ISS on orbit status, 14-06-2002
Jacques van Oene
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously
or below. It is Day 191 for the Expedition 4 crew (189 days on board ISS).
After wakeup (5:23am EDT), the crews were congratulated on making
yesterday's "very difficult and complex task" look easy. Due to the
successful EVA-3, the SSRMS (space station remote manipulator system) now
has a fully functional new wrist roll joint, which has passed all tests on
both power strings with flying colors. Considering the fact that the
decision to replace the failed WR joint was made only on 3/20, the planning
of the "on-demand" repair operation in little more than two months was an
incredible job and its successful execution yesterday a tremendous
accomplishment!
After the SSRMS LEE (latching end effector) had grappled the newly installed
MBS (mobile base system) last night and the control base was changed from
the Lab PDGF (power & data grapple fixture) to the MBS PDGF, keep-alive
power was applied on both strings, but the software appears to be unable to
detect the powered condition, falsely indicating a Failed Keep-Alive
condition. According to CSA (Canadian Space Agency), suspected cause is a
timing conflict, i.e., a timing value difference, between the software
driving the arm from the Lab and the software monitoring it from the MBS.
The joint itself has nothing to do with it. CSA is confident that the
problem is fully understood, and that a small software fix, essentially
changing two lines of code, will prevent the two software pieces from
"stepping on top of each other". [Confirmation of this conclusion has top
priority right now as long as STS-111/Endeavour is still docked, because the
SSRMS must be able to get on the MBS, before Mission 9A can be done
(addition of the S1 truss element to S0).]
The EMU batteries and PSA (power supply assembly) performed completely
nominal during the EVA. The EVA-2 anomalies are still under investigation.
One EMU, transferred to ISS, was resized for Peggy Whitson.
The third reboost of the station by the Shuttle was successful completed
this morning, yielding an altitude increase of 4 st. miles. Total altitude
gain by the three reboost burns during UF-2 is about 6 st.miles (9.6 km).
CDR Cockrell then maneuvered the stack from the reboost attitude (LVLH
Yaw/Pitch/Roll = 180/5/0) to waste dump attitude (270/23/0) and initiated
overboard venting of supply/waste water and Lab condensate from another CWC
(collapsible water container). The stack was maneuvered back to nominal
mated torque equilibrium attitude (0/23/0) at 11:38am, and control authority
was returned to the CMGs (control moment gyros) for momentum management.
Specialist teams investigating the failed CMG-1 and continued operation on
the three remaining gyros are recommending that CMG operations return to
full nominal usage, as before the failure, including attitude maneuvers
after Shuttle departure and attitude hold periods. The rationale is that
normal operation causes less strain on the rotor bearings, i.e., is better
for them, then side loads imposed on them if Russian thrusters are fired
instead. (Note: The recommendation does not imply that nominal CMG design
parameters are exceeded by Russian thruster firings). Mission ULF-1/STS-114
is currently being considered for the replacement of CMG-1 with a new unit
(launch NET 1/16/03).
MPLM (multi-purpose logistics module) close-out was completed by Carl Walz
and Peggy Whitson. Egress began at 9:03am EDT, after the MPLM/Node vestibule
was cleared for demating. Hatches were closed by 10:30 am. After ISS
repressurization last night with oxygen from Progress 8P, pressure inside
Leonardo was 14.76 psi, a favorable condition for its return to Earth. CDR
Cockrell grappled the module with the Shuttle manipulator at 12:49pm. Later
in the afternoon, it was unberthed and installed in the Orbiter cargo bay.
Shuttle undocking is scheduled for tomorrow at ~10:33am EDT and KSC landing
nominally on Monday, 6/17, at ~11:47am.
Crew "experience" handovers continued. As of this morning, the two
Expedition crews had racked up ~16h of handover time for Valery Korzun, a
little over 12h for Sergei Treschev and 9h 20m "off-plan" plus 2h planned
for Peggy Whitson.
Regeneration of the used Metox (metal oxide) canisters in the Airlock,
started last night, was terminated by Dan Bursch on schedule at 10:30am.
Earlier, Bursch performed a quick safety check of the process at 6:30am,
about ten hours after regen initiation, when oven temperatures are highest.
As reported, the TEPC (tissue equivalent proportional counter) will be
returned to Earth on STS-111, due to a failure causing unreliable data.
Telemetry data showed that the instrument may contain a batch of bad
capacitors. The TEPC can receive data, but the vendor believes that it is
not reliable. Crewmembers still have their personal radiation dosimeters for
EVA and internal use (in sleep stations), which pick up direct radiation
(whereas TEPC could pickup radiation from every direction).
Valery Korzun and Sergei Treschev performed the second session with the
Japanese HDTV (high definition television) equipment,- a medical experiment
using video imaging to study facial features.
In preparation for his return to gravity, Yuri Onufrienko completed his
third mandatory training session in the "Chibis" LBNP suit (lower body
negative pressure; Russian: ODNT), assisted by CDR Korzun. Onufrienko was
also advised by the ground to take saline food supplements (VSD) in the form
of sodium chloride (regular salt) tablets, starting with three tablets 19
hours prior to the expected landing time, then at 8 hours, and finally at 5
hours (two tablets).
Instructions were uplinked to CDR Ken Cockrell to troubleshoot a focus
problem with a Hasselblad 350 mm photo lens which has been in use since
STS-92 but yielded many pictures partially out of focus. [The cause has now
been determined to be loose components in the front of the lens. Cockrell
was asked to also inspect the ISS crew's Hasselblad 350 mm lens, which may
have the same problem.]
FE-2 Dan Bursch collected fluid samples of the ITCS LTL and MTL (internal
thermal control system low temperature loop & moderate temperature loop) in
the Lab.
A dual-angle test of the P6 solar arrays is planned for the week of 6/24,
just before the Progress/KURS systems test on 6/28. The procedure will be
uplinked in a series of time-tagged (pre-set) commands for onboard storage
and subsequent automated execution, with the ground only in observer
position.
Launch of Progress M-46 (8P) is still planned for 6/26. The SM KURS-P
systems test using Progress during a fly-around is scheduled for 6/28, and
docking of 8P to the SM aft end for 6/29. The current 7P Progress (M1-257)
will be separated on 6/25, one day before 8P launch, and guided to
destructive atmospheric entry.
MCC-Moscow is planning another solar array efficiency test of the SM and FGB
photovoltaic cells, periodically required to evaluate their performance over
time. The test, which requires the ISS to fly in XPOP attitude (X-axis
perpendicular to orbit plane), is scheduled for 7/1.
For today's earth imaging in the Russian Uragan science program, Korzun was
provided with these target areas: Chirkeisk water reservoir, Caspiisk, and
quarries near Leipzig and Dresden.
The U.S. earth observation program today had the following target areas:
Turkmenistan to Kazakhstan (of interest: the Amudar 'ya and Syrdar 'ya
rivers, documenting land use along the rivers and in the local area), Syria
to Kazakhstan (in Syria the ISS passed over the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers;
focus on land use along the rivers. The station also passed between Lake Van
to the left [west] and Lake Urmia to the right. Although not much is said
about it in the popular press, Urmia lake level has been drastically reduced
in the last few years. ISS photography of this lake will add to our time
series data. Mt. Ararat was to the NE of L. Van, before L. Sevan. Crew to
continue photography over the Caspian and Aral Sea as weather permitted),
Libya, Greece, Ukraine, Russia (as ISS crossed the coast of Libya, Tripoli
should have been just to the right [east] of track. Crew to continue
photography over Greece, the Black Sea, the Crimea noting land use along the
coast and the water color of the Sea of Azov. The orbit then passed between
the cities of Donetsk on the left west and Rostov on the right. To note:
land use in the area), France (first pass of France over the southern coast.
Should be better weather than the second, more northerly coastal pass:
Weather predicted to be partly cloudy. The crew passed over the Channels
Islands of Guernsey and Jersey and the beaches of Normandy), Newfoundland,
Canada (weather is rarely clear enough to permit photography of this area.
As ISS crossed the Atlantic coast, crew was to look left of track for ice
bergs), French Polynesia, Tuamotu Archipelago and Iles Marquises (crew to
try for nadir views of atolls with as few clouds as possible), Texas to
Missouri (the station crossed the Rio Grande at the Mexico/Texas border.
Water resource management is a very hot topic between these two countries.
The crew may have been able to see Palo Duro Canyon to their right [east]
and just to the SE of Amarillo. They crossed over the city of Amarillo in
the Texas Panhandle,. also pass just to the NW of Kansas City. To note: land
use along the Missouri River), California to Wyoming (the crew began their
orbit just to the south of San Francisco. Then they passed over the Basin
and Range Province of the western USA. They were to try to photograph along
the spines of the ridges [north to south] and should have been able to see
Yellowstone Lake and Park and the Big Horn Mountains, continuing the pass on
to the Missouri River), St. James Bay, Ontario and Quebec, Canada (of
interest: documenting the break-up of the ice in the northern part of St.
James Bay), Washington to Alberta (Seattle was predicted to have afternoon
showers, but the crew still may have been able to photograph this area. Once
they passed into Alberta, they were to look NW toward the Canadian Rocky
Mountains. The ground is monitoring the snow pack and mountain glaciers),
and Great Barrier Reef, Australia (crew to try for panoramic views of the
Great Barrier Reef to the north and south of their orbit).
CEO images can be viewed at the website http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov
U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 3:00 am EDT):
Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):
Elektron O2 generator is powered On (32-amp mode). Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is
ON in MANUAL cycle mode #5 (vacuum pump failed). U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is
Off. BMP Harmful Impurities unit: Absorbent bed #1 in Purify mode, bed #2 in
Purify mode.
SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 762, temperature (deg C) -- 27.2,
ppO2 (mmHg) -- 159.9, ppCO2 (mmHg) -- 2.6.
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 762, temperature (deg C) --
20.3.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) -- 756, temperature (deg C) -- 18.3.
Node: Pressure (mmHg) -- 756.61, temperature (deg C) -- 22.3 (shell); ppO2
(mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- n/a.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) -- 758.65, temperature (deg C) -- 24.1, ppO2
(mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- n/a;
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) -- 758.65, temperature (deg
C) -- 22.1; shell heater temp (deg C) -- 22.0, ppO2 (mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2
(mmHg) -- n/a.
PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 21.9
PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 20.6
(Note: Partial pressures ppO2 and ppCO2 in U.S. segment [USOS] not available
because MCA [major constituent analyzer] is failed and in Extended Life mode
[= a state that preserves mass spectrometer vacuum but produces no pp
data]). MSA (mass spectrometer assembly) and VGA (verification gas assembly)
have been removed for return to Earth.
Electrical Power Systems (EPS):
Beta Gimbal Assembly (BGA) 2B in Autotrack mode, BGA 4B in Autotrack mode.
SM batteries: All batteries (8) are in "Partial charge" mode.
FGB: Battery #2 is offline (ROM mode), battery #5 is cycling. All other
batteries (4) are in "Partial charge" mode.
Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 in Discharge mode; PCU-2 in Discharge mode.
Thermal Control Systems:
Air conditioner SKV-1 is Off. SKV-2 is On.
Command & Data Handling Systems:
C&C-3 MDM is prime, C&C-2 is back-up, and C&C-1 is in standby.
GNC-1 MDM is prime; GNC-2 is Backup.
LA-1, LA-2 and LA-3 MDMs are all operating.
PL-1 MDM is operational; PL-2 MDM on Standby.
APS-1 (automated payload switch #1) and APS-2 are both On.
SM Terminal Computer (TVM): 2 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.
SM Central Computer (TsVM): 2 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.
Communications Systems:
All Russian communications & tracking systems are nominal.
S-band is operating nominally.
Ku-band is operating nominally.
Audio subsystem operating nominally.
Video subsystem operating nominally.
MCOR (medium-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.
Robotics:
SSRMS/Canadarm2 grappled at MBS (mobile base system).
Both strings on keep-alive power.
RWS (robotics workstations) are On.
SSRMS Prime string Wrist Roll (WR) joint successfully replaced yesterday.
--
----
Jacques :-)