NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 8 October 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.
Update on Elektron: Elektron continues to operate successfully during crew wake in 48-amp mode using the vacuum vent through the BMP harmful contaminants filtration unit.
Before breakfast and physical exercise, CDR Padalka and FE/SO Fincke completed another session of the Russian crew health-monitoring program’s medical assessment MO-9/Biochemical Urinalysis. CDR stowed the hardware afterwards. [MO-9 is conducted regularly every 30 days (and also before and after EVAs) and is one of five nominal Russian medical tests adopted by NASA for US crewmembers for IMG PHS (Integrated Medical Group/Periodic Health Status) evaluation as part of the “PHS/Without Blood Labs” exam. The analysis uses the sophisticated in-vitro diagnostic apparatus Urolux developed originally for the Mir program. Afterwards, the data were entered in the medical equipment computer (MEC)’s special IFEP software (In-Flight Examination Program).]
This was the second and final day of keeping diet logs for the crew’s last session of 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 recorded three times a day, in this case in a spreadsheet via the crewmembers handheld PDA. [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.]
Fincke conducted the visual T+2d analysis of the Week 22 water samples, collected on 10/6 from the SRV-K hot tap and the EDV container of the water supply system (SVO-ZV), with the WMK (water monitoring kit). Mike also did another microbial analysis for inflight coliform bacteria (Escherichia coli) detection on samples collected on 10/6 (T+44h). He then entered the microbiological data in the medical equipment computer. [The analyses use incubated MCDs (microbial capture devices), SSK (surface sample kit) slides, and MAS (microbial air sampler) Petri dishes. If Mike’s analysis showed colony growth above specified limits, he was to take digital documentary images. The used MCDs were discarded.]
Both crewmembers supported a ground-commanded test of the Soyuz TMA-4/8S motion control system (SUD), first pressurizing both sections of the combined propulsion system (KDU) propellant tanks & pressurization tanks, then conducting, at 5:44am EDT, the standard hot fire test with the thrusters, as a checkout toward the spacecrafts undocking on 10/23. [KDU comprises both maneuver and attitude control engines of the Soyuz. For the test, station attitude was handed over to Russian thruster control, commanded to free drift, then to SUD test attitude. Attitude control was later returned to the U.S. segment (USOS).]
Padalka and Fincke continued preparations of 8S/Soyuz-214 for return, scheduled for Saturday, 10/23 (Eastern time).
The FE printed and reviewed new procedures for the EVA-related activities scheduled for 8/12 and 8/13.
Padalka started another round of periodic preventive maintenance of Russian segment (RS) ventilation systems, today in the “Pirs” DC-1 where he cleaned the V3 ventilator fan screen.
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The CDR also gathered the equipment for installing the ventilation system in Soyuz-215/8S.
Fincke meanwhile worked in the Functional Cargo Block (FGB) for a 1.5-hr task of accessing and cleaning the VT7 fan screens of the three SOTR (thermal control system) gas-liquid heat exchangers (GZhT4).
Gennady worked on the Russian condensate water processor (SRV-K2M), testing its KPV potable water container.
The CDR also completed the routine inspection of the SM’s SOZh environment control & life support system and prepared the regular IMS (inventory management system) delta file for automated export to the ground for database updating and subsequent re-import via OCA, while the FE attended to the routine status checkup of the autonomous PCG-STES010 (Protein Crystal Growth-Single Locker Thermal Enclosure System) payload in the Lab (done every Monday, Wednesday and Friday).
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The U.S. TEPC (Tissue Equivalent Particle Counter) was recovered today and is now in Acquire mode. [TEPC had experienced a reset/reboot in late September and was placed in Standby mode at that time. Based on standard ground practices, engineers believed that the TEPC would require periodic power cycling to operate successfully. This was performed yesterday and the TEPC was successfully recovered today.]
The crew reported that the “Aeolus” scopemeter does not function well with alkaline batteries although the batteries were reported to have a good charge. [Aeolus turns off with a “Battery Low” message after three to five minutes. The original rechargeable batteries in Aeolus failed shortly after it was activated on orbit.]
Mike Fincke performed an access and tool assessment of the Hydraflow coupling on the CDRA (Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly) Air Selector Valves (ASV). [This activity provided an opportunity for the ground to ask questions to aid in the development of procedures that will ensure the Hydraflow coupling can be successfully removed and the sock filters installed. CDRA was activated later today to ensure that the Hydraflow couplings that were disengaged are properly re-engaged and that CDRA is ready to support the Soyuz handover. CDRA will be deactivated tomorrow (Saturday).]
At 11:55am EDT, Mike had a special PFC (private family conference) with the JSC Childcare Center. For the interchange, he used the Lab video camera and private S/G (Space-to-Ground). Questions from the children were uplinked beforehand.
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 9 crew visit:
- http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-9/ndxpage1.html at NASA’s Human Spaceflight website.
Expedition 9 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 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.
