NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 21 July 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. Today 35 years ago humans walked on the Moon for the first time (on Mare Serenitatis), deployed the first sensors on its plain and performed the first manned liftoff from the lunar surface.
Update on Russian software upgrade: This morning’s second attempt at loading the new SM 7.02 software on the Service Module (SM) computers succeeded smoothly and without hitches. The new software version contains many updates to comply with new requirements, changing ISS configurations and allowing for ATV (automated transfer vehicle) integration. [After ground and crew deactivated the Vozdukh CO2 scrubber, Elektron O2 generator, BMP impurities filtration unit, SKV-1 air conditioner and SM & DC1 thermal control programs beginning at ~4:09am EDT, next steps were the actual software upload, starting with the #3 subset (lane) of the TVM (Terminal Computer), later of the TsVM (Central Computer), followed by restart of each computer and subsequent loading of the remaining lanes, with another restart (hence, three restarts total). Later in the day, all deactivated Russian ECLS systems were restored to operation.]
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Previous Reports ISS On-orbit Status [HQ] |
Update on US EMU spacesuit troubleshooting: The EMU fault finding team was unable to find the cause of the cooling problem of EMU 3013. [Ground review of a large amount of good imagery downlinked by the crew remained fruitless. The EVA team will now examine other “legs” of the EMU fault tree to determine the root causes of the cooling problem and corresponding action plans.]
The ISS crew began preparing for tomorrow’s robotics operation by reviewing the current version of the DOUG (Dynamic Operational Ubiquitous Graphics) software. Before sleeptime tonight (5:30pm EDT), Mike Fincke will tag up with ground specialists about the SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator System) ops. He also connected the UOP-DCP (utility outlet panel-to-display & control panel) bypass power cable at the Lab RWS (robotics workstation). [Used during SSRMS ops, DOUG is a software program on the MSS (mobile service system) RWS laptops that provides a birdseye-view graphical image of the external station configuration and the SSRMS arm, showing its real-time location and configuration on a laptop during its operation. Tomorrow’s maneuver is designed to leave the SSRMS in a position for EVA-10 viewing on 8/3. Each Joint OCAS (operator commanded auto sequence) maneuver was designed so that the arm remains in the camera views specified, limiting video reconfigurations during arm motion. Prior to issuing the Confirm command for each Joint OCAS, the ground will verify the destination entered by the crewmember. Prior to the ground’s issuing a “Confirm” command for go-ahead, the system is in a good configuration and could be left unattended while waiting for the Go. It has been determined that the current flight crew’s robotics proficiency will not allow, for the remainder of Increment 9, to go beyond the SSRMS control modes required by tomorrow’s situation.]
CDR Padalka completed the periodic long-term checkup of onboard vacuum pressure gauges (MV). [First, a reading check of four portable vacuum pressure gauges in the SM was performed. They were then moved to the Soyuz TMA-4/8S crew return vehicle for comparing their readings to the measurement of the Soyuz manometer.]
The FE/SO returned to the Lab nadir window to perform another ultrasound inspection of the small leaks that he had discovered in its frame on 4/23. This work, which included photo documentation, has been on the “job jar” task list and was hard scheduled for today. [Using the ULD (ultrasonic leak detector) that listens for “hissing” noise, Mike’s task was to verify and further characterize the leak points discovered before and mark new leak points, if any. Additionally, the procedure should determine which interface these leaks are across, i.e., either from the redundant pressure pane frame to the hull (leak out to space) or from the primary pressure pane frame to the redundant pressure pane frame (leak into the “Volume D” interpane space.)]
Padalka continued the current round of monthly preventive maintenance on Russian segment (RS) air ventilation systems, today inspecting and cleaning of ventilators and grilles of the Group A fans in the SM. He also took documentary pictures of the SM’s VPrK fan.
Gennady then moved to the Functional Cargo Block (FGB) for a 1.5-hr task of accessing and cleaning the VT7 fan screens of the three SOTR (thermal control system) gas-liquid heat exchangers (GZhT4).
Meanwhile, the FE conducted an extensive periodic program of noise level measurements throughout the station, using the joint US/Russian sound level meter (SLM) in the cabin for a 2-hr. acoustic survey. The recorded data were later transferred to the medical equipment computer (MEC). [These acoustic measurements are obtained once per month at 46 locations in the Lab (13), Node (4), Airlock (3), FGB (7), SM (11) and DC-1 (3) modules. The survey also includes five crew preference locations taken at their perceived loudest locations in the station. The SLM gives instantaneous noise levels and their frequency spectra, which are transferred to the MEC laptop via an RS232 cable and later downlinked with regular CHeCS (crew health care systems) data dump or via OCA. ]
Fincke completed the daily routine inspection of the SM’s SOZh life support system, which today included the periodic checkout of the IP-1 airflow sensors in the various RS hatchways and FGB-to-Node tunnel (last time done: 7/7). Mike also prepared the daily IMS “delta” file update and performed the standard routine checkup of autonomous Lab payloads.
Padalka’s work schedule provided for another round of stowing trash and excessed equipment on the Progress 14P cargo ship, slated for undocking on 7/30 (2:06am EDT). [The transfers are supported by reference to the IMS (inventory management system) database.]
The FE logged in and performed another session with the laptop-based psychological MedOps WinSCAT (Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool) experiment. [WinSCAT is a time-constrained questionnaire test of cognitive abilities, routinely performed by astronauts aboard the ISS every 30 days before or after the PHS (periodic health status) test or on special CDR’s, crewmember’s or flight surgeon’s request.]
Later, Mike completed the scheduled maintenance of the CSA-CPs (compound specific analyzer-combustion products), which is performed once every 30 days (to conserve battery life). While servicing the CSA-CPs, the FE also took data readings on O2, CO, HCN, HCl, battery ticks and sampling locations used. [The CSA-CP is a passive cabin atmosphere monitor that provides quick response capability during a combustion event (fire). Its collected data are stored on a logger. Today’s maintenance consisted of changing out the battery pack in the prime (#1015) and backup (#1016) unit, and to calibrate the drift in the combustion sensors.]
Major upcoming events:
- SSRMS maneuvers into EVA-10 obs position — 7/22 (1:35pm EDT);
- Progress 14P undocking — 7/30 (2:06am EDT);
- Orlan EVA-10 from DC-1 docking compartment — 8/3 (hatch open: 2:50am EDT);
- Progress 15P launch — 8/11 (1:01am EDT);
- Progress 15P docking — 8/14 (2:05am EDT).
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 (crew earth observation) 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 Yangtze River Delta (looking right for land use changes, especially along coastlines where large land reclamation efforts are underway), Shanghai, China (the city lies on the south side of the Yangtze estuary, well inland from the sea coast. A recent survey showed that the city’s population is now greater than 20 million, which includes a “floating population” of more than 3 million people, mainly immigrants from the poorer inland provinces, who have no formal abode), Lower Amazon River Basin (ISS/CEO detailed imagery of the northern estuary has paid off: it provided evidence that a major tributary in the delta has been entirely filled by sediment and vegetated with rainforest since ~1990. In this sunglint pass, the crew was asked for a mapping pass with a shorter lens to reveal the rest of the channel [glint point passed over the channel in question] and other such possible changes. Though the track was ideal, cloud conditions were predicted to be less good than in the previous CEO session), and Internal waves, Amazon mouth (looking left near the glint point for any internal wave packets off the Amazon mouth).
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.
U.S. & Russian Segment Status (as of today, 1:17pm EDT)
Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):
- Elektron O2 generator is On (16A, =lowest setting). Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On. U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is Off. TCCS (trace contaminant control subsystem) is operating. SM Gas Analyzer has been calibrated and is used for ppO2 & ppCO2 monitoring. MCA (major constituents analyzer) is in Life Extending Mode (LEM). 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; is still considered failed). SFOG slot #2 fan suspect (not usable).
- SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 752; temperature (deg C) — 22.8; ppO2 (mmHg) — 160.9; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 4.9.
- SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 751; temperature (deg C) — 18.8.
- FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 752; temperature (deg C) — 22.7.
- Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 744.5; temperature (deg C) — 23.5 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
- U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 746.1; temperature (deg C) — 24.4; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
- Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 746.3; temperature (deg C) — 25.8; 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 Autotrack (solar-tracking, “sun slicer”, i.e., drag reduction-biased by 47 deg).
- SM batteries: All batteries (8) are on line in “Partial Charge” mode.
- FGB batteries: Battery #4 is off line; battery 2 is on line in “Cycle” mode; all other batteries (4) 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&C-1 MDM is prime, C&C-2 is backup, and C&C-3 is in standby.
- GNC-2 MDM is prime; GNC-1 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:
- Total propellant load available: 3864 kg (8519 lb) as of 7/15/04; [SM(552) + FGB(3312) + Progress M(0)]. (Capabilities: SM — 860 kg; FGB — 6120 kg).
Attitude Control Systems:
- 3 CMGs on-line (CMG-1 failed, since 6/6/02; CMG-2’s RPC-17 failed 4/21/04; was replaced 6/30/04).
- State vector source — U.S. SIGI-1 (GPS)
- Attitude source — U.S. SIGI-1 (GPS)
- Angular rate source — RGA-1
Flight Attitude:
- XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane = “sun-fixed” [yaw: 0.5 deg, pitch: -9.0 deg., roll: 0 deg]), with CMG TA (thruster assist), until 7/26, then LVLH XVV.
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 (may require a mask).
- 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, 5:50am EDT [= epoch]):
- Mean altitude — 359.1 km
- Apogee height — 363.3 km
- Perigee height — 354.8 km
- Period — 91.7 min.
- Inclination (to Equator) — 51.63 deg
- Eccentricity — 0.0006273
- Solar Beta Angle — 36.4 deg
- Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.70
- Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 110 m
- Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. ’98) — 32369
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.
