NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 2 Feb 2004
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously or below.
The crew enjoyed a “real” rest day today, after a busy weekend due to the Progress 13P arrival and initial unloading (of delightful goodies).
Nevertheless, FE Alexander Kaleri paid a quick visit to the DC-1 “Pirs” docking module to conduct his fourth regular (monthly) inspection of AZS circuit breakers on the BVP Amp Switch Panel — they should all be On — and the LEDs (light-emitting diodes) of the 14 fuses in Fuse Panels BPP-30 & BPP-36 (last time done: 1/1).
The crew conducted voice tests with the “Sputnik-SM” ham radio station and the RSC-Energia ground site (call sign R3K), with ground operators Yuri Ignatyevich Krylov and Boris Grigoryevich Stepanov of Radio Magazine. A further testing pass is scheduled for 2/7, but if today’s pass was successful, there is no need for the other one. [Today’s ground station was located in the editorial room of Radio Magazine, which is planning to publish a series of articles to mark the 15-th anniversary of manned space flight ham radio. Pictures of the crew with their ham radio equipment will be published in the April issue of Radio Magazine to celebrate Space Exploration Day. Invited guests today included cosmonauts Moussa Manarov (U2MIR), Sergey Krikalev (U5MIR), Yuri Usachev (RW3FU), Pavel Vinogradov (RV3BS), Michael Turin (RZ3FT), Valery Poliakov (U3MIR), and Valery Korzun (RZ3FK).]
CDR/SO Michael Foale disassembled the EarthKAM experiment and stowed the hardware, as planned. [EarthKAM has reported that the activity was very successful, involving 57 schools, with over 700 images taken.]
On the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox), Mike performed a videotape exchange for the PromISS-3 (Protein Crystal Growth Monitoring by Digital Holographic Microscope 3) experiment (Tape 1 to Tape 2). The activity was again time critical due to the video capture of the start of the crystallization process.
Kaleri conducted the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh life support system, while Foale performed the regular routine status checkup of Increment 8 autonomous payloads in the Lab.
Mike also had 30 minutes for working on the “Red Book” manual to update emergency procedures.
The crew worked out on TVIS treadmill, RED exerciser and VELO cycle with load trainer.
The station continues in solar-oriented XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane) attitude, with the solar array wings biased 45 degrees for drag reduction, until 2/5.
US and Russian stowage specialists have agreed that the new Elektron unit can be temporarily stowed in the Node on the deck, until a better location is identified. [The Z1 vestibule seems a bit too crowded, based on what the IMS (inventory management system) shows. Suggestions from the crew were invited.
