NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 20 May 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.
The crew burned two SFOG (solid-fuel oxygen generator) candles today to keep ppO2 (oxygen partial pressure) within prescribed Flight Rule limits, each introducing 1.6 mmHg of O2. ISS ppO2 currently is 160.5 mmHg. SFOG burn times were 14 min 41 sec and 22 min, respectively. The next scheduled burn is Monday (5/23). [Each LiClO4 (lithium perchlorate) cartridge produces 600 liters (1.74 lb) of oxygen by thermal decomposing, enough for one person per day. The TGK container, protected by a thermal shield for additional safety, includes an electrically driven 8.5W-fan to suck in cabin air and expel it through a filter past the combusting cartridge which enriches the air with O2. The process takes between 5-20 minutes, and the cassette has to cool down before it can be used again (~3 hrs). Ignition of the compound, currently by striking a percussion cap, will be done electrically after delivery of new equipment on Progress 18. Besides Elektron hardware, 18P will also deliver 110 kg of gaseous O2. In addition to the SFOGs, the US Airlock HPGTs (high-pressure gas tanks) contain 362 lbs. of gaseous oxygen.]
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FE/SO Phillips set up photo/video equipment for recording his subsequent first general MedOps PFE (periodic fitness evaluation), a monthly 1.5-hr. procedure which checks up on blood pressure and electrocardiogram (ECG) during programmed exercise on the CEVIS (cycle ergometer with vibration isolation) in the Lab. Readings were taken with the BP/ECG (blood pressure/electrocardiograph) and the HRM (heart rate monitor) watch with its radio transmitter, with Krikalev assisting his crewmate. [BP/ECG provides automated noninvasive systolic and diastolic blood pressure measurements while also monitoring and displaying accurate heart rates on a continual basis at rest and during exercise.]
After his successful first FOOT (Foot/Ground Reaction Forces during Space Flight) session yesterday, for which he received kudos this morning, John Phillips retrieved the videotape from the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) equipment and deactivated MSG and its VTR (video tape recorder). He also transferred and downlinked the data files from the FOOT exercise for analysis by the Principal Investigator. [The videotape will be downlinked at a later time via the VCIU. The MSG video drawer was used for FOOT because the regular Lab VTR is currently not functional.]
CDR Krikalev worked on the Russian payload laptop 3 (LT3), reloading it with original data for the ASN-M satellite navigation system from a 128Mb storage card on which he had saved the data on 4/23 before the ground began ATV-related testing of the ASN-M. [The test, which was completed yesterday, consisted of a software simulation of the ATV (automated transfer vehicle) approach using the ASN in telemetry mode. Results were recorded on memory card for either downlink or return to the ground for further analysis.]
The FE meanwhile installed a HEC (headset extension cable) on the PMIC (portable microphone) in the Lab to protect the ATU (Audio Terminal Unit) from the possibility of a broken-off PMIC pin (one of which had inadvertently become bent several days ago, requiring repair by the crew.)
In the Service Module (SM) and Soyuz-216/10S, Sergei performed communication tests on the VHF-2 (very high frequency #2) channel and the Soyuz SA-2 link during RGS (Russian ground site) coverage at 8:41am EDT (Daily Orbit 2). The checkout included an activation of the Klest-152 TV camera in the Soyuz and voice checks via VHF-2 with the Russian scientific research ship Cosmonaut Viktor Patsayev (KVP).
Continuing the current round of monthly preventive maintenance on Russian segment air ventilation systems, John worked in the “Pirs” DC-1 where he cleaned the V3 ventilator fan screen and the VD1 & VD2 fans and air duct
The FE also filled out the regular weekly FFQ (food frequency questionnaire), his fourth, which keeps a log of his nutritional intake over time on special MEC (medical equipment computer) software. [With the updated MEC software, John is using a new personalized file that reflects the food flown for his Increment. The FFQ records amounts consumed during the past week of such food items as beverages, cereals, grains, eggs, breads, snacks, sweets, fruit, beans, soup, vegetables, dairy, fish, meat, chicken, sauces & spreads, and vitamins. IBMP (Institute of Biomedical Problems)-recommended average daily caloric value of the crew s food intake is 2200-2300 cal. If larger quantities of juices and fruits are taken into account, the value can go to 2400-2500 cal.]
Sergei performed the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh environment control & life support system including its ASU toilet system plus today the BRPK air/liquid condensate separator apparatus, while John later prepared the regular IMS delta file for export/import to the IMS databases.
The CDR also conducted the weekly IMS (inventory management system) tagup with specialists at TsUP/Moscow, discussing open issues concerning identification of equipment and storage locations for the IMS databases.
Both crewmembers conducted their regular 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on the TVIS treadmill (aerobic), RED resistive exerciser (anaerobic) and VELO ergometer cycle with bungee cord load trainer (combination aerobic/anaerobic). [As was the case for Salizhan Sharipov, Sergei s daily protocol prescribes a four-day microcycle exercise with 1.5 hr on the treadmill and one hour on VELO plus load trainer (today: Day 1 of a new set).]
Afterwards, Phillips transferred the exercise data files to the MEC for downlink, as well as the daily wristband HRM (heart rate monitor) data of his workout on RED, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium.
For further ground analysis of the treadmill, the FE played back and downlinked the video footage of the TVIS workout performed by him yesterday.
At ~10:35am EDT, Phillips and Krikalev supported a 10-min. televised PAO interview via Ku-band & S-band with CBS News (Peter King & Bill Harwood) and Peter King (for CBS News). [The interview was intended for the CBS Radio Network and distribution to the CBS Television syndication service for affiliates throughout the nation.]
At ~1:55pm, the crew held their standard (once every two weeks) teleconference with the JSC Astronaut Office (Kent Rominger), via S-band S/G.
Later, at ~2:35pm, they are also scheduled for their third regular (nominally weekly) teleconference with the Lead Flight Director at MCC-H via S-band/audio.
At 5:00am this morning, MCC-Houston, ESA and the HSG (Houston Support Group, Moscow) ran a 2-hr. comm tests of broadcast quality video routing between MCC-H and TsUP/Moscow, using an RF channel and ViTS (Video Teleconferencing System) plus the ESA Gateway and the IGS (Integrated Ground System).
Yesterday, battery #6 in the SM failed when it began to cycle. The SM has a total of eight of the Blok 800A storage batteries, the FGB six of the same type. Currently there are two spare SM batteries on board. [The failure of #6 was not unexpected since this 800A storage unit was operating at 24 ampere-hours (A-h) following a previous cycling session two weeks ago. An SM battery is considered failed when it operates below 20 A-h. Each battery has a capacity of initially 110-120 A-h and 60 A-h at end-of-life. Its estimated service life is 2 years, plus 3-year storage life.]
Today’s CEO (crew earth observations) photo targets, in the current LVLH attitude no longer limited by flight rule constraints on the use of the Lab nadir/science window, were Tunis, Tunisia (this was a fine nadir pass over the Tunisian capital city. As ISS approached the coast from the SW, the crew was to look for the large port city on the large gulf that opens towards western Sicily, using the long lens to map in detail the urbanized limits of this major North African city), High Central Andean Glaciers (these small glaciers and ice fields are often difficult to see because of diurnal cloud formations near the Andean summits. However, this pass may have been early enough in the day to beat most of the clouds. As the station crossed the fog-shrouded coast, the crew was to photograph these small, isolated patches of ice on the highest peaks and ridges of the Andes, using the long lenses for detail), and Central-Arizona Phoenix (the urban center of Phoenix is the nucleus of dramatic population growth and land use change in the desert southwest of the US. South-central Arizona has been designated a Long Term Ecological Research [LTER] site [see 5/14 Status report]. On this pass the crew tried for a nadir mapping pass to provide familiarization and potential context views to be annotated for identifying specific areas for long lens views later on).
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, 4:31am EDT [= epoch]):
- Mean altitude — 353.3 km
- Apogee height — 357.3 km
- Perigee height — 349.4 km
- Period — 91.61 min.
- Inclination (to Equator) — 51.65 deg
- Eccentricity — 0.0005847
- Solar Beta Angle — 2.8 deg (magnitude decreasing)
- Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.72
- Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 55 m
- Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 37130
Some Increment 11 Main Events (not final):
- Progress M-52 (17P) undock — 6/16;
- Progress M-53 (18P) launch — 6/17 (dock 6/19);
- Reboost — ~6/22 (delta-V 1.5 m/s);
- LF-1/STS-114 launch — NET 7/13 (window opens);
- Soyuz TMA-6 (10S) relocate (from DC-1 to FGB) — 8/16;
- Progress M-53 (18P) undock — 8/23;
- Progress M-54 (19P) launch — 8/24 (dock 8/26);
- ULF1.1/STS-121 launch — NET 9/9 (window opens);
- Soyuz TMA-7 (11S) launch — 9/27 (dock 9/29);
- Soyuz TMA-6 (10S) return — 10/7.
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.
