ISS On-Orbit Status 2/12/03<br /><br />All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously<br />or below. Day 81 in space for Expedition 6.<br /><br />After wake-up (1:00am EST) and before breakfast, FE-1 Nikolai Budarin<br />concluded his current MBI-8 "Profilaktika" (countermeasures) fitness<br />session, today conducting the blood test part, measuring lactate and<br />creatine kinase levels with the AccuSport equipment, and the physical<br />exercise on the TVIS treadmill. [The TVIS test is identical to the MO-3 test<br />performed on the treadmill in idling mode with free choice of speeds within<br />a certain specified range. In addition to the nominal test procedure, it<br />calls for the use of the TEEM-100M gas analyzer during the test, the blood<br />measurements, and subjective evaluation of physical exertion levels during<br />the test. Gas analyzer and ECG (electrocardiograph) data were transferred to<br />Laptop 3 and prepared for later downlink via Regul-Packet comm.]<br /><br />Later, Budarin conducted a checkout of the Russian GAMMA-1M blood pressure<br />(AD) monitor, by testing the AD cuff, with its cuff hose and cable, on a<br />simulated arm (a rounded container).<br /><br />CDR Ken Bowersox and Budarin continued unloading and transferring Progress<br />10P cargo, with IMS record-keeping.<br /><br />FE-2/SO Don Pettit set up the acoustic dosimeters for static noise<br />measurements. Using the MEC (medical equipment computer) with special "EARQ"<br />software, all crewmembers later recorded audiograms measured by their<br />individual portable dosimeters for several hours.<br /><br />Nikolai Budarin completed removal and replacement of two components of the<br />SM BITS2-12 on-board measurement telemetry system, viz., an old memory unit<br />(ZU1-A) and the BP11-A on-board transmitter. During the R&R, a number of<br />Russian subsystems were temporarily disabled, such as the SKV-1 air<br />conditioner, Vozdukh control algorithm, BMP micropurifier, Elektron, and the<br />BITS itself. [The ZU memory device, one of four, uses 200m of magnetic tape<br />to store and reproduce data. The BP11-A transmitter, one of four, is used to<br />transmit telemetry data from the SM to the ground.]<br /><br />Budarin also checked the gas analyzer in the SM, to verify its readings,<br />then tagging up with ground specialists via S-band.<br /><br />Later, Nikolai, working at the SM Central Post, continued and completed the<br />battery cycling of the three new laptops delivered by Progress 10P.<br /><br />Bowersox performed troubleshooting on EXPRESS Rack 2 (ER2). [He focused on<br />two main approaches: (1) re-cabling the ER2 laptop back to nominal Ethernet<br />configuration with a clean rebooted RIC (rack interface controller), then<br />trying to re-establish Ethernet Comm. If successful, the ground was to<br />continue with the loading of the laptop with the new software. (2) If not<br />successful, ground was to continue with the second troubleshooting activity,<br />which uses the ER3 laptop and Ethernet cable on ER2.]<br /><br />Bowersox and Pettit conducted a refresh review of the DOUG (dynamic<br />operational ubiquitous graphics) software with new files for tomorrow's<br />SSRMS/Robotics operations. [DOUG is a sophisticated software program that<br />provides a graphic birdseye-view graphical image of the SSRMS (space station<br />remote manipulator system), showing its real-time location and configuration<br />on a PC during its operation.]<br /><br />In the morning and evening, Don Pettit again sampled ppCO2 (carbon dioxide<br />partial pressure) levels in the SM and Lab with the CDMK (CO2 monitoring<br />kit).<br /><br />Budarin downlinked video recorded previously of the Russian Plasma Crystal-3<br />(PK-3) payload. He also completed his routine 24-hr. checkup and watering of<br />the Russian BIO-5 Rasteniya-2/Lada-2 ("Plants-2") plant growth experiment.<br /><br />Ken Bowersox completed the daily routine maintenance of the SOSh life<br />support system in the SM (incl. ASU toilet system) as well as the daily IMS<br />(inventory management system) delta file preparation for automated export to<br />MCC-M/TsUP. Sox also performed the daily Lab payload status checkup of the<br />autonomous PCG-STES010 payload.<br /><br />The planned R&R of the LAB1P5 RPCM (remote power controller module), which<br />controls the VTR1 video recorder, has been deferred. [When trying to perform<br />a preemptive refresh of the RPCM, the ground received an unexpected health<br />flag. While it is believed that the event is fully understood, engineers<br />want to assess it completely before proceeding.]<br /><br />The crew was congratulated on their outstanding interactive TV downlink for<br />PAO yesterday. Today, at 10:30am, they shared in a second and equally<br />successful TV interview with a number of media clients, viz., CNN, ABC World<br />News Tonight, CBS Early Show, and NBC Nightly News. All exchanges went<br />exceedingly well. [As yesterday, the crew found confident words in<br />responding to media questions on the topics of the tragic loss of Columbia,<br />the resumption of Shuttle flights and the potential difficulties associated<br />with reducing ISS crew size to two.]<br /><br />ECLSS (environment control and life support systems) engineers on the ground<br />are continuing troubleshooting (t/s) of the degraded IMV (intermodular<br />ventilation). [The t/s performed by the crew last week was sufficient enough<br />to focus on an examination of the flow straightener that is integrated on<br />the Node IMV fan package. The straightener is of a honeycomb structure and<br />approximately 4-millimeter diameter. For the next t/s, the crew will remove<br />the flexible air duct below the IMV fan and examine the flow straighteners<br />with a mirror to check for blockage. Depending on the results, the crew may<br />have to scavenge a corresponding Lab IMV fan for use in the Node location.]<br /><br />Onboard water supply: There is currently a total of 986.3 L water onboard,<br />which will provide approximately 164 days, assuming condensate recovery and<br />processing in the Russian SRV-K system as well as use of potable water for<br />technical purposes.<br /><br />R&R of SM battery #7 is scheduled for tomorrow.<br /><br />Today's targets for the CEO (crew earth observations program) were<br />Industrialized Southeastern Africa (a stagnant area of high pressure is<br />located over southern Africa allowing for atmospheric aerosol accumulation<br />over the region. The ISS pass was NW of most of the area of interest, and<br />the crew was to try for oblique or limb views to the right of track to<br />detect the depth and extent of the smog pall), Lower Amazon River Basin<br />(with ISS tracking over the northwestern portion this target, crew was to<br />look right of track for views of the southeastern estuaries of the Rios Para<br />and Tocantins. Some sun glint enhancement was possible this pass), Eastern<br />Mediterranean Dust (satellite imagery continues to show dust streaming<br />northeastward off the Libyan-Egyptian coast. Looking obliquely right of<br />track to document this phenomenon), Western Mediterranean Smog (winds and<br />weather favor smog formation in central Med between the big islands of<br />Sardinia and Corsica and the Italian mainland. Looking left of track for<br />oblique views), and Eastern Mediterranean Smog (crew was asked to continue<br />to look left of track for smog formations, especially over the Po River<br />valley and the northern Adriatic Sea).<br /><br />CEO images can be viewed at the website<br />http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov<br /><br />U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 2:00pm EST).<br /><br />Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):<br />Elektron O2 generator is powered On (32 Amp mode). Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is<br />On (auto mode). 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 Off; SKV-2 is On.<br /><br />SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 753; temperature (deg C) -- 28.5;<br />ppO2 (mmHg) -- 183.9; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- 2.5 (suspect).<br />SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 751; temperature (deg C) --<br />20.0.<br />FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) -- 752; temperature (deg C) -- 22.3.<br />Node: Pressure (mmHg) -- 747.07; temperature (deg C) -- 23.9 (shell); ppO2<br />(mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- n/a.<br />U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) -- 748.96; temperature (deg C) -- 22.6; ppO2<br />(mmHg) -- 167.9; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- 5.3;<br />Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) -- 748.96; temperature (deg<br />C) -- 21.0; shell heater temp (deg C) -- 21.8, ppO2 (mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2<br />(mmHg) -- n/a.<br />PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 24.4<br />PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 12.5<br />(n/a = data not available)<br /><br />Propulsion System (PS): Total propellant load available [SM(820) + FGB(2804)<br />+ Progress(868)] -- 4492 kg (9903 lb) as of 2/6/03. (Capability: SM -- 860<br />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 auto track (sun following) mode.<br />SM batteries: Battery #7 is off line; all other batteries (7) are in<br />"Partial Charge" mode.<br />FGB batteries: Battery #1 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-3 MDM is prime, C&C-2 is back-up, and C&C-1 is in standby.<br />GNC-1 MDM is prime; GNC-2 is Backup.<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 (diagnostic<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): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.<br /><br />Attitude Source:<br />3 CMGs on-line (CMG-1 failed).<br />State vector -- U.S. SIGI-1 (GPS)<br />Attitude -- U.S. SIGI-1 (GPS)<br />Angular rates -- U.S. RGA-1<br /><br />Flight Attitude:<br />XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane = "sun-fixed" [yaw: 0 deg,<br />pitch: -8.8 deg., roll: 0 deg]), with CMG/Thruster Assist Momentum<br />Management).<br />Solar Beta Angle: -39.0 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, but VTR1 is off.<br />HCOR (high-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.<br /><br />Robotics:<br />SSRMS/Canadarm2 based at MBS PDGF2 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 -- 392.6 km<br />Apogee -- 401.1 km<br />Perigee -- 384.2 km<br />Period -- 92.41 min.<br />Inclination (to Equator) -- 51.63 deg<br />Eccentricity -- 0.0012519<br />Orbits per 24-hr. day -- 15.58<br />Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours -- 160 m<br />Solar Beta Angle -- -39.0 deg (magnitude increasing)<br />Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. '98) -- 24155<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