NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 27 May 2003

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

During a Russian ground site (RGS) pass on Daily Orbit 2, CDR Yuri Malenchenko performed his first session with the Russian MedOps cardio experiment MO-1 (Study of the Bioelectric Activity of the Heart at Rest), with Ed Lu assisting as CMO (crew medical officer).  [During the test, transmittal of the Gamma-1M ECG (electrocardiogram) signal to the ground was required for about 5-6 minutes.]

Later in the day, Malenchenko set up the “Urolux” equipment for his and Ed Lu’s first session with the Russian biochemical urine test (PZE MO-9), on tomorrow’s schedule for both crewmembers.

Science Officer Dr. Lu activated (and later deactivated) the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox), but the originally planned InSPACE (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions) test run #12 was deferred to some later date.

Lu also performed an RS-232 card push-button reset of EXPRESS Rack 4 (ER4), time critical since it required ground support via Ku-band coverage.

Malenchenko conducted a checkout of the available repair equipment for the Vozdukh carbon dioxide (CO2) scrubber system.  [The objective was to verify the availability of good, undamaged tools (anchor screwdriver, wrenches) used previously during Vozdukh fan and vacuum valve replacement activities.]

Ed Lu meanwhile completed the periodic one-hour task of inspecting and cleaning hatch seals and hatch plate sealing surfaces in the U.S. segment (USOS).  [Hatch seals are lubricated with Braycote-601, which is also deposited on the sealing surfaces.  Dust and particles (FOD, foreign object debris) can stick to the lubricant an both the seals and sealing surfaces.  These are regularly inspected for FOD, nicks, burrs, cuts or gouges that would impair a proper seal, and are cleaned, as required, with dry wipes and Kapton tape.  (Last time done: 2/27/03).]

Ed also completed a “zero” calibration run of the CSA-CP (compound specific analyzer-combustion products), then activated and deactivated the CSA-CP for a cabin air composition data take.

Early in the morning, after breakfast, Lu deployed the acoustic dosimeters, being worn by each crewmember for 24 hours.  A third dosimeter was deployed in the Lab for a 24-hr. static data take.  [Tonight, after about 12 hours of measurements, data from each dosimeter will be recorded and the hardware power-cycled.  Acoustic data must be taken twice per Increment, each time for the duration of the 16-hour crew work day.]

Malenchenko also performed another Russian segment (RS) inventory audit to update the IMS (inventory management system) database.  [MCC-M has merged Yuri’s audit of 5/23 with the database and uplinked a further list of equipment for continued updating and confirmation of items, some of which still have not been located.]

The CDR conducted the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh life support system (including ASU toilet facilities), prepared the daily IMS inventory delta file, and completed the regular inspection of the active BRPK-1 air/liquid condensate separator system in the Service Module (SM).

Malenchenko performed his regular daily monitoring/servicing of the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 (“Plants-2”) zero-G plant growth experiment, checking water level in the Lada-2 greenhouse water container and the seed status.

Yuri also completed the weekly maintenance of the TVIS treadmill, and both crewmembers did their regular daily workouts on TVIS, RED expander, CEVIS cycle and VELO ergometer with load trainer.

FE/SO Ed Lu initiated another EMU battery charge/discharge cycle in the BSA (battery storage assembly).  [The battery maintenance activity, with one hour stand time between charge and discharge, is now required every 50 days.  The discharge is terminated automatically by the BSA charger in ~24 hrs.]

At 8:55am EDT, Ed Lu set up and conducted a ham radio session with students of Klem Road South Elementary School in Webster, N.Y., via an ARISS telebridge station in Hawaii.

At 11:45am, on Daily Orbit 1, MCC-Moscow/TsUP ran a test of the LKT4B2 local signal switch device (commutator) in the SM which is associated with the US-21 matching unit in the Progress vehicle.  [To conduct the test, the ground first had to inhibit onboard systems such as the SKV-1 air conditioner, BMP microfiltration unit, Elektron O2 generator, BITS telemetry system and VD-SU control system, as well as the Vozdukh and DC-1 SOTR (thermal system) control algorithms.  All inhibited systems were subsequently reactivated via pre-set time-tagged commands, again over RGS (Russian ground sites).  These RGS opportunities also need to be reconciled with the TsUP’s limited channel availability on the Russian Molniya comm satellite, which Rosaviakosmos is sharing with the Russian Military Forces .]

Overnight, at 00:37am EDT, the ISS was maneuvered from earth-fixed LVLH YVV flight attitude back to sun-oriented XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane), with yaw/pitch/roll angles of 0.5/-6.9/0 degrees.

U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 2:02pm EST).

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

• Elektron O2 generator is powered On (20 amp mode).  Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On (manual mode 3).  U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is Off.  TCCS (trace contaminant control subsystem) is operating.  MCA (major constituents analyzer) is operating.  BMP Harmful Impurities unit: absorbent bed #1 in Purify mode, bed #2 in Purify mode.  RS air conditioner SKV-1 is On; SKV-2 is Off.
• SM Working Compartment:  Pressure (mmHg) — 742; temperature (deg C) — 26.7; ppO2 (mmHg) — data invalid; ppCO2 (mmHg) — data invalid.
• SM Transfer Compartment:  Pressure (mmHg) — 751; temperature (deg C) — 21.1.
• FGB Cabin:  Pressure (mmHg) — 744; temperature (deg C) — 23.3.
• Node:  Pressure (mmHg) — 741.62; temperature (deg C) — 23.7 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
• U.S. Lab:  Pressure (mmHg) — 744.41; temperature (deg C) — 23.1; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
• Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock):  Pressure (mmHg) — 744.51; temperature (deg C) — 25.0; shell heater temp (deg C) — 24.9, ppO2 (mmHg) — 171.2; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 4.7.
• PMA-1:  Shell heater temp (deg C) — 21.8.
• PMA-2:  Shell heater temp (deg C) — 13.6.

(n/a = data not available)

Propulsion System (PS):

• Total propellant load available: 3573 kg (7877 lb) as of 5/22 [SM(774) + FGB(2547) + Progress(252)].  (Capability: SM — 860 kg; FGB — 6120 kg).

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

• Both P6 channels fully operational.  BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B both “directed” (non-solar tracking) mode (“sun slicer” position, for drag reduction).
• SM batteries:  Batteries #4 and #8 are disconnected (failed); battery #5 is in “Cycle” mode; all other batteries (5) are in “Partial Charge” mode (battery #2 is exhibiting degraded performance).
• FGB batteries:  Battery #4 is disconnected; battery #3 is in “Cycle” mode; all other batteries (4) are in “Partial Charge” mode.
• Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 in Standby mode; PCU-2 in Discharge 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-1 is operating; INT-2 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-2 MDM is Off; PL-1 MDM is Operational.
• APS-1 (automated payload switch #1) and APS-2 are both On.
• SM Terminal Computer (TVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational. Being upgraded.
• SM Central Computer (TsVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational. Being upgraded.

Attitude Control Systems:

• 3 CMGs on-line (CMG-1 failed).
• State vector source — U.S. SIGI-1 (GPS)
• Attitude source — U.S. SIGI-2 (GPS)
• Angular rate source — RGA-1

Flight Attitude:

• XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane = “sun-fixed” [yaw: 0.5 deg, pitch: -6.8 deg., roll: 0 deg]), with CMG TA (thruster assist).
• Solar Beta angle:  59.3 deg (magnitude decreasing).

Communications & Tracking Systems:

• FGB MDM-1 is powered Off; FGB MDM-2 is operational.
• All other Russian communications & tracking systems are nominal.
• S-band is operating nominally (on string 2).
• Ku-band is operating nominally.
• Audio subsystem is operating nominally [IAC-1 (internal audio controller #1) being analyzed after self-test error.  IAC-2 is prime.]
• Video subsystem operating nominally.
• HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.

Robotics:

• SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at MBS PDGF #1 with Keep Alive (KA) power on both strings.
• MBS: KA power on both strings. 
• MT: latched at WS4, with KA power. 
• POA: KA power on both strings.
• RWS (robotics workstations): Lab RWS is Off; Cupola RWS is Off.

ISS Orbit  (as of this morning, 5:58am EDT [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 388.9 km
• Apogee — 393.6 km
• Perigee — 384.3 km
• Period — 92.33 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) —  51.63 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0006929
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.59
• Solar Beta Angle — 59.3 deg (magnitude decreasing)
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 60 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. ’98)  — 25776
• For more on ISS orbit and worldwide naked-eye visibility dates/times, see http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/viewing/issvis.html