NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 28 June 2010
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Underway: Week 4 of Increment 24
For today’s Soyuz 23S relocation and Progress 38P docking (7/2), crew sleep cycle was shifted to the right: Wake-up – 5:30am (from 2:00am), sleep – 10:30pm (from 5:30pm) EDT. Tomorrow’s wake/sleep: 7:00am – 10:30pm, until 7/3.
Soyuz TMA-19 (23S) relocation was completed without incident, although delayed by 75 min due to a stall of the 4B BGA (Beta Gimbal Assembly) motor as it was moving the 4B solar array to its latched position. After system recovery by ground control, it took the array some time to reach its final position, delaying the undocking from 1:58pm to ~3:13pm. It freed up the SM (Service Module) aft port for the arrival of Progress 38P on 7/2 (aft port being more advantageous for using Progress for reboost/debris avoidance maneuvers). After a brief ride in their crew return vehicle, FE-5 Yurchikhin, FE-4 Wheelock & FE-6 Walker docked at the MRM1 Rassvet module (at FGB nadir) at 3:38pm EDT, completing the spacecraft’s relocation in about 25 minutes. [After undocking, Soyuz CDR Yurchikhin backed away from the station 25-30 m at ~0.12 m/s, then translated the spacecraft below the station, slewing sidewise through 90 deg along the ISS toward the aft end before rotating (“indexing”) the Soyuz around its longitudinal axis to align its periscope with the docking target on the MRM1 (Mini Research Module 1), spending a short time in station-keeping mode. Final approach began at ~3:34pm, with docking at ~3:38pm. After hooks and latches were engaged, the crew conducts transfer hatch & vestibule leak checks, opens Soyuz & MRM1 transfer hatches and then re-enters the station through the MRM1/FGB. The relocation was conducted with ISS entirely in “earth-fixed” LVLH (local vertical/local horizontal) attitude, without the usual Inertial snap/hold.]
Before hatch closing & leak checking (~9:40am), Yurchikhin configured and checked out communications from 23S (~8:03am-8:19am), while the ground deactivated the LKT (Local Temperature Sensor) on Soyuz and the SKV-1 air conditioner on ISS.
In TMA-19, after hatch closure Fyodor, Doug & Shannon removed their cabin suits and donned biomedical belts & Sokol pressure suits, then performed Soyuz checkout operations.
RS (Russian Segment) thrusters were disabled at ~8:45am for the FGB QD (quick disconnect, BZV) screw clamps removal.
For the relocation, ISS attitude control authority was handed over to RS motion control at 1:20pm. After relocation, control returns to US momentum management later tonight after solar arrays have been positioned.
After 23S separation from the aft port, CDR Skvortsov took photographs of the spacecraft’s docking assembly for subsequent inspection by ground specialists.
Skvortsov also configured the STTS station comm for the relocation and activated the Russian TEKh-15/DAKON-M IZGIB (“Bend”) experiment hardware in the SM for taking structural dynamics data during the undocking/redocking activities, later downlinking the dynamics measurements to the ground and closing out the data take.
FE-2 Caldwell-Dyson powered down the amateur/ham radio equipment and closed the external shutters of the Lab, JPM (JEM Pressurized Module) & Cupola windows as protection against thruster plume contamination.
Tracy also set up the conversion laptop, an A31p (SSC-1) in the FGB for supporting the RS video “scheme” which employs TV conversion to U.S. NTSC format and Ku-band of the RS video signal from the SONY HDV camera via MPEG-2 (Moving Pictures Expert Group 2) encoder from FGB & SM, in order to downlink “streaming video” packets via U.S. OpsLAN and Ku-band.
After Soyuz re-docking, Alex Skvortsov closed the Soyuz KVD/PEV (Pressure Equalization Valve) and later switched it to electric mode.
Meanwhile, the Soyuz crew completes the standard leak checking internal to the Soyuz (between BO & SA compartments), then opens the internal hatch and started drying of two Sokol suits & their gloves.
At ~4:15pm, the crew will start transfer hatch & MRM1 vestibule leak checks, then open hatches at ~5:30pm, install quick-disconnect clamps (~5:50pm) and start airing out the third Sokol.
Caldwell-Dyson will assist Alex in deactivating and tearing down the RS streaming video “scheme” and its A31p laptop in the FGB, which the CDR used to monitor the video stream to the ground.]
Also after the re-docking, Skvortsov terminated the BRTK Ku-band video transmission which he had turned on earlier, and reconfigured STTS station comm to nominal mode.
RS thrusters will again be temporarily inhibited for the leak checking, hatch opening and post-docking clamp installation. Then, TMA-19 deactivation begins, completing LiOH (Lithium Hydroxide) cartridge replacement (for CO2 removal) and transition of the 23S spacecraft back to ISS/combined power.
FE-3 Kornienko completed the regular daily early-morning check of the aerosol filters at the Russian Elektron O2 generator which Maxim Suraev had installed on 10/19/09 in gaps between the BZh Liquid Unit and the oxygen outlet pipe (filter FA-K) plus hydrogen outlet pipe (filter FA-V). [FE-3 will inspect the filters again before bedtime, currently a daily requirement per plan, with photographs to be taken if the filter packing is discolored.]
At wake-up, FE-4 Wheelock started his FD15 (Flight Day 15) Nutrition/Repository/Pro K generic blood collection, with Caldwell-Dyson assisting with the phlebotomy as operator. Doug then set up the RC (Refrigerated Centrifuge) for spinning the samples prior to stowing them in the MELFI (Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). Wheelock also closed out his FD15 urine collections after completing the 24-hr protocol. [The operational products for Blood & Urine collections for the HRP (Human Research Program) payloads have been revised, 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 should verify their choice selection before continuing with operations to ensure their specific instruction.]
Kornienko completed 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.]
Mikhail also did 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).
Alexander had 2h 50m reserved for undertaking his 3rd onboard session with the Russian biomedical MBI-15 "Pilot-M"/NEURO signal response experiment after setting up the workplace and equipment, assisted by Misha who also took photos. Later, the Pilot-M & Neurolab-2000M gear was disassembled & stowed away, data files were downloaded, and Alexander reported to TsUP on his run. [MBI-15 requires the Multipurpose Hardware Bench as a table, ankle restraint system, eyeball electrodes for an EOG (electrooculogram), and two hand controllers (RUO & RUD) for testing piloting skill in “flying” simulations on a laptop (RSK1) with software (v. 2.0) under stopwatch control, as well as for studying special features of the psychophysiologic response of cosmonauts to the effects of stress factors in flight.]
Tracy started another sampling run with the EHS GC/DMS (Gas Chromatograph/Differential Mobility Spectrometer), deactivating the system ~5 hrs later. [This was the 6th session with the new GC/DMS unit (#1004), after the previous instrument (#1002) was used for approximately 100 runs. Also known as AQM (Air Quality Monitor), the system is controlled with “Sionex” expert software from the SSC-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.]
Afterwards, FE-2 conducted the periodic WRS (Water Recovery System) sampling using the TOCA (Total Organic Carbon Analyzer) in Node-3, after first initializing the software and priming (filling) the TOCA water sample hose. [After the approximately 2 hr TOCA analysis, Tracy transferred results to an SSC (Station Support Computer) via USB drive for downlink, and also logged the data.]
Kornienko had ~60 min. for shooting additional newsreel footage using the SONY HVR-Z7 #2 high-definition camcorder as part of the ongoing effort to create a photo & video imagery database on the flight of ISS-23/24 (“Flight Chronicles”). [Footage subjects are to be focused on include life on the station, personal hygiene, food intake, playing with water, enjoying weightlessness, exercise, moving about, station interior, Earth surface, space clothing, cosmonaut at work, station cleaning, etc. The photo/video imagery is saved digitally on HDDs (Hard Disk Drives) for return to Earth on Soyuz.]
Afterwards, Mikhail was scheduled for some additional 1h40m shooting of documentary video focusing specifically on ISS research activities & experiments.
Later, FE-3 performed the regular weekly maintenance of the TVIS (Treadmill with Vibration Isolation & Stabilization), primarily inspecting the condition of the SLDs (Subject Loading Devices) in contingency configuration, SLD cables for fraying and SPDs (Subject Positioning Devices), lubricating as required, plus recording time & date values.
In the ESA COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory), FE-2 Caldwell-Dyson once again serviced the CSLM-2 (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures 2) experiment where the SPU #10 (Sample Processing Unit #10) processing finished overnight. [Tracy verified transfer of processing data, powered down the CLSM-2 and exchanged SPU #10 with a new sample, SPU #1, again via the MSG AL (Microgravity Science Glovebox Airlock), instead of having to extract the WV (Work Volume). Afterwards, the first (of four) vacuum vent cycles was initiated. Task steps included inspecting, activating & checking the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) for acceptable humidity & temperature levels in the sample chamber, followed by opening the water valve, then closing it and opening the vent valve to initiate the first of the vacuum draws on the sample chamber.]
In the Lab, Tracy then worked on the CIR (Combustion Integrated Rack), removing the lock-down alignment guides (3) on the FCF (Fluids & Combustion Facility) to allow activation of the PaRIS (Passive Rack Isolation System) by ground operations requiring a micro-G environment. [The guides protected against possible dynamic disturbances during the undocking/redocking.]
FE-2 also conducted the periodic maintenance & visual inspection of the ARED (Advanced Resistive Exercise Device), checking out the rails & rollers, greasing the Y- and Z-axis rails & rollers and evacuating its cylinder flywheels to maintain proper vacuum condition and sensor calibration.
Afterwards, Tracy was scheduled for her 3rd session with the MedOps experiment WinSCAT (Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows), logging in on the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) laptop and going through the psychological evaluation exercise on the PC-based WinSCAT application. [WinSCAT is a monthly time-constrained questionnaire test of cognitive abilities, routinely performed by astronauts aboard the ISS every 30 days before or after the PHS (periodic health status) test or on special CDR’s, crewmember’s or flight surgeon’s request. The test uses cognitive subtests that measure sustained concentration, verbal working memory, attention, short-term memory, spatial processing, and math skills. The five cognitive subtests are Coding Memory – Learning, Continuous Processing Task (CPT), Match to Sample, Mathematics, and Coding Delayed Recall. These WinSCAT subtests are the same as those used during NASA’s long-duration bed rest studies.]
Preparatory to her first vascular echography session in the COL, Shannon Walker has 30 min for reviewing the VIS (Vessel Imaging) procedure. [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.]
Part of the crew completed today’s 2-hr. physical workout protocol on the TVIS treadmill (CDR, FE-3), ARED advanced resistive exercise device (FE-2, FE-3), and VELO ergometer bike with bungee cord load trainer (CDR).
Terminal Computing Device (TVU) Issue: TsUP/Energia-Moscow reported on work completed on the TVU Terminal Computing Device (installed in SM in February this year), using a new software patch to get TVU2 100% operational and assure its full capability. Recovery efforts on TVU1 have not been successful to date.
Elektron Issue: After a planned shutdown of the Elektron O2 generator last Friday to allow other electronics maintenance on board, the system could not be restarted. Activities to analyze this failure have been delayed until tomorrow due to relocation today.
No CEO photo targets uplinked for today.
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 4:12am EDT [= epoch])
Mean altitude – 353.0 km
Apogee height – 359.7 km
Perigee height – 346.3 km
Period — 91.60 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.65 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0009976
Solar Beta Angle — 71.2 deg (magnitude decreasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.72
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours – 79 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) – 66,522
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————–Six-crew operations—————–
06/30/10 — Progress M-06M/38P launch, 11:35am (870kg props, 50kg O2, 100kg H2O, 1210kg dry cargo)
07/02/10 — Progress M-06M/38P docking (~12:58pm)
07/26/10 — Russian EVA-25 (Yurchikhin/Kornienko) – MRM1 outfitting
08/05/10 — US EVA-15 (Caldwell/Wheelock)
08/17/10 — US EVA-16 (Caldwell/Wheelock)
09/07/10 — Progress M-06M/38P undock
09/08/10 — Progress M-07M/39P launch
09/10/10 — Progress M-07M/39P docking
09/16/10 — STS-133/Discovery launch (ULF5 – ELC4, PMM) – ~11:40am
09/22/10 — STS-133/Discovery undock
09/24/10 — Soyuz TMA-18/22S undock/landing (End of Increment 24)
————–Three-crew operations————-
10/08/10 — Soyuz TMA-20/24S launch – Kelly (CDR-26)/Kaleri/Skripochka
10/10/10 — Soyuz TMA-20/24S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
10/26/10 — Progress M-05M/37P undock
10/27/10 — Progress M-08M/40P launch
10/29/10 — Progress M-08M/40P docking
11/xx/10 — STS-134/Endeavour (ULF6 – ELC3, AMS-02)
11/10/10 — Russian EVA-26
11/17/10 – Russian EVA-27
11/26/10 — Soyuz TMA-19/23S undock/landing (End of Increment 25)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/30/10 — ATV-2 launch– Ariane 5 (ESA) U/R
12/10/10 — Soyuz TMA-21/25S launch – Kondratyev (CDR-27)/Coleman/Nespoli
12/12/10 — Soyuz TMA-21/25S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
12/15/10 — Progress M-07M/39P undock
12/17/10 — ATV-2 docking (SM aft)
12/xx/10 — Russian EVA-28
12/26/10 — Progress M-08M/40P undock
12/27/10 — Progress M-09M/41P launch
12/29/10 — Progress M-09M/41P docking
01/20/11 – HTV-2 launch
01/27/11 — HTV-2 docking (Node-2 nadir)
03/16/11 — Soyuz TMA-20/24S undock/landing (End of Increment 26)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-22/26S launch – A. Borisienko (CDR-28)/R, Garan/A.Samokutayev
04/01/11 — Soyuz TMA-22/26S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
04/26/11 — Progress M-09M/41P undock
04/27/11 — Progress M-10M/42P launch
04/29/11 — Progress M-10M/42P docking
05/16/11 — Soyuz TMA-21/25S undock/landing (End of Increment 27)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/31/11 — Soyuz TMA-23/27S launch – M. Fossum (CDR-29)/S. Furukawa/S. Volkov
06/01/11 — Soyuz TMA-23/27S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
06/21/11 — Progress M-11M/43P launch
06/23/11 — Progress M-11M/43P docking
08/30/11 — Progress M-12M/44P launch
09/01/11 — Progress M-12M/44P docking
09/16/11 – Soyuz TMA-22/26S undock/landing (End of Increment 28)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-24/28S launch
10/02/11 – Soyuz TMA-24/28S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
10/20/11 — Progress M-10M/42P undocking
10/21/11 — Progress M-13M/45P launch
10/23/11 — Progress M-13M/45P docking
11/16/11 — Soyuz TMA-23/27S undock/landing (End of Increment 29)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-25/29S launch
12/02/11 — Soyuz TMA-25/29S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
12/??/11 — 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA – on Proton.
12/26/11 — Progress M-13M/45P undock
01/xx/12 — ATV-3 launch– Ariane 5 (ESA) U/R
