NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 28 September 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.
CDR Krikalev unstowed and set up the Russian FARMA and SALIVA kits for his obligatory pre-return pharmacokinetics/medical tests, which he then performed during the course of the day. [MBI-4 “FARMA” (“Pharma”) researches particulars of pharmacological effects under long-duration space flight conditions, involving onboard analysis saliva (sometimes also blood) samples after taking specific drugs, such as Efferalgan from the Saliva-F kit. After ingesting the medication and rinsing carefully, Sergei collected saliva samples at several times during the day, preserving them in the Russian Kriogem-03 refrigerator for analysis. The Saliva kit with samples will be returned on Soyuz TMA-6/10S.]
|
Shuttle |
Krikalev also performed another session of the Russian biomedical MBI-8 Profilaktika (“Countermeasures”) fitness assessment series, today limited to a physical exercise session on the VELO cycle ergometer, supported by tagup with a ground specialist. [The VELO test is identical to the MO-5 test except for the additional use of the TEEM-100M gas analyzer during the test and subjective evaluation of physical exertion levels (using the Borg Perceived Exertion Scale, viz., 10 steps from very light over hard and very hard to maximum) during the test. At the end of the assessment, the results were logged, copied from Cardiocassette-2000 recording to OCA for downlink, and reported to the ground via tagup.]
FE/SO Phillips set up the Lab cooling system (by connecting the jumper from the LT [low temperature] loop) for the subsequent activation of the newly arrived HRF-2 (Human Research Facility 2) rack, which he then powered up. After its checkout by the ground, he turned off the rack again.
Phillips also worked in the “Quest” Airlock and “Destiny” Lab, installing new fire port labels. After the installation, the new labels were documented photographically.
The CDR ran a health check on the Russian AGAT-2M audio-video monitor in the Service Module (SM), which displays images from a connected computer. [Agat has been used in the past to test the functionality of electronics of payloads such as the Molniya-SM (GFI-10) geophysical experiment.]
The FE performed the weekly spot check on the two new CSA-CP (Compound Specific Analyzer-Combustion Products) units from Progress 19 by measuring the state of their decontamination and comparing them with the active (prime and backup) CSA-CPs.
Sergei meanwhile collected the weekly air data with the new GANK-4M (Real-Time Harmful Contaminant Gas Analyzer) system of the SM pressure control & atmospheric monitoring system (SOGS).
Phillips completed the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh environment control & life support system, including the ASU toilet system (which is back in use after a brief period of minor troubleshooting of an LED [light emitting diode] warning, during which the Soyuz toilet was available to the crew). John also prepared the regular daily IMS “delta”/update file for automated export/import to the three IMS databases (MCC-H, TsUP, Baikonur).
Krikalev spent several hours with setting up Visiting Crewmember (VC) Gregory Olsen’s work stations for his VC9 program in the Russian segment (RS). [First, the CDR assembled the glove box for the “Meshkletochnoe vzaimodeistvie” (Cell-Cell Interaction) experiment, and the Kriogem-03 refrigerator for the biotechnological “Konyugatsiya” (Pairing) payload. Other setups then involved the KUBIK Amber incubator and the Nikon D1X camera, with battery checked for charge. To make room for VC9, Sergei removed Roberto Vittori’s SPQR (Specular Point-like Quick Reference) from SM window 3 plus the LAZIO hardware and its ACT spectrometer in the DC1 docking compartment. Finally, he unstowed the RSE1 laptop, an A31p ThinkPad, and transferred it with power unit and cables to the DC1 for connecting it, checking it out and then shutting it off.]
Both crewmembers continued the longer-term task of surveying and organizing their equipment in preparation for their departure on 10/11.
Working off his discretionary “time available” task list, Sergei worked on the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 (“Plants-2”) experiment, completing the regular periodic download of data & imagery collected of the experiment to the computer for subsequent downlink to the ground. [Rasteniya researches growth and development of plants (currently horse radish) under spaceflight conditions in the Lada-7 greenhouse. The regular maintenance of the experiment (each Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) involves monitoring of seedling growth, humidity measurements, moistening of the substrate if necessary, topping off the water tank if ~20-25% of the total amount (4 liters) remains, and photo/video recording. Once weekly, data from the Lada greenhouse control unit are recorded on floppy disk for weekly downlink via REGUL-Packet or the new BSR-TM at a suitable occasion
Also from the Russian “job jar” task list, Krikalev conducted a health check and downlink of noise level readings with the “Shumomer” sound level meter. [Objective of this activity was to test sound meter software, to troubleshoot possible deviations against the Russian Operations Data File (RODF), which cannot be duplicated with ground support equipment, to calibrate the Shumomer measuring channel, and to take reference measurements. The activity was in response to a report from Expedition 11 that conditions and readings of this equipment did not match those specified by RODF.]
Over the last two days the crew has inspected and cleaned the Node and Lab IMV (intermodular ventilation) ducts and filters in an attempt to determine and correct the cause of observed low flows between the ISS modules. A significant amount of dust and lint was found and removed. Subsequent Velocicalc readings indicate the flows have returned to near nominal values
Both the CDRA (Carbon Dioxide Removal System) and the TCCS (Trace Contaminant Control System) have been activated in preparation for the METOX (Metal Oxide) CO2 adsorbent canister regeneration in the Airlock oven planned to start tonight. [Because of low flow rates seen previously on TCCS it was activated with the FDIR (Fault Detection, Isolation & Recovery) disabled to prevent it from shutting itself off. The flow rates are near the lower FDIR limits for the device but are sufficient to clean the air.]
John Phillips completed his regular 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on the CEVIS cycle ergometer, TVIS treadmill, and RED resistive machine. Sergei’s exercise session today was accounted for by his MBI-8 “Profilaktika” fitness run on the VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer.
Afterwards, John transferred the exercise data files to the MEC for downlink, 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).
At ~4:20am EDT, the CDR set up the Russian TV equipment and then downlinked a joint a 20-min. message of greetings to the Presidium (Viktor G. Shevchenko) and members of the Security, Defense, and Law Enforcement Academy in Moscow,
At ~8:35am EDT, the FE configured the Sputnik-SM Kenwood D700 amateur radio station in the SM and then conducted a 10-min. ham radio session with students at Tregaron High School at Tregaron, Wales/United Kingdom. [Ysgol Uwchradd Tregaron is a mixed secondary school teaching pupils between the ages of 11-18 years. It is one of the smallest secondary schools in Wales, having only 340 students and 40 staff. The curriculum is taught in a bilingual context of Welsh or English. The school’s motto is “Mewn Llafur mae elw (In Labor there is Profit). There are nine feeder Primary Schools: Bronant, Llanddewi Brefi, Llangeitho, Liedrod, Penuwch, Pontrhydfendigaid, Swyddffynnon, Tregaron, and Ysbyty Ystwyth. (Don’t you just love that language!) Questions where uplinked beforehand, e.g., “If you cry in space, what happens to the tears?”]
Soyuz TMA-7/11S Launch Preparations: Preparations for launch of Soyuz-216 (TMA-7) on Friday night with the Expedition-12 (ISS-12) prime crew of V. Tokarev and W. McArthur (backup: M. Tyurin, D. Williams, S. Kostenko) and space flight participant/visiting crewmember VC-9 G. Olsen continue on schedule. At Baikonur Cosmodrome, the payload module containing the TMA-7 spacecraft was integrated today (9/28) with the Soyuz-FG launch vehicle in the LV Assembly & Testing Facility. Also, the decision was made by the regular Governmental Commission, meeting with Technical Management, to roll out the integrated Soyuz assembly to the launch pad.
No CEO photo targets uplinked for 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 Orbit (as of this morning, 8:31am EDT [= epoch]):
- Mean altitude — 348.9 km
- Apogee height — 350.1 km
- Perigee height — 347.7 km
- Period — 91.52 min.
- Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
- Eccentricity — 0.0001824
- Solar Beta Angle — -53.7 deg (magnitude decreasing)
- Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.73
- Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 94 m
- Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 39194
Upcoming Events (all times EDT):
- 09/29/05 – Soyuz TMA-6/10S hot-fire thruster test
- 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)
- 10/18/05 — ISS Reboost
- 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.
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.
