Status Report

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 9 Sep 2003

By SpaceRef Editor

September 9, 2003

Filed under ISS, ISS On-orbit status, NASA HQ, US

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 9 Sep 2003 — iss

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously or below.

Before breakfast, CDR Yuri Malenchenko completed the periodic Russian MedOps experiment MO-10 “Hematokrit”, taking a blood sample from a finger to measures its hematocrit (red blood cell) value.

Afterwards Malenchenko undertook the MBI-1 SPRUT-K experiment, part of Russian medical research on the distribution and behavior of human body fluids in zero gravity. Afterwards, Yuri reconfigured the Russian laptop #3 back to its nominal configuration. [Experiment requisites are the Sprut (“squid”) securing harness, skin electrodes (cuffs), and the payload laptop 3 for control and data storage.]

The crew had three hours each scheduled to continue Progress 12P unloading and cargo transfers, going by a list that was uplinked to support operations, and tracking transfer and stowage details in the IMS (inventory management system). [With the crewmembers floating in and out of the connecting tunnel to hunt for items in the increasingly hollow 12P cargo module, Flight Controllers compared Progress unloading with cave exploration, coining a new pastime: “Astro-Spelunking”.]

In the FGB and Service Module (SM), Yuri completed the periodic servicing task of replacing the ASU toilet’s urine receptacle (MP) and filter insert (F-V), stowing the old units for disposal.

FE/SO Edward Lu unstowed the joint US/Russian sound level meter (SLM) hardware and took readings at 41 different locations in the Lab, Node, Airlock, FGB, SM and Docking Compartment (DC-1), following instructions provided by ground specialists via tag-up on S-band. The noise data were then transferred to the MEC (medical equipment computer), and the SLM equipment was stowed. [Last SLM survey taken: 4/3/03]

Malenchenko worked in the FGB and SM, swapping two TA746M components (OTsPLG-B) of the BITS2-12 onboard telemetry measurement system’s primary BD database monoblock (TA985M) between the FGB and the SM, i.e., the TA746M from the FGB was installed in the SM’s BD, and the SM’s unit in the FGB. The task was supported by tag-up with ground specialists. [The function of the BD is to receive and store data from local subsystem groups and also to output data to the data acquisition program or onboard users in response to an address request.]

At about 12:00pm EDT, on Daily Orbit 13, the CDR configured the video tape recorder and downlinked the footage, recorded on 8/19, of the purging of fuel and oxidizer lines of the propellant transfer plumbing between Progress 10P and the SM.

Ed Lu performed testing on the as-yet unassigned NGL (next generation laptop) A31p ThinkPad machine in the Lab for its intended use as new SSC VT (videoconference terminal) machine. [The on-orbit test used Microsoft’s NetMeeting for Video Teleconferencing application, a SONY camera (DSR-PD100A) as a video input device (rather than video tape as before) and a BOSE headset with mike (Aviation X ANC, AHC-02) for the audio portion.]

Ed also terminated the recharge of EMU batteries #2032 and #2033, started yesterday, and initiated their discharge in the BSA (battery stowage assembly), as part of nominal battery maintenance. [The laptop-controlled discharge will be automatically terminated by the charger after ~24 hrs.]

Yuri prepared the daily IMS delta file for automatic export/import to update the database, while Ed took on the daily maintenance of the SM SOZh life support system (including ASU toilet facilities).

The Science Officer also completed the weekly transfer of accumulated exercise data files from the TVIS and RED workout equipment to the MEC for subsequent OCA downlink.

In preparation for tomorrow’s schedule, Malenchenko broke out and set up the equipment for the Russian MedOps biochemical blood test MO-11, consisting of the Reflotron IV analyzer, with accessories, power supply and Reflotron IV kit. [Yuri will undergo the 2.5-hr. tests tomorrow (9/10), preceded by imbibing 250 ml of warm water or plain (unsugared) tea 20 minutes before taking the blood samples.]

As part of the Russian health maintenance program, CDR Malenchenko was advised to start taking special preventative cardiotropic treatment medication tomorrow (i.e., drugs intended to prevent possible heart muscle shrinkage). [Medications specified are riboxin and panangin from 9/10 through 9/19, and riboxin and potassium orotate from 9/20 to 9/29.]

Today’s CEO (crew earth observation) targets, limited in the current XPOP attitude by flight rule constraints on the use of the Lab nadir/science window, and including the targets of the Lewis & Clark 200-year memorial locations, were Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (nadir pass. The crew has already acquired neighboring Zanzibar island at the requested resolution. Now looking for the capital city on the mainland nearby), Cape Town, South Africa (looking left for the Cape of Good Hope and the urban sprawl of Cape Town around the lower slopes of Table Mountain, especially to the east on the Cape Flats where extensive ghettoes have sprung up), Fires in Western USA (Dynamic event. ISS track followed the crest of the Sierra Nevada. Many fires reported to left and right of track), Las Vegas, Nevada (nadir pass), Phoenix, Arizona (looking a touch left), Tucson, Arizona (looking a touch left), Midway Islands (looking just right of track for this coral-reef mapping site), Pearl and Hermes reefs, Pacific (nadir pass over this coral-reef mapping site), Lisianski reef, Pacific (nadir pass over this coral-reef mapping site), Laysan reef, Pacific (looking just left of track for this coral-reef mapping site), Sabancaya, Peru (landslide research site. Nadir pass. Suggesting a mapping swath under track in order to acquire needed images), La Paz, Bolivia (looking left of track on the marked lip of the high Andean desert for this major city), Lake Poopo, Bolivia (general views of this long-term monitoring site were requested. Water levels have not been imaged for some time), and Tuamotu Archipelago (good pass down the axis of this dual chain of atolls. Looking left and right near nadir for many coral reefs).
CEO images can be viewed at the websites

See also the website “Space Station Challenge” at
http://voyager.cet.edu/iss/

U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 1:46pm EDT).

Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):

Elektron O2 generator is powered Off (O2 and air being supplied by Progress 12P). Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On (in Manual Mode 5/3). U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is Off. TCCS (trace contaminant control subsystem) is operating. MCA (major constituents analyzer) is operating. BMP Harmful Impurities unit: absorbent bed #1 in Purify mode, bed #2 in Purify mode. RS air conditioner SKV-1 is Off; SKV-2 is Off.

SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 742; temperature (deg C) — 27.5; ppO2 (mmHg) — data invalid; ppCO2 (mmHg) — data invalid.
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) — 751; temperature (deg C) — 20.4.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) — 752; temperature (deg C) — 23.3.
Node: Pressure (mmHg) — 736.25; temperature (deg C) — 23.6 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) — 738.55; temperature (deg C) — 23.2; ppO2 (mmHg) — n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) — n/a.
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) — 738.65; temperature (deg C) — 27.5; shell heater temp (deg C) — 24.6, ppO2 (mmHg) — 160.6; ppCO2 (mmHg) — 4.0.
PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 24.9
PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) — 14.3.

(n/a = data not available)

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

Both P6 channels fully operational. BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B both in AutoTrack mode (solar tracking).
SM batteries: Battery #2 is failed and off; battery #7 is in Discharge mode; all other batteries (6) are in “Partial Charge” mode (battery #1 is degraded).
FGB batteries: Battery #1 is disconnected; all other batteries (5) are in “Partial Charge” mode.
Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 in Standby mode; PCU-2 in Standby mode.

Command & Data Handling Systems:

C&C-1 MDM is prime, C&C-2 is back-up, and C&C-3 is in standby.
GNC-1 MDM is prime; GNC-2 is Backup.
INT-2 is operating; INT-1 is Off.
EXT-2 is On (primary), EXT-1 is Off (both now upgraded to R3).
LA-1, LA-2 and LA-3 MDMs are all operating.
PL-2 MDM is Off; PL-1 MDM is Operational.
APS-1 (automated payload switch #1) and APS-2 are both On.
SM Terminal Computer (TVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.
SM Central Computer (TsVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.

Propulsion System (PS):

Total propellant load available: 3998 kg (8814 lb) as of 9/4 [SM(755) + FGB(2891) + Progress M(352) + Progress M-1(0)]. (Capability: SM — 860 kg; FGB — 6120 kg).

Attitude Control Systems:

3 CMGs on-line (CMG-1 failed).
State vector source — U.S. SIGI-1 (GPS)
Attitude source — U.S. SIGI-1 (GPS)
Angular rate source — RGA-1

Flight Attitude:

XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane = “sun-fixed” [yaw: 0.5 deg, pitch: -9.0 deg., roll: 0 deg]), with CMG TA (thruster assist).

Communications & Tracking Systems:

FGB MDM-1 is powered Off; FGB MDM-2 is operational.
All other Russian communications & tracking systems are nominal.
S-band is operating nominally (on string 2).
Ku-band is operating nominally.
Audio subsystem is operating nominally (IAC-2 is prime).
Video subsystem operating nominally.
HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.

Robotics:

SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at MBS PDGF #1 with Keep Alive (KA) power on both strings.
MBS: KA power on both strings.
MT: latched and mated at WS4.
POA: KA power on both strings.
RWS (robotics workstations): Lab RWS is On (DCP connected); Cupola RWS is Off.

ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 6:41am EDT [= epoch]):