ISS On-Orbit Status 2/26/03<br /><br />All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously<br />or below. Space Day 95 for Expedition 6.<br /><br />The crew woke up to kudos for their help yesterday in MSG troubleshooting<br />(see below), the discussion of the consumables situation, and their<br />performance during the live PAO/educational TV event.<br /><br />Main crew task today was the two-hour Emergency Descent OBT (onboard<br />training), a mandatory requirement for each Expedition, to refresh crew<br />safety/survival acuity in case of an emergency situation requiring rapid<br />station evacuation and descent in the Soyuz CRV (crew return vehicle). The<br />drill included tag-up/consultation with a ground instructor. [For the sim,<br />the crew reviewed applicable ODF (operations data file) sections, going<br />through all necessary steps, from entering the Soyuz CRV through closing<br />hatches, checking for leaks and donning the Sokol entry suits inside Soyuz,<br />to automatic undock, descent and landing, even considering Soyuz engine<br />failure and crew response to a leaky Sokol or rapid depress of Soyuz<br />compartments. They also practiced Soyuz descent module manual entry control<br />(RUS) mode using an on-board trainer program. The necessary software to take<br />them through the OBT is set up prior to the sim on an SSC (station support<br />computer) laptop.]<br /><br />CDR Ken Bowersox, FE-1 Nikolai Budarin and MCC-Houston/TsUP began the<br />crewtime-intensive process of upgrading the Russian computer system (BVS) to<br />the new version 7.01 software, which takes several days. [Today's activities<br />were a discussion of the process by the crew with 7.01 upload specialists at<br />TsUP, and preparation of a floppy disk with a software patch intended for<br />the installation of three new Russian laptops. Before tomorrow's scheduled<br />transfer of all display images/frames from CD-ROM to the Central Post<br />Computer 1 (KTsP-1), requiring 4 hrs crewtime, and the subsequent<br />reprogramming/transition of the four Russian US-21 matching units of the MCS<br />(motion control system) by 2/28, the first two US-21 units (#2 & #4) were<br />activated and checked out by the ground early this morning. The transition<br />will require the installation of permanent SUBA jumper cables, in order to<br />compensate for inherent incompatibilities of the new 7.01 s/w with ECLSS<br />(environment control & life support system), again involving several hours<br />of crewtime. The Service Module (SM) Terminal and Central computer systems<br />(TVM & TsVM) will be rebooted on all three of their subsets early next week<br />and then transitioned to 7.01, completing the operations.]<br /><br />Later, Budarin completed preparations for the reconfiguration of the onboard<br />Ethernet BVS communications network in the SM, scheduled for next Monday<br />(3/3). [This involved locating hardware delivered a long time ago, routing<br />an additional cable, and replacing the configuration file of the BRI<br />SmartSwitch router computer with a new file delivered on the ISS Wiener<br />laptop HDD (hard disk drive), which is connected to the BRI. The BVS, which<br />is the Russian equivalent of the U.S. OpsLAN (operations local area<br />network), is the crew support network in the Russian segment (RS).]<br /><br />CDR Bowersox supported the ground-commanded full calibration of the MCA<br />(major constituents analyzer) by first opening its VGA (verification gas<br />assembly) valve and later closing it again after MCC-H go-ahead.<br /><br />It was also time again for another microbiological air sampling aboard the<br />station, involving the VOA (volatile organic analyzer), GSC (grab sample<br />container) and FMK (formaldehyde monitoring kit). [After ground-commanded<br />startup and a 3.5-hr. calibration run of the VOA, followed by its sampling,<br />which looks for potentially toxic volatile organic compounds, Bowersox<br />collected a GSC air sample near the center of the Lab for comparison with<br />VOA results. Later he deployed two FMK (formaldehyde monitoring kit)<br />monitors in the Lab for a 24-hour unattended sample collection period. The<br />VOA and GSC activities were also documented with digital photographs by<br />FE-2/SO Don Pettit.]<br /><br />Don took his daily two ppCO2 (CO2 partial pressure) readings with the CDMK<br />(CO2 monitoring kit) in SM and Lab, one in the morning, the other in the<br />evening.<br /><br />Budarin conducted the periodic inspection of the pressure hull in the SM<br />Working Compartment (RO) behind panels 130, 134, 135, 138, and under the<br />TVIS treadmill in the "floor pit", looking for any moisture, residue, mold,<br />corrosion, and pitting. [Nikolai was to focus on hull shell and cold plates<br />under the SNT voltage and current stabilizers and STR thermal control system<br />pipes, using surface wipes to clean the area in question, describing any<br />discovered mold as to color, consistency (solid, crumbly, powdery) and<br />location, and photographing the hull surface with the digital camera before<br />and after the treatment. Pictures were to be downlinked to MCC-H for<br />forwarding to TsUP. The last hull inspection was performed by Budarin on<br />12/23/02.]<br /><br />Pettit completed the daily routine maintenance of the SM's SOSh life support<br />system and later prepared the IMS inventory delta file for downlink, while<br />Bowersox did the regular status checkup of the PCG-STES010 (Protein Crystal<br />Growth-Single Locker Thermal Enclosure System #10) payload in the Lab, and<br />Budarin performed the weekly inspection of the BRPK air/condensate separator<br />unit in the SM.<br /><br />All crewmembers completed their regular daily physical exercise on TVIS,<br />RED, CEVIS and VELO with load trainer.<br /><br />Working off the "job jar" task list, the crew has completed the periodic PBA<br />(portable breathing apparatus) and PFE (portable fire extinguisher)<br />inspection.<br /><br />MSG (microgravity science glovebox) troubleshooting by the ground is<br />continuing. [Yesterday's test run was successful, in that the PDC's (power<br />distribution controller's) 12V circuit breaker did not trip in Standby mode.<br />As a result, more testing is being scheduled over the next several days,<br />continuing with the sensors powered by the ± 12V and 5V busses. Crew<br />support was not required today.]<br /><br />Since the CCS (command & control software) step-up in the U.S. segment, an<br />anomaly has been found in the GNC (guidance, navigation & control) Rev. 3<br />software that causes an attitude divergence in the GPS (global positioning<br />system) system. Although the divergence is still minor, attitude and state<br />(position, velocity) update has been reprioritized to Russian sources until<br />adjustments to the code are worked.<br /><br />Today's targets for the CEO (crew earth observations program) were Mekong<br />River Delta (this large complex delta is intensively developed for<br />agriculture. Looking left of track for views of its estuaries, land use<br />patterns, and sediment plume), Saharan Jet Stream Clouds (DYNAMIC EVENT<br />TARGET: In response to a large Atlantic storm system, an active subtropical<br />jet stream cloud formation is setting up over northwestern Africa. As ISS<br />tracked southeastward in southern Algeria, the crew was to look either side<br />of track for views of the interesting cloud structure of this phenomenon),<br />Cape Verde Dust (satellite imagery indicates more dust moving off the coast<br />of west Africa. Crew was to take advantage of the views to the right of<br />track that will include the Cape Verde Islands as landmarks and the special<br />illumination effect of sun glint to detect aerosols), Mayan Pyramids (CREW<br />REQUESTED TARGET: Crew was to use this pass to begin familiarizing<br />themselves with the region of Mayan pyramids in Mexico's southern Yucatan<br />and the rugged area of northern Guatemala. Although nadir views may not have<br />been possible, they were to try for good context views, primarily to the<br />right of track), and Western Mediterranean Dust (a powerful Atlantic storm<br />was approaching the Bay of Biscay. The wind field of this system will<br />generate much dust over the western Med. As ISS tracked across northern<br />Spain, the crew was to begin looking either side of track to detect this<br />weather event, continuing to the Libyan coast.<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 1:45pm 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) -- 27.0;<br />ppO2 (mmHg) -- 182.9; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- 2.4 (suspect).<br />SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 751; temperature (deg C) --<br />20.9.<br />FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) -- 752; temperature (deg C) -- 22.0.<br />Node: Pressure (mmHg) -- 743.25; temperature (deg C) -- 24.2 (shell); ppO2<br />(mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- n/a.<br />U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) -- 745.32; temperature (deg C) -- 22.1; ppO2<br />(mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- n/a;<br />Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) -- 745.42; temperature (deg<br />C) -- 21.2; shell heater temp (deg C) -- 22.7, ppO2 (mmHg) -- 167.7; ppCO2<br />(mmHg) -- 4.2.<br />PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 24.1<br />PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 12.6<br />(n/a = data not available)<br /><br />Propulsion System (PS): Total propellant load available [SM(811) + FGB(2777)<br />+ Progress(576)] -- 4164 kg (9180 lb) as of 2/14/03. (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 #5 is in "Cycle" mode (freshly installed); all other<br />batteries (7) are in "Partial Charge" mode.<br />FGB batteries: Battery #1 is in "Cycle" mode; 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): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.<br /><br />Attitude Sources:<br />3 CMGs on-line (CMG-1 failed).<br />State vector -- Russian<br />Attitude -- Russian<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: -47.9 deg (magnitude decreasing).<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 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, 7:47am EST [= epoch]):<br />Mean altitude -- 391.2 km<br />Apogee -- 399.2 km<br />Perigee -- 383.2 km<br />Period -- 92.38 min.<br />Inclination (to Equator) -- 51.63 deg<br />Eccentricity -- 0.0011819<br />Orbits per 24-hr. day -- 15.59<br />Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours -- 80 m<br />Solar Beta Angle -- -47.9 deg (magnitude decreasing)<br />Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. '98) -- 24374<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