The 8 O’clock Report – Alpha Health & Status – 19 June 2001 Part 1

At GMT 2001/104:10:43:39, a Zero Cal of the MCA was initiated. It was completed at GMT 2001/104:11:01:59. Subsequent to the Zero Cal and during a break in data between GMT 2001/104:11:09:35 and GMT 2001/104:11:11:009:55, the MCA failed passive BIT Filament (Error Code 33). This condition sends the MCA to STOP with an automatic restart. The MCA performed a successful Active BIT during STARTUP and came up to STANDBY. MOD dumped the MCA data associated with this and it looked fine (No FAIL indication; No C&W indication). BIT Fault data showed nothing. MOD placed the MCA back to OPERATE and it performed satisfactorily. This incident occurred when the Station was away from the South Atlantic Anomaly but during a period of high solar activity. Orbital Science (vendor for the MCA) reported that in the MCA ORU 2 (the MCA part of the MCA) there is a voltage/frequency converter that has a slight susceptibility to EMI. Orbital is concerned that this item may be the reason for the problems experienced by that ORU.

Occurred again at GMT 113/08:07. Same Signature, same status changes. Same nominal start-up after. High Solar activity also noted at this time.

Occurred again at GMT 114/18:55. Similar signature. This caused Brief shutdown of U.S. Element capability to measure O2, N2, CO2, H2O, H2, and CH4. 06/30/01: Plan is to replace MCA electrometer and electronics unit This addresses both problems (MCA electrometer saturation and EMI problems thought to have caused MCA shutdowns). Problem is believed to be leakage through swaged joints on FRIT (flow restrictor). MCA currently operating nominally on filament #2. Indications are that trend toward saturation has slowed significantly, perhaps stopped. Cause of problem either:

For Cause (2) above, the solution would be a design change of a circuit card and a change out of the ORU. PRACA PR# 2681 has been generated.

STS-102 crew reported seeing “lots of small bits of foil floating” inside FM-1 MPLM on ingress. When the MPLM was inspected on de-integration at KSC, a significant amount of debris was observed covering the Air Return Grid (ARG) screen filters. The particles, ranging in size from 1 to 1900 microns, were found to be 30% metallic, 18% organic, 45% organic fiber, and 7% miscellaneous. The fraction of metallic particles is in excess of that found from debris collected after Spacelab missions.

During STS-100, the crew again reported seeing metallic particulate inside FM-2 MPLM on ingress. Upon to return to KSC, ARG screens were again sampled. The amount of particulate was less than for STS-102, but the metallic particle fraction of the contaminant was 45%. The metallic particulate was mostly aluminum for STS-102, and all aluminum for STS-100.

During debriefing, after returning from the ISS, the STS-102 Crew described seeing "lots of small foil floating" inside the FM-1 MPLM on ingress. When the MPLM’s Hatch was opened at KSC an abundance of debris was observed covering the Air Return Grid (ARG) Screen Filters. A PR was taken and all eight (8) screens were cleaned using a flight vacuum fitted with a new filter. Note: these screens were cleaned before M&P visually inspected them but digital images were taken and are on file. The collected debris was submitted to the NASA Lab for analysis to determine its composition.

Results of the Lab’s analysis showed the composition of the debris to be: metallic (30%), red (1%), white (5%), black (1%), white clear (T), amber (T), green (T) and blue (T) materials, along with organic (18%), and organic fiber (45%). The metallic particulate consisted mainly of aluminum alloy. Note: the specific aluminum alloys (6061, 7075, etc.) were not defined. The red materials were composed of RTV and primer. Green and blue materials were paint chips. The black material was composed of 1) carbon steel corrosion products, 2) calcium-chlorine-silica-carbon rich, and 3) molybdenum-sulfur rich materials. White and white clear materials included paint chips, aluminum-chlorine-silica rich and calcium-silica rich materials. The amber materials were made up of aluminum-oxygen rich materials. The particle sizes ranged from 1 to 1900 micrometers.

Debris was also observed on the duel Hatch Seals. It was collected and analyzed to determine its’ composition. Results showed it to be comprised of basically the same components as debris cleaned from the ARG Screen Filters.

Note: a comparison of FM-1 MPLM debris’ composition was consistent with the analysis of debris collected from Space-Lab missions. The only exception being the percentage of metallic particulate. This could be attributed to the last minute work done inside the MPLM installing Racks’ knee braces.

During STS-100 the crew reported also reported seeing metallic particulate inside FM-2 MPLM. Upon return to KSC, M&P performed a visual examination of FM-2’s ARG Screen Filters during ingress. FM-2’s ARG Screen Filters appeared to be similar, though not as dirty, as what was witnessed in the FM-1’s digital images. Another point of interest was the four (4) ARG Screen Filters, adjacent to the install two (2) RSR Racks, contained more debris than the four (4) ARG Screen Filters located by empty bays.

After examination, all eight (8) of FM-2’s ARG Screen Filters were cleaned and the collected debris analyzed like in FM-1. The results were basically the same with the exception being that the percentage of metallic contamination was higher (Ref. 45% vs. 30%) and organic contaminants lower (Ref. 45% vs. 63%) than in FM-1.

An inspection and contamination analysis was also preformed on debris collected from the RSR Racks currently installed in FM-1 for STS-105. All the collected metal particulate sampled turned out to be aluminum alloy. The rest of the debris consisted of black Molybdenum-sulfur rich materials (i.e. dry lube), gray silica-calcium rich materials and yellow paint particles.

All of the samples mentioned above are in M&P’s possession if needed for further analysis. Copies of all NASA Lab analysis are available upon request.

Some potential sources for the contamination found inside the MPLM’s could be:

? Migration into the modules from inside installed RSP, RSR, and Express Racks

? Transfer into modules on orbit from ISS elements/environment

? Present inside the modules from the original fabrication

? Generated during Rack modification &/or routine processing inside the modules

? Created during GSE floor installation/removal

? Migrating in on protective padding, personnel, other GSE

? Coming in from rotation stands/RID during rack installation

? Created by Rack installation/removal during ground processing or on orbit

To my knowledge M&P was never involved in a "base line" cleanliness inspection inside FM-1 or FM-2 MPLM. It should be also be noted that M&P Engineering was not included in the closeout inspection process of neither MPLM’s internal bays nor the installed Racks on STS-102 or STS100 missions.

Same problem as IFI MER-253 and PRACA 2634. Exp 1 did some cable re-config to disconnect the SM Kurs-P avionics box from the SM forward port (to support FGB-SM docking) and connect it to the SM nadir port (to support DC1 and UDM dockings). Initial self-tests showed a failure of one Kurs set (led to IFI MER-0253 and PRACA 2634). They tried adjusting and re-tightening several connectors, but still saw failure of one set. Additional troubleshooting indicated a bad cable, so the Russians sent up a replacement cable on Progress 4P.