ISS On-orbit Status, 20-07-2004

ISS On-orbit Status 20 July 2004


All ISS systems continue to function nominally except those noted previously
or below. Today we're commemorating with nostalgia the 35th Anniversary of
Apollo 11, first manned lunar landing. And on ISS, with 94 days in space
Expedition 9 today passed its halfway mark. Congratulations on both shining
jewels of Space Exploration!

The crew had several hours for stowing trash and excessed equipment on the
Progress 14P cargo ship, slated for undocking on 7/30 (2:06am EDT). [The
transfers were supported by reference to the IMS (inventory management
system) database.]

CDR Padalka performed another test of the data linkage between the Service
Module (SM)'s KTsP1 (Central Post computer #1), and the TVM (Terminal
Computer) and TsVM (Central Computer) systems, preparatory to the second
attempt at uploading the 7.02 software upgrade on 7/22 (Thursday), after the
failure of the first try on 7/15.



Fincke concluded the current maintenance cycle on EMU batteries #2045 &
#2046 by initiating their 20-min. recharge in the Airlock's BSA (Battery
Storage Assembly). Afterwards, the SSC (station support computer) laptop
used for the automated procedure was reconfigured for nominal ops.

Gennady took the monthly sensor readings of the "Pille-MKS" radiation
dosimetry experiment that has ten sensors placed at various locations in the
RS (Russian segment; port cabin window, starboard cabin window, ASU toilet
facility, control panel, etc.). Pille dosage values are called down or
downlinked via Regul Paket/Email or OCA. (Last time done: 6/18).

Fincke today handled the daily routine inspection of the SM's SOZh life
support system, incl. ASU toilet facility replacements, while Padalka
prepared the daily IMS "delta" file update, which has become a standard item
on the discretionary Russian "job jar" task list.

At 8:55am EDT, Mike and Gennady supported an interactive 20-min. PAO
exchange with CBS News (Bill Harwood, Peter King) on the occasion of today's
35th Apollo 11 anniversary, via Ku-band/video & S-band/Space-to-Ground
audio.

The crew completed their daily 2.5-hr. physical exercise program on TVIS,
RED exerciser and VELO cycle with load trainer.

At 11:15am, monitored by Moscow on Daily Orbit 2, the SM's automated daily
timeline sequencer (SPP) commanded the KDU thrusters of Progress 14P and the
SM propulsion manifold #1 to inhibited mode, leaving station attitude to
manifold #2, then commenced propellant transfer from Progress to the FGB
high-pressure fuel & oxidizer tanks (BVDG, BVDO). [Today's activity
transferred the props remaining after the first transfer on 7/13.
Altogether, 14P had delivered a mixed cargo that included ~600 kg oxidizer
(NTO/nitrogen tetroxide) and ~300 kg fuel (UDMH/unsymmetrical dimethyl
hydrazine) in the KDU tanks, 225 kg NTO and 128 kg UDMH in the SD refueling
tanks, also gaseous oxygen (21 kg), air (24 kg, for dilution), and water
(420 kg).]

Major upcoming events:

SSRMS maneuvers into EVA-10 obs position -- 7/22 (Thursday afternoon);
Progress 14P undocks -- 7/30 (2:06am EDT);
Orlan EVA-10 from DC-1 "Pirs" -- 8/3 (Tuesday);
Progress 15P launches -- 8/11 (1:01am EDT);
Progress 15P docks -- 8/14 (2:05am EDT).


Today's CEO (crew earth observation) photo targets, limited in the current
XPOP attitude by flight rule constraints on the use of the science window,
which is available for only ~1/4 of each orbit when not facing forward (in
"ram"), were Internal waves, Aegean Sea (looking left for outer glint disc
passing across the northern Aegean), Athens, Greece (nadir pass), Amazonian
Fans, Brazil (cloudfree patch may hold: looking for white lines meandering
through the rainforest. These are ancient river courses that indicate a
major inland delta first discovered from handheld imagery. This one fan has
allowed scientists to successfully predict the locations of several more in
similar topographic positions, with many implications for landscape
evolution and fish evolution studies), and Internal waves, Azores Islands -
Mid Atlantic (this is the first time investigators have been able to ask for
this site due to persistent cloudiness of the central Atlantic. Looking
left of track in open patches both S and N of the islands [island chain
itself under cloud]).


U.S. & Russian Segment Status (as of today, 1:47pm EDT)

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

Elektron O2 generator is On. Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On. U.S. CDRA CO2
scrubber is Off. TCCS (trace contaminant control subsystem) is operating.
SM Gas Analyzer has been calibrated and is used for ppO2 & ppCO2 monitoring.
MCA (major constituents analyzer) is in Life Extending Mode (LEM). 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 panel mods completed
4/8; SKV-2 activation failed 4/20; is still considered failed). SFOG slot
#2 fan suspect (not usable).


SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 752; temperature (deg C) --
25.6; ppO2 (mmHg) -- 162.7; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- 3.4.
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 751; temperature (deg C) --
20.0.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) -- 752; temperature (deg C) -- 23.7.
Node: Pressure (mmHg) -- 745.8; temperature (deg C) -- 23.5 (shell); ppO2
(mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- n/a.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) -- 747.6; temperature (deg C) -- 24.4; ppO2
(mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- n/a.
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) -- 747.8; temperature (deg
C) -- 25.3; shell heater temp (deg C) -- n/a, ppO2 (mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2
(mmHg) -- n/a.


(n/a = data not available)

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

Both P6 channels fully operational. BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B
both in Autotrack (solar-tracking, "sun slicer", i.e., drag reduction-biased
by 47 deg).
SM batteries: All batteries (8) are on line in "Partial Charge" mode.
FGB batteries: Battery #4 is off line; battery 6 is on line in "Cycle"
mode; all other batteries (4) are on line in "Partial Charge" mode.


Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 is in Standby mode; PCU-2 is in Standby mode.

Command & Data Handling Systems:

C&C-1 MDM is prime, C&C-2 is backup, and C&C-3 is in standby.
GNC-2 MDM is prime; GNC-1 is backup.
INT-2 is operating; INT-1 is Off.
EXT-1 is On (primary), EXT-2 is Off (backup).
LA-1, LA-2 and LA-3 MDMs are all operating.
PL-1 MDM is Off; PL-2 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.
FGB MDM-1 is Off (failed, 11/21/03); MDM-2 is Operational.

Propulsion System:

Total propellant load available: 3864 kg (8519 lb) as of 7/15/04; [SM(552)
+ FGB(3312) + Progress M(0)]. (Capabilities: SM -- 860 kg; FGB -- 6120 kg).

Attitude Control Systems:

3 CMGs on-line (CMG-1 failed, since 6/6/02; CMG-2's RPC-17 failed 4/21/04;
was replaced 6/30/04).
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), until 7/26,
then LVLH XVV.

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 (may require a mask).
Audio subsystem is operating nominally (IAC-1 is prime, IAC-2 is off).
Video subsystem operating nominally.
HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.

Robotics:

SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at Lab PDGF/LEE A, operational on redundant string,
off on prime.
MBS: KA (keep alive) 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, 7:06am EDT [= epoch]):

Mean altitude -- 359.2 km
Apogee height -- 363.4 km
Perigee height -- 354.9 km
Period -- 91.7 min.
Inclination (to Equator) -- 51.63 deg
Eccentricity -- 0.00063
Orbits per 24-hr. day -- 15.70
Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours -- 108 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. '98) -- 32354

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.


--
---------------------------

Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.info