NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 15 Aug 2003

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously or below.
Foremost on today’s crew schedule was the U.S. spacesuit troubleshooting, a carefully prepared step-by-step approach to checking out and clearing up the failed cooling water flow in EMU (extravehicular mobility unit) #3013. The crew began the task at about 7:35am EDT, with FE/SO Ed Lu scheduled for 5 hrs for the actual procedure and CDR Yuri Malenchenko for 3 hrs. for taking real-time, close-up video of the water flow in specific segments of the system. The A/L was then cleaned up and its CCAA (common cabin air assembly) air conditioner duct reconfigured. [After setting up the Airlock (A/L) for crew occupancy in the morningt, Ed and Yuri focused the checkout on various components of the EMU’s cooling loop, by operating control and isolation valves and confirming bubble movement. These components are all relatively small and have the potential to be replaced on orbit if failed and in need of replacement. Downlinked data will now have to be evaluated, but current thinking is that the gas trap may be the problem. Close-up video was taken with a hand-held camera, and during the other periods in the procedure the camera was mounted in the Node and zoomed in to show an overview of the EMU in the A/L.]
As on 8/7, before the EMU activities could be started, MCC-Moscow disabled the 400 MHz (megahertz) transmitter of the Global Timing System (GTS). Later, after EMU ops are completed, GTS will be switched on again. [GTS electronics are installed in the Service Module (SM), with two transmitters (PRD) broadcasting a time signal at 400.1 MHz (1 watt) and 1428 MHz (0.5 watt) straight downward (nadir) for worldwide clock synchronization. Because the 400 MHz signal interferes with the WVS (Wireless Video System) and very likely also the SSCS (Space-to-Space Communication System), both used for spacewalks, the GTS 400 MHz transmitter must be inhibited for EVAs from the A/L, including during EMU checkouts,.]
Yuri Malenchenko continued the IMS (inventory management system) audit of disposable equipment, classifying and preparing waste cargo such as sanitary-hygiene items (SLG) with expired shelf life for stowage on Progress-259/11P and Progress-247/10P.
Later, Yuri tagged up with MCC-Moscow on S-band to discuss open IMS issues, mostly to provide additional up-to-date information on item designations and stowage locations.
Ed Lu was thanked for helping the ground with the checkout of the PFMI (Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation) hardware yesterday. The run went very well and the PFMI hardware performed as designed. Originally planned PFMI work today was deferred.
Ed Lu was also thanked for his inspection of the HRF PC (Human Research Facility computer) whose lower slot for PCMCIA units (portable computer memory card international adapter) was found to have several pins be bent out of shape. [The good news is that there are no impacts to Increment 7. Impacts to future increments will be assessed, but by modifying procedures and judicious scheduling, the ground should be able to minimize them.]
The SO conducted the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh life support system (including ASU toilet facilities) and did the regular status checkup of Lab payloads (PCG-STES, SAMS, MAMS), while the CDR prepared the daily IMS delta file for updating the inventory management system’s database.
Both crewmembers completed their daily 2.5-h program of physical exercise (aerobic & anaerobic) on TVIS treadmill, RED expander and on the Russian VELO cycle ergometer with load trainer.
The station’s cabin atmosphere is periodically refreshed with gaseous oxygen (O2) from Progress 10P O2 tanks (not required today). After 10P undocking, repress oxygen will also be transferred from Progress 11P. [The Elektron oxygen generator continues to be off, to conserve its service life. The repress valve cycling, by the crew, relies on the U.S. MCA (major constituents analyzer) or CSA-CP (compound specific analyzer-combustion products) instruments to measure the 10mmHg pressure difference.]
Today’s CEO (crew earth observation) targets, limited in the current XPOP attitude by flight rule constraints on the use of the Lab nadir/science window, and including the targets of the Lewis & Clark 200-year memorial locations, were London, Great Britain (looking just left of track on the lower Thames and its estuary), Marietta, Ohio (LEWIS & CLARK SITE: One of the few settlements that existed when the explorers traveled. Looking right of track where the Muskingum River enters the Ohio River, and where the Ohio makes a meander swing north), Moundsville W VA (LEWIS & CLARK SITE: The explorers performed science observations at this site. Pointing just left of track), Smog event, Northeast USA (Dynamic event. Broad band of industrial aerosol being transported seaward: crew was to shoot obliques looking right, with sea as backdrop. Ohio River smog is regularly sensed in the air over Bermuda), Gulf of Maine plankton (best weather in weeks: looking right of track for any color variation in gulf waters), Lemhi Pass, Mont/Idaho (LEWIS & CLARK SITE: Looking just right of track), Idaho and Montana Pass (LEWIS & CLARK SITE: Pointing left of track), and Fortunate Camp (LEWIS & CLARK SITE: Pointing left of track).
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 2:15pm EST).
Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):
- Elektron O2 generator is powered Off. Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On (in Manual Mode 5/3). U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is Off. TCCS (trace contaminant control subsystem) is operating. MCA (major constituents analyzer) is operating. 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.
- SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 742; temperature (deg C) — 26.5; ppO2 (mmHg) — data invalid; ppCO2 (mmHg) — data invalid.
- SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 741; temperature (deg C) — 20.2.
- FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 744; temperature (deg C) — 22.7.
- Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 736.25; temperature (deg C) — 23.8 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
- U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 738.55 temperature (deg C) — 23.2; ppO2 (mmHg) — 163.1; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 3.8.
- Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 738.65 temperature (deg C) — 23.7; shell heater temp (deg C) — 24.0, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmH///– n/a.
- PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 24.9
- PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 13.6.
(n/a = data not available)
Propulsion System (PS):
- Total propellant load available: 3616 kg (8038 lb) as of 8/7 [SM(774) + FGB(2842) + Progress M(0) + Progress M-1(0)]. (Capability: SM — 860 kg; FGB — 6120 kg).
Electrical Power Systems (EPS):
- Both P6 channels fully operational. BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B both in Autotrack (solar tracking with 45 deg bias for drag reduction).
- SM batteries: Battery #5 is off line(Capacity Restoration mode, ROM); battery #1 is in “Cycle” mode; all other batteries (6) are in “Partial Charge” mode. Batteries #1and #3 showing degraded capacity.
- FGB batteries: Battery #1 is off line (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-1 is operating; INT-2 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-2 MDM is Off; PL-1 MDM is Operational.
- APS-1 (automated payload switch #1) and APS-2 are both On.
- SM Terminal Computer (TVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.
- SM Central Computer (TsVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.
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).
- Solar Beta angle: 31.5 deg (magnitude increasing).
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-2 is prime).
- Video subsystem operating nominally.
- HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.
Robotics:
- SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at MBS PDGF #1 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, 8:56am EDT [= epoch]):
- Mean altitude — 384.0 km
- Apogee — 389.4 km
- Perigee — 378.6 km
- Period — 92.23 min.
- Inclination (to Equator) — 51.63 deg
- Eccentricity — 0.0008017
- Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.61
- Solar Beta Angle — 31.5 deg (magnitude increasing)
- Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 100 m
- Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. ’98) — 27027
- For more on ISS orbit and worldwide naked-eye visibility dates/times, see
- http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/viewing/issvis.html