NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 7 February 2006

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All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.  Another rest day for Bill McArthur and Valery Tokarev.

The crew’s sleep cycle is now back at the normal schedule of 1:00am – 4:30pm (EST).

With the Elektron oxygen (O2) generator still off and O2 being supplied from Progress 19 tankage as required, FE Tokarev serviced the Russian Harmful Impurities Removal System (BMP), terminating the “bake-out” cycle to vacuum on absorbent bed #2 of the regenerable dual-channel filtration system.   [Regeneration of each of the two cartridges takes about 12 hours.  The BMP currently still uses the same vacuum vent valve for regeneration as the Elektron (the latter for venting hydrogen).]

FE Tokarev finished EVA-15 closeout ops by setting up the second Orlan backpack 825-M3 battery for discharge, using the ZU-S charge/discharge unit in the DC1 Docking Compartment.  Discharge will be terminated tonight before sleep time, and stowage ops are scheduled for 2/9.

While working in the DC1, Tokarev also performed the periodic readings on the MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor) radiation sensor reader display of the Russian/European RBO-3 “Matryoshka-R” antroph-amorphous (human torso) “phantoms” located inside and outside the ISS.  This is a regular long-range activity.

Starting a new regular long-term task, Valery performed photographic imagery of the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 (“Plants-2”) Lada-8 experiment using the Nikon D1X digital camera with flash and copying all photos from the memory card to the RSK1 laptop for downlink to TsUP via the BSR-TM telemetry channel.  [Rasteniya researches growth and development of plants under spaceflight conditions in the Lada-8 greenhouse.  The regular maintenance of the experiment (each Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday) involves monitoring of seedling growth, humidity measurements, moistening of the substrate if necessary, topping off the water tank if ~20-25% of the total amount (4 liters) remains, and photo/video recording.]

At ~10:05am EST, the crew conducted another EVA-15 debrief telecon with ground specialists via S-band/audio, responding to a list of specific questions uplinked.  Subjects covered dealt with general issues, tool/hardware questions, a discussion of the modified IUA task, and the current theory why the TUS TDA (Trailing Umbilical System Disconnect Actuator) safing bolt did not fully engage.   [Conjecture is that a spring-loaded sleeve required to enable the cutting of the cable by the TDA “guillotine” had moved up a bit, enough to obstruct full seating of the bolt.  Work is underway to devise new EVA plans for future resolution of the problem.]

FE Tokarev performed the daily routine maintenance of the Service Module (SM)’s environment control & life support system (SOZh), including its toilet system (ASU) and the weekly inspection of the air/liquid condensate separator apparatus (BRPK).

CDR/SO McArthur conducted the daily atmospheric status check for ppO2 (Partial Pressure Oxygen) and ppCO2 (pp Carbon Dioxide), using the CSA-O2 (Compound Specific Analyzer-Oxygen sensor) and CDMK (CO2 Monitoring Kit).

The crew completed their regular 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on the TVIS treadmill, RED resistive exerciser and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer.   [Valery’s daily protocol prescribes a strict four-day microcycle exercise with 1.5 hr on the treadmill in unmotorized mode and one hour on VELO plus load trainer (today: Day 1 of the first set).]

Afterwards, Bill transferred the exercise data files to the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) for downlink, as well as the daily wristband HRM (heart rate monitor) data of the workouts on RED, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).

At ~9:55am EST, the crew used the Sputnik-SM Kenwood D700 amateur radio station in the SM to conduct a 10-min. ham radio session with students at Dale High School, Dale, Oklahoma.   [Dale, OK, is a small, rural community about 30 miles east of Oklahoma City.  Most of the students that attend Dale Public Schools do not live within Dale city limits but in the surrounding areas.  Of the more than 700 students enrolled in January 2006, approximately 15 percent are Native American.  “How complicated is it to do everyday things like eating, exercising and sleeping?”; “Have you found anything cool in space?”; “Do you ever look at the Earth and have an epiphany?”]

One orbit later (~11:30am), the crew supported a second ham radio session, this time with students at E.L. DeGolyer Elementary School in Dallas, Texas.   [DeGolyer Elementary School is located in North Dallas, TX,, where it has served the community for about 34 years.  It is named after the late Everett Lee DeGolyer, the founder of applied petroleum geophysics.  “How many orbits have you made so far in this mission and how many times have you been over Texas?”; “What do you do in your leisure time, and do you play jokes on each other? What is your best joke story?”; “What inspired you to become an astronaut?”]

Overnight the ground uplinked an updated list of 21 “yellow tag” items, including their constraints on on-board usage, for a review by the crew. Before a yellow-tagged item can be used, the ground needs to be consulted.   [Yellow tags, more formally called “uncertified dual ops tags”, are used to identify items not certified for ISS Operations (certification and/or paperwork not complete prior to launch); items which have IP (International Partner) segment-specific certification (can be used in one IP segment but should not be used in anther IP segment); items that could pose a safety hazard; and items that are broken or expired.  Blank yellow tags are flown so hardware can be tagged on-orbit as necessary.]

Two new options of the “Saturday Science” program for Science Officer McArthur were uplinked for his selection.   [The suggestions for 2/11 are a health check on the SLAMMD (Space Linear Acceleration Mass Measurement Device), and power down of the HRF-1 (Human Research Facility 1) laptop upon completion of ground data downlink.]

Tokarev conducted his daily check of the operation of the Japanese experiment GCF-JAXA (Granada Crystallization Facility) in the Russian TBU incubator, maintained at 20 degC, including a temperature check on its ART (automatic temperature recorder).   [This daily monitoring/temp checking, carried on the Russian voluntary “time available” task list, will continue until 4/30.]

 A new addition to McArthur’s “job jar” task list is the periodic checkout of ePCS laptops.   [Since the PCS (Portable Computer System) Rev. 9 software is now on the newer A31p laptops, engineers want a regular checkup of the two remaining ePCS (early PCS) IBM 760XD laptops to ensure they are operating nominally.  This will also become a requirement for future Increments.  One of the ePCS laptops (S/N 6064) is the laptop that had an unexpected noise coming from the speakers when McArthur did OCA Router troubleshooting on 1/7/06.  If there are problems booting up either of these laptops and time allows, the ground has identified a spare 760XD laptop to swap out.  If there is a problem with the hard drive, it can be “reghosted” per onboard procedure.]

During some RGS (Russian ground site) comm passes today, TsUP/Moscow continued testing on the Russian ASN-M satellite navigation system in the SM for the European ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle), today on the prime (#1) navigation computer (NVM) and receiver module (NPM) unit.

Ground-commanded Russian testing was also performed on the external SM “Klest” +x television camera (current flight direction).

Preparatory for tomorrow’s avionics installation in Progress 20 for the test reboost on 2/11, both ventilation fans in 20P were activated by ground commanding via the cargo ship’s automatic program timer/sequencer (APVU),m which was subsequently turned off again.

Today’s CEO (Crew Earth Observation) photo targets, in the current LVLH attitude no longer limited by flight rule constraints on the use of the Lab nadir/science window, were Sobat fans, SE Sudan (with good light and fair weather the crew was to try for a mapping pass of the Machar Marshes situated between the White Nile River and highlands of the Ethiopian Plateau.  Sun glint enhancement of surface water features was possible this pass), Overberg Fires, South Africa (DYNAMIC EVENT:  Fires raged out of control over portions of the Overberg region southeast of Cape Town last week.  Although latest reports indicate they are now extinguished or under control, the crew was to use this pass to document the extent of the burning.  Looking right of track for burn scars and smoke from the remaining fires), and Sevilleta Wildlife Area, New Mexico (light was on the low side, but weather was good this pass.  Trying for a mapping pass of this Long Term Ecological Research [LTER] site, concentrating on the areas immediately east of the Rio Grande River).

To date, over 177,000 of CEO images have been taken in the first five years of the ISS.

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 12 crew visit:

• http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-12/ndxpage1.html at NASA’s Human Spaceflight website.

Expedition 12 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.

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

• Mean altitude — 345.8 km
• Apogee height — 351.8 km
• Perigee height — 339.9 km
• Period — 91.45 min.
• Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
• Eccentricity — 0.0008853
• Solar Beta Angle — -6.6 deg (magnitude decreasing)
• Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.74
• Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 70 m
• Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 41272

Events Ahead (all dates Eastern & tentative):

• 02/11/06 (overnight) — ISS test reboost (by 20P; maneuver to XPOP after burn)
• 02/22/06 — ISS reboost (by 19P; mvr. back to XPOP after burn)
• 03/03/06 — Progress M-54/19P undocking & reentry (mvr. to LVLH XVV after undock)
• 03/10/06 — ISS reboost (by SM thrusters; mvr. back to XPOP after burn)
• 03/30/06 — Soyuz TMA-8/12S launch (Pavel Vinogradov/Russia, Jeffrey Williams/US, Marcos Pontes/Brazil)
• 04/01/06 — Soyuz TMA-8/12S docking (DC1; mvr. to LVLH XVV after dock)
• 04/09/06 — Soyuz TMA-7/11S undocking & reentry (mvr. to XPOP after undock)
• 04/16/06 — Soyuz TMA-8/12S relocation (DC1 to FGB nadir port)
• 04/24/06 — Progress M-56/21P launch
• 04/26/06 — Progress M-56/21P docking
• 05/03/06 — ULF1.1 launch (NET, not earlier than)
• 06/15/06 — U.S. EVA (under review)
• 06/19/06 — Progress M-55/20P undocking & reentry
• 06/28/06 — Progress M-57/22P launch
• 06/30/06 — Progress M-57/22P docking
• 07/01/06 — 12A launch (under review)
• 08/01/06 — Russian EVA-16 (under review)
• 09/13/06 — Progress M-56/21P undocking & reentry
• 09/14/06 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S launch
• 09/16/06 — Soyuz TMA-9/13S docking (DC1)
• 09/24/06 — Soyuz TMA-8/12S undocking & reentry
• 10/18/06 — Progress M-58/23P launch
• 10/20/06 — Progress M-58/23P docking
• 12/19/06 — Progress M-57/22P undocking & reentry
• 12/20/06 — Progress M-59/24P launch
• 12/22/06 — Progress M-59/24P 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.