Status Report

NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 27 September 2012

By SpaceRef Editor
September 27, 2012
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NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 27 September 2012
NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 27 September 2012

ISS On-Orbit Status 09/27/12

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Day 74 for Williams, Malenchenko & Hoshide.

ATV3 “Edoardo Amaldi” undocking is planned for tomorrow, Friday (9/28) at ~5:45pm EDT. A DAM (Debris Avoidance Maneuver) for evading conjunctions with Object 27107 (PSLV debris) & Object 34309 (COSMOS 2251 debris) was cancelled when predicted miss distances moved into the GREEN regime (Pc = 10-6 or smaller).

After wakeup, FE-4 Malenchenko performed the routine inspection of the SM (Service Module) PSS Caution & Warning panel as part of regular Daily Morning Inspection.

Next, Yuri completed the periodic (daily) reboot of the Russian RSS1 & RSS2 laptops.

FE-4 also supported the overnight test of the TEKh-39 LCS (Laser Communications System, Russian: SLS) in the SM by copying the test data collected overnight (10:09pm-10:42pm EDT) from the RSE-SLS A31p laptop to the RSS2 laptop for data downlink and log file dump, supported by ground specialist tagup.

CDR Williams had Day 2 of her 4th (FD75) 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 pH testing. After recording her diet input today, Sunita will begin the urine collections on Day 4, Saturday (9/29) and blood sampling (fasted) on Day 5, Sunday (9/30), with Pro K photography. [For the Pro K (Dietary Intake Can Predict and Protect against Changes in Bone Metabolism during Spaceflight and Recovery) protocol, 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. The crewmember prepares a diet log and then annotates quantities of food packets consumed and supplements taken. 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.]

Suni also downloaded the accumulated data from her 3rd 24-hr ICV (Integrated Cardiovascular) Ambulatory Monitoring session (9/21-9/23) from two Actiwatch Spectrums and two HM2 HiFi CF Cards to the HRF PC1 (Human Research Facility Portable Computer 1). The laptop was then powered off. [For the ICV Ambulatory Monitoring session, during the first 24 hrs (while all devices are worn), ten minutes of quiet, resting breathing are timelined to collect data for a specific analysis. The nominal exercise includes at least 10 minutes at a heart rate ≥120 bpm (beats per minute). After 24 hrs, the Cardiopres/BP is doffed and the HM2 HiFi CF Card and AA Battery are changed out to allow continuation of the session for another 24 hours, with the Makita batteries switched as required. After data collection is complete, the Actiwatches and both HM2 HiFi CF Cards are downloaded to the HRF PC1, while Cardiopres data are downloaded to the EPM (European Physiology Module) Rack and transferred to the HRF PC1 via a USB key for downlink.]

In COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory), CDR Williams configured the PPFS (Portable Pulmonary Function System) hardware with power, data, front panel, and gas connections plus MBS (Mixing Bag System), and then conducted her 3rd (FD75) session with the VO2max assessment (Evaluation of Maximal Oxygen Uptake & Submaximal Estimates of VO2max before, during and after long-duration space station missions), integrated with Thermolab (head sensors). After the session, Suni powered down, cleaned up & partially stowed the equipment, then downloaded the data to a PCS (Portable Computer System) laptop. [The experiment VO2max uses the PPFS, CEVIS ergometer cycle with vibration isolation, PFS (Pulmonary Function System) gas cylinders and mixing bag system, plus multiple other pieces of hardware to measure oxygen uptake, cardiac output, and more. The exercise protocol consists of a 2-min rest period, then three 5-min stages at workloads eliciting 25%, 50% & 75% of aerobic capacity as measured pre-flight, followed by a 25-watt increase in workload every minute until the crewmember reaches maximum exercise capacity. At that point, CEVIS workload increase is stopped, and a 5-min cool down period follows at the 25% load. Rebreathing measurements are initiated by the subject during the last minute of each stage. Constraints are: no food 2 hrs prior to exercise start, no caffeine 8 hrs prior to exercise, and must be well hydrated.]

In the Kibo JPM (JEM Pressurized Module), FE-6 Hoshide performed another double session of the JAXA MICB (MICROBE-3) experiment, starting the ASD (Air Sampling Device) and Particle Counter attached on the bottom of the Kobairo Rack GHF (Gradient Heating Furnace), and later inserting the samples with the air filter from the ASD in a Ziploc bag in MELFI-4, Dewar 4, at 2 degC. Several hours later, Aki executed the session a second time. [The ASD is part of the NASA/JSC SWAB (Surface, Water and Air Biocharacterization) experiment equipment.]

Later, FE-6 worked on a CWC-I (Contingency Water Container-Iodine #2020) to “degas” it, i.e. to remove any free air bubbles that may have been ingested since its last use. [The traditional procedure for “degassing” the container (by first draining, then refilling it with a fully charged water CWC) was replaced in 2004 by a rather ingenious new procedure developed and checked out on the KC-135 aircraft flying zero-G parabolas at JSC/Houston: Essentially, it involves the crewmember himself centrifuging the selected container by holding it away from the body and applying a slow rotation of ~15 rpm to himself, to separate air and water in the bag through centrifugal force, while simultaneously squeezing out the air by cinching down on bungee cords wrapped around the CWC.]

Aki also completed the WRS (Water Recovery System) activity he started yesterday with CWC-I (Contingency Water Container-Iodine, #2052), using the pumping equipment to transfer the water from the just degassed CWC-I #2020 to the WPA (Water Processor Assembly) Potable Water tank via “tee” hose and a freshly installed MRF (Microbial Removal Filter) cartridge as gas trap. [During the day, with MCC-H monitoring, Aki checked transfer progress and purged gas from the MRF, as required, to allow water to flow from CWC-I to the Potable Water tank.]

Malenchenko continued the current round of the periodic preventive maintenance of RS (Russian Segment) ventilation systems, today working in the SM for about 2h 30m for cleaning its numerous Group A ventilator fans & grilles.

Later, Yuri moved over to the MRM2 Poisk module for more ventilation system maintenance, cleaning the VD1 & VD2 air ducts.

Suni completed another weekly 10-min. CWC inventory as part of continuing 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 (32-0005A) lists 18 CWCs (262.23 L total), including 2 empty bags, for the five types of water identified on board: 1. Silver technical water (4 CWCs with 151.7 L); 2. Condensate water (3 CWCs with 14.0 L, plus 2 empty bags); 3. Iodinated water (8 CWCs with 86.85 L); and 4. Waste water (1 CWC with 9.68 L bag EMU waste water). Also one leaky CWC (#1024) with 8.5 L, stowed in ATV3 for disposal. No bags with Wautersia bacteria. Other CWCs are stowed behind racks and are currently not being tracked due to unchanging contents. Wautersia bacteria are typical water-borne microorganisms that have been seen previously in ISS water sources. These isolates pose no threat to human health.]

FE-6 Hoshide had ~3 hrs set aside for completing a major IFM (Inflight Maintenance) on the ARED advanced resistive exercise device – removing its aluminum cylinders and installing new stainless steel spare cylinders instead, using new set screws.

Yuri had another ~2 hrs for transferring cargo to Progress M-16M/48P (#416) for stowage (i.e., not for disposal). [Since 48P is scheduled to remain docked to the station until February next year, it serves as a temporary stowage location for selected cargo items, all of which must be documented in the IMS (Inventory Management System) database.]

Malenchenko 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.]

FE-4 also took care of the daily IMS maintenance from the discretionary “time permitting” task list, 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).

In the Lab, Aki used the vacuum cleaner on the vents of the T61p OpsLAN Servers LS1 & ISS-SERVER1 in bay O1, to ensure optimal performance.

Hoshide also filled out his 9th standard FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire) on the MDLT (Medical Laptop). [On the FFQs, USOS astronauts keep a personalized log of their nutritional intake over time on special MDLT software. Recorded are the amounts consumed during the past week of such food items as beverages, cereals, grains, eggs, breads, snacks, sweets, fruit, beans, soup, vegetables, dairy, fish, meat, chicken, sauces & spreads, and vitamins. The FFQ is performed once a week to estimate nutrient intake from the previous week and to give recommendations to ground specialists that help maintain optimal crew health. Weekly estimation has been verified to be reliable enough that nutrients do not need to be tracked daily.]

After the CDR set up the Lab video camcorder for live viewing from the ground, reviewed training material and then configured the laptop-based Dragon ROBoT trainer, she and Aki conducted an OBT (Onboard Training) Rendezvous & Capture procedures session for SpaceX-1 Dragon. Afterwards, Suni & Aki tagged up with the ground for a debriefing conference (~12:15pm EDT) and stowed the video gear. [The training lesson walks through the steps in the Dragon rendezvous procedures and provides representative RWS (Robotics Workstation) and PCS (Portable Computer System) screenshots for each step, using two laptops, an A31p for the visual displays and a T61p for the simulator. In addition, the lesson gives an overview of the Dragon commands that are available to the crew and explains how to execute the commands.]

At ~7:15am, Yuri Malenchenko supported a Russian PAO TV, downlinking a message of greetings & congratulations to the residents of Korolev, employees & veterans of Rocket-and-Space Industry on the upcoming 55th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik 1, of the first man-made Earth satellite. [On Anniversary Day, October 4, 2012, Korolev City executives will hold a reception and a ceremony at the Kalinin Central House of Culture where city enterprise workers will be awarded government decorations, Certificates of Merit from the Korolev Council of Deputies, and the Korolev Municipal Administration.]

At ~9:00am, the three crewmembers had their weekly teleconference with the JSC Astronaut Office/CB (Bob Behnken), via S-band S/G-2 audio & phone patch.

At ~12:50pm, CDR Williams & FE-6 Hoshide conducted their monthly teleconference with ISS Program Management at JSC/Houston via S-band/audio.

The crew worked out on the CEVIS cycle ergometer with vibration isolation (CDR/VO2max), TVIS treadmill with vibration isolation & stabilization (FE-4), ARED advanced resistive exercise device (CDR) and VELO ergometer bike with load trainer (FE-4). [CDR & FE-6 are on the special experimental SPRINT protocol which diverts from the regular 2.5 hrs per day exercise regime and introduces special daily sessions involving resistive and aerobic (interval & continuous) exercise, followed by a USND (Ultrasound) leg muscle self scan in COL. No exercise is being timelined for Suni on Friday, for Aki on Thursday. If any day is not completed, Suni & Aki pick up where they left off, i.e., they would be finishing out the week with the last day of exercise on her off day.]

Before Presleep (~3:30pm), the CDR powers up the MPC (Multi-Protocol Converter) and starts 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, Suni 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.]

Tasks listed for FE-4 Malenchenko on the Russian discretionary “time permitting” job for today were –

• 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),
• 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
• Taking situational photography behind panels 327 & 428 in the SM to assess the feasibility of installing a KL-108/109Ts “Klest” unit (to be delivered on Progress 51P) for downlinking digital TV from the RS (Russian Segment).

CEO (Crew Earth Observation) targets uplinked for today were Moroni, Comoros (Capital Cities Collection: ISS had a fair weather pass for this target with approach from the NW over the Mozambique Channel, with the possibility of some clouds over the area. This capital city is located on the western coastline of the island of Grande Comoros. Moroni has served as the capital since 1958. Looking slightly to the left of track and nadir for the Comoros Archipelago and Moroni. Overlapping mapping frames of the urban area were requested), Mbabane, Swaziland (Capital Cities Collection: ISS had a clear pass over this tiny target with approach from the NW in late morning light with Mbabane just right of track. This small capital city has a population of approximately 95,000 and lies in a wooded highland of the tiny, land-locked nation of Swaziland. CEO has no images of this city in its database), Nassau, Bahamas (Capital Cities Collection: ISS had a mid-afternoon pass over Nassau, the 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), and Wake Island Reef, Pacific Ocean (Coral Reefs Site: ISS had a mid-morning pass over the Pacific Ocean and Wake Island. Wake Island is a coral atoll with a coastline of only about 12 miles, and is an unincorporated territory of the United States. CEO database does not currently have any images of Wake Island. As ISS tracked SE over the northern Pacific Ocean, the crew was to shoot right of track to spot this small island).

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 7:56am EDT [= epoch])
Mean altitude – 416.0 km
Apogee height – 428.4 km
Perigee height – 403.5 km
Period — 92.89 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.65 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0018286
Solar Beta Angle — 21.3 deg (magnitude increasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.50
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 150 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 79,391
Time in orbit (station) — 5060 days
Time in orbit (crews, cum.) — 4347 days.

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————– Inc-33: Three-crew operations ————-
09/28/12 — ATV3 undocking — ~5:45pm EDT
10/xx/12 — ATV3 deorbit
10/08/12 — SpaceX-1 launch
10/10/12 — SpaceX-1 docking
10/23/12 — Soyuz TMA-06M/32S launch – K.Ford (CDR-34)/O.Novitsky/E.Tarelkin (6:51am EDT)
10/25/12 — Soyuz TMA-06M/32S docking – (~8:40am EDT)
————– Inc-33: Six-crew operations ————-
10/31/12 — Progress M-17M/49P launch
10/31/12 — Progress M-17M/49P docking
11/12/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/31S undock/landing (End of Increment 33)
————– Inc-34: 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
————– Inc-34: Six-crew operations ————-
02/11/13 — Progress M-16M/48P undocking
02/12/13 — Progress M-18M/50P launch
02/14/13 — Progress M-18M/50P docking
03/15/13 — Soyuz TMA-06M/32S undock/landing (End of Increment 34)
————– Inc-35: 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
04/23/13 — Progress M-18M/50P undock/landing
————– Inc-35: Six-crew operations ————-
05/16/13 — Soyuz TMA-07M/33S undock/landing (End of Increment 35)
————– Inc-36: 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
————– Inc-36: Six-crew operations ————-
09/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-08M/34S undock/landing (End of Increment 36)
————– Inc-37: 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
————– Inc-37: Six-crew operations ————-
11/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-09M/35S undock/landing (End of Increment 37)
————– Inc-38: 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
————– Inc-38: Six-crew operations ————-
03/xx/14 — Soyuz TMA-10M/36S undock/landing (End of Increment 38)
————– Inc-39: Three-crew operations ————-

SpaceRef staff editor.