NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 19 October 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.  

Last night’s ISS reboost was aborted when Progress 19 thrusters shut down after only 117 sec into the first of two planned burns.   [Preliminary indications from Moscow are that the thrusters fired as commanded, but that a subsequent loss of communication (“talk back”) in the pressure sensing feedback loop within the Progress thruster system caused the premature shutdown.  Due to the lack of knowledge of the cause of the anomaly at the time, the second reboost burn was postponed by TsUP/Moscow until the situation is fully understood and any identified workarounds implemented.  The second burn did not take place, and the short first burn resulted in only 0.32 m/s delta-V (instead of 5.88 m/s planned), with 0.55 km altitude increase (instead of 10.1 km planned from both burns).]

After configuring comm links to provide communications from the DC-1, FE Tokarev worked in the docking compartment to perform the R&R (removal & replacement) of a cold plate (PAS) of the thermal control system (SOTR), for which he had made preparations on 10/17.   [The activity, necessitated by a hose failure, required prior deactivation of the SOTR heating loop 2 (KOB-2).]

This was the second day for the current renal (kidney) stone experiment session, with Bill and Valery collecting urine samples throughout the day and keeping their dietary/metabolic log entries up to date.  [This long-range preventive medicine investigation features daily random ingestion of either potassium citrate or placebo tablets at dinnertime.  The NASA-JSC double-blind “Renal Stone” research study investigates methods to prevent formation of kidney stones in zero-G.  Part of the experiment consists in keeping a metabolic diet log (food and fluid intake), followed by collection of urine samples several times per day during each session.]

CDR McArthur worked on the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer), loading it with the new software, personalized for the Expedition 12 crew and correcting several problems that were resident on the previous version.  Bill also prepared the new software for the HRM (Heart Rate Monitor).

The crew again had one hour each set aside on today’s schedule for ISS familiarization and adaptation, to help in adjusting to their new surroundings and activities.   [This “free” session has become a valuable standard requirement for new station occupants for the first two weeks.]

Bill and Valery completed their regular 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on the CEVIS cycle ergometer, TVIS treadmill, RED resistive machine 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 1 of the first set).]

Later, McArthur transferred the TVIS treadmill and RED exercise data files to the MEC for downlink, as well as the daily wristband HRM data of his RED workout, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).

Working off his voluntary “time available” task list, Valery Tokarev performed the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh environment control & life support system, including the ASU toilet system, and also prepared the regular daily IMS “delta”/update file for automated export/import to the three IMS databases (MCC-H, TsUP, Baikonur).

Yesterday’s checkout of the PFS (Pulmonary Function System) by the Science Officer was generally a success except for some errors encountered during the GASMAP (Gas Analyzer System for Metabolic Analysis Physiology) portion of the activity, leaving the planned calibration of the GASMAP unfinished.  However, the PFS hardware checkout and PFM/PAM (Pulse Frequency Modulated/Payload Accommodation Manager) calibration were complete, and real-time telemetry indicated that the PFS hardware is nominal.  

The Elektron remains off line.  Working on the Elektron oxygen (O2) generator yesterday, FE Tokarev replaced the BKO purification column of the SVO water supply subsystem, which purifies the water going into to the Elektron for electrolysis in O2 and H2 (hydrogen).   [The replacement was conducted because BKO has reached the end of its service life, and the Russian teams do not want to risk exposure of the new BZh Liquid Unit to any bubbles within the water.  An attempt to re-activate Elektron is currently scheduled for this 10/21 (Friday).  If that is not successful, additional troubleshooting will be scheduled for 10/22 (Saturday).]

After the aborted reboost last night the decision was made to remain on the established timeline for the planned P6 solar array 2B1 battery reconditioning and to maneuver the vehicle attitude to XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane) for maximum power generation.  The maneuver was successfully completed along with other scheduled configuration changes.  The battery reconditioning was then initiated last night.  This activity is scheduled to continue through next Tuesday (10/25).

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, 10:49am EDT [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 347.1 km
• Apogee height — 347.7 km
• Perigee height — 346.5 km
• Period — 91.48 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0001678
• Solar Beta Angle — 22.5 deg (magnitude increasing)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.74
• Mean altitude gain in last 24 hours — 550 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 39526

Upcoming Events (all times EDT):

• TBD — ISS Reboost (two burns, 11m 40s each, to set up phasing for Progress 20P launch & circularize;)
• 10/27/05 – EVA-04 Dry Run
• 11/07/05 — EVA-4 (U.S.)
• 11/18/05 — Soyuz TMA-7/11S relocation (from DC-1 to FGB nadir port)
• 12/20/05 – Progress M-54/19P undocking & reentry
• 12/21/05 – Progress M-55/20P launch
• 12/23/05 — Progress M-55/20P docking
• 01/09/06 — 100 days for Expedition 12.

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.