NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 21 November 2009

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Saturday – Flight Day 6 of STS-129/ULF3.

Crew sleep cycle: Wake 4:00am; Sleep 6:30pm EST.

Mission ULF3’s EVA-2 was completed successfully by EV1 Mike Forman & EV2 Randolph Bresnik in 6h 8m, accomplishing all objectives plus four get-aheads. Beginning this morning at 9:31am EST, the spacewalk ended at 3:39pm. [EV1 & EV2 began their “campout” yesterday evening in the U.S. Airlock (A/L) with hatch closure and depressurization of the Crewlock (CL) from 14.7 to 10.2 psi, until the recurrence of a false fire alarm from the A/L SD (Smoke Detector) and subsequent SD cleaning to prevent further events resulted in the A/L returning to stack pressure. After crew wake-up the EVA crew completed their prebreathe protocol via a prescribed exercise regimen. Afterwards, with CL depressurization and EV1/EV2 switching to suit power, EVA-1 began at 9:31am. Due to the Campout disruption, the EVA was shortened by approximately 30 min. It lasted 6h 8m).]

During EVA-2, Forman & Bresnik –

• Outfitted a GATOR (Grapple Adaptor To On-Orbit Railing) with a Coast Guard AUIS (Automated Identification System) antenna & ARISS (Amateur Radio on ISS) antenna,
• Deployed the S3 Zenith Inboard PAS (Payload Attachment System),
• Relocated the FPMU (Floating Potential Measurement Unit) and video stanchion from S1 to the P1 truss, and
• Installed the WETA (Wireless Video System External Transceiver Assembly) on the S3 truss.
• Retrieved the HPGT (High Pressure Gas Tank) guide post from the TSA (Tool Stowage Assembly) and installed it on the A/L (loc. 5).

Additionally, Mike & Randy completed four get-ahead tasks when they –

• Inspected & reseated the SGANT (Space-to-Ground Antenna) coax cable connectors (which had shown weak SNR (Signal-to-Noise Ratio); SNR returned to normal,
• Retrieved an APFR (Articulated Portable Foot Restraint) from PMA-1 (Pressurized Mating Adapter 1) to be brought inside for reconfiguration,
• Relocated a Tool Stanchion from PMA-1 to WIF-3 (Worksite Interface Fixture 3) on segment P1, and
• Photographed the Node-2 Nadir CBM (Common Berthing Mechanism).

With MS1 Leland Melvin & CDR Charlie Hobaugh operating the Shuttle RMS (Remote Manipulator System) and FE-5 Jeff Williams & Hobaugh on the Canadian SSRMS (Space Station RMS), ELC2, the second of two ExPRESS Logistics Carriers, was lifted out of the Atlantis PLB (Payload Bay) at 6:40am EST and transferred to the ISS (handoff to SSRMS ~7:17am) where FE-2 Stott supervised its installation on the Upper Outboard PAS (Payload Attach System) on the S3 (Starboard Segment 3) of the main truss. The mating was accomplished at 9:14am.
[Pre-positioned spares carried on ELC2 are:

• 1 CMG (Control Moment Gyro)
• 1 NTA (Nitrogen Tank Assembly)
• 1 PM (Pump Module)
• 1 HPGT (High Pressure Gas Tank) – oxygen
• 1 MT TUS-RA (Mobile Transporter Trailing Umbilical System Reel Assembly)
• 1 CTC (Cargo Transport Container)
• MISSE attach hardware
• one empty site for future payloads.

As of last night, cargo transfers were 37% complete.

FE-1 Suraev did the regular daily early-morning check of the aerosol filters at the Russian Elektron O₂ generator which he had installed on 10/19 in gaps between the BZh Liquid Unit and the oxygen outlet pipe (filter FA-K) plus hydrogen outlet pipe (filter FA-V). [FE-1 again inspects the filters tonight at bedtime, currently a daily requirement per plan, with photographs to be taken if the filter packing is discolored.]

CDR De Winne, FE-2 Stott, FE-4 Thirsk & FE-5 Williams continued the current week-long session of the experiment SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight), donning their Actiwatches, from which to log data to the HRF-1 (Human Research Facility 1) laptop. [To monitor the crewmembers’ sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, the crewmembers sometimes wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by them as well as their patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition and use 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.]

Frank De Winne began the second day of his FD180 session with the NASA/JSC experiment NUTRITION w/Repository, after the 8-hr overnight fast. This was an all-day session, starting with the usual blood draw and continuing with urine sample collections for both several times until termination tomorrow after 24 hrs. Bob Thirsk assisted with the blood draw as CMO (Crew Medical Officer). [After the phlebotomy, Frank’s samples were first allowed to coagulate in the Repository for 20-30 minutes, then spun in the HRF RC (Human Research Facility/Refrigerated Centrifuge) and finally placed in MELFI (Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). No thruster activity was allowed during the blood drawing. The RC was later powered off after a temperature reset to limit wear on the compressor, and cleaned. 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.]

FE-3 Romanenko continued outfitting activities in the MRM2 module, i.e.,-

• Installing the BVN Fan & Air Heater Adapter set, and
• Removing protective covers from the DTG temperature sensors installed on the three MRM23 hatches (BP).

FE-1 Suraev started a new round of the monthly preventive maintenance of RS (Russian Segment) ventilation systems, working in the SM (Service Module) to clean the V1 & V2 fan screens and replace the PF1 & PF2 dust filter cartridges, then moving to the FGB (Funktsionalnyi-Grusovoi Blok) to replace its PS1 & PS2 dust collectors and clean the mesh screen of the central ventilation fan TsV1 and the detachable VT7 fan screens of the three SOTR gas-liquid heat exchangers (GZhT4), plus the fixed GZhT4 grill.

Also in the SM and FGB, Maxim completed the regular maintenance of the Russian POTOK-150MK (150 micron) air purification subsystems by cleaning the pre-filters with a vacuum cleaner with narrow nozzle attachment and later restarting POTOK in automatic mode.

Suraev did 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).

Afterwards, Maxim 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 and replacement of EDV-SV waste water and EDV-U urine containers.]

In the FGB, Romanenko took photographs of a scuffmark on the internal surface of the FGB -Y axis port’s ASP-B Passive Docking Assembly. [The scuffmark was left by the head of the Soyuz TMA-15 docking assembly probe. The photography was performed again because the pictures obtained earlier showed only the lower segment of scuff mark on the cone circled by a marker and noted as “ 15”.]

Working with Bob Thirsk & Frank De Winne, Roman performed the usual leak checks of the Sokol spacesuits to be worn by the three crewmembers during their return in Soyuz TMA-15/19S on 12/1, then let the Sokols and their gloves dry out from the leak check pressurizations.

Williams & De Winne cleaned up after their extensive Node-1 Alcove “renovation” and stowed the Node-1 Mod Kit. [Jeff & Frank were commended by ground controllers on their work performed in the last two days: “You’ve once again stepped up and done an outstanding job preparing Node-1 for the installation of Node-3 in February. Starting early and working hard, you completed a four-day task in just two days. We especially appreciated the camera views yesterday, as it was nice to follow along with you from the ground. Just as a heads-up, there is one small piece of the activity remaining; the connection of the Video/Audio Bus A jumper above the Node- Forward Hatch. Because this requires closure of the Node 1 forward hatch and the proper positioning of crewmembers relative to their home vehicle, we will timeline this after ULF3 undock.”]

Bob Thirsk had several hours to work on the new APEX (Advanced Plant Experiments on Orbit)-Cambium payload, starting out with a procedures review, setting up for historical video recording of operations, then performing the activities. [Activities included clearing an internal cooling loop air bubble in the ABRS (Advanced Biology Research System), retrieving TAGES (Transgenic Arabidopsis Gene Expression System) spares kit from MELFI (Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS), performing Harvest 1A of both GUS reporter genes plants & GFP reporter gene plants and initiating grow-out for 1A Prime harvest. This first harvest was time critical since it represents the effects of stress incurred during ascent. In Part 2, Bob configured MWA work surface area and retrieved ABRS root tray from stowage and APEX-Cambium Replant Kit from MELFI for initiating plant grow-out for Willow plants, followed by the first on-orbit potable water re-supply operation on APEX Willow plants.]

The FE-4 also started (later terminated) another 5-hr automatic sampling run, the 47^th, with the EHS GC/DMS (Environmental Health System Gas Chromatograph/Differential Mobility Spectrometer), also known as AQM (Air Quality Monitor), controlled with “Sionex” expert software from the SSC-4 (Station Support Computer 4) laptop. [The AQM demonstrates COTS (Commercial Off-the-Shelf) technology for identifying volatile organic compounds, similar to the VOA (Volatile Organics Analyzer). Today’s data will again to be compared with VOA and GSC (Grab Sample Container) measurements. This evaluation will continue over the course of several months as it helps to eventually certify the GC/DMS as nominal CHeCS (Crew Health Care Systems) hardware.]

Frank De Winne uninstalled 10 DOSIS Passive Detector packs plus one Triple Detector pack from COL with new dosimeters, documenting the installation afterwards with two photographs per detector.

The CDR also filled out the regular weekly FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire) on the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer). [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.]

Roman, Bob & Frank again had an hour set aside for regular crew departure preparations, working on the standard end-of-increment cleanup preparatory to their return to Earth on Soyuz TMA-15/19S. [It is usual for crewmembers to be granted reduced workdays for making their departure preparations, as their return date approaches.]

The crew performed their regular 2-hr physical exercise on the CEVIS cycle ergometer (CDR, FE-5), TVIS treadmill (FE-1, FE-3/2x, FE-4), ARED advanced resistive exerciser (CDR, FE-1, FE-2, FE-4), and T2 treadmill (CDR, FE-2, FE-5).

Afterwards, De Winne transferred the exercise data files 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).

False Alarm Recurrence: False ISS dP/dt (depressurization) alarms sounded again last night, and it is now known that the MRM2 Poisk is triggering the depress response, but the root cause of why or how is still unknown. The false depressurization alarms caused the ISS ventilation system to shut down, which triggered a false fire alarm due to dust settling in smoke detectors when the IMV (Intermodular Ventilation) went down. The first night, COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory) sensors were the culprit, and last night the A/L sensor. All systems have been returned to nominal configuration. Shuttle did receive the ISS alarms this time. RSC-Energia engineers at TsUP-Moscow are working hard on a solution to prevent MRM2 from causing further disruptions, having already sent up inhibits to the three manual alarm commanding for MRM2 (dP/dt, fire & toxic atmosphere) to minimize the possibility for false alarms from MRM2. The new MRM2 control panel is currently off limits. During the dP/dt, the US A/L (Airlock) also had a fire indication that terminated O₂ flow to the PBA (Prebreathe Assembly) masks. Since it would have taken too long to recover the A/L to continue the Campout at 10.2 psi, it was decided to proceed using the EVA exercise prebreathe protocol for EVA-2 instead.

WPA Update: The Water Processing Assembly processed about 26 liters yesterday (FD5). There is enough potable water to supply ISS needs for the remainder of the docked mission. WPA automatically shut down as a result of the alarms and there is no plan to activate again until Monday.

Weekly Science Update (Expedition Twenty-One — Week 6)

3-D SPACE: No report.

AgCam (Agricultural Camera): No report.

ALTCRISS (Alteino Long Term monitoring of Cosmic Rays on the ISS): Complete.

ALTEA DOSI (NASA/ASI): “Hello to all and a special welcome to your teammates from STS 129 / ULF-3. Everyone onboard should know you are well protected from our perspective of monitoring radiation. This week we stood down shortly to upgrade our radiation monitoring equipment. Everything is ON and operating. Thank you for your continued support and good luck with all your mission tasks to support Station building with the crew of STS 129 / ULF-3.”

APEX-Cambium: “Thanks Bob for transferring the Cambium plants to the ISS. They’ll be stored in the MELFI until you can proceed with the looping activity.”

BCAT-4/5 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test 4/5): “Bob, we are developing an OCR to schedule re-homogenization of sample 7 after STS-129 undocks. Barbara and Art have also prepared some lessons learned for you to provide as examples to Jeff in support of your handover activities with him before your return. Enjoy the next week, keep up the good work, and we look forward to supporting sample 7 activities.”

BIOLAB (ESA): No report.

BIORHYTHMS (JAXA, Biological Rhythms): “We have completed the Biological Rhythms for both Frank and Bob. Thank you for your cooperation and comments. Hopefully we can exchange more information though the crew debriefing.”

BISE (CSA, Bodies in the Space Environment): FE-2, FE-4, and FE-5/CDR have all completed their BISE in-flight runs.

BISPHOSPHONATES: “Bob, thanks for completing your pill ingestion. Your next session is scheduled for 11/23. Jeff, thanks for completing your pill ingestion. Your next session is scheduled for 11/22.”

CARD (Long Term Microgravity: Model for Investigating Mechanisms of Heart Disease, ESA): No report.

CARDIOCOG-2: Complete.

CB (JAXA Clean Bench): No report.

CBEF (JAXA Cell Biology Experiment Facility)/SPACE SEED: No report.

CCISS (Cardiovascular & Cerebrovascular Control on Return from ISS): “Bob, since ICV data is shared with CCISS, please refer to your ICV status below.”

CERISE (JAXA): Sample arrived on ULF3 and started incubation on 11/19 (FD4) with RadSilk in the CBEF. First sample will be taken out from CBEF on FD8 and next sample will be taken out from CBEF on FD12.

CFE (Capillary Flow Experiment): Reserve.

CSI-3/CGBA-5 (CGBA Science Insert #2/Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 5): “We’ve observed the very hungry larva, and they have finished their final molting phase, which means that they will pupate next week. We have some very good images being made available to classrooms. The classes are running identical experiments, and are comparing the results. Thank you very much!”

CGBA-2 (Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 2): Complete.

CIR (Combustion Integrated Rack), MDCA/Flex: No report.

CSLM-2 (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures 2): Complete.

Commercial 2 (JAXA): Completed.

Commercial 3 (JAXA): Completed.

CW/CR (Cell Wall/Resist Wall) in EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System): Complete.

DomeGene (JAXA): Complete.

DOSIS (ESA): No report.

EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students): No report.

EDR (European Drawer Rack, ESA): The rack is continuously active in support of the Protein Crystallization Diagnostic Facility (PCDF) experiment. EDR is providing power/data and temperature control (via cooling loop) to PCDF.

ELITE-S2 (Elaboratore Immagini Televisive – Space 2): Planned.

ENose (Electronic Nose): No report.

EPM (European Physiology Module): No report.

EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA): No report.

EPO LES-3 (ESA): No report.

EPO 3-min Video (JAXA): No report.

EPO J-Astro Report (JAXA): Ongoing.

EPO Dewey’s Forest (JAXA): The sample was transferred to MELFI.

EPO Space Clothes (JAXA): Complete.

EPO Hiten (Dance, JAXA): No report.

EPO Moon Score (JAXA): “It is a regret that a good moon shot could not be taken because of the window condition. After we get the downlinked photo, JAXA will talk with the PI whether we will make one more try.”

EPO Try Zero-G (JAXA): “No report.

EPO Kibo Kids Tour (JAXA): Complete.

EPO Spiral Top (JAXA): No report.

ETD (Eye Tracking Device): Completed.

EuTEF (European Technology Exposure Facility): With landing of 17A on 9/11, EuTEF platform was returned to the ground.

FACET (JAXA): No report.

FIR/LMM/CVB (Fluids Integrated Rack / Light Microscopy Module / Constrained Vapor Bubble): No report.

FWED (Flywheel Exercise Device, ESA): No report.

FOAM STABILITY (ESA): “Thank you, Frank, for completing the FOAM-STABILITY runs as Voluntary Science.”

FSL (Fluid Science Laboratory): MMA measurements performed to support Flywheel check-out.

GEOFLOW: No report.

HDTV System (JAXA): Was delivered by HTV1.

Holter ECG (JAXA): No report.

HQPC (JAXA): Was delivered by 34P.

HREP (HICO/Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean & RAIDS/Remote Atmospheric & Ionospheric Detection System/JAXA): No report.

ICE CRYSTAL (JAXA): Complete.

ICV (Integrated Cardiovascular): “Nicole, you are now complete with your on-orbit ICV Ambulatory Monitoring sessions. It has been a pleasure for the ground team to work with you and we look forward to seeing you at BDC. We would also like to pass on a big thank you for all the troubleshooting you and Bob provided for the Cardiopres cuffs. Jeff, the ICV data that you downloaded last week was received on the ground. This was the first time that Cardiopres data was downloaded straight to the HRF PC1 for subsequent downlink and we are happy to report that the process was successful! Bob, the ICV team really appreciates all your help with assisting in diagnosing the Cardiopres cuff problem. The detailed information you provided aided the ground team in troubleshooting and ultimately developing a successful work around.”

IMMUNO (Neuroendocrine & Immune Responses in Humans During & After Long Term Stay at ISS): Complete.

INTEGRATED IMMUNE: No report.

InSPACE-2 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions 2): No report.

IRIS (Image Reversal in Space, CSA): No report.

LOCAD-PTS (Lab-on-a-Chip Application Development-Portable Test System): No report.

Marangoni UVP (JAXA): Postponed. Troubleshooting planning is now in progress.

MAXI (Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image, JAXA): Ethernet communication trouble (#8 on 11/15, #9 11/17). Still working to find out a cause of communication network conflict.

MEIS (Marangoni Experiment for ISS) in JAXA FPEF (Fluid Physics Experiment Facility): Postponed because of sample cassette failure.

MDCA/Flex: See under CIR.

MDS (Mice Drawer System): “Hello Nicole, Bob and team. With the docking of STS 129 / ULF-3 it looks as if Nicole is becoming a short-timer. We think she was eager to see Leland Melvin because we know that he will help her transfer the MDS facility to the Shuttle for the ride home for you. We had another nominal week both with respect to the mice and the facility. As we write this we know it is only about eight or nine days before Nicole will be reunited with Chris and Roman and before we recover the mice for which you all on the ISS have provided such great care and attention. Continued best wishes and good luck on the return home.”

Microbe-1 (JAXA): No report.

Micro-G Clay (JAXA EPO): Complete.

MMA (JAXA/Microgravity Measurement Apparatus): No report.

MISSE (Materials ISS Experiment): Ongoing.

MSG-SAME (Microgravity Science Glovebox): Complete.

MSL (Materials Science Laboratory): “The processing of the MICAST#4 SCA was successfully completed on 11/07.”

MTR-2 (Russian radiation measurements): Passive dosimeters measurements in DC-1 “Pirs”.

MULTIGEN-1: Completed.

NEUROSPAT (ESA/Study of Spatial Cognition, Novelty Processing and Sensorimotor Integration): No report.

NOA-1/-2 (Nitric Oxide Analyzer, ESA): Complete.

NUTRITION w/REPOSITORY: “Nicole, thanks for the great work in completing your Nutrition/Repository sessions. We have received all of the information that you placed in crew notes from these sessions and are very thankful. It has truly been a pleasure working with you and having you participate in the in-flight operations for these experiments.”

PADLES (JAXA, Area PADLES 3; Passive Area Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiment in Space): No report.

PCDF-PU (Protein Crystallization Diagnostic Facility – Process Unit): No report.

PCG (JAXA, Protein Crystal Growth): PCG samples were returned by Soyuz 18S and transported to JAXA.

PCRF (Protein Crystallization Research Facility) Reconfiguration (JAXA): Complete.

PMDIS (Perceptual Motor Deficits in Space): Complete.

POLCA/GRAVIGEN (ESA): Complete.

RadGene & LOH (JAXA): Complete.

RadSilk (JAXA): Incubation has started on 11/17 (FD2), and is expected to stop on FD8.

RST/Reaction Self Test (Psychomotor Vigilance Self Test on the ISS): “Jeff, thank you for participating in Reaction Self Test! We hope to receive the data soon and look forward to analyzing it.”

SAMS/MAMS (Space & Microgravity Acceleration Measurement Systems): (from CSA): “Bob, the SAMS accelerometer onboard SODI-IVIDIL worked well last week. By the time you read this message, we should have completed our preliminary analysis of the acceleration data collected for all experimental runs from cell #1. We have recently produced some fun and exciting power spectral density videos summarizing vibrational energies from many experimental runs. Ops with liquid cell #1 are now complete and the system is off during docked ops. We look forward to the start of acceleration data again in support of cell #2. We also look forward to sharing our analysis and videos with you upon your return.”

SAMPLE: Complete.

SCOF (Solution Crystallization Observation Facility, JAXA): No report.

SEDA-AP (Space Environment Data Acquisition Equipment-Attached Payload, JAXA): Continuing observations.

SHERE (Shear History Extensional Rheology Experiment): Complete.

SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight): “All: you are currently completing your second week of Sleep logging for this Expedition. Bob: thanks for completing the Actiwatch download and initialization session. Bob & Frank: with the exception of this week’s sleep log, your only remaining activity is doffing the Actiwatches on ISS prior to Soyuz undock. Nicole: with the exception of this week’s sleep log, your only remaining activity is doffing the Actiwatches on ISS prior to Shuttle undock.”

SLAMMD (Space Linear Acceleration Mass Measurement Device): No report.

SMILES (JAXA): Continuing observations.

SODI/IVIDIL (Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument/Influence of Vibration on Diffusion in. Liquids, ESA): Re-run of Run #13 with thermal stabilization first has been performed and completed on 11/17. This was a run with strong vibrations. This concludes the runs with cell array #1. The science teams are working on developing the concentration maps versus time and also concentration maps versus Gershuni number with the selection of images received on the ground so far. They will receive the complete data set with the return of the flash disks. There will be no IVIDIL runs during the ULF3 docked ops; they will resume after the cell array exchange planned for 11/28.

SOLAR (Solar Monitoring Observatory): Currently in Sun observation window #22 which started on 11/9.

SOLO (Sodium Loading in Microgravity): No report.

SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellite): No report.

SPICE (Smoke Point In Co-flow Experiment): No report.

SPINAL (Spinal Elongation): No report.

SWAB (Characterization of Microorganisms & Allergens in Spacecraft): “Jeff, thank you for completing the 4th of 8 SWAB Water Collections! Samples from the first four sessions will return on ULF3. We look forward to analyzing these samples! We are halfway done and appreciate your efforts in helping to complete the SWAB experiment!”

THERMOLAB (ESA): No report.

TRAC (Test of Reaction & Adaptation Capabilities): Planned.

ULTRASOUND: Planned.

VO₂max (NASA): “Nicole, thanks for helping us out with CEVIS and your patience in re-initiating the protocol. We’ve got all the data on the ground and are in the process of analyzing it. You have now completed your in-flight sessions for VO₂max! Look forward to seeing you for post-flight BDC.”

VLE (Video Lessons ESA): VLE-1 completed.

WAICO #1/#2 (Waving and Coiling of Arabidopsis Roots at Different g-levels): No report.

YEAST B (ESA): No report.

CEO (Crew Earth Observations): Through 11/16, the ground has received a total of 18,805 frames of ISS-21 CEO imagery for review and cataloguing. “You are averaging over 500 frames per day so far! We are pleased to report your acquisition of imagery for the following CEO Target Requests: Nouakchott, Mauritania – useful, detailed views of the northern part of the city – clouds and dust obscured the rest – we will continue to try for views of the whole city now; and N’Djamena, Chad – an excellent and complete detailed mapping of the city – we will request only views of the entire city in the future. A pair of your fine, detailed images of the Savage Islands in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean will be published on NASA/GSFC’s Earth Observatory website this weekend. Your images contain this tiny, rarely photographed archipelago in its entirety and are our best views to date. Thanks for the patience, alertness, and good technique to acquire these beauties!”

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

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 5:43am EST [= epoch])
Mean altitude – 340.2 km
Apogee height – 344.1 km
Perigee height – 336.3 km
Period — 91.34 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0005809
Solar Beta Angle — -23.1 deg (magnitude peaking)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.76
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 79 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 63072

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time, some changes possible!):
11/25/09 — STS-129/Atlantis/ULF3 undock – 4:57am
11/27/09 — STS-129/Atlantis/ULF3 land/KSC – 9:47am
12/01/09 – Soyuz TMA-15/19S undock
12/01-12/23 —> two-member crew
12/21/09 — Soyuz TMA-17/21S launch — O. Kotov/S. Noguchi/T.J. Creamer
12/23/09 — Soyuz TMA-17/21S (FGB nadir)
01/20/10 — Soyuz TMA-16/20S relocation (from SM aft to MRM-2)
02/03/10 — Progress M-04M/36P launch
02/04/10 — STS-130/Endeavour/20A – Node-3 “Tranquility” + Cupola
02/05/10 — Progress M-04M/36P docking
03/18/10 — Soyuz TMA-16/20S undock/landing
03/18/10 — STS-131/Discovery/19A – MPLM(P), LMC
04/02/10 — Soyuz TMA-18/22S launch
04/27/10 — Progress M-03M/35P undock
04/28/10 — Progress M-05M/37P launch
04/30/10 — Progress M-05M/37P docking
05/14/10 — STS-132/Atlantis/ULF4 – ICC-VLD, MRM-1
05/29/10 — Progress M-04M/36P undock
05/30/10 — Soyuz TMA-19/23S launch
06/30/10 — Progress M-06M/38P launch
07/02/10 — Progress M-06M/38P docking
07/26/10 — Progress M-05M/37P undock
07/27/10 — Progress M-07M/39P launch
07/29/10 — Progress M-07M/39P docking
07/29/10 — STS-134/Endeavour (ULF6 – ELC3, AMS-02)
08/30/10 — Progress M-06M/38P undock
08/31/10 — Progress M-08M/40P launch
09/02/10 — Progress M-08M/40P docking
09/16/10 — STS-133/Discovery (ULF5 – ELC4, PLM)
09/18/10 — STS-133/Discovery (ULF5 – ELC4, PLM) docking
09/22/10 — STS-133/Discovery (ULF5 – ELC4, PLM) undock
09/30/10 — Soyuz TMA-20/24S launch
10/26/10 — Progress M-07M/39P undock
10/27/10 — Progress M-09M/41P launch
10/29/10 — Progress M-09M/41P docking
11/30/10 — ATV2 launch– Ariane 5 (ESA)
11/30/10 — Soyuz TMA-21/25S launch
12/15/10 — Progress M-08M/40P undock
12/17/10 — ATV2 docking
02/08/11 — Progress M-09M/41P undock
02/09/11 — Progress M-10M/42P launch
02/11/11 — Progress M-10M/42P docking
03/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-22/26S launch
xx/xx/11 – Progress M-11M/43P launch
05/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-23/27S launch
12/??/11 — 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA – on Proton