NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 20 January 2012
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.
Sleep Cycle Shift: Wake – 4:30am; Sleep – 9:30pm EST. Crew stays up late today for installation of Chibis-M satellite in Progress 45P and depressurization of 45P with leak checks, followed by a shortened day tomorrow and a nominal Sunday. Crew will sleep late on 1/23 (Monday) for 45P undock late in day (5:10 pm), and sleep in on 1/24.
After wakeup, FE-1 Shkaplerov performed the routine inspection of the SM (Service Module) PSS Caution & Warning panel as part of regular Daily Morning Inspection.
FE-5 Andre Kuipers started his workday with Day 2 of his 2nd (FD30) suite of sessions with the medical protocol Pro K (Dietary Intake Can Predict and Protect against Changes in Bone Metabolism during Spaceflight and Recovery), with diet logging after the urine pH spot test, for a 5-day period. [For Pro K, there will be five in-flight sessions (FD15, FD30, FD60, FD120, FD180) of samplings, to be shared with the NUTRITION w/Repository protocol, each one with five days of diet & urine pH logging and photography on the last day (science sessions are often referred to by Flight Day 15, 30, 60, etc. However, there are plus-minus windows associated with these time points so a “Flight Day 15” science session may not actually fall on the crewmember’s 15th day on-orbit). The crewmember prepares a diet log and then annotates quantities of food packets consumed and supplements taken. Urine collections are spread over 24 hrs; samples go into the MELFI (Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS) within 30 min after collection. Blood samples, on the last day, are centrifuged in the RC (Refrigerated Centrifuge) and placed in MELFI at -80 degC. There is an 8-hr fasting requirement prior to the blood draw (i.e., no food or drink, but water ingestion is encouraged). MELFI constraints: Maximum MELFI Dewar open time: 60 sec; at least 45 min between MELFI Dewar door openings.]
FE-5 Kuipers & FE-6 Pettit completed their 8th post-sleep sessions 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.]
CDR Burbank installed the three PaRIS (Passive Rack Isolation System) lock-down alignment guides on the CIR (Combustion Integrated Rack) at Lab bay S3 to protect its ARIS (Active Rack Isolation System) from external loading (dynamic disturbances).
Afterwards, Burbank continued the troubleshooting of the failed ARED advanced resistive exerciser, today creating a temporary fix for the Crank Handle Locking Pin to prevent the loads from spinning down so that ARED can be used for exercise. [Spare parts for a permanent fix are to arrive on Progress 46P. For the temporary fix Dan inserted a fastener into the Crank Handle and secured it with Velcro. The installed fastener will interface with the Crank Handle locking mechanism and prevent it from spinning down.]
Later, the CDR charged 2 camcorder batteries for tomorrow’s VolSci (Voluntary Weekend Science) use in the ESA ERB2 (European Recording Binocular), then stowed them temporarily in COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory).
Dan Burbank also completed the standard 30-day inspection of the AED (Automated External Defibrillator) in the CHeCS (Crew Health Care Systems) rack. [AED is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the potentially life threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a patient. It then can treat them through defibrillation, i.e., the application of electrical therapy which stops the arrhythmia, allowing the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm.]
FE-2 Anatoly Ivanishin undertook his 3rd session with the Russian behavioral assessment TIPOLOGIA (MBI-20), setting up the workstation, connecting equipment, suiting up and launching the program on the RSK1 laptop. [Shkaplerov stood by to assist Anatoly in donning the electrode cap, preparing the head for the electrodes and applying electrode gel from the Neurolab-RM2 kit. Data were recorded on a PCMCIA memory card and downlinked via OCA comm. MBI-20 studies typological features of operator activity of the ISS crews in long-term space flight phases, with the subject using a cap with EEG (electroencephalogram) electrodes. The experiment, which records EEGs, consists of the Luescher test, “adaptive biological control” training, and the games Minesweeper and Tetris. The Luescher color diagnostic is a psychological test which measures a person’s psychophysical state, his/her ability to withstand stress, to perform and to communicate. It is believed to help uncover the cause of psychological stress, which can lead to physical symptoms. An EEG measures and records the electrical activity of the brain.]
FE-1 Anton Shkaplerov checked out proper MKSD Control & Data Acquisition Module communications between the BSPN Payload Server and the RSS1 laptop, then copied science & service data, accumulated from the GFI-17 Molniya-GAMMA (“Lightning-GAMMA”) experiment mounted externally since the Russian EVA-28, over to external media (16 GB flash card). [GFI-17 “Molniya” FOTON-GAMMA investigates atmospheric gamma-ray bursts and optical radiation in conditions of thunderstorm activity.]
FE-5 Andre Kuipers conducted the 9th onboard JAXA HAIR experiment, collecting hair samples from FE-6 Don Pettit, then inserting them into MELFI-1, Dewar 1/Tray A at -95 degC and closing out the activity.
Next, Andre downloaded the accumulated ICV Actiwatch Spectrum and HM2 data from his 2nd (FD30) 24-hr ICV (Integrated Cardiovascular) Ambulatory Monitoring session 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.
Later in the day, Andre underwent his 2nd ICV (Integrated Cardiovascular) Resting Echo Scan in the US Lab, assisted by Burbank who served as CMO (Crew Medical Officer) to operate the USND scans. [Wearing electrodes, ECG (Electrocardiograph) cable & VOX, Andre underwent the USND scan for ICV assessment, with video being recorded from the HRF (Human Research Facility) Ultrasound and COL cabin camera. Heart rate was tracked with the HRM (Heart Rate Monitor). There are dietary constraints, and no exercise is allowed 4 hrs prior to scan. After confirmed file transfer, the gear was powered down and stowed. Later, the data from the two HM-2 (Holter Monitor 2) HiFi Cards and two Actiwatch Spectrums were transferred from the USND-2 (Ultrasound 2) hard drive to the USND-2 USB drive. Voice required last 5 minutes for crew to inform ground copy process is complete. The USND echo experiment uses the Image Collector software on the laptop and requires VOX/Voice plus RT Video downlink during the activity. Goal of the ICV experiment is to quantify the extent, time course, and clinical significance of cardiac atrophy and identify its mechanisms. The ICV experiment consists of two separate but related activities over a one-week time period: an ultrasound echo scan & an ambulatory monitoring session. The sessions are scheduled at or around FD14, FD30, FD75, FD135 and R-15 (there are fewer sessions if mission duration is less than six months).]
FE-4 Oleg Kononenko spent ~2.5 hrs on an inventory/audit of the SM & FGB stowage areas, going by an extensive uplinked listing of IMS entries.
Later, Oleg joined with Anton Shkaplerov to prepare Progress 45P for undocking, by depressurizing the GRO cargo compartment of the spacecraft to vacuum (a nonstandard procedure), in two steps: first to ~550 mmHg, followed by a leak check, then partially depressing the SO-SU transfer vestibule for another leak check, and finally completing the evacuation. The protective window shutters in Lab, Node-3/Cupola & Kibo lab were closed beforehand by Kuipers. [For the depressurization, ISS maneuvered to a specific attitude, for which attitude authority was handed over to RS MCS (Russian Segment Motion Control System) thrusters at ~2:50pm, to be returned to US Momentum Management CMGs (Control Moment Gyroscopes) at ~8:10pm.]
Later, FE-4 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, 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.]
Oleg also took care of the daily IMS (Inventory 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).
After activating the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox), FE-6 Pettit installed the hardware of the SLICE (Structure & Liftoff In Combustion Experiment) experiment, checked out the video camera & digital camera coverage and performed an igniter test. At the end of each day’s SLICE test operations, a SLICE fan calibration is performed to evaluate the air flow. [Objectives of SLICE are to characterize the structure of a flame from attached through lifted conditions, identify the liftoff velocity limits, i.e., where the flame separates from the burner tube and, in the final quarter of testing, conduct the SPICE (Smoke Point In Coflow Experiment) which was last conducted in 2009. Earth application: Increased efficiency and reduced pollutant emission for practical combustion devices, improved numerical modeling, hence improved design tools, hence improved practical combustion on Earth (currently, the good modeling-experiment agreement breaks down when flames are lean or heavily sooting). Measurements: still images (with camera that was blackbody calibrated for pyrometry), video & radiometer. Hardware: SLICE is conducted in the MSG using the SPICE hardware.]
With the G1 HD camcorder set up in the JAXA Kibo laboratory for downlinking his activity, Pettit conducted a “LEGO Bricks” EPO (Education Payload Activity) session in the JPM MWA (Maintenance Work Area), building a model of a Weather Satellite from Lego pieces from a guide book for ground audiences.
FE-2 Ivanishin continued the current round of the periodic inspection and photo-documentation of window panes in the SM started on 1/6-1/7, today on windows 2, 13, 14. The observed defects were recorded in image and text files on the RSK1 laptop for subsequent downlink via U.S. OCA assets. [Objective of the inspection, which uses a digital still camera (Nikon D2X w/SB-28DX flash) and voice recorder, is to assess the pane surfaces on RS for any changes (new cavities, scratches, new or expanded old stains or discolorations affecting transparency properties) since the last inspection. The new assessment will be compared to the earlier observations. Defects are measured with the parallax method which uses eyeball-sighting with a ruler and a right isosceles triangle to determine the defects’ size and position with respect to the window’s internal surface (parallax being the apparent change in an object’s position resulting from changing the observer’s position).]
Anatoly also conducted another 30-min photography session for the DZZ-13 “Seiner” ocean observation program, obtaining HDV (Z1) camcorder footage of color bloom patterns in the waters of the Central-Eastern Atlantic, then copying the images to the RSK-1 laptop.
Burbank, Shkaplerov & Ivanishin donned their intravehicular Sokol pressure suits and performed the standard fit-check in their body-contoured Kazbek couches in the TMA-22/28S spacecraft (#232, docked at MRM2), a 20-min job.
Andre completed the visual T+2 Days (44 +/- 4h) microbial (bacterial & fungal) analysis of PWD (Potable Water Dispenser) water samples collected by him on 1/18, using the WMK MCD (Water Microbiology Kit / Microbial Capture Devices) for microbial traces, and the CDB (Coliform Detection Bag) for inflight coliform indications (Magenta for Positive, Yellow for Negative).
Andre also conducted his weekly task of filling out his SHD (Space Headache) questionnaire which he started after Soyuz launch and continues on ISS (on an SSC/Station Support Computer) for every week after his first week in space.
The CDR filled out his weekly FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire) on the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer), his 8th. [On the FFQs, USOS 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.]
Dan also performed his 3rd session with the MedOps psychological evaluation experiment WinSCAT (Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows), logging in on the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) laptop and going through the psychological evaluation exercise on the PC-based WinSCAT application. [WinSCAT is a monthly time-constrained questionnaire test of cognitive abilities, routinely performed by astronauts aboard the ISS every 30 days before or after the PHS (periodic health status) test or on special CDR’s, crewmembers or flight surgeons request. The test uses cognitive subtests that measure sustained concentration, verbal working memory, attention, short-term memory, spatial processing, and math skills. The five cognitive subtests are Coding Memory – Learning, Continuous Processing Task (CPT), Match to Sample, Mathematics, and Coding Delayed Recall. These WinSCAT subtests are the same as those used during NASA’s long-duration bed rest studies.]
Andre undertook the regular monthly session of the CHeCS (Crew Health Care Systems) emergency medical operations OBT (On-Board Training) drill, a 30-min. exercise to refresh his CMO (Crew Medical Officer) acuity in a number of critical health areas. The video-based proficiency drill today focused on a review of all topics. At the end, Kuipers completed a self-assessment questionnaire. Answers were provided at test conclusion. [The HMS (Health Maintenance Systems) hardware, including ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) equipment, may be used in contingency situations where crew life is at risk. To maintain proficiency, crewmembers spend one hour per month reviewing HMS and ACLS equipment and procedures via the HMS and ACLS CBT (computer-based training). The training drill, each crewmember for him/herself, refreshes their memory of the on-orbit stowage and deployment locations, equipment etc. and procedures.]
FE-5 also had another hour for unpacking US cargo delivered on Soyuz 29S, while the CDR unpacked US supplies delivered on Progress 45P.
At ~6:35am EST, Burbank, Ivanishin, Shkaplerov, Kuipers, Kononenko & Pettit held the regular (nominally weekly) tagup with the Russian Flight Control Team (GOGU/Glavnaya operativnaya gruppa upravleniya), including Shift Flight Director (SRP), at TsUP-Moscow via S-band/audio, phone-patched from Houston and Moscow.
At ~6:50am, Anton, Oleg & Anatoly linked up with TsUP-Moscow stowage specialists via S-band to conduct the weekly IMS tagup, discussing inventory & stowage issues, equipment locations and cargo transfers.
At ~9:10am EST, Dan Burbank & Don Pettit supported a PAO TV event, responding to two interviews, from CNN and the Associated Press.
At ~12:40pm, the crew was scheduled for their regular weekly tagup with the Lead Flight Director at JSC/MCC-H.
At ~2:40pm, Burbank conducted the regular IMS stowage conference with Houston stowage specialists.
Dan has another time slot reserved for making entries in their electronic Journal on the personal SSC (Station Support Computer). [Required are three journaling sessions per week.]
Before Presleep, Burbank will turn on the MPC (Multi Protocol Converter) and start the Ku-band data flow of video recorded during the day to the ground, with POIC (Payload Operations & Integration Center) routing the onboard HRDL (High-Rate Data Link). After about an hour, Dan will turn MPC routing off again. [This is a routine operation which regularly transmits HD onboard video (live or tape playback) to the ground on a daily basis before sleeptime.]
The crew worked out with their regular 2-hr physical exercise protocol on the CEVIS cycle ergometer with vibration isolation (CDR), TVIS treadmill with vibration isolation & stabilization (FE-1, FE-2, FE-4), ARED advanced resistive exercise device (CDR, FE-5), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (FE-5), and VELO ergometer bike with load trainer (FE-1, FE-2, FE-4). [FE-6 is on the special SPRINT protocol.]
Tasks listed for Shkaplerov, Kononenko & Ivanishin on the Russian discretionary “time permitting” job for today were –
A ~30-min. run of the GFI-8 “Uragan” (hurricane) earth-imaging program with the NIKON D3X digital camera with Sigma AF 300-800mm telelens,
A ~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, and
More preparation & downlinking of reportages (written text, photos, videos) for the Roskosmos website to promote Russia’s manned space program (max. file size 500 Mb).
CEO (Crew Earth Observation) targets uplinked for today were Niamey, Niger (CAPITAL CITIES COLLECTION SITE: The capital city of Niger with a population of about 800,000 lies on a broad bend of the Niger River as it bisects a plateau in the extreme southwestern part of the country. Today ISS had a midday pass in clear weather. At this time, as it approached from the NW, the crew was to look just right of track and try for contextual views of this city within a single frame), Georgia Coastal Ecosystems (IR PHOTOGRAPHY COLLECTION SITE: This Long-Term Ecological Research study area is a barrier island and marsh complex located on the central Georgia coast in the vicinity of Sapelo Island and the Altamaha River, one of the largest and least developed rivers on the east coast of the United States. ISS had a mid-day pass in fair weather. At this time, as it tracked southeastward toward the Atlantic coast, looking just left of track for a mapping strip from Brunswick to Savannah), Nassau, Bahamas (CAPITAL CITIES COLLECTION SITE: Today ISS had a nadir pass in fair weather over Nassau, capital city of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city of Nassau proper is located on the eastern half of New Providence Island; however the metropolitan area encompasses the entire island. Trying to acquire this target within a single frame), Port au Prince, Haiti (CAPITAL CITIES COLLECTION SITE: This capital city of less than 1 million is found on the extreme eastern end of the Gulf of Gonave on the western side of the island of Hispaniola. At this time, on this midday pass in fair weather, as ISS tracked southeastward over the southeastern Bahamas, the crew was to begin looking just right for this target area), Jornada Basin, New Mexico (IR PHOTOGRAPHY COLLECTION SITE: This site is devoted to the causes and consequences of desertification. It is located in the northern Chihuahuan Desert just northeast of Las Cruces, New Mexico. ISS had a fair-weather pass over this area at midday with the target area just left of track. Trying for a detailed mapping strip across this area using the #99 filter), and Santa Maria Volcano, Guatemala (IR PHOTOGRAPHY COLLECTION SITE: ISS had a fair weather, nadir-viewing overpass of this large stratovolcano. A large crater on the southwest flank of the volcano was caused by a catastrophic eruption in 1902. The most recent eruptive activity occurred in April of 2010. At this time, as ISS tracked southeastward over the interior of Central America, trying for overlapping mapping frames of the volcano – particularly of the Santiaguito lava dome on the southwestern flank – using the #99 filter).
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 6:14am EST [= epoch])
. Mean altitude – 391.0 km
. Apogee height – 405.6 km
. Perigee height – 376.3 km
. Period — 92.38 min.
. Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
. Eccentricity — 0.0021665
. Solar Beta Angle — -43.4 deg (magnitude decreasing)
. Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.59
. Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 88 m
. Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 75,482
. Time in orbit (station) — 4809 days
. Time in orbit (crews, cum.) — 4096 days
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————–Six-crew operations—————-
01/23/12 — Progress M-13M/45P undock (5:10pm EST)
01/24/12 — Chibis-M deploy (6:19pm)
01/24/12 — Progress 45P deorbit (burn start: 9:25pm)
01/25/12 — Progress M-14M/46P launch (6:06 pm)
01/27/12 — Progress M-14M/46P docking (DC-1) (~7:09 pm)
xx/xx/12 — SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon launch
xx/xx/12 — SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon berthing
02/14/12 — Russian EVA
xx/xx/12 — SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon unberth
03/09/12 — ATV3 launch — (target date)
03/16/12– Soyuz TMA-22/28S undock/landing (End of Increment 30)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/30/12 — Soyuz TMA-04M/30S launch – G.Padalka (CDR-32)/J.Acaba/K.Volkov — (Target Date)
04/01/12 — Soyuz TMA-04M/30S docking (MRM2) — (Target Date)
————–Six-crew operations—————-
TBD — 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA – launch on Proton (under review)
04/24/12 — Progress M-14M/46P undock
04/25/12 — Progress M-15M/47P launch
04/27/12 — Progress M-15M/47P docking
TBD — 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) – docking (under review)
05/16/12 — Soyuz TMA-03M/29S undock/landing (End of Increment 31)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/30/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/31S launch – S.Williams (CDR-33)/Y.Malenchenko/A.Hoshide
06/01/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/31S docking
————–Six-crew operations—————-
06/26/12 — HTV-3 launch (target date)
09/12/12 — Soyuz TMA-04M/30S undock/landing (End of Increment 32)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/26/12 — Soyuz TMA-06M/32S launch – K.Ford (CDR-34)/O.Novitskiy/E.Tarelkin
09/28/12 – Soyuz TMA-06M/32S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/12/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/31S undock/landing (End of Increment 33)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/26/12 — Soyuz TMA-07M/33S launch – C.Hadfield (CDR-35)/T.Mashburn/R.Romanenko
11/28/12 – Soyuz TMA-07M/33S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
03/19/13 — Soyuz TMA-06M/32S undock/landing (End of Increment 34)
————–Three-crew operations————-
04/02/13 – Soyuz TMA-08M/34S launch – P.Vinogradov (CDR-36)/C.Cassidy/A.Misurkin
04/04/13 – Soyuz TMA-08M/34S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
05/16/13 – Soyuz TMA-07M/33S undock/landing (End of Increment 35)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/29/13 – Soyuz TMA-09M/35S launch – M.Suraev (CDR-37)/K.Nyberg/L.Parmitano
05/31/13 – Soyuz TMA-09M/35S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
09/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-08M/34S undock/landing (End of Increment 36)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-10M/36S launch – M.Hopkins/TBD (CDR-38)/TBD
09/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-10M/36S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-09M/35S undock/landing (End of Increment 37)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-11M/37S launch – K.Wakata (CDR-39)/R.Mastracchio/TBD
11/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-11M/37S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
03/xx/14 – Soyuz TMA-10M/36S undock/landing (End of Increment 38)
————–Three-crew operations————-
