NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 4 March 2012

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Sunday – Crew off duty. Ahead: Week 15 of Increment 30 (six-person crew).

After breakfast, FE-2 Ivanishin performed the routine inspection of the SM (Service Module) PSS Caution & Warning panel as part of regular Daily Morning Inspection.

FE-4 Kononenko did the (currently daily) inspection of the KOB2 cooling loop in the SM, checking a liquid connector on the 4SPN2 panel for coolant leaks. [In case there were any large droplets (10-20 cm3), FE-4 was to report to TsUP-Moscow. After the recovery of KOB2 on 3/1 by replacing a K-90 commutator (switching unit), the loop was tested successfully and then turned off again. It is considered fully functional. While TsUP is currently monitoring the pressure, the crew is checking behind the 4SPN2 panel for leaks. KOB2 will then be activated.]

In response to the failure of the WPA (Water Processor Assembly, see 3/3 Status Report), FE-6 Pettit set up the equipment for pumping water from CWC-I (Contingency Water Container-Iodinated, #2016) to the WPA (Water Processor Assembly) potable water tank using a “tee” hose and a fresh MRF (Microbial Removal Filter) as gas trap. After several hours of transfer, the CWC-I was swapped (with CWC #2018). Later, Don terminated the procedure and tore the equipment down, using Povidone iodine wipes for cleanup.

In Node-3, with the G1 high-resolution camcorder recording for MPC (Multi-Protocol Converter) downlink, Burbank completed the periodic manual fill of the WHC (Waste & Hygiene Compartment) EDV-SV (condensate container) flush water tank from the PWB (Potable Water Bus) for about 23 min, a partial fill during which WHC was not available,

FE-1 Shkaplerov completed the routine daily servicing of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS) in the SM and FGB. [This included the weekly collection of the toilet flush (SP) counter and water supply (SVO) readings for calldown to TsUP-Moscow, as well as the weekly checkup on the Russian POTOK-150MK (150 micron) air filter unit of the SM’s & FGB’s SOGS air revitalization subsystem, gathering weekly data on total operating time & “On” durations for calldown. SOZh servicing includes 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.]

In the Kibo JPM (JEM Pressurized Module), FE-5 Kuipers supported JAXA ground operations on the PROX Proximity Communication System for the HTV3 (H-II Transfer Vehicle 3) by powering on PROX in the ICS (Inter-Satellite Communication System) Rack and verifying proper HCP (H-II Control Panel) connection for the ground to turn HCP switches on and off. [Ground commanding was then to power on the PROX ORUs (Orbit Replaceable Units) and to set ORU parameters to allow PROX Checkout from the ground, for checking the communication link between C&C MDM (Multiplexer/Demultiplexer) computer and PROX 2 for routing HTV telemetry to the RWS (Robotic Workstations) via RMAD Data Source. The checkout also applies to support of the Cygnus spacecraft. The activities are an integrated procedure between the FCTs (Flight Control Teams) for JEM, HTV (at Tanegashima), USOS (at Houston) and the ISS crew.]

The crew worked out with their regular 2-hr physical exercise protocol on the CEVIS cycle ergometer with vibration isolation (CDR, FE-6), TVIS treadmill with vibration isolation & stabilization (FE-1, FE-2, FE-4), ARED advanced resistive exerciser (CDR, FE-4, FE-5, FE-6), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (FE-5) and VELO ergometer bike with load trainer (FE-1, FE-2). [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, followed by a USND leg muscle self scan in COL. Today’s exercise called for CEVIS, ARED+T2, T2, ARED+CEVIS (VO2max), CEVIS following in the next 4 days. 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.]

At ~4:15am EST, Anton Shkaplerov, Ivanishin & Oleg Kononenko participated in an event set up for them in Moscow to cast their ballot in today’s Russian Federation Presidential Elections, formally authorizing their proxy agent Dmitry Alexandrovich Zhukov to fill out the ballot for them, with the required confidentiality being observed. [Alexander Ivanovich Popkov, chairman of the local election committee of Korolev City, Moscow Region, explained the ballot procedure and read out the ballot bulletin, then asked each of the three cosmonauts, “Do you authorize Dmitry Alexandrovich Zhukov to fill out ballot bulletins thus giving effect to your will?” After filling out the forms with each crewmember in seclusion (with ISS modules serving as voting booths), D. A. Zhukov invited the participants to the voting room and dropped the ballots in a portable box while providing voice commentary of his actions to Anton, Anatoly & Oleg. Besides a group of political and communal VIPs, assembled media included ZVEZDA TV, Channel One, Moscow Regional TV Channel, Korolev TV and the GCTC Press Service.]

Tasks listed for Shkaplerov, Kononenko & Ivanishin on the Russian discretionary “time permitting” job for today were –
. A ~30-min. run of the GFI-8 “Uragan” (hurricane) earth-imaging program with the NIKON D3X digital camera with Sigma AF 300-800mm telelens, focusing on Laganakskoe plateau, Krasnaya Polyana, Kolka Glacier, Volga River Delta, the Caspian Sea, Lake Baikal, Lipetsk, Allalin Glacier, and Volcanoes Huascaran, Sangay, and San Cristobal,
. A 10-min. photography session for the DZZ-13 “Seiner” ocean observation program, obtaining HDV (Z1) camcorder footage of color bloom patterns in the waters of the South-Eastern Pacific, then copying the images to the RSK-1 laptop,
. 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
. 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).

No CEO targets uplinked for today.

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 8:35am EST [= epoch])
Mean altitude – 391.2 km
Apogee height – 403.4 km
Perigee height – 379.0 km
Period — 92.38 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0017993
Solar Beta Angle — -45.6 deg (magnitude increasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.59
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 73 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 76,170
Time in orbit (station) — 4853 days
Time in orbit (crews, cum.) — 4140 days

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————–Six-crew operations—————-
xx/xx/12 — ATV3 launch
xx/xx/12 — ATV3 docking
04/19/12 — Progress M-14M/46P undock
04/20/12 — Progress M-15M/47P launch
04/22/12 — Progress M-15M/47P docking
04/30/12 — Soyuz TMA-22/28S undock/landing (End of Increment 30)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/15/12 — Soyuz TMA-04M/30S launch – G.Padalka (CDR-32)/J.Acaba/S.Revin
05/17/12 — Soyuz TMA-04M/30S docking (MRM2)
————–Six-crew operations—————-
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
07/31/12 — 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.Novitskiy/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————-