NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 19 October 2011
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.
FE-4 Sergey Volkov performed the routine checkup of the SM (Service Module) PSS Caution & Warning panel as part of the regular Daily Morning Inspection.
At wake-up, CDR Mike Fossum & FE-5 Satoshi Furukawa completed another post-sleep session of the Reaction Self Test (Psychomotor Vigilance Self Test on the ISS) protocol. [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.]
Fossum took the (approx.) monthly O-OHA (On-Orbit Hearing Assessment) test, a 30-min NASA environmental health systems examination to assess the efficacy of acoustic countermeasures, using a special software application on the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) laptop. [The O-OHA audiography test involves minimum audibility measurements for each ear over a wide range of frequencies (0.25-10 kHz) and sound pressure levels, with the crewmembers using individual-specific Prophonics earphones, new Bose ANC headsets (delivered on 30P) and the SLM (sound level meter). To conduct the testing, the experimenter is supported by special EarQ software on the MEC, featuring an up/down-arrow-operated slider for each test frequency that the crewmember moves to the lowest sound pressure level at which the tone can still be heard. The baseline test is required not later than about Flight Day 14 for each new Expedition and is then generally performed once per month. Note: There has been temporary hearing deficits documented on some U.S. and Russian crewmembers, all of which recovered to pre-mission levels.]
Furukawa concluded his 3rd (FD75) 24-hr ICV (Integrated Cardiovascular) Ambulatory Monitoring session, doffing the two Actiwatches and HM2 (Holter Monitor 2) about 24 hrs after the end of yesterday’s “midpoint” activity (~11:10am EDT). Next, Satoshi downloaded the accumulated ICV Actiwatch Spectrum and HM2 data to the HRF PC1 (Human Research Facility Portable Computer 1), from two Actiwatch Spectrums and two HM2 HiFi CF Cards. The laptop was then powered off. [For the ICV Ambulatory Monitoring session, during the first 24 hrs (while all devices are worn), ten minutes of quiet, resting breathing are timelined to collect data for a specific analysis. The nominal exercise includes at least 10 minutes at a heart rate >=120 bpm (beats per minute). After 24 hrs, the Cardiopres/BP is doffed and the HM2 HiFi CF Card and AA Battery are changed out to allow continuation of the session for another 24 hours, with the Makita batteries switched as required. After data collection is complete, the Actiwatches and both HM2 HiFi CF Cards are downloaded to the HRF PC1, while Cardiopres data are downloaded to the EPM (European Physiology Module) Rack and transferred to the HRF PC1 via a USB key for downlink.]
After charging its battery, Volkov installed & started the equipment of the GFI-1 “Relaksatsiya” (Relaxation) Earth Observation experiment at SM window #9 for another run, using it to observe the Earth surface and Earth emission layer radiance at two specific periods (12:50pm & 2:20pm). Later, FE-4 dismantled the equipment and dumped the data via the RSS1 terminal. [By means of the GFI-1 UFK “Fialka-MV-Kosmos” ultraviolet camera, SP spectrometer and SONY HVR-Z7 HD (High Definition) camcorder, the experiment observes the Earth atmosphere and surface from window #9, with spectrometer measurements controlled from Laptop 3. “Relaxation”, in Physics, is the transition of an atom or molecule from a higher energy level to a lower one, emitting radiative energy in the process as equilibrium is achieved.]
Preparatory to today’s ISS reboost at 12:15pm EDT, Satoshi closed the protective shutters of the Lab, Node-3/Cupola and Kibo JPM (JEM Pressurized Module).
In preparation for Progress M-10M/42P (#410) undocking on 10/29 (5:01am) and Progress M-13M/45P launch on 10/30 (6:11am), Volkov & Furukawa conducted the standard 40-min. vehicle-to-vehicle TORU test between the SM and the DC1 nadir-docked Progress 42P, closely monitored by ground personnel on DO16 via VHF at 8:14am-8:28am. Progress thrusters (DPO) were inhibited and not involved. [The TORU teleoperator system lets an SM-based crewmember perform the approach & docking of automated Progress vehicles manually in case of failure of the KURS radio-based autopilot.]
Sergey completed the daily inspection of the Russian BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 (“Plants-2”) payload with its LADA-01 greenhouse, verifying proper watering of the KM A32 & A24 root modules. [Rasteniya-2 researches growth and development of plants (currently wheat) under spaceflight conditions in the LADA greenhouse from IBMP (Institute of Bio-Medical Problems, Russian: IMBP).]
The JAXA flight engineer gathered and re-kitted the tools required for dismantling the USOS common hatch latches in case of a hatch failure plus a hard copy of the hatch malfunction procedures, taking documentary photographs to be used during ground training.
Afterwards, Furukawa audited/inventoried selected UOPs (Utility Outlet Panels) in order to maintain and update the PiP (Plug-In Plan) Tool and IMS (Inventory Management System) with the most recent onboard plug-in configurations.
Satoshi also performed an audit/inventory of Lab ISL UIPs (Integrated Station LAN / Utility Interface Panels), both blue & green ones, and cleaned up unused cables.
As part of the ongoing decrewing preparations by the crew (in case of failed Soyuz 28S docking on 11/16), FE-5 later worked in the JAXA JLP (JEM Logistics Pressurized Segment), docked at the top of the JPM, relocating critical hardware from JLP to JPM, paying attention to keeping fire ports open in Kibo and securing items behind hard dummy panels.
FE-4 conducted 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.]
Sergey Volkov also initiated the discharge/charge cycle on two NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) batteries for the Russian BMD (Biomedical Device) PZE STIMUL-01 payload in the payload’s charger device, in preparation for his physical stimulation/conditioning training with the device later in the Increment. [The neuromuscular myostimulator suit STIMUL-01, which uses electrical stimulation to contract and relax leg muscle fibers for conditioning, is part of the suite of BMS (Biomedical Support) systems under development at the Moscow IBMP (Institute for Biomedical Problems) for long-duration spaceflights including piloted Mars missions.]
The Russian flight engineer had another ~3 hrs for stowing waste and other excessed cargo in the resupply ship-turned-trash can Progress 42P.
Time again for regular EMU (Extravehicular Mobility Unit) spacesuit maintenance in the US A/L (Airlock). CDR Fossum set up EMUs 3005 & 3015 with their SCUs (Service & Cooling Umbilicals) and performed a full water dump & fill on 3005 and a half water dump & fill on 3015. Mike then started the standard one-hour scrubbing process on each of the spacesuits’ cooling water loops, filtering ionic and particulate matter (via a 3-micron filter), followed by reconfiguring the cooling loops and starting the ~2hr biocide filtering. This activity met the periodic maintenance requirements for on-orbit stowage of the spacesuits. [Loop scrubbing, incl. iodination of the LCVGs (Liquid Cooling & Ventilation Garments) for biocidal maintenance is done to eliminate any biomass and particulate matter that may have accumulated in the loops.]
Later, the CDR reviewed procedural briefing material on upcoming CIR FLEX (Combustion Integrated Rack / Flame Extinguishment Experiment) payload activities, and then pre-staged stowage items for the necessary CIR reconfiguration scheduled tomorrow. [Tomorrow’s task concerns the changing of the back of the CIR Optics Bench from MDCA (Multi-User Droplet Combustion Apparatus) FLEX to the next part, MDCA FLEX-2. This involves moving and adding an FCF IPSU (Fluids & Combustion Facility / Image Processing & Storage Unit) and a CIR HiBMS (High Bit-Depth Multi-Spectral) imaging package. Mike will then swap modules between the two HiBMS to make the final configurations required to take science images of FLEX-2 test points.]
Mike also powered on the laptop of the ISSAC (ISS Agricultural Camera) laptop for ground commanding, after coordinating, via telemetry, with the PRO (Payload Rack Officer) at POIC (Payload Operations Integration Center). [ISSAC takes frequent visible-light & infrared images of vegetated areas on the Earth. The camera focuses principally on rangelands, grasslands, forests, and wetlands in the northern Great Plains and Rocky Mountain regions of the United States. The images may be delivered directly upon request to farmers, ranchers, foresters, natural resource managers and tribal officials to help improve their environmental stewardship of the land. The images will also be shared with educators for classroom use.]
Sergey broke out and set up the equipment for another session with the Russian crew health monitoring program’s medical assessment MO-9/Biochemical Urinalysis, scheduled for him tomorrow. [MO-9 is conducted every 30 days (and also before and after EVAs) and is one of five nominal Russian medical tests adopted by NASA for U.S. crewmembers for IMG PHS (Integrated Medical Group/Periodic Health Status) evaluation as part of the “PHS/Without Blood Labs” exam, also conducted today. The analysis uses the sophisticated in-vitro diagnostic apparatus Urolux developed originally by Boehringer (Mannheim/Germany) for the Mir program. Afterwards, the data are entered in the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer)’s /special IFEP software (In-Flight Examination Program).]
At ~3:10pm, Volkov will support the automated sequencer-commanded reactivation of the Elektron-VM O2 generator, first performing the usual buffer volume compression, then monitoring the external temperature of its BD secondary purification unit for the first 10 minutes of operations to ensure that there was no overheating. RCT (Russian Contingency Telemetry) downlinks salient activation data packets via S-band. Elektron was turned off by the ground at ~11:20am in preparation for the ISS reboost with SM engines. [The gas analyzer used on the Elektron during nominal operations for detecting hydrogen (H2) in the O2 line (which could cause dangerous overheating) is not included in the control algorithm until 10 minutes after Elektron startup.]
CDR & FE-5 had their standard weekly PMCs (Private Medical Conferences) via S- & Ku-band audio/video, Satoshi at ~8:25am, Mike at ~8:45pm EDT.
At ~10:20am, CDR Fossum supported a PAO TV event, responding to two interviews conducted by Space.com (Denise Chow) and ABC Radio (Vic Ratner).
Reboost Update: The planned one-burn reboost of the ISS was performed nominally at 12:15pm EDT, using the two KD engines of the SM’s ODU (Integrated Propulsion System), with a target delta-V of 1.8 m/s (5.9 ft/s).
The crew worked out with their regular 2-hr physical exercise protocol on the CEVIS cycle ergometer with vibration isolation (CDR, FE-5), TVIS treadmill with vibration isolation & stabilization (FE-4), and ARED advanced resistive exercise device (CDR, FE-4, FE-5).
Tasks listed for Sergei Volkov on the Russian discretionary “time permitting” job for today were –
* Continuing the preparation & downlinking of more reportages (written text, photos, videos) for the Roskosmos website to promote Russia’s manned space program (max. file size 500 Mb),
* Taking care of the daily IMS (Integrated Management System) maintenance, updating/editing its standard “delta file” including stowage locations, for the regular weekly automated export/import to its three databases on the ground (Houston, Moscow, Baikonur), and
* Another ~30-min. session for Russia’s EKON Environmental Safety Agency, making observations and taking KPT-3 aerial photography of environmental conditions on Earth using the NIKON D3X camera with the RSK-1 laptop.
CEO (Crew Earth Observation) targets uplinked for today were Semeru Volcano, Java, Indonesia (this target, at 12,060 ft, is the highest peak on the island of Java. Semeru rises abruptly from the coastal plains and has multiple calderas with lakes. ISS approached the mid-afternoon target from the SW. Partly cloudy weather was expected, providing good views of this massive volcano, just right of track. Using the long lens setting for detailed views of the summit area), SW Glaciers of S. Patagonian Glacier Field (ISS had a mid-morning pass for this target area with at least partial clearing expected in the wake of a strong cold front. The crew may have found sufficient breaks in the post-frontal cloud field for detailed views of these rarely-photographed glaciers near the southern end of this large ice field. As ISS approached the coast from the W, the crew was to look just left of track for these glaciers ending in long fjords), and Bridgetown, Barbados (Bridgetown is the capital and largest city of the island country of Barbados with the population of the metropolitan area at 96,578 [2006]. ISS had a fair-weather pass in mid-afternoon light. As it approached the island from the SW, the crew was to look just right of track for this target. Barbados is the easternmost of the Lesser Antilles Archipelago. The city is located on the southwestern coast of the island along Carlisle Bay).
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 8:27am EDT [= epoch])
* Mean altitude – 384.8 km
* Apogee height – 395.4 km
* Perigee height – 374.2 km
* Period — 92.25 min.
* Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
* Eccentricity — 0.0015676
* Solar Beta Angle — 31.2 deg (magnitude decreasing)
* Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.61
* Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 166 m
* Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 74,032
* Time in orbit (station) — 4716 days
* Time in orbit (crews, cum.) — 4003 days
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————–Three-crew operations (Increment 29)————-
10/29/11 — Progress M-10M/42P undocking (5:01am EDT)
10/30/11 — Progress M-13M/45P launch (6:11am)
11/02/11 — Progress M-13M/45P docking (~7:42am)
11/13/11 — Soyuz TMA-03M/28S launch – D.Burbank (CDR-30)/A.Shkaplerov/A.Ivanishin (11:14pm)
11/16/11 — Soyuz TMA-03M/28S docking (MRM2) (~12:45am)
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/22/11 — Soyuz TMA-02M/27S undock/landing (End of Increment 29) (~9:21pm)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/30/11 — SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon — Target date
12/26/11 — Soyuz TMA-04M/29S launch – O.Kononenko (CDR-31)/A.Kuipers/D.Pettit — (date “on or about”)
12/28/11 — Soyuz TMA-04M/29S docking (MRM1) — (date “on or about”)
————–Six-crew operations—————-
TBD — Progress M-13M/45P undock
TBD — Progress M-14M/46P launch
TBD — Progress M-14M/46P docking (DC-1)
02/29/12 — ATV3 launch readiness
TBD — Soyuz TMA-03M/28S undock/landing (End of Increment 30)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/30S launch – G.Padalka (CDR-32)/J.Acaba/K.Volkov
04/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/30S docking (MRM2)
————–Six-crew operations—————-
05/05/12 — 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA – launch on Proton (under review)
05/06/12 — Progress M-14M/46P undock
05/07/12 — 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) – docking (under review)
05/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-04M/29S undock/landing (End of Increment 31)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-06M/31S launch – S.Williams (CDR-33)/Y.Malenchenko/A.Hoshide
05/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-06M/31S docking
————–Six-crew operations—————-
09/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/30S undock/landing (End of Increment 32)
————–Three-crew operations————-
10/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-07M/32S launch – K.Ford (CDR-34)/O.Novitskiy/E.Tarelkin
10/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-07M/32S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-06M/31S undock/landing (End of Increment 33)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-08M/33S launch – C.Hadfield (CDR-35)/T.Mashburn/R.Romanenko
12/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-08M/33S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
03/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-07M/32S undock/landing (End of Increment 34)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-09M/34S launch – P.Vinogradov (CDR-36)/C.Cassidy/A.Misurkin
03/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-09M/34S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
05/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-08M/33S undock/landing (End of Increment 35)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-10M/35S launch – M.Suraev (CDR-37)/K.Nyberg/L.Parmitano
05/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-10M/35S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
09/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-09M/34S undock/landing (End of Increment 36)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-11M/36S launch – M.Hopkins/TBD (CDR-38)/TBD
09/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-11M/36S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-10M/35S undock/landing (End of Increment 37)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-12M/37S launch – K.Wakata (CDR-39)/R.Mastracchio/TBD
11/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-12M/37S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
03/xx/14 – Soyuz TMA-11M/36S undock/landing (End of Increment 38)
————–Three-crew operations————-
