NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 4 December 2010
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Saturday — Crew rest day.
At day’s begin, FE-2 Skripochka conducted 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). [Oleg will again inspect the filters before bedtime tonight, currently a daily requirement per plan, with photographs to be taken if the filter packing is discolored.]
Also at wake-up, CDR Kelly performed another session of the Reaction Self Test (Psychomotor Vigilance Self Test on the ISS) protocol. [The RST is done twice daily (after wakeup & before bedtime) for 3 days prior to the sleep shift, the day(s) of the sleep shift and 5 days following a sleep shift (therefore, for the next sleep shift sequence RST is scheduled twice daily. The experiment consists of a 5-minute reaction time task that allows crewmembers to monitor the daily effects of fatigue on performance while on ISS. The experiment provides objective feedback on neurobehavioral changes in attention, psychomotor speed, state stability, and impulsivity while on ISS missions, particularly as they relate to changes in circadian rhythms, sleep restrictions, and extended work shifts.]
Kelly, Skripochka & Kaleri completed the regular weekly three-hour task of thorough cleaning of their home, including COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory) and Kibo JPM (JEM Pressurized Module). [“Uborka”, usually done on Saturdays, includes removal of food waste products, cleaning of compartments with vacuum cleaner, damp cleaning of the SM (Service Module) dining table, other frequently touched surfaces and surfaces where trash is collected, as well as the sleep stations with a standard cleaning solution; also, fan screens and grilles are cleaned to avoid temperature rises. Special cleaning is also done every 90 days on the HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) bacteria filters in the Lab.]
As part of the uborka house cleaning, Alex & Oleg conducted regular maintenance inspection & cleaning of fan screens in the FGB (TsV2) plus the BMP Harmful Contaminants Removal System grille and Group E fan grilles (VPkhO, FS5, FS6, VP) in the SM (Service Module).
Alex Kaleri 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, 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-1 also performed the weekly checkup 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. and cleaning its pre-filter with a vacuum cleaner with narrow nozzle attachment.
At ~9:00am EST, the crew conducted their regular WPC (Weekly Planning Conference) with the ground, discussing next week’s “Look-Ahead Plan” (prepared jointly by MCC-H and TsUP-Moscow timeline planners), via S-band/audio, reviewing upcoming activities and any concerns about future on-orbit events.
Kelly filled out his weekly FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire) on the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer). [On the FFQs, NASA astronauts keep a personalized log of their nutritional intake over time on special MEC 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.]
At ~1:30pm EST, Scott is scheduled for his weekly PFC (Private Family Conference) via S-band/audio and Ku-band/MS-NetMeeting application (which displays the uplinked ground video on an SSC laptop).
The crew worked out on today’s 2-hr physical exercise protocol on the TVIS treadmill with vibration isolation & stabilization (FE-1, FE-2), ARED advanced resistive exercise device (CDR), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (CDR), and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer (FE-1, FE-2). [T2 snubber arm inspection is no longer needed after every T2 session but must be done after the last T2 session of the day.]
Weekly Science Update (Expedition Twenty-Six — Week 1).
2D NANO Template (JAXA): No report.
3D SPACE: No report.
AgCam (Agricultural Camera): No report.
ALTCRISS (Alteino Long Term monitoring of Cosmic Rays on the ISS): Complete.
ALTEA SHIELD (NASA/ASI): “Thanks, Scott, for your help to stow the ALTEA hardware, and our apologies for the long activity. This stowage successfully concludes the science data acquisition at this location in the US Lab, having collected 41 days of actual data. More ALTEA-SHIELD activities will happen as soon as radiation monitoring locations become available. This experiment measures the particle flux in the U.S. Laboratory on the ISS, being able to discriminate the type of particles, to measure their trajectories and the delivered energies.”
APEX (Advanced Plant Experiments on Orbit) -Cambium: No report.
APEX-TAGES (Transgenic Arabidopsis Gene Expression System): No report.
BCAT-4/5 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test 4/5): No report.
BIOLAB (ESA): No report.
BIORHYTHMS (JAXA, Biological Rhythms): No report.
BISE (CSA, Bodies in the Space Environment): No report.
BISPHOSPHONATES: No report.
CARD (Long Term Microgravity: Model for Investigating Mechanisms of Heart Disease, ESA): No report.
CARDIOCOG-2: Complete.
CB (JAXA Clean Bench): No report.
CBEF (JAXA Cell Biology Experiment Facility)/SPACE SEED: No report.
CCISS (Cardiovascular & Cerebrovascular Control on Return from ISS): No report.
CERISE (JAXA): No report.
CFE-2 (Capillary Flow Experiment 2): No report.
CFS-A (Fungi-A): Awaiting ULF5 launch.
CSI-3/CGBA-5 (CGBA Science Insert #2/Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 5): Ongoing.
CGBA-2 (Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 2): Complete.
CIR (Combustion Integrated Rack), MDCA/Flex: “Scott: Thank you for your great work replacing a CIR manifold bottle on 11/30. We look forward to returning to test points following the PaRIS alignment activity currently planned for 12/6.”
Commercial Photo (JAXA): No report.
CSLM-2 (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures 2): No report.
CubeLab: No report.
CW/CR (Cell Wall/Resist Wall) in EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System): Complete.
DECLIC (Device for the Study of Critical Liquids & Crystallization, CNES/NASA): No report.
DomeGene (JAXA): Complete.
DOSIS (Dose Distribution Inside ISS, ESA): Acquiring science data with DOSTEL-2 detector.
EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students): No report.
EDR (European Drawer Rack, ESA): No report.
ELITE-S2 (Elaboratore Immagini Televisive – Space 2): Planned.
EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System): No report.
ENose (Electronic Nose): No report.
EPM (European Physiology Module): Activated in support of CARD.
EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (Hobbies): No report.
EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (Kids in Space): No report.
EPO LES-2 (ESA): No report.
EPO COMMERCIAL (JAXA): No report.
.
EPO 3-min Video (JAXA): No report.
EPO J-Astro Report (JAXA): No report.
EPO Dewey’s Forest (JAXA): Closed out on 3/15.
EPO Space Clothes (JAXA): Complete.
EPO Hiten (Dance, JAXA): No report.
EPO-5 SpaceBottle (Message in a Bottle, JAXA): Space Bottle has been wrapped with Kapton tape and moved to the airlock for ULF5 EVA on 10/14. This bottle will be exposed in space by ULF-5 shuttle EVA.
EPO Moon Score (JAXA): No report.
EPO Try Zero-G (JAXA): No report.
EPO Kibo Kids Tour (JAXA): Complete.
EPO Paper Craft (Origami, JAXA): No report.
EPO Poem (JAXA): No report.
EPO Spiral Top (JAXA): No report.
ERB-2 (Erasmus Recording Binocular, ESA): [ERB-2 aims are to develop narrated video material for various PR & educational products & events, including a 3D interior station view.] No report.
ETD (Eye Tracking Device): Completed.
FACET-2 (JAXA): No report.
FERULATE (JAXA): No report.
FIR/LMM/CVB (Fluids Integrated Rack / Light Microscopy Module / Constrained Vapor Bubble): No report.
Fish Scales (JAXA): Completed on FD7/ULF-4 and returned on STS-132.
FOAM STABILITY (ESA): No report.
FOCUS: No report.
FSL (Fluid Science Laboratory, ESA): No report.
FWED (Flywheel Exercise Device, ESA): No report.
GENARA-A (Gravity Regulated Genes in Arabidopsis A/ESA): No report.
GEOFLOW: No report.
HAIR (JAXA): Hair sampling sessions for Walker and Wheelock were completed on 11/12.
HDTV System (JAXA): Was delivered by HTV1.
Holter ECG (JAXA): No report.
HQPC (JAXA): Was delivered by 34P.
HREP (HICO/Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean & RAIDS/Remote Atmospheric & Ionospheric Detection System/JAXA): HREP is operating nominally and 2127 images have been taken to date. The most recent HICO images taken include the Bahamas, parts of the coast of California and the southern part of the Chesapeake Bay. HREP is currently located externally to the ISS, on the JEM External Facility. The HICO (Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean) instrument in HREP operates a visible and near-infrared (VNIR) Maritime Hyperspectral Imaging (MHSI) system to detect, identify, and quantify coastal geophysical features from the ISS.
HydroTropi (Hydrotropism & Auxin-Inducible Gene Expression in Roots Grown under Microgravity Conditions/JAXA): No report.
ICE CRYSTAL (JAXA): Complete.
ICV (Integrated Cardiovascular): No report.
IMMUNO (Neuroendocrine & Immune Responses in Humans During & After Long Term Stay at ISS): Complete.
INTEGRATED IMMUNE: No report.
InSPACE-2 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions 2): No report.
IRIS (Image Reversal in Space, CSA): No report.
ISS Amateur/Ham Radio: No report.
IV Gen (Intravenous Fluids Generation): No report.
KID/KUBIK6: No report.
Kids in Micro-G: No report.
KUBIK 3 (ESA): No report.
LOCAD-PTS (Lab-on-a-Chip Application Development-Portable Test System): No report.
Matryoshka-2 (RSA): No report.
Marangoni Exp (JAXA): The 16th and 17th runs were completed in Week 10. Micro-g data was not measured during these runs due to MMA Laptop (MLT) trouble since 11/23. The T/S for the MLT is currently planned to be performed on 12/03 (MLT will be replaced with Experiment Laptop (ELT) and used as MLT.)
Marangoni DSD – Dynamic Surf (JAXA): Payload name was change from Marangoni DSD to Dynamic Surf.
MAXI (Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image, JAXA): Continuous operation from Inc19&20.
MDCA/Flex: See under CIR.
MEIS (Marangoni Experiment for ISS) in JAXA FPEF (Fluid Physics Experiment Facility): No report.
Microbe-2 (JAXA): No report.
Micro-G Clay (JAXA EPO): Complete.
MMA (JAXA/Microgravity Measurement Apparatus): No report.
MISSE-7 (Materials ISS Experiment): MISSE-7 is operating nominally and all Science data continues to be downlinked.
MPAC/SEED (JAXA): Completed on 19A FD4.
MSG-SAME (Microgravity Science Glovebox-Smoke Aerosol Measurement Experiment): No report.
MSL (Materials Science Laboratory, ESA): No report.
MTR-2 (Russian radiation measurements): Passive dosimeters measurements in DC-1 “Pirs”.
MULTIGEN-1: Completed.
MYCO 3 (JAXA): Sampling sessions for Walker and Wheelock were performed on 11/23-24.
MyoLab (JAXA): Completed on 4/20.
NANOSKELETON (Production of High Performance Nanomaterials in Microgravity, JAXA): Returned on 19A.
NEURORAD (JAXA): No report.
NEUROSPAT (ESA/Study of Spatial Cognition, Novelty Processing and Sensorimotor Integration): No report.
NOA-1/-2 (Nitric Oxide Analyzer, ESA): Complete.
NUTRITION w/REPOSITORY/ProK: “Scott, great job with meeting the constraints of the Nutrition experiment. Your next session is your FD120 session.”
PADIAC (Pathway Different Activators, ESA): The PADIAC samples, returned on Soyuz 23S, have been handed over to the science team on 11/29. It is confirmed that all activation / fixation plungers have worked nominally. These samples are now being analyzed at the science team laboratories in Italy and in California. One of the objectives of this investigation is to identify the specific pathways that contribute to activation of T-cells, which are white blood cells that play a critical role in the immune system.
PADLES (JAXA, Area PADLES 3/4; Passive Area Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiment in Space): No report.
PASSAGES (JAXA): No report.
PCDF-PU (Protein Crystallization Diagnostic Facility – Process Unit): No report.
PCG (JAXA, Protein Crystal Growth): PCG removal from Ryutai Rack was completed on 11/25. The sample returned home on 23S Soyuz.
PCRF (Protein Crystallization Research Facility) Reconfiguration (JAXA): See PCG.
PMDIS (Perceptual Motor Deficits in Space): Complete.
POLCA/GRAVIGEN (ESA): Complete.
Pro K: No report.
RadGene & LOH (JAXA): Complete.
RadSilk (JAXA): Samples were returned to ground on ULF3.
RST/Reaction Self Test (Psychomotor Vigilance Self Test on the ISS): “Scott, thank you for your help with the activity to recover data from past increments on Monday. We greatly appreciate your time for this! The data from you, Wheels and Shannon over the last month was downlinked on 11/29. We look forward to reviewing your data!”
RYUTAI Rack (JAXA): No report.
SAIBO Rack (JAXA): No report.
SAMS/MAMS (Space & Microgravity Acceleration Measurement Systems): No report.
SAMPLE: Complete.
SCOF (Solution Crystallization Observation Facility, JAXA): No report.
SEDA-AP (Space Environment Data Acquisition Equipment-Attached Payload, JAXA): Continuous operation from Inc 19&20.
SHERE (Shear History Extensional Rheology Experiment): Complete.
SLAMMD (Space Linear Acceleration Mass Measurement Device): No report.
SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight): “Scott: Thank you for performing another week of Sleep logging. Your next session of log-entries will begin on December 13th.”
SMILES (JAXA): 10th recooling warm-up process is on-going (it is in warming process now).
SODI/IVIDIL (Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument/Influence of Vibration on Diffusion in Liquids, ESA): No report.
SODI/COLLOID (Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument/Colloid): No report.
SOLAR (Solar Monitoring Observatory): Out of Sun observation window until 12/03.
SOLO (Sodium Loading in Microgravity): No report.
Space-DRUMS (Space Dynamically Responding Ultrasonic Matrix System): No report.
SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellite): “Scott, thank you for all the tests runs for the ZR code checkout and competition practice this week. We were able to complete 6 of the 7 tests planned. It’s the first time we were able to see the game in real 3D and we learned a lot. We already have the data and are beginning the analysis. This will give us a lot of valuable data to put the final touches on the code for the competition in a few weeks.”
SPHINX (SPaceflight of Huvec: an Integrated eXperiment, ESA): The SPHINX samples, returned on Soyuz 23S, have been handed over to the science team on 11/27. These samples are now being analyzed at the science team laboratories in Italy and Switzerland. The objective of this study is to determine how human endothelial cells modify their behavior when exposed to microgravity. Endothelial cells line the interior surface of blood vessels. They line the entire circulartory system, from the heart to the smallest capillary. Endothelial cells are involved in many aspects of vascular biology, including atherosclerosis, blood clotting (thrombosis & fibrinolysis), vasoconstriction and vasodilation, and hence the control of blood pressure.
SPICE (Smoke Point In Co-flow Experiment): No report.
SPINAL (Spinal Elongation): No report.
SWAB (Characterization of Microorganisms & Allergens in Spacecraft): No report.
TASTE IN SPACE (ESA): No report.
THERMOLAB (ESA): No report.
TRAC (Test of Reaction & Adaptation Capabilities): Planned.
TRIPLELUX-B (ESA): No report.
ULTRASOUND: Planned.
VASCULAR (CSA): No report.
VCAM (Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Module, NASA): No report.
VESSEL ID System (ESA): Acquiring science nominally.
VESSEL IMAGING (ESA): No report.
VO2max (NASA): No report.
VLE (Video Lessons ESA): No report.
WAICO #1/#2 (Waving and Coiling of Arabidopsis Roots at Different g-levels; ESA): No report.
YEAST B (ESA): No report.
CEO (Crew Earth Observation): Through 12/01, for Increment 26, the ground has received 1,210 of ISS CEO frames for review and cataloging. “No frames have been received yet with times corresponding to those on our daily CEO Target Request lists. As for Increment 25, which concluded on 11/25, we have received a total of 7,717 CEO frames for review and cataloging. We are pleased to report your acquisition of the following targets with times corresponding to those of our daily CEO Target Request lists: Castries, Santa Lucia – target was acquired, but more clouds were present than expected – requests will continue; Volcan Colima – good detailed views – under evaluation for completion of requirements; and Baghdad, Iraq – several context views acquired – under evaluation for completeness. As imagery requirements are met for our targets we are able to remove them from your Increment request lists.”
CEO (Crew Earth Observation) targets uploaded today were Beirut, Lebanon (nadir pass. The city occupies a major promontory on the coastline), Damascus, Syria (Damascus, at nadir, lies on the inland side of the mountains of Lebanon, within the largest green patch of irrigated agricultural land), Banjul, The Gambia (West Africa pass: Looking right for this and the next two capital cities. All have visual cues to assist locating them), Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (looking right of track on the coast), and Conakry, Guinea (looking right of track on the coast).
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 5:48am EST [= epoch])
Mean altitude – 350.7 km
Apogee height – 355.8 km
Perigee height – 345.7 km
Period — 91.55 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.65 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0007509
Solar Beta Angle — -19.0 deg (magnitude decreasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.73
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours – 112 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) – 69,025.
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————–Three-crew operations————-
12/15/10 — Soyuz TMA-20/25S launch – Kondratyev (CDR-27)/Coleman/Nespoli (2:09pm)
12/17/10 — Soyuz TMA-20/25S docking (MRM1) (~3:27pm)
————–Six-crew operations————-
12/20/10 — SPDM (Robotics) Test
01/20/11 — HTV2 launch
01/21/11 — Russian EVA-27
01/24/11 — Progress M-08M/40P undock
01/27/11 — HTV2 berthing (Node-2 zenith)
01/28/11 — Progress M-09M/41P launch
01/31/11 — Progress M-09M/41P docking (DC1)
02/03/10 — STS-133/Discovery launch – ~1:34pm — NET (no earlier than)
02/xx/11 — Russian EVA-28
02/15/11 — ATV-2 “Johannes Kepler” launch
02/19/11 — Progress M-07M/39P undock
02/24/11 — HTV2 unberthing (Node-2 nadir)
02/26/11 — ATV-2 “Johannes Kepler” docking (SM aft)
03/16/11 — Soyuz TMA-01M/24S undock/landing (End of Increment 26)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/20/11 — Soyuz TMA-21/26S launch – A. Borisienko (CDR-28)/R.Garan/A.Samokutayev
03/22/11 — Soyuz TMA-21/26S docking (MRM2)
————–Six-crew operations————-
04/01/11 — STS-134/Endeavour (ULF6 – ELC3, AMS-02) launch – ~3:15pm — NET
04/26/11 — Progress M-09M/41P undock
04/27/11 — Progress M-10M/42P launch
04/29/11 — Progress M-10M/42P docking (DC1)
05/xx/11 — Russian EVA-29
05/16/11 — Soyuz TMA-20/25S undock/landing (End of Increment 27)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-22/27S launch – M. Fossum (CDR-29)/S. Furukawa/S. Volkov
06/01/11 — Soyuz TMA-22/27S docking (MRM1)
————–Six-crew operations————-
06/04/11 — ATV-2 “Johannes Kepler” undock (SM aft)
06/21/11 — Progress M-11M/43P launch
06/23/11 — Progress M-11M/43P docking (SM aft)
08/29/11 — Progress M-11M/43P undocking
08/30/11 — Progress M-12M/44P launch
09/01/11 — Progress M-12M/44P docking (SM aft)
09/16/11 – Soyuz TMA-21/26S undock/landing (End of Increment 28)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-23/28S launch – D.Burbank (CDR-30)/A.Shkaplerov/A.Ivanishin
10/02/11 – Soyuz TMA-23/28S docking (MRM2)
————–Six-crew operations————-
10/25/11 — Progress M-10M/42P undocking
10/26/11 — Progress M-13M/45P launch
10/28/11 — Progress M-13M/45P docking (DC-1)
11/16/11 — Soyuz TMA-22/27S undock/landing (End of Increment 29)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-24/29S launch – O.Kononenko (CDR-31)/A.Kuipers/D.Pettit
12/02/11 — Soyuz TMA-24/29S docking (MRM1)
————–Six-crew operations—————-
12/??/11 — 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA – on Proton.
12/26/11 — Progress M-13M/45P undock
12/27/11 — Progress M-14M/46P launch
12/29/11 — Progress M-14M/46P docking (DC-1)
03/05/12 — Progress M-12M/44P undock
03/16/12 — Soyuz TMA-23/28S undock/landing (End of Increment 30)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/30/12 — Soyuz TMA-25/30S launch – G.Padalka (CDR-32)/J.Acaba/K.Valkov
04/01/12 — Soyuz TMA-25/30S docking (MRM2)
————–Six-crew operations—————-
05/15/12 — Soyuz TMA-24/29S undock/landing (End of Increment 31)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/29/12 – Soyuz TMA-26/31S launch – S.Williams (CDR-33)/Y.Malenchenko/A.Hoshide
05/31/12 – Soyuz TMA-26/31S docking
————–Six-crew operations—————-
09/09/12 — Soyuz TMA-25/30S undock/landing (End of Increment 32)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/23/12 — Soyuz TMA-27/32S launch – K.Ford (CDR-34)/O. Novitskiy/E.Tarelkin
09/25/12 – Soyuz TMA-27/32S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
10/07/12 — Soyuz TMA-26/31S undock/landing (End of Increment 33)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-28/33S launch – C.Hadfield (CDR-35)/T.Mashburn/R.Romanenko
11/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-28/33S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
03/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-27/32S undock/landing (End of Increment 34)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-29/34S launch.
03/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-29/34S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
To send holiday greetings to the crew and get more information about the space station, visit http://www.nasa.gov/station.
