NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 28 May 2012
ISS On-Orbit Status 05/28/12
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Underway: Week 5 of Increment 31 (six-person crew). Memorial Day Holiday.
After wakeup, CDR Kononenko performed the routine inspection of the SM (Service Module) PSS Caution & Warning panel as part of regular Daily Morning Inspection.
Kononenko also conducted the weekly checkup behind ASU/toilet panel 139 in the SM of a fluid connector (MNR-NS) of the SM-U urine collection system, looking for potential moisture.
FE-3 Joe Acaba began the day with his first pH test and diet log entry for the Pro K pH plus controlled diet menu protocol of his first (FD15) Pro K Controlled Diet activity. [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.]
The CDR started major outfitting for the new BPI NU (Low Frequency Data Receiver) by first installing new software (Version 3.1) for BPI on the associated RSS1 laptop and updating the BRI (Smart Switch Router) configuration file (v.4.2.2), supported by ground specialist tagup. [The software upgrade involves the BPI-NU, TVM-N1 (Terminal Computer), BSPN (Payload Server) and updated BRI applications.]
Later, Oleg, joined by Gennady Padalka, made preparations for tomorrow’s scheduled installation of the new BPI NU LF Data Receiver and the required cable connections for the SUBA/Onboard Control System and SBI/Onboard Measurement System.
The CDR also installed new application software (Version 3.3) on the Russian RSK1 laptop to update the Sigma (v.8.6.3) Onboard Simulator for Manually Controlled Descent’s automatic time synchronization subroutine, with ground specialist tagup support.
FE-2 Revin worked for several hours in the “Zarya” FGB (Funktsionalnyi-Grusovoi Blok), removing the failed SEP (EPS/Electric Power System) SNT power converter (A53, 120V/28V) and replacing it with a new unit. The old SNT was discarded as trash.
Sergei & Gennady unstowed and set up the educational experiment OBR-1/Fizika-Obrazovaniye and started a session with the “Physics-Phase” demo, several times taking photographs of the experiment and recording the activity on video. [Obrazovaniye (Education) is a suite of three educational demonstrations of physics in micro-G, viz., OBR-1-1/”Fizika-LT” (Motion), OBR-1-2/”Fizika-Faza” (Phase) and OBR-1-3/”Fizika-Otolit”. The current “Phase” demo studies a complete gas-liquid phase separation of fine dispersion particles in micro-G with diffusion and surface tension of the fluid. The experiment is conducted over several days, documented with photography.]
FE-6 Pettit, with FE-3 Acaba for another functional handover, activated the pumping equipment for transferring water from CWC-I (Contingency Water Container-Iodinated) to the WPA (Water Processor Assembly) Potable Water tank using a “tee” hose and a fresh MRF (Microbial Removal Filter) as gas trap. [During the day, Joe checked transfer progress and purged gas from the MRF to allow water to flow from CWC-I to the Potable Water tank. Later, Acaba terminated the procedure and left the equipment intact for subsequent use.]
Don, André & Joe spent most of their workday with cargo transfer operations from the SpX Dragon capsule to ISS for stowage, going by an uplinked cargo list (“D”) and a choreography message, followed by a transfer tagup conference with ground personnel at ~2:05pm EDT.
After reviewing procedural material and setting up the camcorder for video documentation, Pettit worked in the Lab on the NanoRacks Module 9, unstowing, installing and activating NanoRacks mixing tubes. Before sleeptime, the mixing tubes will be deactivated.
Playback of the NanoRack Module 9 activities to the ground via MPC (Multi-Protocol Converter) with POIC/Payload Operations Integration Center routing the HRDL (High-Rate Data Link) system, was conducted during the crew’s lunch hour.
Revin performed the periodic service of the RS (Russian Segment) radiation payload suite “Matryoshka-R” (RBO-3-2), collecting eight Bubble dosimeters (A41, A42, A43, A44, A45, A46, A47, A48) to read their recorded radiation traces in a special Reader. Afterwards the dosimeters were initialized for new measurements, redeployed at specific locations and photographed. [The complex Matryoshka payload suite is designed for sophisticated radiation studies. Note: Matryoshka is the name for the traditional Russian set of nested dolls.]
Oleg took care of 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.]
In COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory), André Kuipers completed the periodic reboot of all active PWS (Portable Workstation) laptops (once/month) and recorded the battery state of each active PWS.
Working inside the Progress 47P, Padalka connected cabling from the Progress’ Kurs-A container to the new Kurs-NA system, with the Kurs boxes and the internal BITS measurement system temporarily powered off.
Gennady also set up the Russian payload BTKh-43 KONSTANTA for a new run with a fresh cassette (#3-2), supported by ground specialist tagup via S-band.
Before his workout on the TVIS treadmill with vibration isolation & stabilization, last of the day, Sergei Revin inspected the gyroscope wire rope, part of monthly maintenance.
The crew worked out with their regular 2-hr physical exercise protocol on the TVIS treadmill with vibration isolation & stabilization (CDR, FE-1, FE-2), ARED advanced resistive exerciser (FE-1, FE-3, FE-5, FE-6), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (FE-3, FE-5, FE-6), and VELO bike ergometer with load trainer (CDR). [FE-6 is 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 Fridays. If any day is not completed, Don picks up where he left off, i.e., he would be finishing out the week with his last day of exercise on his off day. If any day is not completed, Don picks up where he left off, i.e., he would be finishing out the week with his last day of exercise on his off day. If any day is not completed, Don picks up where he left off, i.e., he would be finishing out the week with his last day of exercise on his off day.]
Tasks listed for Kononenko, Revin & Padalka on the Russian discretionary “time permitting” job for today were –
• Completing 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) (Sergei),
• 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 (Oleg+Gennady), 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) (all).
No CEO (Crew Earth Observation) targets uplinked for today.
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 6:38am EDT [= epoch])
Mean altitude – 399.3 km
Apogee height – 406.1 km
Perigee height – 392.5 km
Period — 92.55 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0010025
Solar Beta Angle — 26.5 deg (magnitude increasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.56
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 47 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 77,493
Time in orbit (station) — 4938 days
Time in orbit (crews, cum.) — 4225 days
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————–Six-crew operations—————-
05/31/12 — SpaceX Dragon unberthing
07/01/12 — Soyuz TMA-03M/29S undock/landing (End of Increment 31)
————–Three-crew operations————-
07/15/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/31S launch – S.Williams (CDR-33)/Y.Malenchenko/A.Hoshide
07/17/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/31S docking
07/20/12 — HTV3 launch (~10:18pm EDT)
07/22/12 — Progress M-15M/47P undock
07/24/12 — Progress M-15M/47P re-docking
07/30/12 — Progress M-15M/47P undocking/deorbit
07/31/12 — Progress M16M/48P launch
08/02/12 — Progress M16M/48P docking
————–Six-crew operations—————-
09/17/12 — Soyuz TMA-04M/30S undock/landing (End of Increment 32)
————–Three-crew operations————-
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————-
