Status Report

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 15 Oct 2003

By SpaceRef Editor

October 15, 2003

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

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 15 Oct 2003 — iss

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously or below. >>>With the launch of 38-year old Taikonaut (yuhangyuan) Yang Liwei, China last night became the third nation to put a human in space (with Ed Lu, that would make it two persons of Chinese descent in orbit at the same time). Yang is the 431st human in space since Yuri Gagarin. The ISS crewmembers were notified of the successful launch of Shenzhou 5 early this morning.

Before breakfast and exercise, CDR Yuri Malenchenko and FE/SO Edward Lu conducted another round of the Russian crew health-monitoring program’s medical assessment MO-9/Biochemical Urinalysis. After the session, Malenchenko stowed the “Urolux” equipment. [Last time done: 9/18.]

At 3:05am EDT, Malenchenko used a Russian ground site pass on Daily Orbit 1 to downlink the video footage taken on 10/6 of the charging of the Iridium/Motorola-9505 lithium-ion battery.

From FGB stowage, Malenchenko retrieved prepackaged kits with ventilation system components and positioned them in the DC1 preparatory to the assembly of the ventilation system in the docking module in time for the Soyuz docking.

Ed Lu had a 3-hr. session with the HPA (Hand Posture Analyzer) payload in the Lab, performing the experiment for the second time. The first HPA run on 9/17 had already resulted in a large amount of valuable data. [Research objective of the ASI/Italy (Kayser Italia 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 a Hand Grip Dynamometer (HGD), a Pinch Force Dynamometer (PFD), the instrumented PAG with 15 degrees of freedom, allowing the measurement of the bending angles on individual phalanxes, coupled to a Wrist Electronic Box (WEB) housing an inertial tracking system in order to acquire tri-axial acceleration and rotation of the forearm. For a number of reasons, the investigation on the upper arm is becoming an important topic in the more general human physiology research in space, not the least being the fact that the experiment results can be transferred to the ground for subjects with local trauma or CNS (central nervous system) disorder, in order to design and exploit the best protocols for rehabilitation.]

Yuri Malenchenko moved to the Airlock, then the Node and the Lab to conduct the periodic inspection and cleaning of the modules’ ECLSS (environment control & life support system) bacterial filters and smoke detectors.

In the Lab, the SO removed and replaced the RPCM (remote power controller module, a computerized fuse switch box) LAD11BA containing the tripped RPC-4. [During further troubleshooting early this morning the RPC-4 did not close, indicating a firmware problem instead of a high-current event. Since firmware problems with other on-orbit RPCMs have resulted in a spontaneous reset which opens all RPCs in the RPCM, the R&R was deemed necessary. In addition to the (slightly degraded) spare RPCM installed today, there are three more spares on board, and an attempt will be made to manifest a new RPCM on Progress 14P.]

Yuri Malenchenko performed the periodic (monthly) functional closure test of the Vozdukh CO2 removal system’s emergency vacuum valves (AVK, last time done: 9/23). [The AVKs are critical because they close the Vozdukh’s vacuum access lines in the event of a malfunction in the regular vacuum valves (BVK) or a depressurization in the Vozdukh valve panel (BOA). Access to vacuum is required to vent carbon dioxide during the regeneration of the absorbent cartridges (PP). During nominal operation, the AVK valves remain open.]

Between them, the crew had another 2.5 hrs. allocated to prepare for their return on Soyuz 6S on 10/27.

Yuri performed the regular daily routine tasks of SOZh life support system maintenance, and he also updated the inventory management system (IMS) with the daily “delta” file, while Ed conducted the regular routine status checkup of the autonomous Lab payloads (currently PCG-STES010 & CGBA).

The CDR completed the regular inspection of the active BRPK air/condensate separator of the Russian SRV-K water processing system. [The BRPK contains porous cermet hydrophilic (“water attracting”) tubes through which the gas-liquid mixture from the heat exchanger moves. They separate the air from the condensate, but when the separator exceeds its service life or malfunctions, incomplete separation of the atmospheric condensate occurs, and the water then collects under the “sheet” of porous fluoroplastic. Looking for visible humidity is the focus of the regular inspection.]

Both crewmembers performed their physical exercise on TVIS treadmill and RED exerciser. Ed Lu also conducted the monthly inspection/maintenance of the TVIS. [In the motorized mode, its max speed continues to be limited to 6 mph.]

The current version of the Soyuz 6S return manifest shows 62 Russian cargo types (120 items) and 11 U.S. cargoes (15 items), including the failed EMU/spacesuit gas trap (to be replaced with a spare manifested on 7S) and the critical SSAS (solid sorbent air sampler) with collected atmospheric samples for analysis.

A standing task for the crew is the continued onboard search for “lost” equipment. Currently, the IMS (inventory management system) shows 152 items as missing. Among them is a critical equipment to support station systems operations which will be needed soon. [The list of “lost” items includes filter cartridges, a BUS Orlan-M control unit, accessories for the NOK thermal control system, a current regulator, a microcompressor pump, etc.]

In preparation for undocking on 10/27, a standard test of the Soyuz TMA-2/6S motion control system (SUD) and its gyroscopes is scheduled for tomorrow.

ISS will maintain its current flight attitude of XPOP until tomorrow (10/16).

Upcoming Soyuz Events:

7S launch: 10/18 (Saturday), 1:37am Eastern, 9:37am Moscow, 11:37am Baikonur;
7S docking: 10/20 (Monday), 3:20am Eastern, 11:20am Moscow;
6S undocking: 10/27 (Monday), 6:20pm Eastern, 2:20am (10/28) Moscow;
6S landing: 10/27 (Monday), 9:36pm Eastern, 5:36am (10/28) Moscow.

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 High Central Andean Glaciers (shooting any ice-capped volcanoes near nadir), Navassa Island (looking right of track for this coral fringed Caribbean island), Johnston Island Reef, Pacific (looking right of track about 1 degree), Wake Island, Pacific (looking a touch left for this coral reef), Alexandria, Egypt (nadir pass), Eastern Mediterranean Dust (looking left for dust plumes blowing into the Med basin), Lisbon, Portugal (looking a touch left for this city on a major estuary), Gulf of Maine plankton (clear skies between fronts. A mapping swath with any coastal landmarks would be appreciated), Tucson, Arizona (nadir pass), Albuquerque, New Mexico (nadir pass), French Frigate Shoals, Pacific (nadir pass. Detail of coral complex coral reefs needed), and Necker Reef, Pacific (looking a touch right for this coral reef).
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 1:50pm EDT).

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

Elektron O2 generator is powered On, 18A. Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On (in Manual Mode 5/3). U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is in Standby. 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.

SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 742; temperature (deg C) — 26.1; ppO2 (mmHg) — data invalid; ppCO2 (mmHg) — data invalid.
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 761; temperature (deg C) — 20.7.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 772; temperature (deg C) — 23.7.
Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 760.43; temperature (deg C) — 24.8 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 761.79; temperature (deg C) — 24.8; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 761.99; temperature (deg C) — 31.7; shell heater temp (deg C) — 27.8, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 24.5
PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 12.5.

(n/a = data not available)

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

Both P6 channels fully operational. BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B both in Directed Position (non-suntracking).
SM batteries: Battery #7 is enabled and will be tracked for the next few weeks, still in slot #8; battery #7 is in “Cycle” mode; all other batteries (6) are in “Partial Charge” mode (batteries #1 and #3 are degraded).
FGB batteries: Battery #1 is off; battery #3 is in “Cycle” mode; all other batteries (4) are in “Partial Charge” mode.
Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 in Standby mode; PCU-2 in Standby mode.

Command & Data Handling Systems:

C&C-2 MDM is prime, C&C-1 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 #2 dropped out 9/26.
SM Central Computer (TsVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.

Propulsion System (PS):

Total propellant load available: 3891 kg (8578 lb) as of 10/9 [SM(755) + FGB(2784) + 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: -6.9 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-2 is prime, IAC-1 is suspect).
Video subsystem operating nominally.
HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.

Robotics:

SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at MBS PDGF #2/LEE A, 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, 8:07am EDT [= epoch]):