NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 18 August 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.
EVA-14 is underway, after egress at 3:02pm EDT.
The crew’s sleep cycle remains shifted to accommodate RGS (Russian ground station) coverage during today’s EVA-14. Workday began at 5:20am and extends through 2:40am tomorrow morning. Wake-up is then set for 12:00 noon and sleep period will start at the regular 5:30pm. Beginning Saturday (8/20), the crew will finally return to the normal schedule of 2:00am – 5:30pm (all times EDT).
After morning inspection, during which the CDR had to verify that Service Module (SM) windows 6, 8, & 9 are closed for protection, all pre-EVA activities proceeded smoothly and on schedule, starting out with Krikalev and Phillips undergoing another MO-9 “Urolux” urine biochemistry test before breakfast. A second session with the Urolux equipment will be conducted overnight by both crewmembers immediately after post-EVA station repress from Progress 18’s air supply.
As part of pre-EVA activities, the FE transferred the previously prepared Kodak DCS 760 EVA camera from the U.S. segment (USOS) to the Russian segment (RS).
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Next, John configured the onboard Ethernet OpsLAN (Operations Local Area Network) for the RS/USOS hatch closure. It will be restored to normal operations after the EVA at ~2:00am. [The reconfiguration of the network is required during EVA (or Soyuz relocation) when station modules are isolated, to place the OpsLAN in a configuration that allows MCC-Houston to continue the uplink of timelines, procedures, crew mail, etc. Essentially, the FE disconnected the Ethernet coax cables between the Lab and Node, between Node and PMA-1 (pressurized mating adapter 1) as well as between PMA-1 and FGB, while assuring connectivity between Lab SSC (station support computer) clients and launching necessary applications, such as NetMeeting (which allows the ground to use the pre-aimed USB cameras on the laptops to monitor areas in the Lab not available for viewing on the Lab videocams).]
Krikalev meanwhile had another hour set aside to finish preparations of the SM Transfer Compartment (PkhO) and the DC1 airlock for EVA, supported by ground specialist tagup.
USOS hatchways were closed by FE Phillips (at ~7:20am) between Lab & Node (2 hatches), Node starboard port & “Quest” Airlock, and Node & PMA-1, with IMV (Intermodule Ventilation) valves remaining open and the MPEVs (Manual Pressure Equalization Valves) closed to support equalization of module pressures.
John also deactivated the externally mounted MISSE 5 payload by radio command, using the ARISS amateur (ham) radio set in the SM to shut it down and reset the timer.
Krikalev and Phillips then worked on reconfiguring DC1 and PkhO transfer tunnel and RS systems, after which Sergei terminated another O2 repressurization of the cabin air from Progress 18.
Next steps taken by the crew were to (a) check out the Orlan-M spacesuits and the suit interface control panels (BSS) in DC1 & PkhO, (b) disassemble the air duct in the DC1 (to gain room) while leaving the V3 fan in place for ventilation, and (c) retest the BK-3 primary and backup oxygen (O2) tanks of the Orlans and DC1.
After a “midday” meal at 11:00am, the crew continued configuring ISS onboard systems for the unmanned period, readied the DCS 760 camera for the spacewalk, rerouted C&W (caution & warning) alarms from the C&W panel to the PkhO EVA support panel, and reset communication links to extend the U.S. space-to-ground 2 (S/G2) channel into the DC1.
After final inspection of the suits, BSS interface units and biomedical parameter telemetry to RGS (~12:00pm), the hatchways between PkhO/FGB and PkhO/DC1 were closed (~1:16pm), followed by donning of the Orlans and ancillary gear, with closing of backpacks at about 1:45pm.
During subsequent depressurization of the DC1+PkhO volume, the suits and closed RS hatches were checked for leaks. After a final O2 purge of Orlan systems, prebreathe will start at ~2:15pm, lasting for 30 min (to denitrogenize the body for prevention of decompression sickness).
The DC1 was then be depressed to 15 mmHg while the crewmembers conducted a final leak check of the airlock, followed by transitioning the Orlans to autonomous (battery) power and opening the EV hatch #1, occurring at 3:02pm, at the end of the current night pass. The subsequent spacewalk is estimated to last about 6 hrs, i.e., hatch closure ~8:56pm. [The EVA timeline shows seven major objectives, in this order:
(1) Remove the “Biorisk” payload canister on the DC-1;
(2) remove MPAC & SEED panel #3 on the large diameter section (RO2) of the SM;
(3) install a reserve television camera on the endcone of the SM Assembly Section to support ATV prox ops (the last ATV EVA/outfitting task);
(4) photograph and check out the Kromka-3 contamination exposure experiment tablet attached to an SM handrail;
(5) change out the SKK-3-SM materials exposure container with the new SKK-5-SM;
(6) demate and remove the (deactivated and vented) Matryoshka experiment on SM RO; and
(7) remove the Russian/US Strela 2 adapter from the EFGF (electrical flight grapple fixture) on the FGB module and install it on the FRGF (flight releasable grapple fixture) on the PMA-3 (pressurized mating adapter #3).
MPAC (a micrometeoroid & orbital debris collector) and SEED (a materials exposure array) are commercial Japanese/JAXA science payloads. Matryoshka is a spherical body-simulating “phantom” and a human torso model outside on the SM hull, mounted there during EVA-9B on 2/27/04 to study radiation effects. Strela-2 is one of two cranes and work stations mounted on the DC-1, with an adapter end at the FGB (to be moved to the PMA-3).]
The EVA will extend through four night passes that the spacewalkers use as rest periods. Russian thrusters will be inhibited per TsUP/Moscow command during tasks on the SM Large Diameter Section (RO2) and Assembly Section (nominally from 3:35pm – 6:15pm). When thrusters are enabled, the crew will be in a clearly defined Safe Zone forward of the SM RO2 section. In the event of a CMG (control moment gyro) saturation, the station can remain in free drift for up to 3 hours (2 orbits) while work on RO2 is completed, before thrusters need to be re-enabled.
After return from the EVA and DC1 airlock repressurization from cabin air at ~10:00pm, the crew will open hatches and reenter the SM for their second MO-9 “Urolux” biochemical urine test, followed by resetting communications, conducting ISS activation operations, and restoring systems configurations in the DC1 and other RS modules to pre-EVA conditions, then installing the DC1 air ducts.
At ~11:30pm, John is expected to reopen the USOS transfer hatches from the RS and to reconfigure the OpsLAN computer network throughout the station.
Sleep period will begin at 2:40am tomorrow morning.
Last night at ~6:14pm EDT, the Lab CDRA (Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly) failed due to a check valve in adsorbent/desiccant bed #2 stuck open. This is a known failure mode of CDRA. With the Russian Vozdukh also down, there is currently no automatic CO2 control. The CDRA will remain deactivated until after the EVA, at which time it will be restarted in single-bed mode until the check valve reseats, allowing return to dual-bed ops. CO2 levels will remain well below limits during the time the system is off.
No CEO (crew earth observations) photo targets uplinked today.
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:
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.
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ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 7:25am EDT [= epoch]):
- Mean altitude — 353.8 km
- Apogee height — 354.4 km
- Perigee height — 353.2 km
- Period — 91.62 min.
- Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
- Eccentricity — 0.0000887
- Solar Beta Angle — 27.1 deg (magnitude increasing)
- Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.72
- Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 72 m
- Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 38548
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.
