NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 24 August 2005

SpaceRef note: This NASA Headquarters internal status report, as presented here, contains additional, original material produced by SpaceRef.com (copyright © 2005) to enhance access to related status reports and NASA activities.

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

The Expedition 11 crew performed the mandatory OBT (onboard training) emergency egress drill for the case of rapid cabin depressurization. [Objectives of this Russian-led exercise are to (a) exercise and review depress response procedures, (b) practice crew coordination, (c) review questions and crew comments on the FDF (flight data file) and ISS hardware, and (d) ensure familiarity with emergency books storage location.  The exercise, which followed a scripted scenario (unavailable to the crew) and did not require actual manipulation of hardware, took about 1.5 hrs.  The drill started with the crew being informed about the initial pressure and the current pressure values in the station, the depress rate, and other data required to “perform” the procedures as per FDF EMER-1 book.  During the session, the crew simulated executing the planned emergency procedures while moving about the station.  For the case of an onboard fire and for emergency descent, there are other mandatory emergency drill OBTs.]

Sergei Krikalev initiated the regeneration cycle on absorbent bed #2 of the Russian BMP harmful impurities removal system).  Later tonight, the bake-out to space will be terminated and the vent valve closed.  This activity was moved from yesterday (8/23) due to the late-added Vozdukh system troubleshooting.   [Regeneration of each of the two BMP filter cartridges takes about 12 hours; it is not being conducted during crew sleep.  The BMP is currently still using the same vacuum vent valve for regeneration as the Elektron (the latter for venting hydrogen).  Elektron is still failed, but a new Liquid Unit will be delivered on Progress 19 on 9/10.]  

Working on the failed MEC (Medical Equipment Computer), John Phillips swapped out its shell with the shell from the ELC3 (EXPRESS Rack 3 laptop computer).  Afterwards the MEC was shown to be fully functional again.  This task was moved up from yesterday to allow more time for procedure development.   [The job included updating the battery-powered CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) chip that stores system time, system settings etc. for the computer).  To assure a good battery for the update, the FE also installed a new lithium-ion battery from spares, which he had charged overnight at the MEC station.  Plans will be developed to recover a functional ELC3 prior to Mission ULF1.1.  ELC3 was previously an identified spare for the PCS (Portable Computer System).  Presently, we have two active PCS computers and six spares.] 

Also deferred from yesterday due to the Vozdukh R&R and performed by the CDR today was the post-EVA cleanup of the SM PkhO (Service Module Transfer Compartment) and DC1, resetting them to their nominal pre-EVA condition.  

The crew had another 2.5 hrs of time blocked out for unpacking and stowing cargo delivered by the Shuttle on LF-1.

The FE/SO initiated Part 2 of his EMU/spacesuit battery maintenance by discharging the second battery that was charged for the LF-1 spacewalks.

Krikalev set up the hardware for a new phase of the Russian BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 (“Plants-2”) experiment, using the old Lada-7 greenhouse, which researches growth and development of plants under spaceflight conditions. [Sergei unstowed experimental seeds in a new root module, which replaced a previous one.  The pea pods or plants are planted between wicks in a root tray.  Also replaced was the software that will run the ongoing experiment after its activation (on TsUP Go, via S-band).  Regular daily maintenance of the experiment includes monitoring of seedling growth, humidity measurements and moistening of the substrate, and photo/video recording.]

The CDR took data readings of the new real-time harmful contaminant gas analyzer (GANK-4M) of the SM pressure control & atmospheric monitoring system (SOGS).

Afterwards, Sergei conducted a microbial air sampling run with the Russian MedOps SZM-MO-21 experiment “Ecosphera”, set up yesterday along with the activated Cryogem cooler.   [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.]

According to crew report, the SSC-4 (Station Support Computer #4) has suffered a display failure.   [SSC-4 is used by John as his CPSD (Crew Personal Support Disk) in the Lab, and the failure seems to be similar to the other display failures experienced on previous SSCs.  The CPSD will be removed from SSC-4 and placed in SSC-6 from the Node, which then will become his new CPSD SSC.  Ground discussions are underway to develop plans to troubleshoot accumulating on-orbit computers with failed displays.]

Krikalev performed the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh environment control & life support system, including the ASU toilet system, while Phillips prepared the IMS (Inventory Management System) “delta” (update) file for automated export/import to the three IMS databases (TsUP, MCC-H, Baikonur).

Both crewmembers conducted their regular 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on the TVIS treadmill, CEVIS cycle ergometer, RED resistive machine and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer.   [Sergei’s daily protocol prescribes a strict four-day microcycle exercise with 1.5 hr on the treadmill and one hour on VELO plus load trainer (today: Day 1 of a new set).]

Afterwards, John was to transfer the exercise data files for downlink to the newly repaired MEC, as well as the daily wristband HRM (heart rate monitor) data of the RED workouts, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).

As a late addition to the Russian discretionary “time as available” task list, deferred from yesterday’s schedule, Krikalev was charged with conducting an audit/inventory of the utensils of the food supply subsystem (SPP), for updating the IMS with regard to stowage locations and quantities behind FGB and SM panels and in a Progress container.

The Vozdukh CO2 removal system continues to operate nominally in Mode 5, after yesterday’s replacement of its BVK vacuum valve package in channel 2. The U.S. CDRA (CO2 Removal Assembly) is in Standby mode and will be shut down when Vozdukh has been declared fully functional.

Station attitude continues in XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane), until 9/2, and the P6 solar array wings are set to dual-angle autotrack, with BGA (Beta gimbal assembly) 2B at -36 deg, 4B at +36 deg angle.

Upcoming Events (all times EDT):

• 09/07/05 — Progress M-53/18P undocking (6:23am)
• 09/08/05 — Progress M-54/19P launch (9:08am)
• 09/10/05 — Progress M-54/19P docking (10:49am).

19P is manifested to deliver to the ISS the following cargo:  800 kg propellants; 110 kg gas (oxygen/air, thanks to 14 additional gas tanks installed by RSC-Energia externally for an extra delivery capability of 60 kg O2); 300 kg water; 1230 kg dry cargo, comprising 139 Russian cargo items (including a new Elektron-VM Liquid Unit and 16 SFOG candles) and 83 NASA items (including two IBM 760XD laptops).

• 09/30/05 — Soyuz TMA-7/11S launch (~11:54pm)
• 10/03/05 — Soyuz TMA-7/11S docking (~1:20am)
• 10/11/05 — Soyuz TMA-6/10S landing (~9:06pm)
• 11/18/05 — Soyuz TMA-7/11S relocation (from DC-1 to FGB nadir port)
• 12/21/05 – Progress M-55/20P launch
• 12/23/05 — Progress M-55/20P docking

Today’s CEO 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 North Brazilian Coast (DYNAMIC EVENT: The unique coastal features of northern Brazil to the east of the mouths of the Amazon includes numerous bays, islands, and channels related to flourishing mangroves fed by small streams and heavy sediment in the coastal waters.  This pass presented a particularly fair weather opportunity with the potential for sun glint enhancement of details.  After crossing the Amazon, the crew was to begin looking left of track for glint along the coast), Beni River dynamics, Bolivia (most of this target area lied to the right of track.  Trying for context views of the Beni as it exits the Andes and meanders northward. Mapping the area of the floodplain and its relationship to other northward flowing rivers in the region), and Chaco Plain Smoke Pall (DYNAMIC EVENT: After shooting the Beni, the crew continued southeastward over the northern Chaco Plain of Bolivia, Brazil, and Argentina.  Looking either side of track and documenting size and extent of the large smoke pall noted in visible satellite imagery over this area).

CEO photography can be viewed and studied at the websites:

• 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 11 crew visit:

• http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-11/ndxpage1.html at NASA’s Human Spaceflight website.

Expedition 11 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, 3:44am EDT [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 353.3 km
• Apogee height — 354.1 km
• Perigee height — 352.4 km
• Period — 91.60 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0001256
• Solar Beta Angle — 52.1 deg (magnitude increasing)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.72
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 90 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 38640

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.