Status Report

NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 7 February 2009

By SpaceRef Editor
February 7, 2009
Filed under , , ,
NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 7 February 2009
http://images.spaceref.com/news/iss.71.jpg

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Saturday – rest day for CDR Fincke, FE-1 Lonchakov & FE-2 Magnus.

The crew performed the regular weekly three-hour task of thorough station cleaning. ["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 FE’s sleep station 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 house cleaning, Lonchakov conducted regular maintenance inspection & cleaning on fan screens in the FGB (TsV2), DC1 (V3) and SM (VPkhO, VPrK, FS5, FS6 & FS9). Additionally, the FE-1 today 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-Moscow, and cleaning the pre-filter in the Russian POTOK-150MK (150 micron) air purification subsystem with a vacuum cleaner with narrow nozzle attachment.

With the RS Vozdukh CO2 scrubber back in service following the replacement of its VN vacuum pump, Fincke assisted the ground in deactivating the US CDRA (Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly) by disconnecting the ITCS LTL (Internal Thermal Control System/Low Temperature Loop) jumper from the LAB1D6 rack after the shutdown.

In the SM, Yuri performed the routine daily servicing of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS). [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 performing US condensate processing (transfer from CWC to EDV containers) if condensate is available.]

Mike Fincke conducted the weekly “T+2d” inflight microbiology analyses for the samples collected on 2/5 from the PWD (Potable Water Dispenser) Ambient plus SVO-ZV and SRV-K Warm taps.

The CDR supported the shutdown of the week-long EarthKAM(EK/Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students)experiment, disassembling the hardware and stowing it in the Lab. Over 1200 images have been downlinked; 81 schools participated this time, with 5795 students. [This was the 30th time for EarthKAM aboard the ISS and the second time on Increment 18. EK is using a DCS 760 electronic still camera with 50mm (f/1.4) lens, powered by 16Vdc from a 28 Vdc adapter, taking pictures by remote operation from the ground, without crew interaction. The student requests are uplinked in a camera control file to an A31p SSC (Station Support Computer) laptop which then activates the camera at specified times and receives the digital images from the camera’s storage card on its hard drive, for subsequent downlink via OPS LAN.]

Mike also conducted the regular bi-monthly reboots of the OCA Router and File Server SSC (Station Support Computer) laptops.

The CDR set up the Progress-delivered material for his first six-day SOLO (Sodium Loading in Microgravity) session, which entails a series of diet intake loggings, body mass measurements and blood & urine samplings in two session blocks. [During the Session 1 block, the crewmember follows a special low-salt diet, during Session 2 a high-salt diet. For both diets, specially prepared meals are provided onboard. All three daily meals will be logged on sheets stowed in the PCBA (Portable Clinical Blood Analyzer) Consumable Kit in the MELFI (Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS) along with control solution and cartridges for the PCBA. SOLO, an ESA/German experiment from the DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Cologne/Germany, investigates the mechanisms of fluid and salt retention in the body during long-duration space flight. Body mass is measured with the SLAMMD (Space Linear Acceleration Mass Measurement Device); blood samples are taken with the PCBA. Background: The hypothesis of an increased urine flow as the main cause for body mass decrease has been questioned in several recently flown missions. Data from the US SLS1/2 missions as well as the European/Russian Euromir `94 & MIR 97 missions show that urine flow and total body fluid remain unchanged when isocaloric energy intake is achieved. However, in two astronauts during these missions the renin-angiotensin system was considerably activated while plasma ANP concentrations were decreased. Calculation of daily sodium balances during a 15-day experiment of the MIR 97 mission (by subtracting sodium excretion from sodium intake) showed an astonishing result: the astronaut retained on average 50 mmol sodium daily in space compared to balanced sodium in the control experiment.]

At ~5:31am EST, the CDR powered up the SM’s amateur radio equipment (Kenwood VHF transceiver with manual frequency selection, headset, & power supply) and at 5:36am conducted a ham radio session with students at the Städtisches Gymnasium in Herzogenrath (near Aachen), Germany.

At ~7:05am, Yuri Lonchakov had a 30-min TV conference with Hegumen Iov of the Eastern Orthodox Church. [The Hegumen is the Abbott or Superior of a Monastery.]

At ~8:20am EST, the crew conducted their regular WPC (Weekly Planning Conference) with the ground, discussing next week’s "Look-Ahead Plan" (prepared jointly by MCC-Houston and TsUP-Moscow timeline planners) via S-band/audio, reviewing the monthly calendar, upcoming activities, and any concerns about future on-orbit events.

The station residents completed their regular daily 2.5-hr. physical workout program (about half of which is used for setup & post-exercise personal hygiene) on the TVIS treadmill (CDR, FE-1, FE-2), ARED advanced resistive exerciser (CDR, FE-2) and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer (FE-1).

Conjunction Advisory: Object 80404 (possibly 2421 debris again?) will have two conjunctions with the ISS on 2/9 (Monday), one orbit apart, with TCAs (Times of Closest Approach) of 3:10pm & 4:42pm EST. TCA1 is of minor concern, TCA2 of major concern (89 m radial miss, 6.4 km total miss). More tracking is underway. Pre-maneuver decision points are: DAM Go/NoGo — 2/8 (Sunday) at 3:40pm EST, DAM Cancel — 2/9 at 3:44am. Nominal DAM (Debris Avoidance Maneuver), with one SM engine only, would be conducted on 2/9 at 6:11am, which would avoid both TCAs. The possible DAM is 12 hrs before Progress 32P launch.

Space Heroes: Per decree of the President of the Russian Federation, on 2/6 ISS Cosmonauts Sergey Volkov and Oleg Kononenko became Heroes of the Russian Federation. “We congratulate the space conquerors!”

Weekly Science Update (Expedition Eighteen — Week 15)

3-D SPACE: Complete 3 in 1J Stage. Planned: 4th in Inc-19.

ALTCRISS (Alteino Long Term monitoring of Cosmic Rays on the ISS): Complete.

BCAT-3/4 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test 3/4): Planned/Reserve.

BIO-4: Complete.

BIOLAB (BLB): Planned.

CARDIOCOG-2: Complete.

CCISS (Cardiovascular & Cerebrovascular Control on Return from ISS): Underway.

CFE (Capillary Flow Experiment): Reserve.

CW/CR (Cell Wall/Resist Wall) in EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System): Samples returned on 1J.

CSI-3/CGBA-5 (CGBA Science Insert #2/Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 5): Ongoing.

CGBA-2 (Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 2): Complete.

CSLM-2 (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures 2): Complete.

DomeGene (JAXA): Planned.

EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students): Over 1200 images have been downlinked with a full day of ops remaining. 81 schools are participating, with 5795 students.

EDR (European Drawer Rack): Planned.

ELITE-S2 (Elaboratore Immagini Televisive – Space 2): Planned.

ENose (Electronic Nose): ENose is operating normally.

EPM (European Physiology Module): MEEMM (Multi Electrodes Encephalogram Measurement Module) calibration was successfully performed on 1/21.

EPO (Educational Payload Operations): Reserve.

ETD (Eye Tracking Device): Completed.

EuTEF (European Technology Exposure Facility): Problems with EVC (Earth Viewing Camera) High Rate Data, so no pictures were taken this week.

FSL (Fluid Science Laboratory): FSL FCE (Facility Core Element) locking was successfully performed on 2/4.

GEOFLOW: Aborted.

HDTV System Test DL (JAXA): Complete.

ICE CRYSTAL (JAXA): On-going.

IMMUNO (Neuroendocrine & Immune Responses in Humans During & After Long Term Stay at ISS): Complete.

InSPACE-2 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions 2): “We are complete with InSPACE and wanted to pass along our Thanks for helping us achieve InSPACE science and stowing the InSPACE hardware.”

Integrated Immune: In progress.

KUBIK-FM1/ KUBIK-FM2 Centrifuge/Incubators: Completed.

LOCAD-PTS (Lab-on-a-Chip Application Development-Portable Test System): Reserve.

Marangoni Experiment for ISS in JAXA FPEF (Fluid Physics Experiment Facility): In progress.

Micro-G Clay (JAXA EPO): Complete.

MISSE (Materials ISS Experiment): Ongoing.

Moon Photography from ISS (JAXA EPO): Complete.

MSG-SAME (Microgravity Science Glovebox): Complete.

MTR-2 (Russian radiation measurements): Passive dosimeters measurements in DC1 “Pirs”.

MULTIGEN-1: Completed.

NOA-1/-2 (Nitric Oxide Analyzer, ESA): Complete.

NUTRITION w/REPOSITORY: Planned.

PADLES (Passive Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiment in Space): In progress.

PCRF (Protein Crystallization Research Facility) Reconfiguration (JAXA): Complete.

PMDIS (Perceptual Motor Deficits in Space): Complete.

RadGene & LOH (JAXA): Planned.

SAMS/MAMS (Space & Microgravity Acceleration Measurement Systems): Ongoing.

SAMPLE: Complete.

SHERE (Shear History Extensional Rheology Experiment): Complete.

SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight): “Mike, thank you for downloading the SLEEP science data. The data has been retrieved and is complete.”

SOLAR (Solar Monitoring Observatory): The Sun observation window ended on 1/28 and the SOLAR Platform is now in Idle Mode.

SOLO (Sodium Loading in Microgravity): The first diet session started today (2/7).

SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellite): Reserve.

SPICE (Smoke Point In Co-flow Experiment): “Sandy, it was a pleasure working with you as you performed the SPICE setup.”

Swab (Characterization of Microorganisms & Allergens in Spacecraft): Complete.

TRAC (Test of Reaction & Adaptation Capabilities): Planned.

ULTRASOUND: Planned.

VLE (Video Lessons ESA): “Thanks Sandy & Mike for the smooth performance of the VLE-1 Single meal activity on 1/9.”

WAICO #1/#2 (Waving and Coiling of Arabidopsis Roots at Different g-levels): Complete/Planned (2J/A Stage).

CEO (Crew Earth Observations): Through 2/5, the ground has received a total of 15,860 frames of ISS CEO imagery for review and cataloguing (an incredible 3,146 frames in just this past week)! Photos with times corresponding to our CEO target request times are reviewed first and this week include: Lake Nasser, Toshka Lakes, Egypt – 54 frames – target acquired – excellent sessions – all target requirements for this increment met (this target can be removed from our list); Santa Maria Volcano, Guatemala – 19 frames – target not acquired; Calcutta, India – 17 frames – target not acquired; Moorea Coral Reef, Tahiti – 14 frames – several useful context views; South Tibesti Megafans – 2 frames – target not acquired; Southwest Algeria Megafans – 17 frames – target not acquired; Mississippi Delta Region, Louisiana – 26 frames – under review; Middlesboro Impact Crater, Kentucky – 14 frames – under review; Madrean Sky Islands, S. Arizona/N. Mexico – 28 frames – target not acquired; South Tibesti Megafan – 18 frames – target not acquired; Southwest Algeria Megafans – 4 frames – target not acquired; Mississippi Delta Region, Louisiana – 8 frames – target acquired – several useful context views; Middlesboro Impact Crater, Kentucky – 8 frames – target acquired – 2 useful context views; Madrean Sky Islands – 5 frames – target not acquired – 1 context view of Meteor Crater, Arizona; Betsiboka River Delta, Madagascar – 35 frames – target acquired – under review; Cairo, Egypt – 10 frames – under review; Teide Volcano, Canary Islands – 15 frames – under review; Madrean Sky Islands – 31 frames – under review; Cairo, Egypt – 29 frames – under review; Soufriere Hills Volcano, Montserrat – 11 frames – under review; Andrews Forest, Oregon – 15 frames – under review; Mount Hood, Oregon – 15 frames – under review – Soufriere Hills Volcano – 10 frames – under review; Gulf of Fonseca, Central America – 34 frames – under review; Arkenu Impact – 11 frames – under review; Tin Bider Impact Crater, Algeria – 21 frames – under review; Jornada Basin, New Mexico – 26 frames – under review. We are overwhelmed with your response to our target requests and appreciate your diligence and patience. “Your wonderfully crisp and detailed view of Santa Barbara, California, acquired in early December will be published on NASA/GSFC’s Earth Observatory website this weekend. This view is a key portion of one of our Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) sites included in our daily target lists. Kudos to the crew!”

CEO photo targets uplinked for today were B.P. Structure (the B.P. Structure is small so it is a challenging but not an impossible target. The crater is 2 km in diameter [similar in diameter to Meteor Crater in Arizona] and its age has been dated at less than 120 million years. The crater should have been close to under track. Mapping pass was requested), Popocatepetl Volcano, Mexico (weather was predicted to be clear over this large volcano located 70 km to the southeast of Mexico City. Three major explosive eruptions have occurred in the very recent geologic past, producing lava flows and lahars [mudflows] that affected the basins surrounding the volcano. Mapping frames of the volcano and flanks were requested to capture current summit glacier extent and cone geomorphology. Gas and steam emissions may also be observed at the volcano), Sevilleta Wildlife Area, New Mexico (the Sevilleta Wildlife Area is primarily situated near either side of the Rio Grande River in central New Mexico. Detailed mapping views along track were requested), Konza Prairie, Kansas (the Konza Prairie is one of the Long Term Ecological Research [LTER] sites. This target is located in the Flint Hills of northeastern Kansas. The vegetation is primarily native tall grass prairie. ISS imagery will help in the study of the effects of fire, grazing and climate variability as well as help to document the grassland ecosystems. Overlapping mapping pass was requested), and Johnston Island reef, central Pacific (ISS had a near-nadir pass over Johnston Island. Looking slightly to the right of track for the island and adjacent reefs. Detailed imagery will add to the existing time series data on the island-reef system, specifically change to shorelines and reef system).

CEO photography can be studied at this “Gateway” website:
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov (as of 9/1/08, this database contained 770,668 views of the Earth from space, with 324,812 from the ISS alone).

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 8:38am EST [= epoch]):
Mean altitude — 356.5 km
Apogee height — 362.3 km
Perigee height — 350.7 km
Period — 91.67 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0008566
Solar Beta Angle — -60.2 deg (magnitude increasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.71
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 110 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 58556

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time, some changes possible!):
02/10/09 – Progress M-66/32P launch (12:50am EST)
02/13/09 — Progress 32P docking (2:19am EST); [crew wake: 10:30pm on 2/12]
02/19/09? — STS-119/Discovery/15A launch – S6 truss segment (4:41am EST)—“NOT EARLIER THAN”
02/21/09? — STS-119/Discovery/15A docking
03/02/09? — STS-119/Discovery/15A undocking
03/05/09? — STS-119/Discovery/15A landing
03/26/09 — Soyuz TMA-14/18S launch
03/28/09 — Soyuz TMA-14/18S docking (DC1)
04/07/09 — Soyuz TMA-13/17S undocking
04/07/09 — Progress 32P undocking & deorbit
05/12/09 — STS-125/Atlantis Hubble Space Telescope Service Mission 4 (SM4)
05/15/09 — STS-127/Endeavour/2J/A launch – JEM EF, ELM-ES, ICC-VLD
05/27/09 — Soyuz TMA-15/19S launch
Six-person crew on ISS
08/06/09 — STS-128/Discovery/17A – MPLM (P), LMC, last crew rotation
08/XX/09 — Soyuz 5R/MRM2 (Russian Mini Research Module, MIM2) on Soyuz
09/XX/09 — H-IIB (JAXA HTV-1)
11/12/09 — STS-129/Atlantis/ULF3 – ELC1, ELC2
12/10/09 — STS-130/Endeavour/20A – Node-3 + Cupola
02/11/10 — STS-131/Atlantis/19A – MPLM(P), LMC
04/08/10 — STS-132/Discovery/ULF4 – ICC-VLD, MRM1
05/31/10 — STS-133/Endeavour/ULF5 – ELC3, ELC4
12/XX/11– Proton 3R/MLM w/ERA.

SpaceRef staff editor.