NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 1 September 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.   At this morning’s IMMT (ISS Mission Management Team) meeting, our Russian partners expressed sincere condolences and sympathy to the victims of Hurricane Katrina on behalf of RSC-Energia and Russia and offered assistance.

After crew wakeup at ~2:00am EDT, CDR Sergei Krikalev began the day with the regular morning inspection, today combined with the monthly routine checkup on DC1 circuit breakers and fuses.   [The monthly checkup in the “Pirs” Docking Compartment looks at AZS circuit breakers on the BVP Amp Switch Panel (they should all be On) and the LEDs (light-emitting diodes) of 14 fuses in Fuse Panels BPP-30 & BPP-36.]

The CDR performed the Day 2 portion of the three-part MBI-8 “Profilaktika” (preventive health maintenance) fitness test series started yesterday, today using the NS-01 load trainer on the VELO cycle ergometer, keeping a log and supported by tag-up with medical support personnel at TsUP/Moscow.  Part 3, on the TVIS treadmill, will conclude the assessment tomorrow.   [Today’s Russian fitness test consists of four types of exercise, viz., neck tilting (back/forward), simultaneous forearm flexing, trunk extension, and trunk flexes.  Each type of exercise consists of a series of 15 motions repeated two times.  Load levels are selected by the ground and do not change from test to test.  Total duration of the test is 13 min.  Gas analysis and subjective evaluation of physical exertion levels are also performed as a part of this test, using the TEEM-100M gas analyzer, but no lactate level and creatine kinase blood testing as in earlier runs.]

The crew continued Progress 18 transfer/loading and IMS operations, getting the cargoship-turned-trashcan ready for its undocking next week (9/7). [The loading was guided by detailed uplinked instructions, because for proper stability and control of the fully automated spacecraft, operating on pre-stored autopilot command algorithms, it is important that center of gravity and mass moments of inertia of the ship remain within prescribed limits.  Thus, careful documentation and video coverage for ground inspection is used to assure proper ballasting.  Equipment now stowed in the Progress cargo compartment includes one failed Elektron Liquid Unit (BZh), three 800A storage batteries, one air purification column unit (BKO), one mass measuring unit (IM) for the PZEh-MO-8 (body mass measurement) test, one panel each of the Japanese MPAC&SEED payloads, five filled solid-waste containers (KTO) and six filled liquid-waste EDV-U containers.  Shortly before undocking next week, the ISS cabin will be repressed with the remaining Progress oxygen, and 18P’s refueling lines will be purged.]

After the ground had powered up the MSS (Mobile Service System), FE/SO Phillips worked on the Lab RWS (Robotics Work Station) to maneuver the Canadian SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator System) wrist pitch and yaw joints to a position which avoids contamination of the tip LEE (Latching End Effector) during Progress 18 undocking and 19P docking.  Phillips later deactivated systems and removed the UOP-DCP (utility outlet panel-to-display & control panel) bypass power cable at the Lab RWS.   [The maneuver also verified a new software patch that allows for the Joint OCAS (operator commanded auto sequence) target angles to be displayed on the ground (MCC-H).]

The FE also conducted the first part of the planned two-day PCS (Portable Computer System) “ghosting” activities.   [John first disconnected, removed and stowed the IBM 760XD laptop (#6065) at the Lab Cupola work station, then replaced it with the first of three LF1-delivered ThinkPad A31p NGLs (Next Generation Laptops).  After loading its hard disk drive (HDD) with the structure/image of the new R9 software and recording its serial number, the laptop was stowed and the procedure was repeated for the second A31p.  A third laptop and a spare HDD will be ghosted tomorrow.  This work is in preparation of the upcoming transition of the onboard PCS laptops to the new R9 software version and the step-up from IBM 760XD laptops to the faster A31p platforms.  The actual transition is tentatively planned for 9/14, and the crew will continue to use the 760XDs until that time.  Resolution of current A31p laptop display issues may impact these plans.]

The CDR did the daily routine maintenance of the Service Module (SM) environment control & life support system (SOZh), including its toilet system (ASU) and the weekly routine checkup of the IP-1 airflow sensors in the various RS hatchways and FGB-to-Node tunnel.  He also prepared the regular daily IMS “delta”/update file for automated export/import to the three IMS databases (MCC-H/TsUP/Baikonur).

Phillips conducted another inventory audit of the available CWCs (contingency water containers) and their contents, to keep track of onboard water supplies.   [An uplinked new CWC “cue card”, based on John’s water calldowns last week supported this weekly activity.  Updated cue cards will be sent up every other week.]

The FE completed his regular daily 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on the TVIS treadmill and RED resistive exerciser, while Krikalev’s exercise was accounted for by his MBI-8 “Profilaktika” run in the morning.

Afterwards, John transferred the exercise data files to the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) 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).

A continuing job for Sergei on his discretionary task list is the transfer of urine from EDV-U liquid waste containers to the two empty Rodnik water tanks in Progress 18 for disposal, begun on 8/26.

Also on his voluntary “time available” task list for today or tomorrow was a checkout of a new A31p laptop, identified as RSE1, for the visiting VC9 crewmember Gregory Olsen.   [The checkout was to verify functionality of power supply, laptop lid LEDs, text creation with WordPad, and opening/reading of a CD and a floppy disk.  Afterwards, the RSE1 was to be stowed in the VC9’s sleep station and the IOMS updated.]

Last night, MCC-H successfully uplinked and enabled PPL (Pre-Positioned Load) commands for GNC (guidance, navigation & control) “checkpoint” commanding.   [Checkpointing means that, should the primary GNC MDM (multiplexer/demultiplexer) computer fail, the backup GNC MDM will be brought up to primary state in the same configuration as the previous MDM, and non-propulsive attitude control by the CMGs (control moment gyroscopes) will be maintained throughout the MDM transition.  Because pointing information was interrupted by the MDM activity for more than 60 seconds, the BGAs (Beta Gimbal Assemblies) transitioned from Autotrack (44 degree bias) to Blind mode (23 degree bias).  Data were dumped to the ground for “lessons learned” analysis, and the BGAs successfully commanded back to Autotrack.] 

With solar Beta angle decreasing to 52 deg. tomorrow, station attitude will be changed at 11:32am EDT from the current sun-pointing XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane) to earth-oriented LVLH XVV (local vertical local horizontal/x-axis in velocity vector).   [The maneuver will be executed on SM thrusters, after which attitude control authority will return to U.S. CMGs.  LVLH will be maintained until 9/17, but will be briefly moded to Russian attitude control for 18P undock on 9/7 and 19P dock on 9/10. After 9/17, XPOP will be maintained until Soyuz 11S docking on 10/3, followed by return to LVLH.]

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 Patagonian Glaciers (weather was marginal, but the lighting was about as good as it gets this time of the year.  Using the long lens to concentrate on the small glaciers of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field), Internal waves, S Patagonian Shelf (weather is steadily improving over the eastern coastal waters of Patagonia.  As ISS approached the coast, the crew was to begin looking left of track (north) for glint in the vicinity and south of the Valdes Peninsula), and Lake Poopo, Bolivia (using this fair-weather pass to document seasonal water levels in the southern Altiplano region.  As the station approached the area from the SW, the crew was to try to map the shoreline areas of the large, bright Salar de Uyuni to the SW of Lake Poopo).

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.

ISS Orbit  (as of this morning, 7:21am EDT [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 352.2 km
• Apogee height — 353.1 km
• Perigee height — 351.2 km
• Period — 91.58 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0001457
• Solar Beta Angle — 55.2 deg (magnitude decreasing)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.72
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 125 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) – 38768

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)
• 10/18/05 – ISS Reboost
• 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 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.