Status Report

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 11 Sep 2003

By SpaceRef Editor

September 11, 2003

Filed under ISS, ISS On-orbit status, NASA HQ, US

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 11 Sep 2003 — iss

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

The crew continued Progress 12P unloading and cargo transfer operations for about three hours, tracking transfers with BCR (bar code reader) for the IMS database. Directions on a container-by-container basis are provided by way of an uplinked transfer-and-stowage list. [Transfer ops were also video taped with the PD100 camcorder for use by MCC-H management in briefings.]

CDR Yuri Malenchenko performed routine maintenance on the SM toilet system (ASU), replacing its E-K pretreat container and hose with a new assembly and discarding the old set. (Last time done: 5/20). [E-K contains five liters of pre-treat solution, i.e., a mix of H2SO4 (sulfuric acid), CrO3 (chromium oxide, for oxidation and purple color), and H2O (water). The pre-treat liquid is mixed with water in a dispenser (DKiV) and used for toilet flushing.]

FE/SO Ed Lu transferred the new RED (resistive exercise device) components from the Progress 12P and configured them for normal operations. The troubleshooting on RED canister #1010 did not succeed, which attempted to change out the hand cranks with the new ones delivered on 12P in order to eliminate one possible cause of the observed problems. The old cans, #1001 and #1003, were reinstalled and are currently in use. The newly arrived canisters #1011 & #1012 need to be checked out before installation. [A recalibration of RED, compared to one-week old data, indicates a weakening of the Flexpacks’ resistance, i.e., less anaerobic exercise effect. There is a supply of Flexpacks on board, but since resources are limited, specialists have developed a RED usage plan to take the Expedition 7 and Expedition 8 crews through the remaining time until the next generation anaerobic exercise system SchRED (Schwinn-RED) becomes prime in January 2004, to be replaced in January 2005 by ARED (Advanced RED).]

Malenchenko conducted the regular monthly inspection of the PBAs (portable breathing apparatus) and PFEs (portable fire extinguishers). Yuri was also to confirm the present location of the Node EHTK (extension hose tee kit). [There are a total of five PBAs in the U.S. segment (USOS), i.e., two in the Node, two in the Lab and one in the Joint Airlock (A/L). Last time inspected: 8/5.]

The CDR completed another session downlinking payload data from the TEKh-20 Plasma Crystal 3 (PK-3) experiment in the SM, obtained during its run on 8/1. [The transmission, via “Telescience” equipment to Russian ground sites (RGS), began yesterday, to continue over several TV downlink opportunities.]

Ed Lu terminated discharge mode on the new spacesuit batteries #2032 and #2033 in the A/L’s battery stowage assembly (BSA), which had been charged up in the past days as part of nominal battery maintenance. The batteries were then stowed in the Airlock. EMU #3305 is ready to support an EVA by Lu on short notice. [EMU (extravehicular mobility unit) battery maintenance is performed every 50 days, and consists of fully charging and then discharging the batteries to prolong their useful life.]

The Science Officer worked with the ground in performing a test and checkout of the C&W (caution & warning) and ICOM (internal communications) system. [The issue was a safety concern with ICOM between the Russian (RS) and U.S. (USOS) segments, which is disabled when C&W tones are set to On. This could prevent ICOM use if an alarm occurs while the crew is in Soyuz. The test today was to verify that RS, USOS as well as the ground can command all C&W tones to silence and thereby restore ICOM.]

Ed worked on EXPRESS Rack #1 (ER1) in the Lab, reconfiguring its MTL (moderate temperature loop) umbilicals to enhance ARIS (active rack isolation system) microgravity performance. He also took pictures documenting the new configuration.

Yuri completed today’s maintenance of the SM SOZh life support system (including ASU toilet facilities). As part of this routine task, he placed “Do Not Use” labels on specific EDV-U urine containers which have exceeded their guaranteed service life of three months from the moment of first installation. [There are currently 16 of these used-up EDV-Us.]

Ed meanwhile prepared the daily IMS (inventory management system) “delta” file for automatic export/import to update the database. [To date, there have been a total of 2032 delta files generated by the four IMS databases (ISS, Houston, Moscow, and Baikonur). Since 9/6/2000,they have been created at an average rateof 1.85 delta files per day.]

The Station’s cabin air was repressurized today with air from the Progress 12P air tank, by about 10 mmHg. Several more represses with air are planned by MCC-Moscow, with the aim, to use it all up if possible. The next repress with oxygen (O2) won’t be done until shortly before arrival of the Soyuz 7S crew. A reactivation of the Elektron O2 electrolysis machine is planned for 9/19.

The crew performed their regular physical exercise, and Ed Lu completed the monthly maintenance of the CEVIS (cycle ergometer with vibration isolation), which consists mostly of an examination of the wire rope isolators for damage.

At 10:10am EDT, both crewmembers participated in an interactive televised PAO interview (Ku-band and S-band) on KCAU-TV, Sioux City, IA, lasting about twenty minutes and aired also on NASA TV.

The test of Microsoft’s NetMeeting for Video Teleconferencing application on the new, as-yet unassigned NGL (next generation laptop) A31p ThinkPad machine on 9/8 was judged a success. While an audio problem is still under investigation, work is now underway on a plan to transition the SSC VT (videoconference terminal) to the A31p laptops.

The next Robotics session with the Canadian SSRMS (space station remote manipulator system) is planned for Monday, 9/15.

Today’s CEO (crew earth observation) targets, limited in the current XPOP attitude by flight rule constraints on the use of the Lab nadir/science window, and including the targets of the Lewis & Clark 200-year memorial locations, were Hurricane Isabel (Dynamic event. Moving west in the central Atlantic, this is now a category 4 storm with winds at 115 kts. The eye was predicted to be left of track, viz. ~2 deg off track), Recife, Brazil (good pass over thus ancient Brazilian port, just left of track), Johnston Island Reef (tropical coral reef. Looking a touch left. This is the first of four similar targets today in the central Pacific Ocean for which specialists are awaiting detailed views for map creation), Kingman Reef, central Pacific (looking a touch left), Palmyra Atoll, central Pacific (looking a touch left), Jarvis Island (tropical coral reef in the central Pacific Ocean. Looking a touch right), and Tuamotu Archipelago (pass over the western end of this long chain of tropical atolls. Looking left and right).

CEO images can be viewed at the websites

See also the website “Space Station Challenge” at
http://voyager.cet.edu/iss/

Did you know that…

…since the current Expedition 7 came on board, the Station has used 629 kg propellant. [This could be translated into a “fuel efficiency” for ISS of roughly 940,800 miles per gallon.]

U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 1:59pm EDT).

Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):

Elektron O2 generator is powered Off (O2 and air being supplied by Progress 12P). Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On (in Manual Mode 5/3). U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is Off. TCCS (trace contaminant control subsystem) is operating. MCA (major constituents analyzer) is operating. BMP Harmful Impurities unit: absorbent bed #1 in Purify mode, bed #2 in Purify mode. RS air conditioner SKV-1 is On; SKV-2 is Off.

SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 742; temperature (deg C) — 26.9; ppO2 (mmHg) — data invalid; ppCO2 (mmHg) — data invalid.
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 741; temperature (deg C) — 21.1.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 744; temperature (deg C) — 22.7.
Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 741.34 temperature (deg C) — 23.9 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 743.60; temperature (deg C) — 23.1; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 743.81; temperature (deg C) — 28.7; shell heater temp (deg C) — 25.2, ppO2 (mmHg) — 158.1; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 4.2.
PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 24.0
PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 13.2.

(n/a = data not available)

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

Both P6 channels fully operational. BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B both in AutoTrack mode (solar tracking).
SM batteries: Battery #2 is failed and off; battery #7 is in Discharge mode; all other batteries (6) are in “Partial Charge” mode (battery #1 is degraded).
FGB batteries: Battery #1 is disconnected; all other batteries (5) are in “Partial Charge” mode.
Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 in Standby mode; PCU-2 in Standby mode.

Command & Data Handling Systems:

C&C-1 MDM is prime, C&C-2 is back-up, and C&C-3 is in standby.
GNC-1 MDM is prime; GNC-2 is Backup.
INT-2 is operating; INT-1 is Off.
EXT-2 is On (primary), EXT-1 is Off (both now upgraded to R3).
LA-1, LA-2 and LA-3 MDMs are all operating.
PL-2 MDM is Off; PL-1 MDM is Operational.
APS-1 (automated payload switch #1) and APS-2 are both On.
SM Terminal Computer (TVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.
SM Central Computer (TsVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.

Propulsion System (PS):

Total propellant load available: 5000 kg (11,023 lb) as of 9/11 [SM(755) + FGB(3685) + Progress M(560) + Progress M-1(0)]. (Capability: SM — 860 kg; FGB — 6120 kg).

Attitude Control Systems:

3 CMGs on-line (CMG-1 failed).
State vector source — U.S. SIGI-1 (GPS)
Attitude source — U.S. SIGI-1 (GPS)
Angular rate source — RGA-1

Flight Attitude:

XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane = “sun-fixed” [yaw: 0.5 deg, pitch: -9.0 deg., roll: 0 deg]), with CMG TA (thruster assist).

Communications & Tracking Systems:

FGB MDM-1 is powered Off; FGB MDM-2 is operational.
All other Russian communications & tracking systems are nominal.
S-band is operating nominally (on string 2).
Ku-band is operating nominally.
Audio subsystem is operating nominally (IAC-2 is prime).
Video subsystem operating nominally.
HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.

Robotics:

SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at MBS PDGF #1 with Keep Alive (KA) power on both strings.
MBS: KA power on both strings.
MT: latched and mated at WS4.
POA: KA power on both strings.
RWS (robotics workstations): Lab RWS is On (DCP connected); Cupola RWS is Off.

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 7:57pm EDT [= epoch]):