NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 6 September 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.
The crew conducted final preparations for tomorrow s undocking of Progress 18, first reporting completion of stowage to the ground, then initiating the final repressurization of the ISS cabin atmosphere with the remaining 6 lbs of oxygen (O2) from the cargo ship, thus effectively utilizing all available O2 from Progress storage. [An 8 mmHg O2 repress was completed yesterday.]
Afterwards, CDR Krikalev dismantled and removed the Progress LKT local temperature sensor commutator (TA251MB) of the BITS2-12 onboard telemetry system and its PZU-1M (ROM, read-only memory) unit, now no longer required and to be reused in future cargo vehicles.
Next, after 18P activation the crew disassembled the air duct in the hatchway to the SM PkhO (Service Module Transfer Compartment), then removed the threaded quick-disconnect (QD) screw clamps of the SM docking & internal transfer system (SSVP), which had rigidized the mating surfaces. [The interface was visually inspected and video-recorded with the U.S. DVCAM to make sure that there is no damage to the cords, snap hooks or rings on the latches and to the slots for the clamps in the SSVP’s internal flanges.]
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At ~8:45am EDT, hatches between Progress and SM were closed, followed by depressurization of the transfer tunnel ( vestibule ) for the obligatory one-hour leak check. Before final PrK/SU hatch closure, the interface video was downlinked via Ku-band for ground inspection. [SM thrusters were disabled and automatic handover to the Russian segment (RS) was inhibited prior to the QD clamps removal. They were re-enabled after completed interface leak check. The Progress propulsion system and tanks were connected. After completion of recharge of the Progress batteries, the 18P power system (RB) will be isolated from the SM power buses, providing the cargo ship with autonomous power for the undocking and post-undock flight phase. 18P will separate from the ISS tomorrow morning at 6:23am EDT, pass directly below the ISS at 6:49am (overtaking it), perform its deorbit burn (delta-V: 87.3 m/s) at 9:26-9:29am, and reenter the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean at ~10:02am in darkness.]
At various times during the day, FE/SO Phillips continued his current activity of cleaning up the Node and Airlock, stowing equipment items and bags out of the way and updating the IMS (Inventory Management System) accordingly, with suggestions uplinked from the ground to assist in this exacting task.
Krikalev conducted another EVA battery maintenance by discharging the second Orlan backpack battery (825M3) used for EVA-14, then stowing it with the ZU-S charge/discharge unit in the DC1 docking compartment. [Task postponed from 8/21.]
Time again for the monthly recharging of the Motorola-9505 Iridium satellite phone. Sergei retrieved it from its location in the Soyuz TMA-6/10S descent module (BO) and initiated the recharging of its lithium-ion battery, a 30-min. process. The charging was monitored every 10-15 minutes as it took place, and upon completion Krikalev returned the phone inside its SSSP Iridium kit and stowed it back in the BO s operational data files (ODF) container. [The satphone accompanies returning ISS crews on Soyuz reentry and landing for contingency communications with SAR (Search-and-Rescue) personnel after touchdown. The Russian-developed procedure for the monthly recharging has been approved jointly by safety officials. During the procedure, the phone is left in its fluoroplastic bag with open flap.]
The CDR performed troubleshooting on Communications Panel 1 (PA-1) in the SM for the space-to-ground comm line 1 (S/G1). The task was supported by tagup with ground specialists for monitoring and instructions.
At ~5:45am, Krikalev conducted his weekly IMS tagup with specialists at TsUP/Moscow, discussing open issues concerning identification of equipment and storage locations for the IMS databases, via S-band.
Sergei also did the daily routine maintenance of the SM’s environment control & life support system (SOZh), including its toilet system (ASU), while John prepared the regular daily IMS delta /update file for automated export/import to the three IMS databases (MCC-H, TsUP, Baikonur).
Working off his voluntary time available task list, Sergei continued the current session of the “Uragan” (hurricane) earth-imaging program, using the Nikon D1X digital camera with f800 mm lens. [From time to time a fire plume can be seen on Baikal Lake near Olkhon Island as a product of eruption from the bottom of the lake caused by enormous pressure of carbon material. This phenomenon can be identified from orbit only at night or at dusk. Taking into account the impact of petroleum products on Baikal Lake environment, it would be prudent to develop a procedure to photograph these plumes as indication of sources for contamination. Sergei’s task for today and coming opportunities is to locate Olkhon Island when ISS is passing over the southern part of Baikal Lake at dark or dusk with no visible clouds, and to find the brightest (possibly the only large) light spot of Khuzhir on the western shore of the island.]
Also listed on the Russian task list for the CDR s discretion was the post-EVA cleanup of the SM PkhO (Transfer Compartment) and DC1, reconfiguring them to their nominal pre-EVA condition. [Deferred from 8/24.]
Both crewmembers conducted their regular 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on the TVIS treadmill, RED resistive machine and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer. [Sergei s daily protocol prescribes a strict four-day microcycle exercise with 1.5 hr on the treadmill and one hour on VELO plus load trainer (today: Day 4 of a new set).]
Afterwards, John transferred the exercise data files to the MEC for downlink, as well as the daily wristband HRM (heart rate monitor) data of the RED workouts, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).
Yesterday s task of hooking up the LF-1-delivered HRF-2 (Human Research Facility 2) rack was a success. [First, John Phillips removed launch restraint brackets from the rack umbilicals, then installed the umbilicals that provide water, cooling, gases, power, and video functions to the rack. The vacuum umbilical was capped off and tethered out of the way, since it will not be needed for HRF-2. Finally, the rack was powered on to confirm and verify the connections. Its first use is scheduled for Increment 12.]
Over the weekend, the FE also deployed another LF-1-delivered laptop as a new client in the Node and successfully recovered SSC-6 (Station Support Computer #6) to its nominal support operations. SSC-2 is now back online and supporting ISS operations. [There are now four functioning SSCs on board: two in the Lab and two in the SM.]
No CEO photo targets uplinked for today.
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:
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.
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ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 7:41am EDT [= epoch]):
- Mean altitude — 351.4 km
- Apogee height — 352.5 km
- Perigee height — 350.3 km
- Period — 91.57 min.
- Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
- Eccentricity — 0.0001582
- Solar Beta Angle — 35.3 deg (magnitude decreasing)
- Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.73
- Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 120 m
- Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) 38847
Upcoming Events (all times EDT):
- 09/07/05 — Progress M-53/18P undocking (6:23am)
- 09/08/05 — Progress M-54/19P launch (9:07:50am)
- 09/10/05 — Progress M-54/19P docking (10:50am).
Backup Opportunities:
- 09/10/05 — 19P launch (8:19:36am)
- 09/12/05 — 19P docking (10:24am).
19P is manifested to deliver to the ISS the following cargo: 800 kg propellants; 110 kg gas (oxygen/air, thanks to 14 additional gas tanks installed by RSC-Energia externally for an extra delivery capability of 60 kg O2); 300 kg water; 1230 kg dry cargo, comprising 139 Russian cargo items (including a new Elektron-VM Liquid Unit and 16 SFOG candles) and 83 NASA items (including two IBM 760XD laptops).
- 09/30/05 — Soyuz TMA-7/11S launch (~11:54pm)
- 10/03/05 — Soyuz TMA-7/11S docking (~1:20am)
- 10/11/05 — Soyuz TMA-6/10S landing (~9:06pm)
- 10/18/05 ISS Reboost
- 11/18/05 — Soyuz TMA-7/11S relocation (from DC-1 to FGB nadir port)
- 12/21/05 Progress M-55/20P launch
- 12/23/05 — Progress M-55/20P 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.
