NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 17 January 2005

SpaceRef note: This NASA Headquarters internal status report, as presented here, contains additional, original material produced by SpaceRef.com (copyright © 2004) to enhance access to related status reports and NASA activities.

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Underway: Week 13 of Increment 10.

After station inspection and morning hygiene, before breakfast and first exercise, CDR/SO Leroy Chiao and FE Salizhan Sharipov performed another session of the periodic Russian biomedical assessments PZEh-MO-8 (body mass measurement) and PZEh-MO-7 (calf volume measurement). The FE 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 mass 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 crewmembers mass is calculated by the computer and displayed].

After shutting off the Elektron O2 generator temporarily and deactivating VD-SU control mode, FE Salizhan Sharipov worked on the BITS2-12 onboard telemetry system, completing the replacement of the redundant string A’s PZU-1M (ROM) in the TA968MA central processor subsystem unit (not finished on 1/11). Subsequently, Salizhan also removed the BPA-M (#19) nitrogen purge unit of the Elektron system and replaced it with BPA-M (#20). Later, the Elektron was powered on again after reactivation of VD-SU mode.

During a Russian comm pass, TsUP/Moscow also conducted a test of a VSPN payload matching unit.

Both crewmembers in turn took their second periodic on-orbit hearing assessment (O-OHA) test, a NASA environmental health systems examination to assess the efficacy of acoustic countermeasures. [The O-OHA audiogram test involves minimum audibility measurements for each ear over a wide range of frequencies (0.25-10 kHz) and sound pressure levels, with the crewmembers using individual-specific Prophonics earphones, Bose ANC headsets and the SLM (sound level meter). To conduct the testing, the experimenter is supported by special EarQ software on the MEC (medical equipment computer), featuring an up/down-arrow-operated slider for each test frequency that the crewmember moves to the lowest sound pressure level at which the tone can still be heard. The baseline test is required not later than about Flight Day 14 for each new Expedition and is then performed once per month.]

CDR/SO Chiao meanwhile conducted the monthly IMS-based PEPs (portable emergency provisions) audit and inspection (last time done: 12/28). [The procedure involves verification that PFEs (portable fire extinguishers), PBAs (portable breathing assemblies), QDMAs (quick-don mask assemblies) and EHTKs (extension hose/tee kits) are free of damage to ensure their functionality, and to track shelf life/life cycles on the hardware. PEPs are not removed from their locker unless obvious damage is discovered during the inspection. There are a total of 5 PBAs in the U.S. segment (USOS), viz., two in the Node, two in the Lab, and one in the Airlock. There is only one EHTK, in the Lab.]

Beginning this week’s predominant preparations for the EVA-12 spacewalk on 1/26, Sharipov first installed the usual portable air repress bottles (BNP) in the DC1 docking module and the Service Module (SM)’s work compartment (RO) repress lines.

The crew also began preparing the DC1 itself for the EVA, removing temporarily stowed equipment not needed for the spacewalk and recording its interim stowage locations in the station with the IMS (inventory management system).

Leroy started gathering US tools required for the EVA-12 outboard activities.

Both crewmembers took turns performing the mandatory Russian pre-EVA MedOps procedure MO-6 (hand-cycle ergometry). [Because cosmonauts in previous Russian programs have shown noticeable decrease in arm muscle tone, TsUP/IBMP (MCC-Moscow/Institute of Biomedical Problems) physical fitness experts have made the handgrip/arm tolerance test analysis (hand ergometry) a standard pre-Orlan EVA requirement. For MO-6, the subject dons the ECG (electrocardiogram) biomed harness, attaches three skin electrodes and plugs the harness into the PKO medical exam panel on the cycle ergometer. The 30-min exercise itself starts after 10 seconds of complete rest, by manually rotating the cycle’s pedals, set at 150 W, backwards until “complete exhaustion”.]

Salizhan performed routine IFM (in-flight maintenance) on the SRVK-2M condensate water processor, removing its multifiltration unit (BK), which has reached its service life limit. The old BK was replaced with a new unit and stowed for deorbiting in Progress 16 (last time replaced: 12/2/04). [BK contains five purification columns to rid the condensate of dissolved mineral and organic impurities and has a service lifetime of ~450 liters throughput. The water needs to be purified for proper electrolysis in the Elektron O2 generator.]

The CDR attended to the periodic transfer of condensate water from the Lab condensate collection tank via EDV container to the Russian SRVK.

The crew performed their daily 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on TVIS treadmill, RED exerciser and VELO cycle with bungee cord load trainer. Salizhan’s daily protocol currently prescribes a four-day microcycle exercise with 1.5 hr on the TVIS (today: Day 3 of a new set) and one hour on VELO.

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

Later, Leroy performed the scheduled monthly inspection of the RED (resistive exercise device) with canister cords and accessory straps as well as the canister bolts for re-tightening if required. He also worked on the TVIS treadmill, performing its weekly maintenance. [Weekly maintenance generally checks the condition of the SPDs (subject positioning devices) and records time & date.]

The CDR also did the routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh environment control & life support system, including ASU toilet facilities, and prepared the regular IMS (Inventory Management System) export/import delta file for updating the IMS databases.

Working off the voluntary Russian task list, Sharipov 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.

MCC-Houston removed a software patch from the GNC MDMs (guidance, navigation & control computers) that is no longer necessary due to the step-up to PCS (portable computer system) software version R8. [For the possibility that an unexpected primary GNC MDM failure occurred during the patch removal (when there was no backup GNC MDM), a contingency procedure was uplinked beforehand, which would have had the crew mode to S-band LDR (low data rate) if MCC-H could not be raised via S-band.]

In support of the GNC MDM swap, attitude control was handed over to RS MCS (Russian Segment Motion Control System) at ~11:10am EST and returned to US CMG control at ~1:45pm.

Note on recent CCS R4 software upgrade: The CCS (Command & Control System) R4 upload, completed on 1/14, involved updates to more than 1.5 million lines of code in the onboard C&C computers. The upgrade generally improves the operations of onboard computers and, through the updates, decreases by about 300 the number of workarounds or Station Program Notes (SPNs) that ground flight controllers must use.

Upcoming Key Events:

• EVA-12 — 1/26/05 (hatch opening 2:27am EST)
• Progress 16P undocking & destructive reentry — 2/27/05;
• Progress 17P launch — 2/28/05.
• EVA-13 — 3/25/05;
• Soyuz 10 S launch — 4/15/05;
• Soyuz 9S undock — 4/25/05 (after 193 days on orbit, 191 days on board ISS).

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.

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.