NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 17 February 2006

SpaceRef note: This NASA Headquarters internal status report, as presented here, contains additional, original material produced by SpaceRef.com (copyright © 2006) to enhance access to related status reports and NASA activities.

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. >>>Today 61 years ago (2/17/1945), Wernher von Braun’s rocket development group in Peenemünde/Germany launched the last of the V-2 (A4) missiles on a test flight from Pad 7.<<<

The station crew started their workday with the second fire drill/OBT (on-board training) of their Increment, a mandatory periodic one-hour exercise specifically written for the current two-person crew. Primary goal of this exercise is to provide the station residents with the most realistic emergency training possible. The drill is always conducted with the support of both MCCs in close coordination. [OBT objectives are to (a) practice fire response procedures (FRPs) and all incorporated actions for the case of a software-detected fire to locate, extinguish, and verify extinguishing attempts; (b) browse through RS laptop and the Signal-VM fire detection system displays as well as the automated software (algorithms) response to the fire event; (c) practice crew communication necessary to perform emergency FRPs; (d) update the locations of support hardware (CSA-CP compound specific analyzer-combustion products, IPK-1M gas masks and OSP-4 fire extinguishers to be used for fire suppression in the FGB. These exercises do not actually use any fire equipment but simulate such actions to the maximum extent possible. After the OBT, a post-training debrief was to be prepared.]

Valery Tokarev took his fourth health test with the cardiological experiment “Study of the Bioelectric Activity of the Heart at Rest” (PZEh MO-1), with the CDR assisting as CMO (Crew Medical Officer). [During the 30-min. test, the crew tagged up with ground specialists on a Russian ground site (RGS) pass on Daily Orbit 15 (~12:00pm EST) via VHF and downlinked data from the Gamma-1M ECG (electrocardiograph) for about 5-6 minutes.]

For his third MedOps WinSCAT (Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool) session, Bill McArthur logged in on the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) and performed the exercise on the laptop-based psychological WinSCAT experiment. [WinSCAT is a time-constrained questionnaire test of cognitive abilities, routinely performed by astronauts aboard the ISS every 30 days before or after the PHS (periodic health status) test or on special CDR’s, crewmembers or flight surgeons request.]

In more software upgrading, Tokarev first configured the Russian Laptop 2 (TP2) for upgrading the firmware of the first (of two) time synchronization units (BSV-M1) on the Service Module (SM) system power panels (PPS). After consulting with the ground, Valery then completed the firmware step-up for BSV-M1 from a new CD-ROM delivered on Progress 20. Later, TP2 was powered off again. [BSV-M2 will be upgraded later.]

In the Lab module, the CDR activated the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox), removed and stowed the remaining PromISS (Protein Crystal Growth Monitoring by Digital Holographic Microscope) hardware, then inspected and cleaned MSG equipment, taking photographs of the ongoing activity and afterwards deactivating the rack.

On the HRF-12 rack (Human Research Facility 1), McArthur also checked out the ECG (electrocardiogram) cable of the Ultrasound equipment.

FE Tokarev reconfigured the ventilation of the Progress-355/20 cargo vehicle by removing a two-section length of the air duct from the Docking Compartment (DC1) and stowing it in the DC1, leaving one air duct section attached on the fan & air heater assembly (BVN) outlet fitting.

The CDR continued work on the U.S. MCA (Major Constituents Analyzer), which he yesterday equipped with a new MSA (mass spectrometer assembly). [When the ground tried MCA activation after the R&R, the analyzer failed unexpectedly. Subsequent restart attempts were also unsuccessful, and MCA was left deactivated for the remainder of the crew’s sleep period. Today’s troubleshooting by McArthur involved a repetition of the MSA removal, followed by inspection plus photo documentation of the blind mate connectors on both the ORU02 (on-orbit replaceable unit 02) and the MCA chassis. Following the troubleshooting, the ground was to attempt MCA activation again.]

The FE performed maintenance on the Russian IK0501 gas analyzer (GA) of the SM SOGS (Pressure Control & Atmospheric Monitoring System), removing its EP1003 power converter and replacing it with a new unit (#14). The old EP1003 #13 was discarded. [IK0501 is an automated system for measuring CO2, O2, and H2O in the air as well as the flow rate of the gas being analyzed.]

Wearing protective gear, Tokarev also serviced the ASU toilet facility by replacing its pretreat container (E-K) plus hose with a new assembly and discarding the old one. [E-K contains five liters of pre-treat solution,- a mix of H2SO4 (sulfuric acid), CrO3 (chromium oxide, for oxidation and purple color), and H2O (water). The pre-treat liquid is mixed with water in a dispenser (DKiV) and used for toilet flushing.]

McArthur ran the daily atmospheric status check for ppO2 (Partial Pressure Oxygen) and ppCO2 (pp Carbon Dioxide), using the CSA-O2 (Compound Specific Analyzer-Oxygen Sensor) and CDMK (CO2 Monitoring Kit).

Subsequently, Bill completed the regular bi-monthly reboot of the OCA (Orbit Communications Adapter) comm router SSC (Station Support Computer) laptop.

Tokarev performed the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s environment control & life support system (SOZh), including its toilet system (ASU), and also completed the daily updating/editing of the standard IMS “delta file”, including locations, for the regular weekly automated export/import to its three databases on the ground (Houston, Moscow, Baikonur).

Both crewmembers completed their regular 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on the TVIS treadmill, RED and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer. [Valery’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 3 of a new set).]

Afterwards, McArthur 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 workouts on RED, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).

The CDR filled out the regular weekly FFQ (food frequency questionnaire), his 14th, which keeps a log of his nutritional intake over time on special MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) software. [On the MEC, Bill is using his personalized file that reflects the food flown for his Increment. The FFQ records amounts consumed during the past week of such food items as beverages, cereals, grains, eggs, breads, snacks, sweets, fruit, beans, soup, vegetables, dairy, fish, meat, chicken, sauces & spreads, and vitamins. IBMP/Moscow (Institute of Biomedical Problems, Russian: IMBP – Institute of Medico-Biological Problems) recommended average daily caloric value of the crew’s food intake is 2200-2300 cal. If larger quantities of juices and fruits are taken into account, the value can go to 2400-2500 cal.]

Working off his discretionary “time available” task list, Tokarev completed his regular checkup on the Japanese experiment GCF-JAXA (Granada Crystallization Facility) in the Russian TBU incubator, maintained at 20 degC, including a temperature check on its ART (automatic temperature recorder). [This daily monitoring/temp checking, carried on the Russian voluntary “time available” task list, will continue until 4/30.]

Also from the voluntary task list, Valery completed the daily status check of the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 (“Plants-2”) experiment and water tank recharge. [Rasteniya researches growth and development of plants under spaceflight conditions in the Lada-8 greenhouse. The regular maintenance of the experiment (each Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) involves monitoring of seedling growth, humidity measurements, moistening of the substrate if necessary, topping off the water tank if ~20-25% of the total amount (4 liters) remains, and photo/video recording. Once weekly, data from the Lada greenhouse control unit are recorded on floppy disk for weekly downlink via REGUL-Packet or the new BSR-TM at a suitable occasion

At ~2:30am EST, Bill set up the Sputnik-SM Kenwood D700 amateur radio station in the SM and at 2:35pm conducted a 10-min. ham radio session with students at the Cosmos Centre in Charleville, Australia. [Located in the SW Queensland town of Charleville (pop. 3500), Charleville School of Distance Education provides distance education services to approximately 250 students throughout a 400,000 km.sq. area of S & SW Queensland. The Charleville Cosmos Centre takes visitors on an astronomical journey through the ages and across various civilizations, under some of the clearest night skies in the Southern Hemisphere. The spectacular clear night skies of Outback Queensland offer some of the world’s best sky watching conditions. Learning about the mysteries of the night and the Aboriginal legends of the stars are all part of the fun at the Cosmos Centre. “Is being an astronaut a career you would recommend for younger people?”; “What do you do when you’re not working?”; “How do you shower?”; “Can you see any star constellations, and how do they look?”]

Preparations are underway for an overnight “campout” by the crew in the U.S. Airlock (A/L) on 2/23-2/24 at 10.2 psia pressure as an SDTO (Station Detailed Test Objective) test of this contingency. [Preps included the development of detailed Go/No-Go and termination criteria for the campout (which requires mask prebreathe), specifying unique conditions that would mandate termination of the test and re-opening of the Node starboard hatch. Crew preps also include moving necessary equipment to the A/L and removing items not certified for 10.2 psia ops. Go/No-Go for the SDTO will be discussed at a special IMMT (ISS Mission Management Team) meeting on 2/21.]

Today’s CEO (Crew Earth Observation) photo targets, limited in the current XPOP attitude by flight rule constraints on the use of the Lab nadir/science window, which is available for only ~1/4 of each orbit when not facing forward (in ram), were Pilcomayo River dynamics, Northern Argentina (this river changes its character and appearance as it breaks out of the Andes and flows ESE-ward across the Argentine Pampas towards the Parana River. Shooting right of track and beginning mapping it as transitions from a well-marked vigorous stream to a mere trickle marked mainly by vegetation), Patagonian Glaciers (clouds were expected to be increasing from the S and W at the time of this pass over the northern end of this target area. The crew was to try for broad, contextual views of the eastern flank of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field by looking right of track), and Internal waves, South Patagonian Shelf (looking left of track for sun glint enhancement over the large embayment known as the San Jorge Gulf).

To date, more than 186,000 of CEO images have been taken in the first five years of the ISS, almost one third of the total number of images taken from orbit by astronauts.

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 12 crew visit:

• http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-12/ndxpage1.html at NASA’s Human Spaceflight website.

Expedition 12 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, 7:46am EST [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 345.9 km
• Apogee height — 350.8 km
• Perigee height — 340.9 km
• Period — 91.45 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0007372
• Solar Beta Angle — 34.2 deg (magnitude increasing)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.74
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 80 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 41430

Events Ahead (all dates Eastern & tentative):

• 02/22/06 — ISS reboost (by 19P; mnvr. back to XPOP after burn)
• 02/23/06 — Overnight Airlock Campout SDTO
• 03/03/06 — Progress M-54/19P undocking & reentry (mnvr. to LVLH XVV after undock)
• 03/10/06 — ISS reboost (by SM thrusters; mnvr. back to XPOP after burn)
• 03/30/06 — Soyuz TMA-8/12S launch (Pavel Vinogradov/Russia, Jeffrey Williams/US, Marcos Pontes/Brazil)
• 04/01/06 — Soyuz TMA-8/12S docking (DC1; mnvr. to LVLH XVV after dock)
• 04/09/06 — Soyuz TMA-7/11S undocking & reentry (mnvr. to XPOP after undock)
• 04/16/06 — Soyuz TMA-8/12S relocation (DC1 to FGB nadir port)
• 04/24/06 — Progress M-56/21P launch
• 04/26/06 — Progress M-56/21P docking
• 05/03/06 — ULF1.1 launch (NET, not earlier than)
• 06/15/06 — U.S. EVA (under review)
• 06/19/06 — Progress M-55/20P undocking & reentry
• 06/28/06 — Progress M-57/22P launch
• 06/30/06 — Progress M-57/22P docking
• 07/01/06 — 12A launch (under review)
• 08/01/06 — Russian EVA-16 (under review)
• 09/13/06 — Progress M-56/21P undocking & reentry
• 09/14/06 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S launch
• 09/16/06 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S docking (DC1)
• 09/24/06 — Soyuz TMA-8/12S undocking & reentry
• 10/18/06 — Progress M-58/23P launch
• 10/20/06 — Progress M-58/23P docking
• 12/19/06 — Progress M-57/22P undocking & reentry
• 12/20/06 — Progress M-59/24P launch
• 12/22/06 — Progress M-59/24P 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.

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 15 February 2006