NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 15 September 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.

Right after morning inspection and breakfast, closely supported by S-band tagup with ground specialists, the crew began the extensive IFM (in-flight maintenance) repair of the Russian Elektron oxygen generator.  [After making telemetry connections with the BITS2-12 onboard telemetry measurement system (BITS2-12) to enable ground monitoring, they installed the newly arrived Liquid Unit #8 (BZh-8).  The failed BZh-7 unit plus two aerosol filters had been removed on 8/25 so they could be discarded on Progress 18.  The R&R appears to have gone without issues, but the planned activation was postponed until Monday, 9/19, due to non-availability of Molniya satellite coverage.  Determination of success of the R&R will have to wait until then. Meanwhile, daily ppO2 (partial pressure oxygen) requirements of the crew are met by stored O2 from Progress 19.]

On the Russian SOZh/ECLSS environment control and life support system, CDR Krikalev removed and replaced the SRV-K2M condensate water processor’s BRPK liquid/air separator (BRPK) which has reached its service life limit (450 liters min.). 

In preparation for the fifth data collection session with the FOOT (Foot/Ground Reaction Forces during Space Flight) experiment by the Science Officer, scheduled for tomorrow and Friday, the crew assembled the equipment in the Lab, including preparations for the EMG (electromyography) calibration with camcorder/video recording, which is to precede the day-long ops.   [Feedback from John’s last run was uplinked by the FOOT team with strategic tips to avoid significant signal dropouts on the EMG arm signals encountered during data collection sessions 3 and 4.]

Phillips underwent another general MedOps PFE (periodic fitness evaluation), a monthly 1.5-hr. procedure which checks up on blood pressure and electrocardiogram (ECG) during programmed exercise on the CEVIS (cycle ergometer with vibration isolation) in the Lab.  Readings were taken with the BP/ECG (blood pressure/electrocardiograph) and the HRM (heart rate monitor) watch with its radio transmitter, with Krikalev assisting his crewmate.   [BP/ECG provides automated noninvasive systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements while also monitoring and displaying accurate heart rates on a continual basis at rest and during exercise.] 

Periodic Russian water and condensate sampling with the KAV water sampler was performed by CDR Krikalev on the RS water supply system (SVO-ZV), for the purpose of monitoring water quality, checking condensate composition and condensate water processor (SRV-K2M) system performance, for formal clearance of the SVO for further operation.   [Samples for return to the ground were collected upstream of the SRV-K2M’s purification column unit (BKO) and the water supply system (SVO-ZV), each after first flushing the sampling hose.  Water consumption procedures:  For potable water, the crew is to start with the Progress 19 water tank #1 (BV1, 90 liters), then from BV2 (120 liters).  Afterwards, U.S. potable water will be used.  U.S. technical water will be used to fill the de-ionized water container (KOV) of the Elektron and for flushing.]

The FE conducted the weekly inventory audit of the available CWCs (collapsible water containers) and their contents, to keep track of onboard water supplies.   [Updated “cue cards” based on John’s water calldowns, are sent up every other week.]

John also conducted the periodic emergency VHF communications proficiency checkout over NASA VHF (very high frequency) sites at Dryden and White Sands, talking with Houston/Capcom, MSFC/POIC and Moscow/Glavni (TsUP Capcom) in the normal fashion via VHF radio from a handheld microphone and any of the U.S. segment ATUs (audio terminal units).

Sergei did the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s environment control & life support system (SOZh), including its toilet system (ASU), while John prepared the regular daily IMS “delta”/update file for automated export/import to the three IMS databases (at MCC-H, TsUP, and Baikonur).

Both crewmembers completed their regular 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on the TVIS treadmill, RED resistive machine and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer, with John’s PFE session on the CEVIS accounting for his workout today.   [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 1 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 RED workouts, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).

Working off his discretionary “time permitting” task list, the CDR was to perform another session of the “Uragan” (hurricane) earth-imaging program, using the Nikon D1X digital camera with f800 mm lens.   [Today’s target was the Lake Sevan area, with mountain slopes from the westernmost point of the lake to the ridge line enveloping Sevan from the north.]

At 2:50am EDT, ISS attitude control was handed over to the Russian MCS (motion control system) to allow the standard dynamic testing of Russian thruster systems, after last Tuesday’s (9/13) installation of the US-21 matching unit.  Control authority was returned to the U.S. segment (USOS) at 5:25am.  The tests were nominal.   [TsUP conducted three different test firings of the Progress DPO (approach & attitude control) thrusters for yaw and pitch control and the Service Module (SM) MNFD thrusters for roll control, each of 20 second duration: at 3:28am & 3:31am using Progress DPO manifold #1 and SM manifolds #1, followed by #2, the other at 5:25am on Progress DPO manifold #2.  After each thruster firing, angular rates were measured to allow derivation of thruster efficacy.]

>From today through 9/18, Soyuz 216/10S systems status will be conducted daily, reading specific parameters from the Soyuz’ manual control panel (InPU) display F03 and filling out a standard form for subsequent report to TsUP/Moscow.

Today’s CEO (crew earth observations) photo targets, in the current LVLH attitude no longer limited by flight rule constraints on the use of the Lab nadir/science window, were Betsiboka River delta, NW Madagascar (Dynamic event.  Clear weather was expected over this estuary where dramatic change has occurred in the last fifteen years.  New islands have appeared and become vegetated, all due to intensive soil erosion inland), Subglacial rivers, North Libya (long-buried river courses [formed beneath glaciers 400 million years ago when Africa lay astride the South Pole] are now being exposed by erosion.  They appear as dark lines snaking across the modern landscape.  Sediment in these channels hosts water and hydrocarbons in different places.  Images from low Earth orbit are expected to reveal the wider regional pattern of these ancient river courses.  Overlapping views right of track were requested), and Hurricane Ophelia (Dynamic event. This slow-moving storm is expected to remain a Category 1 hurricane, with its center over Cape Hatteras.  ISS had a nadir pass).

 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.

ISS Orbit  (as of this morning, 7:21am EDT [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 350.3 km
• Apogee height — 351.5 km
• Perigee height — 349.2 km
• Period — 91.55 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0001954
• Solar Beta Angle — -8.7 deg (magnitude increasing) Orbits per 24-hr. day —
• 15.73 Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 145 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) – 38988

Upcoming Events (all times EDT):

• 09/30/05 — Soyuz TMA-7/11S launch (~11:54pm)
• 10/03/05 — Soyuz TMA-7/11S docking (~1:20am)
• 10/11/05 — Soyuz TMA-6/10S landing (~9:06pm)
• 10/18/05 – ISS Reboost
• 11/18/05 — Soyuz TMA-7/11S relocation (from DC-1 to FGB nadir port)
• 12/21/05 – Progress M-55/20P launch
• 12/23/05 — Progress M-55/20P docking.

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.