Status Report

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 23 Mar 2004

By SpaceRef Editor

March 23, 2004

Filed under ISS, ISS On-orbit status, NASA HQ, US

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 23 Mar 2004 — iss

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

Early in the morning, CDR/SO Michael Foale deployed the three acoustic dosimeters, worn by the crew for the past 24 hours, statically in the Service Module (SM),- at the Central Post, Vozdukh panel and close to the TVIS treadmill. [At 4:10pm EST tonight data will be taken again and the instruments restowed.]

Mike Foale worked another PFMI (Pore Formation & Mobility Investigation) science session at the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) rack. [The SO first activated the rack, then installed sample PFMI-14 of the experiment in the thermal chamber and activated the hardware. Later in the day, after several hours of PFMI untended operation, he performed a video tape exchange and re-verified the camera focus.]

After setting up PFMI, Foale performed the second MFMG (Miscible Fluids in Microgravity) Isothermal experiment, which involves mixing honey and water components and then pulling that mixture into pure water, using syringes with drinking straws and observed on the ground via maintenance work area (MWA) video cameras.

In the SM, FE Alex Kaleri started the regeneration cycle on absorbent bed #2 of the BMP harmful impurities unit and switched channel #1 from its 24-hr regeneration process back to Purify mode. [The “bakeout” cycle for the filter beds is repeated every 20 days. Each bakeout to space vacuum takes about 24 hours.]

The crew conducted another IMS (inventory management system) audit of on-board consumables (SGO). [The activity included gathering of gear & clothing items to be used by Expedition 9 prior to the arrival of Progress-249/14P, searching for and stowing clothing items per an uplinked list, and preparing items such as wet & dry wipes and an Aelita shampoo set for disposal because of their expiration.]

Kaleri conducted another test on the ASN satellite navigation system antenna by reconfiguring its HF (high-frequency) connections. The test was supported by the ground via S-band. [This is part of the long-term troubleshooting of the inoperative Russian ASN-2401 satellite navigation antenna system, which has an apparent disconnect to its A76 antenna subsystem.]

Later, Sasha Kaleri continued work on the Russian TVS television system, today checking out the Klest (KL-103Ts) TV camera with ground support during an RGS (Russian ground site) pass on Daily Orbit 2. [The Klest was turned on and off by the SM’s automated daily timeline system (SPP), and Sasha monitored its test imagery on the #2 monitor (VKU2).]

The CDR completed his 16th weekly filling-out of the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), which keeps a log of his nutritional intake over time on the medical equipment computer (MEC).

Mike also performed the periodic testing of the cabin air for combustion products (CO/carbon monoxide & HCl/hydrogen chloride) using three CSA-CPs (compound specific analyzer/combustion products, units #1003, #1009, #1010).

Kaleri conducted the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh life support system (including ASU toilet facilities) ad later prepared the daily IMS inventory “delta” file.

TVIS/treadmill exercise data files were downloaded by Foale to the MEC (medical equipment computer) as is standard procedure whenever more than four sessions have been performed since last download.

Both crewmembers completed their daily 2.5-h program of physical (aerobic & anaerobic) exercise, on CEVIS bike, RED expander and on the Russian VELO cycle ergometer with load trainer.

At 8:25am, both crewmembers supported an interactive educational PAO event with students at Mill Middle School in Williamsville, New York. [Williamsville is a suburb of Buffalo, and the middle school is approximately 20 minutes from Niagara Falls. Numerous VIPs and dignitaries were in attendance, such as local government officials, the school superintendent, Board of Education members, officers from the Air Force, and business executives from local aerospace corporations. The event was taped and was to be shown to ~4000 middle school students in the school district later today. The students prepared for the event with a visit to the district’s planetarium on 3/19, where a speaker from NASA HQ/Office of Space Flight, Pat McCracken, gave an introductory talk.]

On Friday (3/26), the crew is scheduled for several hours to perform the mandatory midterm checkout of the U.S. EMU (extravehicular mobility unit) components. A 32-page detailed list of instructions was uplinked for that purpose, to be reviewed on Thursday. [The midterm C/O verifies that EMU components are operating nominally following an extended period of downtime. It also satisfies the maintenance requirements for extended on-orbit use.]

The crew was informed of several cracks found on the ground in the autovent/control module of two U.S. RSPs (respirator support packs) during routine refurbishment, because the on-orbit unit could also have cracks (which are thought to have resulted from overtorquing of fasteners into the Lexan material). An assessment is underway. [Possible impacts are a reduction in volumetric flow of O2 to the RSP mask and a reduction in the number of breaths per minute (bpm) for the wearer.]

Today’s CEO (Crew Earth Observations) targets, including Asian sites coming into the daylight-awake window on ascending passes, but limited in 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 Tropical Cyclone Fay, Australia (this storm is predicted to become a serious Category 4 storm, heading generally south towards the northwest Australian coast. Nadir pass over this well-formed cyclone), Northern Mariana Islands (looking at nadir to document detail of coral reefs and to left towards the large setting sun glint point for internal waves [using shorter lens]. Internal waves affect a large area of the seas around the Marianas), Internal waves, Vietnam (looking left towards the glint point for internal waves ranged along the bulge of Vietnam’s coast), Irrawaddy River Delta (good nadir pass over this delta. Detailed images requested to document river and land use changes), Rangoon, Myanmar (nadir pass over this capital city. Looking on the east side of the Irrawaddy delta), Madagascar floods (Dynamic event. Looking left towards the coast where wide floods of red-brown floodwater appear on satellite images. Include the Betsiboka delta if possible), Ganges River Basin aerosols (local stations report visibilities reduced to 2 miles: shooting oblique views left and right to capture this air pollution event), Nairobi, Kenya (nadir pass over this small but fast growing capital city), Mt Kilimanjaro, Kenya (looking just right of track for this long-term monitoring site. The shape of the summit ice has changed and grown smaller even in the last 20 years), Iguazu, Argentina (this new city site is one of the most economically vigorous in South America: apart from the Iguazu Falls, South America’s second tourist draw-card, the city lies at the meeting point of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay and is a thriving trade emporium), and Puerto Rico (400mm-lens. Shooting coastlines, where urban development and coral reefs are located near each other).

CEO images can be viewed at the websites.

See also the website “Space Station Challenge” at http://voyager.cet.edu/iss/
U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of today, 12:15pm EST).

Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):

Elektron O2 generator is On. Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On. U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is on Standby (ready in dual-bed mode). TCCS (trace contaminant control subsystem) is operating. SM Gas Analyzer has been calibrated and is used for ppO2 and 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 Regeneration mode. RS air conditioner SKV-1 is On, SKV-2 is Off (repair now completed; to be tested ASAP).

SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 742; temperature (deg C) — 26.7; ppO2 (mmHg) — 146.1; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 3.8;
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 743; temperature (deg C) — 20.8.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 744; temperature (deg C) — 23.7.
Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 743.25; temperature (deg C) — 24.5 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 745.32; temperature (deg C) — 25.1; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 745.42; temperature (deg C) — 26.1; shell heater temp (deg C) — 24.1, ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.

PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 24.4
PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 10.7

(n/a = data not available)

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

Both P6 channels fully operational. BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B both in Autotrack (suntracking) and bias-angled 43 deg. for drag reduction (“sun slicer”)
SM batteries: Battery #8 is off-line; all other batteries (7) are in “Partial Charge” mode.
FGB batteries: Battery #6 is off-line (capacity restoration mode, ROM); all other batteries (5) are 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 back-up, and C&C-3 is in standby.
GNC-1 MDM is prime; GNC-2 is Backup.
INT-2 is operating; INT-1 is Off.
EXT-2 is On (primary), EXT-1 is Off (both now upgraded to R3).
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): 2 redundant lanes (of 3) operational (string 1 dropped out 11/22/03).
SM Central Computer (TsVM): 2 redundant lanes (of 3) operational (string #3 dropped out 10/22/03).

Propulsion System:

Total propellant load available: 3926 kg (8655 lb) as of 3/18/04; [SM(755) + FGB(2512) + Progress M-1(659)]. (Capability: SM — 860 kg; FGB — 6120 kg).

Attitude Control Systems: