NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 16 Jun 2003
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously or below. Week 7 of Increment 7 is underway, and it is Day 51 in space for the ISS crew.
Before breakfast, both crewmembers completed another session of the periodic Russian medical experiment protocols PZEh-MO-7 (calf volume measurement) and PZEh-MO-8 (body mass measurement). CDR Yuri Malenchenko set up the MO-8 “scales” equipment and later broke it down and stowed it away. [Calf measurements (left leg only) are taken with the IZOG device, a custom-sewn fabric cuff that fits over the calf, using the knee and lower foot as fixed reference points, to provide a rough index of deconditioning in zero-G and effectiveness of countermeasures. For determining body ass in zero-G, where things are weightless (but not massless), the Russian IM “scales” measure the inertial forces that arise during the oscillatory motion of a mass driven by two helical metering springs with known spring constants. By measuring the time period of each oscillation of the unknown mass (the crewmember) and comparing it to the period of a known mass, the crewmember’s mass is calculated by the computer and displayed].
Malenchenko and Lu continued cargo transfer operations from Progress 11P, keeping track with the IMS (inventory management system). They also worked on updating of the ODF (Operations Data Files) with new pages brought up by the cargo ship.
Both crewmembers completed their daily 2.5-h program of physical exercise, on TVIS treadmill, RED expander and, for Yuri, on the Russian VELO cycle ergometer with load trainer. Ed Lu also performed the weekly TVIS maintenance.
CDR Malenchenko installed the electronics box containing the US-21 matching unit in the Progress vehicle (TGK). The installation was then checked out by MCC-Moscow and the BITS telemetry reconnected. [The US-21 matching unit connects the Progress motion control and DPO thrusters systems to the SM, so that they can be commanded by the SM computer system (BVS). After bolting the box down, Malenchenko hooked it up with the telemetry (TM) connector to the BITS2-12 onboard TM system, after the ground inhibited data output to the VD-SU control system mode, powered off the BITS and deactivated BMP, Elektron, and the Vozdukh and DC-1 SOTR (thermal system) control algorithms. These systems were subsequently turned back on by TsUP, which then conducted an electric activation test of the US-21 without crew involvement.]
FE/SO Edward Lu powered up the HRF GASMAP (Human Research Facility/Gas Analyzer System for Metabolic Analysis Physiology) for its second 30-day functionality test. After a ten-hour run, the system was to be powered down again. (Last time done: 5/20).
The CDR conducted his regular care of the on-board nursery, i.e., the daily monitoring/servicing of the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 zero-G plant growth experiment in the Lada-2 greenhouse.
Later, Yuri completed the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh environment control & life support system as well as the daily preparation of the IMS “delta” file while the Science Officer performed the regular daily status checkup of autonomously running Lab payloads (PCG-STES010, SAMS, MAMS).
Due to high levels of ethanol in wash and dry wipes transferred from the Shuttle, the crew was asked to discontinue the use of these wipes and to employ utensil rinse wipes and Russian wet towels as alternatives for their personal hygiene needs. [After high levels of alcohol in the ISS condensate were noted for multiple expeditions, specialists have been trying for quite some time to identify the sources. A number of these have already been replaced on-board. However, the source of the high content of the alcohol ethanol was unknown until a recent call-down by the crew concerning the “Wash N Dry Wipes”, each of which contains 0.5 grams of ethanol. It is estimated that usage of these wipes releases at least 3 grams of ethanol into the ISS environment per day. Without considering other potential sources of alcohol, this usage greatly exceeds the ISS limit of 1 gram/day maximum release of alcohol into the air, which was established to meet requirements for the Russian SRV-K water processor (the scheduled change-out times of its componentsare based on their capacity for alcohols).. For this reason, these Shuttle-obtained wipes are not certified for use on ISS.]
Today’s optional CEO (crew earth observation) targets, no longer limited in the current LVLH attitude and including the targets of the Lewis & Clark 200-year memorial locations, were Nile River Delta (the crew had a good pass with most of this target area to the right of track. Of interest here is the steady urbanization of an agricultural region by Egypt’s swelling population. Looking for details of land use infrastructure, encroachment on desert and wetlands margins, and even atmospheric aerosol concentrations), Tigris-Euphrates, Turkey (looking either side of track for features in this target region. The struggle to harness and control critical water resources in this region is manifested in dam/reservoir construction and other water control structures. Looking for lake water levels and expanding agricultural areas), Eastern Mediterranean Smog (looking left of track up the Italian peninsula and the basin of the Adriatic Sea for aerosol plumes originating in the industrialized Po River valley region further north), Western Mediterranean Smog (this was a particularly nice descending pass with a view of the Po River valley from the west. As ISS crossed the Alps, the crew was asked to look for the ever-present smog layers there), Eastern Pacific Stratus Field (DYNAMIC EVENT TARGET: An extensive field of stratus clouds covers the eastern Pacific off the coasts of northern Mexico and California. Cool sea surface temperatures, dry stable air aloft, and light winds maintain such areas and produce dramatic cloud vortices where the surface winds interact with islands and coastal promontories. Looking left of track for these features, trying to maintain some land areas in the field of view for geographic reference purposes), and Montana Box (LEWIS & CLARK SITE(S): Looking to the left of track during this pass for the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers. Here in the spring of 1805, against the advice of their Indian guides, the explorers opted to use the Missouri. By taking the Yellowstone their journey could have been shortened by two months).
CEO images can be viewed at the websites
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov
See also the website “Space Station Challenge” at
http://voyager.cet.edu/iss/
