NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 24 July 2012
ISS On-Orbit Status 07/24/12
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.
For supporting the Progress M-15M/47P redocking, the crew was split in two shifts (first time):
Crew 1 (Padalka, Revin, Malenchenko):
Wake3 – 9:00am (today)
Sleep3 – 5:30pm (today)
Wake4 – 2:00am (tomorrow) – returning to nominal.
Crew 2 (Acaba, Williams, Hoshide):
Wake3 – 3:30am (today)
Sleep3 – 5:30pm (today)
Wake4 – 2:00am (Wednesday) – returning to nominal.
Acaba had Day 5 of his 2nd (FD30) suite of sessions with the controlled Pro K diet protocol (Dietary Intake Can Predict and Protect against Changes in Bone Metabolism during Spaceflight and Recovery) with diet logging after the urine pH spot test, for a 5-day period after start of collections. In addition to closing out the associated 24-hr urine sample collections, Joe also underwent the generic blood draw by self-phlebotomy, assisted by Aki Hoshide, then set up the RC (Refrigerated Centrifuge) in COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory) for spinning the samples prior to stowing them in the JPM MELFI (JEM Pressurized Module Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). [The operational products for blood & urine collections for the HRP (Human Research Program) payloads were revised some time ago, based on crew feedback, new cold stowage hardware, and IPV capabilities. Generic blood & urine procedures have been created to allow an individual crewmember to select their payload complement and see specific requirements populated. Individual crewmembers will select their specific parameter in the procedures to reflect their science complement. Different crewmembers will have different required tubes and hardware configurations, so they must verify their choice selection before continuing with operations to ensure their specific instruction. For Pro K, there are five in-flight sessions (FD15, FD30, FD60, FD120, FD180) of samplings, to be shared with the NUTRITION w/Repository protocol, each one with five days of diet & urine pH logging and photography on the last day (science sessions are often referred to by Flight Day 15, 30, 60, etc. However, there are plus/minus windows associated with these time points so a “Flight Day 15” science session may not actually fall on the crewmember’s 15th day on-orbit). The crewmember prepares a diet log and then annotates quantities of food packets consumed and supplements taken. On Days 4 & 5, urine collections are spread over 24 hrs; samples go into the MELFI (Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS) within 30 min after collection. Blood samples, on the last day, are centrifuged in the RC (Refrigerated Centrifuge) and placed in MELFI at -80 degC. There is an 8-hr fasting requirement prior to the blood draw (i.e., no food or drink, but water ingestion is encouraged). MELFI constraints: Maximum MELFI Dewar open time: 60 sec; at least 45 min between MELFI dewar door openings. Background on pH: In chemistry, pH (Potential Hydrogen) is a measure of the acidity or basicity of a watery solution. Pure water is neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at 25 degC. Solutions with a pH less than 7 are “acidic” and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are “basic” or “alkaline”. pH measurements are important in medicine, biology, chemistry, agriculture, forestry, food science, environmental science, oceanography, civil engineers and many others.]
FE-6 Hoshide had Day 3 of his first (FD15) suite of sessions with the controlled Pro K diet protocol (Dietary Intake Can Predict and Protect against Changes in Bone Metabolism during Spaceflight and Recovery) with diet logging after the urine pH spot test, for a 5-day period after start of collections. After recording his diet input today, Akihiko set up the equipment for the associated urine collections for pH value, starting tomorrow, followed by blood sampling on Thursday (7/26).
Gennady Padalka switched the Elektron oxygen generator to 32 amps mode.
Yuri Malenchenko reviewed reference material for familiarizing himself with the Russian VKS auxiliary network laptops.
Afterwards, Yuri replaced the RSE1 laptop model A31p with a Lenovo T61p model.
FE-5 Williams continued Part 1 of the periodic personal acoustic measurement protocol, today for the US crew (FE-3, FE-5 & FE-6), distributing crew-worn acoustic dosimeters from the SMK (Sound Measurement Kit) to Joe, Suni & Aki.
Williams also set up two PCS (Portable Computer System) laptops for the upcoming HTV3 capture/berthing, moving the A/L (Airlock)-deployed PCS with cabling to the Lab at UOP (Utility Outlet Panel)-8/J4 and the Node-3-deployed PCS with cabling to the Cupola UOP-1/J4.
In the JAXA JPM (JEM Pressurized Module), Akihiko set up and checked out a PFA (Portable Fan Assembly) for possible use to cool PROX/Proximity Communication System components during HTV3 (H-II Transfer Vehicle) arrival.
In Node-3, FE-3 Acaba completed the approximately weekly WRS (Water Recovery System) sampling using the TOCA (Total Organic Carbon Analyzer), after first initializing the software and priming (filling) the TOCA water sample hose. [After the approximately 2-hr TOCA analysis, results were transferred to an SSC (Station Support Computer) laptop via USB drive for downlink, and the data were also logged.]
Afterwards, Acaba started another sampling run with the AQM (Air Quality Monitor), deactivating the system ~5 hrs later. [Consisting of the EHS GC/DMS (Environmental Health Systems Gas Chromatograph / Differential Mobility Spectrometer), the system is controlled with “Sionex” expert software from the SSC (Station Support Computer)-12 laptop. The AQM demonstrates COTS (Commercial Off-the-Shelf) technology for identifying volatile organic compounds, similar to the VOA (Volatile Organics Analyzer). 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.]
Joe also gathered the equipment of the CBCS (Centerline Berthing Camera System) for its installation at at the Node-2 nadir hatch in preparation for the arrival of the HTV3. [The CBCS CTBs (Cargo Transfer Bags) were removed from behind a Node-2 close-out panel which was then replaced.]
Aki Hoshide configured the equipment for the ESA ICV (Integrated Cardiovascular) experiment and then began his first (FD15) session of the ESA ICV Ambulatory Monitoring assessment, assisted by Suni Williams in preparing the Actiwatches, electrode sites, attaching the harness and donning the Cardiopres. At ~10:40am EDT, FE-6 observed the initial 10-min rest period under quiet, restful conditions before going about his business. Later in the day, Makita batteries were swapped and set up for recharge. [ICV activities consist of two separate but related parts over a one-week time period: an ultrasound echo scan & an ambulatory monitoring session. The sessions are scheduled at or around FD14, FD30, FD75, FD135 and R-15 (there will be fewer sessions if mission duration is less than six months). The FD75 echo scan includes an exercise component with a second scan (subset of the first) completed within 5 minutes after the end of exercise. The primary objective of the accompanying CCISS (Cardiovascular Control on return from the ISS) experiment is to maximize the information about changes in cardiovascular and cerebrovascular function that might compromise the ability of astronauts to meet the challenge of return to an upright posture on Earth.]
In COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory), Williams afterwards performed her first (FD15) ESA ICV (Integrated Cardiovascular) Resting Echo Scan in the US Lab, assisted by Joe Acaba, serving as Operator/CMO (Crew Medical Officer) operating the USND (Ultrasound) scans after setting up the equipment and powering it on. Joe later downloaded the data and restowed the gear. [Wearing electrodes, ECG (Electrocardiograph) cable & VOX, Williams underwent the USND scan for ICV assessment, with video being recorded from the HRF (Human Research Facility) Ultrasound and COL cabin camera. Heart rate was tracked with the HRM (Heart Rate Monitor). There are dietary constraints, and no exercise is allowed 4 hrs prior to scan. After confirmed file transfer, the gear was powered down and stowed. Later, the data from the two HM-2 (Holter Monitor 2) HiFi Cards and two Actiwatch Spectrums were transferred from the USND-2 (Ultrasound 2) hard drive to the USND-2 USB drive. Voice required last 5 minutes for crew to inform ground copy process is complete. The USND echo experiment uses the Image Collector software on the laptop and requires VOX/Voice plus RT Video downlink during the activity. Goal of the ICV experiment is to quantify the extent, time course, and clinical significance of cardiac atrophy and identify its mechanisms. The ICV experiment consists of two separate but related activities over a one-week time period: an ultrasound echo scan & an ambulatory monitoring session. The sessions are scheduled at or around FD14, FD30, FD75, FD135 and R-15 (there are fewer sessions if mission duration is less than six months).]
Subsequently, Sunita also performed her first in-flight ESA Vessel Imaging (Echography) Ultrasound 2 scans, using the Image Collector software, with VOX/Voice plus real-time video downlink during the activity. [Vascular Echography (Vessel Imaging) evaluates the changes in central and peripheral blood vessel wall properties (thickness and compliance) and cross sectional areas of long-duration ISS crewmembers during and after long-term exposure to microgravity. An LBNP (Lower Body Negative Pressure) program will be run in parallel to Vessel Imaging. Flow velocity changes in the aorta and the middle cerebral and femoral arteries will be used to quantify the cardiovascular response to fluid shift. Vessel Imaging aims to optimize the countermeasures used routinely during long-duration space missions.]
Hoshide serviced the two MERLIN (Microgravity Experiment Research Locker Incubator) freezers, first equipping MERLIN-2 in Lab O4_D1 with two fresh desiccant packs and transferring all food items and the tray assembly from the nearby MERLIN-1 (LAB1O4_B1) to MERLIN-2. Later, he removed the old desiccant packs from MERLIN-1 and left the front door open for a 24-hr dryout. [MERLIN is used for cold storage of crew food and drink. Telemetry data from MERLIN-1 had indicated that its desiccant packs were approaching saturation.]
Aki also spent ~15 min on CBT (Computer-based Training) material for MELFI (Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS) cold stowage operations.
Sunita & Aki had another 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.
FE-5 also powered up the amateur/ham radio equipment in COL and SM.
Joe & Suni had a time slot/placeholder reserved each for making entries in their electronic Journals on the personal SSC. [Required are three journaling sessions per week.]
Before Presleep, FE-3 will turn on the MPC (Multi-Protocol Converter) and start 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, Joe 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 ~11:10am, Gennady & Sergei supported a Russian PAO TV event, downlinking their responses to questions from Roskosmos TV Studio Correspondent Yulia Khalyukina for the “Lesson from Space” project. [Roskosmos TV studio along with Ministry of Education are working on the “Lesson from Space” project, to be shown in Russian schools on October 4, launch day of Sputnik 1, the first man-made Earth satellite. The TV studio is also recording a footage for the “Kosmonavtika” show on the Rossia 24 news channel.]
The crew worked out with their regular 2-hr physical exercise protocol on the CEVIS cycle ergometer with vibration isolation (FE-3), TVIS treadmill with vibration isolation & stabilization (CDR, FE-2, FE-4), ARED advanced resistive exerciser (FE-3, FE-5, FE-6), and T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (FE-5, FE-6).
Tasks listed for Revin, Padalka & Malenchenko on the Russian discretionary “time permitting” job for today were –
• 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, and
• 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).
Progress 47P Redocking Update: The Progress 47P cargo vehicle undocked from the ISS on 7/22 (Sunday), and was scheduled to re-dock last night at 9:58 pm EDT in order to test upgrades to the Kurs automated docking system. The new Kurs-NA system has fewer antennas and updated electronics resulting in reduced power requirements and improved safety. It failed its self-test on activation and the re-docking was aborted while Russian experts analyze the failure. Russian specialists would like more time to analyze data from 47P, therefore its redocking will not be attempted today. It now has to wait until 7/28 or 7/29 due to the berthing of the HTV3 (HII Transfer Vehicle 3) on 7/27 (Friday).
CEO targets uplinked for today were Kunene River Fan, Namibia-Angola (ISS had a midday pass in clear weather with its approach from the NW. This large alluvial fan lies between the Kunene River in Angola [north] and Namibia’s Etosha Pan [south] and is subject to periodic flooding from the north. At this time, shortly after crossing the Angolan coast, looking left right of track and beginning a NW to SE mapping strip of the fan. Recent floods reached down the length of the fan to Etosha Pan, the low point of the basin. Open water may still be visible in many parts of the fan), Mount Rainier, WA (ISS had an early morning, fair weather pass for this target with its approach from the WNW. Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located 54 mile southeast of Seattle. With an elevation of 14,411 feet, Rainier is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world. Because of its large amount of glacial ice, Mt. Rainier could potentially produce massive lahars that would threaten the whole Puyallup River valley. At this time as ISS tracked over Seattle, the crew was to look towards nadir and try for a detailed mapping session of the summit area), and Niwot Ridge Tundra, Colorado (LONG TERM ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH SITE: ISS had a near-nadir view of this target area in mid-morning light with fair weather anticipated. This Long Term Ecological Research [LTER] site is located in north-central Colorado within the alpine areas above 3,000m just west of Boulder. As ISS tracked southeastward over the Colorado Rockies, before it reached the plains to the east, the crew was to try for a detailed mapping of the ridge and its surroundings).
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 8:56am EDT [= epoch])
Mean altitude – 399.3 km
Apogee height – 404.7 km
Perigee height – 393.9 km
Period — 92.55 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0007992
Solar Beta Angle — -26.7 deg (magnitude increasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.56
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 105 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) – 78,102
Time in orbit (station) — 4977 days
Time in orbit (crews, cum.) — 4264 days.
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————–Six-crew operations—————-
07/27/12 — HTV3 docking (~7:00am EDT)
07/30/12 — Progress M-15M/47P undocking #2 ~2:11pm EDT
08/01/12 — Progress M-16M/48P launch [4-orbit RDVZ] ~3:35pm EDT
08/01/12 — Progress M-16M/48P launch [34-orbit RDVZ] ~3:38pm EDT
08/01/12 — Progress M-16M/48P docking [4-orbit RDVZ] ~9:24pm EDT
08/03/12 — Progress M-16M/48P docking [34-orbit RDVZ] ~6:14pm EDT
08/16/12 — Russian EVA-31
08/30/12 — US EVA-18
09/06/12 — HTV3 undocking
09/08/12 — HTV3 reentry
09/17/12 — Soyuz TMA-04M/30S undock/landing (End of Increment 32)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/25/12 — ATV3 undocking
10/15/12 — Soyuz TMA-06M/32S launch – K.Ford (CDR-34)/O.Novitsky/E.Tarelkin
10/17/12 — Soyuz TMA-06M/32S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/01/12 — Progress M-17M/49P launch
11/03/12 — Progress M-17M/49P docking
11/12/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/31S undock/landing (End of Increment 33)
————–Three-crew operations————-
12/05/12 — Soyuz TMA-07M/33S launch – C.Hadfield (CDR-35)/T.Mashburn/R.Romanenko
12/07/12 — Soyuz TMA-07M/33S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
12/26/12 — Progress M-18M/50P launch
12/28/12 — Progress M-18M/50P docking
03/19/13 — Soyuz TMA-06M/32S undock/landing (End of Increment 34)
————–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
————–Six-crew operations————-
05/16/13 — Soyuz TMA-07M/33S undock/landing (End of Increment 35)
————–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
————–Six-crew operations————-
09/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-08M/34S undock/landing (End of Increment 36)
————–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
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-09M/35S undock/landing (End of Increment 37)
————–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
————–Six-crew operations————-
03/xx/14 — Soyuz TMA-10M/36S undock/landing (End of Increment 38)
————–Three-crew operations————-
