ISS On-Orbit Status 8 May 2003<br /><br /> All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously<br />or below. First medical tests for the new crew today.<br /><br />Before breakfast, both crewmembers completed their first session of the<br />periodic Russian medical experiment protocols PZEh-MO-7 (calf volume<br />measurement) and PZEh-MO-8 (body mass measurement). CDR Yuri Malenchenko<br />set up the MO-8 "scales" equipment and later broke it down and stowed it<br />away. [Calf measurements (left leg only) are taken with the IZOG device, a<br />custom-sewn fabric cuff that fits over the calf, using the knee and lower<br />foot as fixed reference points, to provide a rough index of deconditioning<br />in zero-G and effectiveness of countermeasures. For determining body ass in<br />zero-G, where things are weightless (but not massless), the Russian IM<br />"scales" measure the inertial forces that arise during the oscillatory<br />motion of a mass driven by two helical metering springs with known spring<br />constants. By measuring the time period of each oscillation of the unknown<br />mass (the crewmember) and comparing it to the period of a known mass, the<br />crewmember's mass is calculated by the computer and displayed].<br /><br />Also before breakfast, Malenchenko completed the periodic Russian MedOps<br />test "Hematocrit", measuring the red blood cell count (hematocrit) of his<br />blood. Science Officer Edward Lu assisted by performing the blood draw from<br />his finger with a perforator lancet. [The samples were then centrifuged in<br />two microcapillary tubes in the M-1100 kit's minicentrifuge and its<br />hematocrit value was read off the tubes with a magnifying glass. It is a<br />well-known phenomenon of space flight that red blood cell count (normal<br />range: 30-45%) tends to go down over time., probably as a function of (rich)<br />oxygen partial pressure in the onboard atmosphere.]<br /><br />Later in the day, Yuri Malenchenko performed his first biomedical "Pulse"<br />experiment, scheduled before his physical exercise. These MBI-9 tests are<br />done monthly. [Execution of the medical cardiological assessment is<br />controlled from the Russian payloads laptop 3 (see below), using a set<br />respiration rate (without forced or deep breaths) and synchronizing<br />respiration with computer-commanded "inhale" commands. Before the<br />experiment, arterial blood pressure is measured with the "Tensoplus"<br />sphygmomanometer. After the test, laptop 3 was to be reconfigured to its<br />original settings.]<br /><br />As part of regular (monthly) preventive maintenance of ISS ventilation<br />systems, Ed Lu worked an hour in the FGB (funktsionalnyi-grusovoi blok)<br />module for a thorough cleanup of the removable screens of its three GZhT<br />gas-liquid heat exchangers (done last by Budarin on 3/26).<br /><br />Also in the FGB/Zarya module, Malenchenko cleaned ventilation grilles behind<br />interior panels, while Lu cleaned up the protective mesh screens of the<br />module's ventilation fans.<br /><br />MCC-M/TsUP reported that laptop 3 in the Russian segment (RS) has failed and<br />is presently under analysis. [No critical functionality has been lost, but<br />since the laptop is used for a number of Russian payload operations, the<br />failure creates inconvenience for the crew in using alternate means.]<br /><br />Three other station laptops have exhibited problems this week. One had a<br />CMOS error and was successfully recovered. Instructions were uplinked for<br />troubleshooting the failed Service Module PCS (portable computer system), an<br />IBM 760XD laptop (#6060). [The test sequence, using a known good laptop and<br />some HDDs (hard disk drives), is designed to help determine which component<br />of the PCS prevented it from booting up correctly.]<br /><br />CDR Malenchenko tagged up with a ground expert at MCC-M/TsUP to discuss his<br />upcoming sessions with the Russian Diatomeya ocean bioproductivity observing<br />program.<br /><br />The crewmembers also tagged up with Russian specialists on the IMS<br />(inventory management system). [A prepared cargo table was uplinked to<br />assist Yuri and Ed with the unloading and logging of 6S/Soyuz-212 (TMA-2)<br />cargo, stowed both in the Orbital Module and Descent Module. Since all<br />scheduled activities aboard the ISS (R&Rs, installations) are also<br />pre-planned in the IMS plans, the crewmembers were asked to confirm or<br />change equipment entries listed in the IMS in accordance with last week's<br />activities.]<br /><br />Ed Lu performed the daily routine maintenance/inspection of SOZh life<br />support systems, which includes the ASU toilet facility, food containers<br />(KRP), water containers (EDV) and solid waste containers (KTO). Ed also<br />prepared the daily IMS delta file to update the IMS database.<br /><br />Yuri completed the regular inspection of the BIO-5 "Rasteniya-2/Lada-3"<br />(Plants-2) zero-G plant growth experiment and took pictures of the plants<br />(acacia-leaf peas). Later, he copied the accumulated photo/data files to a<br />floppy disk for transfer to the Russian laptop 3 and subsequent downlink via<br />Regul-Packet.<br /><br />The crew again had one hour set aside on their schedule for ISS<br />familiarization, i.e., to adjust to their new surroundings and activities<br /><br />Ed and Yuri also completed their daily physical exercise program, on TVIS<br />(treadmill with vibration isolation and stabilization), RED (resistive<br />exercise device), CEVIS (cycle ergometer with vibration isolation) and, for<br />Yuri, on the Russian VELO ergometer with load trainer. [TsUP uplinked the<br />standard restrictions recommended for use of the NS-1 load trainer. Its use<br />is limited by ISS structural constraints during crewmember workouts.<br />Prescribed are medium tempo (0.33 Hz, one full motion in three seconds) and<br />fast tempo (0.5 Hz, one full motion in two seconds), with medium tempo<br />allowed for rowing, lean forward/back and trunk flexing exercises, and fast<br />tempo for hammer throw and lower arm flexing/extending.]<br /><br />The crew reported that it encountered a problem with the RED aft canister<br />which, at a higher power setting, suddenly exhibited high resistance.<br />[While ground specialists are looking into the issue, the crew was advised<br />to stay below that setting. It is likely that the canister will be swapped<br />out for the time being, deferring disassembly and repair attempts to a later<br />date.]<br /><br />Regular TVIS inspection time will be increased to one hour next Monday<br />(5/12) to allow a closer look at the "frayed ropes" reported by the crew.<br />[For this purpose, the treadmill will have to be partially lifted out of the<br />Service Module "pit".]<br /><br />At 9:20am EDT, Malenchenko and Lu supported two interactive televised<br />interviews (Ku-band and S-band) on KXTV-TV, Sacramento, CA, and Channel One<br />News, Los Angeles, CA, each one lasting about nine minutes.<br /><br />The onboard File Server backup files are now on the ground, and Expedition 6<br />personal email files are being extracted for restoration.<br /><br />The Soyuz TMA-1 Descent Module has been returned to RSC-Energia in Korolev<br />near Moscow, and its flight data/voice recorder was found to be intact,<br />containing all its reentry data and voice records. The freshly appointed<br />commission has been given two weeks for the investigation, counting from<br />5/5.<br /><br />Today's CEO (crew earth observations) targets, including cities during<br />daylight and at night (again available as targets in the current LVLH<br />attitude) were Athens, Greece (nadir pass; ESC [electronic still camera]),<br />Eastern Mediterranean aerosols (pass from Greece to Sinai: looking left for<br />smog buildup), Nile River Delta (land use patterns are the center of<br />interest. Looking nadir and right for the new developments along the Suez<br />Canal), Cape Town, South Africa (looking left for South Africa's second<br />largest port; ESC), Midwest tornado damage (Dynamic event. Recent tornadoes<br />have killed ~40 people. Looking left for about two minutes for swaths, up<br />to a mile wide and 10-20 miles long, in Kansas and Missouri, oriented ENE),<br />Miami, Florida (nadir pass; ESC), Las Vegas, Nevada (nadir pass; ESC),<br />Phoenix, Arizona (nadir pass; ESC), Tucson, Arizona (nadir pass; ESC), Lake<br />Poopo, Bolivia (handheld images suggest that Lake Poopo is a proxy for<br />precipitation in the high, dry Andes. Lake levels tend to drop during El<br />Niños and should therefore be approaching their lowest as the present El<br />Niño winds down), and El Paso, Texas (city at night; nadir and a touch<br />right). http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov and http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov<br /><br />U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 1:25pm EST).<br /><br />Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):<br /><br />Elektron O2 generator is powered On (24 Amp mode). Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is<br />On (manual mode 3). U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is Off. TCCS (trace contaminant<br />control subsystem) is operating. MCA (major constituents analyzer) is<br />operating. BMP Harmful Impurities unit: absorbent bed #1 in Purify mode,<br />bed #2 in Purify mode. RS air conditioner SKV-1 is On; SKV-2 is Off.<br /><br /><br />SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 742; temperature (deg C) --<br />27.8; ppO2 (mmHg) -- data invalid; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- data invalid.<br />SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 751; temperature (deg C) --<br />19.8.<br />FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) -- 744; temperature (deg C) -- 21.0.<br />Node: Pressure (mmHg) -- 740.71; temperature (deg C) -- 22.2 (shell); ppO2<br />(mmHg) -- 170.1; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- 3.3.<br />U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) -- 743.00; temperature (deg C) -- 22.4; ppO2<br />(mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- n/a.<br />Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) -- 743.10; temperature (deg<br />C) -- 22.0; shell heater temp (deg C) -- 22.8, ppO2 (mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2<br />(mmHg) -- n/a.<br />PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 23.6<br />PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 20.7<br /><br />(n/a = data not available)<br /><br />Propulsion System (PS):<br /><br />Total propellant load available: 3607 kg (7952 lb) as of 5/1 [SM(774) +<br />FGB(2581) + Progress(252)]. (Capability: SM -- 860 kg; FGB -- 6120 kg).<br /><br />Electrical Power Systems (EPS):<br /><br />Both P6 channels fully operational. BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B<br />both in directed position (Blind mode, non solar-tracking, drag reduction).<br /><br /><br />SM batteries: Battery #4 is disconnected, in stand-alone ops; battery #2 in<br />"Cycle" mode; all other batteries (6) are in "Partial Charge" mode.<br />FGB batteries: Battery #5 is disconnected; all other batteries (5) are in<br />"Partial Charge" mode.<br />Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 and PCU-2 both in Standby mode.<br /><br />Command & Data Handling Systems:<br /><br />C&C-1 MDM is prime, C&C-2 is back-up, and C&C-3 is in standby.<br />GNC-1 MDM is prime; GNC-2 is Backup.<br />INT-1 is operating; INT-2 is Off.<br />EXT-2 is On (primary), EXT-1 is Off (both now upgraded to R3).<br />LA-1, LA-2 and LA-3 MDMs are all operating.<br />PL-2 MDM is On (primary); PL-1 MDM is Off<br />APS-1 (automated payload switch #1) and APS-2 are both On.<br />SM Terminal Computer (TVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational. Being<br />upgraded.<br />SM Central Computer (TsVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational. Being<br />upgraded.<br /><br />Attitude Control Systems:<br /><br />3 CMGs on-line (CMG-1 failed).<br />State vector source -- U.S. SIGI-1 (GPS)<br />Attitude source -- U.S. SIGI-1 (GPS)<br />Angular rate source -- RGA-2<br /><br />Flight Attitude:<br /><br />LVLH (local vertical/local horizontal = "earth-fixed": z-axis in local<br />vertical, x-axis in velocity vector [yaw: -10 deg, pitch: -7.2 deg, roll: 0<br />deg]), with CMG/TA (thruster assist) Momentum Management.<br />Solar Beta angle: 14.7 deg (magnitude increasing).<br /><br />Communications & Tracking Systems:<br /><br />FGB MDM-1 is powered Off; FGB MDM-2 is operational.<br />All other Russian communications & tracking systems are nominal.<br />S-band is operating nominally.<br />Ku-band is operating nominally.<br />Audio subsystem operating nominally.<br />Video subsystem operating nominally (VTR1 is operable again; VTR2 in<br />troubleshooting).<br />HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.<br /><br />Robotics:<br /><br />SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at MBS PDGF #1 with Keep Alive (KA) power on both<br />strings.<br />MBS: KA power on both strings.<br />MT: latched at WS4, with KA power.<br />POA: KA power on both strings.<br />RWS (robotics workstations): Lab RWS is Off; Cupola RWS is Off.<br /><br />ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 7:55am EDT [= epoch]):<br /><br />Mean altitude -- 390.2 km<br />Apogee -- 394.6 km<br />Perigee -- 385.8 km<br />Period -- 92.36 min.<br />Inclination (to Equator) -- 51.63 deg<br />Eccentricity -- 0.0006636<br />Orbits per 24-hr. day -- 15.59<br />Solar Beta Angle: 14.7 deg (magnitude increasing)<br />Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours -- 110 m<br />Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. '98) -- 25481<br />For more on ISS orbit and worldwide naked-eye visibility dates/times, see<br />http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/viewing/issvis.html