ISS On-Orbit Status 06/09/10 >>>Today 24 years ago (1986), the Rogers Commission released its report on the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.<<< All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.
At wake-up, FE-3 Kornienko performed the regular daily early-morning check of the aerosol filters at the Russian Elektron O
2 generator which Maxim Suraev had installed on 10/19/09 in gaps between the BZh Liquid Unit and the oxygen outlet pipe (filter FA-K) plus hydrogen outlet pipe (filter FA-V).
[FE-3 again inspected the filters before bedtime, currently a daily requirement per plan, with photographs to be taken if the filter packing is discolored.] Kornienko also conducted the periodic maintenance of the active Russian BMP Harmful Impurities Removal System, starting the "bake-out" cycle to vacuum on absorbent bed #1 of the regenerable dual-channel filtration system. The process will be terminated later tonight (~5:15pm EDT) before sleeptime, followed tomorrow by Bed #2 regeneration.
[Regeneration of each of the two cartridges takes about 12 hours and is conducted only during crew awake periods. The BMP’s regeneration cycle is normally done every 20 days. (Last time done: 5/19-5/20).
] FE-2 Caldwell-Dyson began her workday with another session of the Reaction Self Test (Psychomotor Vigilance Self Test on the ISS) protocol.
(Last time done: 6/1). [The RST is performed twice daily (after wakeup & before bedtime) for 3 days prior to the sleep shift, the day(s) of the sleep shift and 5 days following a sleep shift. The experiment consists of a 5-minute reaction time task that allows crewmembers to monitor the daily effects of fatigue on performance while on ISS. The experiment provides objective feedback on neurobehavioral changes in attention, psychomotor speed, state stability, and impulsivity while on ISS missions, particularly as they relate to changes in circadian rhythms, sleep restrictions, and extended work shifts.] FE-2 started another sampling run with the EHS GC/DMS (Gas Chromatograph/Differential Mobility Spectrometer), deactivating the system ~5 hrs later.
[This was session #1 with the new GC/DMS unit (#1004), after the previous instrument (#1002) was used for approximately 100 runs. Also known as AQM (Air Quality Monitor), the system is controlled with “Sionex” expert software from the SSC-12 laptop. The AQM demonstrates COTS (Commercial Off-the-Shelf) technology for identifying volatile organic compounds, similar to the VOA (Volatile Organics Analyzer). This evaluation will continue over the course of several months as it helps to eventually certify the GC/DMS as nominal CHeCS (Crew Health Care Systems) hardware.] Next, working in the ESA COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory), Tracy went on servicing the CSLM (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures)-2 experiment in the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox), performing the first of three CSLM-2 water valve cycles to evacuate the water line in the SPU (Sample Processing Unit), i.e., the second of four vent cycles.
[After configuring the MSG, closing the vacuum vent valves (open since yesterday for the first vacuum draw) and checking for acceptable humidity & temperature levels in the sample chamber, Tracy opened the SPU water valve. Later, the water valve was closed and the vacuum valve opened again, to remain open for the next 16 hours.] CDR Skvortsov & FE-3 Kornienko continued their tear-down work in the MRM1 Rassvet module, uninstalling & removing no longer needed electronic equipment.
[Today the focus was on two boxes (TA082, UDPK-24) of the BNU signal conditioning subsystem of the SBI onboard measurement system (discarded in Progress 37P), and the KL-108M-M transmitter of the Klest television system (temporarily stowed in MRM1).] Afterwards, it was Skvortsov’s turn for taking the periodic Russian PZE-MO-3 test for physical fitness evaluation, spending an hour on the TVIS treadmill in unmotorized (manual control) mode and wearing the Kardiokassette KK-2000 belt with three chest electrodes.
[The fitness test, controlled from the RSE-Med laptop, yields ECG (electrocardiogram) readings to the KK-2000 data storage device, later downlinked via the Regul (BSR-TM) payload telemetry channel. Before the run, the KK-2000 was synchronized with the computer date/time readings. For the ECG, the crewmember rests for 5 min., then works out on the treadmill, first walking 3 min. up to 3.5 km/h, then running at a slow pace of 5-6 km/h for 2 min, at moderate pace of 6.5 km/h for 2 min, followed by the maximum pace not exceeding 10 km/h for 1 min, then walking again at gradually decreasing pace to 3.5 km/h.] Continuing the current round of the monthly preventive maintenance of RS (Russian Segment) ventilation systems, Kornienko inspected & cleaned “Group A” ventilator fans & grilles in the SM (deferred from yesterday), then used his vacuum cleaner & soft brush to clean the detachable VT7 fan screens 1, 2 & 3 of the three SOTR gas-liquid heat exchangers (GZhT4) in the FGB (Funktsionalnyi-Grusovoi Blok).
Later in the day, Mikhail outfitted the MRM1 module with an air duct (VD, vozduchovodiy), installing it with its adapter on the module’s BVN air heater fan.
Meanwhile, Skvortsov performed the preventive cleaning on “Group B2” ventilation systems in the SM.
In the SM & FGB, the CDR also conducted an audit/inventory of RN manual pumps & BP safety units of the SM’s SVO-ZV water supply system, then removed the manual pump & safety unit installed in the SVO-ZV and replaced them with new spares from stowage. The old units were prepacked for disposal.
Tracy had about 2 hrs set aside for troubleshooting the OGS (Oxygen Generator System)’s delta-pressure sensor, and her labors proved to be successful.
[In Part 1 of the procedure, FE-2 removed the degraded recirculation pump ORU (Orbit Replaceable Unit) and installed a new pump ORU for an electrical verification of the new pressure sensor by MCC-Houston. Since the new sensor indicated a healthy recirculation loop pressure (i.e., negligible dP), Tracy completed the installation of the new ORU as per plan. If the recirculation loop pressure had remained bad with the new sensor, the original ORU would have been re-installed.] Tracy also checked N
2 (nitrogen) gas pressure inside MELFI (Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS)-1 & MELFI-2 for being within acceptable range.
For the subsequent ground-controlled leak check of a VES/VRS (Vacuum Exhaust System / Vacuum Resource System) umbilical, FE-2 mated the jumper to the VES “waste gas” QD (quick disconnect) at Lab loc. P4, with its other end plugged.
[The VES is the means by which users (payloads etc.) can easily access the vacuum of space.] Tracy also completed the T+5 day visual analysis & data recording of air samples collected by her on MAS (Microbial Air Sampling) Petri dishes on 6/4 for bacterial & fungal analysis from specific sampling locations in the SM, Node-1, Lab, JPM and Node-3.
[Incubation for bacterial & fungal growths is achieved by two different types of Petri dishes. After a 5-day incubation period, the air samples are then subjected to visual analysis & data recording.] The CDR conducted the routine daily servicing of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS) in the SM.
[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.] FE-3 performed the daily IMS (Inventory Management System) maintenance, updating/editing its standard “delta file” including stowage locations, for the regular weekly automated export/import to its three databases on the ground (Houston, Moscow, Baikonur).
Kornienko later completed another ~15-min. run of the GFI-8 "Uragan" (hurricane) earth-imaging program with the NIKON D3X digital camera with SIGMA AF 300-800mm telephotolens.
[Today’s target: oil slicks in the Gulf of Mexico). Later, Misha initiated charging of the battery of the KPT-2 Piren instrument for another run.
[Piren-B, a video-endoscope with pyrosensor, is part of the methods & means being used on ISS for detecting tiny leaks in ISS modules which could lead to cabin depressurization. Objective of the Russian KPT-12/EXPERT science payload is to measure environmental parameters (temperature, humidity, air flow rate) and module shell surface temperatures behind SM panels and other areas susceptible to possible micro-destruction (corrosion), before and after insolation (day vs. night). Besides Piren-B, the payload uses a remote infrared thermometer (Kelvin-Video), a thermohygrometer (Iva-6A), a heat-loss thermoanemometer/thermometer (TTM-2) and an ultrasound analyzer (AU) to determine environmental data in specific locations and at specific times. Activities include documentary photography with the NIKON D2X camera and flash.] After pointing the bracket-mounted VCA1 (Video Camera Assembly 1) in the COL to cover her activities for ground inspection, Tracy unpacked the ERB2 (European Recording Binocular 2) from the EDR (European Drawer Rack) and took it through a trial session with live ground support.
[Activities included connecting ERB2 and powering it on, calibrating the device with an optical target for subsequent check-ups of camera details by the ground, then using it to shoot experimental movie scenes in COL, recorded on the ERB2’s hard disk (135 min capacity).] Then, Caldwell-Dyson worked on the EHS TOCA (Environmental Health System Total Organic Carbon Analyzer), using a special procedure devised to recycle the currently installed WWB (Waste Water Bag) as a stop-gap/work-around to the lack of spare WWBs (which are either “lost” onboard or were inadvertently trashed).
[Tracy removed & replaced the TOCA buffer container, primed loops and QD-connected the old buffer to the WWB to allow its draining, thus restoring it for further use until the next spares shipment arrives on progress 39P on 9/10. TOCA is necessary for checking drinking water quality. Total Organic Carbon is naturally present in the environment and by itself has no health effects, but it provides a medium for the formation of disinfection byproducts which may be harmful and are removed along with the Total Organic Carbon.] In Node-3 (endcone), FE-2 installed an IWIS (Internal Wireless Instrumentation System) Accelerometer, with its RF antenna pointed toward the middle of the module.
[IWIS will be programmed later tonight by ground-commanding, using SSC-4 (Station Support Computer 4). Background: IWIS gathers data on structural dynamics in micro-G that cannot be obtained on the ground, for reducing conservatism in dynamic math models of ISS structure and forcing functions,. This would possibly allow relaxation of operational constraints that limit activities that cause structural loads (activities such as: crew-exercise, vehicle dockings, re-boost) and extension ISS life (15 years) through more accurate fatigue calculations. IWIS consists of a suite of software on the A31p SSC (Station Support Computer) laptops and four major hardware components: Strain Gauges, Accelerometers, Remote Sensor Unit (RSU), and Network Control Unit (NCU). Sensors are four 4 tri-axial accelerometers and eight strain gauges (only in Node-1). Each accelerometer needs one RSU and can be relocated if needed for better measurements. The NCU, which is also movable, provides RF (radio-frequency) interface between IWIS software and RSUs, as well as time synchronization for all RSU clocks in the network prior to data collection.] The crew completed today’s 2-hr. physical exercise protocol, working out on the TVIS treadmill (CDR, FE-3), ARED advanced resistive exerciser (CDR, FE-2), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (FE-2), and VELO ergometer bike with bungee cord load trainer (FE-3).
CEO (Crew Earth Observation) photo targets uplinked for today were
Rome, Italy (this target is on the CEO “Capitals and Cities of the World” site list. The population of Rome is estimated to be about 3.7 million. This ancient city can be located along the Tiber River. Overlapping images were requested), Victoria, Seychelles (Victoria is the capital city of the Republic of Seychelles. Victoria is located on the northeastern side of Mahe Island, the largest island of the archipelago. Overlapping mapping frames of the urban area were requested), Luanda, Angola (weather was predicted to be mostly clear for the capital city of Angola. The city is located on the Atlantic coastline of the country and is its chief seaport. Overlapping frames of the metropolitan area were requested), Gaborone, Botswana (this capital city of about 200,000 is located near the southeastern border of the country on the Notwane River. As ISS tracked southeastward over the northern hills of the Republic of South Africa, the crew was to aim slightly left of track for the city just north of a sizeable reservoir), St. Helena Island, Atlantic Ocean (HMS Beagle Site: Darwin and the Beagle arrive at St. Helena Island on July 8, 1836 and remained for 5 days to explore its geology. The crew was to begin looking for this target a little early, if possible. Due to its remoteness and small size [47 square miles], there are no visual cues of the island during the station’s approach except perhaps in the cloud pattern near the island), Mississippi Delta Region (looking under and right of track for the Mississippi Delta. Detailed overlapping mapping frames of the coastline and inlets were requested to track vegetation health and extent as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill event continues. There have been reports of oil reaching the beaches of Mississippi, Alabama and the panhandle of Florida, in addition to the beaches of Louisiana), and
Kingston, Jamaica (Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica and it is located in the southeastern coast of the island. Documenting land use and urban boundaries). ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 8:05am EDT [= epoch]) Mean altitude – 353.9 km
Apogee height – 360.1 km
Perigee height – 347.7 km
Period -- 91.62 min.
Inclination (to Equator) -- 51.65 deg
Eccentricity -- 0.0009192
Solar Beta Angle -- 3.7 deg (magnitude increasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day -- 15.72
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours – 39 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) – 66,226
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change): --------------
Three-crew operations-----------------
06/15/10 -- Soyuz TMA-19/23S launch –
Wheelock (CDR-25)/Walker/Yurchikhin (5:35pm EDT) 06/17/10 -- Soyuz TMA-19/23S docking (SM Aft)
(~6:25pm) --------------
Six-crew operations-----------------
06/28/10 -- Soyuz TMA-19/23S relocation
(SM Aft to MRM1 @ FGB nadir; 1:53pm-2:21pm) 06/30/10 -- Progress M-06M/38P launch
(870kg props, 50kg O2, 100kg H2O, 1210kg dry cargo) 07/02/10 -- Progress M-06M/38P docking
07/26/10 -- Russian EVA-25
(Yurchikhin/Kornienko) – MRM1 outfitting 08/05/10 -- US EVA-15
(Caldwell/Wheelock) 08/17/10 -- US EVA-16
(Caldwell/Wheelock) 09/07/10 -- Progress M-06M/38P undock
09/08/10 -- Progress M-07M/39P launch
09/10/10 -- Progress M-07M/39P docking
09/16/10 -- STS-133/Discovery launch (ULF5 – ELC4, PMM)
09/22/10 -- STS-133/Discovery undock
09/24/10 -- Soyuz TMA-18/22S undock/landing
(End of Increment 24) --------------
Three-crew operations-------------
10/08/10 -- Soyuz TMA-20/24S launch –
Kelly (CDR-26)/Kaleri/Skripochka 10/10/10 -- Soyuz TMA-20/24S docking
--------------
Six-crew operations-------------
10/26/10 -- Progress M-05M/37P undock
10/27/10 -- Progress M-08M/40P launch
10/29/10 -- Progress M-08M/40P docking
11/xx/10 -- STS-134/Endeavour (ULF6 – ELC3, AMS-02)
11/10/10 -- Russian EVA-26
11/17/10 – Russian EVA-27
11/26/10 -- Soyuz TMA-19/23S undock/landing
(End of Increment 25) --------------
Three-crew operations-------------
12/10/10 -- Soyuz TMA-21/25S launch –
Kondratyev (CDR-27)/Coleman/Nespoli 12/12/10 -- Soyuz TMA-21/25S docking
--------------
Six-crew operations-------------
12/15/10 -- Progress M-07M/39P undock
12/xx/10 -- Russian EVA-28
12/26/10 -- Progress M-08M/40P undock
12/27/10 -- Progress M-09M/41P launch
12/29/10 -- Progress M-09M/41P docking
03/16/11 -- Soyuz TMA-20/24S undock/landing
(End of Increment 26) --------------
Three-crew operations-------------
03/30/11 -- Soyuz TMA-22/26S launch –
A. Borisienko (CDR-28)/R, Garan/A.Samokutayev 04/01/11 -- Soyuz TMA-22/26S docking
--------------
Six-crew operations-------------
04/26/11 -- Progress M-09M/41P undock
04/27/11 -- Progress M-10M/42P launch
04/29/11 -- Progress M-10M/42P docking
05/16/11 -- Soyuz TMA-21/25S undock/landing
(End of Increment 27) --------------
Three-crew operations-------------
05/31/11 -- Soyuz TMA-23/27S launch –
M. Fossum (CDR-29)/S. Furukawa/S. Volkov 06/01/11 -- Soyuz TMA-23/27S docking
--------------
Six-crew operations-------------
06/21/11 -- Progress M-11M/43P launch
06/23/11 -- Progress M-11M/43P docking
08/30/11 -- Progress M-12M/44P launch
09/01/11 -- Progress M-12M/44P docking
09/16/11 – Soyuz TMA-22/26S undock/landing
(End of Increment 28)
--------------
Three-crew operations-------------
09/30/11 -- Soyuz TMA-24/28S launch
10/02/11 – Soyuz TMA-24/28S docking
--------------
Six-crew operations-------------
10/20/11 -- Progress M-10M/42P undocking
10/21/11 -- Progress M-13M/45P launch
10/23/11 -- Progress M-13M/45P docking
11/16/11 -- Soyuz TMA-23/27S undock/landing
(End of Increment 29) --------------
Three-crew operations-------------
11/30/11 -- Soyuz TMA-25/29S launch
12/02/11 -- Soyuz TMA-25/29S docking
--------------
Six-crew operations-------------
12/??/11 -- 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA – on Proton.
12/26/11 -- Progress M-13M/45P undock
01/xx/12 -- ATV-3 launch– Ariane 5 (ESA) U/R
