NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 3 May 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.

Before breakfast and exercise, CDR Sergei Krikalev and FE/SO John Phillips completed their first session with the Russian crew health-monitoring program’s medical assessment MO-9/Biochemical Urinalysis. Afterwards, the CDR stowed the hardware.  [MO-9 is conducted regularly every 30 days (and also before and after EVAs) and is one of five nominal Russian medical tests adopted by NASA for US crewmembers for IMG PHS (Integrated Medical Group/Periodic Health Status) evaluation as part of the “PHS/Without Blood Labs” exam. The analysis uses the sophisticated in-vitro diagnostic apparatus Urolux developed originally for the Mir program. Afterwards, the data are entered in the medical equipment computer (MEC) s special IFEP software (In-Flight Examination Program).]

The crew also began Day 1 of their first session of the NASA/JSC renal (kidney) stone experiment regimen.  [Both crewmembers first reviewed a CBT (computer-based training) course, then started their diet logs that record all foods and drinks consumed today and tomorrow. This long-range preventive medicine investigation features daily ingestion of either potassium citrate or placebo tablets. It is Dr. Peggy Whitson’s double blind research study investigating statistically whether potassium citrate is as effective in zero-G in preventing formation of kidney stones as it is on the ground. The experiment requires keeping a metabolic diet log (food & fluid intake), followed by collection of urine samples several times per day during the weeklong session, with collections starting tomorrow and running through Thursday (5/5).]

With the Elektron O2 generator remaining off, Krikalev worked on the Russian BMP harmful impurities removal system, starting the “bake-out” cycle to vacuum on absorbent bed #2 of the regenerable dual-channel filtration system. Before sleep time today, the bake-out will be terminated.  [Regeneration of each of the two cartridges takes about 12 hours and is conducted only during crew awake periods. The BMP currently still uses the same vacuum vent valve for regeneration as the Elektron (the latter for venting hydrogen).]

Sergei also replaced the remaining five (of ten) smoke detectors (IDZ-2) in the FGB Zarya , which have reached their nominal end-of-life. The first group of five was replaced yesterday. The smoke detectors were powered in telemetry mode to be ground-monitored for 2-3 orbits before being transitioned to active mode. FGB smoke detection is scheduled to be enabled prior to crew sleep. The old units were discarded and logged in the IMS (Inventory Management System).

On request from TsUP/Moscow, Krikalev checked for the presence of a cap on a connector on the KSK (A24) network channel controller box, an electronic device of the Service Module (SM) s computer system (BVS) which Salizhan Sharipov had installed on 4/1 behind a panel. A tagup with ground specialists supported the inspection.

Sergei also did the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh environment control & life support system, including its ASU toilet system, and prepared the regular IMS delta file for its automated export/import to the IMS databases.

John Phillips had another time slot reserved for continuing his prepacking activities in preparation for LF-1/STS-114 return.

Both crewmembers conducted their regular daily 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on the TVIS treadmill, RED resistive exerciser and VELO ergometer cycle with bungee cord force loader (NS-1).  [For the TVIS exercise, they are using the SLDs (subject loading devices) for holding the subject down. Krikalev also has a newly delivered training-loading suit (TNK-U-1), to create vertical loads (during the ease-off period of the first month of exercise, at least 52 kg load is recommended). As was the case for Sharipov, Sergei s daily protocol prescribes a four-day microcycle exercise with 1.5 hr on the treadmill and one hour on VELO plus load trainer (today: Day 1 of a new set). Use of the NS-1 is constrained by load limits on the ISS structure.]

The FE then transferred the daily TVIS and RED exercise data files to the MEC for downlink, as well as the daily wristband HRM (heart rate monitor) data, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium.

John also did the weekly maintenance on the TVIS treadmill, primarily checking the condition of the SPDs (subject positioning devices) and recording time & date values.

The crew again had one hour each set aside on today s schedule for adaptation and ISS familiarization, to help in getting used to their new surroundings and activities.  [This free activity session has become a valuable standard requirement for new station occupants for the first two weeks.]

At 1:10pm EDT, the crew downlinked two audio/video messages of general ISS greetings on S-band & Ku-band. [One downlink was a generic ISS message for use as NASA TV promo tease , the other a general NASA Visitor Centers greeting, both similar to messages created during previous expedition flights and of considerable value to public affairs and educational outreach programs.]

During various RGS (Russian ground site) comm passes, TsUP continued tests of the downlink functionality of the BSR-TM Regul interface unit (part of the Russian radio control & communications system, to be used for the ROKVISS robotics experiment), without crew involvement.

MCC-H undertook the fourth and final attempt to close RPC-17 (Remote Power Controller #17), which had failed open, disabling CMG-2 (Control Moment Gyroscope 2). The RPC did not respond, as in the first three attempts.  [In planning is a checkout of RPC-18 in another RPCM (RPC Module) that will be used as alternate power feed for CMG-2 after a patch panel reconfiguration on the Z1 truss, planned for the first LF-1 EVA. Since RPC-18 is also susceptible to hybrid FET (field effect transistor) failures, a ground-commanded temporary closing of RPC-18 is intended to verify its functionality beforehand.]

Yesterday s first crew session of an on-board try-out of the headset-based communications configuration to be used for photographing the RPM (Rendezvous Pitch Maneuver) at STS-114 arrival was not deferred (as reported here) but carried out as scheduled.  [During the RPM at ~600 ft from the station, the two ISS crewmembers will have ~90 seconds for taking high-resolution digital photographs of all tile areas and door seals, to be downlinked for launch debris assessment. The new configuration connects S/G1 (Space to Ground 1) communications from the FGB comm panel into the SM using an extension cable with the Russian head set assembly. The exercise was an attempt to eliminate an S/G1 echo heard during previous flights. After the crew configured the comm path, the echo was still audible. The team is investigating alternate comm configs to eliminate the anomaly.]

Also yesterday, the crew performed a 9.0 mmHg O2 repress from Progress 17 oxygen tanks, after which the ppO2 read 157 mmHg.

Taking advantage of the LF-1 launch slip to July, plans are underway for completing the reconditioning on the remaining P6 Channel 2 nickel hydrogen (NiH) batteries prior to LF-1.  [The reconditioning, to restore the batteries which typically undergo memory loss of their charge condition, will take about one week for each of the two remaining battery sets, 2B1 and 2B3. No crew involvement is required.]

The ISS reboost scheduled for 5/11 remains on schedule.  [The maneuver s delta-V will be adjusted to maintain station phasing for Progress 18 & 19 as well as for the delayed LF-1 mission.]

Today’s CEO (crew earth observations) photo targets, in the current LVLH attitude no longer limited by flight rule constraints on the use of the Lab nadir/science window, were Internal waves, Patagonian Shelf (weather and lighting are less than ideal, but the crew was to try using the long lens to capture details of the glint on the sea surface in the coastal waters just north of the Valdes Peninsula. Looking well left of track and trying to keep at least a small segment of the coastline within the field of view to help the ground locate the features), and Patagonian Glaciers (most of the Patagonian ice fields were expected to be cloud-covered at the time of this pass. However, some clearing was expected from the SW. Light was low, but the bright features of the lower Southern Patagonian Ice field should have stood out. On a second pass over this target area, the weather hopefully had continued to improve. Again, since light was low, the crew was to try for near-nadir views of the visible portions of the ice fields. Investigators would like to use these view to help the crew zero-in for detailed views of particular features when weather and lighting are better).

 
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 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, 8:00am EDT [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 354.0 km
• Apogee height — 359.4 km
• Perigee height — 348.6 km
• Period — 91.62 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0007854
• Solar Beta Angle — 67.4 deg (magnitude increasing, peaked today)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.72
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 90 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 36865

Some Increment 11 Main Events:

• ISS Reboost — 5/11 (to adjust phasing for 18P, 19P, and LF-1);
• Progress M-52 (17P) undock — 6/16;
• Progress M-53 (18P) launch — 6/17;
• Progress M-53 (18P) undock — 8/23;
• Progress M-54 (19P) launch — 8/24;
• Soyuz TMA-7 (11S) launch — 9/27;
• Soyuz TMA-6 (10S) return — 10/7.

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.