NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 9 March 2011
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.
STS-133/Discovery (ISS-ULF5) returned to Earth safely this morning on the first opportunity, landing at KSC at 11:58am EST after a flight duration of 12d 19h 5min, 203 orbits, and over 5.4 million stat.mi. covered distance. It was Discovery’s last flight after an illustrious multiple-record-setting career. Welcome back, Steve L., Eric, Alvin, Steve B., Mike and Nicole! [During its docked period, Discovery delivered the Italian-built PMM (Permanent Multipurpose Module) Leonardo and ELC4 (EXPRESS Logistics Carrier 4) with spare parts, a thermal radiator, flight support equipment and a mechanical component for cargo carrier attachment to the truss. It was the 133rd Space Shuttle flight in history, the 39th for Discovery and the 35th Shuttle flight to the ISS (the 13th – and final – for Discovery). Total days in orbit: 365. Total miles travelled: 148,221,675. Total orbits of the Earth: 5,830. Total crew members: 252. Its touchdown today was the 76th landing at the Cape.]
CDR Scott Kelly continued his new week-long activity with the post-wakeup experiment SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight), Scott’s 9th session, transferring data from his Actiwatch to the HRF-1 (Human Research Facility 1) laptop. [To monitor their sleep/wake patterns and light exposure during a SLEEP session, US crewmembers wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him/her as well as their patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition, using the payload software for data logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the experiment’s laptop session file on the HRF-1 laptop. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days.]
Kelly also continued his 3rd and last (Flight Day 150) 24-hr NUTRITION/Repository urine sample collections, with samples storing in MELFI, to be concluded tomorrow morning. Later in the day, Scott set up the equipment for his associated generic blood draw, scheduled for 3/11, where Nespoli will assist with the phlebotomy as operator. [Generic blood & urine procedures are used which allow an individual crewmember to select their payload complement and see specific requirements populated. Individual crewmembers will select their specific parameter in the procedures to reflect their science complement. Different crewmembers will have different required tubes and hardware configurations, so they must verify their choice selection before continuing with operations to ensure their specific instruction. Urine samples go into MELFI within 30 minutes after collection. Every individual urine/blood sample tube must be labeled with time of void and Crew ID. Barcodes can be called down, placed in crew notes or the barcode reader can be used. For the blood draw, there is a prior 8-hr fasting requirement, i.e., no food or drink, but water consumption is highly encouraged to ensure proper hydration. Exercise should not be conducted during the 8 hrs prior to the blood draw.]
FE-4 Dmitri Kondratyev took his 3rd MBI-24 “SPRUT-2” (“Squid-2”) test, part of Russian medical research on the distribution and behavior of human body fluids in zero gravity, along with PZEh-MO-8 body mass measurement using the IM device. [Supported by the RSS-Med A31p laptop with new software (Vers. 1.6) in the SM (Service Module), the test uses the Profilaktika kit, with data recorded on PCMCIA memory cards, along with Dima’s body mass values and earlier recorded MO-10 Hematocrit value, but skipping “fat fold” measurements. Experiment requisites are the Sprut securing harness, skin electrodes (cuffs), and RSS-Med for control and data storage. The “Pinguin” suit or Braslet-M cuffs, if worn, have to be taken off first. Electrode measurements are recorded at complete rest and relaxed body position. The actual recording takes 3-5 minutes, during which the patient has to remain at complete rest.]
FE-5 Paolo Nespoli serviced the FIR FCF (Fluids Integrated Rack / Fluids & Combustion Facility), changing out the Bio sample with new sample #5 from the Bio kit. [Activities included opening the rack doors, rotating the LMM SBA (Light Microscopy Module / Spindle Bracket Assembly) from the Operate to Service position and removing the used sample from the Bio Base for return to the Bio kit. With the new sample from the kit installed, the SBA was rotated back to Operate, the upper & lower FCF rack doors were closed, and POIC (Payload Operations & Integration Center/Huntsville) was notified that the rack was ready for RPC (Remote Power Controller) activation. The LMM-Bio experiment is designed for autonomous operation through scripts and ground-based commanding. Crew time is required for the initial installation and check out in the FIR, sample change out, and removal from the FIR.]
For their return to Earth on Soyuz 24S next week, CDR Kelly, FE-1 Kaleri & FE-2 Skripochka tried on their Kentavr anti-G suits for a fit check, followed by the standard Kentavr-PMC (Personal Medical Conference). [The “Centaur” garment (not to be confused with the Russian “Pinguin” suit for spring-loaded body compression, or the “Chibis” lower body negative pressure suit) is a protective anti-G suit ensemble to facilitate the return of a long-duration crewmember into the Earth gravity. Consisting of shorts, gaiters, underpants, jersey and socks, it acts as countermeasure for circulatory disturbance, prevents crewmember from overloading during descent and increases orthostatic tolerance during post-flight adaptation. Russian crewmembers are also advised to ingest fluid-electrolyte additives, viz., three sodium chloride tablets during breakfast and after the midday meal, each time with 300 ml of fluid, and two pills during the meal aboard Soyuz before deorbit.]
Later, Dmitri spent several hours in the SM troubleshooting the N1 micropump of the SOTR/Thermal Control System’s 4SPN2 replaceable pump panel in cooling loop 2 (KOB2) which fails to activate on command. The KOB2 pump panel had been replaced by Kaleri on 2/7, and Dima today replaced jumpers, changed connections and measured voltages & circuit continuity with the Elektronika MultiMeter MMTs-01. [The two SOTR KOB thermal loops control the removal of metabolic heat and heat emitted by working equipment; they also establish specific temperature conditions for the cabin atmosphere. The excess heat is passed from the coolant through liquid-liquid heat exchangers (ZhZhT) into the active external thermal control system (KOKh) for subsequent radiation into open space. Each loop contains 118 liters of “Triol” coolant fluid, i.e., water with a 30 percent solution of glycerin (to lower the freezing point to 7 degC) plus biocide and UV-light-sensitive additives to aid in leak detection. One liter of Triol, which is nontoxic and poses no hazard to the crew, can absorb about 14 cubic cm of air. Each of the two KOB loops is served by two nominally redundant pump panels (SPN), each equipped with two redundant replaceable electric pumps (ENA), N1 & N2. While in the early years of Mir and ISS the pumps were integral to the SPN panels, the more advanced current design allows them to be replaced without requiring a swap-out of an entire SPN block.]
FE-6 Cady Coleman retrieved the two new CSA-O2 (Compound Specific Analyzer-Oxygen) units #1046 & #1059 that arrived with ULF5 and calibrated them.
Afterwards, Coleman also conducted the periodic snubber arm inspection on the T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill.
Assisted by Cady as a handover activity, Scott performed another weekly 10-min. CWC (Contingency Water Container) inventory as part of the on-going WRM (Water Recovery & Management) assessment of onboard water supplies. Updated “cue cards” based on the crew’s water calldowns are sent up every other week for recording changes. [The current card (26-0045K) lists 132 CWCs (2,658.7 L total) for the five types of water identified on board: 1. technical water (17 CWCs with 675.4 L, for Elektron electrolysis, incl. 347.4 L in 9 bags containing Wautersia bacteria, 134.2 L in 3 clean bags for contingency use, 170.8 L in 4 bags for transfer into EDV-RP containers via US/RSA-B hose, and 23.0 L in 1 bag for flushing only; 2. potable water (no CWCs); 3. iodinated water (104 CWCs with 1,909.7 L for reserve, of which 584.8 L in 32 CWCs are listed as “expired”; 4. condensate water (22.6 L in 1 bag, 7.1 L in 1 bag to be used only for OGA, 1 bag with 16.6 L not to be used pending analysis, plus 6 empty bags); and 5. waste/EMU dump and other (27.3 L in 2 CWCs from hose/pump flush). Wautersia bacteria are typical water-borne microorganisms that have been seen previously in ISS water sources. These isolates pose no threat to human health.]
Scott Kelly & Cady Coleman worked for several hours on the HTV2 (H-II Transfer Vehicle), making preparations for its relocation tomorrow morning from Node-2 Zenith port to Nadir port.
Cady started out by –
* Removing the Channel 2 (contingency) power cable between Zenith vestibule & HTV and installing instead a W4015 power 1/4 jumper at Zenith, coiled in the vestibule for future visiting vehicles [a second cable, in Node-2 itself, will be reinstalled in the Node-2 Nadir after the relocation],
* Converting the SSC (Station Support Computer)-17 laptop to wireless operation to support the relocation,
* Configuring & testing VSW (Video Streaming Workstation) software [VSW-2 will be used to stream a video signal during relocation], and
* Removing the PEPS (Portable Emergency Provisions) systems from the HTVPLC (HTV Pressurized Logistics Carrier) and stowing in their original positions [this involved R&MA (Restraint & Mobility Aid), PFE Portable Fire Extinguisher and PBA Portable Breathing Apparatus].
Scott & Cady then closed the hatch, demated the PLC Vestibule (disconnecting ARS/Atmosphere Revitalization, IMV/Intermodular Ventilation, 1553A & 1553B jumpers and partially installed the PCBM (Passive Common Berthing Mechanism) thermal cover.
After the vestibule demating, Cady & Paolo installed the CBM CPAs (Controller Panel Assemblies). [Required so that MCC-H can prepare the Node-2 Zenith CBM for demate during crew sleep.]
Later, Kelly set up and configured the Node-2 camcorder with fresh tape in preparation for ground survey of the PCBM.
Meanwhile, Alex Kaleri & Oleg Skripochka spent two hours in “their” 24S Descent Module (#701) to conduct the Soyuz descent “refresher” drill, a standard training exercise for every crew returning on this spacecraft. Results of the exercise, which strictly forbids any command activation (except for switching the InPU display on the Neptune-ME console), were subsequently reported to ground control at TsUP/Moscow. [The session includes working at the Neptune-ME cockpit console using a Descent Simulator application (Trenasher Spusk =”descent trainer”) on the RSK1 laptop, running through the descent timeline, transitioning to the RUS Manual Entry Control, simulating RUS manual mode, tagging up with the ground instructor and reviewing an uplinked return cargo stowage plan & cargo list.]
Afterwards, Sasha had 1.5 hrs for transferring return cargo to the Soyuz spacecraft and loading it in the Descent Module.
FE-2 conducted the regular (weekly) inspection of the replaceable half-coupling of the 4GB4 hydraulic unit of the KOB-2 (Loop 2) of the Russian SOTR Thermal Control System, checking for coolant fluid hermeticity (leak-tightness).
Skripochka then continued the current round of monthly preventive maintenance of RS (Russian Segment) ventilation systems, today cleaning the V3 fan screen in the DC1 Docking Compartment.
Later, Oleg worked on the BITS2-12 onboard telemetry measurement system in the SM, removing the BFS 1A Data Formatting Unit (TA515) and replacing it with a new spare from stowage. [BITS2-12 and VD-SU control mode had to be disabled during this time by the ground. The old TA515 was discarded in Progress 41P.]
Dmitri performed close-out operations on the Lulin-ISS radiation system, demating its four dosimeters from the BUI Interface Control Unit for stowage behind panel 121 and securing their cables at the BUI with Velcro. [Lulin-ISS is a part of the complex Matryoshka suite designed for sophisticated radiation studies.]
Paolo serviced the new ESA EPO (Education Payload Operation) Greenhouse in COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory) by watering both greenhouses, a weekly activity.
Kaleri performed the periodic checkout & performance verification of IP-1 airflow sensors in the various RS (Russian Segment) hatchways. [Inspected IP-1s are in the passageways PrK (SM Transfer Tunnel)-RO (SM Working Compartment), PkhO (SM Transfer Compartment)-RO, PkhO-DC1, PkhO-FGB PGO, PkhO-MRM2, FGB PGO-FGB GA, and FGB GA-Node-1].
Cady Coleman conducted the regular (~weekly) inspection & maintenance, as required, of the CGBA-4 (Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 4) and CGBA-5 payloads in their ERs (EXPRESS Racks).
Scott, Alex & Oleg had an hour each set aside for personal crew departure preparations; these are standard pre-return procedures for crewmembers.
Sasha also 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.]
Oleg handed the daily IMS (Inventory Management System) maintenance, updating/editing its standard “delta file” including stowage locations, for the regular weekly automated export/import to its three databases on the ground (Houston, Moscow, Baikonur).
At ~5:25am EST, Alexander Kaleri supported a Russian PAO TV event, responding to an interview request from the Riga (Latvia) Museum of History of Medicine on LTV (Latvian State TV). [Kaleri, who is from Latvia, talked with guests at the TV studio including his classroom teacher, his brother and niece, cosmonaut Anatoly Soloviev (born in Riga) and representatives from the Moscow Memorial Museum of Cosmonautics. Today’s celebration kicked off a one-month program by the museum dedicated to space exploration.]
The crew worked out on today’s 2-hr physical exercise protocol on the CEVIS cycle ergometer with vibration isolation (CDR), TVIS treadmill with vibration isolation & stabilization (FE-2, FE-4), ARED advanced resistive exercise device (CDR, FE-2, FE-5, FE-6), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (FE-5, FE-6), and VELO bike ergometer with load train er (FE-4). [TVIS unexpectedly powered off when Kaleri was going for his first (of 2) treadmill runs. The ground began troubleshooting.]
No CEO targets uplinked for today.
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————–Six-crew operations————-
03/10/11 — HTV2 relocation back to Node-2 nadir port
03/13/11————–Daylight Saving Time begins———
03/13/11 – Soyuz 24S thruster testing (7:44am GMT)
03/16/11 — Soyuz TMA-01M/24S undock/landing (End of Increment 26)
————–Three-crew operations————-
03/28/11 — HTV2 unberth
03/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-21/26S launch – A. Borisenko (CDR-28)/R.Garan/A.Samokyutayev
04/01/11 — Soyuz TMA-21/26S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
04/19/11 — STS-134/Endeavour launch ULF6 (ELC-3, AMS) ~7:48pm EDT NET
04/21/11 — STS-134/Endeavour docking (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 (DC-1 nadir)
05/01/11 — STS-134/Endeavour undock
05/03/11 — STS-134/Endeavour landing
05/16/11 – Soyuz TMA-20/25S undock/landing (End of Increment 27)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/30/11 — Soyuz TMA-02M/27S launch – M. Fossum (CDR-29)/S. Furukawa/S. Volkov
06/01/11 — Soyuz TMA-02M/27S docking (MRM1)
————–Six-crew operations————-
06/04/11 — ATV-2 “Johannes Kepler” undock (SM aft) – under review
06/21/11 — Progress M-11M/43P launch
06/23/11 — Progress M-11M/43P docking (SM aft)
06/28/11 — STS-135/Atlantis launch ULF7 (MPLM) — ~3:30pm EDT NET
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-03M/28S launch – D.Burbank (CDR-30)/A.Shkaplerov/A.Ivanishin
10/02/11 – 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/??/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-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/xx/12 – 3R Russian Proton — Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA
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————-
