ISS On-Orbit Status, 26-06-2003
Jacques van Oene
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously
or below.
After wake-up (2:00am EDT), before breakfast and exercise, CDR Yuri
Malenchenko and Science Officer Ed Lu completed the periodic Russian MedOps
test "Hematokrit" (MO-10), which measures red blood cell count of the blood.
The crewmembers assisted each other in drawing the blood sample from a
finger with a perforator lancet. [The samples were then centrifuged in two
microcapillary tubes in the M-1100 kit's minicentrifuge, and its hematocrit
value was read off the tubes with a magnifying glass. It is a well-known
phenomenon of space flight that red blood cell count (normal range: 30-45%)
tends to go down over time.]
Both crewmembers then underwent the IMG PHS (Integrated Medical
Group/Periodic Health Status) assessment with blood labs, each one acting
first as CMO (crew medical officer) and then being the examined subject.
Afterwards, Ed Lu completed data entry for both crewmembers and stowed the
hardware. [The PHS exam includes blood analysis with the PCBA (portable
clinical blood analyzer), MO-10 (see above) and clinical evaluation, guided
by special software (IFEP, in-flight examination program) on the medical
equipment computer (MEC). While PCBA analyzes total blood composition,
MO-10 particularly measures the blood's hematocrit.]
Part 2 of the PHS test, the Russian PZE MO-9 Urinalysis, is scheduled for
tomorrow. For their second session with this biochemical urine test after
begin of Increment 7, Malenchenko today set up the "Urolux" equipment and
ran a functional test on it.
It was Ed's turn to continue the latest round of periodic preventive
maintenance of Russian segment (RS) ventilation systems, today in the "Pirs"
DC-1 docking compartment where he changed out its two dust filters (PF1 &
PF2) and cleaned the mesh screens of the V1 & V2 ventilator fans (last time
done: 5/21).
Yuri Malenchenko later performed a periodic test of the PSS caution &
warning (C&W) panel in the DC-1, to make sure that all light indicators
illuminate and the high-frequency alarm tone is audible and has sufficient
volume.
Ed Lu took CO2 measurements in the Service Module (SM) near the Vozdukh and
in the Lab module, using the U.S. CDMK (carbon dioxide monitoring kit).
[Intravehicular ventilation (IMV) between the USOS (U.S. segment) and RS is
degraded due to debris collected on the fan inlet flow dividers. Direct
air flow measurements are only possible by comparing partial pressures of
air constituents between the segments, and ppCO2 is a good yardstick since
an increasing ppCO2 in the Lab not reflected in the SM indicates that
Vozdukh is not receiving the air from the Lab at an efficient rate. The
CDMK data will help to establish an optimal fan-cleaning schedule.]
The CDR worked on the Rodnik water storage system of the Progress 11P, using
a compressor to pressurize the tank bladder, as is required before liquid
waste (urine) can be transferred from the SM's ASU toilet system to the
empty Rodnik tanks.
Malenchenko tended to his BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 ("Plants-2") experiment which
researches growth and development of plants under space flight conditions in
the Lada-2 greenhouse. Later, he copied the accumulated photo/data files to
a floppy diskette for transfer to the Russian laptop 3 and subsequent
downlink via Regul-Packet.
Yuri also performed the regular inspection of the BRPK-1 air/liquid
condensate separator. The planned upgrade of the BRPK condensate separation
and pumping units has been cancelled for the time being since the two
replacement parts could not be located yet on board (this task was
erroneously reported as completed in the 6/24 on-orbit status report). [The
plan is to replace the old pipe conduits, including safety valves, with new
units. The latter have no filters and use higher safety valve trip
pressures. Purpose of the upgrade is to prevent unwanted flow of the fluid
through the bypass line during condensate transfer cycles.]
Ed Lu conducted the daily routine maintenance of the SM's SOZh environment
control & life support system and prepared the daily "delta" file for
updating the inventory management system (IMS). [A major issue with the
IMS that has just now surfaced and is being worked by the IMMT (ISS Mission
Management Team), is the discovery by Moscow that the crew has not been able
to locate about 200 items which are misplaced or "lost" by not being logged
properly in the IMS database. MCC-M/TsUP has assessed the "missing" items
and identified about 10 with considerable criticality for on-board
operations. Primary concern on the ground is how the IMS inventory
bookkeeping could get so much "behind time" in terms of the actual, current
situation on board. Russian IMS database specialists are now joined by U.S.
personnel to evaluate the issue, identify immediate needs with a priority on
crew safety, and come up with a realistic plan at bringing the IMS up to
date and prevent future deviations of this kind. The IMS database currently
contains 22,363 items.]
Ed also conducted the standard 15-min. inspection and servicing of the food
warmers, which are part of the CSS (crew support systems). [Food warmers,
food trays, utensils, etc., are part of the food preparation hardware in the
galley located in the SM. The food warmers are in recessed wells in the
galley table which also has crew and equipment restraints. Besides the
galley, the wardroom area also includes a potable water dispenser (for hot
and ambient water for drink and food hydration), a trash container, and two
refrigerators.]
After power-up of the HRF (human research facility) this morning, the PCMCIA
memory card with rack data for transfer could not be installed in the
primary slot of the HRF laptop. Insertion in the alternate slot worked, and
data transfer proceeded nominally. Under investigation.
After power-up of EXPRESS Rack #2 (ER2) for a planned checkout of a new ARIS
(active rack isolation system) remote console at JSC, the rack's AAA
(avionics air assembly) fan exhibited current spikes and a 20-30 RPM
increase in rotor speed. The signature is being analyzed; The current plan
is to keep ER2 up in support of next week's ARIS console checkout.
The crew completed their regular daily 2.5-h program of physical exercise,
on TVIS treadmill, RED expander and, for Yuri, on the Russian VELO cycle
ergometer with load trainer.
At 11:30am EDT, the crew participated in a 20-min. live educational
audio/video PAO event with education specialists at the NASA Marshall Space
Flight Center (MSFC), Huntsville, AL, to provide educational content for the
MSFC-managed "NASAexplores" website. [Each week NASAexplores publishes two
new articles about current NASA aerospace and space flight projects, which
are then adapted to three different grade levels: Kindergarten to 4, 5 to 8,
and 9 to 12. See http://nasaexplores.com .]
At 2:45pm EDT, Ed Lu set up and conducted a ham radio session with students
at the Space Science Education Center of the Challenger Learning Center of
Northwest Indiana at Hammond, Indiana. A list of the students' questions
had been uplinked beforehand.
The crew was commended on and thanked for yesterday's excellent ship-to-ship
event with the "Aquarius" Underwater Laboratory off Key West, FL, America's
"Inner Space" station currently commanded by ISS-Astronaut Peggy Whitson as
part of NEEMO (NASA Extreme Environment Missions Operations)..
The crew also received kudos for the successful completion of the RED
(resistive exercise device) Flexpack replacement in canisters #1009 and
1010. [Both replaced Flexpack units, to be installed in canisters 1001 and
1003 in a separate IFM, are still judged quite useable as spares.]
Moscow reported a problem with RS laptop #1. [After its failure during the
recent Progress-259/11P docking, it could not be restarted yet since this
requires a boot diskette is needed which the crew as to date been unable to
locate. For the time being, payload control laptop #3 has been reconfigured
as backup machine to laptop #2 which has primary station control.]
SM storage battery #4 continues to be off-line and is considered failed.
[After some restorative cycling in early June, the 800A unit operated from
6/7 - 6/17, then rapidly lost its capacity. The remaining seven batteries
in the SM are able to maintain positive power balance, and negotiations are
underway with Khrunichev to use the spare FGB battery in case it should be
needed.]
Moscow continues to analyze data from the failed Klest-140ST-M television
camera mounted externally on the SM aft end, pointing rearward (+X direction
for SM). Upon activation during a recent routine check, an electrical short
occurred which appears to have been caused by the camera's cabling inside
the module, not the camera itself. [Good connectivity measurements by
Malenchenko on 6/23 of the wiring, cable network and connections to the SUBA
(onboard equipment control system) have been received on the ground and are
being analyzed. This camera is intended to be used for rendezvous and
docking of the European ATV (automated transfer vehicle) late next year at
the SM aft port. If the camera itself is at fault, it would need to be
replaced via an EVA/spacewalk.]
Science Officer Ed Lu recommended the ground to look into the possibility of
a minor Flight Rule revision regarding usage restrictions on the Lab nadir
window during XPOP attitude. A slight change may result in a considerable
increase in viewing angles and viewing opportunity.
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 Western Mediterranean Haze (reports of reduced visibility in
coastal cities of Spain: looking left of track for haze over the Med),
Eastern Mediterranean Haze (looking left and right for industrial haze in
the Adriatic Sea off Venice, where visibility is reduced today as high
pressure persists), Berlin, Germany (cloudfree zone over north-central
Europe: Berlin is immediately north of track and hard to see despite its
great area, due to the great number of trees. We are trying to take
advantage of optimal midsummer lighting at the top of the orbit), St. Louis,
Missouri (nadir and a touch left), Detroit, Michigan (nadir pass), Eastern
Mediterranean Dust (early morning sun and gusty winds should allow blowing
dust to be documented off the Libyan coast, left and right of track), Los
Angeles, California (nadir pass), Las Vegas, Nevada (nadir pass), The Dalles
(LEWIS & CLARK SITE: Crew was to try mapping the lower Columbia River. Of
particular interest is the area known as The Dalles, a great southward arc
in the river before it cuts through the Cascade Range), Mekong River Delta
(looking right for views of the delta. Even obliques are useful due to the
power of the 400 mm lens. Changes in land use and coastline patterns are
the objects of interest), Gulf of Maine plankton (ISS pass tracked along the
southern side of the gulf: looking left for any color variation denoting
spring plankton growth), and Lower Amazon River Basin (looking right for the
islands of the estuary. Coastline change, rapid island migration and the
extent of water color change out into the Atlantic Ocean are of interest
[Amazon discharge reduces salinities in the ocean in an area as large as the
Mediterranean]). CEO images can be viewed at the websites
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov
See also the website "Space Station Challenge" at
http://voyager.cet.edu/iss/
U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 1:14pm EST).
Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):
Elektron O2 generator is powered On (18 amp mode). Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is
On (in Manual Mode 3/5). 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 On; SKV-2
is Off.
SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 742; temperature (deg C) --
28.7; ppO2 (mmHg) -- data invalid; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- data invalid.
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 751; temperature (deg C) --
20.7.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) -- 752; temperature (deg C) -- 22.0.
Node: Pressure (mmHg) -- 745.16; temperature (deg C) -- 24.3 (shell); ppO2
(mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- n/a.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) -- 746.84; temperature (deg C) -- 23.1; ppO2
(mmHg) -- 172.0; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- 4.4.
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) -- 746.49 temperature (deg
C) -- 30.1; shell heater temp (deg C) -- 25.0, ppO2 (mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2
(mmHg) -- n/a.
PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 24.7.
PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 17.0.
(n/a = data not available)
Propulsion System (PS):
Total propellant load available: 3803 kg (8384 lb) as of 6/19 [SM(774) +
FGB(2447) + Progress M(182) +Progress M-1(400)]. (Capability: SM -- 860 kg;
FGB -- 6120 kg).
Electrical Power Systems (EPS):
Both P6 channels fully operational. BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B
both in AutoTrack.
SM batteries: Battery #4 is disconnected (failed 6/16); all other batteries
(7) are in "Partial Charge" mode.
FGB batteries: Battery #1 is in "Cycle" mode; 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-1 is operating; INT-2 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.
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).Management.
Solar Beta angle: -23.7 deg (magnitude decreasing).
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-1 (internal audio controller #1)
being analyzed after self-test error. 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, 7:07am EDT [= epoch]):
Mean altitude -- 387.9 km
Apogee -- 392.8 km
Perigee -- 383.0km
Period -- 92.31min.
Inclination (to Equator) -- 51.63 deg
Eccentricity -- 0.0007243
Orbits per 24-hr. day -- 15.60
Solar Beta Angle -- -23.7 deg (magnitude decreasing)
Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours -- 60 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. '98) -- 26245
For more on ISS orbit and worldwide naked-eye visibility dates/times, see
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/viewing/issvis.html
----
Jacques :-)
Editor: www.spacepatches.info
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