NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 31 January 2010
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Sunday – off-duty day. Ahead: Week 10 of Increment 22
At wake-up, FE-4 Kotov began his day with the regular daily checkup of the aerosol filters at the Elektron O2 generator. [The filters were installed by Suraev 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). Photographs are to be taken if the filter packing is discolored.]
CDR Williams & FE-5 Noguchi started another round of the once-a-week U.S. “Bisphosphonates” biomedical countermeasures experiment, ingesting an Alendronate pill before breakfast. [The Bisphosphonates study should determine whether antiresorptive agents (that help reduce bone loss) in conjunction with the routine in-flight exercise program will protect ISS crewmembers from the regional decreases in bone mineral density documented on previous ISS missions. Two dosing regimens are being tested: (1) an oral dose of 70 mg of Alendronate taken weekly starting 3 weeks prior to flight and then throughout the flight and (2) an intravenous (IV) dose of 4 mg Zoledronic Acid, administered just once approximately 45 days before flight. The rationale for including both Alendronate and Zoledronic Acid is that two dosing options will maximize crew participation, increase the countermeasure options available to flight surgeons, increase scientific opportunities, and minimize the effects of operational and logistical constraints. The primary measurement objective is to obtain preflight and postflight QCT (Quantitative Computed Tomography) scans of the hip. The QCT scans will provide volumetric bone density information of both cortical and trabecular (spongy) bone regions of the hip.]
Noguchi transferred US condensate from the Lab CCAA (Common Cabin Air Assembly) dehumidifier tank to a CWC (Contingency Water Container, #1070), after taking a water sample with purge from the condensate tank.
FE-4 Kotov performed the routine daily servicing of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS) in the SM (Service Module), including the weekly collection of the toilet flush (SP) counter and water supply (SVO) readings for calldown to TsUP-Moscow.
Oleg also checked up on the Russian POTOK-150MK (150 micron) air filter unit of the SM’s SOGS air revitalization subsystem, gathering weekly data on total operating time & “On” durations for reporting to TsUP.
An additional task for the FE-4 in the SM was the routine inspection of the SVO SRV-K2M (Condensate Water Processor) hoses from the MF-R Diaphragm Separator Filter to the BRPK Condensate Separation & Pumping Unit (having replaced the latter on 12/21/09).
Continuing yesterday’s VolSci (Voluntary Weekend Science) activity in the Kibo JPM (JEM Pressurized Module), Soichi performed silicone oil leak check #2 on the MD (Marangoni Deformation) cooling disk, with cleaning and change of the MD30 absorbent. Afterwards, the FE-5 closed out the activity by removing the MD30 core from the MS MWA (Marangoni Surface / Maintenance Work Area) and taking the I/F (Interface) B off the MWA. [On Earth, when silicon crystallizes, it is affected by buoyancy convection–the rising and falling of molecules due to their weight. This movement of molecules causes flaws in the crystals’ structure. Scientists assumed that in near-weightlessness, where buoyancy convection is greatly reduced, they would see defect-free crystals. But this is not the case. In space, another kind of convection takes over: Marangoni Flow. Occurring when there are temperature differences throughout a fluid, Marangoni Flow can look like an invisible spoon stirring a liquid. This is because energized molecules are ceaselessly being pulled towards the area of high surface tension. In this Japanese-led experiment that features significant Canadian contribution, silicone oil is being used for the liquid bridge and Marangoni flow is induced with two disks–one cool, the other hot–on either side of the liquid. The temperature is varied between 5 and 90 degrees and data are collected through the Fluid Physics Experiment Facility’s 3D, 2D, and thermal imaging cameras.]
The voluntary US “job jar” task list for TJ, Jeff & Soichi for today showed the periodic replacement of the EDV-U urine container in the WHC (Waste & Hygiene Compartment).
The Russian discretionary task list for Maxim & Oleg for today called for –
- another 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 digital camera,
- a photography run of the GFI-8 "Uragan" (hurricane) earth-imaging program with the NIKON D3X with SIGMA AF 300-800mm telelens,
- the regular status check on the running BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 ("Plants-2") experiment in the SM, and
- another picture-taking session for the DZZ-13 “Seiner” ocean observation program, using the NIKON D2X digital camera (80-400 mm lens) and the HDV (high-definition video) camcorder at a specific time to obtain data on water bloom patterns in the waters and current atmospheric conditions above them. [It was mandatory for Maxim to record his voice commentary while filming, giving information on the exact time when bioluminescence is detected, glow variations depending on cloud pattern, and his recommendations as to what procedure to use for observation.]
The crew had their weekly PFCs (Private Family Conferences), via S-band/audio and Ku-band/MS-NetMeeting application (which displays the uplinked ground video on an SSC laptop), Maxim at ~5:20am, Oleg at ~6:25am, Soichi at ~12:45pm EST and TJ at ~12:50pm.
The crewmembers worked out with their regular 2-hr physical exercise on the CEVIS cycle ergometer (FE-5), TVIS treadmill (FE-1, FE-4), ARED advanced resistive exerciser (CDR, FE-4, FE-5, FE-6), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (CDR, FE-6), and VELO bike ergometer with bungee cord load trainer (FE-1).
No CEO (Crew Earth Observation) photo targets uplinked for today.]
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
02/02/10 — Progress M-04M/36P launch (10:45pm EST)
02/04/10 — Progress M-04M/36P docking (~11:26pm EST)
02/07/10 — STS-130/Endeavour/20A – Node-3 “Tranquility”+Cupola (launch 4:39am EST)
02/09/10 — STS-130/Endeavour/20A docking (~1:25am)
· 02/11/10 — EVA-1 (10:35pm)
· 02/12/10 — EVA-2 (10:05pm)
· 02/13/10 — Cupola relocation
· 02/15/10 — EVA-3 (10:05pm)
02/17/10 — STS-130/Endeavour/20A undock (7:15pm)
02/19/10 — STS-130/Endeavour/20A KSC landing (11:17pm)
03/18/10 — Soyuz TMA-16/20S undock/landing
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/18/10 — STS-131/Discovery/19A – MPLM(P), LMC (launch ~1:30pm EST)
04/02/10 — Soyuz TMA-18/22S launch – Skvortsov (CDR-24)/Caldwell/Kornienko
04/04/10 — Soyuz TMA-18/22S docking
————–Six-crew operations—————–
04/27/10 — Progress M-03M/35P undock
04/28/10 — Progress M-05M/37P launch
04/30/10 — Progress M-05M/37P docking
05/14/10 — STS-132/Atlantis/ULF4 – ICC-VLD, MRM-1 (~2:00pm EST)
05/10/10 — Progress M-04M/36P undock
05/31/10 — Soyuz TMA-17/21S undock/landing
————–Three-crew operations————-
06/14/10 — Soyuz TMA-19/23S launch – Wheelock (CDR-25)/Walker/Yurchikhin
06/16/10 — Soyuz TMA-19/23S docking
————–Six-crew operations—————–
07/xx/10 — US EVA-15
07/xx/10 — Russian EVA-25
06/28/10 — Progress M-06M/38P launch
07/02/10 — Progress M-06M/38P docking
07/26/10 — Progress M-05M/37P undock
07/27/10 — Progress M-07M/39P launch
07/29/10 — Progress M-07M/39P docking
07/29/10 — STS-134/Endeavour (ULF6 – ELC3, AMS-02) (~7:30am EST)
08/30/10 — Progress M-06M/38P undock
08/31/10 — Progress M-08M/40P launch
09/02/10 — Progress M-08M/40P docking
09/15/10 — Soyuz TMA-18/22S undock/landing
09/16/10 — STS-133/Discovery (ULF5 – ELC4, PMM) (~12:01pm EST)
09/18/10 — STS-133/Discovery (ULF5 – ELC4, PMM) docking
09/22/10 — STS-133/Discovery (ULF5 – ELC4, PMM) undock
09/30/10 — Soyuz TMA-20/24S launch – Kelly (CDR-26)/Kaleri/Skripochka
10/xx/10 — Russian EVA-26
10/26/10 — Progress M-07M/39P undock
10/27/10 — Progress M-09M/41P launch
10/29/10 — Progress M-09M/41P docking
11/15/10 — Soyuz TMA-19/23S undock/landing
11/18/10 — ATV2 launch– Ariane 5 (ESA) U/R
11/30/10 — Soyuz TMA-21/25S launch – Kondratyev (CDR-27)/Coleman/Nespoli
12/15/10 — Progress M-08M/40P undock
12/17/10 — ATV2 docking
02/08/11 — Progress M-09M/41P undock
02/09/11 — Progress M-10M/42P launch
02/11/11 — Progress M-10M/42P docking
03/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-22/26S launch
xx/xx/11 — Progress M-11M/43P launch
05/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-23/27S launch
12/??/11 — 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA – on Proton.
