NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 23 May 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.
Crew day continues on a schedule shifted 6 hrs. to the right, with wakeup at 8:00am, sleep time at 11:30pm EDT.
CDR Pavel Vinogradov and FE/SO Jeffrey Williams are spending several hours today with initial preparations for the Russian EVA #16 next week (6/1), having started off with a one-hour procedures review, followed by a tag-up with EVA specialists at MCC-Houston to discuss details of the spacewalk related to the removal and replacement (R&R) of the MBS (Mobile Base System) camera.
Vinogradov worked on the take-out equipment, configuring the hardware required for the Elektron nozzle installation on the KPU tool carrier, including tools, MLI (multi-layer insulation) pouch, wire tiers, and the nozzle assembly.
Pavel also reviewed the procedures for setting up the DC1 “Pirs” comm systems for the EVA.
FE Williams meanwhile had another 45 minutes on the timeline for continuing equipment prepacking for Shuttle mission STS-121/ULF1.1.
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Later today, both crewmembers will have another two-hour tagup with EVA specialists to discuss specific spacewalk procedures. [Reviews include the accessing, after egress, of the GStM-1 “Strela” cargo boom, mounted on the “Pirs” hull, and extending it (by manually cranking its pitch and yaw drive handles) towards the PMA-1 (Pressurized Mating Adapter 1) where its end effector (TU) will be attached at a special grapple fixture. The crane pole, measuring 3 m retracted and 15 m in fully extended configuration, then serves as handrail and attachment for the crew’s safety tethers until U.S. tethers are secured at the PMA-1 and later on the Z1 truss and MBS for the camera R&R.]
In other preparations for the Orlan EVA, the CDR will set up the ZU-S battery charger at the RBS-10/3 power outlet in the DC1 and initiate charging on the first (of two) 825M3 battery pack (28V) for the Orlan backpack. [The BITS2-12 telemetry system and VD-SU control mode has to be temporarily deactivated for setting up the cable connections for the charging. The charging takes from 18 to 23 hours.]
Pavel is also scheduled to terminate the regular processing of KAV condensate water for the Elektron oxygen generator, started yesterday, which has processed US-collected water from CWC (collapsible water container) #1042 via the electric condensate pumping unit (BPK) of the Russian water processing system (SRV-K2).
Later today, Jeff is to conduct the once-every-two-weeks routine inspection of the RED (Resistive Exercise Device) canister cords and accessory straps, followed by the weekly TVIS treadmill routine maintenance plus recording time & date values. [SBS (Series Bungee System) bungee and belt tension checks are only required every third month.]
The FE will also perform the weekly TVIS treadmill routine maintenance plus recording time & date values. [SBS (Series Bungee System) bungee and belt tension checks are only required every third month.]
Another task for Williams is the daily check of the alignment and focus of the EarthKAM (EK) camera and position of flash aimed at the sample of the BCAT-3 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test) science activity. [The EK camera is taking automated time-lapse flash photography (once every hour) of BCAT sample #3 at the MWA (Maintenance Work Area), controlled from the SSC-7 laptop (Station Support Computer 7). The imaging is to continue for two weeks.]
Afterwards, Jeff conducts his daily atmospheric status check for ppO2 (Partial Pressure Oxygen) and ppCO2 (pp Carbon Dioxide), using the CSA-CP (Compound Specific Analyzer-Combustion Products), CSA-O2 (CSA-Oxygen Sensor) and CDMK (CO2 Monitoring Kit).
Afterwards, the CDR is to perform the daily routine maintenance of the Service Module (SM)’s environment control & life support system (SOZh), including regular replacements in its toilet system (ASU), plus the weekly inspection of the air/liquid condensate separator apparatus (BRPK) and the updating/editing of the standard IMS “delta file”, including locations, for the regular weekly automated export/import to its three databases on the ground (Houston, Moscow, Baikonur).
Both crewmembers are scheduled to work 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, CDR), RED resistive exerciser (FE) and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer (CDR). [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 4 of the latest microcycle).]
Afterwards, Jeff transfers the exercise data files to the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) for downlink, as well as the daily wristband HRM (Heart Rate Monitor) data of the workouts on CEVIS and RED, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).
Still remaining on Pavel’s discretionary “time as available” task list is the search for “missing” Russian equipment items, specifically a transformer for the SOZh’s water management system with cable and accessories that were delivered about three years ago on a Progress cargo ship but never used.
At ~3:00pm EDT, the crew is scheduled to configure the television hardware for an interactive PAO event of about 9 min., starting at 3:12pm, with The Associated Press Television (APT, Tom Ritchie), to be taped for later broadcast. Afterwards, Williams and Vinogradov will downlink a National Day of Remembrance message that will be later aired on NASA TV over the Memorial Day weekend. [The National Day of Remembrance is recognized on Memorial Day (Monday, 5/29) for Americans to take a moment at 3 p.m. in whatever time zone to pay homage to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.]
Update on Elektron: Over the weekend the crew completed the installation and a successful leak check of the new hydrogen vent line in the SM. Assuming the nozzle installation during the EVA is completed successfully, the plan is to activate Elektron on 6/5. TsUP specialists do not plan to do anything regarding the small nitrogen leak of the pressurized Liquid Unit (BZh) until after the Elektron is activated. At that time, BZh will be re-pressurized and pressure-monitored to see if the leak still exists.
Background on EVA-16:
EVA timeline shows seven major objectives, in this order:
(1) Installation and photography of a new Elektron H2 vent/exhaust nozzle on the Service Module (SM);
(2) Retrieval of a platform with an exposure experiment (“Biorisk-MSN”) container from the DC1 Docking Compartment;
(3) Retrieval of a contamination (plume/debris) monitoring unit (BKDO) from DC1;
(4) Changeout of the MBS (Mobile Base System) external TV camera on the U.S. segment (USOS);
(5) Retrieval of the “Kromka” contamination “witness tablet” from the SM Assembly Section (AO), and
(6) Removal of cable slack in the area of the PCE (Proximity Communications Equipment) WAL3 antenna on the SM.
EVA Joint Groundrules are similar to EVA-15:
* EVA-16 will extend through three night passes (during which EV1 and EV2 can work using the US helmet lights on the Orlans).
* For the duration of the NASA/CSA task (SSRMS/MBS Camera R&R), EVA control will be handed over from TsUP-Moscow to MCC-Houston, and then returned.
* Russian thrusters will be inhibited per TsUP command during tasks on the SM Large Diameter Section (RO2) and AO, nominally from ~11:30pm – 12:03am.
* When thrusters are enabled, the crew will be in a clearly defined Safe Zone forward of SM RO2 (i.e., on the SM Small Diameter Section, DC1, or USOS).
* In the unlikely case of a U.S. CMG (control moment gyro) saturation event, the station can remain in free drift for up to 3 hours (2 orbits), before thrusters need to be re-enabled.
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 Arkenu 2 Impact Crater (Arkenu 2 is about 10 km in diameter), Arkenu 1 Impact Crater (Arkenu 1 and 2, located in the Libyan Desert, are double impact craters which while rare on Earth are somewhat more common on other planets and asteroids in our solar system. Arkenu 1 is the northeastern crater and is about 6.8 km in diameter. Both craters have been dated at less than 140 million years), Luquillo Forest, Puerto Rico (the main objective from the standpoint of CEO is to record land cover/land use change on a seasonal basis. 180mm-lens images are excellent for general context shots. The Luquillo Experimental Forest [LEF] has been a center of tropical forestry research for nearly a century. In addition, the LEF is a recreation site for over a half a million people per year, a water supply for approximately 20% of Puerto Rico’s population, a regional center for electronic communication, and a refuge of Caribbean biodiversity. It is the goal of the USDA Forest Service and the University of Puerto Rico to promote and maintain the forest’s role as a center of active and dynamic scientific inquiry), and Internal waves, Sea of Okhotsk SE (the weather is about as good as it gets in this region of the world. Looking for internal wave features in the sun glitter points. The sun glitter point should have been to the right (E) of track).
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:
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, 8:15am EDT [= epoch]):
- Mean altitude — 343.1 km
- Apogee height — 349.1 km
- Perigee height — 337.0 km
- Period — 91.40 min.
- Inclination (to Equator) — 51.63 deg
- Eccentricity — 0.0008985
- Solar Beta Angle — -29.6 deg (magnitude decreasing)
- Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.75
- Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 75 m
- Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 42927
Significant Events Ahead (all dates subject to change):
- 06/01/06 — Russian EVA-16 (EV-1 hatch open ~6:40pm EDT; duration ~5h 50m)
- 06/08/06 — ISS reboost with 21P for phasing (6:51pm EDT, delta-V 1.5 m/s)
- 0619/06 — Progress M-55/20P undocking (DC1) & reentry
- 06/24/06 — Progress M-57/22P launch
- 06/26/06 — Progress M-57/22P docking (DC1)
- 07/01/06 — NET STS-121/ULF1.1 launch
- 07/03-11/06 — NET STS-121/ULF1.1 docked mission w/ISS
- 07/??/06 — US EVA-5
- 08/28/07 — NET STS-115/12A launch
- 08/30-09/06 — NET STS-115/12A docked mission w/ISS
- 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
- 09/??/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)
- 11/??/06 — Russian EVA-17
- 12/14/06 — NET STS-116/12A.1 launch
- 12/16-23/06 — NET STS-116/12A.1 docked mission w/ISS
- 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 — NET STS-117/13A launch
- 02/24-03/03/07 — NET STS-117/13A docked mission w/ISS
- 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)
- 03/22/07 — NET STS-117/13A launch
- ??/??/07 — Soyuz TMA-10/14S relocation (SM aft port to FGB nadir port)
- 06/11/07 — NET STS-118/13A.1.
(NET = no earlier than)
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.
