Status Report

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 13 Jan 2004

By SpaceRef Editor

January 13, 2004

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

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 13 Jan 2004 — iss

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

FE Alexander Kaleri had his first orthostatic endurance assessment session with the Russian Chibis suit, conducting the MedOps MO-4 exercise protocol in the below-the-waist reduced-pressure device (ODNT, US: LBNP). CDR Foale assisted his flight engineer as CMO, and the one-hour session was supported by tagup with a ground specialist via VHF. [The Chibis provided gravity-simulating stress to the body’s cardiovascular/circulatory system for evaluation of Kaleri’s orthostatic tolerance (e.g., the Gauer-Henry reflex) after 12 weeks in zero-G.]

Later, Sasha prepared and set up the Russian MO-21 “Ecosphera” air sampler and incubation equipment for the atmospheric microbial air sampling scheduled tomorrow, starting the recharge of its power supply unit. [MO-21 determines microbial contamination of the ISS atmosphere, specifically the total bacterial and fungal microflora counts and microflora composition according to morphologic criteria of microorganism colonies.]

Using the VT laptop in the Airlock (A/L), Michael Foale initiated total discharge on spacesuit batteries #2029 and #2030 in the A/L’s battery stowage assembly (BSA), charged up in the last 24 hours as part of nominal battery maintenance. [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.]

Kaleri continued the current round of the monthly preventive maintenance of RS air ventilation systems, working in the Service Module (SM) to vacuum-clean the Group A fans and grilles as well as the four dust collector filters (PF1-4), which he had replaced on 12/9.

Sasha transferred exercise data files from the TVIS treadmill to the medical equipment computer (MEC) for subsequent downlink. He also completed the weekly TVIS maintenance and conducted the newly required weekly inspection of the TVIS wire ropes for signs of fraying.

The FE performed the regular routine maintenance of SOZh life support systems and prepared the daily IMS (inventory management system) “delta” file for updating the IMS database.

At 10:30am, both crewmembers participated in an interactive televised educational PAO event with students from Seabrook Intermediate School and elementary schools of Seabrook, TX. [Mike Foale’s wife and two children were also in attendance and participated in the event.]

Cabin pressure continues to hold steady, confirming that the leak at the Lab window was successfully eliminated. [Daily monitoring of the cabin air pressure continues with the MCA (major constituents analyzer), which is then switched back to Life Extending Mode between data takes to preserve the ion pump of its mass spectrometer’s vacuum chamber.].

A procedure is in place for checking the “Volume D” space between the window’s pressure panes for air intrusion and evacuation to prevent condensation and potential microbial growth. The window shutters remain closed for now. [In addition to the two pressure panes, the window has an outer debris protection pane and an inner scratch protection pane. The pressure of “Volume D” will be determined with a setup using the FSS (fluid system servicer) equipment, the ISA (internal sample adapter) and VAJ (vacuum access jumper). The procedure will then vent the pressure overboard through the Lab VRIV (vacuum relief isolation valve).]

Ground teams are also continuing to prepare for the upcoming isolation of the U.S. and Russian segments, intended to rule out any other small leaks that may be present. The current plan is to perform the isolation on Saturday (1/17) and re-open everything no later than just before the crew’s bunk time on Sunday. [The plan is to isolate the ISS into four segments, viz.: (1) US Lab; (2) Node + Airlock + PMA-1; (3) FGB; (4) SM + Progress + DC-1 + Soyuz.]

Today’s CEO targets, in the current XPOP attitude constrained by flight rule to fewer near-vertical targets due to Lab window shutter closure and current condensation-prevention plan (see above), were Congo River (Dynamic event. Unusual atmospheric clarity: looking left for sunglint views of the Congo River and tributaries at low-flow stage. Runoff from the present rainy season takes months to fill the Congo River and then flood the surrounding forest), Plankton bloom, S Indian Ocean(Dynamic event. Two opportunities today. Views from nadir off to the right of track [until the Kerguelen Islands came into view] may have provided useful imagery of this remote early summer bloom. Including the landmass helps pinpoint the bloom and provides an additional method of judging scale), Lake Eyre, Australia (status of water levels is of interest as various multi-seasonal controls act on filling and emptying of Australia’s largest inland basin. This is a long term monitoring site), Pilcomayo River, Argentina (nadir views [for ~90 secs] along this major river that flows off the Andes Mts. were requested. Large canals are being engineered to lead water equally into both Argentina and neighboring Paraguay. This river has generated the largest known inland delta on Earth and thus has many aspects of scientific interest), Plankton bloom, Argentina (Dynamic event. The strongest bloom of plankton at present on the planet is mapped by the SeaWiFS along the coast of Patagonia from Buenos Aires to Tierra del Fuego. Discoloration of coastal waters should have been obvious left and right of track. If possible, crew was to include coastlines for verification of position and image scale), and Patagonian Glaciers (PRIORITY (400mm-lens): Clearing from the south and west can reveal usually cloud-covered Pacific-slope glaciers. Detailed images of surface texture were requested).

CEO images can be viewed at the websites.

See also the website “Space Station Challenge” at

http://voyager.cet.edu/iss/

U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 1:42pm EST).

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

Elektron O2 generator is poweredOn. Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On (in Manual Mode 3). U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is on Standby (ready in dual-bed mode). TCCS (trace contaminant control subsystem) is operating. MCA (major constituents analyzer) is off (in Life Extending Mode). 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 (repair incomplete).

SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 742; temperature (deg C) — 26.2; ppO2 (mmHg) — 159.4; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 4.5;
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg/psi) — 741; temperature (deg C) — 29.8.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg/psi) — 744; temperature (deg C) — 23.7.
Node: Pressure (mmHg/psi) — 729.69; temperature (deg C) — 24.4 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg/psi) — 731.58; temperature (deg C) — 24.7; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg/psi) — 733.52; temperature (deg C) — 23.6; shell heater temp (deg C) — 24.1, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 25.2
PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 10.4.

(n/a = data not available)

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

Both P6 channels fully operational. BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B both in Autotrack (suntracking).
SM batteries: Battery #8, formerly known as #7, is still disconnected in slot #8 for troubleshooting; all other batteries (7) are in “Partial Charge” mode.
FGB batteries: Battery #4 is off (capacity restoration mode, ROM); 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-1 MDM is Off; PL-2 MDM is Operational.
APS-1 (automated payload switch #1) and APS-2 are both On.
SM Terminal Computer (TVM): 2 redundant lanes (of 3) operational (string 1 dropped out 11/22).
SM Central Computer (TsVM): 2 redundant lanes (of 3) operational (string #3 dropped out 10/22).

Propulsion System:

Total propellant load available:3637 kg (8018 lb) as of 1/1/04 [SM(755) + FGB(2530) + Progress M(352) + 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-1 is prime, IAC-2 is off).
Video subsystem operating nominally.
HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.

Robotics:

SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at MBS PDGF #1/LEE B, 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, 8:36am EST [= epoch]):