NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 16 February 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. Tonight Expedition 10 completes 126 days in space (124 aboard ISS), with 68 days to go.

FE Salizhan Sharipov performed the Day 2 portion of the three-part MBI-8 “Profilaktika” (preventive health maintenance) fitness test series started yesterday for his second time, today using the NS-01 load trainer on the VELO cycle ergometer, keeping a log and supported by tag-up with medical support personnel at TsUP/Moscow. The CDR was available to assist as necessary. Day 3, on the TVIS treadmill, will conclude the assessment tomorrow or on Friday. [This Russian fitness test consists of four types of exercise, viz., neck tilting (back/forward), simultaneous forearm flexing, trunk extension, and trunk flexes. Each type of exercise consists of a series of 15 motions repeated two times. Load levels are selected by the ground and do not change from test to test. Total duration of the test is 13 min. Gas analysis, subjective evaluation of physical exertion levels, and blood test for lactate and Creatine Kinase levels are also performed as a part of this test, using the TEEM-100M gas analyzer, AccuSport analyzer, and Reflotron-IV blood analyzer.]

CDR Leroy Chiao began collecting US items for disposal on Progress 16, to be jettisoned on 2/26. The activity, which continues over the next few days as necessary, was supported by an introductory teleconference with IMS (Inventory Management System) experts at MCC-H.

In the Service Module (SM), Sharipov worked on a standard power switching panel (BSKU5-12), first swapping two fuse plugs (PV-12P) with new units, then upgrading a third PV-12P plug, used as spare in stowage, with two 3.5A fuses instead of the previous 2A ones.

As an important part of prepacking for LF-1 (STS-114), Chiao had 2.5 hours for continuing his Airlock equipment consolidation, inventorying and stowage, begun on 2/9, today focusing on Priority #2, EMU equipment bag audit. [The activity is broken down in several tasks, with top priority being applied to gear consolidation and stowage, followed by today’s EMU equipment bag auditing, then utility bag and EMU servicing kit inventory, and EMU ORU and SPCE (service, performance, and checkout equipment) maintenance kit audit.]

The CDR opened the VGA (verification gas assembly) valve of the MCA (Major Constituents Analyzer) in support of a subsequent ground-controlled full calibration of the analyzer. A few hours later, Leroy closed the valve again. [The MCA uses the mass spectrometer with a magnetic field to separate ionized air sample constituents in a work chamber that is kept at vacuum by a high-performance ion pump.]

Salizhan performed recovery maintenance on the failed Russian SKV1 air conditioner by flushing the wicks of the evaporator/condenser unit (BTA) with water from an EDV container. SKV-2, turned off for this purpose, was also involved in the procedure.

At ~7:40am, Leroy and the ADUM (Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Micro-G) ground team held their post-session analysis to discuss the successful ultrasound scans performed last week, as well as the results of the preceding OPE (On-board Proficiency Enhancer) session of 2/9. [Conducting these scans repeatedly has the purpose of increasing the proficiency of crewmembers. The ground compares the scans to evaluate the crew’s learning curves and to see if procedures need to be adjusted. ADUM has to date excellently demonstrated the capability of non-medical personnel to downlink diagnostic information (ultrasound images) for evaluation by medical specialists on the ground.]

Salizhan performed the routine daily maintenance of the SOZh environment control & life support system, which included today the regular weekly inspection of the air/liquid condensate separator apparatus (BRPK), while Leroy prepared the regular IMS (Inventory Management System) “delta” file for the daily automated export/import to the three IMS databases on the ground.

The crew worked out in accordance with their daily 2.5-hr. physical exercise protocol on CEVIS (cycle ergometer with vibration isolation), RED exerciser and VELO cycle with bungee cord load trainer.

Chiao then transferred the accumulated data files from the exercise equipment to the MEC for downlink, as well as the daily wristband HRM (heart rate monitor) data, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium.

The TVIS (treadmill with vibration isolation & stabilization) is currently not available. [During yesterday’s Part 2 of the extensive semiannual TVIS maintenance/inspection, it was discovered that there may be a lost battery inside the electronic box in the chassis. A special inspection is scheduled for Friday (2/18).]

The CDR/SO conducted his daily checkup of the Total Dose reading and End File values of the TEPC (Tissue Equivalent Proportional Counter), which he had relocated to the Node on 1/31, and called the data down at the evening DPC (daily planning conference). [This is currently a daily requirement since the UOP (utility outlet panel) near the TEPC’s temporary location (for two weeks) does not allow automated telemetry monitoring by the ground.]

Sharipov performed another half-hour session of the “Diatomeya” ocean observations program, using the DSR PD-150P video camera on ASM window #8 and Nikon F5 digital still camera with 24/85-mm lens from window #7 to collect photo and video data to assess the feasibility of detecting and video recording phenomena of bioluminescent glow in high-productivity oceanic waters. [The experiment is performed over highly seismic areas in the Pacific along the ground track between Australia and Hawaii. Bioluminescence is caused by impact of external factors (e.g., underwater earthquakes) on the population of water microorganisms and may be observable from space as bluish or light-green spots, stripes or concentric circles.]

The FE set up the equipment for the Russian MedOps biochemical blood test MO-11, consisting of the Reflotron IV analyzer, with accessories, power supply and Reflotron IV kit. He also prepared equipment for blood collection and dosing as well as test strips (KPI) for investigating blood components such as hemoglobin, glucose, bilirubin, aspirate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and glutamiltransferase. After connecting it to the power supply and performing a calibration run, he deactivated the instrument and left it fully configured at the work site until tomorrow morning. [Salizhan will undergo the 2.5-hr. tests tomorrow (2/17), preceded by imbibing 250 ml of warm water or plain (unsugared) tea 20 minutes before taking the blood samples.]

Working off the voluntary Russian task list, Salizhan performed the regular daily inspection of the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 (“Plants-2”) experiment, which researches growth and development of plants under spaceflight conditions in the Lada-5 greenhouse.

The station reboost last night took place as scheduled, achieving an increase in mean altitude of 3.4 km and the proper phasing angle for Progress 17 rendezvous. [ISS attitude control was handed over to RS thrusters at 6:25pm for maneuvering from XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane) to LVLH (local vertical/local horizontal) at 6:31pm, followed by reboost attitude. After the burn, attitude was changed to LVLH TEA (torque equilibrium attitude) and control authority returned to U.S. control moment gyros at 9:40pm. P6 solar arrays were switched to autotrack at 5:45pm (to maximize power generation capability in LVLH during 4B3 battery reconditioning).]

Today’s CEO (crew earth observations) photo targets, no longer limited in the current LVLH attitude, were Shadikor Dam, Pakistan (Dynamic Event. The Shadikor Dam failed last week due to high rainfall, resulting in significant flooding and loss of life. Detailed images of the area are useful for assessing flood damage. This information will also be useful for future flood hazard plans if the dam is rebuilt. Looking for standing water, and regions of flattened vegetation and bare soil downstream of the dam location), and Internal Waves, Bahamas (weather was predicted to be mostly clear for internal wave photography. Looking to the right of track for the sunglint point).

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 10 crew visit:

• http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-10/ndxpage1.html at NASA’s Human Spaceflight website.

Expedition 10 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.

Upcoming Key Events:

• Progress M-51 (16P) undocking & destructive reentry — 2/26/05;
• Progress M-52 (17P) launch — 2/28/05.
• EVA-13 — 3/25/05;
• Soyuz TMA-6 (10S) launch — 4/15/05 with Expedition 11 (CDR Sergei Krikalev, FE/SO John Phillips);
• Soyuz TMA-5 (9S) undock — 4/25/05 with Exp. 10 crew (after 193 days on orbit, 191 days on board ISS);
• Progress M-53 (18P) launch — 6/10/05;
• Progress M-54 (19P) launch — 8/24/05;
• Soyuz TMA-7 (11S) launch — 9/27/05.

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 6:21am EST [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 359.3 km
• Apogee height — 361.7 km7
• Perigee height — 356.8 km
• Period — 91.73 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0009696
• Solar Beta Angle — -11.0 deg (magnitude decreasing)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.70
• Mean altitude gain in last 24 hours — 3400 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 35670

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.