NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 13 July 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.

The CDR started off with another 90-min. session of the regular monthly ETD experiment (=Eye Tracking Device, to investigate the coordination of eye and head movements in zero-G), his fourth, taking place in the DC-1 docking module’s center sphere. [After a calibration with the calibrating unit, the experiment investigates horizontal eye and head movement coordination, measured Listing’s plane, and determined the orientation of the vestibulo-ocular coordinate system, using five target marks on the horizontal plane. Each step required another prior calibration run, using visual target cues or the calibration unit.]

Using the SMPA (Service Module power adapter) in the SM, John ran accuracy verification tests on two of the US electrical scopemeters, “Hank” and “Aeolus”. [The SMPA transforms the Russian 28 volts direct current to 12VDC for the scopemeter batteries.]

Afterwards, Phillips completed the periodic long-term accuracy checkup of the Aeolus pressure gauge as part of regular IFM (in-flight maintenance).

The FE also set up the VDS video system for the docked Shuttle configuration by connecting two video hard lines for Orbiter-to-ISS data and one video line for ISS-to-Orbiter transmission.

Sergei Krikalev had his first orthostatic (hemodynamic) 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). John Phillips assisted his commander 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 Krikalev s orthostatic tolerance (e.g., the Gauer-Henry reflex) after 12 weeks in zero-G.]

In preparation for the upcoming RPM (Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver), the CDR started the charging process on the batteries for the handheld Kodak 760 DCS (digital camera system) cameras, four at a time. After about three hours of charging, the batteries were then moved to the SM.

Sergei configured the cabling for the headsets to be worn by the crewmembers during the RPM.

Also in preparation for the RPM, later in the day Phillips and Krikalev undertook another onboard training drill with their cameras. [During Discovery’s RPM backflip at ~600 ft from the station, the ISS crew will have ~90 seconds for taking high-resolution digital photographs of all tile areas and door seals, to be downlinked for launch debris assessment by the Shuttle MMT (Mission Management Team).]

As part of regular monthly preventive maintenance of RS ventilation systems, Sergei spent an hour in the SM replacing its four dust filter cartridges (PF1-4) and discarding the old units. (Last time done: 5/4).

Sergei was also scheduled for his regular weekly IMS tagup with specialists at TsUP/Moscow at ~10:20am EDT, discussing open issues concerning identification of equipment and storage locations for the IMS databases.

Time again for recharging the Motorola-9505 Iridium satellite phone. The CDR retrieved it from its location in the Soyuz TMA-6/10S descent module (BO) and initiated the monthly recharging of its lithium-ion battery, a 30-min. process. The charging was monitored every 10-15 minutes as it took place, and upon completion Sergei returned the phone inside its SSSP Iridium kit and stowed it back in the BO s operational data files (ODF) container. [The satphone accompanies returning ISS crews on Soyuz reentry and landing for contingency communications with SAR (Search-and-Rescue) personnel after touchdown. The Russian-developed procedure for the monthly recharging has been approved jointly by safety officials. During the procedure, the phone is left in its fluoroplastic bag with open flap.]

The FE meanwhile set up the DOUG (Dynamic Onboard Ubiquitous Graphics) software for the upcoming SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator System) activities during LF-1. [The new Version 1.61 for the OpsLAN SSC (Operations Local Area Network Station Support Computer) A31p laptops was uplinked on 6/8 to upgrade the onboard Robotics DOUG software. DOUG is a software application that provides a graphical birdseye-view image of the external station configuration and the SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator System), showing its real-time location and configuration on a laptop during its operation.]

Phillips deployed a new A31p, delivered on Progress 18, in the Node to support LF-1 operations. The laptop is identified as SSC-6 (Station Support Computer #6).

To prepare for the upcoming onboard crew enlargement, Phillips offloaded part of the accumulated water from the Lab condensate collection tank into a CWC (collapsible water container, #1026).

Sergei did the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s environment control & life support system (SOZh), including its toilet system (ASU) and the weekly inspection of the BRPK air/liquid condensate separator apparatus.

Later, working off his voluntary time available task list, he also prepared the IMS (inventory management system) delta file for automated export/import top the three IMS databases.

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 3 of a new set).]

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 workouts on RED, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).

The FE collected and stowed the two FMK (formaldehyde monitoring kit) monitors, deployed by him on 7/11 in the Lab (below CEVIS) and SM (most forward handrail).

Working off his voluntary time available task list, Sergei conducted the regular daily inspection of the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 (“Plants-2”) experiment, including filling its water canister for the Lada-7 greenhouse as required.

Another item in today’s Russian “job jar” was a session with the “Uragan” (hurricane) earth-imaging program, focusing the Nikon D1X digital camera with f400 or 800 mm lens from an SM window on targets specified by an uplinked list

LF-1 Launch delayed: At about T-51 min, the LF-1 mission was declared a scrub for today. The scrub occurred when scheduled pre-launch simulations of the SSME ECO (Space Shuttle Main Engine/Engine Cutoff) sensors in the ET (External Tank) resulted in conditions which indicated a potential problem with one ECO sensor. This would violate an LCC (Launch Commit Criterion) which requires four good sensors (of four) at launch. The ECO sensors are critical for maintaining a steady flow of propellants to the SSMEs during ascent. A troubleshooting meeting is currently discussing the scrub, establishing a forward plan and identifying a new launch opportunity.

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.

Some Increment 11 Main Events (not final):

• LF-1 launch — TBD
• Soyuz TMA-6/10S relocate (from DC-1 to FGB) — ~8/5;
• Progress M-54/19P launch TBD;
• Progress M-53/18P undock — TBD;
• ULF1.1/STS-121 launch — NET 9/9 (launch window opens);
• ULF1.1/STS-121 dock — 9/11;
• ULF1.1/STS-121 undock — 9/19;
• Soyuz TMA-7/11S launch — 9/27;
• Soyuz TMA-7/11S dock — 9/29;
• 12A/STS-115 launch — NET 2/16/06;
• Soyuz TMA-7/11S relocate (from DC-1 to FGB) — ~10/15;
• 12A.1/STS-116 launch — NET 4/23/06;
• 13A/STS-117 launch — NET 7/13/06.

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.