Status Report

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 2 Sep 2003

By SpaceRef Editor

September 2, 2003

Filed under ISS, ISS On-orbit status, NASA HQ, US

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 2 Sep 2003 — iss

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously or below.

Early in the morning, TsUP/Moscow powered off the BITS2-12 onboard telemetry system and CDR Yuri Malenchenko dismantled the US-21 matching unit in the Progress 11P, preparatory to its undocking and deorbiting on Thursday (9/4). [Yuri first demated the BITS connector from the US-21, i.e. the electronic interface between the Service Module (SM) motion control system (MCS) and the Progress propulsion system. The container with the US-21 electronics was then removed from the cargo ship for stowage in the FGB and eventual return to Earth and reuse.]

Malenchenko then completed the final transfers of discarded cargo items to the 11P, logging the transfers for the IMS (inventory management system). [Items loaded on 11P today included used or expired medical kits, a trash bag (KBO-M), other equipment bags, and two discarded RED hand cranks.]

Afterwards, the CDR activated the Progress systems and removed the ventilation air duct between its cargo module and the DC-1 docking module. After taping a video survey of the interface seals between the two modules (focusing especially on the clamp sockets on the assemblies’ inner flanges) and downlinking the footage for ground inspection, Malenchenko closed the Progress/DC-1 hatch at about 1:15pm EDT.

While in the “Pirs” DC-1, Malenchenko completed his fifth regular (monthly) checkup of circuit breakers (AZS) on the BVP amp switch panel — they should all be On — and the 14 LEDs of the fuses in fuse panels BPP-30 and BPP-36 (last time done: 8/1).

FE/SO Ed Lu today had another science session on the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) rack with the third PFMI (Pore Formation & Mobility Investigation) run, activating the rack, installing the sample, monitoring proper computer startup and sample processing, and at the end removing the important videotape with the “evidence”. [Today’s sample was PFMI-06. Background: Defects generated in solidifying (crystallizing) materials compromise desired material properties and science (for example, measurement of microstructural features, i.e., dendrite arm spacing, is inaccurate). The MSG investigation is intended to promote our understanding of detrimental porosity formation and mobility during controlled directional solidification processing in a microgravity environment. This is studied by utilizing a transparent material, Succinonitrile (SCN), so that direct video observation and recording of pore generation and mobility during controlled directional solidification can be made.]

Malenchenko conducted another regular weekly status checkup of the IP-1 air flow sensors that are installed in the various RS (Russian segment) hatchways and the hatchway between FGB and Node.

Ed Lu conducted the routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh environment control & life support system and prepared the daily IMS “delta” file for automatic export/import to update the database.

The crew performed their regular daily physical exercise on TVIS treadmill, RED resistive exerciser and VELO ergometer with load trainer. The Science Officer completed the periodic calibration of the RED load settings (done every 24,330 cycles and after cable replacements) and also performed the monthly treadmill maintenance. [The latter includes inspecting bungees, harnesses, belt slats, belt tension, corner bracket clamp ropes, isolation bungees and gyroscope wires.]

Ed completed scheduled documentary photography of the Lab payload rack’s exterior.

Yuri conducted more observations for the Diatomeya ocean research program, collecting photo and video imagery depicting highly bioproductive waters of the Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. [Both visual observations and photo/video shooting were to be done in nadir, using the NIKON F5 digital still camera with 80-mm lens to shoot 1-2 frames per each target, and the DVCAM 150 digital camcorder for video imagery, while recording running voice commentary using the camcorder’s mike. For the still photography, Yuri used SM window #8, for the continually running camcorder window #7.]

The station’s cabin atmosphere is now periodically refreshed with gaseous oxygen (O2) from Progress 11P O2 tanks. A repress was completed today. [The Elektron electrolysis apparatus for generating oxygen (and hydrogen) continues to be off, conserving both its service life and water. The cabin repress valve cycling by the crew relies on the U.S. MCA (major constituents analyzer) as primary instrument to measure the ppO2 (oxygen partial pressure) concentration. Flight Rule limit for ppO2 continues to be 24.1%. With a newly determined error margin of plus/minus 2 mmHg for the MCA (to be regularly re-evaluated), the maximum allowable station O2 concentration is 23.8% as read by the MCA. Total cabin pressure is measured by the SM’s manometer instrument, which also has an instrument error that is taken into account.]

Preparatory to the 12P docking, MCC-Moscow uplinked the ISS docking attitude preload program (cyclogram) earlier than expected. This caused the RS (Russian segment) to take control of the ISS and place it into docking attitude already Saturday morning, much earlier than expected. After the cyclogram executed, the ISS was restored to nominal LVLH XVV attitude.

U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 1:17pm EDT).

Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):

Elektron O2 generator is powered Off (O2 being supplied by Progress 11P). Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On (in Manual Mode 5/3). U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is Off. TCCS (trace contaminant control subsystem) is operating. MCA (major constituents analyzer) is operating. BMP Harmful Impurities unit: absorbent bed #1 in Purify mode, bed #2 in Regeneration mode. RS air conditioner SKV-1 is Off; SKV-2 is Off.

SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 742; temperature (deg C) — 27.1; ppO2 (mmHg) — data invalid; ppCO2 (mmHg) — data invalid.
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 761; temperature (deg C) — 19.8.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 752; temperature (deg C) — 21.0.
Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 749.61; temperature (deg C) — 22.3 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 751.79; temperature (deg C) — 23.6; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 751.89; temperature (deg C) — 22.5; shell heater temp (deg C) — 23.0, ppO2 (mmHg) — 176.8; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 4.2.
PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 22.4
PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 19.7.

(n/a = data not available)

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

Both P6 channels fully operational. BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B both in tri-angle “blind” mode (non-solar tracking).
SM batteries: Battery #2 is failed and off; battery #7 is in Discharge mode; all other batteries (6) are in “Partial Charge” mode (battery #1 is degraded).
FGB batteries: Battery #1 is disconnected; all other batteries (5) are in “Partial Charge” mode.
Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 in Standby mode; PCU-2 in Standby mode.

Command & Data Handling Systems:

C&C-1 MDM is prime, C&C-2 is back-up, and C&C-3 is in standby.
GNC-1 MDM is prime; GNC-2 is Backup.
INT-2 is operating; INT-1 is Off.
EXT-2 is On (primary), EXT-1 is Off (both now upgraded to R3).
LA-1, LA-2 and LA-3 MDMs are all operating.
PL-2 MDM is Off; PL-1 MDM is Operational.
APS-1 (automated payload switch #1) and APS-2 are both On.
SM Terminal Computer (TVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.
SM Central Computer (TsVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.

Propulsion System (PS):

Total propellant load available: 3657 kg (8062 lb) as of 8/28 [SM(755) + FGB(2902) + Progress M(0) +Progress M-1(0)]. (Capability: SM — 860 kg; FGB — 6120 kg).

Attitude Control Systems:

3 CMGs on-line (CMG-1 failed).
State vector source — U.S. SIGI-1 (GPS)
Attitude source — U.S. SIGI-1 (GPS)
Angular rate source — RGA-1

Flight Attitude:

LVLH -YVV (local vertical/local horizontal = “earth-fixed”: z-axis in local vertical, -y-axis in velocity vector [yaw: -10 deg, pitch: -9.4 deg, roll: 0 deg]), with CMG/TA (thruster assist) Momentum Management.

Communications & Tracking Systems:

FGB MDM-1 is powered Off; FGB MDM-2 is operational.
All other Russian communications & tracking systems are nominal.
S-band is operating nominally (on string 2).
Ku-band is operating nominally.
Audio subsystem is operating nominally (IAC-2 is prime).
Video subsystem operating nominally.
HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.

Robotics:

SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at MBS PDGF #1 with Keep Alive (KA) power on both strings.
MBS: KA power on both strings.
MT: latched and mated at WS4.
POA: KA power on both strings.
RWS (robotics workstations): Lab RWS is On (DCP connected); Cupola RWS is Off.

ISS Orbit (as of this morning,6:57am EDT [= epoch]):