NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 25 July 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. Underway: Week 14 for Increment 11.
|
Shuttle |
Following station inspection and morning hygiene, before breakfast and first exercise, CDR Krikalev and FE/SO Phillips performed another session of the periodic Russian biomedical assessments PZEh-MO-7 (calf volume measurement) and PZEh-MO-8 (body mass measurement), using the newly installed mass measurement device (IM), later breaking it down for stowage. [Calf measurements (left leg only) are taken with the IZOG device, a custom-sewn fabric cuff that fits over the calf, using the knee and lower foot as fixed reference points, to provide a rough index of deconditioning in zero-G and effectiveness of countermeasures. For determining body mass in zero-G, where things are weightless but not massless, the Russian IM “scales” measure the inertial forces that arise during the oscillatory motion of a mass driven by two helical metering springs with known spring constants. By measuring the time period of each oscillation of the unknown mass (the crewmember) and comparing it to the period of a known mass, the crewmember’s mass is calculated by the computer and displayed.]
The CDR conducted the fourth experiment session with the Russian/German Plasma Crystal-3 (PK-3) payload, activating the evacuation turbopump and starting the evacuation of the vacuum chamber (ZB) and subsequent PK-3 operations. Supported by ground specialist tagup, the experimented was later terminated and the data transferred from hard disk drive for subsequent downlink. The turbopump was to be deactivated again at ~4:00pm EDT. [The experiment is performed on dusty plasma, i.e., fine particles charged and excited by RF/radio frequency power inside the evacuated work chamber as it crystallizes. Experiment ops were automated.]
Krikalev is setting up and activating a new real-time Harmful Contaminant Gas Analyzer (GANK-4M) of the Service Module’s Pressure Control and Atmosphere Monitoring System (SM SKDS). The system will be running in continuous mode and is to be used to take weekly readings.
FE/SO Phillips will continue the new round of monthly preventive maintenance on Russian segment (RS) air ventilation systems, today working an hour in the Funktsionalnyi-Grusovoi Blok (FGB) for the regular cleanup of the detachable fan screens of the three SOTR (thermal control system) gas-liquid heat exchangers (GZhT4), as well as the fixed grill of GZhT #4.
Dr. Phillips is scheduled to sign in on the MEC (medical equipment computer) and performed his third session with the psychological MedOps WinSCAT experiment (Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool), using special new software for this assessment. [WinSCAT is a time-constrained questionnaire test of cognitive abilities, routinely performed by astronauts aboard the ISS every 30 days before or after the PHS (periodic health status) test or on special CDR’s, crewmember’s or flight surgeon’s request. The exercise involves tests of symbol memorizing, repeating numbers, mathematical processing, and pattern matching.]
The FE will also work on two A31p laptops, deconfiguring them for potential return on LF-1 next week, by removing peripherals and accessories.
Later, John has 15 minutes set aside to locate a missing PPA (Pump Package Assembly). Instructions for him are to search in the upper rack area of the Lab and to remove handrails there if required.
The CDR plans to “yellow-tag” a set of medical oxygen masks. [Yellow tags, more formally called “uncertified dual ops tags”, are used to identify items not certified for ISS Operations (certification and/or paperwork not complete prior to launch); items which have IP (international partner) segment-specific certification (can be used in one IP segment but should not be used in anther IP segment); items that could pose a safety hazard; and items that are broken or expired. Blank yellow tags are flown so hardware can be tagged on-orbit as necessary.]
In preparation for his fourth data collection session with the FOOT (Foot/Ground Reaction Forces during Space Flight) experiment, scheduled for tomorrow, the Science Officer is to assemble the equipment in the Lab, including preparations for the EMG (electromyography) calibration with camcorder/video recording, which is to precede the day-long ops.
As regular monthly maintenance on the two active CSA-CPs (Compound Specific Analyzer-Combustion Products) in the US segment, John Phillips will support a “zero” calibration of the units, switching their designations, i.e., #1020 is now backup and #1021 is now prime. He then uses the CSA-CPs for the monthly 1-hr. cabin air spot check, taking readings for O2, CO (carbon monoxide), HCN (hydrogen cyanide), HCl (hydrogen chloride) in SM and Lab, as well as battery ticks for calldown. (Done last: 6/22).
Sergei Krikalev is scheduled to replace emergency gas masks in the SM with three new IPK-1 units delivered on Progress 18, logging the change in the IMS (Inventory Management System). The old IPK-1s are to be stowed for disposal.
John performs the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh environment control & life support system, including the weekly inspection of the BRPK air/liquid condensate separator apparatus, and he’ll prepare the IMS “delta” file for automated export/import top the three IMS databases.
Later, the FE conducts the weekly TVIS maintenance in the current SLD (subject loading device) contingency configuration, primarily checking the condition of the SPDs (subject positioning devices) and recording time & date values.
Both crewmembers are to perform their regular 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on the TVIS treadmill, 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 3 of a new set).]
Afterwards, John 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 RED, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).
At ~2:35pm, the crew is scheduled for their standard weekly teleconference with the JSC Astronaut Office (Kent Rominger), via S-band S/G (space-to-ground).
|
|
On his voluntary “time available” task list, Sergei has another session with the “Uragan” (hurricane) earth-imaging program, focusing the Nikon D1X digital camera with f400 or 800 mm lens and a video camcorder from an SM window on targets specified by an uplinked list, some of them downlinked to TsUP/Moscow via the new BSR-TM data channel. [Today’s targets included the Katun River valley, the Gorno-Altaisk airport in the river flood plain, the eastern bank of Lake Teletskoye, general imagery of Sayans, the Irkut River valley from Lake Hovsgol to western tip of Lake Baikal followed by the lake bank to Angara River head, forest areas between the Angara right bank and the Lake Baikal bank, general imagery of Lake Baikal, Taman mud volcanoes, logging sites in the mountains of Krasnodar Territory, agricultural fields in Krasnodar Territory, the Volga flood plain, Caucasus glaciers, the Terek River valley from City of Groznyy to the river estuary, etc.]
Update on LF-1: NASA Administrator Michael Griffin, along with the Mission Management Team (MMT) announced at yesterday’s launch readiness press conference that Discovery is on track for a Tuesday launch. “If the problem recurs and under very closely defined circumstances in sensor #2 or sensor #4 then we will do some more tests and if we are comfortable that we have a good understanding then we can go fly…” (Wayne Hale). Shuttle Weather Officer Mindy Chavez reported that the development of cumulus clouds, stray showers or anvil clouds could be a concern at launch time. The chance of KSC weather cooperating for the launch remains at 60 percent. Flight systems and ground support hardware are ready and the flight crew and support teams are eagerly looking forward to a successful launch on Tuesday.
No CEO (crew earth observations) photo targets today.
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:
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 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.
