NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 23 May 2009
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Saturday — light-duty day for the ISS crew (soon to double in size!).
FE-1 Barratt continued his second run of sleep logging for the experiment SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight) from his Actiwatch to the HRF-1 (Human Research Facility 1) laptop as part of a week-long session. This is similar to Barratt’s BCD (Baseline Data Collection) which was performed pre-flight for comparison. [To monitor the crewmember’s sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Mike wears a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by them as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition and uses 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.]
The crew performed the regular weekly three-hour task of thorough station cleaning, including COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory) and Kibo. [“Uborka”, usually done on Saturdays, includes removal of food waste products, cleaning of compartments with vacuum cleaner, damp cleaning of the SM (Service Module) dining table, other frequently touched surfaces and surfaces where trash is collected, as well as the FE’s sleep station with a standard cleaning solution; also, fan screens and grilles are cleaned to avoid temperature rises. Special cleaning is also done every 90 days on the HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) bacteria filters in the Lab.]
As part of the house cleaning, CDR Padalka conducted regular maintenance inspection & cleaning on fan screens in the FGB (TsV2), DC1 (V3), and SM (VPkhO, VPrK, FS5, FS6 & FS9), plus dust filter replacement in the FGB.
The CDR also 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 and replacement of EDV-SV waste water and EDV-U urine containers.]
For his chosen VolSci (Voluntary Weekend Science) program, FE-2 Wakata worked in the Kibo JPM (JEM Pressurized Module), installing dehumidifier units in the CBEF (Cell Biology Experiment Facility) incubator’s micro-G & 1-G sections.
FE-1 Barratt’s VolSci choice, troubleshooting the nonfunctional AgCam (Agricultural Camera), was to look into two failure possibilities identified on the ground team’s fault tree: (1) Bent or broken pins on the AgCam data acquisition cable (straighten pins if bent, wait for a new cable if broken), or (2) failed parallel port on the AgCam laptop (if so, swap with ELT-3 {EXPRESS-3 Rack laptop}). Further steps depend on the outcome of the troubleshooting.
In the US Airlock, Wakata wrapped up the BC4 (Battery Charger 4) troubleshooting by terminating the test discharge of EMU (Extravehicular Mobility Unit) battery #2037 in BC4.
Koichi also completed the regular bi-monthly reboots of the OCA Router and File Server SSC (Station Support Computer) laptops.
At ~9:00am EDT, the crew conducted their regular WPC (Weekly Planning Conference) with the ground, discussing next week’s “Look-Ahead Plan” (prepared jointly by MCC-Houston and TsUP-Moscow timeline planners) via S-band/audio, reviewing the monthly calendar, upcoming activities, and any concerns about future on-orbit events.
At ~11:55am, Gennady Padalka powered up the SM’s amateur radio equipment (Kenwood VHF transceiver with manual frequency selection, headset, & power supply) and at ~12:00pm conducted a ham radio session with the participants of the Second Russian Innovation Forum at Kursk.
The crew completed their regular daily 2.5-hr. physical workout program (about half of which is used for setup & post-exercise personal hygiene) on the TVIS treadmill (CDR), ARED advanced resistive exercise device (CDR, FE-1, FE-2) and VELO cycle ergometer with bungee cord load trainer (FE-1, FE-2). [The CEVIS (Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation) continues to be unusable (see above).]
Afterwards, Mike downloaded the exercise data file to the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) for downlinking, 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).
CDR Padalka had four job items on his discretionary “time permitting” task list:
* A session for Russia’s Environmental Safety Agency (EKON), making observations and taking KPT-3 aerial photography of environmental conditions on earth using the Nikon D2X with the SIGMA 300-800mm telephoto lens.
* Another run with the GFI-8 “Uragan” (hurricane) earth-imaging program, using the NIKON D2X digital camera to take 800mm-lens telephotos for subsequent downlinking on the BSR-TM payload data channel,
* Urine transfer to the Progress Rodnik tankage, and
* An audit/inventory of TP-TRG-L thermally conducting gaskets for various electronic components such as GIVUS A6, the TVM & TsVM Computers, and SNT Voltage & Current Stabilizers.
Conjunction Advisory: No maneuver required.
STS-125/Atlantis Return: Due to bad weather, today’s return of Atlantis to KSC was called off for all opportunities.
Return opportunities tomorrow (Sunday) are (EDT):
· 10:11am (Orbit 196) at KSC (Deorbit Burn: 8:58am)
· 11:40am (Orbit 197) at EDW (DO: 10:25am)
· 11:49am (Orbit 197) at KSC (DO: 10:31am)
· 1:19pm (Orbit 198) at EDW (DO: 12:08pm)
Weekly Science Update (Expedition Nineteen — Week 7)
3-D SPACE: Ongoing.
AgCam (Agricultural Camera): Planned.
ALTCRISS (Alteino Long Term monitoring of Cosmic Rays on the ISS): Complete.
ALTEA DOSI (NASA/ASI): Standing by.
BCAT-3/4 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test 3/4): “Nice focus. Very interesting images of sample 5, phase separation sample, which merit additional thought. Promised comment last week on crystal samples. Sample 8 (15830) showing crystals, but not as colorful as expected. May need to reduce reflections to see vibrant colors; still pondering and grateful as always for your nice work. Thank you!”
BIOLAB (ESA): No report.
Biological Rhythms (JAXA): Ongoing. Two runs are for Barratt, two are planned for De Winne.
BISE (CSA, Bodies in the Space Environment): Ongoing.
BISPHOSPHONATES: “Koichi, thank you for continuing to take your Alendronate pill. Your next dose will be Monday (5/25). Please continue to adhere to the fasting and NSAID constraints. Thanks for supporting this research.”
CARD (Long Term Microgravity: A Model for Investigating Mechanisms of Heart Disease, ESA): “Many, many thanks Koichi for your dedication and efforts to perform this experiment on 5/20 and 5/21. The CARD protocol includes a 24hrs urine collection, a 24hrs blood pressure monitoring, a blood draw (in the morning of day#2), and 5 cardiac output measurements performed with the HRF-2 Pulmonary Function System (PFS) via re-breathing technique. On 5/20, most of the CARD activities have been performed. An anomaly with the CARDIOLAB blood pressure Holter was encountered and the instrument could not be programmed for the blood pressure monitoring overnight. On 5/21, blood draw, urine collection and two PFS sessions have been completed nominally. Unfortunately, the Holter anomaly forced ESA to call off the continuation of the blood pressure monitoring in conjunction with the remaining two PFS sessions on 5/21. Moderate science impact is expected. Ground team will try to troubleshoot the Holter ASAP. ESA could envisage the possibility to plan for the blood pressure monitoring overnight later on if the Holter anomaly gets solved.”
CARDIOCOG-2: Complete.
CCISS (Cardiovascular & Cerebrovascular Control on Return from ISS): “Mike, your next CCISS session is planned for Wednesday (5/27) and Thursday (5/28).
CFE (Capillary Flow Experiment): Reserve.
CSI-3/CGBA-5 (CGBA Science Insert #2/Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 5): Complete.
CGBA-2 (Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 2): Complete.
CIR (Combustion Integrated Rack): “CIR ran 3 FLEX test points on Friday, 5/22. These were the first of the 196 FLEX test points that are planned. We will not know about the success of those test points until after we are able to downlink the images, which isn’t on the timeline until next week, tentatively scheduled for 5/28.”
CSLM-2 (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures 2): Complete.
Commercial 2 (JAXA): Cosmo Flower mission was completed by Wakata (slipped from I-18)
Commercial 3 (JAXA): Completed.
CW/CR (Cell Wall/Resist Wall) in EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System): Complete.
DomeGene (JAXA): Complete.
EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students): Planned.
EDR (European Drawer Rack, ESA): The rack is continuously active in support of the Protein Crystallization Diagnostic Facility (PCDF) experiment. Over the last couple of weeks, some power trips and reboots of EDR and/or PCDF have been encountered, and engineering teams are pin-pointing a flimsy EDR ESEM Board as the root cause of these problems. ESA plans to perform the swap of this ESEM Board during Week#8 with a spare available on orbit. To perform the swap, EDR and PCDF will have to be powered down for 1h30m minimum (impact to science to be minimized with respect to planned runs and previously formed crystals).
ELITE-S2 (Elaboratore Immagini Televisive – Space 2): Planned.
ENose (Electronic Nose): Operating.
EPM (European Physiology Module): Underway.
EPO (Educational Payload Operations): Reserve.
EPO J-Astro Report (JAXA): “According to EPO request, total report number has increased twofold. Public readers expecting your new reports. We appreciate interesting Space report; please continue with your outstanding job.”
EPO Space Clothes (JAXA): Complete.
EPO Hiten (Dance, JAXA): Complete.
EPO Moon Score (JAXA): Planned.
EPO Try Zero-G (JAXA): Planned.
EPO Kibo Kids Tour (JAXA): Complete.
EPO Spiral Top (JAXA): “Additional photo was very interesting. Thank you. Please keep photo in proprietary folder when you download them.”
ETD (Eye Tracking Device): Completed.
EuTEF (European Technology Exposure Facility): EuTEF platform and its instruments have been safe-configured for the NH3 venting on 5/15. – DEBIE-2: The last EOP script has been nominally started on 5/17 and will run for ~9 days. The instrument continues to regularly generate empty science packets, and as a work-around the instrument script includes a daily power cycle command, which is skipped from ground if the science packets remain nominal. – DOSTEL: On-going science acquisition – nominal;- EXPOSE: On-going science acquisition. On 5/13, the valves of the Experimental Trays have been closed for the NH3 venting event. It is planned to keep those closed for about 2 weeks to avoid any contamination to the samples;- EVC: Instrument is too cold to be operated for the time being;- FIPEX: The last EOP script has been nominally started on 5/17 and will run for ~9 days; – MEDET: the instrument has been manually restarted on 5/19;- PLEGPAY: Inactive, “Experiment 1” memory has been erased on 10/30/2008. Plasma generation capability has been disabled. On 5/21, PLEGPAY Langmuir Probe measurements have been resumed (after ~8.5mths of stand-down due to safety concerns).
FACET (JAXA): “Facet experiments continue smoothly. Microgravity environment in JEM seems very good for the experiment.”
FSL (Fluid Science Laboratory): No report.
GEOFLOW: No report.
HDTV System (JAXA): To be launched by HTV1.
Holter ECG (JAXA): “#2 for FE-2 was completed. There may be low signal intensity for Ch2, but data analysis will be no problem. We believe this is good first step for next Biorhythms experiment as well as future telemedicine demonstration.”
HQPC (JAXA): To be launched by 34P.
ICE CRYSTAL (JAXA): Complete.
IMMUNO (Neuroendocrine & Immune Responses in Humans During & After Long Term Stay at ISS): Complete.
InSPACE-2 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions 2): Complete.
Integrated Immune: Complete.
KUBIK-FM1/ KUBIK-FM2 Centrifuge/Incubators: Completed.
LOCAD-PTS (Lab-on-a-Chip Application Development-Portable Test System): Completed.
Marangoni Experiment for ISS in JAXA FPEF (Fluid Physics Experiment Facility): In progress.
MAXI (JAXA): “This is not utilization but really close to (External) Payload activity, thus included in this week’s report: .Step 1 is complete and we confirm that modified MAC address data can correctly reach SSIPC. Good step for MAXI to recover from MAC address issue and start operations after 2JA. We need your contribution for Step 2 and 3 before 2JA.”
Micro-G Clay (JAXA EPO): Complete.
MISSE (Materials ISS Experiment): Ongoing.
Moon Photography from ISS (JAXA EPO): One run performed on the last day of Increment 18.
MSG-SAME (Microgravity Science Glovebox): Complete.
MTR-2 (Russian radiation measurements): Passive dosimeters measurements in DC1 “Pirs”.
MULTIGEN-1: Completed.
NOA-1/-2 (Nitric Oxide Analyzer, ESA): Complete.
NUTRITION w/REPOSITORY: Ongoing.
PADLES (JAXA, Area PADLES 3; Passive Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiment in Space): Continuing radiation dose accumulation.
PCDF-PU (Protein Crystallization Diagnostic Facility – Process Unit): Over the last weekend, the last nucleation runs have been successfully performed with EP1 reactor. EP1 Cycle6 has been successfully performed from 5/13 to 5/16. At the end of this run, a minor anomaly has occurred with the PCDF Light Scattering Unit (LSU) device, resulting in a loss of the last 2hrs of Dynamic Light Scattering measurements. Since 5/16, science team is now processing EP3 reactor, with similar nucleation runs, but for a different range of protein concentration. EP3 Cycle1 has been started on 5/16 but had to be aborted due to a PCDF spontaneous reboot on 5/17. EP3 Cycle1 rerun has been restarted and performed successfully from 5/17 to 5/19. EP3 is running nominally since 5/19. The EP4 reactor which contains some nice crystals to be returned by 2J/A. In preparation for the ESEM Board exchange, the science team has decided to progressively decrease its temperature from +23degC to +20degC by 1degC steps (over 24hrs) with some days in-between the temperature decreases. Finally, several important aspects of the remaining PCDF mission objectives have been discussed this week with the science team: 1) reshuffling of remaining science runs until 2J/A return; 2) coordination of periods of interest for SAMS measurements; 3) contingency plan in case of problem with EDR ESEM Board exchange.
PCRF (Protein Crystallization Research Facility) Reconfiguration (JAXA): Complete.
PMDIS (Perceptual Motor Deficits in Space): Complete.
POLCA/GRAVIGEN (ESA): Complete.
RadGene & LOH (JAXA): Complete.
SAMS/MAMS (Space & Microgravity Acceleration Measurement Systems): Ongoing.
SAMPLE: Complete.
SEDA-AP (JAXA): Exposed Payload,- to be launched by 2JA.
SHERE (Shear History Extensional Rheology Experiment): Complete.
SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight): “Koichi, next week we are scheduling your 2nd week of Sleep logging for this increment. Mike, thanks for completing the monthly Actiwatch download/initialization session and getting the watches ready for Frank and Bob. The watches will take data until 6/14.”
SMILES (JAXA): Exposed Payload, to be launched by HTV1.
SOLAR (Solar Monitoring Observatory): The next Sun visibility window is expected to start on 5/23. The platform has been put a safe mode for the 33P docking on 5/12. For the NH3 venting event on 5/15, the platform has been put in idle mode (i.e. motor-controlled and fixed) and all the instrument covers closed. After the NH3 venting, SOLAR was put in survival power (feeder#2 only) configuration.
SOLO (Sodium Loading in Microgravity): No report.
SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellite): Reserve.
SPICE (Smoke Point In Co-flow Experiment): Planned.
Swab (Characterization of Microorganisms & Allergens in Spacecraft): Complete.
TRAC (Test of Reaction & Adaptation Capabilities): Planned.
ULTRASOUND: Planned.
VLE (Video Lessons ESA): VLE-1 completed.
WAICO #1/#2 (Waving and Coiling of Arabidopsis Roots at Different g-levels): Complete/Planned (2J/A Stage).
CEO (Crew Earth Observations): “Through 5/20, the ground has received a total of 7,904 of ISS CEO imagery for review and cataloguing. Review of your imagery has been slowed as we support STS-125 imagery review. Thanks for your continuing efforts to acquire our targets without benefit of descriptions, ancillary imagery, or weather clearance for visibility. We are pleased to confirm your acquisition of views of the following targets: High Central Andes Glaciers (several useful context views); Port Desire, Argentina; Mekong River Delta, Vietnam; and Lake Chad, Africa. Your excellent (best-ever) view of snow-flecked Mauna Kea Volcano, Hawai’i was posted on NASA/GSFC’s Earth Observatory website this past weekend. Kudos to the crew! We plan to resume normal operational support next week and hope to provide additional feedback on your imagery. Thanks for your patience.”
No CEO (Crew Earth Observation) photo targets uplinked for today (except for coordinates of major cities).
CEO photography can be studied at this “Gateway” website:
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov (as of 9/1/08, this database contained 770,668 views of the Earth from space, with 324,812 from the ISS alone).
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 8:32am EDT [= epoch])
Mean altitude — 350.3 km
Apogee height — 356.9 km
Perigee height — 343.7 km
Period — 91.54 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0009804
Solar Beta Angle — 24.7 deg (magnitude peaking)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.73
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 76 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 60206
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time, some changes possible!):
05/24/09 — STS-125/Atlantis landing (see above)
05/27/09 — Soyuz TMA-15/19S launch (6:34am EDT)
05/29/09 — Soyuz TMA-15/19S docking (FGB nadir, ~8:36am)
Six-person crew on ISS
06/05/09 — Russian EVA-22
06/10/09 — Russian EVA-23
06/13/09 — STS-127/Endeavour/2J/A launch – JEM EF, ELM-ES, ICC-VLD (7:26am)
07/17/09 — Progress M-02M/33P undock & deorbit
07/20/09 — Soyuz TMA-14/18S relocation (from SM aft to DC1)
07/24/09 — Progress 34P launch
07/26/09 — Progress 34P docking (SM aft)
08/06/09 — STS-128/Discovery/17A — MPLM (P), LMC
09/01/09 — H-IIB (JAXA HTV-1) launch — tentative
09/07/09 — H-IIB (JAXA HTV-1) berth
09/30/09 — Soyuz TMA-16/20S launch
10/02/09 — Soyuz TMA-16/20S docking (SM aft, until MRM-2 w/new port)
10/08/09 — H-IIB (JAXA HTV-1) unberth
10/11/09 — Soyuz TMA-14/18S undock
10/15/09 — Progress 35P launch
11/10/09 — 5R/MRM-2 (Russian Mini Research Module 2) on Proton — tentative
11/12/09 — STS-129/Atlantis/ULF3 – ELC1, ELC2
12/07/09 — Soyuz TMA-17/21S launch
12/26/09 — Progress 36P launch
02/03/10 — Progress 37P launch
02/XX/10 — STS-130/Endeavour/20A — Node-3 + Cupola — tentative
02/11/10 — STS-131/Atlantis/19A — MPLM(P), LMC — tentative
03/05/10 — Progress 38P launch
04/02/10 — Soyuz TMA-18/22S launch
04/08/10 — STS-132/Discovery/ULF4 — ICC-VLD, MRM-1 — tentative
04/30/10 — Progress 39P launch
05/30/10 — Soyuz TMA-19/23S launch
06/30/10 — Progress 40P launch
07/29/10 — STS-133/Endeavour/ULF5 — ELC3, ELC4 — tentative
07/30/10 — Progress 41P launch
09/30/10 — Soyuz TMA-20/24S launch
10/30/10 — Progress 42P launch
11/??/10 — ATV2 — Ariane 5 (ESA)
12/??/11 — 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA — on Proton
