NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 5 January 2005

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.

FE Salizhan Sharipov started his day with his second session of diet logging for the BIOPSY (Effect of Prolonged Space Flight on Human Skeletal Muscle) experiment.  Similarly to the Renal (kidney stone prevention) experiment in the past, nutrition consumption is being recorded three times today, using the IMS BCR (inventory management system/bar code reader).   [One of the human systems most affected by extended stays in space is the neuromuscular system.  Past space missions have shown weightlessness can cause deterioration of muscle fiber, nerves and physical strength.  BIOPSY investigates the reductions in limb muscle size, force and power at the cellular level that are induced by microgravity.  This research will determine how long it takes for micro-G to affect skeletal muscles, so predictions can be made regarding muscle changes that may occur on a roundtrip flight to Mars.  To help establish the cellular effects of weightlessness, biopsies are taken from the calf muscle (gastronemius) and foot-flexing muscle (soleus) 45 days before launch, and again immediately upon return to Earth.  MRI (magnetic resonance imagery) also is taken of the calf muscle 90 and 30 days before launch, and again one and 21 days after return to Earth.]

Sharipov also completed the Day 2 portion 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, keeping a log and supported by tag-up with medical support personnel at TsUP/Moscow.  The CDR was available to assist as necessary.  Day 3, on the TVIS treadmill, will conclude the assessment tomorrow.   [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.]

Both crewmembers again had time scheduled for Progress 16 unloading, cargo transfers and stowage.  Leroy s transfers today included new CD disks for the on-board reference library.  These activities are continuing daily.  [Updated cargo unpacking plans are being used in conjunction with the IMS (Inventory Management System).]

After yesterday s bladder compression and complete draining of the two Service Module (SM) Rodnik potable water tanks, the FE today hooked up the plumbing connecting the 16P water tanks (BV1 & BV2) with the SM Rodnik tankage, then started the potable water transfer between the BV1 tanks.  The lines were later switched to the BV2 tanks, and the transfer was monitored for air bubbles throughout the day.  The operation was supported by tagup with ground specialists.  Later today, the connections will be torn down again.   [Progress 16 delivered a total of 464 liters of water.  The water transfer was accomplished with a compressor pump via a GZhS gas-liquid separator, to remove air bubbles in the water.  When emptied, Progress Rodnik will be used to store liquid waste for disposal.]

CDR/SO Leroy Chiao unpacked two new CSA-CP (compound specific analyzer-combustion products) units delivered by 16P and deployed them in free cabin air for the required four weeks of decontamination.  The task included consolidation of all unused lithium battery packs in the new CSA-CP stowage kit.

Sharipov did the routine maintenance of the SM’s SOZh environment control & life support system, today including the weekly inspection of the BRPK air/liquid condensate separator apparatus.  Salizhan also completed the routine checkup of the IP-1 airflow sensors in the various RS (Russian segment) hatchways and FGB-to-Node tunnel.  In addition, the FE prepared the regular IMS (inventory management system) delta file for export/import to the IMS databases.

At ~3:15am EST, Salizhan held his weekly IMS (inventory management system) tagup with ground specialists, discussing open issues concerning identification of equipment and storage locations for IMS updating.

The CDR had four hours reserved for uploading the onboard SSC (station support computer) stations with new OpsLAN (operations local area network) software delivered on 16P.   [The objective of the 16P SSC network reconfiguration is to upgrade the flight loads on the SSCs and to deploy and load three A31p SSC laptops in the RS.  The flight load upgrade consists of an update to the SSC File Server with version 5.00 and the A31p SSC clients to vers. 9.00.  The new A31p SSC clients in the RS will replace the current 760XD SSC laptops in the SM as well as the 760XD SSC Router in the FGB.  The two new A31p SSC laptops in the SM will have to be loaded with vers. 9.00 and the A31p SSC router with vers. 2.00.  Each of these three new laptops will also need to have their CMOS flashed to put them in the same CMOS configuration as the rest of the A31p SSC clients onboard.]

The Elektron O2 generator continues to be off.   [During troubleshooting activities on 1/3, the crew reported static electrical discharge from the Elektron control panel.  This static discharge was noted for the 2+ hours that the panel was active for the extended troubleshooting.  The control panel is not necessary to support normal activation of the Elektron, and TsUP/Moscow directed Sharipov to disconnect the panel and use the Russian laptop for Elektron commanding.  The FE will continue to use the laptop until specialists resolve the static discharge issue.  TsUP is developing additional trouble shooting procedures for crew execution later this week.]   

With the Elektron in a non-operating condition, the ppO2 (oxygen partial pressure) levels on ISS trended towards the lower limits.  The cabin was repressurized yesterday from the 16P oxygen tanks with approximately 6.6 mmHg O2, using 3.24 kg of O2 from the Progress and leaving ~24 kg in its tanks. 

The ground began reconditioning operations yesterday on the P6 truss 4B1 battery set, as reported yesterday.  The activity is scheduled to continue for the next six days, and has been proceeding nominally.

There have been two GLA (General Luminaire Assembly) failures in the Node in the last week.  An emergency procedure that utilizes lights as a method for crew to identify which power bus has failed is now invalid.  An update to the procedure has been drafted, and troubleshooting is on the task list to determine the source of the failures.  Three of eight lights remain operational in the Node.

For his next Saturday Science program on 1/8, the Science Officer has chosen an MFMG/FMVM (Miscible Fluids in Microgravity/Fluid Merging Viscosity Measurement) familiarization run.

MCC-Houston will undertake the long-planned step-up of the three C&C (command & control) MDM computers to the new CCS (command & control systems) R4 software, starting on 1/11 through 1/13.  All necessary files of the R4 CSCI (computer software configuration items) were uplinked to the onboard C&C MSDs (mass storage devices) on 12/20/04.   [The CCS R4 step-up is broken down into three main parts:  Pre-uplink activities, Uplink Activities, and Post uplink activities.  The crew will need to support part of the activities.]

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 (a band of clear weather was predicted over the southern South American coastline for internal wave photography.  Looking to the left of track along the eastern coastline for the sunglint point), and Pilcomayo River dynamics, Northern Argentina (weather was predicted to be clearing over Central South America.  Oblique views of the existing and prior river channels provide context for existing imagery of the river system.  Oblique views are also useful for general monitoring of water levels and surrounding ecosystem health).

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:

• ISS reboost (delta-V: 4 m/s) — 1/15/05;
• EVA-12 — 1/26/05 (Eastern)
• Progress 16P undocking & destructive reentry — 2/27/05;
• Progress 17P launch — 2/28/05.
• EVA-13 — 3/25/05;
• Soyuz 10 S launch — 4/15/05;
• Soyuz 9S undock — 4/25/05 (after 193 days on orbit, 191 days on board ISS).

U.S. & Russian Segment Status  (as of yesterday, 5:25pm EST)

Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):

• Elektron O2 generator is Off.  Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On.  U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is Off.  TCCS (trace contaminant control subsystem) is On.  SM Gas Analyzer has not been calibrated and its ppO2 & ppCO2 readings are not reliable.  MCA (major constituents analyzer) is On.  BMP Harmful Impurities unit: absorbent bed #1 in Purify mode, bed #2 in Purify mode.  RS air conditioner SKV-1 is Off (failed).  SKV-2 is On (SM panel mods completed 4/8; SKV-2 activation failed 4/20; new replaceable condensate removal line installed on 9/9).  SFOG slot #2 fan suspect (not usable).
• SM Working Compartment:  Pressure (mmHg) — 739; temperature (deg C) — 26.3; ppO2 (mmHg) — 158.2; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 2.5.
• SM Transfer Compartment:  Pressure (mmHg) — 751; temperature (deg C) — 20.2.
• FGB Cabin:  Pressure (mmHg) — 744; temperature (deg C) — 22.3.
• Node:  Pressure (mmHg) — 738.2; temperature (deg C) — 23.9 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
• U.S. Lab:  Pressure (mmHg) — 740.2; temperature (deg C) — 21.2; ppO2 (mmHg) —  n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
• Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock):   Pressure (mmHg) — 740.4; temperature (deg C) — 24.7; ppO2 (mmHg) — 157.0; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 3.1.

(n/a = data not available.  U.S. ppO2 & ppCO2 readings from MCA.

*SM Gas Analyzer is not calibrated, and readings are not reliable. MCA has been activated and is calibrated.

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

• Both P6 channels fully operational.  BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B & 4B both in Autotrack mode (suntracking).
• SM batteries:  not available
• FGB batteries:  not available.
• Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 is in Standby mode; PCU-2 is in Standby mode.

  Command & Data Handling Systems (C&DH)

• C&C-1 MDM is failed, C&C-2 is prime, and C&C-3 is backup.
• GNC-1 MDM (vers. R4) is prime; GNC-2 (vers. R4) is backup.
• INT-2 is operating; INT-1 is Off.
• EXT-1 is On (primary), EXT-2 is Off (backup).
• LA-1, LA-2 and LA-3 MDMs are all operating.
• PL-1 MDM is On; PL-2 MDM is failed.
• APS-1 (automated payload switch #1) and APS-2 are both On.
• SM Terminal Computer (TVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.
• SM Central Computer (TsVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.
• FGB MDM-1 is Off (failed, 11/21/03); MDM-2 is Operational.
•  

Attitude Control Systems (ACS):

• 3 CMGs on-line (CMG-1 failed, since 6/6/02; CMG-2s RPC-17 failed 4/21/04; was replaced 6/30/04).
• State vector source US SIGI-1 (GPS)
• Attitude source US String 1  (SIGI-2 failed)
• Angular rate source — RGA-1

  Flight Attitude:

• XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane = sun-fixed [yaw: 180.5 deg, pitch: -6.9 deg., roll: 0 deg]), with CMG TA (thruster assist) until 1/11.

Communications & Tracking Systems (C&T):

• FGB MDM-1 is powered Off; FGB MDM-2 is operational.
• All other Russian communications & tracking systems are nominal.
• S-band is operating nominally (on string 2).
• Ku-band is operating nominally.
• Audio subsystem is operating nominally (IAC-1 is prime, IAC-2 is off).
• Video subsystem operating nominally.
• HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.

  Robotics:

• SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at Lab PDGF/LEE A, operational on redundant string, off on prime.
• MBS: KA (keep alive) power on both strings. 
• MT: latched and mated at WS4. 
• POA: KA power on both strings.
• RWS (robotics workstations): Lab RWS is On (DCP connected); Cupola RWS is Off.

ISS Orbit  (as of this morning, 6:54am EST [= epoch]):

• Mean altitude — 352.1 km
• Apogee height — 354.4 km
• Perigee height — 349.8 km
• Period — 91.58 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0003439
• Solar Beta Angle — 28.9 deg (magnitude peaking, going down again on 1/6)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.72
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 65 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 35010

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.