ISS On-Orbit Status, 28-09-2003

ISS On-Orbit Status 28 Sep 2003

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously
or below. It was a regular Sunday for the crew, with time off for rest,
relaxation and fun.

CDR Yuri Malenchenko collected the weekly counter readings of the Service
Module (SM)'s toilet flush system (with inspection of the SP urine
collection and pretreat assembly) and SVO water supply status, both for
calldown to TsUP/Moscow.

FE/SO Ed Lu prepared the daily IMS delta file for automatic export/import to
update the database, while Malenchenko attended to the daily routine
maintenance of the SM SOZh life support system (including ASU toilet
facilities).

Both crewmembers worked out with their daily 2.5-h program of physical
exercise, on TVIS treadmill, RED expander, and VELO cycle with load trainer.

The crew had their regular weekly PFCs (private family conferences), via
S-band/audio.

Did you know that... ...all of the US power generation for ISS is supplied
by small 8 cm2 solar cells which are only 0.008 inches thick. There are 400
cells in each string and 82 strings per solar array. Assembly complete ISS
will have eight Solar Array Wings on the US segment. That's 32,800 cells
per array (65,600 currently with P6) and 262,400 cells total at assembly
complete

You know you live on the ISS when... ...you look around and suddenly notice
that nothing in the house has a sharp edge (also applies to mental
institutions, by the way!) (Uplifting uplink from Flight Control).

Today's optional CEO (crew earth observation) targets, limited in the
current XPOP attitude by flight rule constraints on the use of the Lab
nadir/science window, were Patagonian Glaciers (southern end of the Andean
ice fields was clear of cloud before the north end. Looking at nadir and
left), Jakarta, Indonesia (nadir pass), Bangkok, Thailand (looking a touch
right on the lower Chao Phraya River, ~20 miles inland), Guilin, China (just
right of track, this famous city is set within the unique landscape of verti
cal-sided, mist-shrouded limestone towers), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (this
low-contrast city was just right of track on the coast), Lahore, Pakistan
(nadir pass), Khartoum, Sudan (looking right of track, in the angle between
the White and Blue Niles), Sao Paulo, Brazil (nadir pass), Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil (looking right of track on the major estuary. The airport is on an
island in the bay, with the city center on the south side), Recife, Brazil
(looking left of track on the coast), Lower Amazon River Basin (looking at
nadir and right), and Tropical Storm Juan, N Atlantic (Dynamic event.
Looking left for this well-formed storm which is moving rapidly north,
predicted to be off Nova Scotia).

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/



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Jacques :-)

Editor: www.spacepatches.info