NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 3 February 2006

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All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.   The backup plan of delaying tonight’s spacewalk egress by one orbit will not be required, and EVA-15 is back on its original schedule, with hatch open expected at ~5:20pm.<<<  This will be the 64th spacewalk for station assembly & maintenance and the second station EVA by McArthur & Tokarev (EVA-4: 11/7/05)

This morning, crew sleep cycle moved back to the left by 20 minutes to provide enough time for today’s activities.  Workday began at 7:40am and extends through 5:10am tomorrow morning.  Wake-up is then set for 1:40 noon and sleep period will start at the shifted 9:30pm.  Sleep cycle will shift back gradually until, by Tuesday (2/7), the crew will have finally returned to the normal schedule of 1:00am – 4:30pm (all times EST).

After morning inspection, all pre-EVA activities have proceeded smoothly and on schedule, starting out with Tokarev and McArthur taking another MO-9 “Urolux” urine biochemistry test before breakfast.  A second session with the Urolux equipment will be conducted by both crewmembers overnight (~12:30am) immediately after post-EVA station repress from Progress 19’s air supply.

As part of pre-EVA activities, the CDR set up the usual video equipment in the Lab & Node for situational awareness/monitoring by the ground during the spacewalk.  Afterwards, he transferred the previously prepared Kodak DCS 760 EVA camera from the U.S. segment (USOS) to the Russian segment (RS).

Next, McArthur powered up the PCS (Portable Computer System) laptop in the FGB module, then configured the onboard Ethernet/Operations Local Area Network (OpsLAN) for the RS/USOS hatch closure.  OpsLAN will be restored to normal operations after the EVA (at ~4:20am).   [The reconfiguration of the network is required during EVA (or Soyuz relocation) when station modules are isolated, to place OpsLAN in a configuration that allows MCC-Houston to continue the uplink of timelines, procedures, crew mail, etc.  Essentially, the CDR disconnected the Ethernet coaxial cables between the Lab and Node, between Node and PMA-1 (pressurized mating adapter 1) and between PMA-1 and FGB, while assuring connectivity between Lab SSC (Station Support Computer) clients and launching necessary applications, such as NetMeeting (which allows the ground to use the pre-aimed USB cameras on the laptops to monitor areas in the Lab not available for viewing on the Lab videocam).]

Tokarev meanwhile had close to two hours set aside to finish EVA preps of the Service Module Transfer Compartment (SM PkhO) and the DC1 airlock, later joined by McArthur.

USOS hatchways were closed by McArthur afterwards (nominally ~9:50am) between Lab & Node (2 hatches), Node starboard port & “Quest” Airlock, and Node & PMA-1, with IMV (Intermodular Ventilation) valves remaining open and the MPEVs (Manual Pressure Equalization Valves) closed to support equalization of module pressures.

Bill and Valery then finished reconfiguring DC1 and PkhO transfer tunnel and RS systems.

Next steps taken by the crew were: (a) checking out the Orlan-M spacesuits and the suit interface control panels (BSS) in DC1 & PkhO, (b) disassembling the air duct in the DC1 (to gain room) while leaving the V3 fan in place for ventilation, and (c) retesting the BK-3 primary and backup oxygen (O2) tanks of the Orlans and DC1.   [Most activities are paced by RGS (Russian ground site) comm window passes.]

After a midday meal (~1:10pm), the crew continued configuring ISS onboard systems for the unmanned period, equipping the DCS 760 camera with a fresh battery for the spacewalk, rerouted C&W (caution & warning) alarms from the C&W panel to the PkhO and DC1 EVA support panels (POV), and resetting communication links to extend the U.S. space-to-ground 2 (S/G2) channel into the DC1.

After final inspection of the suits, BSS interface units and biomedical parameter telemetry to RGS (~2:45pm), the hatchways between PkhO/FGB and PkhO/DC1 will be closed (~3:50pm), followed by donning of the Orlans and ancillary gear, with closing of backpacks at about 4:00pm.

During subsequent depressurization of the DC1+PkhO volume, the suits and closed RS hatches will be checked for leaks.  After a final O2 purge of Orlan systems, prebreathe will start at ~4:32pm, lasting for 30 min (to denitrogenize the body for prevention of decompression sickness).

The DC1 will then be depressed to 15 mmHg as the crew conducts a final leak check of the airlock, followed by transitioning the Orlans to autonomous (battery) power and opening the EV hatch #1, planned to occur at ~5:26pm, at the end of the current night pass. 

The subsequent spacewalk is estimated to last about 6 hours (hatch closure: ~11:15pm).   [The EVA timeline shows seven major objectives, in this order:

(1)  Jettison “RadioSkaf” (SuitSat) microsatellite (a decommissioned Orlan suit with ham radio equipment);

(2)  Removal of Russian/US Strela 2 crane adapter from the EFGF (electrical flight grapple fixture) on the FGB module and its installation on an FRGF (flight releasable grapple fixture) on the PMA-3 (Pressurized Mating Adapter #3), required for Mission 12A.1 SMDP (SM Debris Panel) installation;

(3)  Safing of zenith IUA (Integrated Umbilical Assembly) of the U.S. Robotics MT (Mobile Transporter);

(4)  Retrieval of Russian “Biorisk-MSN” container #2 from DC1 exterior;

(5)  Photographing of KDS, KD2 & KD3 sensors of the SMMK micrometeoroid monitoring system on the SM;

(6)  Inspection and photographing of the WA4 ham radio antenna; and

(7)  “Panarama” DTO (Development Test Objective), i.e., inspection of ISS RS exterior including roll & pitch thruster nozzles and structural elements (e.g., handrails).

*       The EVA will extend through four night passes that the spacewalkers use as rest periods.

*       For the duration of the U.S. task (MT IUA safing), EVA task control will be handed over from TsUP-Moscow to MCC-H, then returned. 

*       Russian thrusters will be inhibited per TsUP command during tasks on the SM Large Diameter Section (RO2) and Assembly Section (nominally from ~10:20pm – 11:05pm). 

*       When thrusters are enabled, the crew will be in a clearly defined Safe Zone forward of SM RO2 (i.e., on the SM Small Diameter Section). 

*       In the unlikely case of a U.S. CMG (control moment gyro) saturation event, the station can remain in free drift for up to 3 hours (2 orbits), before thrusters need to be re-enabled.

After return from the EVA and DC1 airlock repressurization from cabin air at ~11:13pm, the crew will open hatches and reenter the SM for their second MO-9 “Urolux” biochemical urine test plus – for Tokarev – the second ESA NOA (Nitric Oxide Analyzer) session, his 19th.

This will be followed by the crew resetting communications, conducting ISS activation operations and restoring systems configurations in the DC1 and other RS modules to pre-EVA conditions, then installing the DC1 air ducts.

At ~1:45am, Bill McArthur is expected to reopen the USOS transfer hatches from the RS and to reconfigure the OpsLAN computer network throughout the station (~4:20am) as well as other systems, such as C&W.

Sleep period will begin at 5:10am tomorrow morning, to continue through 1:40pm.

No CEO (crew earth observations) photo targets uplinked today.

Over 177,000 of CEO (Crew Earth Observation) images have been taken in the first five years of the ISS.

  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 12 crew visit:

• http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-12/ndxpage1.html at NASA’s Human Spaceflight website.

Expedition 12 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, 6:52am EST [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 346.1 km
• Apogee height — 352.3 km
• Perigee height — 340.0 km
• Period — 91.46 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0009122
• Solar Beta Angle — -26.3 deg (magnitude decreasing)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.74
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 70 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 41209

Events Ahead (all dates Eastern & tentative):

• 02/11/06 — ISS reboost (by 20P; maneuver to XPOP after burn)
• 02/22/06 — ISS reboost (by 19P; mvr. back to XPOP after burn)
• 03/03/06 — Progress M-54/19P undocking & reentry (mvr. to LVLH XVV after undock)
• 03/10/06 — ISS reboost (by SM thrusters; mvr. back to XPOP after burn)
• 03/30/06 — Soyuz TMA-8/12S launch (Pavel Vinogradov/Russia, Jeffrey Williams/US, Marcos Pontes/Brazil)
• 04/01/06 — Soyuz TMA-8/12S docking (DC1; mvr. to LVLH XVV after dock)
• 04/09/06 — Soyuz TMA-7/11S undocking & reentry (mvr. to XPOP after undock)
• 04/16/06 — Soyuz TMA-8/12S relocation (DC1 to FGB nadir port)
• 04/24/06 — Progress M-56/21P launch
• 04/26/06 — Progress M-56/21P docking
• 05/03/06 — ULF1.1 launch (NET, not earlier than)
• 06/15/06 — U.S. EVA (under review)
• 06/19/06 — Progress M-55/20P undocking & reentry
• 06/28/06 — Progress M-57/22P launch
• 06/30/06 — Progress M-57/22P docking
• 07/01/06 — 12A launch (under review)
• 08/01/06 — Russian EVA-16 (under review)
• 09/13/06 — Progress M-56/21P undocking & reentry
• 09/14/06 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S launch
• 09/16/06 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S docking (DC1)
• 09/24/06 — Soyuz TMA-8/12S undocking & reentry
• 10/18/06 — Progress M-58/23P launch
• 10/20/06 — Progress M-58/23P docking
• 12/19/06 — Progress M-57/22P undocking & reentry
• 12/20/06 — Progress M-59/24P launch
• 12/22/06 — Progress M-59/24P 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.