NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 23 October 2004

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All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.   Day 8 of joint Exp.9/Exp.10 operations.  Tonight, Expedition 9 returns to Earth, accompanied by the VC7 guest cosmonaut.  If their Soyuz capsule lands at 8:35pm EDT as scheduled (actually 24 minutes later than 7S), Gennady and Mike will have completed 187 days 21 hours 13 minutes in space (186 days on board the station).

After an extended sleep period (11.5 hrs), crew wake-up was at 09:00 GMT (5:00am EDT), followed by breakfast, work prep and DPC (daily planning conference).  The crews then had a busy day with final packing, transfers, last handovers from Expedition 9 to Expedition 10 and preparations for the undocking.  Sleep period will begin later than usual (9:00pm), in consonance with TMA-4 departure and post-departure activities.

As of last night, the crews had completed over 31 hours of dedicated handover and over 47 hours of functional handover, including EMU (Extravehicular Mobility Unit) trouble-shooting and SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator System) familiarization.  Expedition 10 Commander, Leroy Chiao took command of the ISS from Expedition 9 Commander, Gennady Padalka during the Change of Command Ceremony.

Gennady completed the scheduled Russian MedOps (SZM-MO-22) sanitary-epidemiological status experiment, taking samples from cabin surfaces in the Service Module/SM (6 locations), FGB (5 locs.), and Node (1 loc.), for return to the ground on 8S, along with samples from crewmembers, for sanitation and disease studies.

Meanwhile, Salizhan Sharipov conducted a microbial air sampling run with the Russian MedOps SZM-MO-21 experiment Ecosphera.   [The equipment, consisting of an air sampler set, a charger, power supply unit, and incubation tray for Petri dishes, determines microbial contamination of the ISS atmosphere, specifically the total bacterial and fungal microflora counts and microflora composition according to morphologic criteria of microorganism colonies.]

Yuri Shargin took a surface sample from a soiled panel (#406) in the FGB for return on 8S.
 

Other Russian and VC-7 experiments deactivated, closed out, transferred and stowed aboard the TMA-4 Descent Module (BO) today were

• Two BIO-10 KV-03 cold containers of Intercellular Interaction with samples, from the SM’s Kriogem-03 freezer (the work with Intercellular Interactions was erroneously reported here as having taken place in the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox).  The experiment used the Russian glovebox);
• BTKh-2 MIMETIK-K technology samples (protein crystal growth);
• GCF-JAXA (Granada Crystallization Facility for Japan);
• KONYUGATSIYA (Conjugation);

 With Soyuz TMA-4 no longer available as emergency CRV (crew return vehicle) for the coming Increment, Padalka ensured correct transfer of its three Emergency Procedures ODF (DAS EhP) books to the new CRV, Soyuz TMA-5, at the DC1 port.

Then Gennady and Yuri set up and tested the communications configuration (STTS) for Soyuz undocking and descent, while Mike Fincke activated the TMA-4 spacecraft at ~12:45pm. 
 

The returning Expedition 9 crew entered the Soyuz spacecraft via the FGB nadir port at 1:44pm, with the Goodbye handshakes downlinked on TV/Ku-band at ~1:45pm, marking the official end of Increment 9.  After hatch closure (~2:00pm) followed leak check ops of about 50 min, with a period of 30 min of no pressure change in the docking vestibule (transfer tunnel between FGB and Soyuz) required to ascertain seal pressure tightness.

As 8S is getting ready for departure later today, life aboard the station goes on.
 

The new Flight Engineer, Salizhan Sharipov, performed the daily routine maintenance of the SOZh environmental control & life support systems in the SM and prepared the daily “delta” file for updating the IMS (inventory management system) databases.

The U.S. CDRA (CO2 removal assembly), which has been running smoothly during the docked period, has been shut down.  CO2 removal is again handled solely by the Russian Vozdukh system.

During return preparations yesterday a fire alarm occurred in the SM, found to be a false alarm.  No CSA-CP (Compound Specific Analyzer – Combustion Products) readings were required.  Ground controllers executed their false fire procedures and subsequently returned the vehicle to the nominal configuration.

The returning Expedition 9 crew entered the Soyuz spacecraft via the FGB nadir port at 1:44pm, with the Goodbye handshakes downlinked on TV/Ku-band at ~1:45pm, marking the official end of Increment 9.  After hatch closure (~2:00pm) followed leak check ops of about 50 min, with a period of 30 min of no pressure change in the docking vestibule (transfer tunnel between FGB and Soyuz) required to ascertain seal pressure tightness.

At the ISS, hatches were closed at 2:00pm EDT and tunnel leak checks will be performed at 2:20pm.  With that, the return to Earth of Soyuz TMA-4/8S with Michael Fincke, Gennady Padalka & Yuri Shargin is ready to proceed along the following event sequence (all times EDT):

• ISS free drift & DC1 port hooks open — 3:30pm (ISS returns to attitude control);
• ISS maneuvers to 8S undocking attitude — 4:34pm;
• ISS in free drift — 5:03pm;
• Hooks Open command — 5:04pm;
• Separation springs action (delta-V ~0.12 m/sec) — 5:05pm;
• Separation burn (15 sec, ~0.55 m/sec) — 5:10pm;
• ISS maneuvers to LVLH/MinProp attitude — 5:12pm;
• ISS maneuvers to Burn Observation (Relaksatsiya) attitude — 7:05pm;
• Deorbit Burn (4min 17s; delta-V 115.2 m/sec) — 7:42pm;
• Tri-Module separation (140.1 km) — 8:08pm;
• Atmospheric entry (101.8 km) — 8:11pm;
• ISS attitude control handed back to US — 8:15pm.
• Parachute deploy command — 8:20pm;
• 7S Landing (nominally) — 8:35pm;
• Local Sunrise – 10:12pm.

After physical spacecraft separation from the FGB and departure, scheduled for 5:05pm, Sharipov will be conducting photo imaging of the Soyuz-214 docking assembly (StA), starting immediately upon separation and extending through several minutes, using the Nikon D1 with 80-400 mm focal length settings for documenting the StA to permit assessment of the presence and integrity of the rubber seals at the docking interface.

For observing the Soyuz thruster plumes during the deorbit maneuvers and the Earth’s limb, at ~7:20pm Salizhan will install the geo-physical GFI-1 Relaksatsiya (“relaxation”) experiment, reconfiguring the Russian payload laptop 3 for the experiment and mounting the ultraviolet (UV) camera with spectrometer unit at SM window #9, with its cover open.  [Purpose of the current experiment is spectrometric recording of the TMA-3 propulsion plumes (by UV-video) during the 4-min. retrograde burn at 7:39pm and of the emission layer of the atmosphere at the Earth’s limb during that period.  Tomorrow, Sharipov is to tear down the experiment and stow it again.]
 

For the reentry, all crewmembers are wearing the Russian Kentavr anti-G suit.   [The Kentavr garment is a protective anti-g suit ensemble to facilitate the return of a long-duration crewmember into the Earth gravity.  Consisting of shorts, gaiters, underpants, jersey and socks, it acts as countermeasure for circulatory disturbance, prevents crewmember from overloading during descent and increases orthostatic tolerance during post-flight adaptation.  Padalka was also advised to ingest fluid-electrolyte additives, viz., three sodium chloride tablets during breakfast and after the midday meal, each time with 300 ml of fluid, and two pills during the meal aboard Soyuz 8S before deorbit, with 200 ml.]

What will the Soyuz TMA-4/8S crew (Exp. 9 + Yuri Shargin) experience during today’s reentry/descent?

Before descent:

Special attention will be paid to the need for careful donning of the medical belt with sensors and securing tight contact between sensors and body.

During preparation for descent, before atmosphere reentry, crewmembers settle down comfortably in the Kazbek couches, fasten the belts, securing tight contact between body and the seat liner in the couch.

During de-orbit:

Dust particles starting to sink in the Descent Module (DM) cabin is the first indication of atmosphere reentry and beginning of G-load effect.  From that time on, special attention is required as the loads increase rapidly.

Under G-load effect during atmosphere reentry the crew expects the following experience:
Sensation of G-load pressure on the body, burden in the body, labored breathing and speech. These are normal sensations, and the advice is to “take them coolly”.  In case of the feeling of a lump in the throat, this is no cause to “be nervous”.  This is frequent and should not be fought.  Best is to “try not to swallow and talk at this moment”.  Crew should check vision and, if any disturbances occur, create additional tension of abdominal pressure and leg muscles (strain abdomen by pulling in), in addition to the Kentavr anti-G suit.

During deployment of drogue and prime parachutes the impact accelerations will be perceived as a “strong snatch”.  No reason to become concerned about this but one should be prepared that during the parachutes deployment and change of prime parachute to symmetrical suspension swinging and spinning motion of the DM occurs, which involves vestibular (middle ear) irritations.

It is important to tighten restrain system to fasten pelvis and pectoral arch.
Vestibular irritation can occur in the form of different referred sensations such as vertigo, hyperhidrosis, postural illusions, general discomfort and nausea.  To prevent vestibular irritation the crew should “limit head movement and eyes movement”, as well as fix their sight on motionless objects.

Just before the landing (softened by six small rocket engines behind the heat shield):
Crew will be prepared for the vehicle impact with the ground, with their bodies fixed along the surface of the seat liner in advance.  “Special attention should be paid to arm fixation to avoid the elbow and hand squat” (instruction).

After landing:

Crew should not get up quickly from their seats to leave the DM. They were advised to stay in the couch for several minutes and only then stand up.  In doing that, they should limit head and eyes movement and avoid excessive motions, proceeding slowly.  They and their body should not take up earth gravity in the upright position too quickly.

Happy Landing, Gennady, Michael and Yuri!

Postscript: This Status report omitted mentioning a 10/19 interview with the crew by Reston Communications (Keith Cowing).  The interview went out live on NASA-TV.

CEO images can be viewed at these websites:

• http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov
• http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov

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-9/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.

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.