ISS On-Orbit Status, 17-01-2004

ISS On-Orbit Status 17 Jan 2004

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously or below.

The crew continues to be isolated in the Russian segment, as the ground is monitoring cabin pressures in the four isolated sections, (1) US Lab; (2) Node+Airlock+PMA-1; (3) FGB; and (4) SM+Progress+DC-1+Soyuz. [Foale and Kaleri are the first crew since Expedition 1 to live in such a "small volume".]

CDR/SO Michael Foale and FE Alexander Kaleri performed the regular 3-hr. Saturday task of station cleaning. ["Uborka stantsii" focuses on removal of food waste products, cleaning of compartments with vacuum cleaner, wet cleaning of the Service Module (SM) dining table and other surfaces with disinfectants ("Fungistat") and cleaning of fan screens to avoid temperature rises.]

Kaleri conducted the daily routine maintenance of the SOZh life support system and ASU toilet facilities.

At 10:00am EST, the crew downlinked a congratulatory greeting for the grand opening of the new Space Center in Bremen, Germany. The event will take place on 2/12, and the downlinked message was recorded at TsUP for subsequent processing and replay at the opening.

Both crewmembers performed their physical exercise routine, on TVIS treadmill and VELO bike with load trainer.

The FE performed the regular routine maintenance of SOZh life support systems.

Today's CEO (crew earth observations) targets, in the current XPOP attitude constrained by flight rule to fewer near-vertical targets due to Lab window shutter closure and current condensation-prevention plan, werePlankton blooms, Argentina (Dynamic event. Looking left and right for discoloration in coastal waters. Including coastline features if possible),Betsiboka delta, Madagascar(looking left for this major estuary: recent CEO images show major changes in morphology (island growth, new islands) with
massive sediment influx from inland. Further imagery will allow examination of morphology related to tide levels), and New Zealand plankton(Dynamic event. Pass over Cook Strait where one of the most vigorous blooms is active. Looking left and right).

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/


Jacques :-)

Editor: www.spacepatches.info