NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 13 December 2004
SpaceRef note: This NASA Headquarters internal status report, as presented here, contains additional, original material produced by SpaceRef.com (copyright © 2004) to enhance access to related status reports and NASA activities.
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Underway: Week 8 of Increment 10. Russia is observing Constitution Day, a national holiday (officially: Dec. 12).
Leroy Chiao set up and worked an ADUM (Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Microgravity) proficiency training session, using the ADUM OPE (On-board Proficiency Enhancer) in preparation for this week s scheduled Scans Z, B, and C ultrasound activities. He was also requested to label the two OPE compact disks to clarify Version 1.0 versus Version 2.0. [The CDR used the ADUM OPE CD on the HRF (Human Research Facility) PC/laptop, focusing on cardiac, thoracic & bone scanning, plus data acquisition (probe positioning) and principles of remote guidance, ultrasound, and anatomy.]
Continuing on the HRF, the CDR conducted another checkout of the MedOps cardiac defibrillator. [This periodic routine task is scheduled as soon as possible from Expedition start and every 60 days thereafter. For the checkout, the defib is connected to the 120V outlet, equipped with its battery (#1010) and then allowed to charge, for about five seconds, to a preset energy level (e.g., 100 joules). After the button-triggered discharge, a console indicator signals success or failure of the test. The pacing signal is downlinked via S-band for 2 min. The HRF is powered down subsequently.]
Continuing the current round of the monthly preventive maintenance of RS ventilation systems, Salizhan Sharipov worked in the Service Module (SM) on a five-hour inspection and cleaning of Group B ventilator fans and grilles. As part of the activity, he also photographed the fans with the Nikon D1 for ground assessment of behind-panel views and fan screen contamination.
Meanwhile, the CDR performed IFM (inflight maintenance) on the new Respirator Support Pack (RSP) #1004, which had failed during activation and checkout on 8/20 after its arrival on Progress 15P. [The unit was declared failed when it wouldn t turn off, and the old RSP #1003 was declared primary instead. Today s attempt by Leroy to repair the unit by valve correction and calibration will help determine which of the two units should be designated as prime.]
FE Sharipov completed the periodic servicing task of changing out components of the SM toilet system (ASU), then checked out the ASU. [Replaced with new units were the U-receptacle (MP) and filter insert (F-V). The old items were logged in the IMS database and stowed for disposal.]
Leroy continued the longer-term gathering and consolidating of U.S. trash items for disposal in Progress 15P, using a new uplinked list of items with pictures and additional information to help locating them. [At this time, it is still open whether any U.S. items will be packed on 15P, and Chiao will not load anything on the cargo ship until getting the Go-ahead from TsUP/Moscow.]
The CDR also completed the remaining inventory tables of the crew s current computer accessories pantry audit. Later, he tagged up with ground specialists via S-band to discuss the results.
Salizhan completed today s routine inspection of the SM’s SOZh life support system (including replacement of ASU toilet facility inserts), while Leroy prepared the regular IMS (inventory management system) delta file for export/import to the IMS databases.
After Chiao had set up the video camcorder for the periodic filming of the TVIS treadmill exercise, the crew performed their daily 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on TVIS, RED exerciser, CEVIS cycle and the VELO cycle with bungee cord load trainer. Salizhan’s daily protocol currently prescribes a 1.5-hr structured set on the treadmill (today: Day 2 of a new set) and one hour on VELO. [The TVIS video, showing the bottom half of the exercising crewmember and the machine s motions within the pit with TVIS skirt removed, is periodically required to support biomechanical evaluation of the exercising crewmember and assessment of the on-orbit setup of equipment during data collection.]
Afterwards, Leroy transferred the daily TVIS and RED exercise data files to the MEC (medical equipment computer) for downlink, as well as the daily wristband HRM (heart rate monitor) data, which were then erased on the HRM storage medium.
In the Lab, CDR Chiao connected the low temperature loop (LTL) jumper of the internal active thermal control system (IATCS) to the Air Revitalization Rack that contains the CDRA (carbon dioxide removal assembly). As a checkout of the 12/10 IFM by Leroy, CDRA was then activated by the ground (~3:30am EST).
Preparatory to the upcoming cabin air refreshes with O2 from Progress 15P stores, the MCA (major constituents analyzer) today was taken through a 30-min. zero calibration by the ground. MCA measurements of ppO2 will be conducted before and after each repress.
|
Previous Reports ISS On-orbit Status [HQ] |
With the decrease of the solar Beta angle to below 60 deg, attitude control authority was once again handed over to the Russian SUDN motion control and navigation system for maneuvering the station at ~9:45am EST from LVLH barbecue mode to sun-oriented XPOP flight attitude. Attitude control then returned to the U.S. ACS with control moment gyros (CMGs), going directly to the Momentum Management controller. [The automated procedure, intended to reduce the stress on the CMGs during activities calling for the handover, was introduced early this year (first time: 3/26). It allows going from RS thruster control straight to U.S. CMG momentum management without the previously required period of attitude hold. The procedure, which normally requires no crew support (except perhaps when Russian command steps are to be performed in the absence of TsUP), (1) prepares each segments attitude control system for the control transfer, and (2) executes the handover.]
After the change to XPOP, the U.S. solar arrays were configured for their drag-reducing bias setting of 42.5 deg for BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 42.5 deg for BGA 4B (i.e., not facing the sun flat-on to reduce drag-producing cross-sectional area in flight direction).
Update on SIGI1: On the U.S. segment, the SIGI1 (space integrated GPS/inertial navigation system #1) has again failed, refusing to process new state vector (SV, position/velocity/time) updates, but it is propagating an (increasingly stale ) earlier position fix, resulting in an SV of slowly worsening accuracy. There are two additional healthy sources for attitude: SIGI2 for getting updates from its GPS antennas, and the well-working Russian SUDN systems. The loss of two of the four GPS antennas still prevents the determination of station attitude from U.S. sources.
No CEO targets today.
CEO photography can be viewed and studied at the websites:
See also the website “Space Station Challenge” at:
To view the latest photos taken by the expedition 10 crew visit:
- http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-10/ndxpage1.html at NASA’s Human Spaceflight website.
Expedition 10 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 Key Events:
- Progress 15P undocking & destructive reentry — 12/22 (Eastern);
- Progress 16P launch — 12/23 (5:19pm EST);
- Progress 16P docking — 12/25 (7:10pm EST);
- EVA-12 — 1/25/05;
- Progress 16P undocking & destructive reentry — 2/27/05;
- Progress 17P launch — 2/28/05.
- EVA-13 — 3/25/05;
- Soyuz 9S undock — 4/25/05 (after 193 days on orbit, 191 days on board ISS).
|
ISS Location NOW |
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 6:24am EST [= epoch]):
- Mean altitude — 355.2 km
- Apogee height — 358.1 km
- Perigee height — 352.2 km
- Period — 91.64 min.
- Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
- Eccentricity — 0.0004376
- Solar Beta Angle — -52.6 deg (magnitude decreasing)
- Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.71
- Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 120 m
- Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 34648
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.
