NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 23 June 2011
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.
Yest kasaniya! At 12:37pm EDT this morning, Progress M-11M/43P (#411) docked successfully to the SM (Service Module) aft-end port (vacated by ATV2 on 6/20) under precise automatic Kurs control. [Kurs antenna retraction was nominal. Kasaniya (contact) was followed by a final DPO post-contact thrusting burn, docking probe retraction and Sborka (hook closure, ~12:57pm) after motion damp-out while the ISS was in free drift for 20 min (12:37pm-12:57pm). At “hooks closed” signal, the SM returned to active attitude control, maneuvering the ISS to LVLH TEA (local vertical/local horizontal Torque Equilibrium Attitude). Control authority, which had been handed over to Russian MCS (Motion Control System) at 9:30am, returns to US Momentum Management at ~1:50pm. Next are the standard 1-hr leak checking, opening of the hatches (~3:35pm) and installation of the QD (quick disconnect) screw clamps (BZV) of the docking & internal transfer mechanism (SSVP) to rigidize the coupling, followed by the standard air sampling inside Progress with the Russian AK-1M air sampler, powering down the spacecraft and installing the ventilation/heating air duct, taking photographs of the internal docking surfaces for subsequent downlinking, and dismantling the docking mechanism (StM, Stykovochnovo mekhanizma) between the cargo ship and the SM aft port.]
FE-5 Furukawa powered down the amateur/ham radio equipment in the ESA COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory) and SM to prevent RF interference during the approach & docking. The sets were turned back on later in the day.
FE-6 Fossum closed the protective shutters of the Lab, Node-3/Cupola & JPM (JEM Pressurized Module) windows to prevent their contamination from thruster effluents.
Also for the docking, CDR Borisenko shut down the Vozdukh carbon dioxide removal system in the SM to reduce power usage. Later in the day, Andrey reactivated the CO2 scrubber.
Automated approach & docking was monitored from the SM by FE-1 Samokutyayev & FE-4 Volkov on the TORU manual teleoperated rendezvous & docking system in case automated control was aborted. [Due to an issue during the TORU simulation run on 6/21, and a video problem, TsUP-Moscow early this morning (4:47am EDT) conducted a TORU test with Progress 43P over RGS (Russian Groundsite). The test showed that TORU was fully functional, indicating that the earlier problem was due to less-than-full communications to the ground on the normally not used backup string. The video issue was traced to the Progress-based transmitter which exhibited lower power output than expected, but still at an acceptable level, showing a stable picture on the ground.]
After the cargo ship’s docking, Sasha & Sergei shut off the TORU, and reconfigured the STTS telephone/telegraph subsystem to normal ops. [The “Voskhod-M” STTS enables telephone communications between the SM, FGB, DC-1 and USOS, and also with users on the ground over VHF channels selected by an operator at an SM comm panel, via STTS antennas on the SM’s outside. There are six comm panels in the SM with pushbuttons for accessing any of three audio channels, plus an intercom channel. Other modes of the STTS include telegraphy (teletype), EVA voice, emergency alarms, Packet/Email, and TORU docking support].
The crewmembers then started the standard one-hour leak checking of the docking vestibule and fuel/oxidizer transfer line interface between Progress and the SM PrK vestibule.
Later today, Volkov & Samokutyayev will open the hatches (~3:35pm) and install the QD (quick disconnect) screw clamps (BZV) of the docking & internal transfer mechanism (SSVP) to rigidize the coupling.
Afterwards, Samokutyayev powers down the spacecraft and installs the ventilation/heating air duct.
Borisenko meanwhile performs the standard air sampling inside Progress with the Russian AK-1M air sampler.
Next, Andrey will take two photos of the internal part of the SM aft port’s SSVP-StM docking cone to obtain digital imagery of the scratch or scuff mark left by the head of the 43P active docking probe on the internal surface of the passive drogue (docking cone) ring, a standard practice after Russian dockings. The CDR subsequently downlinks the pictures via OCA assets. [These images are used to refine current understanding of docking conditions. The objective is to take photo imagery of the scratch or scuff marks left by the head of the docking probe on the internal surface of the drogue (docking cone, ASP) ring, now rotated out of the passageway. Before shooting the picture, the cosmonaut highlights the scuffmark with a marker and writes the date next to it. As other crewmembers before him, Andrey used the Nikon D2X digital still camera to take the pictures with the hatch partially closed.]
Sasha & Andrey then are to dismantle the docking mechanism (StM, Stykovochnovo mekhanizma) between the cargo ship and the SM. [The StM is the “classic” probe-and-cone type, consisting of an active docking assembly (ASA) with a probe (SSh), which fits into the cone (SK) on the passive docking assembly (PSA) for initial soft dock and subsequent retraction to hard dock. The ASA is mounted on the Progress’ cargo module (GrO), while the PSA sits on the docking ports of the SM, FGB and DC-1.]
After wakeup, FE-5 Furukawa started his first 24-hr series of NUTRITION/Repository urine sample collections, with samples stored in MELFI, to be concluded tomorrow morning. Later in the day, Satoshi also set up the equipment for his associated generic blood draw, scheduled tomorrow. [Urine samples go into MELFI (Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS) within 30 minutes after collection. Every individual urine/blood sample tube must be labeled with time of void and Crew ID. Barcodes can be called down, placed in crew notes or the barcode reader can be used. For the blood draw, there is a prior 8-hr fasting requirement, i.e., no food or drink, but water consumption is highly encouraged to ensure proper hydration. Exercise should not be conducted during the 8 hrs prior to the blood draw.]
Later, Furukawa concluded the periodic personal acoustic measurement protocol, today downloading the latest recorded data from the crew-worn dosimeters and the noise level measurements in the interior, transferring them via IR port to a T61p laptop for subsequent downlink.
CDR Borisenko continued the current round of periodic preventive maintenance of RS (Russian Segment) ventilation systems, today cleaning the numerous Group A ventilator fans & grilles in the SM, after photographing all fan screens for ground inspection.
Aleksandr performed the regular (weekly) inspection of the replaceable half-coupling of the 4GB4 hydraulic unit of the KOB-2 (Loop 2) of the Russian SOTR Thermal Control System, checking for coolant fluid hermeticity (leak-tightness),
Sergei Volkov configured the Russian MBI-21 PNEVMOKARD experiment, then conducted his first 1h15m session, which forbids moving or talking during data recording. The experiment is controlled from the RSE-med A31p laptop and uses the TENZOPLUS sphygmomanometer to measure arterial blood pressure. The FE-1 took documentary photography. The experiment was then closed out and the test data were downlinked via OCA. [PNEVMOKARD (Pneumocard) attempts to obtain new scientific information to refine the understanding about the mechanisms used by the cardiorespiratory system and the whole body organism to spaceflight conditions. By recording (on PCMCIA cards) the crewmember’s electrocardiogram, impedance cardiogram, low-frequency phonocardiogram (seismocardiogram), pneumotachogram (using nose temperature sensors), and finger photoplethismogram, the experiment supports integrated studies of (1) the cardiovascular system and its adaptation mechanisms in various phases of a long-duration mission, (2) the synchronization of heart activity and breathing factors, as well as the cardiorespiratory system control processes based on the variability rate of physiological parameters, and (3) the interconnection between the cardiorespiratory system during a long-duration mission and the tolerance of orthostatic & physical activities at the beginning of readaptation for predicting possible reactions of the crewmembers organism during the their return to ground.]
With the ITCS LTL (Internal Thermal Control System Low Temperature Loop) activated in the US A/L (Airlock) for cooling (at least 8 hrs earlier), Mike Fossum set up EMUs (Extravehicular Mobility Units) 3009 & 3010 with their SCUs (Service & Cooling Umbilicals) and started the standard one-hour scrubbing process on 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. A/L LTL flow was then terminated. This activity met the periodic maintenance requirements for the EMUs. [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.]
Fossum & Garan had more time set aside for preparing tools & equipment for their EVA during ULF7.
Ron also performed the weekly 10-min. CWC (Contingency Water Container) inventory as part of the on-going 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. [The current card (28-0014B) lists 103 good CWCs (2,341 L total) for the five types of water identified on board: 1. technical water (21 CWCs with 846.4 L, for Elektron electrolysis, incl. 562.2 L in 14 bags containing Wautersia bacteria and 134.2 L in 3 clean bags for contingency use; 2. Silver potable water (no CWCs); 3. iodinated water (70 CWCs with 1,278.3 L (also 35 expired or leaking bags with 641.5 L); 4. condensate water (180.7 L in 8 bags, plus 2 empty bags); and 5. waste/EMU dump and other (35.6 L in 2 CWCs, incl. 20.2 L from hose/pump flush). Wautersia bacteria are typical water-borne microorganisms that have been seen previously in ISS water sources. These isolates pose no threat to human health.]
After the docking, Satoshi tore down and removed the MPEG-2 “scheme” setup of downlinking streaming video via Ku-band, then deactivated the conversion A31p laptop in the Node-1. [The Ku-band video “scheme” for covering RS docking events converts the Russian video signal from the SONY HDV camera’s European PAL format to U.S. NTSC format and Ku-band from Node-1 & SM, for downlinking “streaming video” packets via U.S. OpsLAN and Ku-band. The activities are monitored on the SSC-2 (Station Support Computer 2) laptop at the SM Central Post with the NVIEWER application, and the VWS1 (Video Streaming Workstation 1) A31p laptop In Node-1 is used for both the conversion from PAL to NTSC and the “streaming” MPEG2 (Moving Pictures Expert Group 2) encoding.]
Andrey 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.]
Both Furukawa & Garan had several hours reserved for gathering & prepacking cargo for ULF7.
Soyuz 27S crewmembers Volkov, Fossum & Furukawa again had about an hour of free time for general orientation (adaptation, station familiarization & acclimatization) as is standard daily rule for fresh crewmembers for the first two weeks after starting residence, if they choose to take it.
At ~3:20am EDT, Ron Garan conducted the regular IMS stowage conference with Houston stowage specialists.
At ~6:40am, Satoshi Furukawa held his regular tagup with the Japanese Flight Control Team at SSIPC/Tsukuba via S-band/audio. [This conference is scheduled once every week, between the ISS crewmembers and SSIPC.]
At ~8:10am, Satoshi supported a JAXA PAO TV event, responding to questions from 11 students and Dr. Kiyohiro Takigiku from Nagano Children’s Hospital in Nagano-Prefecture, Japan. [“From the Soyuz spacecraft, do you see stars glittering? What do constellations look like? I like playing Kendama in the hospital classroom. Can we play it in space? My blood flow pattern is different because I had a Fontan operation. What happens if I stay in space for a long time? What is the hardest thing when living in space? I heard that in the International Space Station we are exposed to cosmic radiation, equivalent of 4-6 months on the earth, per day. How do you protect yourself? What sounds do you hear in space? Is there any difference when we receive injections on the Station? I heard that your childhood dream of becoming an Ultraman motivated you to be an astronaut. How do you feel when you actually see the universe with your own eyes? Can you see the M78 Nebula? Can we give someone a drip in space? If we get a cut, does blood float in the air? I am reading books written by E.T. Seton. Can we keep animals in space? If so, what kind? In zero gravity, do you lose your orientation about which is a floor and which is a ceiling? What kind of music do you like listening to in space? Are brain waves affected in space?”]
At ~1:30pm, Fossum & Garan are scheduled for a debrief teleconference on their two recent Shuttle RPM (R-bar Pitch Maneuver) skill training sessions, discussing their downlinked photographs with ground specialists. [The RPM drill prepares crewmembers for the bottom-side mapping of the Orbiter at the arrival of the next Shuttle, STS-135/Atlantis/ULF7, to be launched 7/8. During the RPM at ~600 ft from the station, the “shooters” have only ~90 seconds for taking high-resolution digital photographs of all tile areas and door seals on Atlantis, to be downlinked for launch debris assessment. Thus, time available for the shooting will be very limited, requiring great coordination between the two headset-equipped photographers and the Shuttle pilot.]
At ~5:45pm, Mike is also timelined 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).
Before “Presleep” period tonight, FE-3 powers on the MPC (Multi-Protocol Converter) and start the 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, MPC will be turned 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 (FE-3, FE-6), ARED advanced resistive exercise device (FE-3, FE-5, FE-6), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (CDR, FE-1, FE-4, FE-5), and VELO ergometer bike with load trainer (CDR, FE-1, FE-4).
CEO (Crew Earth Observation) targets uplinked for today were Lilongwe, Malawi (Lilongwe was at nadir with respect to ISS orbit track. The city is located to the SW of Lake Malawi. Overlapping mapping frames of the urban area and surroundings were requested; such context imagery will aid in locating higher resolution imagery), Islamabad, Pakistan (ISS had a nadir pass over this rapidly growing capital city that has a population estimated at 1.21 million (2009). It is located in a plateau area of northern Pakistan. Hazy conditions persist in this area and the crew may not have spotted the city until they were directly above it), Kwanza Basin (general views were requested, looking just right of track, to document a thin string of new developments [infrastructure such as main roads, power lines, and settlements along the roads] between the capital city, Luanda, and new oilfields inland. Critical features were acquired if the crew shot left of track with overlapping images. The rationale behind imaging this site is to document planned and unplanned changes in the Luanda-oilfields corridor developing between the coastal capital city, Luanda, and the new oilfields to the northeast. Few usable images have yet been acquired, mainly due to the presence of continuous equatorial clouds), Roseau, Dominica (ISS had a nadir pass over this target with partly cloudy conditions. The island of Dominica lies near the center of archipelago of the Lesser Antilles. The small capital city of the island nation is located on the SW coast), and Nassau, Bahamas (ISS had a nadir-viewing overpass of Nassau, capital city of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. Some scattered clouds may have been present. The city of Nassau proper is located on the eastern half of New Providence Island; however the metropolitan area encompasses the entire island. Overlapping mapping frames of the island, concentrating on the eastern half, were requested).
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————–Six-crew operations————-
07/08/11 — STS-135/Atlantis launch ULF7 (MPLM) – 11:26:46am
07/10/11 — STS-135/Atlantis docking ULF7 (MPLM) ~11:09am
07/18/11 — STS-135/Atlantis undock ULF7 (MPLM) – 1:59pm
07/20/11 — STS-135/Atlantis landing KSC ~7:07am
07/27/11 — Russian EVA #29
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)
09/08/11 – Soyuz TMA-21/26S undock/landing (End of Increment 28)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/22/11 — 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—————-
12/26/11 — Progress M-13M/45P undock
12/27/11 — Progress M-14M/46P launch
12/29/11 — Progress M-14M/46P docking (DC-1)
02/29/12 — ATV3 launch readiness
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—————-
05/05/12 — 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)
05/16/12 — 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————-
