NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 24 July 2008
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.
CDR Volkov made preparations for a run of the Russian/German TEKh-20 Plasma Crystal-3 Plus (PK-3+) experiment payload, the first of Expedition 17, by unstowing the hardware, installing it in the SM for operation and photographing the setup. The images were downlinked to TsUP via BSR-TM for inspection, and the CDR performed the initial leak check of the PK-3 Electronics Box before its evacuation. More work to come tomorrow. [The experiment is performed on plasma, i.e., fine particles charged and excited by HF (high frequency) radio power inside a vacuum work chamber. Main objective is to obtain a homogeneous plasma dust cloud at various pressures and particle quantities with or without superimposition of an LF (low frequency) harmonic electrical field. The experiment is conducted in automated mode. PK-3+ has more advanced hardware and software than the previously used Russian PKE-Nefedov payload.]
FE-1 Kononenko took and dumped the periodic sensor readings of the Russian “Pille-MKS” (MKS = ISS) radiation dosimetry experiment which has ten sensors placed at various locations in the Russian segment (DC1, SM starboard & port cabin windows, ASU toilet facility, control panel, etc.). [Nine of the ten dosimeters are read manually.]
Volkov performed IFM (in-flight maintenance) on the Russian segment (RS)’s electrical power system (SZP), removing and replacing the #7 unit of the eight 800A batteries in the Service Module (SM).
The CDR also conducted the monthly FDS PEP (Fire Detection & Suppression/Portable Emergency Provisions) safety inspection/audit in the ISS modules. [The IMS-supported inspection involves verification that PFEs (Portable Fire Extinguishers), PBAs (Portable Breathing Apparatus), QDMAs (Quick-Don Mask Assemblies) and EHTKs (Extension Hose/Tee Kits) are free of damage to ensure their functionality, and to track shelf life/life cycles on the hardware.]
In the SM, Kononenko initiated the new Russian BIO-5 Rasteniya-3 ("Plants-3") experiment, replacing the root module with a new one from stowage, filling the KDV water canister, loading new software and running a hardware test, then starting the experiment. [Rasteniya-2, researches growth and development of plants (peas) under spaceflight conditions in the Lada-13 greenhouse from IBMP (Institute of Bio-Medical Problems, Russian: IMBP). The payload hardware includes a module (MIS/Module for the Investigation of Substrates), a MIS control unit (BU), a nitrogen purge unit (BPA) and other accessories. During its operation, the experiment requires regular daily maintenance of the experiment involving monitoring of seedling growth, humidity measurements, moistening of the substrate if necessary, and photo/video recording.]
FE-2 Chamitoff conducted the weekly 10-min. CWC (Contingency Water Container) audit as part of on-going WDS (Water Delivery System) assessment of onboard water supplies. [Updated “cue cards” based on the crew’s water calldowns are sent up every other week. The current card (17-0002R) lists 35 CWCs (Contingency Water Containers,~1401.8 L total) for the four types of water identified on board: technical water (650.6 L, for Elektron, flushing, hygiene, incl. 509.4 L non-usable water because of Wautersia bacteria), potable water (706.7 L, incl. 260.6 L currently on hold), condensate water (41.5 L), waste/EMU dump and other (7.9 L). Wautersia bacteria are typical water-borne microorganisms that have been seen previously in ISS water sources. These isolates pose no threat to human health.]
The FE-2 also continued the OpsLAN (Operations Local Area Network) reload. [Today’s work included reloading SSCs (Station Support Computers) 12-15, followed by swapping hard drives on SSC 1-11, running a laptop configuration tool on every SSC Client, and loading DVDs in SSCs 4 & 8. The ground then is to take over to wrap up the activities overnight, finishing with configuring each of the clients to work on the Ops LAN, configuring the IP Communicator on each SSC, and running the KFx file transfer application on two of the SSCs so OCA can uplink execute packages. The OpsLAN updates by the ground included the OpsLAN home pages, Expedition 17 Mission load, and Ops Notes. Also, Service Pack 01 was uplinked for the SSC File Server.]
Continuing the current round of periodic preventive maintenance of RS (Russian Segment) ventilation systems, Sergey worked in the DC1 (Docking Compartment), replacing the PF1,2 filter cartridges and cleaning the V1 & V2 fan grilles and VD1 & VD2 air ducts.
Kononenko & Volkov had ~1.5 hrs set aside for recharging the Russian SKV-2 air conditioner with Khladon (Freon-218) coolant from a KVO 6003 bottle delivered on Progress 29P. [SKV-2 was deactivated last April after a small Khladon spill on 4/24 during maintenance activity.],
The CDR completed the routine daily servicing of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS) in the Service Module (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.]
Working from the Russian discretionary “time permitting” task list, Oleg performed 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).
At ~2:50m, Chamitoff is scheduled to power up the SM’s amateur radio equipment (Kenwood VHF transceiver with manual frequency selection, headset, & power supply) and to conduct, at 2:55pm, a ham radio exchange with the European Space Camp 2008 at the Zanka Children & Youth Centre, near Lake Balaton, Zanka, Hungary. [The radio contact is made from ESA’s Space Camp in Hungary. 120 children of ESA staff members from various European countries, between 8 and 17, interested in science and sports are participating. This year they’re learning about Earth Observation. Helped by Hungarian radio amateurs, they would like to know more about astronauts’ lives. Questions were uplinked beforehand. “What kind of earth observation experiments do you do from the space station?”, “What is the most beautiful or interesting thing that you have seen looking down at Earth?”, “Does weightlessness make you feel sick or ill?”, ”I read you are a diver. How does diving compare to weightlessness in space?”, “How do you feel sleeping in the ISS? In which part of the station do you sleep? Do you have a separate cabin for sleeping?”, “Do you see the stars through the windows? Do they look different than from Earth?”, “How often do you have to do a cleaning-up of the station? Do you use an ordinary vacuum-cleaner? Do you wash your dishes or use disposable dishes?”, “Do you play any kind of games? Is there any game onboard specialised to weightlessness?”]
ATV Reboost Update: The ISS reboost with ATV1 “Jules Verne” OCS (main propulsion) thrusters was started at 12:37pm EDT for 20 min 37 s and completed nominally. Actual Delta-V was 4.15 m/s vs. 4.1 m/s planned, resulting in a mean altitude increase of 7.21 km (3.88 nmi). Purpose of the reboost maneuver was altitude maintenance.
CEO (Crew Earth Observations) photo targets uplinked for today were Pilcomayo River dynamics, N Argentina (the Pilcomayo River rises in the Andes foothills, and then flows over 2,000 km southeast across central South America. As the ISS approached the area from the SW in mid-afternoon, Greg was to look to the left of track for the river. Requested were detailed mapping views along the river course to document current channel configuration and adjacent vegetation and land use patterns), and High Central Andean Glaciers (these tiny, isolated ice fields and glaciers are located only in the highest elevations along the crest of the Andes Mountains within the Tropics and are the remnants of more extensive features during recent ice ages. Earlier in Increment 17 the crew acquired excellent imagery of a few of these features. On this fair-weather pass in mid-afternoon, CEO researchers hoped that Greg could acquire additional views of this and other small glacial features in this target area).
CEO photography can be studied at this “Gateway” website:
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov (as of 3/1/08, this database contained 757,605 views of the Earth from space, with 314,000 from the ISS alone).
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 9:03am EDT [= epoch]):
Mean altitude — 351.3 km
Apogee height — 357.9 km
Perigee height — 344.6 km
Period — 91.56 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0009847
Solar Beta Angle — 59.3 deg (magnitude decreasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.73
Mean altitude gain in the last 24 hours — 7200 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 55441
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time, some changes possible.):
08/30/08 — Progress M-64/29P undocking, from FGB nadir
09/05/08 — ATV1 undocking, from SM aft port (loiter until ~9/25 for nighttime reentry/observation)
09/10/08 — Progress M-65/30P launch
09/12/08 — Progress M-65/30P docking (SM aft port)
10/01/08 — NASA 50 Years
10/08/08 — STS-125/Atlantis Hubble Space Telescope Service Mission 4 (SM4)
10/11/08 — Progress M-65/30P undocking (from SM aft port)
10/12/08 — Soyuz TMA-13/17S launch
10/14/08 — Soyuz TMA-13/17S docking (FGB nadir port)
10/23/08 — Soyuz TMA-12/16S undocking (DC1 nadir)
11/10/08 — STS-126/Endeavour/ULF2 launch – MPLM Leonardo, LMC
11/12/08 — STS-126/Endeavour/ULF2 docking
11/20/08 — ISS 10 Years
11/26/08 — Progress M-66/31P launch
11/28/08 — Progress M-66/31P docking
02/10/09 — Progress M-67/32P launch
02/12/09 — Progress M-67/32P docking
02/12/09 — STS-119/Discovery/15A launch – S6 truss segment
03/25/09 — Soyuz TMA-14/18S launch
05/15/09 — STS-127/Endeavour/2J/A launch – JEM EF, ELM-ES, ICC-VLD
07/30/09 — STS-128/Atlantis/17A – MPLM(P), last crew rotation
05/27/09 — Six-person crew on ISS (following Soyuz 19S docking, May ’09)
10/15/09 — STS-129/Discovery/ULF3 – ELC1, ELC2
12/10/09 — STS-130/Endeavour/20A – Node-3 + Cupola
02/11/10 — STS-131/Atlantis/19A – MPLM(P)
04/08/10 — STS-132/Discovery/ ULF4 – ICC-VLD, MRM1
05/31/10 — STS-133/Endeavour/ULF5 – ELC3, ELC4 (contingency).
