Status Report

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 29 September 2004

By SpaceRef Editor
September 30, 2004
Filed under , , ,
NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 29 September 2004
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SpaceRef note: This NASA Headquarters internal status report, as presented here, contains additional, original material produced by SpaceRef.com (copyright © 2004) to enhance access to related status reports and NASA activities.

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

Update on Elektron :  During one of the periodic cyclings of the ZLVK (Elektron Hydrogen Vent) valve by the crew (see yesterday’s Status, 9/28), the ZLVK stuck open.  Before that, the crew had capped the open port for safety.  Russian specialists are evaluating the next step to recover the valve.  Elektron activities rested today and are scheduled to resume tomorrow (9/30).
 

Update on cabin atmosphere :  After activation and a “zero” calibration of the MCA (Major Constituents Analyzer), a 10 mmHg repress of N2 (nitrogen) from the US Airlock tanks was performed last night to bring the station’s total pressure to approximately 747 mmHg.
 

Today, FE/SO Mike Fincke worked on the MCA to remove its old mass spectrometer unit and replace it with the new one brought up on Progress 15P.  For the R&R, the ground first deactivated the AR (Atmosphere Revitalization) Rack in the Lab, which houses the MCA.   [After installing the new MCA mass spectrometer assembly, Fincke connected the MCA vacuum jumper (dubbed “the Anaconda” for its snaked-like appearance) to the unit for pumpout to support subsequent AR Rack activation commanding from the ground.  With the MCA fully operational it will remain up and running continuously.  No problems reported for the R&R.]
 

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Afterwards, while the AR Rack was still open, Mike installed four new “sock” filters on the hydraflow couplings of the CDRA (Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly).   [This will restore some key capability of the system.  Engineers believe that many of the problems experienced with the CDRA in the past are due to leakage of the CO2 sorbent material (Zeolyte) from the beds.  It is believed that the new filters will help keep these particles from becoming lodged in the CDRA’s mechanical components.  It is planned to activate it for one day on 10/4 (Monday) to check it out following the filter install.]
 

Gennady Padalka performed another workout round of the Russian biomedical MBI-8 “Profilaktika” (preventive health maintenance) fitness test series, today on the VELO stationary bike ergometer (last time done: 9/7).   [There will be two more tests, one with the NS-1 Load Trainer tomorrow, the other with the TVIS treadmill, plus blood analysis, on 10/1.  Test procedure is identical to the Russian MO-5 Cardiovascular Evaluation During Graded Exercises assessment, but in addition to the nominal procedure it calls for the use of the TEEM-100M gas analyzer, measurement of the lactate level in the subjects blood with the AccuSport device, and subjective evaluation of physical exertion levels during the test.  Results are entered on a log sheet.  TEEM and ECG (electrocardiograph) data are transferred to the payload laptop 2, also on a tape cassette (Cardiocassette-2000), and prepared for later downlink via Regul-Packet comm.  The lactate levels were called down to specialists standing by at TsUP.]
 

Mike Fincke conducted the monthly PEP (portable emergency provisions) audit and inspection.   [The procedure involves verification that PFEs (portable fire extinguishers), PBAs (portable breathing assemblies), QDMAs (quick-don mask assemblies) and EHTKs (extension hose/tee kits) are free of damage to ensure their functionality, and to track shelf life/life cycles on the hardware.  PEPs are not removed from their locker unless obvious damage is discovered during the inspection.  There are a total of 5 PBAs in the U.S. segment (USOS), viz., two in the Node, two in the Lab, and one in the Airlock.]
 

In the Service Module (SM), Gennady Padalka performed a system and power cable continuity checkout of the Russian KL140-ST-M Klest television system that uses the video camera in the Progress for the approach and docking phases of orbital rendezvous.
 

The CDR terminated the bake-out cycle on filter bed 1 of the SM’s harmful impurities removal unit (BMP), moding the channel back to Purify.  Later, he initiated regeneration on filter channel 2.  [Regeneration of the air purifier filter beds is repeated every 20 days.  Each bakeout to space vacuum takes about 24 hours.]
 

Later, Gennady completed the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh life support system (including ASU toilet facilities) as well as the regular daily preparation of the IMS (inventory management system) “delta” file for automatic export/import to update the database, while Mike Fincke attended to the regular routine status checkup of the autonomous PCG-STES010 (Protein Crystal Growth-Single Locker Thermal Enclosure System) payload in the Lab (done every Monday, Wednesday and Friday).

Both crewmembers had an hour each reserved to start preparations for their departure on 8S/Soyuz on 10/19.
 

Padalka conducted the periodic inspection of the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 (“Plants-2”) experiment which researches growth and development of plants under spaceflight conditions in the Lada-5 greenhouse.

The crew conducted their seventh inflight debriefing, today Part 2 of CHeCS/MedOps, covering ground-collected questions on HMS (health maintenance systems, e.g., Nutrition, Defibrillator, CMRS, MEC).
 

Shortly before sleep time, Gennady set up the equipment for the Russian MedOps biochemical blood test MO-11, consisting of the Reflotron-4 analyzer, with accessories, power supply and Reflotron-4 kit.  After setup, the instrument was deactivated and left fully configured at the work site until tomorrow morning.   [Gennady will undergo the 2.5-hr. tests tomorrow (8/20), preceded by imbibing 250 ml of warm water or plain (unsugared) tea 20 minutes before taking the blood samples.]

Fincke had another PFC (private family conference) via S-band/audio and Ku-band/NetMeeting video.
 


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At 5:25am EDT, the crew downlinked a message of greetings to the 40th anniversary of the Russian Mayak radio station’s first air broadcast.   [There will be a gala celebration at Rossia State Central Cinema Hall on 10/4, on the anniversary of the launch of Sputnik 1, the Earth’s first satellite.  It will be broadcast via Mayak station and Rossia channel. “We wish you cosmic health, airy feelings, and we are positive that Mayak radio station is going to be the first station that will be heard by far-away planets.”]
 

The crew also downlinked a special message of greetings to the attendees and special guests gathered at Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI)’s House of Culture on 10/4 to observe the 47th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik 1, to which many MAI alumni have contributed significantly.
 

TRRJ (Thermal Radiator Rotary Joint) testing resumed yesterday after Saturday’s anomaly was fully understood.   [Another occurrence of the anomaly during this round of testing is not expected due to the current Beta angle.  The data gathered so far, including a first time checkout of five FDIR (Failure Detection, Isolation & Recovery) routines, will provide invaluable lessons learned that will be used when the ETCS (External Thermal Control System) system is activated on 12A.1.  The testing will be completed today, at which time both the port and starboard TRRJ’s will be parked and locked at 0 degrees (parallel to the trusses).]
 

Maneuver of the station to XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane) attitude is scheduled for tomorrow (9/30) at 9:32am EDT.
 

Expedition 9 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.

Today’s CEO photo targets, in the current LVLH attitude no longer limited by restrictions on the use of the Lab nadir/science window, were Khartoum, Sudan (this overpass provided an opportunity for high-resolution photography of the urban-rural fringe of this desert city.  The urban center is located at the confluence of the White and Blue Nile Rivers.  Mapping of the urban fringe is useful for tracking urban growth and for ecological research), Internal waves, SE Newfoundland (clear weather was predicted to continue SE of Newfoundland for internal wave photography.  The sunglint point was to the right of track and slightly behind the ISS), and Internal waves, Tuamotu Archipelago (this pass provided an opportunity for internal wave photography of the westernmost archipelago.  The sunglint point was to the right of track and slightly ahead of the station).

CEO images can be viewed at these websites:

See also the website “Space Station Challenge” at:

To view the latest photos taken by the expedition 9 crew visit:

ISS Altitude History

Apogee height Mean AltitudePerigee height

ISS Altitude History

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.

SpaceRef staff editor.