NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 26 November 2007
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Off-duty day for CDR Whitson, FE-1 Malenchenko and FE-2 Tani. Underway: Week 6 of Increment 16.
Having passed the Day 30 mark in her flight, CDR-16 Whitson began her second session with the NASA/JSC experiment NUTRITION w/Repository, for which she had to forego exercising and food intake for eight hours. [After collecting an initial urine sample, Whitson, assisted by Dan Tani, followed it with phlebotomy, i.e., drawing blood samples (from an arm vein) which she first allowed to coagulate in the Repository, then spun in the HRF RC (Human Research Facility/Refrigerated Centrifuge) and finally placed in MELFI (Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). The RC was later powered off after a temperature reset to limit wear on the compressor, and cleaned (see RC troubleshooting, below). The equipment was then stowed. NUTRITION activities today included the required 24-hour data urine collection by Whitson, by securing samples during the day, all stored immediately in MELFI. The Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile currently required on all U.S. Astronauts collects blood and urine samples preflight and postflight. NUTRITION expands this protocol by also capturing inflight samples and an additional postflight sample. Furthermore, additional measurements are included for samples from all sessions, including additional markers of bone metabolism, vitamin status, and hormone and oxidative stressor tests. The results will be used to better understand the impact of countermeasures (exercise and pharmaceuticals) on nutritional status and nutrient requirements. The Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile (MR016L), first started on two Mir crewmembers and then on all ISS US crews, nominally consists of two pre-flight and one post-flight analysis of nutritional status, as well as an in-flight assessment of dietary intake using the FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire). The current NUTRITION project expands MR016L testing in three ways: Addition of in-flight blood & urine collection (made possible by MELFI), normative markers of nutritional assessment, and a return session plus 30-day (R+30) session to allow evaluation of post-flight nutrition and implications for rehabilitation.]
FE-1 Malenchenko performed troubleshooting on the Russian RS1 laptop, spending about an hour with specialist tagup-supported tests of battery and HDD (Hard Disk Drive) performance as well as a checkout of display parameters using the temporarily connected external AGAT monitor.
For today’s Voluntary Weekend Science program, FE-2 Tani had selected two optional activities: EPO (Education Payload Operations) demonstrating Newton’s Laws (Three Laws of Motion & Conservation of Angular Momentum); and HRF RC (Human Research Facility Refrigerated Centrifuge) troubleshooting, i.e., determining why the RC is not cooling and or supplying H&S (Health & Status) data. [For the first activity, Dan reviewed the EPO protocol, then set up the camcorder for video recording his subsequent demos which provide a simple visual explanation of Newton’s Three Laws of Motion (EPO supports national science education standards, and the video will be used in museum and science center student and educator programs). For the second activity, Dan configured the RC, then conducted cooling and “ping” tests, after which the centrifuge was to be deconfigured, depending on the outcome of previous steps, and cleaned.]
Later, Dan Tani set up and prepared the equipment for the second session with the CSLM-2 (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures 2) experiment, starting by supporting the ground-commanded activation of the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox), extending the WV (Work Volume) as required, starting and reprogramming the ECU (Electronic Control Unit), attaching the D/L Adapter and activating CSLM-2. [Afterwards, Tani disconnected the CSLM-2 D/L Adapter, retracted & secured MSG WV and powered down the MSG.]
To allow troubleshooting of the UIA (Umbilical Interface Assembly)’s O2 (oxygen) supply line in the U.S. Airlock (A/L), Peggy Whitson set up and mated the PHA (Prebreathe Hose Assembly) “Tee” connector to one of the PHA QDs (Quick Disconnects).
Later, the CDR terminated the discharge cycle on the first batch of EMU (Extravehicular Mobility Unit) batteries, and initiated it on the second batch, controlled by an automated SSC (Station Support Computer)-based DOS application. Peggy also finished up with the current regeneration of METOX (Metal Oxide) CO2 filter canisters in the A/L bakeout oven.
Yuri Malenchenko completed the daily routine maintenance of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS) in the SM (Service Module), including ASU toilet facilities systems/replaceables. [Regular daily SOZh maintenance consists, among else, of replacement of the KTO & KBO solid waste containers and replacement of EDV-SV waste water and EDV-U urine containers.]
The crewmembers completed their regular 2.5-hr. physical workout program (about half of which is used for setup & post-exercise personal hygiene) on the CEVIS cycle ergometer (CDR, FE-2), TVIS treadmill (FE-1), RED resistive exerciser (CDR, FE-2) and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer (FE-1).
Afterwards, Whitson transferred the exercise data file to the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) laptop for downlink, including the daily wristband HRM (Heart Rate Monitor) data of the workouts on RED, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).
Working off his voluntary “time permitting” task list, the FE-1 used the Nikon D1X digital camera (with SIGMA 300-800mm telephoto lens) to make observations and take aerial KPT-3 photography of environmental conditions for Russia’s Environmental Safety Agency (ECON). [KPT-3 photography has been a frequent earth observing experiment for ECON.]
A second job item on Malenchenko’s discretionary list for today was another session of the Russian "Uragan" (hurricane) earth-imaging program, using the Nikon D1X with 400 & 800 mm focal length lenses to take pictures of the impact of global warming on the planet’s ice cover. [Photo targets were the Patagonia Southern Ice Field Glaciers, icebergs in the Drake Passage and Scotia Sea, and South Georgia Island Glaciers.]
The CDR and FE-2 each had a PFC (Private Family Conference) via S-band/audio and Ku-band/MS-NetMeeting application (which displays the uplinked ground video on the SSC-9 laptop), Peggy at ~7:25am EST, Dan at ~10:15am.
No CEO (Crew Earth Observation) photo targets uplinked for today.
CEO photography can be viewed and studied at the websites:
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov (about 700,000 NASA digital photographs of Earth are downloaded by the public each month from this “Gateway” site);
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/AstronautPhotography
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 7:26am EST [= epoch]):
Mean altitude — 339.7 km
Apogee height — 340.5 km
Perigee height — 338.9 km
Period — 91.33 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0001175
Solar Beta Angle — 28.7 deg (magnitude increasing, to peak on 11/28 at 30.2 deg)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.77
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 116 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 51638
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Standard, some changes possible):
11/28/07 — ISS Reboost (SDMS taking data)
12/06/07 — STS-122/Atlantis/1E launch — Columbus Module, ICC-Lite, ~4:31pm EST
12/08/07 — STS-122/Atlantis/1E docking
12/15/07 — STS-122/Atlantis undocking
12/17/07 — STS-122/Atlantis landing ~12:29pm EST, or
12/18/07 — STS-122/Atlantis landing ~11:27am EST
12/22/07 — Yuri Malenchenko’s Birthday
12/23/07 — Progress M-62/27P launch
12/26/07 — Progress M-62/27P docking (DC1)
01/31/08 — 50-Year Anniversary of Explorer 1 (1st U.S. Satellite on Redstone rocket) [Check it out at http://usspace50.com/ ]
02/06/08 — Progress M-61/26P undocking (DC1) & reentry
02/07/08 — Progress M-63/28P launch
02/09/08 — Progress M-63/28P docking
02/14/08 — ATV-1 “Jules Verne” launch/Ariane V (Kourou, French Guyana)
02/14/08 — STS-123/Endeavour/1J/A launch/1J/A — SLP-SPDM, JEM ELM-PS (NET)
02/16/08 — STS-123/Endeavour/1J/A docking
02/27/08 — STS-123/Endeavour undocking
02/29/08 — STS-123/Endeavour landing
03/01/08 — Progress M-62/27P undocking (DC1) & reentry
03/06/08 — ATV-1 docking (SM aft port)
04/07/08 — Progress M-63/28P undocking (DC1) & reentry
04/08/08 — Soyuz TMA-12/16S launch
04/10/08 — Soyuz TMA-12/16S docking (DC1)
04/19/08 — Soyuz TMA-11/15S undocking (FGB nadir port)
04/23/08 — Soyuz TMA-12/16S relocation (from DC1 to FGB nadir port)
04/24/08 — STS-124/Discovery/1J launch – JEM PM “Kibo”, racks, RMS.
04/26/08 — STS-124/Discovery/1J docking
05/04/08 — STS-124/Discovery/1J undocking
05/14/08 — Progress M-64/29P launch
05/16/08 — Progress M-64/29P docking (DC1)
07/29/08 — ATV-1 undocking (from SM aft port)
08/11/08 — Progress M-64/29P undocking (from DC1)
08/12/08 — Progress M-65/30P launch
08/14/08 — Progress M-65/30P docking (SM aft port)
09/13/08 — Progress M-66/31P launch
09/15/08 — Progress M-66/31P docking (DC1)
09/20/08 — (NET) STS-126/Discovery/ULF2 launch – MPLM(P), LMC
10/01/08 — (NET) STS-126/Discovery/ULF2 undocking.
10/01/08 — 50th Birthday of NASA
10/11/08 — Progress M-65/30P undocking (from SM aft port)
10/14/08 — Soyuz TMA-13/17S launch
10/16/08 — Soyuz TMA-13/17S docking (SM aft port)
04/??/09 — Six-person crew on ISS
04/15/09 — Constellation’s Ares I-X Launch.
