NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 7 December 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.
FE Salizhan Sharipov underwent his first session of the biomedical protocol KARDIO-ODNT (MBI-5), an extensive two-part cardiovascular test of human pericardium (heart muscle) activity as well as of primary parameters of central and regional blood circulation at rest and under the effect of lower body negative pressure (LBNP, Russian: ODNT). The test, with a 50-min. waiting period between RGS (Russian ground site) comm windows, was controlled from MCC-Moscow by a biomed specialist. CDR/SO Chiao assisted Sharipov during the procedure. [The LBNP, generated by a specially designed Chibis suit (PVK), applies suction on the lower body ranging from 10 to 60 mm Hg, thereby exerting a functional loading roughly equivalent to 10-60 kg of force on the musculoskeletal system to test the body s adaptation to prolonged exposure to microgravity. After an initial setup period, during which Leroy attached a large number of electrodes to Salizhan s head, body and extremities, cardiographic readings on the oscilloscope of the Gamma-1M medical complex were taken during two Russian ground sites (RGS) comm passes, first without, then with the Chibis suit.]
After the ground had temporarily inhibited the FDS (Fire Detection System), the crew, at ~7:30am EST, began their first fire drill/OBT (on-board training), a mandatory periodic one-hour exercise specifically written for the current two-person crew, today simulating a fire in the FGB. Primary goal of this exercise is to provide the station residents with the most realistic emergency training possible. The drill is always conducted with the support of both MCCs in close coordination. [OBT objectives are to (a) practice fire response procedures (FRPs) and all incorporated actions for the case of a software-detected fire to locate, extinguish, and verify extinguishing attempts; (b) browse through RS laptop and the Signal-VM fire detection system displays as well as the automated software (algorithms) response to the fire event; (c) practice crew communication necessary to perform emergency FRPs; (d) update the locations of support hardware (CSA-CP compound specific analyzer-combustion products, IPK-1M gas masks and OSP-4 fire extinguishers ) to be used for fire suppression in the FGB. The exercise does not actually use any fire equipment but simulates such actions to the maximum extent possible. After the OBT, a post-training debrief was to be prepared.]
Leroy Chiao supported the checkout of the ER3 ARIS hardware (EXPRESS Rack #3/Active Rack Isolation System) that is scheduled throughout this week. [Designed to attenuate external vibration disturbances of payload racks, ARIS is quite different from traditional shock absorbers by working with active feedback control. This is done with accelerometers to measure vibration disturbances, an electronic unit to process the data, eight actuators with pushrods for applying compensatory (counteracting) forces against the framework of the station in response to signals from the electronic unit that are calculated to “counteract” the disturbances measured by the accelerometers, and microgravity rack barriers ( snubbers ) that prevent accidental disturbance of the active ARIS rack. Before regular operation, ARIS is being checked out and calibrated this week by the ground in order to fine-tune the multiple-component system. Each morning, Leroy Chiao has to remove the ARIS alignment guides that protect the sensitive hardware against damage, and to reinstall them each evening. Today s ground-commanded hyperextension test cycled each of the eight actuators through its full range of motion until the rack motion was stopped by the snubbers, to verify that it does not over-extend. The test went on all day, with Leroy being available to observe arm movements and do snubber pin/cup adjustments if required.]
In the Service Module (SM), the FE deactivated the IK0501 gas analyzer (GA) of the pressure control & atmospheric monitoring system (SOGS) and exchanged its BF carbon dioxide (CO2) filter assembly with a new unit from FGB stowage (replaced last: 10/27). GA was reactivated and the spent BF stowed for disposal. [IK0501 is an automated system for measuring CO2, O2, and H2O in the air as well as the flow rate of the gas being analyzed.]
Later, Sharipov worked in the FGB on a one-hr task of accessing and cleaning the VT7 fan screens of the three SOTR (thermal control system) gas-liquid heat exchangers (GZhT4).
Chiao continued his support of the current EVA battery maintenance/reconditioning activities in the Airlock, today removing the two discharged EMU batteries (#2045, #2046) from the BSA (Battery Storage Assembly) and REBA #1004 (rechargeable EVA battery assembly), replacing it with REBA #1011 for discharge. Afterwards, he reconfigured the ER2 SSC laptop, temporarily moved to the Airlock, for nominal use. [The laptop, which yesterday was found to have a failed battery, now operates on a power outlet. Troubleshooting on its battery will be done after it is returned to ER2 and the rack is activated.]
Sharipov worked on the Russian Laptop 2 to clone (Russian for ghost ) a hard disk drive, #6156, with SM Computer System (BVS) software vers. 07.01 & 07.02 from CDs, using the Norton Ghost application from a floppy diskette.
Leroy Chiao did some more equipment/storage clean-up by moving infrequently used cargo items to the free space behind a ZSR (zero-gravity storage rack in the Node (NOD104) as a permanent location.
The FE completed today s routine inspection of the SM’s SOZh life support system (including replacement of ASU toilet facility inserts), while the CDR prepared the regular IMS (inventory management system) delta file for export/import to the IMS databases.
The crew performed their daily 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on TVIS treadmill, RED exerciser and CEVIS cycle. Salizhan’s daily protocol currently prescribes a 1.5-hr structured set on the treadmill (today: Day 4 of a new set) and one hour on VELO (the latter was waived today because of the MBI-5 this morning).
Afterwards, Leroy transferred the daily TVIS and 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 6:00am EST, the crew held a teleconference with participants of Moscow s national Sky Odyssey for the Glory of Russia project that will unfold in the coming weeks, aiming at great international media appeal. The crew downlink/exchange will be edited into a video being produced to cover the huge effort, which is endorsed by President Vladimir Putin, championing the idea of Russian Unification. [The remarkable undertaking is scheduled to take place between December 21 and February 2, 2005, in commemoration of the 101st birthday anniversary (on 2/2) of Russia s great pioneer aviator Valery P. Chkalov (who in 1937 flew in a still existing Antonov ANT-25 from Moscow over the North Pole to Vancouver, Canada, a truly astounding pioneering feat at that time, commemorated by a monument to Chkalov in Vancouver as well as a street named after him), and the 185th anniversary of the discovery of Antarctica by the Russian Bellingshausen and Lazarev expedition. Sky Odyssey will feature, among else, the “first-ever Russian transcontinental flight Moscow-Antarctica-Moscow” (by IL-76 via Libya, Cape Verde, Chile) to the South Pole where participants will raise the flag, do flights by hot air balloon and specialized airplanes (paraplane, superlight “Scarabee”), take rides in advanced ATVs (all-terrain vehicles), and conduct first-ever parachute jumps over the Antarctic from a balloon, with communications via INMARSAT-4 satellites provided by General Telecom. Training will be in the Elbrus Mountains at 4200 m. Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) at Star City is involved for testing the new version of the Granat-6 thermal suit from the Soyuz emergency gear kit (protection against -60 degC for 72 hours), the Remote Cosmonaut Monitoring System, and other equipment with eventual applications links to crew systems for Moon/Mars.]
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Previous Reports ISS On-orbit Status [HQ] |
At ~11:30am, Chiao and Sharipov engaged in a educational interactive PAO TV event with approximately 450 students and educators at Phelps, KY, Junior/Senior High School. [The 20-min. exchange was also viewed by ~10,500 students and teachers in the Pike County, KY school system, and the program was broadcast on local television for the general public.]
Yesterday the Vozdukh CO2 removal system suffered a transient failure of the BVK-1 vacuum valve group in Auto mode (valve stuck in absorption mode). The unit was switched to Manual mode 5 and reactivated. The failure flag cleared when it was returned to automatic mode, and the machine has operated nominally since then. [According to specialists, this is a known failure that occurs from time to time.]
The Russian side has requested transfer of water from U.S. stores for use in the Elektron oxygen generator. NASA has agreed to provide a CWC (contingency water container) with 46.1 liters of technical water, Russian Rodnik water being reserved for crew consumption. Teams across the ISS Program are currently assessing all available water sources for on-orbit conservation and processing.
Due to the high solar Beta angle (74.1 deg), the ISS is currently entirely in sunlight, with no orbital night darkness (eclipse). The next night pass for the crew is expected on Thursday (12/9).
Today’s CEO (crew earth observations) photo targets, no longer limited in the current LVLH attitude, were Air pollution, Ganges valley (Dynamic event. This is the season for smog and smoke haze buildup in the Ganges basin. ISS track followed the crest of the Himalaya: looking right), Calcutta, India (looking a touch left of nadir for this vast city on the banks of the Hooghly River), Bahamas reefs (the sunglint point will be across the north coast of the Cuba and into the Bahamas. Looking right several degrees off track), and Muglad Basin fans, SW Sudan (by comparison with Landsat imagery taken in 1990 and 2000, astronaut imagery shows all kinds of change on these fan surfaces. This is due to highly changeable river systems that sweep across the fans. Investigators have yet to see a full set of images for the fan area. Near nadir views are requested left and right of track as far as the Nile River).
CEO photography can be viewed and studied at the websites:
See also the website “Space Station Challenge” at:
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:
- Progress 15P undocking & destructive reentry — 12/22 (Eastern);
- Progress 16P launch — 12/23;
- Progress 16B docking — 12/25 (7:00pm EST);
- EVA-12 — January 2005 (1/27?).
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ISS Location NOW |
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 6:49 pm EST [= epoch]):
- Mean altitude — 355.8 km
- Apogee height — 358.7 km
- Perigee height — 352.8 km
- Period — 91.66 min.
- Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
- Eccentricity — 0.0004379
- Solar Beta Angle — -74.1 deg (magnitude increasing)
- Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.71
- Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 80 m
- Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 34554
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.
