NASA On-Orbit Status 25 August 2005

SpaceRef note: This NASA Headquarters internal status report, as presented here, contains additional, original material produced by SpaceRef.com (copyright © 2005) to enhance access to related status reports and NASA activities.

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.

CDR Sergei Krikalev performed get-ahead work on the Elektron oxygen generator by removing its failed Liquid Unit #7 (BZh-7) and two aerosol filters, switching between the two internal cooling loops KOB-1 and KOB-2 as required for safe connector demating. The 2-hr. job was supported by ground specialist tagup as needed.  [BZh-7 will be trashed on Progress 18. A new Liquid Unit is manifested on Progress 19 for delivery on 9/10.]

FE/SO Phillips logged in on the Medical Equipment Computer (MEC) and performed another session with the laptop-based psychological MedOps WinSCAT (Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool) experiment.  [This task was taken off the original schedule on 8/23 due to the unavailability of the MEC, which Phillips repaired yesterday. WinSCAT is a time-constrained questionnaire test of cognitive abilities, routinely performed by astronauts aboard the ISS every 30 days before or after the PHS (periodic health status) test or on special CDR’s, crewmembers or flight surgeons request.]

Going by an uplinked stowage/supply listing, Krikalev conducted a 3-hr. audit/inventory of onboard medical support hardware and medical kits, transferring some items to specific Medlocker containers and preparing used, failed and expired items for disposal on Progress.

The FE worked on five filled CWCs (collapsible water containers) with cracked and leaking fittings, performing temporary repair on them with Duxseal leak patches, gray tape, needle pliers and wire cutters. Afterwards, John took a 1-hr. inventory of the onboard CWCs. All onboard CWCs are now fully functional. [CWCs #1044, #1018, #1038, and #1040 were found damaged at their outlets, #1020 at the inlet.]

Russian programmers have developed a software patch to correct a problem encountered with the payload server (BSPN) in the Service Module (SM). The CDR today loaded the patch on the Wiener ISS laptop for its subsequent transfer to and installation on the BSPN. Later, Sergei was to dump BSPN log files and system data from the Wiener to the ground to verify accurate installation.  [Timing for the job was critical since TsUP needed to restart the server during a specific RGS (Russian ground station) comm window on Daily Orbit 15.]

Phillips deployed new U.S. SODF (Systems Operation Data File) books that were refreshed with LF-1, and prepared the out-of-date SODF books for trash.  [Trashed books were located in the Lab, Node, Airlock and SM.]

Sergei performed the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh environment control & life support system, including the ASU toilet system and the weekly inspection of the BRPK air/liquid condensate separator apparatus, while John prepared the daily IMS update/ delta file for automated export/import to the three IMS databases.  [The IMS file, which is reviewed on the ground on a regular basis, was updated today particularly with some hardware stowage data resulting from EVA-14.]

Both crewmembers conducted their regular 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on the TVIS treadmill, CEVIS cycle ergometer, RED resistive machine and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer.  [Sergei s daily protocol prescribes a strict four-day microcycle exercise with 1.5 hr on the treadmill and one hour on VELO plus load trainer (today: Day 2 of a new set).]

Afterwards, John transferred the exercise data files to the MEC for downlink, as well as the daily wristband HRM (heart rate monitor) data of the RED workouts, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).

Still on the Russian discretionary task list for Sergei today was the audit/inventory of the utensils of the food supply subsystem (SPP), for updating the IMS with regard to stowage locations and quantities behind FGB and SM panels and in a Progress container.

The Vozdukh CO2 removal system continues to operate nominally, now in Automatic mode, after the replacement of its Channel 2 vacuum valve package (BVK) in Channel 2 last Tuesday. The U.S. CDRA (CO2 removal assembly) was deactivated early yesterday morning, and the crew disconnected the ITCS LTL (internal thermal control system low temperature loop) in the Lab.  [CO2 partial pressure is normal at 3.3 mmHg.]

The SSC-4 (Station Support Computer #4) in the Lab, which suffered a display failure, was replaced yesterday with the SSC-6 from the Node. [SSC-4 was used by Phillips as his CPSD (Crew Personal Support Disk) machine, and the failure seems to be similar to the other display failures experienced on previous SSCs. The former SSC-6 is now John s new CPSD SSC. Ground discussions are underway to develop plans to troubleshoot accumulating on-orbit computers with failed displays.]

Station attitude continues in XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane), until 9/2, and the P6 solar array wings are set to dual-angle autotrack, with BGA (Beta gimbal assembly) 2B at -36 deg, 4B at +36 deg angle.

On EEATCS (Early External Active Thermal Control System) Loop A, the ammonia pump B of the

PFCS (Pump & Flow Control Subassembly) was successfully switched to pump A. Tomorrow morning, PFCS pump B will be switched to pump A on Loop B. No crew interaction was required.  [The rationale for performing this activity is to split time between the two internal pumps to try to maximize the overall on-orbit life of the PFCS ORUs (Orbital Replacement Units).]

Starting this morning at 2:00am EDT and running for seven hours, MCC-H and its support group in Moscow (HSG) conducted another BCC (Backup Control Center) dry run in test mode, with no involvement of the ISS crew or vehicle. Purpose of the periodic exercise was to demonstrate BCC functionality under Russian assets while providing proficiency training for HSG (Houston Support Group) personnel at the HSR (Houston Support Room) and TsUP/Moscow specialists.  [The ISS EMCC (Emergency Mission Control Center), located in Russia, comprises TsUP/Moscow as the Lead Control Center, coupled with HSR at TsUP. The BCC facility provides a command and control capability from TsUP if the EMCC must be activated. This is the case in situations that render MCC-Houston unable to provide telemetry, voice, and command capability for extended periods. EMCC is also used when the threat of severe weather results in evacuation of the MCC-H building for extended periods. In such an emergency, both Russian servers (CMD/command & TM/telemetry) are transitioned from MCC-H connectivity to BCC configuration, after which only the BCC can connect to the CMD and TM ports. An actual contingency requiring switchover to the BCC occurred on 10/2/2002 when Hurricane Lili forced MCC-H to shut down at 4:00am EDT.]

Today’s CEO (crew earth observations) photo targets, limited in the current XPOP attitude by flight rule constraints on the use of the Lab nadir/science window, which is available for only ~1/4 of each orbit when not facing forward (in ram), were High Central Andean Glaciers (although nadir views of these small ice features are not available with this pass, light and weather were just adequate. Using the long lens setting for oblique views to the left of track as ISS paralleled the Peruvian coast and the High Central Andes to the east), Patagonian Glaciers (weather was marginal over most of Patagonia. This was probably the best pass in terms of lighting. Using the long lens and concentrate on between-cloud views of the smaller, less-well documented glaciers as the crew encountered them),and Coral reefs, American Samoa (although nadir views were not likely, weather and light were adequate for this target area. Using the long lens and aiming mostly to right of track).

 
CEO photography can be viewed and studied at the websites:

• http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov
• http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov
• http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/AstronautPhotography/

See also the website “Space Station Challenge” at:

• http://voyager.cet.edu/iss/

To view the latest photos taken by the expedition 11 crew visit:

• http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-11/ndxpage1.html at NASA’s Human Spaceflight website.

Expedition 11 Flight Crew Plans can be found at http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/timelines/

Previous NASA ISS On-orbit Status Reports can be found here. Previous NASA Space Station Status Reports can be found here. Previous NASA Space Shuttle Processing Status Reports can be found here. A collection of all of these reports and other materials relating to Return to Flight for the Space Shuttle fleet can be found here.

Upcoming Events (all times EDT):

• 09/07/05 — Progress M-53/18P undocking (6:23am)
• 09/08/05 — Progress M-54/19P launch (9:08am)
• 09/10/05 — Progress M-54/19P docking (10:49am).

19P is manifested to deliver to the ISS the following cargo: 800 kg propellants; 110 kg gas (oxygen/air, thanks to 14 additional gas tanks installed by RSC-Energia externally for an extra delivery capability of 60 kg O2); 300 kg water; 1230 kg dry cargo, comprising 139 Russian cargo items (including a new Elektron-VM Liquid Unit and 16 SFOG candles) and 83 NASA items (including two IBM 760XD laptops).

• 09/30/05 — Soyuz TMA-7/11S launch (~11:54pm)
• 10/03/05 — Soyuz TMA-7/11S docking (~1:20am)
• 10/11/05 — Soyuz TMA-6/10S landing (~9:06pm)
• 11/18/05 — Soyuz TMA-7/11S relocation (from DC-1 to FGB nadir port)
• 12/21/05 Progress M-55/20P launch
• 12/23/05 — Progress M-55/20P docking

ISS Orbit  (as of this morning, 7:36am EDT [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 353.1 km
• Apogee height — 353.6 km
• Perigee height — 352.5 km
• Period — 91.60 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.000085
• Solar Beta Angle — 55.3 deg (magnitude increasing)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.72
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 175 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 38658

ISS Altitude History

Apogee height — Mean Altitude — Perigee height

For more on ISS orbit and worldwide ISS naked-eye visibility dates/times, see http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/viewing/issvis.html. In addition, information on International Space Station sighting opportunities can be found at http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/ on NASA’s Human Spaceflight website. The current location of the International Space Station can be found at http://science.nasa.gov/temp/StationLoc.html at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. Additional satellite tracking resources can be found at http://www.spaceref.com/iss/tracking.html.