time of Closest Approach): 12:37am EDT. Miss distance overall: 4.4 km; radial: 0.3 km. Go/NoGo decision time for DAM (Debris Avoidance Maneuver) NLT: 4/19,1:07am EDT); maneuver cancellation decision NLT: 4/19, 7:11pm EDT.
Weekly Science Update (Expedition Nineteen — Week 2)
3-D SPACE: Ongoing. First session for Mike Barratt has been rescheduled to 4/20.
AgCam (Agricultural Camera): “This was a very exciting week for the AgCam team at the University of North Dakota. After many years of development and preparation for operations, the AgCam team of students and faculty were very happy to be able to work within their newly commissioned AgCam Science Operation Center on campus, supporting the POIC and the crew as they began the complex task of AgCam Setup and Activation. Assembly of AgCam is a complex task, made even more so by the use of several station parts and components, and interfaces with the ISS vehicle that are unique to this payload. Mike, you made a lot of progress on the AgCam setup activities. The UND team wishes to thank you for a job well done and join your NASA colleagues in wishing you a very happy birthday! Next week we anticipate your completion of AgCam Setup and Activation, after which AgCam can begin its on-orbit checkout activities and start collecting its first calibration images. This will allow the AgCam team to start providing operational images to farmers, ranchers, and others of the region in time for the start of the growing season, which begins in May.
ALTCRISS (Alteino Long Term monitoring of Cosmic Rays on the ISS): Complete.
ALTEA DOSI (NASA/ASI): Standing by.
BCAT-3/4 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test 3/4): Reserve.
Biological Rhythms (JAXA): Ongoing. Two runs are for Barratt, two are planned for De Winne.
BISE (CSA, Bodies in the Space Environment): Ongoing.
BISPHOSPHONATES: Complete.
CARDIOCOG-2: Complete.
CCISS (Cardiovascular & Cerebrovascular Control on Return from ISS): “Mike, thanks for completing your first CCISS session. We appreciate your help in locating a razor and replacing the electrodes to ensure good data collection. Your next session is currently being targeted for the week of 5/18.”
CFE (Capillary Flow Experiment): Reserve.
CSI-3/CGBA-5 (CGBA Science Insert #2/Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 5): Complete. The CSI-03 Experiment of Butterflies and Spiders in space returned on STS 119. Development and testing of the follow on experiment, CSI-03 Resupply, is currently underway and scheduled for an August launch.
CGBA-2 (Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 2): Complete.
CIR (Combustion Integrated Rack): Ongoing.
CSLM-2 (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures 2): Complete.
Commercial 2 (JAXA): Cosmo Flower mission was completed by Wakata (slipped from I-18)
CW/CR (Cell Wall/Resist Wall) in EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System): Complete.
DomeGene (JAXA): Complete.
EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students): Complete.
EDR (European Drawer Rack): The rack is continuously active in support of the PCDF (Protein Crystallization Diagnostic Facility) experiment. EDR is providing power/data and temperature control (via cooling loop) to PCDF. There were three anomalies on EDR 4/12, the EDR outlets went off and PCDF lost power. This anomaly reoccurred during recovery. EDR was eventually successfully recovered.
ELITE-S2 (Elaboratore Immagini Televisive – Space 2): Planned.
ENose (Electronic Nose): Operating.
EPM (European Physiology Module): Underway.
EPO (Educational Payload Operations): Reserve.
EPO J-Astro Report (JAXA): Manuscripts for Website are regularly received and uploaded on the web.
EPO Space Clothes (JAXA): Space Clothes activity was completed by Wakata (slipped from I-18).
EPO Hiten (JAXA): Slipped from I-18.
EPO Spiral Top (JAXA): Slipped from I-18.
ETD (Eye Tracking Device): Completed.
EuTEF (European Technology Exposure Facility): Platform nominal. DOSTEL, EXPOSE, FIPEX, MEDET: On-going science acquisition – nominal; DEBIE-2: the instrument continues to generate empty science packets at regular intervals (of 30 to 34hrs). Science acquisition is pursued with regular power cycling of the instrument (work-around). EVC: no activities
FACET (JAXA): “Experiment running smoothly. Beautiful crystallization images were downloaded.”
FSL (Fluid Science Laboratory): MMA (Microgravity Measurement Apparatus) measurements started on 4/15 for 24 hours.
GEOFLOW: Aborted. “The return of the Experiment Container is confirmed with 15A.”
HDTV System (JAXA): To be launched by HTV1.
Holter (JAXA): One of two sessions for FE-2 is slipped from Increment 18. Scheduled on 5/21.
HQPC (JAXA): To be launched by 34P.
ICE CRYSTAL (JAXA): Complete.
IMMUNO (Neuroendocrine & Immune Responses in Humans During & After Long Term Stay at ISS): Complete.
InSPACE-2 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions 2): Complete.
Integrated Immune: Complete.
KUBIK-FM1/ KUBIK-FM2 Centrifuge/Incubators: Completed.
LOCAD-PTS (Lab-on-a-Chip Application Development-Portable Test System): Completed.
Marangoni Experiment for ISS in JAXA FPEF (Fluid Physics Experiment Facility): In progress.
MAXI (JAXA): Exposed Payload, to be launched on 2JA.
Micro-G Clay (JAXA EPO): Complete.
MISSE (Materials ISS Experiment): Ongoing.
Moon Photography from ISS (JAXA EPO): One run performed on the last day of Increment 18.
MSG-SAME (Microgravity Science Glovebox): Complete.
MTR-2 (Russian radiation measurements): Passive dosimeters measurements in DC1 “Pirs”.
MULTIGEN-1: Completed.
NOA-1/-2 (Nitric Oxide Analyzer, ESA): Complete.
NUTRITION w/REPOSITORY: Ongoing.
PADLES (JAXA, Area PADLES 3; Passive Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiment in Space): Continuing radiation dose accumulation.
PCDF-PU (Protein Crystallization Diagnostic Facility – Process Unit): On 4/12, the script for the growth cycle (EP4 Cycle 2) was interrupted by the EDR anomalies. Power was lost for a total of 7h 30m and in these periods no images were taken and the temperature of the Process Unit (PU) was not controlled. After analysing the data the science team decided to proceed with the rest of the cycle without repeating it. The EP4Cycle3 growth cycle was started on 4/15 in the same reactor. It is expected to end on 4/22.
PCRF (Protein Crystallization Research Facility) Reconfiguration (JAXA): Complete.
PMDIS (Perceptual Motor Deficits in Space): Complete.
POLCA/GRAVIGEN (ESA): Complete.
RadGene & LOH (JAXA): Complete.
SAMS/MAMS (Space & Microgravity Acceleration Measurement Systems): Ongoing.
SAMPLE: Complete.
SEDA-AP (JAXA): Exposed Payload,- to be launched by 2JA.
SHERE (Shear History Extensional Rheology Experiment): Complete.
SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight): “Koichi, you are currently completing your first week of sleep logging for this increment. You will have one more required week of sleep logging to complete. Thanks for participating. The next Sleep download/initialization session is scheduled for 4/20. Mike, you will be downloading I-18 CDR, 18S FE1, and 15A FE2 Actiwatches and then initializing 18S FE1 and 15A FE2 Actiwatches.”
SMILES (JAXA): Exposed Payload, to be launched by HTV1.
SOLAR (Solar Monitoring Observatory): Currently out of sun visibility, thus on Feeder#2.. It was powered to Feeder#1 to allow for SOLSPEC calibration activities on 4/15. Afterwards the platform was put back on Feeder#2. The next sun visibility window is predicted to start on 4/18.
SOLO (Sodium Loading in Microgravity): Experiment completed by Mike Fincke. Blood and urine samples are now stowed in MELFI for return on 2J/A.
SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellite): Reserve.
SPICE (Smoke Point In Co-flow Experiment): Reserve.
Swab (Characterization of Microorganisms & Allergens in Spacecraft): Complete.
TRAC (Test of Reaction & Adaptation Capabilities): Planned.
ULTRASOUND: Planned.
VLE (Video Lessons ESA): VLE-1 completed.
WAICO #1/#2 (Waving and Coiling of Arabidopsis Roots at Different g-levels): Complete/Planned (2J/A Stage).
CEO (Crew Earth Observations): “Through 4/13, the ground has received a total of 1,403 of ISS CEO imagery for review and cataloguing. Imagery tagged as Increment 19 began on 4/8. “Both the composition and long-lens focus of your imagery are excellent for so early in your increment. You have also demonstrated very good mapping technique in many of your sessions. Keep up the good work. So far, we have identified useful imagery of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota and Ankara, Turkey. We appreciate your diligence in attempting to acquire the numerous targets we have been requesting. We also see that we need to work harder to develop descriptions and related imagery to improve your success in locating our targets. You are off to a promising start for supporting our payload. Thanks!”
CEO (Crew Earth Observation) photo targets uplinked for today were Delhi, India (Capital city. Nadir pass. Due to reported dust haze, the crew may not have been be able to see the target on approach until they were close and had a near-vertical view. The city is a gray mass on the banks of the large Yamuna River, the visual cue from orbit), Washington, D. C. (Capital city. Looking right of track in the angle between the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River, the major visual cues from space), Central Algeria Megafans (the crew was to shoot a mapping pass right of track for ~30 seconds to document detail of a series of “inland deltas” formed by desert rivers), South Tibesti Megafans, Chad (the crew was asked to shoot a mapping pass left of track for ~30 seconds to document similar “inland deltas” on the south side of the Tibesti Mts.), Teide Volcano, Canary Islands (the volcano occupies most of the triangular island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Detailed images at right of track to show geological layers in the interior walls of the crater were requested. The volcano may have been observed erupting by Christopher Columbus), Red River floods, N. Dakota (Dynamic event. Breaks in cloud may have allowed the crew to image this high-interest target, looking right. The Red River of North Dakota is flooding for a second time. Recent dramatic CEO imagery of floods on the Red River shows black floodwaters against a snowy landscape), and “Sky Islands,” Mexico (the crew was asked to shoot general contextual views looking obliquely left of track, focusing on the dark green forested mountain tops of the Sierra Madre. These high elevations are considered ecological islands because they are cooler and moister than the intervening desert floors and support very different associations of life forms as a result).
CEO photography can be studied at this “Gateway” website:
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov (as of 9/1/08, this database contained 770,668 views of the Earth from space, with 324,812 from the ISS alone).
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 8:38am EDT [= epoch])
Mean altitude — 352.5 km
Apogee height – 358.2 km
Perigee height — 346.7 km
Period — 91.59 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0008582
Solar Beta Angle — -27.6 deg (magnitude decreasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.72
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 74 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 59656
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time, some changes possible!):
05/06/09 — Progress 32P undocking & deorbit
05/07/09 — Progress 33P launch
05/12/09 — STS-125/Atlantis Hubble Space Telescope Service Mission 4 (SM4) – 9:58am EDT
05/12/09 — Progress 33P docking
05/27/09 — Soyuz TMA-15/19S launch
05/29/09 — Soyuz TMA-15/19S docking (FGB nadir)
06/05/09 — Russian EVA-22
06/10/09 — Russian EVA-23
06/13/09 — STS-127/Endeavour/2J/A launch – JEM EF, ELM-ES, ICC-VLD
Six-person crew on ISS
07/17/09 — Progress 33P undock & deorbit
07/20/09 — Soyuz TMA-14/18S relocation (to DC1)
07/24/09 — Progress 34P launch
07/26/09 — Progress 34P docking (SM aft)
08/06/09 — STS-128/Discovery/17A – MPLM (P), LMC
09/01/09 — H-IIB (JAXA HTV-1) — tentative
11/10/09 — Soyuz 5R/MRM2 (Russian Mini Research Module, MIM2) on Soyuz — tentative
11/12/09 — STS-129/Atlantis/ULF3 – ELC1, ELC2
12/10/09 — STS-130/Endeavour/20A – Node-3 + Cupola — tentative
02/11/10 — STS-131/Atlantis/19A – MPLM(P), LMC — tentative
04/08/10 — STS-132/Discovery/ULF4 – ICC-VLD, MRM1 — tentative
05/31/10 — STS-133/Endeavour/ULF5 – ELC3, ELC4 — tentative
12/XX/11 — Proton 3R/MLM w/ERA.
