NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 20 September 2004
SpaceRef note: This NASA Headquarters internal status report, as presented here, contains additional, original material produced by SpaceRef.com (copyright © 2004) to enhance access to related status reports and NASA activities.
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Underway: Week 21 of Increment 9.
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Service Module Atmosphere Revitalization Subsystem, Book 2, Mission Operations Directorate, 9 October 2000 [Acrobat] According to this document’s introduction “This book contains information for the crew about procedures and rules for the atmosphere revitalization subsystem, Elektron, Vozdukh, Micropurification Unit, and Fire Detection and Suppression Subsystem operations, as well as their schematic and operation logic.” |
Update on Elektron: Operation of the Elektron is being monitored carefully as troubleshooting goes on. Use of the newly installed Liquid Unit (BZh-5) is not considered a “nominal” restoration of the Elektron, since the unit had been in stowage with known anomalies. Monitored and supported by the Safety community, the Elektron will be operated only during crew wake periods and shut down during sleep time, at least until arrival of new gas analyzer equipment for H2 and O2 on the next Soyuz and/or Progress launch. [Testing so far has shown that while the gas lines external to the BZh (which were affected by electrolyte clogging due to the leaking BZh-7) are back to normal, the primary minipump (MNO) in the crew-accessible part of the BZh-5 cannot handle air bubbles in the water and will be replaced tomorrow with a recently launched spare (BZh-5 shut down after 7min 45sec in 32 amps mode, then after 1h 40min in 64 amps mode). The R&R is a tedious task requiring 4 hrs of crew time. After the R&R, there will be another period of testing of the new minipump and the entire BZh unit.]
Update on Soyuz 9S launch: Launch date awaits final decision at the GDR (General Designers Review) at RSC-Energia/Moscow on 9/22, but according to TsUP October 11 is “more than likely”, with 10/13 as alternate. If 10/11 is retained, the station reboost scheduled for 9/22 will not be required and will be cancelled (there is sufficient time between the GDR and the reboost for a cancellation).
CDR Gennady Padalka had his fifth session with the European Neurocog experiment, still on board from Pedro Duque’s VC5 Cervantes program last October, today again focusing on virtual rotation in free floating and fixed position passages while recording EEG (electroencephalogram). The exercise was videotaped, like the previous one two days ago. [Assisted by FE Michael Fincke, Padalka first reset the EGE-2 laptop computer (by replacing the Uragan hard disk drive {HDD} with the Cardio/Neuro HDD, then equipped himself with the Halley head electrodes. After doing the virtual turns and rotations in fixed and free-floating position in zero-G called for by the Neurocog protocol, he downloaded the EEG data to a PCMCIA memory card for eventual return to Earth, and dismantled the equipment.]
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Previous Reports ISS On-orbit Status [HQ] |
For Fincke and Gennady, the time has come again for the full 6-months maintenance/checkup of the TVIS (treadmill with vibration isolation & stabilization), which will extend over two days. [Today after their physical exercise, the crew started on the lengthy procedure, which involves the stabilizers holding the TVIS firm in the “pit” of the Service Module (SM) floor, gyroscope lug fasteners and wire ropes, clamp rope assemblies, and an inspection of the interior of the TVIS chassis. The crew will also try to remove the forward right stabilizer, which is stuck. Once everything is complete, activation and checkout follow on tomorrow’s timeline. The entire activities will be documented with digital photography for ground review. Warning from Flight Control: “TVIS can be a formidable foe for even the most seasoned grease monkeys!”]
For updating two copies of the onboard SODF (system operations data files) Warning Book with new pages uplinked last week, Mike unstowed the WARN books and printed out the update package on the Lab printer. [This activity was postponed from 9/13 due to the Elektron troubleshooting.]
Gennady completed another daily inspection of the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 (“Plants-2”) plant growth experiment hardware in the Lada-5 greenhouse. Topping its water container off as required is an additional step included regularly in his task list.
The FE conducted the routine inspection of the SM’s SOZh environment control & life support system and prepared the regular IMS (inventory management system) delta file for automated export to the ground for database updating and subsequent re-import via OCA. Mike also attended to the routine status checkup of the autonomous PCG-STES010 (Protein Crystal Growth-Single Locker Thermal Enclosure System) payload in the Lab (done every Monday, Wednesday and Friday).
Both crewmembers completed their daily 2.5-hr. aerobic/anaerobic workout program on TVIS treadmill, RED exerciser and VELO cycle with bungee cord load trainer.
Another repressurization of the ISS cabin air with ~10 mmHg of fresh oxygen from Progress 15P storage was performed at 7:30am EDT. Prior to the activity, the U.S. MCA (major constituent analyzer) was activated overnight and “zero”-calibrated for null settings about 1 hr. before the repress. After monitoring the repress, the instrument was deactivated again in LEM (life extending mode).
At 12:55pm, propellants were transferred from Progress 15P to ISS storage in the FGB module. [Monitored by Moscow on Daily Orbits 2 and 3, the SM’s automated daily timeline sequencer (SPP) commanded transition to propellant transfer mode (KDU thrusters of Progress 15P and SM ODU propulsion manifold #1 inhibited), then commenced propellant transfer from the two refueling tanks (BG) of Progress 15P to the four tanks (TBG) of the FGB via prop lines passing through the SM, lasting about 1-1.5 hrs.]
The fourth inflight crew debriefing, on Onboard Information Technology/part 2, is scheduled for later today (4:25pm), focusing on the OpsLAN. [The debriefs are conducted via privatized conference comm. Questions covered in on-orbit debriefs will not be readdressed after the crew returns. After questions are uplinked, the crew has at least 48 hrs to review them before the scheduled debrief.]
Working off his discretionary task list, Padalka conducted another session of the Uragan earth-imaging program, using the Kodak 760 DSC (digital still camera) with 800mm-lens from SM windows #9, now available again in LVLH attitude. [Today’s task featured imagery of the mountain system on the southern Caspian Sea shore and the right side of Peru’s Huascaran volcano.]
The picture quality of the lower outboard video camera on the S1 truss element, long under watch, has deteriorated from a “pinkish” tint to “red”.
The GNC MDMs (guidance, navigation & control multiplexer/demultiplexers, i.e., computers), recently upgraded with Vers. R4 software, continue to operate nominally.
At 11:10am on Daily Orbit 2, Moscow started a five-day test of the Russian ASN-M satellite navigation system, which will require daily telemetry monitoring. [When functioning, the ASN will use GLONASS satellites (the Russian GPS equivalent) to update the state vector (SV, position & velocity data) without using the ground (which up to now has to uplink daily SV updates) or requiring SV transfers from the U.S. segment (USOS) from time to time. The ASN equipment was originally installed in the SM but was found faulty and had to be returned to the ground. After repair it was shipped again to the station on Progress 11P and re-installed by Yuri Malenchenko on 7/8/03, followed by various troubleshooting attempts en suite.]
The source of a vibration signature shown by the U.S. MAMS (microgravity acceleration measurement system), only in LVLH (local vertical/local horizontal) attitude, is under investigation.
Expedition 9 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.
Today’s CEO photo targets, in the current LVLH attitude no longer limited by restrictions on the use of the Lab nadir/science window, were Aerosols, Lower Yangtze Basin, China (scattered popcorn cumulus may have been present at the time of this pass but the opportunity is good for aerosol photography. Looking to the right of track for aerosol plumes), Khartoum, Sudan (this nadir pass was ideal for high-resolution photography for land cover change and spatial structure analysis. The urban center is located at the confluence of the Blue and White Nile Rivers), and Hurricane Jeanne, western Atlantic Ocean (Dynamic Event. Jeanne is predicted to remain at Category 2 strength at the time of this pass. Looking to the left of track approximately 3 degrees for the eye and banding features).
CEO images can be viewed at these websites:
See also the website “Space Station Challenge” at:
To view the latest photos taken by the expedition 9 crew visit:
- http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-9/ndxpage1.html at NASA’s Human Spaceflight website.
Major upcoming events:
- Soyuz 9S launch – TBD — 10/11? (w/Leroy Chiao, Salizhan Sharipov, Yuri Shargin);
- Soyuz 9S dock — TBD;
- Soyuz 8S undock — TBD (w/Gennady Padalka, Michael Fincke, Yuri Shargin);
- Soyuz 8S land — TBD;
- Soyuz 9S relocate to FGB nadir port — 11/18;
- Progress 15P undock – 11/23;
- Progress 16P launch — 11/24;
- EVA-12 — 12/28;
- Progress 16P undock — 1/29/05;
- Progress 17P launch — 1/30/05;
- EVA-13 — 2/21/05;
- Shuttle/LF1 launch — NET 3/6/05;
- Shuttle/LF1 undock — NET 3/16/05.
U.S. & Russian Segment Status (as of today, 1:30pm EDT)
Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):
- Elektron O2 generator is On (0 amps mode). Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On. U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is Off. TCCS (trace contaminant control subsystem) is On. SM Gas Analyzer has been calibrated and is used for ppO2 & ppCO2 monitoring. MCA (major constituents analyzer) is Off. BMP Harmful Impurities unit: absorbent bed #1 in Purify mode, bed #2 in Purify mode. RS air conditioner SKV-1 is On. SKV-2 is Off (SM panel mods completed 4/8; SKV-2 activation failed 4/20; new replaceable condensate removal line installed on 9/9). SFOG slot #2 fan suspect (not usable).
- SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 743; temperature (deg C) — 25.3; ppO2 (mmHg) — 159.4; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 3.7.
- SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 741; temperature (deg C) — 19.5.
- FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 744; temperature (deg C) — 21.0.
- Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 743.2; temperature (deg C) — 22.7 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
- U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 745.1; temperature (deg C) — 22.8; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
- Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 745.2; temperature (deg C) — 22.8; shell heater temp (deg C) — n/a, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
- (n/a = data not available)
Electrical Power Systems (EPS):
- Both P6 channels fully operational. BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B both in directed position (dual angle/blind mode, non solar-tracking, biased for drag reduction).
- SM batteries: All batteries (8) are on line in “Partial Charge” mode.
- FGB batteries: Battery #3 is off line; all other batteries (5) are on line in “Partial Charge” mode.
- Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 is in Standby mode; PCU-2 is in Standby mode.
Command & Data Handling Systems (C&DH)
- C&C-1 MDM is prime, C&C-2 is backup, and C&C-3 is in standby.
- GNC-1 MDM (vers. R4) is prime; GNC-2 (vers. R4) is backup.
- INT-2 is operating; INT-1 is Off.
- EXT-1 is On (primary), EXT-2 is Off (backup).
- LA-1, LA-2 and LA-3 MDMs are all operating.
- PL-1 MDM is Off; PL-2 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.
- FGB MDM-1 is Off (failed, 11/21/03); MDM-2 is Operational.
Propulsion System (PS):
- Total propellant load available: 4158 kg (9167 lb) as of 9/16/04; [SM(552) + FGB(3326) + Progress M(280)]. (Capabilities: SM — 860 kg; FGB — 6120 kg).
Attitude Control Systems (ACS):
- 3 CMGs on-line (CMG-1 failed, since 6/6/02; CMG-2s RPC-17 failed 4/21/04; was replaced 6/30/04).
- State vector source — RS
- Attitude source — RS
- Angular rate source — RGA-1
Flight Attitude:
- LVLH XVV (local vertical/local horizontal = earth-fixed: z-axis in local vertical, x-axis in velocity vector [yaw: -10 deg, pitch: -7.2 deg, roll: 0 deg]), with CMG/TA (thruster assist) Momentum Management.
Communications & Tracking Systems (C&T):
- 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-1 is prime, IAC-2 is off).
- Video subsystem operating nominally.
- HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.
Robotics:
- SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at Lab PDGF/LEE A, operational on redundant string, off on prime.
- MBS: KA (keep alive) 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.
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ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 7:04am EDT [= epoch]):
- Mean altitude — 359.1 km
- Apogee height — 362.9 km
- Perigee height — 355.3 km
- Period — 91.72 min.
- Inclination (to Equator) — 51.63 deg
- Eccentricity — 0.0005581
- Solar Beta Angle — 17.9 deg (magnitude decreasing)
- Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.70
- Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 95 m
- Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 33328
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.
