ISS On-Orbit Status, 18-02-2004

On-Orbit Status 18 Feb 2004

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

Onboard sleep cycle continues with 9:00pm wakeup and 12:30pm bedtime through
Friday (2/20).

Before breakfast and physical exercise, CDR/SO Michael Foale and FE
Alexander Kaleri conducted the Russian crew health-monitoring program's
medical assessment MO-9/Urinalysis. After the sessions, Kaleri stowed the
Urolux equipment. [MO-9 is biochemical urinalysis, conducted regularly every
30 days and also before and after EVAs. It is one of five nominal Russian
medical tests adopted by NASA for US crewmembers for PHS evaluation exams
(with or without blood labs). The analysis uses the sophisticated in-vitro
diagnostic apparatus "Urolux" developed for the Mir program. The device is
first calibrated with prepared calibration strips (if not used for more than
seven days), then receives the measuring strips with the subject's urine
samples for automatic (photometric) analysis. LEDs indicate immediately if
the data are within (green) or outside (red) the physiological norm, and
they are also printed on a tape for report to MCC-M/TsUP (actually to IBMP,
the Moscow Institute of Biomedical Problems). ]

After breakfast, the crew also completed the MO-5 MedOps protocol of
cardiovascular evaluation during graded exercises on the VELO cycle
ergometer, each assisting the other in turn. [The assessment uses the
Gamma-1 ECG equipment with biomed harness, skin electrodes and a blood
pressure and rheoplethysmograph cuff wired to the cycle ergometer's
instrumentation panels. For the graded exercise, Alex and Mike worked the
pedals after a prescribed program at load settings of 125, 150, and 175
watts for three minutes each. All measurements were recorded and telemetered
during Daily Orbits 2 and 3 to TsUP, where a specialist controlled the
workout.]

At 12:40, the crew conducted a teleconference with MCC-Houston via S-band,
during which critical details of the upcoming EVA-9 were discussed.
[Specific tag-up topics were the new flight rules (FRs) written jointly by
U.S. and Russian specialists for this EVA, the use of special EVA gear such
as retractable equipment tethers (RETs), the swing arm, wire ties, and the
disposable in-suit drink bags (DIDBs), as well as contingency ingress in the
U.S. Airlock, which will be configured as a backup ingress path in the
unlikely event of multiple failures. The new FRs address EVA termination
criteria for specific ISS systems failures (including loss of one of the two
U.S. internal thermal cooling loops, a fire on board, depressurization of
the ISS, etc.), safety procedures in case of Service Module (SM) thruster
firings, should they become necessary, avoidance and clean-up of toxic
residues from jet firings, etc.]

Foale and Kaleri reviewed the timeline for tomorrow's exercise in
translating from the DC-1 to the Soyuz orbital module (BO) in Orlan suits,
tagging up with ground specialists for discussion. The crew also had more
time scheduled for equipment preparations in the DC-1, such as configuring
the BK-3 onboard oxygen tank and BNP portable O2 repress bottle, performing
height adjustments on the suits, leak and valve functionality checks, etc.
Kaleri also had a separate tag-up with specialists on the necessary
preparations of the Soyuz BO. [The demo will start tonight at ~11:15pm EST
with teardown & removal of the air ducts between the DC-1 and BO, followed
by ingress in the Orlan-Ms, checkout of comm & biomedical telemetry via the
BSS interface system for vital signs and equipment monitoring, final tests
of Soyuz TMA-3 systems, valve functionality, etc. Sealing of the Orlan
backpack "doors" is scheduled for about 4:00am tomorrow morning. After more
leak checks and a final height fit check at reduced pressure, the actual
translation will begin at ~4:40am. Ingress into the Soyuz BO, hatch closing
and Orlan doffing inside the BO are estimated to take about an hour.
Translation through the narrow DC1-BO hatch opening will be done head first,
with one arm extended forward and the other pressed alongside the body.
Kaleri will be first, with Foale assisting and pushing if necessary. Sasha
then assists Mike, if required, by pulling his hand or putting a pry bar in
his gloved hand for squeezing through. The hatch cover will then be closed
(which could cause loss of comm with MCC and between the two). FE and CDR
then exit from the Orlans one at a time, at ~5:20am. Post-training
activities back in the ISS will follow at ~5:35am.]

Sasha attended to his regular daily inspection of the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2
("Plants-2") experiment which studies growth and development of plants
(peas) under spaceflight conditions in the Lada-4 greenhouse. [Regular daily
maintenance of the experiment involves monitoring of seedling growth,
humidity measurements, moistening of the substrate if necessary, and
photo/video recording.]

Mike Foale transferred exercise data files from the TVIS treadmill to the
medical equipment computer (MEC) for subsequent downlink and completed the
weekly TVIS maintenance, including the regular inspection of the wire ropes
for signs of fraying. He also did the regular (every other week) inspection
of the RED (resistive exercise device).

The CDR completed his 13th weekly filling-out of the Food Frequency
Questionnaire (FFQ), which keeps a log of his nutritional intake over time
on the medical equipment computer (MEC).

Mike conducted the daily routine maintenance on the SOZh life support
system, comprising the water supply equipment, food supply subsystem (SOP),
and sanitary hygiene equipment (SGO). He also completed the regular routine
status checkup of autonomous Increment 8 payloads.

The crew worked out according to their regular daily physical exercise
program on TVIS and CEVIS cycle (aerobic), VELO ergometer with force loader
and RED (anaerobic).

At dinnertime (10:30am), as every day, the crew supported the Renal Stone
prevention experiment by taking the test medication (either potassium
citrate or placebo tablets) until the next sample collection phase in early
April this year.

Moscow's logic change to the Elektron buffer tank to increase supply line
pressure (see yesterday's status report) did not have the desired effect to
keep the MNO and MNR micropumps from shutting down. Kaleri took some voltage
measurements on the pumps today, but the Elektron O2 generator is still
down.

As planned, several hours ago the cabin atmosphere was repressurized with O2
from Progress 13P, raising ppO2 by 8 mmHg. As shown by the MCA (major
constituents analyzer), ppO2 is currently at 162 mmHg.

The Russian SKV-1 air conditioner is operating with the #2 internal heating
loop (KOB-2), which collects more condensate than KOB-1, keeping ppH2O
(humidity) levels nominally between 7 and 8.5 mmHg.

The crew's sleep time began at 12:30pm EST, to extend until tonight, 9:00pm,
with a very busy day ahead.

Moscow has offered to accept some useful U.S. return cargo as ballast in the
Soyuz TMA-3 descent module for a contingency return, should it become
necessary.

Today's CEO targets, in the current LVLH attitude no longer limited by
flight rule constraints on the use of the Lab nadir/science window, except
for the shutter closure and condensation-prevention plan (limited to 90 min.
in 24 hours), were Taiwan Smog (pass across the northern tip of Taiwan:
smog reported in cities only in the southern half of the island. Trying to
shoot obliques that capture a margin of the smog mass), Internal waves,
Vietnam (looking right toward the glint point for internal waves off the
coast of South Vietnam. The zone of mapping interest stretches from Hainan
Island [southern China] to Borneo. The glint point crosses the southern half
of this zone), Gulf of St Lawrence (Dynamic event. Two opportunities.
Looking for cloud streamers as the cold dry air mass flows out over the
water and picks up moisture. Cloud is channeled east by the gulf as air
flows between the higher coasts. Also looking for newly formed ice), Dust,
Niger and Chad (continuing the crew's documentation of the present major
dust event, looking left towards the Tibesti massif from this descending
track over Lake Chad. Recent ISS/CEO images show that a wide roughly linear
band of lighter surface materials [muds of the ancient floor of paleo-lake
Megachad] is the main supplier of dust to the atmosphere during this event.
This contradicts accepted geological wisdom that dry lake floors do not
supply dust because fine material is cemented by clay and salts. Dust source
points ["hotspots" in the jargon] are a major topic of interest in aerosol
studies), and Bamako, Mali (this hard-to-see town lies on the Niger River at
the head of the Niger inland delta. Transportation routes focus on the town
that may also lie in the center of a de-vegetated patch).

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 2:46pm EST).

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

Elektron O2 generator is powered Off. Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On (in
Automatic Mode). U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is on Standby (ready in dual-bed
mode). TCCS (trace contaminant control subsystem) is operating. SM Gas
Analyzer has been calibrated and is used for ppO2 and ppCO2 monitoring. MCA
(major constituents analyzer) is On to verify CSA-CP readings and support O2
repress (was in Life Extending Mode). 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 (repair now completed; to be tested ASAP).


SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 742; temperature (deg C) --
26.0; ppO2 (mmHg) -- 146.8; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- 2.5;
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 751; temperature (deg C) --
20.7.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) -- 744; temperature (deg C) -- 22.7.
Node: Pressure (mmHg) -- 742.62; temperature (deg C) -- 23.5 (shell); ppO2
(mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- n/a.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) -- 744.72; temperature (deg C) -- 24.8; ppO2
(mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- n/a.
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) -- 744.82; temperature (deg
C) -- 23.5; shell heater temp (deg C) -- 24.2, ppO2 (mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2
(mmHg) -- n/a.
PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 22.8
PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 11.3

(n/a = data not available)

Electrical Power Systems (EPS):

Both P6 channels fully operational. BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B
both in Directed Position (2B: 235 deg; 4B: 125 deg); non-suntracking,
"night glider"/"sun slicer" drag reduction mode.
SM batteries: Battery #8, formerly known as #7, is failed (to be replaced);
all other batteries (7) are in "Partial Charge" mode.
FGB batteries: Battery #3 is off (capacity restoration mode, ROM); battery
#5 is in "Cycle" mode; all other batteries (4) 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-2 is operating; INT-1 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-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): 2 redundant lanes (of 3) operational (string 1
dropped out 11/22).
SM Central Computer (TsVM): 2 redundant lanes (of 3) operational (string #3
dropped out 10/22).

Propulsion System:

Total propellant load available: 4070 kg (8972 lb) as of 2/12/04 [SM(755) +
FGB(2656) + Progress M(0) + Progress M-1(659)]. (Capability: SM -- 860 kg;
FGB -- 6120 kg).

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:

LVLH YVV (local vertical/local horizontal = "earth-fixed": z-axis in local
vertical, y-axis in velocity vector [yaw: -90 deg, pitch: -9 deg, roll: 1.7
deg]), with CMG/TA (thruster assist) Momentum Management.

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 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, 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, 7:46am EST [= epoch]):

Mean altitude -- 366.8 km
Apogee -- 371.4km
Perigee -- 362.1 km
Period -- 91.88 min.
Inclination (to Equator) -- 51.628 deg
Eccentricity -- 0.0006898
Orbits per 24-hr. day -- 15.67
Mean altitude loss last 24 hours -- 80 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. '98) -- 29954

For more on ISS orbit and worldwide ISS naked-eye visibility dates/times,
see http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/viewing/issvis.html



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Jacques :-)

Editor: www.spacepatches.info