NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 21 December 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.   The crew awoke to words of thanks for yesterday s well-done job on working a full plate consisting of TORU testing, PCS ghosting, Cardiocog, and TVIS checkups. 

Early in the morning, before breakfast and first exercise, FE Salizhan Sharipov and CDR/SO Leroy Chiao completed their fourth session with the Russian crew health-monitoring program’s medical assessment MO-9/Biochemical Urinalysis.  Afterwards, the CDR stowed the hardware.   [MO-9 is conducted regularly every 30 days (and also before and after EVAs) and is one of five nominal Russian medical tests adopted by NASA for US crewmembers for IMG PHS (Integrated Medical Group/Periodic Health Status) evaluation as part of the “PHS/Without Blood Labs” exam.  The analysis uses the sophisticated in-vitro diagnostic apparatus Urolux developed originally for the Mir program.  Afterwards, the data were entered in the medical equipment computer (MEC) s special IFEP software (In-Flight Examination Program).]

With the Elektron O2 generator still turned off, Sharipov worked on the Russian harmful impurities removal system (BMP), starting the “bake-out” cycle to vacuum on absorbent bed #1 of the regenerable dual-channel filtration system.   [Regeneration of each of the two cartridges takes about 24 hours.]

Leroy Chiao completed a number of tasks on both loops of the Lab ITCS (internal thermal control system) in order to place the ITCS in the best possible configuration for the unlikely event that the ISS were to be without crew for a longer period of time.  About six hours were scheduled for the activities.   [After the ground confirmed that the system was set to dual mode, Leroy first installed fresh filters on the pump packages of, first, the LTL (low temperature loop), then the MTL (medium temperature loop).  Later in the day (~9:15am EST), he set up the FSS (fluid system servicer) and filled the LTL accumulator about a gallon of water (~3.7 L).  This resulted in a vent overboard, creating a small external reaction torque.  Leroy also took photographs of the QD (quick disconnect) surfaces of the old filters, and secured the serial/parts numbers of the old and new filters for the IMS (inventory management system).]

In the Service Module (SM) and FGB, Salizhan Sharipov inspected interior panels with damaged (peeling) facing and took photographs of the damaged areas with the Nikon D1 digital still camera with flash, along with identifiers and damage size estimates for ground review.

At ~11:15am, the crew used a comm pass over Dryden and White Sands for a VHF (very high frequency) proficiency exercise, talking with the ground in the normal fashion via VHF radio from a handheld microphone and any of the U.S. segment ATUs (audio terminal units).

Progress 350/15P is all buttoned-up and ready to go.  Most of the remaining workday was used by the crew to prepare the cargoship-turned-trashcan for tomorrow s undocking. 

After stowing the last items for disposal and arranging them to maintain proper mass distribution for flight control equilibrium, Sharipov dismantled and removed the Progress LKT local temperature sensor commutator (TA251M1B) of the BITS2-12 onboard telemetry system and its TA765B ROM (read-only memory) unit, now no longer required and to be reused in the future.

Next, after 15P activation Salizhan disassembled the air duct in the hatchway to the SM PkhO (Transfer Compartment). 

The crew then removed the threaded quick-disconnect (QD) screw clamps of the SM docking & internal transfer system (SSVP), which rigidized the mating surfaces.  The interface was visually inspected and video-recorded with the U.S. DVCAM to make sure that there is no damage to the cords, snap hooks or rings on the latches and to the slots for the clamps in the SSVP’s internal flanges. 

At ~12:15pm EST, the crew closed the hatches between Progress and SM, followed by depressurization of the SM-to-Progress vestibule for the purpose of leak checking.  The videotape of the interfaces was downlinked at ~12:20pm via U.S. Ku- and S-band.  The SM thrusters, which had been inhibited prior to the QD clamps removal, were re-enabled at ~2:05pm.  At ~12:30am early tomorrow morning, charging of the Progress primary and backup buffer batteries from SM power will be terminated, providing the cargo ship with autonomous power for the post-undock flight phase.

The FE completed the daily routine inspection of the SM’s SOZh/ECLSS life support system (including replacement of ASU toilet facility inserts).  He also performed the weekly inspection of the air/liquid condensate separator apparatus (BRPK).

The CDR filled out the regular weekly FFQ (food frequency questionnaire), his eighth, that keeps a log of his nutritional intake over time on special MEC (medical equipment computer) software.   [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-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.  As confirmed by the 12/16 onboard audit, the crew is consuming food per the planned rate.  Available supply will last through 1/3/05.  Run-out date for the available water is around 1/24-25/05.  Progress 16P, due to arrive on 12/25 (7:04pm EST) will deliver new food supplies: a total of 69 containers with 209 rations, as well as 464 liters of water.]

The crew performed their daily 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on TVIS, RED exerciser, CEVIS cycle and VELO cycle with bungee cord load trainer.  Salizhan’s daily protocol currently prescribes a 1.5-hr structured set on the treadmill (today: Day 2 of a new set) and one hour on VELO.   [Results of yesterday s TVIS inspections were nominal.  In a 10-min. speed characterization test with the TVIS belt running and no crewmember on it, data were collected that will allow characterization of TVIS bearing function changes in case the ISS is de-crewed. Upon re-crewing, the crew would repeat the test for data correlation.]

Leroy then transferred the daily TVIS and RED exercise data files to the MEC (medical equipment computer) for downlink, as well as the daily wristband HRM (heart rate monitor) data, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium.

Later today, at 2:44pm, the station maneuvers from XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane) to LVLH XVV (local vertical local horizontal/x-axis in velocity vector).   [A small change to Undocking attitude will be performed tomorrow at 2:04pm, followed at 2:42pm by a turn to the preferred attitude for observing the reentering Progress with the geophysical GFI-1 Relaksatsiya experiment and thence to LVLH duty attitude at 5:40pm.]

Tonight, TsUP/Moscow will deactivate the long-term test run on the SM s hardware of the Russian ASN-M satellite navigation system, started on 12/1 for the combined system (electronics plus antenna system).   [ASN uses GLONASS satellites (the Russian GPS equivalent) to update the state vector (SV, position & velocity plus time) without using the ground (which also uplinks daily SV updates) or requiring SV transfers from the U.S. segment.]

Leroy s ghosting of PCS (portable computer system) hard drives yesterday with the new version R8 software successfully prepared four new hard drives (#6062, #6065, #6073, #6133) for the CCS (command & control system) R4 step up in January.

Today’s CEO (crew earth observations) photo targets, limited in the current XPOP attitude by flight rule constraints on the use of the science window, which is available for only ~1/4 of each orbit when not facing forward (in ram), were Khartoum, Sudan (weather was predicted to be clear for oblique photography of this urban center.  Looking to the right of track for the city center; Khartoum is located at the confluence of the Blue and White Nile Rivers.  The objective was to capture a general overview of the current extent of urbanization rather than detailed mapping of the urban/rural boundary), Fires, Central Africa (Dynamic Event. Numerous small fires are burning throughout central Africa.  Looking to the left of track for smoke plumes and haze resulting from these fires.  Images of the plumes are useful for study of atmospheric effects and air quality degradation resulting from the fires), and Internal Waves, Caribbean Sea (this overpass provided an opportunity for internal wave photography.  Looking to the right of track and almost directly below for the sunglint point).

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 10 crew visit:

• http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-10/ndxpage1.html at NASA’s Human Spaceflight website.

Expedition 10 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.

Upcoming Key Events: (all times EST)

— Progress 15P — 12/22 (tomorrow):

• Separation command:  2:34pm;
• Physical Undocking (hooks open/spring delta-V~0.12 m/s):  2:37pm;
• Separation burn:  2:40pm;
• R-bar crossing (straight below ISS):  ~3:00pm
• ISS in Relaxation experiment attitude:  3:02pm;
• Deorbit burn (2 min 28 s):  5:32pm
• Entry Interface:  6:10pm.

— Progress 16P — 12/23-25:

• Launch — 12/23, 5:19pm;
• Kurs-A/P system acquisition:  12/25, ~5:28pm;
• Video link activation (at ~8 km):  ~5:50pm;
• Flyaround start (at ~400 m):  6:09pm;
• Stationkeeping (at ~170m, in darkness):  6:19pm;
• Final approach start (in darkness):  6:55pm;
• Local sunrise:  7:03pm;
• Docking contact: 7:04pm.
• (If the automated Kurs rendezvous fails, there remain ~20 min. for manual TORU ops, until next day).
• Hatch opening — 12/26, 1:10pm.

Other Key Events:

• EVA-12 — 1/25/05;
• Progress 16P undocking & destructive reentry — 2/27/05;
• Progress 17P launch — 2/28/05.
• EVA-13 — 3/25/05;
• Soyuz 9S undock — 4/25/05 (after 193 days on orbit, 191 days on board ISS).

ISS Orbit  (as of this morning, 6:43am EST [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 354.3 km
• Apogee height — 357.2 km
• Perigee height — 351.3 km
• Period — 91.63 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0004357
• Solar Beta Angle — -11.0 deg (magnitude decreasing)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.72
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 100 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 34774

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.

Correction of yesterday’s (12/21) Status report:

The introductory historical note on Romanenko’s and Grechko’s first inspect/repair spacewalk from Salyut-6 in 1977 referred to the Russian space program.  It was of course preceded by four years by the major repair EVAs of U.S. Skylab crews.