NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 8 November 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. Underway: Week 3 of Increment 10. Russia has its “Peace and Harmony” Holiday, nominally on 11/7 but observed today. (This is the former October Revolution Day, the anniversary of the socialist revolution of October 1917 that established communist power. The system is gone, but the custom survives for many).
CDR Leroy Chiao conducted the monthly potable water microbial sampling for in-flight chemistry/microbiology analysis (Week 22), using jointly approved Russian sampling procedures with the U.S. WS&A (water sampler & archiver) for collection and the WMK (water microbiology kit) for treatment/processing within 6 hours of the collection (done at ~5:30am EST). Sample analysis also included processing water samples in the MWAK (microbial water analysis kit) for inflight coliform bacteria (Escherichia coli) detection, at ~9:10am. [Results will be available after a two-day incubation period, in case of the MWAK after 4-6 days of incubation. Samples were taken in the Service Module (SM) in four bags, two from the potable water SRV-K hot port and two from the EDV container of the SVO-ZV water supply system, with the first bag from each port a flush of the lines. The second bag from each port was for the in-flight analysis and e.coli detection. Last time done: 10/6.]
Continuing the current round of the monthly preventive maintenance of Russian segment air ventilation systems, FE Salizhan Sharipov worked about an hour in the Funktsionalnyi-Grusovoi Blok (FGB) for a cleanup of the protective mesh screens of its central ventilation fans (TsV1 & TsV2), without powering down the fans.
Spending a second hour on the Service Module (SM) ventilation systems, the FE replaced its four dust collector filters (PF1-4) and discarded the old units. (Last time done: 9/28).
Sharipov conducted his first periodic visual inspection of the pressure hull in the SM Working Compartment (RO) behind panels 130, 134, 135, 138 and under the TVIS treadmill in the “floor pit”, looking for any moisture, residue, mold, corrosion and pitting. [Salizhan focused on hull shell and cold plates under the SNT voltage & current stabilizers and STR thermal control system pipes, using surface wipes to clean the area in question, describing any discovered mold as to color, consistency (solid, crumbly, powdery) and location, and photographing the hull surface with the digital camera before and after the treatment. Pictures were prepared for downlink to MCC-H for forwarding to TsUP. If he found cavities, he was to use chewing gum to measure their depth. The last hull inspection was performed by Gennady Padalka on 8/11.]
At 2:40am EST, the “Elektron” electrolysis machine for producing O2 was powered down and purged with nitrogen (N2), to allow subsequent initiation of the monthly regeneration cycle of the BMP micropurification unit that currently uses the same AVK-5 vacuum vent valve as the Elektron. At ~4:20am, Sharipov started the “bake-out” cycle to vacuum on absorbent bed #1 of the regenerable dual-channel filtration system. [Regeneration of each of the two beds takes about 24 hours. The Elektron will then be powered up again on 11/10.]
Later, the FE also replaced the separator unit in the primary condensate separation & pumping subsystem (BRPK-1) with a new unit and installed new V1-L1 hoses on both BRPK-1 and BRPK-2.
The crew reviewed the DOUG (dynamic operations ubiquitous graphics) computer application in preparation for today’s first part of the crew’s SSRMS/Robotics proficiency training. [DOUG is a sophisticated program on a standalone PC at the robotics workstation that provides a birdseye-view graphical image of the SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator System), showing its real-time location and configuration on the display during its operation.]
Afterwards, with video camera coverage, the station residents took the SSRMS through its first training run, using it for an outside inspection of what appears to be a dent in the Lab exterior surface, specifically in the MM/OD (micrometeoroid/orbital debris) shielding surrounding the pressure shell (on exterior panel LAB1/04-08, located on the nadir side). The training was completed successfully. The second Robotics session, next Friday, 11/12, will position the robot arm for viewing the Soyuz relocation on 11/29. [From previously obtained photography of the dent it is still inconclusive whether it was present before launch or not. The shielding, made of an aluminum alloy, is designed to absorb the initial impact of MM/OD, slowing it down while breaking it into small fragments before it hits the pressure shell. The MM/OD shielding is 0.13 cm (0.05 in.) thick and is separated from the pressure shell by a 10.2-cm (4-in.) gap (the old Whipple “Micrometeoroid Bumper” concept).]
At ~4:35am EST, Sharipov and the ADUM (Advanced Diagnostic Ultrasound in Micro-G) ground team held their post-session analysis to discuss last week’s successful ultrasound scans by Salizhan on Leroy Chiao via teleconference.
The CDR worked on the HRM (heart rate monitor), replacing the 3V lithium coin battery of any of the three HRM watches, which had dark displays.
FE Sharipov took the monthly sensor readings of the Pille-MKS radiation dosimetry experiment that has ten sensors placed at various locations in the Russian segment (port cabin window, starboard cabin window, ASU toilet facility, control panel, etc.). Pille dosage values are called down or downlinked via Regul Paket/Email or OCA. (Last time done: 10/14).
Leroy completed the daily routine maintenance of the SOZh environmental control & life support systems in the SM.
The crew performed their regular daily 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on TVIS treadmill, CEVIS ergometer bike, RED exerciser and VELO cycle with bungee cord load trainer.
Afterwards, the CDR performed the prescribed weekly maintenance check of the TVIS and its SPDs (subject positioning devices) as well as its time & date settings.
Later in the day, Chiao also downloaded TVIS and RED exercise data files to the MEC (medical equipment computer), currently doing it six times a week to support early review on the ground.
The CDR broke out the “Urolux” equipment, setting it up for the crew’s first Russian PZE MO-9 biochemical urine test tomorrow. [The MO-9 analysis uses the sophisticated in-vitro diagnostic apparatus Urolux developed originally for the Mir program.]
From the discretionary Russian task list, Sharipov conducted the periodic inspection of the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 (“Plants-2”) experiment that researches growth and development of plants under spaceflight conditions in the Lada-5 greenhouse.
Starting at 3:00am EST and running for six hours, MCC-H and its support group in Moscow (HSG) conducted another BCC (Backup Control Center) dry run in test mode, with no involvement of the ISS crew or vehicle. Purpose of the periodic exercise was to demonstrate BCC functionality under Russian assets (RSA EIS server and RSA command drop box) as usual and this time under the new IBM Shark server, while providing proficiency training for HSG (Houston Support Group) personnel at the HSR (Houston Support Room). For simulated real-time data transfer, a playback data tape recorded on 6/2/04 was used. [The ISS EMCC (Emergency Mission Control Center), located in Russia, comprises TsUP/Moscow as the Lead Control Center, coupled with HSR at TsUP. The BCC facility provides a command and control capability from TsUP if the EMCC must be activated. This is the case in situations that render MCC-Houston unable to provide telemetry, voice, and command capability for extended periods. EMCC is also used when the threat of severe weather results in evacuation of the MCC-H building for extended periods. In such an emergency, both Russian servers (CMD/command & TM/telemetry) are transitioned from MCC-H connectivity to BCC configuration, after which only the BCC can connect to the CMD and TM ports. An actual contingency requiring switchover to the BCC occurred on 10/2/2002 when Hurricane Lili forced MCC-H to shut down at 4:00am EDT.]
No CEO (crew earth observations) targets for the crew today.
CEO images can be viewed at these 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-9/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:
- Current station attitude of sun-pointing XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane) will be maintained until 11/16.
- Station reboost will then follow on 11/17 (backup opportunity 11/18).
- Soyuz relocation is scheduled for 11/29 (no earlier than), preceded by a hot-fire test of its thrusters.
- Progress 15P is scheduled for undocking and destructive entry on 12/22.
- Progress 16P launch: 12/23; docking: 12/25 (GMT).
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ISS Location NOW |
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 6:46am EST [= epoch]):
- Mean altitude — 357.5 km
- Apogee height — 363.1 km
- Perigee height — 352.0 km
- Period — 91.69 min.
- Inclination (to Equator) — 51.63 deg
- Eccentricity — 0.0008254
- Solar Beta Angle — 34.7 deg (magnitude decreasing)
- Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.70
- Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours — 136 m
- Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 34098
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.
