NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 9 July 2011
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Saturday – Crew sleep cycle shift (about an hour to the right: Wake 2:59am, sleep 6:29pm EDT. FD2 (Flight Day 2) of STS-135/ULF7.
With the USOS crew busy on Shuttle arrival preparations, the Russian crewmembers, Borisenko, Samokutyayev & Volkov, joined in conducting the regular weekly three-hour task of thorough cleaning of their home. [“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.]
Preparatory to tomorrow’s docking of STS-135/Atlantis/ULF7, the last Shuttle flight in history, FE-3 Garan & FE-6 Fossum jointly reviewed procedures necessary for readying the PMA-2 (Pressurized Mating Adapter 2) for the docking.
Afterwards, Ron supported the ground by pressurizing & leak-checking the PMA-2 for ingress, hatch opening and stowage after the Shuttle’s arrival. [PMA-2, at the ISS bow, will be the docking port for Atlantis tomorrow. The VAJ/ISA (Vacuum Access Jumper / Internal Sampling Adapter) remains connected to MPEV (Manual Pressure Equalization Valve) for PMA-2 leak check after the docking.]
Next, Ron worked in the US A/L (Airlock) “Quest” to remove the #10A2 panel as a get-ahead for the oxygen (O2) transfer setup scheduled for the ULF7 FD3. [Shuttle O2 will be transferred to the ISS A/L PHA (Prebreathe Hose Assembly) ports during the EVA prebreathing periods.]
FE-3 also connected the LTL (Low Temperature Loop) cooling to the Lab CDRA (Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly) at Bay D6 in preparation for its activation.
Mike Fossum installed a temporary THC IMV (Temperature & Humidity Control / Intermodular Ventilation) air duct in Node-2 to optimize air mixing in the Lab for CO2 removal, with the Shuttle crew as additional station occupants on board.
Later, Mike performed the periodic offloading of the WPA (Water Processor Assembly) storage tank from the PWD (Potable Water Dispenser) Auxiliary port to a CWC-I (Contingency Water Containers-Iodine) bag. The PWD could not be used during the offloading. [Estimated offload time: 23 min.]
Andrey Borisenko conducted an audit of Russian ULF7 electrical dummy connector kits, took documentary photography and then handed them over to FE-3 Garan for training and subsequent stowing per crew preference in the A/L (Airlock).
Activities completed by Satoshi Furukawa included –
Readying two BPSMUs (Battery Powered Speaker Microphone Units) for use by the Shuttle crew during the docked phase with the Orbiter. [One BPSMU was placed at the Lab RWS (Robotic Workstation), the other near the Node-2 nadir hatch for MPLM (Multi-Purpose Logistics Module) operations.]
. Configuring THC IMV diffusers in the Lab, with the Shuttle crew as additional station occupants on board,
Connecting the power cable from UOP (Utility Outlet Panel) to the DCP (Display & Control Panel) at the Cupola RWS,
Connecting the power cable from UOP to the DCP at the Lab RWS,
Relocating the SSC-9 (Station Support Computer 9) & SSC-17 to the Cupola with SSC-18 and configuring them for the robotic MPLM (Multi-Purpose Logistics Module) transfer ops by SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator System),
Completing the visual T+2 Days (44 +/- 4h) microbial (bacterial & fungal) analysis of SM & PWD (Potable Water Dispenser) water samples collected by him on 7/7, using the WMK MCD (Water Microbiology Kit / Microbial Capture Devices) for microbial traces, and the CDB (Coliform Detection Bag) for inflight coliform indications (Magenta for Positive, Yellow for Negative), and
Installing/routing the VDS (Video Distribution System) video cap in Node-2 which enables pass-through reception of video from the Atlantis with the Orbiter docked.
CDR Borisenko conducted 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. [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].
Later, Andrey performed 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 reporting to TsUP
Borisenko also disconnected the newly installed external FGB PDGF (Power & Data Grapple Fixture) by demating two internal BKS cables. [Troubleshooting the PDGF is a get-ahead task for the EVA by Ron & Mike on FD5.]
Volkov, Garan, Furukawa & Fossum spent about an hour reviewing and discussing tomorrow’s Shuttle RPM (R-bar Pitch Maneuver) photo shoot during which they will be using NIKON D2Xs digital still cameras with 800mm & 400mm lenses, joined by Sergei with a 1000 mm lens (actually a 600mm lens with 1.7x teleconverter). [During the RPM at ~600 ft from the station, the “shooters” have only ~90 seconds for taking high-resolution digital photographs of all tile areas and door seals on Atlantis, to be downlinked for launch debris assessment. Thus, time available for the shooting will be very limited, requiring great coordination between the two headset-equipped photographers and the Shuttle pilot (Doug Hurley).]
FE-5 & FE-6 also initiated & monitored charging of 5 NIKON D2Xs batteries for the RPM. [Batteries must be charged for at least three hours. Three Batteries will be used for the D2Xs camera configuration in preparation for the RPM documentation. The 4th and 5th batteries will be reserved as a backup battery for the actual RPM.]
Mike performed the final configuration of the cameras for the RPM.
Mike & Satoshi each completed a session with the U.S. HMS VIS (Health Maintenance Systems / Visual Acuity) testing program, using an eye chart for both far & near visual acuity and filling out an eye questionnaire for downloading on a laptop for ground access.
Ron manually loaded new EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System) application software (AWS) from the ER3 ELC (EXPRESS Rack 3) laptop computer to the EMCS via FTP file transfer.
FE-3, FE-5 & FE-6 are scheduled for 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), Satoshi at ~9:04am, Ron at ~11:59pm, Mike at ~4:39pm.
Before “Presleep” period tonight, Ron Garan powers on the MPC (Multi-Protocol Converter) and starts the data flow of video recorded during the day to the ground, with POIC (Payload Operations & Integration Center) routing the onboard HRDL (High-Rate Data Link). After about an hour, MPC will be turned off again. [This is a routine operation which regularly transmits HD onboard video (live or tape playback) to the ground on a daily basis before sleeptime.]
The crew worked out with their regular 2-hr physical exercise protocol on the CEVIS cycle ergometer with vibration isolation (FE-3, FE-5), ARED advanced resistive exercise device (FE-1, FE-3, FE-4, FE-5, FE-6), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (CDR, FE-1, FE-4, FE-6), and VELO ergometer bike with load trainer (CDR).
Weekly Science Update (Expedition Twenty-Seven/Twenty-Eight — Week 15)
2D NANO Template (JAXA): Continue stowage in MELFI1 Dewar 4 (+2oC) until ULF7 return.
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): On 06/22, SDU#1 and SDU#2 went OFF. As these two detectors are accommodated on the same axis, the current data acquisition is not accounted per ALTEA science requirements. At the current location (ER8-Locker 3), we have ~55days of cumulative science acquisition (requirement is min 20 days, preferred 30 days or more). \
AMS-02 (Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer): The AMS Payload is in nominal physics data operations. As of 7/5 (9:24am), AMS has data for a total particle count of 2,001,187,529. The AMS Laptop is having occasional communications issues with ER6, requiring crew power cycles. Thank you for the assistance.
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): No report.
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): Samples will be returned on STS-135 (ULF7).
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): No report.
CFS-A (Colored Fungi in Space-A, ESA): The remaining 4th biocontainer with the fungi spores will be kept on orbit until STS-135/ULF7 return.
CSI-3/CGBA-5 (CGBA Science Insert #2/Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 5): No report.
CGBA-2 (Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 2): Complete.
CIR (Combustion Integrated Rack), MDCA/Flex: No report.
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): FE-5 Satoshi completed run 2-5 on 7/6. Run 2-4 is planned on 7/7 and 7/8.
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): “Mike, the science team confirmed valid data from your session on 6/27.”
ELITE-S2 (Elaboratore Immagini Televisive – Space 2): Planned.
EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System): No report.
ENose (Electronic Nose): No report.
EPM (European Physiology Module): “Thank you, Ron, for a very smooth completion of the EPM Video Unit R&R activity. Upon EPM (laptop) activation all was confirmed nominal. Great help!”
EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (Sesame Street): No report.
EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (Kids in Micro-G): 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): Report 2 was completed on 6/26.
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): No report.
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 2 (JAXA, EPO-6): 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): Active for GEOFLOW-II experiment. Refer to GEOFLOW-II.
FWED (Flywheel Exercise Device, ESA): No report.
GENARA-A (Gravity Regulated Genes in Arabidopsis A/ESA): No report.
GEOFLOW-2 (ESA): All mandatory runs / setpoints outside of the above high rotation frequency constraint have been completed by the end of week 14. This week, some desired (vs. mandatory) No-Rotation runs were planned to be performed. However, on 7/4 FSL encountered a re-occurrence of a TM freeze anomaly and during the mode transitioning of the recovery, as during previous occurrence of this anomaly, some error messages were received indicating an error on the SCSI connection with one of the hard-disks. The rack was powered down. Recovery activities on 7/4-5 were not successful. A re-activation on 7/6 was successful and GEOFLOW2 runs could be resumed. Under further investigation. The runs missed due to the anomaly will be replanned later on.
HAIR (JAXA): Planned Sample collection for FE-5 Satoshi and FE-6 Fossum on 7/7.
HDTV System (JAXA): No report.
Hicari (JAXA): Planned GHF heater removal on 7/15 as slip plan.
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 3469 images to-date. The most recent HICO images include part of the Chesapeake Bay, Monterey Bay, CA, the Aral Sea and Paranagua Bay in Brazil. RAIDS is collecting secondary science including nighttime atmospheric disk photometry, spectra and temperatures. Extreme ultraviolet airglow spectroscopy and optical contamination studies are also being performed.
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.
ISSAC (ISS Agricultural Camera, NASA): No report.
IV Gen (Intravenous Fluids Generation): No report.
KID/KUBIK6: No report.
KUBIK 3 (ESA): No report.
LOCAD-PTS (Lab-on-a-Chip Application Development-Portable Test System): No report.
Marangoni Exp (JAXA): 24th run was completed on 12/22.
Marangoni DSD – Dynamic Surf (JAXA): Payload name was change from Marangoni DSD to Dynamic Surf.
Marangoni UVP (JAXA): No report.
Matryoshka-2 (RSA): No report.
MAXI (Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image, JAXA): Continuing telemetry monitoring.
MDCA/Flex: No report.
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-7 (Materials ISS Experiment 7): The 7th Materials on International Space Station Experiment (MISSE-7) reached a successful mission completion on 5/10. During EVA-1, PEC 7A and PEC 7B were retrieved and transferred to the STS-134 Shuttle payload bay for return to Earth. MISSE-7 was launched to the ISS aboard the STS-129 Shuttle mission in November 2009, and operated continuously since that time. During its 1.5 year on-orbit mission, MISSE-7 tested a variety of next-generation solar cells and electronic devices and provided real-time downlink of science data. MISSE-7 also continuously exposed cutting-edge material samples that will be analyzed in ground laboratories to determine how well they survived the space exposure effects of atomic oxygen, ultraviolet exposure, particle irradiation, and extreme temperature cycles.
MISSE-8 (Materials ISS Experiment 8): All MISSE-8 experiments are operating nominally. PASCAL continued nominal commanding that produced IV curves of the solar cells. IV curves are plots of the current versus voltage for solar cells and tell a lot about how these are performing. The SpaceCube experiment is continuing to upload files with updated code for new radiation hardening by software experiment algorithms and the uploads are now 70% complete.
MMA (JAXA/Microgravity Measurement Apparatus): No report.
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): No report.
MyoLab (JAXA): Completed on 4/20.
NANOSKELETON (Production of High Performance Nanomaterials in Microgravity, JAXA): Returned on ULF6.
NEURORAD (JAXA): No report.
NEUROSPAT (ESA/Study of Spatial Cognition, Novelty Processing and Sensorimotor Integration):
NOA-1/-2 (Nitric Oxide Analyzer, ESA): Complete.
NUTRITION w/REPOSITORY/ProK: No report.
PADIAC (Pathway Different Activators, ESA): No report.
PADLES (JAXA, Area PADLES 3/4; Passive Area Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiment in Space): On 6/14 completed installation of 17 Dosimeters in JPM and JLP.
PASSAGES (JAXA): No report.
PCDF-PU (Protein Crystallization Diagnostic Facility – Process Unit): No report.
PCG (JAXA, Protein Crystal Growth): Continuing telemetry monitoring.
PCRF (Protein Crystallization Research Facility) Reconfiguration (JAXA): See PCG.
PMDIS (Perceptual Motor Deficits in Space): Complete.
POLCA/GRAVIGEN (ESA): Complete.
Portable PFS: Used for the first VO2max / EKE / THERMOLAB session of FE-6 on 6/27. Gas calibrations after the Portable PFS set-up initially failed but were successful after connection of one of the Gas hoses that you found to be not properly connected. “Thanks Mike! And also thanks for the power reboot that allowed to recover after the 2 DMS errors. This issue is under investigation.”
Pro K: No report.
RadGene & LOH (JAXA): Complete.
RadSilk (JAXA): No report.
RST/Reaction Self Test (Psychomotor Vigilance Self Test on the ISS): “Ron, Mike and Satoshi, thank you for your participation in Reaction Self Test!”
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 from Inc 19&20.
SHERE II (Shear History Extensional Rheology Experiment II): “Satoshi, thank you for gathering SHERE II’s hardware, setting it up inside the MSG, and updating its software. SHERE II is now ready to start its checkout tests and dry run, and then start science operations.”
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): The Sun Visibility Window #42 started on 6/27. Some re-occurrences of anomalies happened: Sun sensor glitch on 7/1, an AIB failure on 7/6 and a SOLSPEC Communication error on 7/6, but all could be recovered and the science scripts could be executed or slightly delayed. Otherwise nominal science operations and data acquisition for SOLACES and SOLSPEC.
SOLO (Sodium Loading in Microgravity): Samples will be returned on STS-135/ULF7.
Space-DRUMS (Space Dynamically Responding Ultrasonic Matrix System): No report.
Space Food (JAXA): Completed & returned on ULF6.
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: No report.
SS-HDTV (Super Sensitivity High Definition Camera, JAXA): FE-5 Satoshi completed MPC-DC-Exchange on 7/4, which was needed to be done prior to SS-HDTV converter set up for video data down link.
STP-H3 (Space Test Program – Houston 3): STP-H3 payloads are operating nominally. MHTEX is in steady state mode and is currently planned to remain in this state until the conclusion of the STS-135/ULF7 mission. Canary took data during the recent ISS reboost events utilizing thrusters on 43P and will take data with the Floating Potential Measurement Unit during ULF-7 joint ops. VADER is continuing to characterize the performance of VED4 for the various operational voltages. The results will be compared to the baseline data for all VEDs. DISC is analyzing images to optimize performance based on ISS attitude and scattered light.
SWAB (Characterization of Microorganisms & Allergens in Spacecraft): No report.
TASTE IN SPACE (ESA): No report.
THERMOLAB (ESA): “Mike, the science team confirmed good and valid data from your session on 6/27.”
TRAC (Test of Reaction & Adaptation Capabilities): Planned.
TREADMILL KINEMATICS: “Ron, Satoshi and Mike, thank you very much for your excellent work! We look forward to the next time you run Treadmill Kinematics.”
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 data with NorAIS receiver.
VESSEL IMAGING (ESA): No sessions possible due to Ultrasound anomaly.
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 7/4, 2,542 CEO frames were received on the ground for review and cataloging. “We note that your photography rate has increased considerably in the past week. We are pleased to report your acquisition of imagery with times corresponding to those of our CEO Daily Target Lists for the following targets: Vatican City – a few of your frames, acquired with short lens settings, included this target and the weather was clear – however our requirements are for detailed views with the long lens settings for this tiny feature – we will continue to request this target; Kingston, Jamaica – several excellent images acquired here – some clouds were present and these views are under evaluation – they may indeed meet our target requirements; Las Conchas Fire, New Mexico – several frames of this fire were acquired along with numerous views of another major fire in southeastern New Mexico – more clouds were present than we anticipated near the Las Conchas Fire area – thanks for your effort; Wells Creek Impact Crater, Tennessee – useful short lens views with this feature off-center – our requirements for this target are for at least a 400mm lens setting – your images will provide helpful context views for locating this challenging target in future requests. Your enchanting view of the Southern Italian Peninsula at night was published on the NASA/GSFC’s Earth Observatory website this past weekend. Your photograph and others like it provide unique insight into the distribution of and density of human infrastructure and activities as presented in nighttime illumination patterns. Very nice shot!’
CEO targets uplinked for today were Lake Nasser, Toshka Lakes, Egypt (looking left, just beyond Lake Nasser on the River Nile, for the vast Toshka Lakes project in southern Egypt. The Toshka Lakes formed in the late 1990’s when record high water in the Nile River and Lake Nasser spilled out into desert depressions to the west. Since then the lakes have persisted, but continue to slowly dry up. CEO observers want to update their monitoring record of this event with nadir and context views of the lakes. Looking slightly left of track and take overlapping images), Niamey, Niger (looking near nadir and a touch right for this capital city, which appears as darker gray zone centered on the Niger River), and Sofia, Bulgaria (looking right to acquire a context view of this capital city. Sofia lies in between wooded mountains in a wide treeless valley).
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 6:12am EDT [= epoch])
Mean altitude – 388.1 km
Apogee height – 395.2 km
Perigee height – 381.0 km
Period — 92.32 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.65 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0010535
Solar Beta Angle — -21.6 deg (magnitude decreasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.60
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 92 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) – 72,438
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————–Six-crew operations————-
7/10/11 — STS-135/Atlantis docking ULF7 (MPLM) ~11:09am
07/12/11 — EVA (Garan & Fossum) ~8:50am, 6h30m
07/18/11 — STS-135/Atlantis undock ULF7 (MPLM) – 1:59am
07/20/11 — STS-135/Atlantis landing KSC ~7:07am
07/27/11 — Russian EVA #29
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)
09/08/11 – Soyuz TMA-21/26S undock/landing (End of Increment 28)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/22/11 — Soyuz TMA-03M/28S launch – D.Burbank (CDR-30)/A.Shkaplerov/A.Ivanishin
09/24/11 – Soyuz TMA-03M/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-02M/27S undock/landing (End of Increment 29)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-04M/29S launch – O.Kononenko (CDR-31)/A.Kuipers/D.Pettit
12/02/11 — Soyuz TMA-04M/29S docking (MRM1)
————–Six-crew operations—————-
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)
02/29/12 — ATV3 launch readiness
03/05/12 — Progress M-12M/44P undock
03/16/12 — Soyuz TMA-03M/28S undock/landing (End of Increment 30)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/30/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/30S launch – G.Padalka (CDR-32)/J.Acaba/K.Volkov
04/01/12 — 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)
05/16/12 — Soyuz TMA-04M/29S undock/landing (End of Increment 31)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/29/12 – Soyuz TMA-06M/31S launch – S.Williams (CDR-33)/Y.Malenchenko/A.Hoshide
05/31/12 – Soyuz TMA-06M/31S docking
————–Six-crew operations—————-
09/18/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/30S undock/landing (End of Increment 32)
————–Three-crew operations————-
10/02/12 — Soyuz TMA-07M/32S launch – K.Ford (CDR-34)/O.Novitskiy/E.Tarelkin
10/04/12 – Soyuz TMA-07M/32S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/16/12 — Soyuz TMA-06M/31S undock/landing (End of Increment 33)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/30/12 — Soyuz TMA-08M/33S launch – C.Hadfield (CDR-35)/T.Mashburn/R.Romanenko
12/02/12 – 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————-
