NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 19 December 2010

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Sunday – Crew rest day. Ahead: Week 4 of Increment 26.

>>>>Today 38 years ago (1972), Apollo 17 returned safely with CDR Gene Cernan, LMP Jack Schmitt & CMP Ron Evans, concluding America’s sixth and last lunar landing mission.<<<< The crew’s wake/sleep cycle has returned to “normal” (awake 1:00am-4:30pm EST). FE-2 Skripochka conducted the regular daily early-morning check of the aerosol filters at the Russian Elektron O2 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). [Oleg 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.] CDR Kelly continued his current week-long activity with the post-wakeup experiment SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight), Scott’s 4th session, transferring data from his Actiwatch to the HRF-1 (Human Research Facility 1) laptop. [To monitor their sleep/wake patterns and light exposure during a SLEEP session, US crewmembers wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him/her as well as their patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition, using the payload software for data logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment’s laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days.] Also at wake-up, Scott performed another session of the Reaction Self Test (Psychomotor Vigilance Self Test on the ISS) protocol, his second day of the upcoming sleep shift sequence. [RST is done twice daily (after wakeup & before bedtime) for 3 days prior to the sleep shift, the day(s) of the sleep shift and 5 days following a sleep shift. The experiment consists of a 5-minute reaction time task that allows crewmembers to monitor the daily effects of fatigue on performance while on ISS. The experiment provides objective feedback on neurobehavioral changes in attention, psychomotor speed, state stability, and impulsivity while on ISS missions, particularly as they relate to changes in circadian rhythms, sleep restrictions, and extended work shifts.] Kelly, Skripochka, Kaleri, Kondratyev, Nespoli & Coleman completed the regular weekly three-hour task of thorough cleaning of their home, including COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory) and Kibo JPM (JEM Pressurized Module). [“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 sleep stations 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 uborka house cleaning, Alex, Oleg & Dmitri conducted regular maintenance inspection & cleaning of fan screens in the FGB (TsV2) plus the BMP Harmful Contaminants Removal System grille and Group E fan grilles (VPkhO, FS5, FS6, VP) in the SM (Service Module). Alex Kaleri completed 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.] Later, Oleg Skripochka performed the regular maintenance of the Russian POTOK-150MK (150 micron) air purification subsystems (UOV) in the SM & FGB, cleaning the pre-filters with a vacuum cleaner with narrow nozzle attachment and later restarting POTOK in automatic mode. CDR Kelly performed the periodic camera setup status check on the running BCAT-5 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test-5) with Sample 2. Exp-26 newcomers Cady, Paolo & Dmitri had 2.5 hrs of free time each 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. After charging the SONY HVR-Z7E HD camcorder battery, the three Russian flight engineers used the camera for shooting a PAO video discussing their thoughts after viewing a Soyuz-delivered new Russian movie called “Yolki” (Christmas Trees), to be used by the movie makers. [Producer and one of the movie directors is Timur Bekmambetov.] The “old” crew completed today’s physical workout regime on the TVIS treadmill with vibration isolation & stabilization (FE-1, FE-2), ARED advanced resistive exerciser (CDR), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (CDR) and VELO ergometer bike with bungee cord load trainer (FE-1, FE-2). Kondratyev received training on the TVIS by Skripochka as the latter was working out on the treadmill. [New crewmembers always receive training from experienced crew on the use of the exercise equipment – one session for each apparatus.] At ~9:00am EST, the crew conducted their regular WPC (Weekly Planning Conference) with the ground, discussing next week’s “Look-Ahead Plan” (prepared jointly by MCC-H and TsUP-Moscow timeline planners), via S-band/audio, reviewing upcoming activities and any concerns about future on-orbit events. FE-4, FE-5 & FE-6 had their post-arrival PMCs (Private Medical Conferences), via S- & Ku-band audio/video, Paolo at ~10:00am, Dmitri at ~10:15am, Cady at ~11:00am. FE-5 & FE-6 also had their weekly PFCs (Private Family Conferences) via S-band/audio and Ku-band/MS-NetMeeting application (which displays the uplinked ground video on an SSC laptop), Paolo at ~11:35am, Cady at ~12:20pm. No CEO (Crew Earth Observation) targets uploaded for today. ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 8:39am EST [= epoch])
Mean altitude – 349.0 km
Apogee height – 354.5 km
Perigee height – 343.4 km
Period — 91.52 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.65 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0008251
Solar Beta Angle — 28.1 deg (magnitude topping out)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.73
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours – 135 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) – 69,263.

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————–Six-crew operations————-
12/20/10 — SPDM (Robotics) Test
12/22/10 — ISS Reboost (11:25am EST; 18min 54sec; delta-V 2.50 m/s)
01/20/11 — HTV2 launch
01/21/11 — Russian EVA-27
01/24/11 — Progress M-08M/40P undock
01/27/11 — HTV2 berthing (Node-2 zenith)
01/28/11 — Progress M-09M/41P launch
01/31/11 — Progress M-09M/41P docking (DC1)
02/03/10 — STS-133/Discovery launch – ~1:34am — NET (no earlier than)
02/21/11 — Russian EVA-28
02/15/11 — ATV-2 “Johannes Kepler” launch
02/19/11 — Progress M-07M/39P undock
02/24/11 — HTV2 unberthing (Node-2 nadir)
02/26/11 — ATV-2 “Johannes Kepler” docking (SM aft)
03/16/11 — Soyuz TMA-01M/24S undock/landing (End of Increment 26)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/20/11 — Soyuz TMA-21/26S launch – A. Borisienko (CDR-28)/R.Garan/A.Samokutayev
03/22/11 — Soyuz TMA-21/26S docking (MRM2)
————–Six-crew operations————-
04/01/11 — STS-134/Endeavour (ULF6 – ELC3, AMS-02) launch – ~3:15am — NET
04/26/11 — Progress M-09M/41P undock
04/27/11 — Progress M-10M/42P launch
04/29/11 — Progress M-10M/42P docking (DC1)
05/xx/11 — Russian EVA-29
05/16/11 — Soyuz TMA-20/25S undock/landing (End of Increment 27)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-22/27S launch – M. Fossum (CDR-29)/S. Furukawa/S. Volkov
06/01/11 — Soyuz TMA-22/27S docking (MRM1)
————–Six-crew operations————-
06/04/11 — 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)
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-23/28S launch – D.Burbank (CDR-30)/A.Shkaplerov/A.Ivanishin
10/02/11 – Soyuz TMA-23/28S 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-22/27S undock/landing (End of Increment 29)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-24/29S launch – O.Kononenko (CDR-31)/A.Kuipers/D.Pettit
12/02/11 — Soyuz TMA-24/29S docking (MRM1)
————–Six-crew operations—————-
12/??/11 — 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA – on Proton.
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)
03/05/12 — Progress M-12M/44P undock
03/16/12 — Soyuz TMA-23/28S undock/landing (End of Increment 30)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/30/12 — Soyuz TMA-25/30S launch – G.Padalka (CDR-32)/J.Acaba/K.Valkov
04/01/12 — Soyuz TMA-25/30S docking (MRM2)
————–Six-crew operations—————-
05/15/12 — Soyuz TMA-24/29S undock/landing (End of Increment 31)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/29/12 – Soyuz TMA-26/31S launch – S.Williams (CDR-33)/Y.Malenchenko/A.Hoshide
05/31/12 – Soyuz TMA-26/31S docking
————–Six-crew operations—————-
09/09/12 — Soyuz TMA-25/30S undock/landing (End of Increment 32)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/23/12 — Soyuz TMA-27/32S launch – K.Ford (CDR-34)/O. Novitskiy/E.Tarelkin
09/25/12 – Soyuz TMA-27/32S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
10/07/12 — Soyuz TMA-26/31S undock/landing (End of Increment 33)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-28/33S launch – C.Hadfield (CDR-35)/T.Mashburn/R.Romanenko
11/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-28/33S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
03/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-27/32S undock/landing (End of Increment 34)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-29/34S launch.
03/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-29/34S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-

To send holiday greetings to the crew and get more information about the space station, visit http://www.nasa.gov/station