NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 8 October 2011
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Saturday – Crew off duty.
FE-4 Volkov performed the routine checkup of the SM (Service Module) PSS Caution & Warning panel as part of the regular Daily Morning Inspection.
CDR Fossum serviced the running BCAT-5 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test-5) experiment, checking camera operations during the day and changing the camera battery in the morning and before sleeptime (change required after 8 hrs). [The current experiment session is with Harvard University mixed and homogenized sample no. 5 which requires an SSC (Station Support Computer) laptop with EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students) timing software, power cables and camera USB cable. Illumination is provided by Mini-MagLite and Flash, and the camera needs freshly charged battery every 8 hrs for its automated photography, triggered by the EarthKAM software. This requires camera battery changes twice a day and image check with a battery change once per day. In micro-G, the mixed (alloyed) colloid sample will develop over time an increasingly coarse structure of its colloid particles which are like tiny spheres evenly dispersed in a fluid, gas or solid to help stabilize the mixture. Over time, these colloids can move around — known as “coarsening” — causing changes in the concentrations and properties of the substance. On Earth, gravity complicates this research by causing heavy components to sink and lighter ones to float. In space, however, these forces are minute, revealing the natural movement of the colloids. The on-orbit samples’ aging process works more slowly and evenly, making it easier to study. BCAT-5 was started by Mike on 9/21 with phase separation sample no. 4.]
Volkov completed the daily inspection of the Russian BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 (“Plants-2”) payload with its LADA-01 greenhouse, verifying enough water supply in the KDV and proper humidity of the KM A32 & A24 root modules. [Rasteniya-2 researches growth and development of plants (currently wheat) under spaceflight conditions in the LADA greenhouse from IBMP (Institute of Bio-Medical Problems, Russian: IMBP).]
Fossum, Volkov & Furukawa joined in conducting 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, Sergey completed regular maintenance inspection & cleaning of fan screens in the FGB (TsV2) plus Group E fan grilles (VPkhO, FS5, FS6, VP) in the SM, with documentary photography, and 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 its total operating time & “On” durations for reporting to TsUP-Moscow.
Working a VolSci (Voluntary Weekend Science) task for the JAXA EPO (Educational Payload Operations) program, Satoshi Furukawa prepared Reports Nr. 12 & Nr. 13, i.e., written short reports showing ordinary life in space which, as is expected, will attract children and the general public’s attention for future human space exploration. [JAXA EPO Report 12, for THE MAINICHI papers (06), for, has as topic “Conversations through e-mails with the popular Japanese popular comedian Kanpei Hazama”, while Report 13, for THE NIKKEI (07) newspapers, has “For the Return to Earth” as topic.]
The CDR meanwhile reviewed procedures for his VolSci task for the US EPO program and set up camcorder & props for live standard definition video of the “Eye in the Sky 2” EPO demo. Mike and Satoshi then discussed the many phenomena uniquely observable from the ISS with realtime downlink (to enable realtime feedback from EPO personnel on framing, location & props/material in the first 10 min).
As a second VolSci task, Furukawa recorded one of the uses of the Japanese medical diagnostic payload DK (Diagnostic Kit), demonstrating manual analysis of Biorhythm data.
Afterwards, FE-5 set up for another session with the JAXA SSHDTV (Super Sensitive High-Definition Television) camera from the Cupola in Node-3, today again installing the single-focus 8 mm lens with IR (Infrared) cut filter 3 and exchanging its 32GB memory storage card for a new one. Satoshi then started the video recording of the Giacobinid meteor shower, returning to the Cupola periodically when the “falling stars” came into sight, to add his audio narration. Before sleeptime, Satoshi will replace the 32GB card with a new one for overnight Giacobinid coverage.
Sergey 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.]
Mike Fossum worked briefly on the WHC (Waste & Hygiene Compartment), reconfiguring the toilet system for feeding the internal EDV-U urine container instead of backfill and UPA (Urine Processor Assembly) processing, and reported the flush counter.
Mike also filled out his weekly FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire) on the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer). [On the FFQs, USOS 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 ~8:15am EDT, the three crewmembers held the 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.
At ~12:45pm, the CDR powered up the SM’s amateur radio equipment (Kenwood VHF transceiver with manual frequency selection, headset, & power supply) and at 12:50pm conducted a ham radio session with students at the George Observatory in Needville, Texas.
Tasks listed for Sergei Volkov on the Russian discretionary “time permitting” job for today were –
* Continuing the preparation & downlinking of more reportages (written text, photos, videos) for the Roskosmos website to promote Russia’s manned space program (max. file size 500 Mb),
* Another ~30-min. run of the GFI-8 “Uragan” (hurricane) earth-imaging program with the NIKON D3X digital camera with Sigma AF 300-800mm telelens, aiming for the mountain peaks of the Andes and Patagonia ice fields, and
* Another ~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.
The crew worked out with their regular 2-hr physical exercise protocol on the TVIS treadmill with vibration isolation & stabilization (FE-4), ARED advanced resistive exercise device (CDR, FE-5), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (CDR, FE-5), and VELO ergometer bike with load trainer (FE-4).
Soyuz 26S Update: According to RSC Energia/Moscow specialists, the recent Soyuz 26S descent communication issue is believed to have been due to a poor quality link between ISS and Soyuz or blockage. This issue is considered closed.
Weekly Science Update (Expedition Twenty-Nine — Week 3)
2D NANO Template (JAXA): No report.
3D SPACE: Complete.
AgCam (Agricultural Camera): No report.
ALTCRISS (Alteino Long Term monitoring of Cosmic Rays on the ISS): Complete.
ALTEA SHIELD (NASA/ASI): ALTEA-SHIELD Survey experiment aims at characterizing the radiation environment of the ISS with active detectors. The current part of the study foresees measurements at various locations, as a first step. Later on shielding materials will be tested with the same instrument. Expected spin-offs are in radiation-protection field for new space vehicles or inhabited space modules. Since the reboot of ER2 and the restart of ALTEA software performed by Furukawa on 10/3 all 6 ALTEA Silicon Detector Units (SDUs) were delivering science data. On 10/6, SDU 1 and SDU 2 went off and only 4 out of 6 SDUs are delivering science data. Since both SDU1 and SDU 2 are in the same direction, this has some minor impact on science with measurements only in 2 of 3 directions.
AMS-02 (Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer): All AMS Payload and Laptop operations were nominal.
APEX (Advanced Plant Experiments on Orbit) -Cambium: No report.
APEX-TAGES (Transgenic Arabidopsis Gene Expression System): No report.
Asian Seed 2010 (JAXA): Returned on ULF6.
BCAT-4/5 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test 4/5): “After 3 runs because of a sleeping flash problem (last run successful), we received BCAT-5, sample 4 photos that are just beautiful (well aligned, evenly focused, optimal contrast – just amazing). Investigator for BCAT-5, samples 4 and 5, Peter Lu from Harvard, has already sent up details (in text and image processed pictures) on why he is excited about the quality of these photographs.”
BIOLAB (ESA): No report.
BIORHYTHMS (JAXA, Biological Rhythms): No report.
BISE (CSA, Bodies in the Space Environment): No report.
BISPHOSPHONATES: No report.
BXF-Facility (Boiling eXperiment Facility, NASA): No report.
BXF-MABE (Microheater Array Boiling Experiment, NASA): No report.
BXF-NPBX (Pool Boiling Experiment, NASA): 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-2 (JAXA Cell Biology Experiment Facility)/SPACE SEED: No report.
CCISS (Cardiovascular & Cerebrovascular Control on Return from ISS): No report.
CERISE (JAXA): No report.
CCF (Capillary Channel Flow, NASA): No report.
CFE-2 (Capillary Flow Experiment 2, NASA): “Mike: Thanks for another round of Vane Gap experiments. We have never had that view over the shoulder and your care to keep the view clear during all ops was like being there ourselves. The interfaces look beautiful to us. You found many critical wetting and de-wetting angles, some so close it seemed it would have taken hours for them to equilibrate. We only could guess at what the angles would be, but you showed us what they really are. Great job again filling the perforations. We were as surprised this time, as last, how perfectly you could fill them (all of them). Thanks for the fun, it’s a fun experiment for us with both fundamental and applied science.”
CFS-A (Colored Fungi in Space-A, ESA): No report.
CSI-5/CGBA-5 (CGBA Science Insert #5/Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 5): No report.
CGBA-2 (Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 2): Complete.
CIR (Combustion Integrated Rack), MDCA/Flex: Late last week and early this week, CIR/MDCA successfully performed five test points (eight counted towards the science matrix) at two different chamber atmospheres. We skipped three test points because we found the Flammability Boundary for heptane fuel with helium in oxygen/nitrogen mixtures.
Commercial (Inc 23&24, JAXA): No report.
Commercial (Inc 25 & 26, JAXA): Sample returned by ULF6.
CSLM-2 (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures 2): No report.
CsPins (JAXA): No report.
CubeLab: No report.
CW/CR (Cell Wall/Resist Wall) in EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System): Complete.
DECLIC-ALI (Device for the Study of Critical Liquids & Crystallization-ALICE-like, CNES/NASA): No report.
DomeGene (JAXA): Complete.
DOSIS (Dose Distribution Inside ISS, ESA): No report.
EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students): No report.
EDR (European Drawer Rack, ESA): No report.
EKE (Endurance Capacity by Gas Exchange and Heart Rate Kinetics During Physical Training, 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): No report.
EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (Sesame Street): No report.
EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (Kids in Micro-G): No report.
EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (Earth/Moon/Mars Demo): No report.
EPO LES-2 (ESA): No report.
EPO GREENHOUSE (ESA): No report.
EPO 3-min Video (JAXA): No report.
EPO J-Astro Report (JAXA): On 10/1, Satoshi completed JAXA Report 11 for the newspaper company Nikkei. These reports are distributed to various newspapers across Japan.
EPO Dewey’s Forest (JAXA): Closed out on 3/15.
EPO Space Clothes (JAXA): Complete.
EPO Hiten (Dance, JAXA): No report.
EPO Lego Bricks (NASA, JAXA): Clutch Power Test, Living and Working Interiors, Space Shuttle, and Hubble activities have been completed.
EPO-5 SpaceBottle (Message in a Bottle, JAXA): No report.
EPO Moon Score (JAXA): No report.
EPO-7 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-6 Spiral Top 2 (JAXA): No report.
EPO-7 Doctor Demo (JAXA): No report.
EPO-7 Green Tea Preparation (JAXA): No report.
EPO-7 Ink Ball (JAXA): No report.
EPO-7 Video (JAXA): On 9/20, Satoshi completed JAXA Video #2 using the 3D Camera.
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): On 9/30, we used the LMM Microscope to make observations of the first of three tissue samples. This sample contained various rodent tissues including liver, kidney, spleen, brain, heart, and muscle. We successfully imaged these biological samples using the 10X and 20X objectives. We attempted to image with the 63X and 100X oil lenses, but as expected these did not result in any meaningful observations. There was no oil dispensed onto the sample to support oil-immersed imaging and the tissue being observed did not support high magnification images.
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-2 (ESA): This experiment aims at studying fluid flows in a concentric spherical shaped geometry to mimic fluid flows in mantles of planets. Of relevance for various technology aspects (e.g. gyroscopes, ball bearings). Last week we successfully accomplished 3 no-rotation runs and made use of MVIS (Microgravity Vibration Insulation System) accelerometers on FSL to characterize the g-disturbances during the runs. All data acquired during these science runs were successfully downlinked on Fri 9/30 and early this week (10/3-4).
HAIR (JAXA): No report.
HDTV System (JAXA): No report.
Hicari (JAXA): No report.
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): HICO has taken 4218 images to-date. The most recent HICO images include Straits of Gibraltar, Johnston Atoll in the Pacific and San Francisco, CA. RAIDS has lost low-rate telemetry data as of 9/21 and is currently troubleshooting the problem with NASA engineers.
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: “Mike & Satoshi, thanks to all of you for a successful blood draw on 9/14. The PI team is looking forward to analyzing the data.”
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.
ISSAC (ISS Agricultural Camera, NASA): Temporarily, there will be no ops between 9/30-10/9; we will resume our nominal worldwide ops on 10/10.
IV Gen (Intravenous Fluids Generation): No report.
KID/KUBIK6: No report.
KUBIK 3 (ESA): No report.
LMM/PACE-2 (Light Microscopy Module / Preliminary Advanced Colloids Experiment): We have finished powered operations with the PACE Particle Samples. Next, we plan to observe and image the PACE Tissue Samples.”
LOCAD-PTS (Lab-on-a-Chip Application Development-Portable Test System): No report.
Marangoni Exp (JAXA): On 10/2, Satoshi completed the VRU Hard Disk exchange so that ground activities could proceed for experiment MEIS3-9 and MEIS3-10. Ground activities last week include the completion of experiment MEIS3-5,-6,-7,-8.
Marangoni DSD – Dynamic Surf (JAXA): Payload name was change from Marangoni DSD to Dynamic Surf.
Marangoni UVP (JAXA): No report.
MARES (Muscle Atrophy Research & Exercise System, ESA/NASA): No report.
Matryoshka-2 (RSA): No report.
MAXI (Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image, JAXA): Continuing telemetry monitoring.
MDCA/Flex: Late last week and early this week, CIR/MDCA successfully performed five test points (eight counted towards the science matrix) at two different chamber atmospheres. We skipped three test points because we found the Flammability Boundary for heptane fuel with helium in oxygen/nitrogen mixtures.
MEIS (Marangoni Experiment for ISS) in JAXA FPEF (Fluid Physics Experiment Facility): No report.
Microbe-2 (JAXA): Sample returned by ULF6.
Micro-G Clay (JAXA EPO): Complete.
MISSE-8 (Materials ISS Experiment 8): MISSE-8 is operating nominally, although five Communication Interface Board (CIB) resets have occurred this past week. When the CIB resets, commands have to be sent by the ground controllers to restart the polling for experiment data. PASCAL is monitoring the status of the solar cells and analyzing data gathered from previous commanding. The SpaceCube experiment is running code for new radiation hardening by software.
MMA (JAXA/Microgravity Measurement Apparatus): No report.
MPAC/SEED (JAXA): No report.
MSG-SAME (Microgravity Science Glovebox-Smoke Aerosol Measurement Experiment): No report.
MSPR (Multi Purpose Small Payload Rack, JAXA): A USB checkout was performed on 9/29; it was successful.
MSL (Materials Science Laboratory, ESA): “In the ‘Materials Science Laboratory’ (MSL) experiments are performed to investigate how a molten metal solidifies under microgravity. These experiments are performed with metals, for example Aluminum with some other additions such as Silicon. These are materials that are widely used for things we know from our daily life like car components. Scientists perform experiments in Space and on Earth to identify the impact of gravity on the solidification process. Casting industries benefit from those information to tune their processes on ground in order to tailor the properties of each cast part based on its application and thus leading to a better quality of the final products for everyday’s life. The impact and consequences of the Payload MDM failure on 9/29 to MSRR / MSL / SETA is being investigated. Thank you Mike for taking photos and videos of the processed sample and furnace inside during the SCA sample exchange on 10/5. The photos and the video footage allowed the MSL ground team to further assess the impact on the facility. Graphite foil covering the Liquid Metal Ring (LMR) came off and graphite remainder was detected in the inside of the furnace. Preliminary science impact assessment by the SETA science team: The processing of the sample stopped after 40mm out of the planned 50mm processing length. Possibly this part of the cartridge can still be used for scientific analysis. However, it needs to be confirmed upon cartridge return whether due to the loss of cooling at power-down, a part of the 40mm already processed part of the sample has possibly been re-melted. Also no quenching phase took place at the end of the processing; therefore no concentration profile will be able to be deduced for this cartridge.”
MTR-2 (Russian radiation measurements): Passive dosimeters measurements in DC-1 “Pirs”.
MULTIGEN-1: Completed.
MYCO 3 (JAXA): On 9/22, Mike and Satoshi completed sample collection.
MyoLab (JAXA): Completed on 4/20.
NANOSKELETON (Production of High Performance Nanomaterials in Microgravity, JAXA): No report.
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: “Kudos to both of you for the science that you have accomplished for us on board. Each of you only has one session left. All of the information that was placed in crew notes and the downlinked file have been received. We are also in the process of obtaining the videos that were recorded. We appreciate the time and effort the two of you have placed in recording these videos. They will be extremely beneficial in training as well as education purposes. Also, thank you for participating in your SLAMMD runs in support of Nutrition.”
ODK (Onboard Diagnostic Kit, JAXA): No report.
PACE-2 (Preliminary Advanced Colloids Experiment 2, NASA): (please see under FIR).
PADIAC (Pathway Different Activators, ESA): No report.
PADLES (JAXA, Area PADLES 3/4; Passive Area Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiment in Space): No report.
PASSAGES (JAXA): “Passages” is an experiment that studies how humans perceive and interpret what they see. Reacting quickly to what we see requires that the brain process an enormous amount of information from the retina in order to understand what is going on in the world around us. It is presumed, therefore, that the human brain has developed “tricks” to make the processing as quickly as possible. These “short-cuts” work most of the time to allow a human being to, for instance, catch a line-drive or respond to the car that suddenly brakes in front of us. These short cuts can, however, also generate misinterpretations, leading to common visual illusions. The main goal of the “Passages” experiment is one of fundamental science. It allows the investigators to test specific hypotheses about how the brain works, and it allows them to do so in a very unique way. To better understand how gravity affects our perception on Earth, they look to see what happens when gravity is removed. Through these experiments, we can have a better understanding of how the brain works, and what can go wrong, when performing everyday tasks such as driving a car. “Thanks Mike and Satoshi for performing your second PASSAGES sessions on 10/6. Thanks also for being flexible and swapping your sessions. Data was successfully downlinked and sent to the science team for assessment. Mike, we also very much appreciated the video communication you did with the camera from Node2 on the experiment, thanks for that initiative!”
PCDF-PU (Protein Crystallization Diagnostic Facility – Process Unit): No report.
PCG (JAXA, Protein Crystal Growth): Returned on 26S on 9/16.
PCRF (Protein Crystallization Research Facility) Reconfiguration (JAXA): See PCG.
PLSG (Plant Signaling, NASA/ESA): No report.
PMDIS (Perceptual Motor Deficits in Space): Complete.
POLCA/GRAVIGEN (ESA): Complete.
Portable PFS: No report.
Pro K: No report.
RadGene & LOH (JAXA): Complete.
RadSilk (JAXA): No report.
Reaction Self Test (RST/Psychomotor Vigilance Self Test on the ISS): “Mike and Satoshi, the PI appreciates your dedication to his science. You rock!!!”
Robonaut (NASA): No report.
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): Continuing telemetry monitoring.
SHERE II (Shear History Extensional Rheology Experiment II): No report.
SLAMMD (Space Linear Acceleration Mass Measurement Device): No report.
SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight): No report.
SMILES (JAXA): Continuing telemetry monitoring.
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, ESA): Sun Visibility Window #45 ended on 10/3. SOLACES instrument will be kept warm during this shadowing period to prevent degradation of the spectrophotometers.
SOLO (Sodium Loading in Microgravity): No report.
Space-DRUMS (Space Dynamically Responding Ultrasonic Matrix System): No report.
Space Food (JAXA): No report.
SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellite): No report.
SPHINX (SPaceflight of Huvec: an Integrated eXperiment, ESA): No report.
SPICE (Smoke Point In Co-flow Experiment): No report.
SPINAL (Spinal Elongation): No report.
SPRINT: “Mike, thanks for completing your second Sprint Ultrasound session. Good job on the first performance of panoramic scans! We are planning for two more sessions before you leave.”
SS-HDTV (Super Sensitivity High Definition Camera, JAXA): On 10/2-10/7, Satoshi completed recording of the Aurora scene. Next recordings will also include the meteor shower from Comet Giacobini (the Giacobinids). We expect meteor rates to range from dozens to hundreds per hour.
STP-H3 (Space Test Program – Houston 3): MHTEX continues to run in a steady state mode and will be in this mode for at least another week with minor adjustments as necessary. CANARY took data during the debris avoidance maneuver (reboost) on 9/29. CANARY is also analyzing and downloading files from previous data takes. VADER is cycling between voltages to measure the difference in states and the amount of repeatability between high and low emissivity states. DISC has taken more images this week and we are processing images that were taken in previous weeks.
SWAB (Characterization of Microorganisms & Allergens in Spacecraft): No report.
TASTE IN SPACE (ESA): No report.
THERMOLAB (ESA): “Dear Mike, thank you for repeating the 4th VO2max/Thermolab session on 9/26. The science team confirmed the validity of the data.”
TRAC (Test of Reaction & Adaptation Capabilities): Planned.
TREADMILL KINEMATICS: No report.
TRIPLELUX-B (ESA): No report.
ULTRASOUND: Planned.
UMS (Urine Monitoring System (NASA): No report.
VASCULAR (CSA): No report.
VCAM (Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Module, NASA): No report.
VESSEL ID System (ESA): Acquiring science data with NorAIS receiver.
VESSEL IMAGING (ESA): No sessions possible due to Ultrasound anomaly.
VIABLE (eValuatIon And monitoring of microBiofiLms insidE the ISS Payload Touch, NASA): 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 9/30, the ground has received 7,829 CEO frames for review and cataloging. “We are pleased to report your acquisition of imagery this week with times corresponding to those of our CEO Daily Target Lists for the following targets: Lake Nasser-Toshka Lakes, Egypt – a very nice session of imagery of these features with varying illumination including views with glint – documentary requirements of this target for this season have been met; and Juba River fan, Somalia – 28 frames are under evaluation for content at this time. Your automated imagery acquisition remains the predominant imagery we are receiving at this time in terms of frame count. As time permits, we are selecting the most interesting sessions of these images and producing videos for release on our public website. These are very popular items now. Your dramatic view of large fire plumes along the Xingu River in northeastern Brazil was published on the NASA/GSFC’s Earth Observatory website this past weekend. Your image documents and illustrates the ongoing “slash and burn” practice for converting rain forest to farmland, so common in Amazonia. Thanks for your excellent heads-up acquisition of this dynamic event!”
CEO (Crew Earth Observation) target uplinked for today were Hurricanes Irwin and Jova–two opportunities (DYNAMIC EVENT: Looking forward and right of track to see the unusual view of two hurricanes in one view. Hurricane eyes may have evolved. The low illumination angle just after sunrise should provide detail of the top of the storms. Illumination strength will rapidly increase downtrack. These storms have developed quickly. Hurricane Irwin is projected to strengthen in the next day or so, with eye formation likely. Tropical Storm Jova is also forecast to reach hurricane strength by the time of this ISS pass. This event is unusual for various reasons: Two close-spaced hurricanes seldom evolve. The storms are close enough to be interacting; it is also unusual for two storms of roughly similar size to develop near one another. The storm trajectories are expected to “recurve,” taking them back eastward, to impact Mexico’s coast possibly on Tuesday (Jova) and Thursday (Irwin). A strong trough in the western United States is providing these steering winds).
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 9:48am EDT [= epoch])
* Mean altitude – 386.4 km
* Apogee height – 397.4 km
* Perigee height – 375.5 km
* Period — 92.28 min.
* Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
* Eccentricity — 0.0016194
* Solar Beta Angle — 38.0 deg (magnitude increasing)
* Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.60
* Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 26 m
* Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 73,861
* Time in orbit (station) — 4705 days
* Time in orbit (crews, cum.) — 3992 days
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————–Three-crew operations (Increment 29)————-
10/19/11 — ISS Reboost
10/29/11 — Progress M-10M/42P undocking (5:01am EDT)
10/30/11 — Progress M-13M/45P launch (6:11am)
11/02/11 — Progress M-13M/45P docking (~7:42am)
11/13/11 — Soyuz TMA-03M/28S launch – D.Burbank (CDR-30)/A.Shkaplerov/A.Ivanishin (11:14pm)
11/16/11 — Soyuz TMA-03M/28S docking (MRM2) (~12:45am)
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/22/11 — Soyuz TMA-02M/27S undock/landing (End of Increment 29) (~9:21pm)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/30/11 — SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon — Target date
12/26/11 — Soyuz TMA-04M/29S launch – O.Kononenko (CDR-31)/A.Kuipers/D.Pettit — (date “on or about”)
12/28/11 — Soyuz TMA-04M/29S docking (MRM1) — (date “on or about”)
————–Six-crew operations—————-
TBD — Progress M-13M/45P undock
TBD — Progress M-14M/46P launch
TBD — Progress M-14M/46P docking (DC-1)
02/29/12 — ATV3 launch readiness
TBD — Soyuz TMA-03M/28S undock/landing (End of Increment 30)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/30S launch – G.Padalka (CDR-32)/J.Acaba/K.Volkov
04/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/30S docking (MRM2)
————–Six-crew operations—————-
05/05/12 — 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA – launch on Proton (under review)
05/06/12 — Progress M-14M/46P undock
05/07/12 — 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) – docking (under review)
05/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-04M/29S undock/landing (End of Increment 31)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-06M/31S launch – S.Williams (CDR-33)/Y.Malenchenko/A.Hoshide
05/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-06M/31S docking
————–Six-crew operations—————-
09/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/30S undock/landing (End of Increment 32)
————–Three-crew operations————-
10/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-07M/32S launch – K.Ford (CDR-34)/O.Novitskiy/E.Tarelkin
10/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-07M/32S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-06M/31S undock/landing (End of Increment 33)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/xx/12 — Soyuz TMA-08M/33S launch – C.Hadfield (CDR-35)/T.Mashburn/R.Romanenko
12/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-08M/33S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
03/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-07M/32S undock/landing (End of Increment 34)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-09M/34S launch – P.Vinogradov (CDR-36)/C.Cassidy/A.Misurkin
03/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-09M/34S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
05/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-08M/33S undock/landing (End of Increment 35)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-10M/35S launch – M.Suraev (CDR-37)/K.Nyberg/L.Parmitano
05/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-10M/35S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
09/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-09M/34S undock/landing (End of Increment 36)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-11M/36S launch – M.Hopkins/TBD (CDR-38)/TBD
09/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-11M/36S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-10M/35S undock/landing (End of Increment 37)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-12M/37S launch – K.Wakata (CDR-39)/R.Mastracchio/TBD
11/xx/13 – Soyuz TMA-12M/37S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
03/xx/14 – Soyuz TMA-11M/36S undock/landing (End of Increment 38)
————–Three-crew operations————-
