Status Report

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 15 Apr 2004

By SpaceRef Editor

April 15, 2004

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

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 15 Apr 2004 — iss

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

Before breakfast, Flight Engineer (FE) Alexander Kaleri underwent the Russian medical test PZE MO-11 (blood chemistry analysis), assisted by Commander/Science Officer (CDR/SO) Michael Foale as Crew Medical Officer (CMO). The exam was performed with the kits and accessories of the Reflotron 4 blood analyzer unstowed and readied yesterday. [Earlier Reflotron versions were already flown on Mir. For the test, Kaleri imbibed 250 ml of warm water or plain (unsugared) tea, after which fresh blood was drawn from his finger with an Autoclix mini-lancet and a pipette. Clinical data were then determined from the collected sample. Using various reagent tabs, the blood was tested for such parameters as hemoglobin, glucose, bilirubin, amylase, uric acid, triglycerides, urea, etc. The tubes with blood samples were temporarily kept cool for the subsequent (post-breakfast) analysis. Reflotron 4 uses 40 W of power, supplied by the Service Module’s (SM) electrical system.]

Continuing the current flurry of medical checkups, Kaleri started the scheduled 24-hour recording of his ECG (electrocardiogram) under the Russian MedOps MO-2 protocol. [For the ECG recording, the FE donned the five-electrode “Holter” harness, which reads his dynamic (in motion) heart function from two leads over the next 24 hours and records data on the “Kardioregistrator 90205” unit. CMO Mike Foale assisted in the harness donning.]

Later, Alex collected surface samples for analysis in the biosample kit of the Russian BTKh-11 Biodegradatsiya (“biodegradation”) experiment and photographed the sampling ops with the Nikon D1. [Sampling locations were in the SM behind specific panels, near the SKV air conditioner, water recovery control, EVA tool container and TVIS pit, as well as in the DC-1 docking module.]

Mike Foale completed his third and final data collection with the HPA (Hand Posture Analysis) investigation. After setting up the VTR (video tape recorder) for documenting the activities, the CDR used the posture acquisition glove (PAG), which has delicate sensors attached to the tops of the fingers, to operate the handgrip dynamometer (HGD). New procedures for the ~3 hr.-operations were uplinked beforehand. [The research objective of the ASI/Italy (Kayser Co.)-designed HPA is to investigate the performance degradation of the human upper limb muscle-skeletal apparatus and its morphological-functional modifications during long term exposition to zero-G and to study the role of gravity in the planning and execution hierarchy of reaching, grasping, manipulating and transporting objects. The HPA facility consists of an HGD, a PFD, and the instrumented PAG with 15 degrees of freedom, allowing the measurement of the bending angles on individual phalanxes. The HGD is connected to the HPA interface box (IBOX) along with the pinch force dynamometer (PFD) and the PAG. PAG is coupled to a Wrist Electronic Box (WEB) housing an inertial tracking system in order to acquire tri-axial acceleration and rotation of the forearm.]

MCC-H performed a full calibration on the Major Constituents Analyzer (MCA) for use to check against the readings of the various CSA-CP (compound specific analyzer-combustion products) units, which have shown unusual/differing signatures but are relied upon in light of some uncertainty in the Russian GA (gas analyzer) readings. [After ground commanding switched the MCA from life extending mode (LEM) to full operational mode, Mike Foale opened its VGA (verification gas assembly) valve in support of the ground-controlled zero plus full calibration of the analyzer and will close it again after ~10 hrs. at MCC-H go-ahead, when full cal is complete and the MCA has been switched back to LEM.]

Sasha Kaleri continued work with the Matryoshka payload hardware, today downloading parameter tables from the Wiener laptop to the Matryoshka server (BSPN) and finishing the transfer of collected sensor data back to the laptop flash card, which was then stowed for return. [Matryoshka takes measurements in the SM and DC-1 docking compartment for studies of on-orbit radiation and long-term dose accumulation, using six SPD dosimeters deployed throughout the RS as well as in a spherical body-simulating Matryoshka-R “phantom” and a human torso model outside on the SM hull, mounted there during EVA-9.]

Kaleri conducted another test downlink of digital video camcorder (DVCAM) data as part of the current pre-Increment 9 checkouts of RGS (Russian ground site) TV equipment and downlink performance. [After yesterday’s test with the PD-150P camcorder, Sasha today used the PD-1P to play back and downlink imagery recorded on PD-150P.]

Both crewmembers conducted their regular daily physical exercise program of 2.5 hrs on TVIS treadmill (aerobic, bone impact loading, neurosensory) and RED exerciser (anaerobic, muscle & strength training, axial bone loading).

As every week, Mike transferred data files from the physical exercise equipment to the medical equipment computer (MEC) via memory card and RED log entries, for downlink on OCA comm. Later, he completed the periodic transfer of accumulated data files from the wristband HRM (heart rate monitor) receiver stations to the MEC for downlink, then erasing them on the HRM.

Sasha held his regular weekly IMS (inventory management system) tagup with ground specialists at TsUP, discussing open issues concerning identification of equipment and storage locations for updating the IMS database.

Mike attended to the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh life support system (including ASU toilet facilities). Today’s inspection included the BRPK-2 air/liquid condensate separator and pumping unit. [The latter was successfully installed by Kaleri yesterday, replacing the old unit that had caused an overfill problem. See yesterday’s status report.]

Kaleri performed his routine maintenance on the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 (“Plants-2”) payload with its Lada-4 greenhouse and copied the accumulated photo/data files to a floppy diskette for transfer to the Russian Packet laptop and subsequent downlink via Regul-Packet or OCA. [The experimental seeds of two types of peas (a flagellate variety with reds flowers, up to 27 cm high, and an acacia-leaf variety with white flowers, up to 20 cm high) are planted between wicks in a root tray, with environmental control powered on. Regular daily maintenance of the experiment involves monitoring of seedling growth, humidity measurements, moistening of the substrate if necessary, and photo/video recording.]

Joint planning of station attitude strategy for the Soyuz 8S docking has been going well. [Due to the station attitude required for the docking, Ku-band for video downlink (via TDRS) will not be available until Russian ground site (RGS) acquisition. High-quality video of the docking will be provided by the SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator System) cameras.]

Update on Consumables: Onboard resources continue to be monitored carefully. All supplies (water, N2, O2, food, propellant, TVIS bearings) are tracking to predictions. [Current ISS propellant quantity is 3912 kg, after last week’s use of 58 kg for attitude maneuvers. O2 supplies support ~345 crew days. Of concern: remaining RED canister capability, with a “best case” lifetime projection running out by end of this year, and a “more probable case” projection by July/August (see Update below).]

Update on CMG-3: The spin bearing thermo-lube test on Control Moment Gyroscope 3 is continuing smoothly (to run through 4/17, ~10:00pm EDT). The gyro has been very stable to date, without any anomalous signatures at all. The two CMGs in charge of non-propulsive attitude control (#2 & #4) are also performing without issue. [During the test, each of the two CMG-3 bearings in turn is being exposed to the near-by EA (electronics assembly), believed to be the hottest spot on the CMG. By heating the bearings, it is hoped that lubrication delivery to the ball bearings will be stimulated.]

Update on Soyuz TMA-3/7S: (1) The recent (4/13) installation of a new fan assembly in the KhSA cooling/drying unit of the Soyuz-213 Descent Module (SA) by Kaleri has tested satisfactorily. Both fans (VD1, VD2) are working fine. The removed unit (one fan inoperable) will be kept on board as a spare. (2) No further news yet from Moscow on the KDU pressurization lines that are losing helium to space when pressurized. Both manifolds have developed leaks. Specialists are analyzing the situation and its impact to Soyuz operations for the 4/29 return to Earth.

Update on Soyuz TMA-4/8S: At Baikonur, processing of the Soyuz 8S spacecraft and the Soyuz launcher continue steadily and on schedule, with no issues reported. Today, the upper stage assembly of the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle containing the TMA-4 was transported from the spacecraft processing facility to the launch vehicle processing facility for integration.

Update on Onboard Laptops: Assessment continues of available SSC (station support computer) laptops for possible conversion to PCS (portable computer system), currently focused on regaining another MPSD (multi-purpose support drive) machine for use as second IP (Internet Protocol) “phone home” unit, perhaps choosing SSC3.

Update on Plasma Contactor Unit 2 (PCU-2): After numerous attempts to reseat and close latch valve 1 (upstream at the xenon tank), valve 2 has been closed to stop xenon loss, and the PCU declared failed. It is now in nominal Standby mode. For future EVAs, only PCU-1 will be activated.

Update on Resistive Exercise Device (RED): Due the criticality of the RED system for the crews of Increments 8 and 9, full recovery of RED hardware has been assigned top priority. [Flexpak canisters #1011 and #1012 were recently stowed when they developed scraping symptoms after only ~10,000 Flexpak cycles (statistical MTBF/mean time between failures: ~60,000 cycles), and cans #1001 and #1003 are currently being used, functioning still nominally after ~110,000 cycles. Because of the advanced “age” of the latter, an IFM will be conducted on #1011 and #1012 shortly after the joint mission. The task, broken in three sections, will require 5 hours of crewtime for one person plus 4 hours for the second crewmember, for each of the two canisters. Two new SchRED (Schwinn-RED) canisters are on the ground ready for flight, but they still need to be given Russian manifest priority for Progress 14P.]

Update on Respirator Support Pack (RSP): After several cracks were found on the ground in the autovent/control module of two U.S. RSPs during routine refurbishment, a procedure has now been developed for crew testing of the on-board RSP to check on the unit’s current performance for timing (breaths per minute) and volumetric flow.

Update on HEAT & ARGES: Moscow has agreed to allow the hardware of the VC-6 “Delta” program’s HEAT and ARGES payload to be “trashed” on Progress 13P (undocking: 5/18).

Current 8S (Expedition 9 + 1) flight plan:

Launch — 4/18, 11:19pm EDT (Moscow: 4/19, 7:19am; Baikonur: 4/19, 9:19am)
Docking — 4/21, 1:03am EDT (Moscow: 4/21, 9:03am)
Hatch Opening — 4/21, 2:25am EDT (Moscow: 10:25am).

Current 7S (Expedition 8 + 1) flight plan:
Ha

tch Closing — 4/29, 1:34pm EDT (Moscow: 4/29, 9:34pm; Astana: 4/30, 12:34am)
Undocking — 4/29, 4:49pm EDT (Moscow: 4/30, 12:49am; Astana: 4/30, 3:49am)
Deorbit Burn — 4/29, 7:18pm EDT (Moscow: 4/30, 3:18am; Astana: 4/30, 6:18am)
Landing — 4/29, 8:09pm EDT (Moscow: 4/30, 4:09am; Astana: 4/30, 7:09am.

Today’s CEO targets, limited in XPOP attitude by flight rule constraints on the use of the science window, which is available for only ~1/4 of each orbit when not facing forward (in “ram”), were Ganges River Basin (looking right to document the new phase of aerosol buildup. Interesting view with the Himalaya ranges in the foreground), Bombay Region, India (looking left towards the Bombay city region, and right for any smog plume over the ocean surface), Ice cover, James Bay, Ontario (Dynamic event. Two overflight passes. Very clear weather: crew was asked to document state of ice cover in James Bay and Hudson Bay beyond), and East Fork fire, Florida (Dynamic event. Fire in the Apalachicola National Forest in Florida’s panhandle is burning 14,000 acres and making news. The smoke plume should be visible well right of track, trailing SE out over the Gulf).
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 today, 12:43pm EDT).

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

Elektron O2 generator is On. Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On. U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is on Standby (ready in dual-bed mode). TCCS (trace contaminant control subsystem) is operating. SM Gas Analyzer has been calibrated and is used for ppO2 and ppCO2 monitoring. MCA (major constituents analyzer) is in Life Extending Mode (LEM). BMP Harmful Impurities unit: absorbent bed #1 in Regeneration mode, bed #2 in Purify mode. RS air conditioner SKV-1 is On, SKV-2 is Off (SM panel mods completed 4/8; SKV-2 activation TBD). SFOG slot#2 fan suspect (not usable).

SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 742; temperature (deg C) — 25.9; ppO2 (mmHg) — 160.4; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 3.7;
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 761; temperature (deg C) — 20.2.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 772; temperature (deg C) — 23.7;
Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 759.79; temperature (deg C) — 24.5 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 761.79; temperature (deg C) — 25.0; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 761.38; temperature (deg C) — 31.5; shell heater temp (deg C) — n/a, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.

(n/a = data not available)

PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — n/a
PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — n/a.

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

Both P6 channels fully operational. BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B both in Autotrack (solar-tracking, “sun slicer”, i.e., drag reduction-biased by 47 deg).
SM batteries: All batteries (8) are in “Partial Charge” mode.
FGB batteries: Battery #6 is off-line (capacity restoration mode, ROM); all other batteries (5) are in “Partial Charge” mode.
Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 is in Standby mode; PCU-2 is in Manual 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-2 MDM is prime; GNC-1 is Backup.
INT-2 is operating; INT-1 is Off.
EXT-1 is On (primary), EXT-2 is Off.
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 11/22/03).
SM Central Computer (TsVM): 2 redundant lanes (of 3) operational (string #3 dropped out 10/22/03).
FGB MDM-1 is Off (failed, 11/21/03); MDM-2 is Operational.

Propulsion System:

Total propellant load available: 3912 (8624 lb) as of 4/15/04; [SM(755) + FGB(2470) + Progress M-1(687)]. (Capability: SM — 860 kg; FGB — 6120 kg).

Attitude Control Systems:

3 CMGs on-line (CMG-1 failed, since 6/6/02).
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), until 4/14.

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 (may require a mask).
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 Lab PDGF/LEE A, operational on redundant string, off on prime.
MBS: KA (keep alive) 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, 7:22am EDT [= epoch]):