NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 19 June 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.   On this day 42 years ago Soviet Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova returned to Earth after spending nearly three days as the first woman in space.  Tereshkova (radio name: Chaika, “Seagull”) was launched on June 16, 1963, aboard Vostok 6 and completed 48 orbits.

Last night, Progress M-53 (18P) docked successfully at the Service Module (SM) aft port at 8:41pm EDT, three minutes earlier than expected and under manual TORU control by Sergei Krikalev after dropout of ground systems.  Immediately afterwards, Sergei was congratulated on a superb performance by Nikolai Nikolayevich Sevastianov, the new RSC-Energia President who succeeded Yuri Semenov since 5/29.   [TORU was used instead of Kurs for 18P docking due to the inability to uplink the “Kurs Final Approach” command from RGS (Russian Ground Sites) to the cargo ship.  The Progress Kurs-A system had been checked out successfully at 7:11pm, but when two of three command-uplink-capable RGS (Shelkovo, Baikonur, Ulan-Ude) suffered a power outage and an equipment failure, respectively, and the third RGS would have uplinked the commands too late, Krikalev was asked (by TsUP Chief Vladimir Soloviev) to transfer to manual docking using TORU.  The ensuing operation proceeded nominally, culminating in successful mechanical capture.  A total of 9 kg of Progress propellants (fuel + oxidizer) were used in TORU mode, considered a good result by TsUP/Moscow.  The TORU teleoperator control system lets am SM-based crewmember perform the approach and docking of unmanned Progress vehicles in case of KURS failure.  Receiving a video image of the approaching ISS, seen from the Progress-mounted “Klest” docking television camera on a color monitor (“Simvol-Ts”, i.e. “symbol center”) which also displays an overlay of rendezvous data from the onboard digital computer, Krikalev last night steered 18P to mechanical contact by means of two hand controllers, one for rotation, the other for translation.  The controller-generated commands were transmitted from the SM’s TORU control panel to the Progress via VHF radio.  In addition to the Simvol-Ts color monitor, range, range rate (approach velocity) and relative angular position data were also displayed on the “Klest-M” video monitor (VKU) which started picking up signals from Progress when it was still approximately 7 km away.  TORU was monitored in real time from TsUP over RGS and via Ku-band from Houston, but its control can not be taken over from the ground.]

After soft dock at 8:41pm EDT, hard dock was achieve at 8:50pm, followed by leak checking of the docking vestibule and fuel/oxidizer transfer line interface between Progress and SM, opening of hatches at 11:15pm, installation of the QD (quick disconnect) screw clamps (BZV) of the SSVP docking and internal transfer mechanism to rigidize the coupling, standard air sampling inside the Progress with the Russian AK-1M air sampler, deactivation of the cargo ship and finally installation of the air ventilation duct between it and the SM.

Wakeup of the crew today was at a slipped 10:30am, followed by breakfast at ~11:05am.

The crew then disassembled the SSVP in the hatchway and removed and dismantled the probe-and-cone docking mechanism (StM).   [The StM is the “classic” probe-and-cone type, consisting of an active docking assembly (ASA) with a probe (SSh), which fits into the cone (SK) on the passive docking assembly (PSA).  The ASA is mounted on the Progress’ GrO cargo module, while the PSA sits on the docking ports of the SM, FGB and DC-1.]

With the passage to 18P thus cleared, CDR Krikalev and FE/SO Phillips started cargo transfer operations which will extend over the remainder of this week, supported by the IMS (Inventory Management System) for reference and log-in.   [Among 18P’s 4,662 lbs (2115 kg) of cargo are 397 lbs (180 kg) of propellant, 242 lbs (110 kg) of oxygen and 926 lbs (436 kg) of water.  Also aboard are about 3,100 lbs (1406 kg) of dry cargo, including food, equipment and supplies, experiment hardware, spare parts for the Elektron O2 generator, 40 new SFOG (Solid Fuel Oxygen Generator)  “candles, and a new digital camera to be used for the STS-114/Discovery RPM (Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver).]

As a special payload, Krikalev transferred and stowed another equipment set of the Russian BIO-11 “Statokonia” experiment with the ULITKA (“snail”) incubator.  The installation was supported by specialist tagup.   [The first “Statokonia” set had arrived with Progress 17 in March.  BIO-11 studies the composition of statoconia, i.e., the organ of equilibrium in snails, and other phenomena exhibited by “ulitka” in zero-G and post-flight.]

Upon commanding the external lower outboard TV camera (LOOC) on the S1 truss during the 18P approach & docking last night, the camera status reader (CSR) stopped updating the camera tilt angle.  Ground teams were unable to restore the telemetry, but were able to manually command to a hard stop position and then command the camera to the desired viewing position to support docking.  Once Progress docking was completed the camera was commanded to a parked position, at which time the CSR status for the tilt returned to nominal operations.

Troubleshooting of the SM PCS (portable computer system) shutdown following the false FGB fire alarm on 6/16 indicates a battery failure.  In the coming week the EXPRESS Rack laptop’s CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) battery will be replaced to enable the laptop to be considered a valid spare PCS laptop.

After the recent failure of the primary local digital commutator (LKTs #2V36) in the SM, on 6/17 TsUP switched to the backup commutator.  Telemetry from the Vozdukh CO2 scrubber and the Micropurification Unit (BMP) was restored almost immediately.  The BMP was reactivated and is currently operating in automatic mode, as is the Vozdukh.

Weekly Science Update (Expedition Eleven — 8th):

Human Research Facility/Gas Analyzer System for Metabolic Analysis Physiology (HRF GASMAP):  Next checkout at end of this month.

Human Research Facility/Workstation (HRF WS):  Continuing.

Advanced Ultrasound (ADUM):  Continuing.

Renal Stone (RS):  Next data collection in July.

Foot/Ground Reaction Forces during Space Flight (FOOT):   The data from last week’s session indicate that the Foot data collection run was successful.   More for Dr. Phillips next week. 

Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS):  SAMS is nominal and receiving acceleration data.

Microgravity Acceleration Measurement System (MAMS):   MAMS remains in nominal operations.

Protein Crystal Growth-Single Locker Thermal Enclosure System (PCG-STES):  PCG-STES is performing nominally. 

Binary Colloidal Alloy Test-3 (BCAT-3):    BCAT-3 Slow Growth Sample Module will be left undisturbed in its current location by the E11 crew.  In order for the samples to potentially grow crystals that can be photographed during Increment 12 operations, the Sample Module must be left undisturbed.

Materials ISS Experiment (MISSE):  In progress. Deployed outside on the U.S. Airlock.  Nominal and collecting data.  To be exchanged during LF-1.

Dust and Aerosol Measurement Feasibility Test (DAFT):   Nothing new.

Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students (EarthKAM):   The conference between the Science Officer and ground investigators this week was a great opportunity for EarthKAM, and the team appreciates John’s suggestions.  They are examining ways to put some of John’s suggestions to work and are looking forward to the next session in July.

Serial Network Flow Monitor (SNFM):  Completed.

Fluid Merging Viscosity Measurement (FMVM):  The FMVM team appreciates the two video dumps from the camcorder this week.  The first showed the entire coalescence data sequence for the D-1 honey liquid.   Three of the coalescences yielded useful data that will add to the database.  The second video dump contained the last two coalescences of unequal size drops from the second honey liquid D-2 that will be utilized immediately by the team’s graduate student for thesis preparation.

Space Experiment Module (SEM):  Nothing new.  Experimenters and kids are working to get the next two satchels on ULF1.1.

Miscible Fluids in Microgravity (MFMG):   MFMG payload operations are finished.

Educational Payload Operations (EPO):   in progress.

Crew Earth Observations (CEO):   As of 6/12 the ground has received and reviewed a total of 2,820 of ISS CEO images.  Two of the views of Tropical Storm Arlene in the Gulf of Mexico were published by PAO this past week.   Also, a handsome, detailed image of the historic port of Rotterdam (also known as Europort) will be published in NASA/GSFC’s website, Earth Observatory this weekend.

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 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.
 

Some Increment 11 Main Events (not final):

• PMA-3 depress — 6/22 (4:50am EDT);
• Reboost — 6/29 (4:21pm, delta-V 2.3 m/s);
• LF-1/STS-114 launch — NET 7/13 (18-day window opens);
• LF-1/STS-114 dock — NET 7/15 (adding 110,713 kg to ISS mass);
• Soyuz TMA-6 (10S) relocate (from DC-1 to FGB) — ~8/17;
• Progress M-54 (19P) launch — 8/24 (dock 8/26);
• ULF1.1/STS-121 launch — NET 9/9 (launch window opens);
• 12A/STS-115 launch — NET 2/16/06;
• 12A.1/STS-116 launch — NET 4/23/06;
• 13A/STS-117 launch — NET 7/13/06.

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.