NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

ISS On-Orbit Status 09/17/10

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

At wake-up, FE-3 Kornienko conducted the regular daily early-morning check of the aerosol filters at the Russian Elektron O₂ generator which Maxim Suraev 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-3 again inspects the filters before bedtime tonight, currently a daily requirement per plan, with photographs to be taken if the filter packing is discolored.]

Also upon wake-up, FE-2 Caldwell-Dyson & FE-4 Wheelock performed a new session with the RST/Reaction Self Test (Psychomotor Vigilance Self Test on the ISS) protocol. [The RST is done 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-6 Shannon Walker & Doug Wheelock performed the first liquid saliva collection of the INTEGRATED IMMUNE protocol. The samples were stored at ambient temperature. The liquid saliva collections are being performed every other day, for the next six days, with the final collection performed on the morning of the subjects’ blood draw. [INTEGRATED IMMUNE (Validating Procedures for Monitoring Crew member Immune Function) samples & analyzes participant’s blood, urine, and saliva before, during and after flight for changes related to functions like bone metabolism, oxidative damage and immune function to develop and validate an immune monitoring strategy consistent with operational flight requirements and constraints. The strategy uses both long and short duration crewmembers as study subjects. The saliva is collected in two forms, dry and liquid. The dry samples are collected at intervals during the collection day using a specialized book that contains filter paper. The liquid saliva collections require that the crewmember soak a piece of cotton inside their mouth and place it in a salivette bag; there are four of the liquid collections during docked operations. The on-orbit blood samples are collected right before undocking and returned to the ground so that analysis can occur with 48 hours of the sampling. This allows assays that quantify the function of different types of white blood cells and other active components of the immune system. Blood samples are secured in the MELFI (Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). Also included are entries in a fluid/medications intact log, and a stress-test questionnaire to be filled out by the subject at begin and end. Urine is collected during a 24-hour period, conventionally divided into two twelve-hour phases: morning-evening and evening-morning.]

Later, Walker also completed the visual T+2 Days (44 ± 4h) microbial (bacterial & fungal) analysis of SM (Service Module) & PWD (Potable Water Dispenser) water samples collected by her on 9/15 for the “Week 27” assessment, using the WMK MCD (Water Microbiology Kit / Microbial Capture Devices) for microbial traces, and the CDB (Coliform Detection Bag) for inflight coliform indications (Magenta for Positive, Yellow for Negative).

Alex Skvortsov set up the Russian DZZ-12 RUSALKA (“Mermaid”) hardware at SM window #9 for another sun-glint observation session, using the hand-held spectrometer (without use of the TIUS three-stage rate sensor), synchronized with the coaxially mounted NIKON D2X camera for taking snapshots, and later downloaded the data to laptop RS1 for subsequent downlink via OCA. [RUSALKA is a micro spectrometer for collecting detailed information on observed spectral radiance in the near IR (Infrared) waveband for measurement of greenhouse gas concentrations in the Earth atmosphere.]

Later, Skvortsov & Kornienko retreated for two hours into the Soyuz 22S spacecraft’s SA Descent Module to conduct the Soyuz descent drill, a standard training exercise for every crew returning on a Soyuz. Results of the exercise, which strictly forbids any command activation (except for switching the InPU display), were subsequently reported to ground control at TsUP/Moscow. [The session includes a review of the pertinent ODFs (operational data files), specifically the books on Soyuz Ascent & Descent Procedures, Emergency Descents, and Off-Nominal Situations, crew responsibilities when executing the flight program, visual crew recognition of SUS (Entry Control System) failures, spacesuit procedures, etc., with special emphasis on operations with the Neptune-ME cockpit console. The training uses a Descent Simulator application (Trenasher Spusk =”descent trainer”) on the RSK1 laptop. During the actual descent, Skvortsov, as Soyuz CDR, will occupy the middle couch, with Kornienko in the left & Caldwell-Dyson in the right Kazbek couch. Pending the final State Commission decision at about 3.5h before undocking, 22S return is expected on 9/24 (next Friday).]

The six-member crew joined for the important 2-hr Crew Safety Handover (peredacha del po bezopasnosti), to familiarize them with procedures and escape routes in case of an emergency, and to clarify emergency roles & responsibilities as ISS command is handed over from Skvortsov to Wheelock next Wednesday, 9/22, for Increment 25, and the slots of FE-2, FE-3 & FE-4 are temporarily left unoccupied. CDR Skvortsov went through formally listed procedures in discussing the ISS prime to non-prime crew emergency roles & responsibility agreements established during ground training. [Safety is of primary concern on board. Safety Handover includes safety-related items such as (1) emergency actions, equipment and individual crew roles & responsibilities for the four hazard areas (depressurization, fire, ammonia release, non-ammonia toxic release), (2) visiting vehicles docking/undocking, (3) evacuation vehicles, (4) crew life support system status, (5) computers, (6) communications, (7) medical equipment & provisions, (8) stowage, (9) IVA hazards (e.g., sharp edges, protrusions, touch temperatures) and (10) stowage and current hardware status. Aboard the station are 2 potential sources of Toxic Level 4-chemicals (external thermal loops; Vozdukh) and 7 Tox-2 sources such as Elektron, METOX cans, LiOH cans and batteries.]

In COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory), Shannon finished up on the extensive assembly and installation of the MARES (Muscle Atrophy Resistive Exercise System) payload hardware, assisted by Wheels. [Steps today included setting up the VCA (Video Camera Assembly) and digital still camera to support documentary video & photography, installing the VIF (Vibration Isolation Frame) onto the MARES Rack, preparing & cabling the PIU (Power Interface Unit), performing power verification, finally disconnecting and stowing the equipment. Background: The ESA MARES will be used for research on musculoskeletal, biomechanical, and neuromuscular human physiology to better understand the effects of microgravity on the muscular system. MARES hardware comprises an adjustable chair and human restraint system, a pantograph (an articulated arm supporting the chair, used to properly position the user), a direct drive motor, associated electronics and experiment programming software, a linear adapter that translates motor rotation into linear movements, and a vibration isolation frame. It is capable of supporting measurements & exercise on seven different human joints, encompassing nine different angular movements, as well as two additional linear movements (arms and legs). It is considerably more advanced than current ground-based medical dynamometers (devices used to measure force or torque) and a vast improvement over existing ISS muscle research facilities. MARES may be used together with an associated device called the PEMS II (Percutaneous Electrical Muscle Stimulator II).]

Also in COL, Tracy Caldwell-Dyson returned to the ESA BLB (Biolab), supporting ground-commanded run-in tests of the ATCS (Automatic Temperature Controlled Stowage) areas 1 & 2 by first introducing, then removing thermal masses for temperature checks.

Tracy’s originally scheduled FIR/ARIS (Fluid Integrated Rack / Active Rack Isolation System) testing support today was deferred due a hardware issue that occurred yesterday. [During the adjustment of the ARIS snubber cups, an engage/disengage handle broke off. Currently the other three alignment guides remain installed, rendering the rack in a safe configuration. The remaining activities were deferred pending engineering analysis.]

FE-4 Doug Wheelock set up the MPC (Multi-Protocol Converter) and played back/downlinked the Space Bottle (Message in a Bottle) footage recorded by FE-6 Walker on 9/14. Later, MPC was switched off again.

Wheels conducted another deployment of four passive FMK (Formaldehyde Monitoring Kit) sampling assemblies in the Lab (at bay P3, below CEVIS) and SM (at the most forward handrail, on panel 307) for two days, to catch any atmospheric formaldehyde on a collector substrate for subsequent analysis on the ground. [The deployment was originally scheduled on 9/15 but deferred pending the unpacking of fresh FMKs from Progress 39S. Two monitors each are usually attached side by side, preferably in an orientation with their faces perpendicular to the direction of air flow.]

FE-5 Yurchikhin’s had another 2.5 hrs set aside on his timeline to continue his extensive work on three Orlan-M spacesuits (#4, #5, #6), removing & replacing their PO-5 display panels.

Afterwards, Fyodor went about the ISS interior shooting more onboard video with the SONY HVR-Z7E camcorder for the Roskosmos TV Studio and TV Channel Telenyanya (TV baby-sitter), a joint children production dedicated to space, with Fyodor providing regular weekly segments. Misha assisted in today’s shooting.

With Yurchikhin taking documentary photography, Mikhail Kornienko terminated the last run of the BTKh-14/BIOEMULSIYA experiment, deactivating the KT Container & inserting Bioreactor #02 in KRIOGEM-03 (at +4 degC) for safekeeping. [The Bioemulsion experiment is developing faster technologies for obtaining microorganism biomass and biologically active substance biomass for creating highly efficient environmentally pure bacteria, enzymes, and medicinal/pharmaceutical preparations.]

Caldwell-Dyson serviced the DECLIC (Device for the Study of Critical Liquids & Crystallization) experiment in ER4 (EXPRESS Rack 4) by swapping the HTI (High Temperature Insert) in the EXL (Experiment Locker) with the DSI (Directional Solidification Insert) and activating it, and then replacing the RHDD (Removable Hard Disk Drive) in the DECLIC ELL (Electronics Locker) with a new one.

At ~4:10am Yurchikhin linked up with TsUP/Moscow stowage specialists via S-band to conduct the weekly RS IMS (Inventory Management System) tagup, discussing inventory & stowage issues, equipment locations and cargo transfers.

Later, FE-5 had about an hour for cargo transfers & unpacking from Progress 39P, based on the IMS database. FE-2 also dedicated some 55 min for 39P cargo transfers.

Wheelock installed the alignment guides on the CIR (Combustion Integrated Rack) to lock down PaRIS (Passive Rack Isolation System) for protection from external loading events.

Kornienko did the daily IMS maintenance by 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).

Mikhail also completed 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.]

In support of ground-commanded payload ops, FE-6 Walker configured the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) for Standby and powered down the MSG A31p laptop after Go from POIC.

Before crew sleep time, Wheelock will have another PanOptic eye test which requires application of eye drops (Tropicamide [Mydriacyl]) causing eye dilation for subsequent ophthalmic examination which will be performed on Wheels by Caldwell-Dyson 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.]

Tracy, Sasha & Misha again had an hour each set aside for personal crew departure preparations, standard pre-return procedures for crewmembers.

At ~3:55am EDT, the entire crew held the regular (nominally weekly) tagup with the Russian Flight Control Team (GOGU/Glavnaya operativnaya gruppa upravleniya), including Shift Flight Director (SRP), at TsUP-Moscow via S-band/audio, phone-patched from Houston and Moscow.

At ~10:05am, the crew had their regular weekly tagup with the Lead Flight Director at JSC/MCC-Houston.

At ~1:45pm, FE-2 Caldwell-Dyson held her periodic IMS teleconference with stowage experts at MCC-Houston to discuss stowage and IMS particulars.

The crew completed today’s 2-hr. physical workout protocol on the CEVIS cycle ergometer with vibration isolation (FE-2, FE-4), TVIS treadmill (CDR, FE-3, FE-5), ARED advanced resistive exerciser (CDR, FE-2, FE-3, FE-4, FE-6), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (FE-6) and VELO ergometer bike with bungee cord load trainer (FE-5). [T2 snubber arm inspection is no longer needed after the last T2 session of the day but is now regularly being done once a week after the last T2 session.]

PAS-4 Checkout: Ground controllers were to conduct a remote-controlled checkout of the PAS-4 (Payload Attach System 4), located on the S3 truss, lower inboard, at ~11:45am EDT, using the S1 lower inboard camera for monitoring. No crew involvement required.

CEO (Crew Earth Observation) photo targets uplinked for today were Aral Sea (weather was predicted to be clear over the Aral Sea region. Overlapping frames of the Sea taken with a short lens provided useful context for the recent higher resolution imagery from ISS CEO), Paramaribo, Suriname (ISS had mostly clear weather and a nadir-viewing overpass of this capital city. Paramaribo is located near the South American coastline on the Suriname River. Overlapping frames of the urban area were requested), Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (looking to the left of track for the capital city of the Dominican Republic. The city is located on the southern coastline of the island of Hispaniola, on the mouth of the Ozama River. Overlapping frames of the urban and surrounding rural areas were requested), Hurricane Igor, Atlantic Ocean (Dynamic Event. Hurricane Igor remains a large, powerful storm that is currently predicted to pass over or close by Bermuda. Looking to the right of track for the center of the storm; there should have been a well-formed eye visible), and Hurricane Karl, Gulf of Mexico (Dynamic Event. Current information suggested that Karl will have reached hurricane strength by the time of ISS approach. Looking to the left of track for the storm in the Bay of Campeche. The storm is likely to be compact and exhibiting well-formed outflow banding and an eye).

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
--------------Six-crew operations-----------------
09/23/10 -- Soyuz TMA-18/22S undock – 9:34pm EDT (End of Increment 24; CDR-25 – Wheelock)
09/24/10 -- Soyuz TMA-18/22S landing – 12:55am EDT (local Kazakhstan: 10:55am)
09/24/10 – Tracy Caldwell-Dyson returns to Houston by direct flight from Kazakhstan
--------------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
11/01/10 -- STS-133/Discovery launch (ULF5 – ELC4, PMM) ~4:33pm EDT
11/12/10 -- Russian EVA-26
11/17/10 -- Russian EVA-27
11/30/10 -- Soyuz TMA-19/23S undock/landing (End of Increment 25)
--------------Three-crew operations-------------
12/14/10 -- Soyuz TMA-21/25S launch – Kondratyev (CDR-27)/Coleman/Nespoli
12/16/10 -- Soyuz TMA-21/25S docking
--------------Six-crew operations-------------
12/20/10 -- Progress M-07M/39P undock
01/24/10 -- Progress M-08M/40P undock
01/28/10 -- Progress M-09M/41P launch
01/31/10 -- Progress M-09M/41P docking
02/xx/10 -- Russian EVA-28
02/26/11 -- STS-134/Endeavour (ULF6 – ELC3, AMS-02) ~4:19pm EDT – “target”
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/xx/10 -- Russian EVA-29
05/16/11 -- Soyuz TMA-21/25S undock/landing (End of Increment 27)
--------------Three-crew operations-------------
05/30/11 -- 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
08/29/11 -- Progress M-11M/43P undocking
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 – D.Burbank (CDR-30)/A.Shkaplerov/A.Ivanishin
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 – O.Kononenko (CDR-31)/A.Kuipers/D.Pettit
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
03/14/12 -- Soyuz TMA-24/28S undock/landing (End of Increment 30)
--------------Three-crew operations-------------
03/26/12 -- Soyuz TMA-26/30S launch – G.Padalka (CDR-32)/J.Acaba/K.Valkov
03/28/12 -- Soyuz TMA-26/30S docking
--------------Six-crew operations----------------
05/15/12 -- Soyuz TMA-25/29S undock/landing (End of Increment 31)
--------------Three-crew operations-------------
05/29/12 – Soyuz TMA-27/31S launch – S.Williams (CDR-33)/Y.Malenchenko/A.Hoshide
05/31/12 – Soyuz TMA-27/31S docking
--------------Six-crew operations----------------
09/09/12 -- Soyuz TMA-26/30S undock/landing (End of Increment 32)
--------------Three-crew operations-------------
09/23/12 -- Soyuz TMA-28/32S launch – K.Ford (CDR-34)/O. Novitskiy/E.Tarelkin
09/25/12 – Soyuz TMA-28/32S docking
--------------Six-crew operations-------------
10/07/12 -- Soyuz TMA-27/31S undock/landing (End of Increment 33)
--------------Three-crew operations-------------
11/xx/12 -- Soyuz TMA-29/33S launch – C.Hadfield (CDR-35)/T.Mashburn/R.Romanenko
11/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-29/33S docking
--------------Six-crew operations-------------
03/xx/12 -- Soyuz TMA-28/32S undock/landing (End of Increment 34)
--------------Three-crew operations-------------
03/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-30/34S launch.
03/xx/12 – Soyuz TMA-30/34S docking
--------------Six-crew operations-------------