NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 30 September 2004
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 : Instructions were uplinked for the crew to undertake test activations of the Elektron oxygen generator today using the BMP (micropurification unit) vacuum valves, after the regeneration of both BMP absorbent beds was complete.
Before breakfast and physical exercise, CDR Gennady Padalka underwent his third Russian blood chemistry analysis test PZE MO-11 on Increment 9, assisted by FE/SO Michael Fincke as Crew Medical Officer (CMO) as required. The exam was performed with the kits and accessories of the Reflotron-4 blood analyzer unstowed and readied yesterday. Closeout ops and Reflotron equipment storage were completed in the afternoon. [Earlier Reflotron versions have operated already on space station Mir. For the test, Padalka imbibed 250 ml of warm water or plain (unsugared) tea, after which fresh blood was drawn from his finger with an Autoclix mini-lancet and a pipette. Clinical data were then determined from the collected sample. Using various reagent tabs, the blood was tested for such parameters as hemoglobin, glucose, bilirubin, amylase, uric acid, triglycerides, urea, creatinin, cholesterol, etc. The tubes with blood samples were temporarily kept cool for the subsequent (post-breakfast) analysis. Reflotron-4 uses 40 W of power, supplied by the Service Module’s (SM) electrical system.]
Later, the CDR conducted Part 2 of the three-part MBI-8 Profilaktika (preventive health maintenance) fitness test series started yesterday for his first time, today using the NS-01 load trainer on the VELO cycle ergometer, supported by tag-up with medical support personnel at TsUP/Moscow. Science Officer Fincke was available to assist as necessary. [This Russian fitness test consists of four types of exercise, viz., neck tilting (back/forward), simultaneous forearm flexing, trunk extension, and trunk flexes. Each type of exercise consists of a series of 15 motions repeated two times. Load levels are selected by the ground and do not change from test to test. Total duration of the test is 13 min. Gas analysis, subjective evaluation of physical exertion levels, and blood test for lactate and Creatine Kinase levels are also performed as a part of this test, using the TEEM-100M gas analyzer, AccuSport analyzer, and Reflotron-IV blood analyzer.]
FE/SO Mike Fincke meanwhile performed a visual inspection of the recently repaired and evacuated Lab window, checking for cracks, scratches, irregularities, etc. [The pane inspection had to be done during a night pass, with the Lab lights turned off and the window shutter open.]
In the SM, Padalka finished regeneration of the BMP harmful impurities filtration system, terminating the 24-hr. bake-out cycle on channel #2 and moding the channel back to Purify. This restored both filter beds to Purification/Absorption mode. It also made the BMP valves available for today’s test activations of the Elektron. [The regeneration of the air purifier filter beds is repeated every 20 days.]
FE/SO Mike Fincke completed transfer and stowage of CHeCS IMAK (Crew Health Care Systems/ISS Medical Accessory Kit) items from Progress 15P intended for the AMP (Ambulatory Medical Pack) and ALSP (Advanced Life Support Pack).
After the ground had powered up EXPRESS Rack 5 (ER5), Fincke activated the rack’s laptop computer (ELC) for the subsequent payload activities. Using the SNFM (Serial Network Flow Monitor) application, Mike then initiated a 3-hr. session to capture packet data traffic on the LAN-0 and LAN-2 networks. [The software automatically transmits stored files to the ARIS POP computer (Active Rack Isolation System/Payload On-orbit Processor) in ER2 for later downlink and analysis on the ground.]
In the FGB, Gennady worked on recovering the failed IDZ-2 smoke detector #10 from an earlier false smoke alarm. [SD-10 had failed on 9/24 by giving multiple false Level 1 & Level 2 alarms after TsUP had re-enabled it. During the initial fire alarm on that day, coincident with the C&C MDM transitions in the U.S. segment, however, this detector was off. It is unclear how the FGB fire message was triggered and whether it was related to the C&C upgrading. After SD-10 started giving false annunciations, triggering more “FGB Smoke” messages, TsUP inhibited the process, but the “FGB Smoke” message remained in alarm.]
Gennady also swapped out the two IDZ-2 smoke detectors #2 and #3 in the DC1 docking compartment.
Mike Fincke had another opportunity to collect U.S. equipment selected for stowage in Soyuz 8S for return.
Padalka conducted the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh life support system (including ASU toilet facilities) and prepared the daily IMS inventory delta file.
The CDR also 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. Topping its water container off as required is an additional step included regularly in the crew-choice task list.
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Mike Fincke set up the SM’s amateur radio equipment and at 8:05am EDT engaged in a ham radio exchange with students at the Primary School Of Montaud, at Montaud, France. [Montaud is located 16 km in the NW of Grenoble in the French Alps. It is a village in the mountains with 450 inhabitants and consists of a dozen hamlets. The village is situated in the N of the massif of the Vercors, the big place of the French Resistance during the Second World War. The 65 students from 3 to 12 years old are distributed in three classes of the school.]
The crew worked out on their physical exercise machines (TVIS, RED exerciser and VELO cycle with load trainer). Mike also performed the monthly inspection of the RED bolts, to tighten them as required.
After the replacement of the old MCA (Major Constituents Analyzer) mass spectrometer by Mike Fincke with a new unit, the ground last night was unsuccessful at starting up the MCA because pumpout of the spectrometer assembly failed. Based on all available data, the problem appears to be with incorrect valve positions. Work is underway to form a strategy for further troubleshooting.
Installation of four new “sock” filters in the CDRA (Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly) by the FE was not completed due to some difficulties with the procedures and the inability to remove the hydroflow coupling connectors. Ground teams are assessing the issues, and these tasks will be rescheduled at a later time.
After attitude control handover from U.S. CMGs to RS thrusters, at 9:32am EDT the station maneuvered from LVLH to XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane) attitude. Control authority then was returned to the U.S. ACS (attitude control system). [At about the same time the US solar arrays were put in Autotrack. While in autotrack, GPS (Global Positioning System) attitudes, as reported earlier, are inhibited from entering the GNC (Guidance, Navigation & Control) software attitude filters. As a result, new GPS attitude updates will not be used by the GNC software nor distributed for use to other users, such as the US solar arrays. The attitude filters will still output an attitude for use by GNC software and distributed, but the attitude will only be updated by propagating off U.S. RGA (Rate Gyro Assembly) rate data and attitude resets off of Russian attitude–not by a GPS attitude.]
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 Uruq Bani M’arid Preserve, Saudi Arabia (this nadir pass provided opportunities to map the three main habitats comprising this nature preserve; the Al Tuwaiq mountain edge, valleys, and sand plains. The preserve is intended to provide habitat for endangered species, particularly the oryx and gazelle), Cairo, Egypt (the pass provided an opportunity for high-resolution mapping of the urban-rural fringe portions of the metropolitan area. Continued mapping of this dynamic urban center is important for land cover change detection), and Nile River Delta (this pass also provided an opportunity for mapping of the Nile delta. High-resolution mapping of the delta edges is important to assess ecological changes resulting from continuing development).
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:
- http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-9/ndxpage1.html at NASA’s Human Spaceflight website.
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ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 8:14am EDT [= epoch]):
- Mean altitude — 363.0 km
- Apogee height — 369.7 km
- Perigee height — 356.3 km
- Period — 91.80 min.
- Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
- Eccentricity — 0.0009942
- Solar Beta Angle — -30.0 deg (magnitude increasing)
- Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.68
- Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 70 m
- Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 33486
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.
