02-27-2010
February 27, 2010
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.
Saturday – Crew rest day. At wake-up (1:00am EST), FE-1 Suraev did the regular daily early-morning check of the aerosol filters at the Russian Elektron O
2 generator which Maxim had installed on 10/19 in gaps between the BZh Liquid Unit and the oxygen outlet pipe (filter FA-K) plus hydrogen outlet pipe (filter FA-V).
[FE-1 again inspects the filters tonight before bedtime, currently a daily requirement per plan, with photographs to be taken if the filter packing is discolored.] At wake-up, FE-6 Creamer started his FD60 (Flight Day 60) session of the Pro K protocol, his third onboard run, performing the first urine pH spot test and later logging his diet intact of today.
[Under Pro K, the crewmember measures and logs the pH value of a urine sample, to be collected the same time of day every day for 5 days. The crewmember also prepares a diet log and then annotates quantities of food packets consumed and supplements taken.] Later in the day, TJ set up the Nutrition/Repository/Pro K hardware for his 24-hour generic urine collections which will begin tomorrow.
The five station residents performed the regular weekly three-hour task of thorough station cleaning, including COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory) and Kibo.
["Uborka", usually done on Saturdays, includes removal of food waste products, cleaning of compartments with vacuum cleaner, damp cleaning of the SM (Service Module) dining table, other frequently touched surfaces and surfaces where trash is collected, as well as the sleep stations with a standard cleaning solution; also, fan screens and grilles are cleaned to avoid temperature rises. Special cleaning is also done every 90 days on the HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) bacteria filters in the Lab.] As part of the house cleaning, Suraev & Kotov conducted regular maintenance inspection & cleaning of fan screens in the FGB (TsV2), DC1 (V3), and also Group E fan grills in the SM (VPkhO, FS5, FS6, VP).
Later, the FE-1 worked on the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 ("Plants-2") experiment in the SM, using tweezers to thin out the plants, leaving the five most developed Mizuna plants in each row in Root Module #22 & #21. The removed plants were discarded.
[Rasteniya-2 researches growth and development of plants under spaceflight conditions in the LADA-16 greenhouse from IBMP (Institute of Bio-Medical Problems, Russian: IMBP), currently planted with Mizuna seeds. Mizuna (Brassica rapa nipposinica) is a tasty variety of Japanese mustard greens, also known as California Peppergrass, eaten as a salad.] With the UPA (Urine Processing Assembly) up and running, CDR Williams completed another manual fill of its WSTA (Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly) in the morning, from a Russian EDV-U (urine collector-water container).
In the SM, Maxim completed the routine daily servicing of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS).
[Regular daily SOZh maintenance consists, among else, of checking the ASU toilet facilities, replacement of the KTO & KBO solid waste containers and replacement of EDV-SV waste water and EDV-U urine containers.] Jeff Williams’ planned PanOptic eye test, which was deferred yesterday, will be conducted today just before bedtime. The test requires application of eye drops (Tropicamide [Mydriacyl]) causing eye dilation for subsequent ophthalmic examination performed by Noguchi as CMO (Crew Medical Officer) with an ophthalmoscope.
[The procedure, guided by special software on the T61p RoBOT laptop (#1026), captures still & video images of the eye, including the posterior poles, macula & optic disc with the optic nerve, for downlink and expert analysis.] Timothy Creamer completed the regular bi-monthly reboots of the OCA Router and FS SSC (File Server Station Support Computer) laptops.
In the Kibo JPM (JEM Pressurized Module), Soichi Noguchi conducted a second hermeticity test on the newly installed CGSE (Common Gas Supply Equipment) valve unit, using the CGSE Upper GBU (Gas Bottle Unit) with CO
2 for leak checking.
[The first leak test was done on 2/25. The CO2 is supplied for the upcoming Myo Lab Experiment during Flight 19A.] The crewmembers worked out with their regular 2-hr physical exercise on the TVIS treadmill (FE-1, FE-4), ARED advanced resistive device (CDR, FE-1, FE-5, FE-6), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (CDR, FE-5, FE-6) and VELO bike ergometer with bungee cord load trainer (FE-4).
For their new session of taking their Bisphosphonates Alendronate pill starting tomorrow morning, Soichi & Jeff begin their required overnight fast tonight: no intakes except plain water until 30 min after swallowing the pill.
At ~6:00am EST, FE-5 Noguchi had a CDE (Crew Discretionary Event) via S-Band and Public Call 4 for audio and KU for video.
At ~8:05am, the crew held their regular WPC (Weekly Planning Conference) with the ground, discussing next week's "Look-Ahead Plan" (prepared jointly by MCC-Houston and TsUP-Moscow timeline planners) via S-band/audio, reviewing the monthly calendar, upcoming activities, and any concerns about future on-orbit events.
At ~11:00am EST, CDR Williams conducted his weekly PFC (Private Family Conference), via S-band/audio and Ku-band/MS-NetMeeting application (which displays the uplinked ground video on an SSC laptop).
At ~2:00pm, FE-1 Suraev & FE-4 Kotov downlinked a PAO TV message of congratulatory greetings to V.P.
Savinykh for his 70th anniversary on 3/7. [Viktor Petrovich Savinykh, a veteran pilot-astronaut and twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Doctor of Engineering, Professor, Associate Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences and chief editor of Rossiyskiy Kosmos Journal, is the President of the Moscow State University of Geodesy and Cartography.] Weekly Science Update (Expedition Twenty-Two -- Week 13)
3-D SPACE: No report.
AgCam (Agricultural Camera): No report.
ALTCRISS (Alteino Long Term monitoring of Cosmic Rays on the ISS): Complete.
ALTEA DOSI (NASA/ASI): No report.
APEX (Advanced Plant Experiments on Orbit) -Cambium: No report.
APEX-TAGES (Transgenic Arabidopsis Gene Expression System): The first of three harvests will happen next week.
BCAT-4/5 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test 4/5): No report.
BIOLAB (ESA): “Soichi and TJ, many thanks for your great job fixing our problem with the B6 EC position. Several ground commanded LSM tightness tests were carried out with Reference EC and with WAICO EC configurations. While we are now waiting for the final technical report, the outcome looks promising!”
BIORHYTHMS (JAXA, Biological Rhythms): #3 data collection has performed the last data collection from Jeff on 2/25-26.
BISE (CSA, Bodies in the Space Environment): No report.
BISPHOSPHONATES: “Jeff & Soichi: thanks for completing your pill ingestion. Your next session is scheduled for 2/28.
CARD (Long Term Microgravity: Model for Investigating Mechanisms of Heart Disease, ESA): No report.
CARDIOCOG-2: Complete.
CB (JAXA Clean Bench): No report.
CBEF (JAXA Cell Biology Experiment Facility)/SPACE SEED: No report.
CCISS (Cardiovascular & Cerebrovascular Control on Return from ISS): No report.
CERISE (JAXA): Frozen Samples moved to GLACIER. Sample will be returned by 20A.
CETSOL (ESA): 2 processed sample cartridge assemblies (SCAs) were successfully returned on 20A.
CFE (Capillary Flow Experiment): Reserve.
CSI-3/CGBA-5 (CGBA Science Insert #2/Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 5): Ongoing.
CGBA-2 (Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 2): Complete.
CIR (Combustion Integrated Rack), MDCA/Flex: “This week we successfully transferred and downlinked data from test points run in previous weeks. We are currently caught up with data retrieval from all 35 completed test points. We look forward to running more test points at the earliest available opportunity.”
CSLM-2 (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures 2): Complete.
Commercial Photo (JAXA): No report.
CW/CR (Cell Wall/Resist Wall) in EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System): Complete.
DECLIC (Device for the Study of Critical Liquids & Crystallization, CNES/NASA): No report.
DomeGene (JAXA): Complete.
DOSIS (ESA): No report.
EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students): No report.
EDR (European Drawer Rack, ESA): No report.
ELITE-S2 (Elaboratore Immagini Televisive - Space 2): Planned.
EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System): No report.
ENose (Electronic Nose): No report.
EPM (European Physiology Module): No report.
EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA): No report.
EPO LES-2 (ESA): No report.
EPO 3-min Video (JAXA): No report.
EPO J-Astro Report (JAXA): Ongoing.
EPO Dewey’s Forest (JAXA): Water resupply was completed on 2/23. Final Video session (expected about 10 days after this water resupply) remains. Schedule coordination is underway.
EPO Space Clothes (JAXA): Complete.
EPO Hiten (Dance, JAXA): No report.
EPO Moon Score (JAXA): No report.
EPO Try Zero-G (JAXA): No report.
EPO Kibo Kids Tour (JAXA): Complete.
EPO Paper Craft (Origami, JAXA): No report.
EPO Poem (JAXA): Photo-taking activity will be a Voluntary Science candidate.
EPO Spiral Top (JAXA): No report.
ETD (Eye Tracking Device): Completed.
FACET (JAXA): No report.
FIR/LMM/CVB (Fluids Integrated Rack / Light Microscopy Module / Constrained Vapor Bubble): No report.
FWED (Flywheel Exercise Device, ESA): No report.
FOAM STABILITY (ESA): Tapes were returned on ULF3.
FOCUS: No report.
FSL (Fluid Science Laboratory, ESA): No report.
GEOFLOW: No report.
HAIR (JAXA): Soichi collected hair sample from TJ on 1/19. “Thank you for bearing the pain.”
HDTV System (JAXA): Was delivered by HTV1.
Holter ECG (JAXA): No report.
HQPC (JAXA): Was delivered by 34P.
HREP (HICO/Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean & RAIDS/Remote Atmospheric & Ionospheric Detection System/JAXA): HREP was re-activated and is operating nominally.
ICE CRYSTAL (JAXA): Complete.
ICV (Integrated Cardiovascular): “Jeff, the ICV team is looking forward to your fifth and final (!) inflight echo and ambulatory monitoring sessions next week.”
IMMUNO (Neuroendocrine & Immune Responses in Humans During & After Long Term Stay at ISS): Complete.
INTEGRATED IMMUNE: No report.
InSPACE-2 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions 2): No report.
IRIS (Image Reversal in Space, CSA): No report.
LOCAD-PTS (Lab-on-a-Chip Application Development-Portable Test System): No report.
Marangoni UVP (JAXA): No report.
MAXI (Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image, JAXA): Continuing observation operation.
Marangoni UVP: Continuing ground operation and data acquisition.
MEIS (Marangoni Experiment for ISS) in JAXA FPEF (Fluid Physics Experiment Facility): No report.
MDCA/Flex: See under CIR.
MICAST (ESA): 2 processed sample cartridge assemblies (SCAs) successfully downloaded on 20A.
Microbe-1 (JAXA): No report.
Micro-G Clay (JAXA EPO): Complete.
MMA (JAXA/Microgravity Measurement Apparatus): No report.
MISSE7 (Materials ISS Experiment): To prevent overheating during increasing beta angles, MISSE7 PEC 7b was shut down 2/22. PEC 7b is planned to be returned to normal operations on 3/8 (3:00pm EST)..
MSG-SAME (Microgravity Science Glovebox): Complete.
MSL (Materials Science Laboratory): No report.
MTR-2 (Russian radiation measurements): Passive dosimeters measurements in DC-1 “Pirs”.
MULTIGEN-1: Completed.
MYCO 1 (JAXA): Sample Collection and MELFI stow are complete. Sample will return on 20A using DCB (Double Cold Bag).
NEUROSPAT (ESA/Study of Spatial Cognition, Novelty Processing and Sensorimotor Integration): No report.
NOA-1/-2 (Nitric Oxide Analyzer, ESA): Complete.
NUTRITION w/REPOSITORY/ProK: No report.
PADLES (JAXA, Area PADLES 3; Passive Area Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiment in Space): No report.
PASSAGES (JAXA): No report.
PCDF-PU (Protein Crystallization Diagnostic Facility - Process Unit): No report.
PCG (JAXA, Protein Crystal Growth): No report.
PCRF (Protein Crystallization Research Facility) Reconfiguration (JAXA): Complete.
PMDIS (Perceptual Motor Deficits in Space): Complete.
POLCA/GRAVIGEN (ESA): Complete.
RadGene & LOH (JAXA): Complete.
RadSilk (JAXA): Samples were returned to ground on ULF3.
RST/Reaction Self Test (Psychomotor Vigilance Self Test on the ISS): “Jeff, TJ, and Soichi: thank you for your continued participation in Reaction Self Test! We have received data from the past month and look forward to analyzing it. TJ, thank you for continuing to remember the Reaction Self Test constraints and for going out of your way to complete them.”
SAIBO Rack (JAXA): No report. SAMS/MAMS (Space & Microgravity Acceleration Measurement Systems): No report.
SAMPLE: Complete.
SCOF (Solution Crystallization Observation Facility, JAXA): No report.
SEDA-AP (Space Environment Data Acquisition Equipment-Attached Payload, JAXA): Continuing observation operations.
SHERE (Shear History Extensional Rheology Experiment): Complete.
SLAMMD (Space Linear Acceleration Mass Measurement Device): No report.
SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight): “Jeff and TJ: We are currently targeting next week for another week of Sleep logging. Jeff: You are currently scheduled to perform the monthly Actiwatch download and initialization session on 3/1. In addition to downloading TJ and your Actiwatches, you will be changing the Li battery in your Actiwatch as well as changing a battery and initializing an Actiwatch for Tracy Caldwell.”
SMILES (JAXA): Continuing observations.
SODI/IVIDIL (Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument/Influence of Vibration on Diffusion in. Liquids, ESA): “Thank you Soichi for helping us troubleshoot SODI. After this Friday activity, we need a bit more time before we conclude on the way to proceed…”
SOLAR (Solar Monitoring Observatory): Sun observation window #25 started on 2/9. SOLAR has been impacted by the recent COL DMS anomalies, in the end resulting only to some loss of science acquisition time. Next Sun observation window #26 is predicted to start on 3/9.
SOLO (Sodium Loading in Microgravity): No report.
SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellite): No report.
SPICE (Smoke Point In Co-flow Experiment): No report.:
SPINAL (Spinal Elongation): No report.
SWAB (Characterization of Microorganisms & Allergens in Spacecraft): No report.
THERMOLAB (ESA): No report.
TRAC (Test of Reaction & Adaptation Capabilities): Planned.
ULTRASOUND: Planned.
VASCULAR (CSA): “Jeff, thanks for completing your blood draw. The PI team will be in Russia to welcome you back and complete post-flight BDC with you.”
VO2max (NASA): No report.
VLE (Video Lessons ESA): No report.
WAICO #1/#2 (Waving and Coiling of Arabidopsis Roots at Different g-levels): No report.
YEAST B (ESA): No report.
CEO (Crew Earth Observations): No report.
CEO (Crew Earth Observation) photo targets uplinked for today were
Canberra, Australia (ISS had a late-afternoon pass in fair weather over the Australian capital city. Canberra is situated in the highlands of the Great Dividing Range of southeastern Australia. As ISS approached from the SW, looking nadir for this target urban area about 20 miles SW of Lake George. Detailed views were not required), Simon's Bay, Cape Point, S. Africa (HMS Beagle Site: Darwin and the Beagle stopped here in June, 1836. The most important aspect of this stop appears to have been Darwin's visit to the noted astronomer Sir John Herschel who lived near Cape Town. Darwin called this "the most memorable event which, for a long period, I have had the good fortune to enjoy." Both Darwin and Herschel had read the Lyell's famous Principles of Geology. Their discussion is not recorded, but they were thinking along similar lines: a few months earlier Herschel had written to Lyell praising the Principles as "a complete revolution in [its] subject, … altering entirely the point of view" in which scientists would think about geology; and as opening a way for bold speculation on "that mystery of mysteries, the replacement of extinct species by others." You will approach the South African coast from the northwest at mid-morning with clear weather expected and a near nadir view), Chaiten Volcano, S. Chile (ISS had a mid-afternoon pass with fair weather over this recently reactivated volcano in southern Chile. Prior to its eruption in May 2008, the volcano had been quiet for more than 9000 years; it has caused significant damage to the town of Chaiten located to the southwest. After crossing the large, outer Isle of Chiloe, looking near nadir and just inland for the volcano. Staying ready for the next target in less than four minutes), and
Buenos Aires, Argentina (the Argentine capital of just over three million is located in the eastern part of the country on the great, turbid estuary, the Rio de la Plata. After crossing the northern plains of Patagonia, ISS approached this target from the SW in mid-afternoon with fair weather expected). ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 8:14am EST [= epoch])
Mean altitude – 348.9 km
Apogee height – 353.7 km
Perigee height – 344.1 km
Period -- 91.52 min.
Inclination (to Equator) -- 51.65 deg
Eccentricity -- 0.0007143
Solar Beta Angle -- 43.1 deg (magnitude increasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day -- 15.73
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours -- 96 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) – 64,620
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
03/14/10 --
Daylight Saving Time begins (EDT) 03/18/10 -- Soyuz TMA-16/20S undock/landing
(M. Suraev/J. Williams) --------------Three-crew operations-------------
04/02/10 -- Soyuz TMA-18/22S launch –
Skvortsov (CDR-24)/Caldwell/Kornienko – 12:04:34am EDT 04/04/10 -- Soyuz TMA-18/22S docking –
~1:28am 04/05/10 -- STS-131/Discovery/19A – MPLM(P), LMC
--------------Six-crew operations-----------------
04/27/10 -- Progress M-03M/35P undock
04/28/10 -- Progress M-05M/37P launch
04/30/10 -- Progress M-05M/37P docking
05/14/10 -- STS-132/Atlantis/ULF4 – ICC-VLD, MRM-1 “Rassvet”
05/10/10 -- Progress M-04M/36P undock
05/31/10 -- Soyuz TMA-17/21S undock/landing
--------------Three-crew operations-------------
06/14/10 -- Soyuz TMA-19/23S launch –
Wheelock (CDR-25)/Walker/Yurchikhin 06/16/10 -- Soyuz TMA-19/23S docking
--------------Six-crew operations-----------------
07/xx/10 -- US EVA-15
07/xx/10 -- Russian EVA-25
06/28/10 -- Progress M-06M/38P launch
07/02/10 -- Progress M-06M/38P docking
07/26/10 -- Progress M-05M/37P undock
07/27/10 -- Progress M-07M/39P launch
07/29/10 -- Progress M-07M/39P docking
07/29/10 -- STS-134/Endeavour (ULF6 – ELC3, AMS-02)
08/30/10 -- Progress M-06M/38P undock
08/31/10 -- Progress M-08M/40P launch
09/02/10 -- Progress M-08M/40P docking
09/15/10 -- Soyuz TMA-18/22S undock/landing
09/16/10 -- STS-133/Discovery (ULF5 – ELC4, PMM)
09/18/10 -- STS-133/Discovery (ULF5 – ELC4, PMM) docking
09/22/10 -- STS-133/Discovery (ULF5 – ELC4, PMM) undock
09/30/10 -- Soyuz TMA-20/24S launch –
Kelly (CDR-26)/Kaleri/Skripochka 10/xx/10 -- Russian EVA-26
10/26/10 -- Progress M-07M/39P undock
10/27/10 -- Progress M-09M/41P launch
10/29/10 -- Progress M-09M/41P docking
11/15/10 -- Soyuz TMA-19/23S undock/landing
11/30/10 -- Soyuz TMA-21/25S launch –
Kondratyev (CDR-27)/Coleman/Nespoli 12/15/10 -- Progress M-08M/40P undock
02/08/11 -- Progress M-09M/41P undock
02/09/11 -- Progress M-10M/42P launch
02/11/11 -- Progress M-10M/42P docking
03/30/11 -- Soyuz TMA-22/26S launch –
A. Borisienko (CDR-28)/R, Garan/A.Samokutayev xx/xx/11 -- Progress M-11M/43P launch
05/30/11 -- Soyuz TMA-23/27S launch –
M. Fossum (CDR-29)/S. Furukawa/S. Volkov 12/??/11 -- 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA – on Proton.
