NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 13 July 2006

SpaceRef note: This NASA Headquarters internal status report, as presented here, contains additional, original material produced by SpaceRef.com (copyright © 2006) to enhance access to related status reports and NASA activities.

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Flight Day 10 for STS-121; Day 8 of joint operation. A rest day for the Shuttle crew.

Crew wakeup this morning again was at 1:38am EDT.

CDR Vinogradov and FE-2 Reiter used some of the day’s activities for handovers, i.e., Thomas familiarizing himself with Russian equipment, payload activities and maintenance operations.

Transfer operations of return cargo from the ISS to the MPLM (Multipurpose Logistics Module) and between the Shuttle Middeck and ISS have made great progress. As of this morning, 96% MPLM transfers and 80% Middeck transfers were reported complete.

Assisted by the CDR, Thomas Reiter set up his first NOA (Nitric Oxide Analyzer) session and then conducted the procedure, afterwards downlinking the measurements from the RSE1 laptop to the ground via the BSR-TM telemetry channel. [Purpose of the ESA payload ESANO1, consisting of the “Platon” analyzer and its power supply, is to monitor expired nitric oxide (NO) in the subject’s exhaled air to detect signs of airway inflammation and indications of venous gas emboli (bubbles) that may be caused by inhalation of pollutants on the ISS and increased risk of decompression sickness. The test sessions are being conducted once a week, with two NO measurements in the exhaled air (after rinsing out with Rodnik water) taken in each session through a bacterial filter. Today’s measurement ops were recorded in the Platon log and supported by ground specialist tagup via S-band. To prevent skewing the measurements, Thomas had to prepare himself yesterday for the session by excluding food items containing nitrites and nitrates (such as in processed meat, assorted vegetables, stewed cabbage, etc.) from his diet for 24 hours before the weekly experiment.]

Before Reiter did physical exercise, Pavel took Thomas also through his first session of the regular monthly ETD (Eye Tracking Device) experiment that studies the coordination of eye and head movements in zero-G and takes 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, measures Listing’s plane, and determines the orientation of the vestibulo-ocular coordinate system, using five target marks on the EV-2 hatch on the horizontal plane. For the experiment, Reiter and Vinogradov first had to check the setup of the left and right video cameras, then established his most comfortable and stable body position relative to the visual target (60 cm for the first part of the experiment, 100 to 150 cm in parts two & three). Each step required another prior calibration run, using visual target cues or the calibration unit.]

Working on the currently inactive Elektron O2 generator, the CDR removed and replaced its nitrogen purge assembly (BPA), used for pressurizing the Liquid Unit (BZh) with the inert gas (to prevent dangerous O2/H2 mixing).

FE/SO Jeff Williams relocated the SSC4 (Station Support Computer 4) laptop from MPLM Leonardo back to the Lab (after photographing it at the MPLM location). He then turned off and restarted SSC5 for a checkout of the WorldMap application software.

Pavel brought the new ESA experiment CULT up to date by filling out its “cultural” questionnaire on the RSE1 laptop. [CULT is a study conducted currently by Russia for ESA. The multi-Increment investigation, which eventually will involve 12 subjects, including Thomas Reiter, is dedicated to the study of cultural aspects and leadership styles of on-board crews as a function of mission duration, including interactions within multinational crews. The questionnaire is contained on a PCMCIA memory card, to be used for all subjects and sessions.]

Working with Reiter by way of handover, Vinogradov did the daily routine maintenance of the Service Module (SM)’s environment control & life support system (SOZh), including its toilet system (ASU), and later updated/edited the standard IMS (Inventory Management System) “delta file”, including locations, for the regular weekly automated export/import to its three databases on the ground (Houston, Moscow, Baikonur).

Jeff and Thomas, the two Flight Engineers, worked in the Node installing the CPA (Controller Panel Assembly) on the Nadir CBM (Common Berthing Mechanism). This was required to allow MCC-Houston to prepare the CBM during crew sleep for the upcoming MPLM demating.

After disconnecting the BITS2-12 onboard telemetry system, CDR Vinogradov removed and replaced the BRPK air/liquid condensate separator apparatus of the condensate water processor (SRVK) that processes the condensate coming from the currently active air conditioner (SKV) for the Elektron. BITS2-12 was then reconnected to support checkout of the R&R.

Continuing the current round of monthly preventive maintenance of Russian segment (RS) ventilation systems, Pavel worked in the FGB (Funktsionalnyi-Grusovoi Blok) cleaning the screen guard of its #2 central ventilation fan (TsV2).

With Thomas assisting, the CDR also completed the standard weekly maintenance of the TVIS treadmill with SLD (Subject Loading Devices) contingency configuration, primarily inspecting the condition of the SLDs, SLD cables and SPDs (Subject Positioning Devices), plus recording time & date values.

Getting well ahead of the timeline plan, the crew yesterday finished the assembly and installation of the new CEVIS (cycle ergometer with vibration isolation). The exercise device was successfully checked out today. [The new CEVIS has a control panel capable of picking up the crewmember’s heart rate (from wireless Heart Rate Monitor/HRM) and allows for CEVIS data to be recorded on the crewmembers’ individual CEVIS PCMCIA (Portable Computer Memory Card International Adapter) memory cards.]

Pavel and Jeff worked out in their regular 2.5-hr. physical exercise program (about half of which is used for setup & post-exercise personal hygiene) on the new CEVIS cycle ergometer (FE-1), TVIS treadmill (CDR), RED resistive exerciser (FE-1), and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer (CDR). Thomas Reiter did one hour of exercise on the Russian VELO. [Pavel Vinogradov’s daily protocol prescribes a strict four-day microcycle exercise with 1.5 hr on the treadmill in unmotorized mode and one hour on VELO plus load trainer (today: Day 1 of the first set).]

Afterwards, Reiter transferred Jeff’s and Pavel’s exercise data files to the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) for downlink, as well as the daily wristband HRM data of the workouts on RED, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week). [A MEC software update for Thomas, with his uplinked protocols, is scheduled next week (7/21).]

Jeff Williams unstowed and set up the Robotics AVU (Artificial Vision Unit) keyboard at the Cupola RWS (Robotic Workstation), in preparation for ground commanded testing of the AVU (which also involved a key press by him to support the test).

At ~4:13am EDT, the crew participated in a live interactive PAO/TV event arranged by ESA, in which German students had their first opportunity to speak to Thomas Reiter. The students from a Munich secondary school were joined by two other ESA astronauts, Reinhold Ewald & Pedro Duque, at ESA’s Columbus Control Centre on DLR premises in Oberpfaffenhofen, near Munich. [The students put questions to the astronaut about his mission experiences so far and saw their physics lessons put to the test in the microgravity environment of space. The Columbus Control Center is the hub of European involvement in the mission, covering tasks such as overseeing Reiter’s activities and coordinating with the Russian and American mission control center as well as other sites throughout Europe providing flight support.]

At ~9:09am, the three Expedition 13 crewmembers were interviewed by Russian media in a live PAO/TV event originating from TsUP at Korolev, Moscow.

Sleep period begins tonight at 5:08pm EDT. Wakeup for the ISS crew will be tomorrow morning again at 1:38am.

Upcoming Mission Events Overview:

FD11 (7/14): Reberth MPLM “Leonardo” and OBSS in cargo bay; perform external inspections; complete cargo transfers;

FD12 (7/15): Close hatches; undock from ISS; stop OBSS; perform external inspections;

FD13 (7/16): Stow Shuttle cabin; check out reentry systems;

FD14 (7/17): Prepare for deorbit and landing at KSC (9:07am EDT).

No CEO (crew earth observations) photo targets uplinked for today.

To date, more than 198,000 of CEO images have been taken in the first five years of the ISS, almost one third of the total number of images taken from orbit by astronauts.

CEO photography can be viewed and studied at the websites:

• http://exploration.nasa.gov/programs/station/CEO.html
• 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 13 crew visit:

• http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-13/ndxpage1.html at NASA’s Human Spaceflight website.

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 6:15am EDT [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 340.9 km
• Apogee height– 348.1 km
• Perigee height — 333.8 km
• Period — 91.35 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.63 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0010646
• Solar Beta Angle — -23.1deg (magnitude increasing)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.76
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 50 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 43730

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern and subject to change):

• 07/06-15/06 — STS-121/ULF1.1 docked mission w/ISS (Landing 7/17, 9:07am EDT)
• 08/03/06 — US EVA-5
• 08/28/07 — STS-115/12A launch (earliest)
• 08/30-09/06 — STS-115/12A docked mission w/ISS (earliest) – P3/P4 trusses
• 08/31/06 — Pavel Vinogradov’s birthday
• 09/13/06 — Progress M-56/21P undocking (SM aft port) & reentry
• 09/14/06 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S launch (Expedition 14 + VC11)
• 09/16/06 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S docking (SM aft port)
• 09/24/06 — Soyuz TMA-8/12S undocking (FGB nadir port) & reentry
• 10/08/06 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S relocation (SM aft port to FGB nadir port)
• 10/18/06 — Progress M-58/23P launch
• 10/20/06 — Progress M-58/23P docking (SM aft port)
• 10/31/06 — Russian EVA-17
• 12/14/06 — STS-116/12A.1 launch (earliest)
• 12/16-24/06 — STS-116/12A.1 docked mission w/ISS (earliest) – P5 truss
• 12/19/06 — Progress M-57/22P undocking (DC1) & reentry
• 12/20/06 — Progress M-59/24P launch
• 12/22/06 — Progress M-59/24P docking (DC1)
• 01/22/07 — US EVA-6
• 01/26/07 — US EVA-7
• 01/31/07 — US EVA-8
• 02/06/07 — Progress M-59/24P undocking (DC1) & reentry
• 02/07/07 — Progress M-60/25P launch
• 02/09/07 — Progress M-60/25P docking (DC1)
• 02/22/07 — STS-117/13A launch (earliest) – S3/S4 trusses
• 02/24-03/03/07 — STS-117/13A docked mission w/ISS (earliest)
• 03/08/07 — Progress M-58/23P undocking (SM aft port) & reentry
• 03/09/07 — Soyuz TMA-10/14S launch (Expedition 15 + VC12)
• 03/11/07 — Soyuz TMA-10/14S docking (SM aft port)
• 03/19/07 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S undocking (FGB nadir port)
• ??/??/07 — Soyuz TMA-10/14S relocation (SM aft port to FGB nadir port)
• 06/11/07 — STS-118/13A.1 (earliest).

Expedition 13 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 Altitude History

Apogee height — Mean Altitude — Perigee height

For more on ISS orbit and worldwide ISS naked-eye visibility dates/times, see http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/ on NASA’s Human Spaceflight website. Additional satellite tracking resources can be found at http://www.spaceref.com/iss/tracking.html.