NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 22 November 2012
ISS On-Orbit Status 11/22/12
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. US Holiday: Happy Thanksgiving!
After wakeup, FE-1 Novitskiy performed the routine inspection of the SM (Service Module) PSS Caution & Warning panel as part of regular Daily Morning Inspection and also .
FE-1 also completed the daily reboot of the Russian RS1 & RS2 laptops, and FE-2 Tarelkin rebooted the RSS1 & RSS2 laptops
CDR Ford started the day with another post-sleep session of the Reaction Self-Test (Psychomotor Vigilance Self-Test on the ISS) protocol, Kevin’s 7th. [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.]
FE-1 Novitskiy concluded his first session of the standard 24-hour ECG (electrocardiogram) recording under the Russian MedOps PZE MO-2-2 protocol which monitors human cardiovascular performance in the space flight environment. [After the ECG recording and blood pressure measurements with the Kardiomed system, Oleg doffed the five-electrode Holter harness that read his dynamic (in motion) heart function from two leads over the past 24 hours, recording data on the “Kardioregistrator 90205” unit. The examination results were then downloaded from the Holter ECG device to the RSE-Med laptop, controlled by the Kardiomed application. Later, the data were downlinked as a compressed .zip-file via OCA.]
At ~7:30am EST, Kevin activated the MPC (Multi-Protocol Converter) routing to downlink the recording of his extensive IFM (Inflight Maintenance) yesterday at the MSL SQF (Material Science Laboratory / Solidification & Quenching Furnace) in the MSRR (Material Science Research Rack), with POIC (Payload Operations & Integration Center) routing the onboard HRDL (High-Rate Data Link). Later in the day, Ford turned MPC routing off again. [The IFM involved the removal of graphite residue from the SQF and polishing of the interior surface. This completed a major step to returning the MSRR/MSL facility back to science operations. MSL has not processed science since there was a Payload MDM failure in September 2011 which resulted in a MSL facility shutdown and caused residue from the sample to be deposited in the processing chamber.]
Later, the CDR performed the weekly 10-min. CWC (Contingency Water Container) inventory as part of continuing WRM (Water Recovery & Management) assessment of onboard water supplies. Updated “cue cards” based on the crew’s water calldowns are sent up every other week for recording changes, but this time the report was “no change” to the current card. [The current new card (32-0005I) lists 20 CWCs (254.13 L total), including 1 empty bag, for the five types of water identified on board: 1. Silver technical water (3 CWCs with 98.1 L); 2. Condensate water (3 CWCs with 14.0 L; plus 1 empty bag); 3. Iodinated water (11 CWCs with 129.85 L); 4. Waste water (1 CWC with 9.68 L bag EMU waste water), and 5. Special Fluid (OGS) (1 CWC with 2.5 L). Other CWCs are stowed behind racks and are currently not being tracked due to unchanging contents. Wautersia bacteria are typical water-borne microorganisms that have been seen previously in ISS water sources. These isolates pose no threat to human health.]
FE-2 Tarelkin set up the BTKh-43 KONSTANTA payload and performed the 6th research session of the experiment, with photo/video recording. Data were downlinked to TsUP via RSPI high-speed link. [Using the Rekomb-K hardware, KONSTANTA aims to identify the effects of the micro-G environment on the activity of a model enzymatic agent with respect to a specific zymolyte by identifying the feasibility of determining enzymatic activity of an isolated cholinesterase specimen in comparison with ground experiments run concurrently and periodic activity tests of the cholinesterase specimen with respect to a specific zymolyte on board the ISS using a method which allows correct calculation of the Michaelis constant. Purpose: Finding possible approaches to protecting enzyme systems of animals against undesirable effects of spaceflight, as well as determining the feasibility of both spot checks and regular monitoring of biochemical indicators of the crew during spaceflight using enzyme test systems.]
FE-1 Novitskiy 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.]
Ford filled out their standard FFQs (Food Frequency Questionnaires) on the MDLT (Medical Laptop Terminal). It was the 3rd time for the CDR. [On the FFQs, USOS astronauts keep a personalized log of their nutritional intake over time on special MDLT 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.]
The CDR conducted the continuing preventive inspection & cleaning of accessible AR (Atmosphere Revitalization) system bacteria filters in Node-1, Node-2 & Node-3, with pre-cleaning photo documentation.
Kevin again had a time slot/placeholder reserved for making entries in her electronic Journals on the personal SSC (Station Support Computer). [Required are three journaling sessions per week.]
Before Presleep (~2:30pm EST), Ford powers up the MPC and starts 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, Kevin turns 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.]
At ~6:10am EST, Evgeny & Oleg supported a Russian PAO TV event, downlinking messages of greetings to the participants of the Victory Ball on Poklonnaya Hill. [The Victory Ball, dedicated to the Day of the Red Army troops counter-attack near Moscow, will take place on December 2, 2012, in the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War on Poklonnaya Hill. The ball is organized by the Mayor’s Office and Moscow Government, Russia’s Ministry of Culture, the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War, and others.]
At ~2:35pm EST, Kevin Ford is scheduled for his weekly PFC (Private Family Conference) via S-band/audio and Ku-band/MS-NetMeeting application (which displays the uplinked ground video on an SSC laptop).
The crew worked out on the CEVIS cycle ergometer with vibration isolation & stabilization (CDR), TVIS treadmill with vibration isolation & stabilization (FE-1, FE-2), ARED advanced resistive exercise device (CDR, FE-2), and VELO ergometer bike with load trainer (FE-1).
Tasks listed for FE-4 Malenchenko on the Russian discretionary “time permitting” job for today were –
• 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), and
• 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.
CEO (Crew Earth Observation) targets uplinked for today were Beirut, Lebanon (CAPITAL CITIES COLLECTION: Nadir pass over this coastal city of 2 million. Visual cue is a prominent triangular cape), Damascus, Syria (CAPITAL CITIES COLLECTION. Looking just left of track for the Syrian capital [population ~1.8 million]), located about 50 miles inland from the Mediterranean Sea. As a relatively small city we request the 400 mm lens. Damascus is a low-contrast urban area next to a dark area of intensive agriculture, the best visual cue), Storms Aftermath, Northeast Coast, USA (looking right for good views of Long Island and Long Island Sound shorelines. New York forecast “partly sunny.”), St. Georges, Grenada (CAPITAL CITIES COLLECTION. Looking left on the south end of the island of Grenada for this small capital city [33,700]. For scale, the entire island of Grenada is only 33 km long), and Georgetown, Guyana (CAPITAL CITIES COLLECTION: Near nadir pass in partly cloudy weather. Georgetown [population 250,000] is located on the coast next to the estuary of the Demerara River).
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 6:39am EST [= epoch])
Mean altitude – 411.9 km
Apogee height – 422.4 km
Perigee height – 401.3 km
Period — 92.80 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.65 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0015525
Solar Beta Angle — -10.6 deg (magnitude decreasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.52
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 108 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 80,260
Time in orbit (station) — 5116 days
Time in orbit (crews, cum.) — 4403 days.
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————– Inc-33: Six-crew operations ————-
11/18/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/31S undock/deorbit/landing – 5:26pm/7:58pm/8:53pm EST (local: 11/19, 7:53am) End of Increment 33)
————– Inc-34: Three-crew operations ————-
12/19/12 – Soyuz TMA-07M/33S launch – C.Hadfield (CDR-35)/T.Mashburn/R.Romanenko
12/21/12 – Soyuz TMA-07M/33S docking
————– Inc-34: Six-crew operations ————-
02/11/13 – Progress M-16M/48P undocking
02/12/13 – Progress M-18M/50P launch
02/14/13 – Progress M-18M/50P docking
03/15/13 — Soyuz TMA-06M/32S undock/landing (End of Increment 34)
————– Inc-35: 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
04/23/13 — Progress M-18M/50P undock/landing
————– Inc-35: Six-crew operations ————-
05/16/13 — Soyuz TMA-07M/33S undock/landing (End of Increment 35)
————– Inc-36: 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
————– Inc-36: Six-crew operations ————-
09/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-08M/34S undock/landing (End of Increment 36)
————– Inc-37: 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
————– Inc-37: Six-crew operations ————-
11/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-09M/35S undock/landing (End of Increment 37)
————– Inc-38: 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
————– Inc-38: Six-crew operations ————-
03/xx/14 — Soyuz TMA-10M/36S undock/landing (End of Increment 38)
————– Inc-39: Three-crew operations ————-
