NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 4 March 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.

Still on shifted sleep cycle, crew wakeup today was at 3:00am EST, now just 2 hours delayed from the usual time.  Begin of sleep time tonight remains at 6:30pm.

FE Sharipov continued Progress 17P integration into Service Module (SM) systems by installing the standard US-21 matching unit, a 50-min. task.  The connection was later tested electrically by TsUP-Moscow, taking about 10 min. during an RGS (Russian ground site) pass.  [The US-21 matching unit connects the SM with the Progress motion control and DPO thrusters systems, so that they can be commanded by the SM computer system (BVS).  After bolting the box down, Salizhan hooked it up with the telemetry (TM) connector to the BITS2-12 onboard TM system, after the ground had inhibited data output to the VD-SU control system mode, powered off the BITS and deactivated the Elektron O2 generator, SKV-1 air conditioner and BMP micropurification unit.  These systems were subsequently turned back on by TsUP, which then conducted the standard electric activation test of the US-21 without crew involvement.]

Later in the day, Salizhan also installed the LKT local temperature sensor commutator (TA251MB) of the BITS2-12 onboard telemetry system in the cargo ship, along with its ROM unit (read-only memory, TA765B).  The LKT was subsequently switched on by the ground to complete the basic configuration.  [The BITS2-12, VD-SU control mode, SKV-1 air conditioner and Elektron O2 generator were also temporarily powered off for the installation.]

As is standard practice after Russian dockings, the FE took two photographs of the SM aft-end docking assembly (SSVP StA) used for the Progress M-52/17P linkup.  Afterwards, the images were downlinked via Ku-band, to be used to refine current understanding of docking conditions.  [The objective is to take photo imagery of the scratch or scuff mark left by the head of the docking probe on the internal surface of the drogue (docking cone) ring.  As other cosmonauts before him, Salizhan used the Kodak 760 digital still camera for the imagery.]

The crew continued 17P unloading and cargo transfer activities, for which several hours were set aside today.  This will continue over the next few days.  By last night, approximately half of the Progress cargo had been offloaded and photographs of several transferred Russian payload experiments had been taken.  [Updated US & Russian cargo lists are being used in conjunction with the IMS (Inventory Management System)-based transfer and stowage operations.  The crew also has an updated listing of HAZMAT (hazardous materials) items in the Progress cargo, covering such diverse things as lithium ion, lithium thionyl chloride and alkaline batteries, printer cartridges, and experiment payloads.]

Chiao and Sharipov were also provided with detailed lists of US & Russian food rations on 17P.  [The lists show location/amount breakdowns of specific items, complete menus, skip cycle provisions, mouth-watering bonus food specifically requested by the crew (such as Chinese-style sausage, lychee in syrup, chin chin mixed congee, and squid in chili sauce for Leroy Chiao), food for Expedition 11, and two food containers for the VC7/ESA representative Roberto Vittori on Soyuz TMA-6 (10S).]

Leroy terminated the periodic (50-day) maintenance/reconditioning cycle on EVA batteries #2047 & #2048 in the Airlock, restowing the batteries in their bags and reconfiguring the SSC laptop that ran the automated DOS discharge/recharge procedure, to nominal ops for payloads.

On the Elektron electrolysis machine, which had been deactivated temporarily for the control electronics installations in 17P, FE Sharipov, wearing goggles and rubber gloves, refilled its BZh-7 Liquid Unit with electrolyte (potassium hydroxide, KOH) from a tank delivered on Progress 17.

Dr. Chiao set up video equipment for recording, then initiated and supported three sample runs of the DAFT (Dust and Aerosol Measurement Feasibility Test) in the cabin.  The data were later transferred to the EXPRESS Rack 4 (ER4) laptop for downlink, and the DAFT gear was stowed.  [The samples taken last week in front of ER4 turned out to be too clean to support adequate testing of DAFT, so this time Leroy was asked to generate particles (for example by taking Velcro apart or tearing paper) and to sample at several locations in the Lab and Node.]

At ~7:10am, Sharipov conducted his regular weekly IMS tagup with specialists at TsUP/Moscow, discussing open issues concerning identification of equipment and storage locations for the IMS databases, via VHF and S-band.  [Today s topics included storage location for a bag with two lights, quantity & serial numbers of specific items of clothing & personal hygiene, etc.]

Leroy performed the routine daily maintenance of the SOZh environment control & life support system and prepared the regular IMS (Inventory Management System) delta file for the daily automated export/import to the three IMS databases on the ground. 

The crew performed their regular daily 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on TVIS, RED exerciser, CEVIS cycle and VELO cycle with bungee cord load trainer.  [Salizhan’s daily protocol currently prescribes a four-day microcycle exercise with 1.5 hr on the treadmill and one hour on VELO (today: Day 3 of a new set).]

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

At ~5:05pm, Chiao and Sharipov are scheduled for their regular (nominally weekly) teleconference with the ISS Flight Director at MCC-Houston.

After yesterday s successful transition of C&C-1 MDM (Command & Control computer #1) to Primary, MCC-H today commanded the transition of C&C-2 to Backup.  [This was done to maintain Primary & Backup on different power channels.  In combination with a similar transition for the INT MDM last week, this puts the MDMs in the configuration needed for the reconditioning of the P6 2B battery sets starting next week.]

Today’s CEO (crew earth observations) photo targets, limited in the current XPOP attitude by flight rule constraints on the use of the science window, which is available for only ~1/4 of each orbit when not facing forward (in ram), were Internal waves, Patagonian Shelf (this ISS overpass provided an opportunity to photograph internal waves north of the Falkland Islands.  Looking to the left of track and to the north of the islands for the sunglint point), and Tropical Cyclone Percy, S. Pacific (Dynamic Event.  This storm has decreased in strength to Category 2 but is still a very well-formed system.  Looking to the left of track for the eye of the storm and wall clouds).

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 10 crew visit:

• http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-10/ndxpage1.html at NASA’s Human Spaceflight website.

Expedition 10 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.

Upcoming Key Events:

• EVA-13 — 3/25;
• Soyuz TMA-6 (10S) launch — 4/15 with Expedition 11 (CDR Sergei Krikalev, FE/SO John Phillips) and VC7 cosmonaut Roberto Vittori;
• Soyuz TMA-5 (9S) undocking — 4/25 with Exp. 10 crew (after 193 days on orbit, 191 days on board ISS) and VC7 cosmonaut Roberto Vittori;
• LF1 (STS-114) — NET 5/12;
• Progress M-53 (18P) launch — 6/10;
• ULF1.1 (STS-121) — NET 7/10;
• Progress M-54 (19P) launch — 8/24;
• Soyuz TMA-7 (11S) launch — 9/27.

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 7:27am EST [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 357.6 km
• Apogee height — 360.4 km
• Perigee height — 354.8 km
• Period — 91.69 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0004145
• Solar Beta Angle — 45.3 deg (magnitude increasing)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.70
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 30 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 35922

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.