NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 20 March 2011

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Sunday – Ahead: Week 2 of Increment 27.

Upon wake-up, CDR Kondratyev performed the regular daily check of the aerosol filters at the Russian Elektron O2 (oxygen) 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). [Dmitri 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.]

Later, Dmitri conducted the routine daily servicing of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS) in the SM (Service Module), including the weekly collection of the toilet flush (SP) counter and water supply (SVO) readings for calldown to TsUP-Moscow. [This includes 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 performed the weekly checkup on the Russian POTOK-150MK (150 micron) air filter unit of the SM’s & FGB’s SOGS air revitalization subsystem, gathering weekly data on total operating time & “On” durations for reporting to TsUP.

In Node-3, FE-6 Coleman configured the WRS2 (Water Recovery System 2) setup to the condensate collection tank at Lab bay D5 in preparation for WPA (Water Processor Assembly) maintenance scheduled for Tuesday, 3/22, with preparatory activities by Cady and the ground tomorrow. [The WRS2 waste water connection and Lab D5 connection share the same cap.]

For his chosen Voluntary Weekend Science project today, FE-5 Nespoli retrieved the ESA ERB-2 (Erasmus Recording Binocular 2) from the EDR (European Drawer Rack) in COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory), inserted the freshly charged batteries and conducted the planned Fly-Through Filming program, starting in Kibo JPM (JEM Pressurized Module) and proceeding through Node-2, US Lab, Node-3 with Cupola to COL. ERB-2 was then reconnected to EDR on a multi-use bracket. [ERB-2 is a stereoscopic (three-dimensional) video camera for taking imagery of the environment onboard the ISS to create an accurate map of its interior including views of the Earth as seen through the windows and some of the crew’s daily environment. ERB-2 is the second generation of the stereoscopic camera family from the Erasmus Centre at ESTEC which started with the ERB. ERB-2 has an improved resolution of 1280 x 720 pixel (HD 720p), thereby achieving a compatible resolution with current commercial HDTV standards. With the ability to perform live broadcast of stereo films and to downlink files of recorded video sessions using the station’s HRDL (High Rate Data Link) via the EDR, ERB-2 takes advantage of high-definition optics and advanced electronics to provide a vastly improved 3D video effect for mapping the Station. The almost-like-real 3D images from ERB-2 take the viewers inside the ISS as if they were really there. These images can also be used in mission planning and to support operations inside the Station. Today’s activity should have produced about 30 minutes of footage in total. Care is taken not to film private (such as medical), personal, proprietary or otherwise embargoed items or info.]

Kondratyev had ~15 min to transfer his latest video recording to SSC (Station Support Computer) laptop for downlinking to TsUP-Moscow. [Dmitri Kondratyev’s Videoblog project, recorded by Dima at his convenience, began on 1/8, with frequent downlinks via OCA (not to exceed 300 Mb),]

The crewmembers worked out with their regular 2-hr physical exercise on the CEVIS cycle ergometer with vibration isolation (FE-6), TVIS treadmill (CDR), ARED advanced resistive exerciser (CDR, FE-5, FE-6), and T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (FE-5). [T2 snubber arm inspection is no longer needed after every T2 session but must be done after the last T2 session of the day.]

Jobs listed for Kondratyev today on the Russian discretionary “time permitting” task list were –
* Another ~30-min. run of the GFI-8 “Uragan” (hurricane) earth-imaging program with the NIKON D3X digital camera photography with Sigma AF 300-800mm telelens [uplinked targets included Lipetsk, Yuri Gagarin’s landing site (45.99 E, 51.26 N), Aral Sea, Novorossiysk, the Laganakskoe Plateau, Krasnaya Polyana, the Volga River delta, and the Etna volcano,]
* 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
* A ~15-min. photography session for the DZZ-13 “Seiner” ocean observation program, obtaining NIKON D3 photos with Nikkor 80-200 mm lens and the SONY HD video camcorder on oceanic color bloom patterns in the waters of Central Eastern Atlantic, then copying the images to the RSK-1 laptop,

No CEO (Crew Earth Observation) targets uplinked for today.

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 8:22am EDT [= epoch])
Mean altitude – 353.7 km
Apogee height – 354.9 km
Perigee height – 352.6 km
Period — 91.61 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0001701
Solar Beta Angle — -50.2 deg (magnitude decreasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.72
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 52 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) – 70,694

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/28/11 — HTV2 unberth (~12:00pm)
03/29/11 — HTV2 deorbit (~12:00am EDT)
04/04/11 — Soyuz TMA-21/26S launch – A. Borisenko (CDR-28)/R.Garan/A.Samokutayev – 6:18:20pm EDT
04/06/11 — Soyuz TMA-21/26S docking – ~7:18pm EDT
————–Six-crew operations————-
04/19/11 — STS-134/Endeavour launch ULF6 (ELC-3, AMS) ~7:48pm EDT NET
04/21/11 — STS-134/Endeavour docking (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 (DC-1 nadir)
05/01/11 — STS-134/Endeavour undock
05/03/11 — STS-134/Endeavour landing
05/16/11 – Soyuz TMA-20/25S undock/landing (End of Increment 27)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-02M/27S launch – M. Fossum (CDR-29)/S. Furukawa/S. Volkov
06/01/11 — Soyuz TMA-02M/27S docking (MRM1)
————–Six-crew operations————-
06/04/11 — ATV-2 “Johannes Kepler” undock (SM aft) – under review
06/21/11 — Progress M-11M/43P launch
06/23/11 — Progress M-11M/43P docking (SM aft)
06/28/11 — STS-135/Atlantis launch ULF7 (MPLM) — ~3:30pm EDT NET
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-03M/28S launch – D.Burbank (CDR-30)/A.Shkaplerov/A.Ivanishin
10/02/11 – Soyuz TMA-03M/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-02M/27S undock/landing (End of Increment 29)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-04M/29S launch – O.Kononenko (CDR-31)/A.Kuipers/D.Pettit
12/02/11 — Soyuz TMA-04M/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-03M/28S undock/landing (End of Increment 30)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/30/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/30S launch – G.Padalka (CDR-32)/J.Acaba/K.Volkov
04/01/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/30S docking (MRM2)
————–Six-crew operations—————-
05/xx/12 – 3R Russian Proton — Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA
05/16/12 — Soyuz TMA-04M/29S undock/landing (End of Increment 31)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/29/12 – Soyuz TMA-06M/31S launch – S.Williams (CDR-33)/Y.Malenchenko/A.Hoshide
05/31/12 – Soyuz TMA-06M/31S docking
————–Six-crew operations—————-
09/18/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/30S undock/landing (End of Increment 32)
————–Three-crew operations————-
10/02/12 — Soyuz TMA-07M/32S launch – K.Ford (CDR-34)/O.Novitskiy/E.Tarelkin
10/04/12 – Soyuz TMA-07M/32S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/16/12 — Soyuz TMA-06M/31S undock/landing (End of Increment 33)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/30/12 — Soyuz TMA-08M/33S launch – C.Hadfield (CDR-35)/T.Mashburn/R.Romanenko
12/02/12 – 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————-