ISS On-Orbit Status 1 March 2004<br /><br /> All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously<br />or below. Underway: Week 19 of Increment 8.<br /><br />The crew had a "light-duty" schedule today.<br /><br />After wakeup (1:00am EST) and morning inspection, FE Alexander Kaleri did a<br />quick routine check in the DC-1 "Pirs" docking module, conducting his fifth<br />regular (monthly) inspection of AZS circuit breakers on the BVP Amp Switch<br />Panel -- they should all be On -- and the LEDs (light-emitting diodes) of<br />the 14 fuses in Fuse Panels BPP-30 & BPP-36 (last time done: 2/2).<br /><br />Later, Kaleri worked on the Elektron O2 generator, changing out three cables<br />from the BZh Liquid Unit to the newly installed (1/22) BSSK Signal & Command<br />Matching Unit between the Elektron and the station's BITS 2-12 onboard<br />telemetry measurement system. The Elektron was then activated and is<br />currently still operating nominally. Total atmospheric cabin pressure this<br />morning was 730 mmHg (torr), with 148-mmHg ppO2. [After the installation<br />of the new nitrogen purge unit (BPA-M) yesterday, three more troubleshooting<br />steps are scheduled on recommendation from the special Russian Commission<br />currently looking into the Elektron failures: (a) a nitrogen purge of the<br />internal BZh lines, planned for tomorrow, (b) a pressure check on the BZh on<br />Wednesday (3/3), and (c) an adjustment of the Elektron control algorithm,<br />resetting (lowering) the limit pressure that triggers micropump failure<br />(currently 0.65 atm, with an excursion last Saturday to 0.75 atm, i.e., 0.1<br />atm margin). According to TsUP, Step (c) has not been tried before. Should<br />these steps fail to stabilize Elektron operation, the Commission has the<br />option of recommending replacement of the BZh.]<br /><br />CDR/SO Michael Foale performed the regular SOZh life support systems<br />maintenance in the SM and attended to the regular routine status checkup of<br />autonomous Increment 8 payloads in the Lab.<br /><br />Kaleri completed his regular daily inspection of the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2<br />("Plants-2") experiment which studies growth and development of plants<br />(peas) under spaceflight conditions in the Lada-4 greenhouse.<br /><br />Sasha also terminated the bake-out cycle on the BMP micropurification<br />system's channel #2, moding the channel back to Purify. After yesterday's<br />termination of regeneration on channel #1, this restored both filter beds to<br />Purification/Absorption mode.<br /><br />At 12:07pm EST, Mike set up and conducted a ham radio session with students<br />at Armstrong Middle School in Flint, Michigan. [Kearsley Community Schools<br />is a suburban community of mostly middle class families located in Flint.<br />Because there is no city or town named Kearsley, the school district itself<br />is the heart of the community. Armstrong Middle School has approximately<br />950 students.]<br /><br />Working off the Russian discretionary task list, Sasha performed another set<br />of observations for the Diatomeya ocean research program, taking imagery of<br />ocean areas depicting intensive phytoplankton blooming in the Atlantic Ocean<br />in spring. [The FE focused the Nikon F5 with f/80 mm lens from SM window<br />#8 and the Sony DVCAM-150 digital camcorder, fixed on a bracket above window<br />#7, from Cape Hatteras along the US coastline all the way down to the Amazon<br />River, and on the Brazilian Current at the latitude of Montevideo.]<br /><br />As a second task list item, Kaleri performed another round of Uragan earth<br />observations, using the Kodak 760 electronic still camera (ESC) with the<br />long f800 lens at windows #6-8 to make observations and take imagery of the<br />Andes Mountains.<br /><br />A third item added to the FE's task list is the repeat of imaging the PKZ-1V<br />Kromka experiment tablet deployed on the plume deflector of the SM's<br />plus-pitch thrusters. (Last time done: 1/3/04) [The pictures are taken with<br />the Kodak 760 digital still camera (DSC) from the EVA hatch 1 window in the<br />DC-1 docking compartment.]<br /><br />The long-awaited evacuation of the "Volume D" space between the Lab window's<br />pressure panes is scheduled for next Friday (3/5).<br /><br />Also on 3/5, TsUP/Moscow will conduct the regular periodic efficiency test<br />on the Russian segment (RS) solar arrays, starting at ~12:15pm. [The<br />periodic Russian efficiency testing keeps track of the energy-output<br />performance of the photovoltaics over time under the degrading effects of<br />the space environment (mostly from ultraviolet radiation and atomic oxygen)]<br /><br />The external station survey with the SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator<br />System) cameras on 2/27 completed Part 1 of the task. Part 2 will have to<br />await repositioning of the RS solar arrays.<br /><br />The first (of three) reboost maneuvers by Progress-260 (13P) prior to Soyuz<br />8S is scheduled to take place tomorrow (3/2) at 6:05pm. It will be a<br />one-burn maneuver of 2.2-m/sec delta-V. The reboost will be preceded<br />tonight by a dynamic test firing of the Progress thrusters on both<br />manifolds, beginning at ~9:10pm EST on Daily Orbit 3 and continuing through<br />DO 4.<br /><br />After tomorrow's reboost, station flight attitude will be changed to XPOP<br />(x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane) again.<br /><br />Correction to 2/28 report on EVA-9: Only one (of two) SKK removable<br />materials sample cassettes (#1) on the SM was retrieved and replaced with<br />another (#3). SKK #2 at that location was not replaced with #4.<br /><br />Crew Earth Observations (CEO): This is the second day of a 3-week<br />Trans-Atlantic cruise by the NOAA ship, Ronald H. Brown. The ship left the<br />Barbados yesterday heading SE. Shipboard observations will be used to study<br />the effect of Saharan dust on the marine boundary layer, characterize water<br />masses, as well as to investigate upwelling conditions off the northwest<br />coast of Africa.Further detail on the cruise is provided below.<br /><br />Today's CEO targets were Lake Nasser, Toshka Lakes, Egypt (400mm-lens.<br />Detailed images were requested of the shorelines of the first new lake [new<br />lake nearest Lake Nasser] to reveal the pace of road and agricultural field<br />development in this region where 20 million people are expected to be<br />supported by Nile-fed agriculture), Saharan dust (Dynamic event. This east<br />central Atlantic pass may reveal a dust margin in oblique images. ISS/CEO<br />images would support the Trans-Atlantic cruise of NOAA's ship Ronald H.<br />Brown [investigating the varied effects of Saharan dust on the atmosphere<br />and ocean]), and Sao Paulo, Brazil (nadir pass).<br /><br />CEO images can be viewed at the websites.<br /><br />http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov<br />http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov<br /><br />See also the website "Space Station Challenge" at<br /><br />http://voyager.cet.edu/iss/<br /><br />U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of today, 1:50pm EST).<br /><br />Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):<br /><br />Elektron O2 generator is On. Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On. U.S. CDRA CO2<br />scrubber is on Standby (ready in dual-bed mode). TCCS (trace contaminant<br />control subsystem) is operating. SM Gas Analyzer has been calibrated and is<br />used for ppO2 and ppCO2 monitoring. MCA (major constituents analyzer) is in<br />Life Extending Mode (LEM). BMP Harmful Impurities unit: absorbent bed #1 in<br />Purify mode, bed #2 in Purify mode. RS air conditioner SKV-1 is On, SKV-2<br />is Off (repair now completed; to be tested ASAP).<br /><br /><br />SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 742; temperature (deg C) --<br />25.5; ppO2 (mmHg) -- 143.5; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- 3.8;<br />SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 741; temperature (deg C) --<br />19.8.<br />FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) -- 744; temperature (deg C) -- 23.0.<br />Node: Pressure (mmHg) -- 728.56; temperature (deg C) -- 22.7 (shell); ppO2<br />(mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- n/a.<br />U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) -- 739.87; temperature (deg C) -- 25.2; ppO2<br />(mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- n/a.<br />Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) -- 740.07; temperature (deg<br />C) -- 23.5; shell heater temp (deg C) -- 21.5, ppO2 (mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2<br />(mmHg) -- n/a.<br />PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 22.2<br />PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 20.3<br /><br />(n/a = data not available)<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 mode (blind/triple-angle mode, non solar-tracking,<br />drag reduction).<br />SM batteries: All batteries (8) are in "Partial Charge" mode.<br />FGB batteries: Battery #3 is in "Cycle" mode; all other batteries (5) are<br />in "Partial Charge" mode.<br />Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 is in Standby mode; PCU-2 is 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-2 is operating; INT-1 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-1 MDM is Off; PL-2 MDM is Operational.<br />APS-1 (automated payload switch #1) and APS-2 are both On.<br />SM Terminal Computer (TVM): 2 redundant lanes (of 3) operational (string 1<br />dropped out 11/22).<br />SM Central Computer (TsVM): 2 redundant lanes (of 3) operational (string #3<br />dropped out 10/22).<br /><br />Propulsion System:<br /><br />Total propellant load available: 4036 kg (8898 lb) as of 2/27/04 [SM(755) +<br />FGB(2622) + Progress M(0) + Progress M-1(659)]. (Capability: SM -- 860 kg;<br />FGB -- 6120 kg).<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-1<br /><br />Flight Attitude:<br /><br />LVLH XVV (local vertical/local horizontal = "earth-fixed": z-axis in local<br />vertical, x-axis in velocity vector [yaw: -90 deg, pitch: -9 deg, roll: 1.7<br />deg]), with CMG/TA (thruster assist) Momentum Management.<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 (on string 2).<br />Ku-band is operating nominally.<br />Audio subsystem is operating nominally (IAC-1 is prime, IAC-2 is off).<br />Video subsystem operating nominally.<br />HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.<br /><br />Robotics:<br /><br />SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at Lab PDGF/LEE A, powered on both strings.<br />MBS: KA power on both strings.<br />MT: latched and mated at WS4.<br />POA: KA power on both strings.<br />RWS (robotics workstations): Lab RWS is On (DCP connected); Cupola RWS is<br />Off.<br /><br />ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 7:37am EST [= epoch]):<br /><br />Mean altitude -- 365.5 km<br />Apogee -- 369.3km<br />Perigee -- 361.6 km<br />Period -- 91.85 min.<br />Inclination (to Equator) -- 51.6291 deg<br />Eccentricity -- 0.000575<br />Orbits per 24-hr. day -- 15.68<br />Mean altitude loss last 24 hours -- 100 m<br />Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. '98) -- 30142<br /><br />For more on ISS orbit and worldwide ISS naked-eye visibility dates/times,<br />see http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/viewing/issvis.html/