ISS On-Orbit Status 3/13/03<br /><br />All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously<br />or below.<br /><br />Last night's reboost by Progress was nominal. As the first of two Progress<br />dynamic tests, the firing of the DPO manifold #1 (four thrusters) began at<br />5:58pm EST, for a duration of 10 minutes. It produced a delta-V of 1.31<br />m/sec (predicted: 1.39), resulting in an altitude increase of 2.34 km/1.46<br />s.mi. (predicted: 2.48 km/1.55 s.mi.). [Being an apogee burn, it raised<br />perigee (by 4 km) and left apogee essentially unchanged; this lowered the<br />eccentricity (ellipticity) of the orbit, i.e., made it more circular. The<br />test of the second 4-thruster manifold is scheduled for tonight at 6:37pm<br />EST (delta-V: ~0.31 m/sec; delta-altitude: ~0.54 km). The cyclogram for its<br />automated command sequence has already been uplinked, and flight attitude<br />handover from U.S. to Russian motion control system (MCS) is set for 2:55pm.<br />The thruster tests are conducted in Mode 1, i.e., using propellants from the<br />Progress M's resupply tanks (SD).]<br /><br />After crew wake-up (1:00am) and morning preps, FE-1 Nikolai Budarin<br />performed his daily routine inspection of the Russian BIO-5<br />Rasteniya-2/Lada-2 plant growth experiment. [Today's activity included<br />execution of programmed cyclogram steps of watering the substrate in the<br />growth tray, setting cultivation mode, and storing data, followed by<br />photoimage recording. The data were then downlinked and discussed in a<br />tag-up with a ground specialist.]<br /><br />Afterwards, Budarin moved to the FGB for another round of the periodic<br />cleaning of protective mesh screens of Zarya's ventilation fans, a one-hour<br />preventive maintenance job.<br /><br />Next, Nikolai worked several hours in the Service Module (SM), inspecting<br />and photo-documenting its quartz-glass window #9 in the frustum section<br />between compartments (facing toward Earth and used for science). [Objective<br />of the inspection, using digital still camera and voice recorder, is to<br />assess the pane surfaces for any changes (new cavities, scratches, new or<br />expanded old stains or discolorations affecting transparency properties)<br />since the last inspection, performed by Nikolai on 1/13/03. The new<br />assessment will be compared to the earlier observations. Budarin had extra<br />time reserved to study and rehearse uplinked procedures for measuring new<br />visible defects on the window, where 16 have so far been identified<br />(millimeter range). Defects are measured with the parallax method which uses<br />eyeball-sighting with a ruler and a right isosceles triangle to determine<br />the formations' size and position with respect to the window's internal<br />surface (parallax being the apparent change in an object's position<br />resulting from changing the observer's position).]<br /><br />CDR Ken Bowersox and FE-2/SO Don Pettit conducted the third Robotics<br />operations since last week, after connecting the DCP (display & control<br />panel) cable for both the Lab and Cupola RWS (robotics workstation), today<br />once more surveying the S1 truss segment. [Last week's S1 RBVM (radiator<br />beam valve module) survey showed two additional QD (quick disconnect)<br />thermal protection "booties" as possibly being open. Bowersox and Pettit<br />today "walked" the SSRMS (space station remote manipulator system) to the<br />MBS PDGF1 (mobile base system/power data grapple fixture #1) and maneuvered<br />the arm to two viewing positions to inspect these booties (one was found to<br />be OK, the other remains indeterminate), followed by a general survey of the<br />RBVMs and two checkouts of the Tip LEE (latching end effector). At the end,<br />the SSRMS was back at the Lab PDGF, positioned for viewing the upcoming<br />stage EVA #2.]<br /><br />Pettit completed another installment of the continuing MSG (Microgravity<br />Science Glovebox) troubleshooting, which he has been supporting by repeated<br />rotations of the MSG rack and reconnecting cables at its electronics box<br />(E-Box). [Once again, early analysis showed no off-nominal current draw on<br />the ESEM3 (exchangeable standard electronic module 3) after yesterday's<br />re-installation of the P112 and P113 connectors. Today, Pettit re-installed<br />only one plug, P116, which powers an E-Box daughter board. This leaves only<br />one last connector to re-install (P117). The putative fault has yet to show<br />itself. The final cable re-connection will be made tomorrow, and while the<br />rack is rotated with the back panel off, Pettit is to change out the failed<br />left MSG fan. The procedure is simple and short (approx. 15 min.), and the<br />rack will be powered off during this time.]<br /><br />Bowersox and Pettit recorded their weekly HMS FFQ (health maintenance<br />systems/food frequency questionnaire), a special software log on the medical<br />equipment computer to track nutritional intake.<br /><br />Budarin conducted the weekly inspection of the BRPK air/condensate separator<br />of the SRVK water processing system. The BRPK-1 is scheduled for replacement<br />with a new unit tomorrow. [The separator contains porous Cermet hydrophilic<br />(water attracting) tubes through which the gas-liquid mixture from the heat<br />exchanger moves. They separate the air from the condensate, but when the<br />separator exceeds its service life or is malfunctioning, incomplete<br />separation of the atmospheric condensate occurs, and the water then collects<br />under the "sheet" of porous fluoroplastic. This is the main focus of the<br />regular BRPK inspection and their frequent replacement.]<br /><br />Nikolai also completed the daily routine maintenance of the SM's SOZh life<br />support system, including ASU toilet facilities. Later. he prepared the<br />daily "delta" file of the IMS (inventory management system) database.<br /><br />The GNC R3 software patch #2 was successfully loaded into both the primary<br />and backup GNC (guidance, navigation & control) MDMs last night. Preliminary<br />data indicate that the software is working properly. [Attitude control was<br />resumed by USOS (U.S. segment) at 6:41pm EST after the reboost maneuver. The<br />current navigation configuration has GPS1 (global positioning system #1)<br />providing state vector and attitude data to the U.S. MCS, while Russian<br />segment (RS) data is prime for attitude rate. If performance with the new<br />patch continues to be nominal, ISS control will soon return to a<br />configuration that uses rate data provided by USOS RGA (rate gyro<br />assembly).]<br /><br />All crewmembers performed their daily physical exercise program on RED<br />(resistive exercise device), TVIS (treadmill with vibration isolation and<br />stabilization), CEVIS (cycle ergometer with vibration isolation) and VELO<br />with load trainer. [MCC-H specialists are looking at a suggestion by the CDR<br />to use a spare HDD (hard disk drive) as a possible replacement for the<br />failed hard drive in the CEVIS control panel.]<br /><br />A procedure has been uplinked for installing new alkaline batteries in the<br />CDM (carbon dioxide monitor) and CSA-CP (compound specific<br />analyzer-combustion products) battery packs. [These batteries can be used<br />with CDM, but CSA-CP requires specialcertification for alkaline batteries<br />(which should be completed by the end-March) and for now is using only<br />lithium batteries.]<br /><br />For the popular CEO (crew earth observations program), the daily targeting<br />now includes several "cities at night" targets, as per crew request, since<br />right now there are few daylight opportunities for the traditional sites.<br />Today's CEO targets were Las Vegas, Nevada (City at Night. High pressure in<br />this area should have given the crew relatively clear view of "Lost Wages".<br />The city was slightly left of track. Las Vegas and Perth were the two best<br />"Cities at Night" opportunities), Perth, Australia (City at Night. Perth,<br />the city that turned its lights on at night for John Glenn during his<br />Mercury flight should have been free of clouds. Perth was slightly left of<br />track), Lower Amazon River Basin (crew was to look right of track for the<br />massive Amazon delta. There were probably some clouds, but this area is<br />seldom cloud-free. The Brazilian government is very interested in images of<br />the delta. Of particular interest are the sediment plumes, direction and<br />density; and the documentation of growth of the islands in the delta),<br />Xianggang (Hong Kong), China (City at Night - This could have been the first<br />image of Hong Kong at night in the team's database. The ISS orbit track<br />should have taken the crew directly over the city), Tropical Cyclone Kalunde<br />(Dynamic Event Site Tropical cyclone Kalunde is moving southwestward at 40<br />knots. Maximum sustained winds at 100 knots, gusting to 125 knots), Dhaka,<br />Bangladesh (City at Night - Clouds should clear by the time of your pass.<br />This city is somewhat problematic to locate during the day, should be easier<br />for the crew to see at night), Cape Town, South Africa (City at Night - Cape<br />Town, at the very southern tip of Africa, should be at nice night target.<br />The city was to the left of the ground track), Patagonian Glaciers (the<br />glaciers won't have been entirely cloud free, but the crew may have been<br />able to see some of them between the clouds. Looking for highly detailed<br />imagery of the glaciers as the season changes from spring to summer), and<br />Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (City at Night - There were be clouds during the day<br />but they should have burned off by night. This city may have been<br />photographed at night before by ISS, but since this type of imagery is so<br />unique, repeat images are desirable).<br />CEO images can be viewed at the websites<br /><br />http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov and<br />http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov<br /><br />U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 1:22pm EST).<br /><br />Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):<br />Elektron O2 generator is powered On (24 Amp mode). Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is<br />On (Manual mode 5). 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; bed<br />#2 in Purify mode. RS air conditioner SKV-1 is On; SKV-2 is Off.<br /><br />SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 753; temperature (deg C) -- 25.7;<br />ppO2 (mmHg) -- 184.0; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- 2.5 (suspect).<br />SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 751; temperature (deg C) --<br />20.3.<br />FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) -- 752; temperature (deg C) -- 20.0.<br />Node: Pressure (mmHg) -- 743.25; temperature (deg C) -- 22.8 (shell); ppO2<br />(mmHg) -- 171.0; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- 4.4.<br />U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) -- 744.61; temperature (deg C) -- 21.8; ppO2<br />(mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- n/a;<br />Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) -- 744.72; temperature (deg<br />C) -- 20.9; shell heater temp (deg C) -- 22.0, ppO2 (mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2<br />(mmHg) -- n/a.<br />PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 23.0<br />PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 20.5<br />(n/a = data not available)<br /><br />Propulsion System (PS):<br />Total propellant load available [SM(820) + FGB(2746) + Progress(576)] --<br />4142 kg (9132 lb) as of 3/6/03. (Capability: SM -- 860 kg; FGB -- 6120 kg).<br /><br />Electrical Power Systems (EPS):<br />Both P6 channels fully operational. Beta Gimbal Assembly (BGA) 2B and 4B<br />both in dual-angle directed position (eclipse drag reduction configuration,<br />"night glider").<br />SM batteries: All batteries (8) are in "Partial Charge" mode.<br />FGB batteries: Batteries #2 is off line; 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 />C&C-1 MDM is prime, C&C-2 is back-up, and C&C-3 is in standby.<br />GNC-2 MDM is prime; GNC-1 is Backup.<br />INT-1 is operating; INT-2 is Off.<br />EXT-1 is On (primary), EXT-2 is Off.<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): 2 redundant lanes (of 3) operational. Lane 1 is<br />out of the set (as of 11/14/02).<br />SM Central Computer (TsVM): 2 redundant lanes (of 3) operational. Lane 1 is<br />out of the set (as of 3/2/03).<br /><br />Attitude Control Systems:<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 -- Russian.<br /><br />Flight Attitude:<br />LVLH TEA (local vertical/local horizontal = "earth-fixed": z-axis in local<br />vertical, x-axis in velocity vector [yaw: -10 deg, pitch: -9.1 deg, roll: 0<br />deg]), with CMG/ TA (thruster assist) Momentum Management).<br />Solar Beta Angle: 22.7 deg (magnitude increasing).<br /><br />Communications & Tracking Systems:<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).<br />HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.<br /><br />Robotics:<br />SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at Lab PDGF 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, 6:42am EST [= epoch]):<br />Mean altitude -- 390.8 km<br />Apogee -- 396.9 km<br />Perigee -- 384.8 km<br />Period -- 92.37 min.<br />Inclination (to Equator) -- 51.63 deg<br />Eccentricity -- 0.000895<br />Orbits per 24-hr. day -- 15.59<br />Solar Beta Angle: 22.7 deg (magnitude increasing)<br />Mean altitude gain in last 24 hours -- 2140 m<br />Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. '98) -- 24607<br /><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