NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 21 July 2006

SpaceRef note: This NASA Headquarters internal status report, as presented here, contains additional, original material produced by SpaceRef.com (copyright © 2006) to enhance access to related status reports and NASA activities.

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

FE-2 Thomas Reiter and CDR Pavel Vinogradov took the periodic health test with the cardiological experiment PZEh MO-1 “Study of the Bioelectric Activity of the Heart at Rest”, assisting each other in turn as CMO (Crew Medical Officer).

Later, Reiter performed his first session with the CARDIOCOG (BTC-10) experiment, using the RSE1 laptop plus a newly delivered BTC-10 hard drive (HD), ECG (Electrocardiogram) electrodes and a new finger cuff for the “Portapres” hardware for measuring blood pressure. Vinogradov took documentary photography of the activities. [Originally part of Pedro Duque’s VC5 “Cervantes” science program, CARDIOCOG studies changes in the human cardiovascular system in micro-G, expressed in the peripheral arteries, the vegetative regulation of arterial blood pressure and heart rate, and the interaction between the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. For the experiment, Thomas had to take systolic & diastolic blood pressure measurements and heart rate data manually, using the “Tensoplus” sphygmomanometer and the “Portapres” blood pressure equipment, storing the data on the RSE1 laptop, an IBM ThinkPad A31p that replaced the old French EGE-2. The experiment also included a 5-minute cognitive stress test with a numbers table, with the results called out for recording. Results are later downlinked via OCA and the RSE1 restored to nominal config, including removal of the special auxiliary HD.]

FE-2 Reiter also conducted the second part (“strong shaking”) of the new ESA experiment OEE (Oil Emulsion Experiment), using the Sony PD-150 videocam for recording the session.

After FE-1 Jeffrey Williams set up the OGS (Oxygen Generation System) laptop and the CDR had removed an OGS Rack door launch restraint bolt, Williams conducted maintenance and checkout ops on the new US OGS in the Lab.

On EXPRESS Rack 5 (ER5), Jeff conducted a hardware status check of the MELFI (Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS) equipment. [Today’s MELFI status check was the first of many, normally to be done Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays when MELFI is powered, but it will not be needed next week during MOOCE (MELFI On-Orbit Commissioning) ops. Theses status checks look for condensation on the rack front face, around the doors and on the Electronics Unit. MELFI provides the ISS with refrigerated storage and fast-freezing of biological and life science samples. It can hold up to 300 liters of samples ranging in temperature from 4°C to a low of -80°C.]

FE-2 Reiter performed Part 1 of his first Renal Stone sessions. [Using the BCR (Barcode Reader), Thomas logged all food/fluid consumed at every meal today and tomorrow. The PI (Principal Investigator) receives the diet log data approximately 24 to 48 hours after the diet-logging session is completed. Reiter also set up the Renal Stone hardware for the 24-hour void-by-void urine collection that starts with the first void tomorrow morning and continues through the first void on Sunday (7/23) morning.]

Jeff Williams reviewed familiarization material for the SEM (Space Experiment Module) payload, including uplinked student questions, then took the requested photographs.

Pavel Vinogradov and Thomas Reiter worked on the Russian/European ASN-M satellite navigation system, first testing a new antenna feeder unit (A79), then removing the old unit and replacing it with A79. [ASN-M will be required for the arrival of the European ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) “Jules Verne” next year.]

With the Elektron oxygen generator running again, Pavel performed the periodic (about twice a month) replenishing of the Elektron’s water supply for electrolysis, filling the KOV thermal loops’ EDV container with water from an EDV containing water from the BKO multifiltration/purification column unit. [The 40-minute procedure is specially designed to prevent air bubbles larger than ~10 mm from getting into the BZh-8 Liquid Unit where they could cause Elektron shutdown. In the procedure, the BKO water is carefully transferred with a pump (BP), located behind SM panel 420, from the EDV-1 through the air/liquid separator unit (GZhS) into the empty EDV-2 while the crewmember checks for any air bubbles accumulating in the GZhS (and, if visible, estimates their number, with no more than two 1 cm diameter bubbles permitted in EDV-2). Elektron water is also supplied from U.S. technical water in a CWC (collapsible water container) that is checked for its contents of air bubbles and is rejected if the estimated total air bubble volume is more than 30 cubic centimeters (1 cm air bubble is about 0.5 ccm). CWCs can hold condensate, technical or potable water. Raw condensate is either processed through the SRV-K condensate water processor system into potable water or is used directly for flush water in the ASU toilet system.]

Jeff Williams completed the periodic reboots of the OCA and File Server SSC (Station Support Computer) laptops.

Williams configured the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) and then installed the new software load which includes Thomas Reiter as a “client”.

Later, Jeff filled out the regular weekly FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire) on the MEC, his eighth, which keeps a log of his nutritional intake over time on special software. [Jeffrey is using his 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/Moscow (Institute of Biomedical Problems, Russian: IMBP – Institute of Medico-Biological Problems) recommended average daily caloric value of the crew’s food intake is 2200-2300 cal (= ~one ration). If larger quantities of juices and fruits are taken into account, the value can go to 2400-2500 cal. Consumption rate at present is close to one ration per person per day, and the current food inventory is estimated to last to mid-October 2006 without resupply. 22P is scheduled to deliver 189 rations (good for another 94 days), and ULF1.1 has manifested 246 rations (82 days for 3 crew).]

Pavel Vinogradov collected the weekly cabin air readings with the GANK-4M Real-Time Harmful Contaminant Gas Analyzer system of the SM SOGS (Pressure Control & Atmospheric Monitoring System). [GANK tests for Methane (CH4), Ammonia (NH3), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Formaldehyde (HCHO), Nitrogen Oxides (NO, NO2), Hydrogen Chloride (HCl), Hydrogen Fluoride (HF), and Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN).].

The CDR also conducted the routine daily maintenance of the SOZh environment control & life support system in the Service Module (SM), including the ASU toilet facilities systems/replaceables, while FE-2 updated/edited the standard IMS “delta file”, including locations, for the regular weekly automated export/import to its three databases on the ground (Houston, Moscow, Baikonur).

On the US Airlock BSA (Battery Stowage Assembly), FE-1 Williams started the recharge part of the maintenance discharge/recharge cycle for the EMU (Extravehicular Mobility Unit) batteries used during ULF1.1.

The crew worked out in their regular 2.5-hr. physical exercise program (about half of which is used for setup & post-exercise personal hygiene) on the TVIS treadmill (FE-1, FE-2, CDR), RED resistive exerciser (FE-1), and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer (CDR, FE-2). [Pavel Vinogradov’s daily protocol prescribes a strict four-day microcycle exercise with 1.5 hr on the treadmill in unmotorized mode and one hour on VELO plus load trainer (today: Day 1 of the first set).]

Afterwards, Williams transferred his, Thomas’ and Pavel’s TVIS exercise data files to the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) for downlink, as well as the daily wristband HRM data of the workouts on RED, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).

As all new station crews, Thomas had one hour set aside on today’s schedule for ISS familiarization and adaptation, to help in adjusting to their new surroundings and activities. [This unstructured and discretionary session has become a valuable standard requirement for new station occupants for the first two weeks.]

At ~3:45am EDT, the crew held the regular (nominally weekly) tagup with the Russian Flight Control Team (GOGU), including Shift Flight Director (SRP), at TsUP via S-band/audio, phone-patched from Houston and Moscow.

At ~4:10pm tonight, the crew will conduct their regular weekly tagup with the Lead Flight Director at MCC-Houston.

At ~4:30pm EDT, Jeff, Pavel and Thomas will have their standard weekly teleconference with the JSC Astronaut Office (Kent Rominger), via S-band S/G (space-to-ground).

Today’s CEO (crew earth observations) photo targets, limited in the current XPOP attitude by flight rule constraints on the use of the Lab nadir/science window, which is available for only ~1/4 of each orbit when not facing forward (in ram), were Saharan Dust Event (DYNAMIC EVENT: A large dust plume is being observed in weather satellite imagery emerging from the west coast of Africa near Cape Verde. As ISS approached the coast from the NW, the crew was to try to find the peaks of the Cape Verde Islands well right of track. Then they were to pan westward and then northward to try and locate the leading edges of this major plume), Tropical Storm Beryl (DYNAMIC EVENT: Looking right of track for oblique views of this small, but well-formed tropical storm as it is expected to just brush Cape Cod and then strike southern Nova Scotia in the next 24 to 36 hours), and Red River Basin, TX (fair, hot weather was forecast for the time of this pass over this target area. Looking right of track and trying for a mapping pass eastward along the river from the Palo Duro Canyon area southeast of Amarillo to Lake Texoma).

To date, more than 198,000 of CEO images have been taken in the first five years of the ISS, almost one third of the total number of images taken from orbit by astronauts.

CEO photography can be viewed and studied at the websites:

• http://exploration.nasa.gov/programs/station/CEO.html
• 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 13 crew visit:

• http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-13/ndxpage1.html at NASA’s Human Spaceflight website.

Expedition 13 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.

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 7:26am EDT [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 340.5 km
• Apogee height– 347.8 km
• Perigee height — 333.3 km
• Period — 91.35 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.63 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0010814
• Solar Beta Angle — -28.7 deg (magnitude decreasing)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.76
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 53 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 43857

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern and subject to change):

• 08/03/06 — US EVA-5
• 08/28/07 — STS-115/12A launch (earliest)
• 08/30-09/06 — STS-115/12A docked mission w/ISS (earliest) – P3/P4 trusses
• 08/31/06 — Pavel Vinogradov’s birthday
• 09/13/06 — Progress M-56/21P undocking (SM aft port) & reentry
• 09/14/06 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S launch (Expedition 14 + VC11)
• 09/16/06 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S docking (SM aft port)
• 09/24/06 — Soyuz TMA-8/12S undocking (FGB nadir port) & reentry
• 10/08/06 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S relocation (SM aft port to FGB nadir port)
• 10/18/06 — Progress M-58/23P launch
• 10/20/06 — Progress M-58/23P docking (SM aft port)
• 10/31/06 — Russian EVA-17
• 12/14/06 — STS-116/12A.1 launch (earliest)
• 12/16-24/06 — STS-116/12A.1 docked mission w/ISS (earliest) – P5 truss
• 12/19/06 — Progress M-57/22P undocking (DC1) & reentry
• 12/20/06 — Progress M-59/24P launch
• 12/22/06 — Progress M-59/24P docking (DC1)
• 01/22/07 — US EVA-6
• 01/26/07 — US EVA-7
• 01/31/07 — US EVA-8
• 02/06/07 — Progress M-59/24P undocking (DC1) & reentry
• 02/07/07 — Progress M-60/25P launch
• 02/09/07 — Progress M-60/25P docking (DC1)
• 02/22/07 — STS-117/13A launch (earliest) – S3/S4 trusses
• 02/24-03/03/07 — STS-117/13A docked mission w/ISS (earliest)
• 03/08/07 — Progress M-58/23P undocking (SM aft port) & reentry
• 03/09/07 — Soyuz TMA-10/14S launch (Expedition 15 + VC12)
• 03/11/07 — Soyuz TMA-10/14S docking (SM aft port)
• 03/19/07 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S undocking (FGB nadir port)
• ??/??/07 — Soyuz TMA-10/14S relocation (SM aft port to FGB nadir port)
• 06/11/07 — STS-118/13A.1 (earliest).

ISS Altitude History

Apogee height — Mean Altitude — Perigee height

For more on ISS orbit and worldwide ISS naked-eye visibility dates/times, see http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/ on NASA’s Human Spaceflight website. Additional satellite tracking resources can be found at http://www.spaceref.com/iss/tracking.html.