ISS On-Orbit Status 3/19/03<br /><br />All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously<br />or below.<br /><br />After wake-up (1:00am EST), the crew received kudos for their great work<br />yesterday in support of the thermal loop troubleshooting.<br /><br />Overnight U.S. and Russian onboard systems began to shut down when the<br />Service Module's (SM) Terminal Computer (TVM) declared "Loss of Attitude<br />Control" (LoAC) after three failed attempts to activate the SM MCS (motion<br />control system) following an inadvertent attitude control handover command<br />sent from the U.S. C&C MDM (command & control computer). The U.S. GNC MDM<br />(guidance, navigation & control computer) was working properly and the CMGs<br />(control moment gyros) were controlling adequately. Restoration of all<br />onboard systems to nominal ops has now been completed, but the onboard<br />status is not quite back to "normal": MCC-Houston and MCC-Moscow are still<br />working to regain communications between the TVM and the GNC MDM. [The LoAC<br />event began last night when the newly upgraded TVM upon scheduled restart<br />did not receive the correct address for the primary GNC MDM from the C&C MDM<br />because the new C&C software Vers. R3 apparently assigns neither the primary<br />nor the backup GNC as the default. TVM interpreted this as "no GNCs are<br />working", when in reality U.S. control was OK, with GNCs and CMGs all<br />functioning well. While the crew was asleep, the two MCCs tried<br />unsuccessfully to point the TVM to the primary GNC MDM. MCC-H then decided<br />to enable the automatic handover capability to the SM MCS to provide for CMG<br />desaturation if required. The "execute handover" command was sent from the<br />C&C MDM to the TVM, but the MCS did not operate properly due to thruster<br />manifold misconfiguration and a possible software problem with the 7.01<br />version. Because of the perceived "GN&C not working" condition, the C&W<br />(caution & warning system) started the automatic load shedding sequence in<br />the U.S. and Russian segments, correctly commanded by the Russian TVM.<br />Things are now back to normal, and investigations are underway at both MCCs,<br />but it seems that both the C&C R3 load and the TVM's 7.01 load may contain<br />some fault.]<br /><br />As a result of the LoAC upset, today's scheduled thermal system PPA pump<br />troubleshooting has been postponed to tomorrow. Thus, ITCS (internal thermal<br />control system) is still depending on one cooling loop only, the low<br />temperature LTL.<br /><br />FE-1 Nikolai Budarin continued the periodic preventive maintenance of the<br />air ventilation system in the RS, today changing out the four dust filter<br />inserts (PF1-4) in the SM (last changeout: 2/19).<br /><br />Budarin then moved into the DC-1 "Pirs" docking compartment, cleaning the V1<br />and V2 fan mesh screens and the VD1 and VD2 air ducts of its ventilation<br />system (last done: 2/25). Later, he also renewed the DC-1's two dust filters<br />PF1 & PF2 (last changeout: 1/23).<br /><br />Due to the unexpected timeline impacts, today's scheduled sixth Foot<br />experiment (foot/ground reaction forces during space flight) for CDR Ken<br />Bowersox was deferred.<br /><br />FE-2/Science Officer Don Pettit was scheduled to complete another pre-EVA<br />EVARM (EVA radiation monitoring) background reading, first activating the<br />EVARM badge reader, then taking the readings. Afterwards the data were<br />downloaded from the reader to the HRF (human research facility) PC for later<br />downlink, and the equipment was then again stowed.<br /><br />Pettit continued his support of the ongoing MSG (Microgravity Science<br />Glovebox) troubleshooting. [Today's activities were to bring up the facility<br />and run it for approximately two hours with the newly installed left fan off<br />(will be checked out in the near future), but center fan, right fan and<br />illumination on. Depending on Ku-band availability, the activities are being<br />monitored by POC (Payload Operations Center) with video.]<br /><br />After yesterday's replacement of the CO2 filter unit in the IK0501 gas<br />analyzer (GA) in the SM with a spare, Budarin today checked up on the GA by<br />taking control readings with the IGZ constituent meter.<br /><br />Also in the SM, Nikolai checked out docking assembly (StA) accessories for<br />completeness, particularly looking for "modified" extensions used for the<br />Progress hatch cover opening. [These were delivered by Progress after<br />Expedition 5 found some problems with the design of the original "long"<br />extensions.]<br /><br />Bowersox had two hours timelined today for the first part of an inventory<br />audit in the Node, intended to verify various stowage locations and to<br />provide the ground information for updating the IMS (inventory management<br />system) database with the actual on-orbit stowage configuration. [Sox worked<br />from an uplinked table of about 120 items and locations for his on-site<br />"truth-finding" verification.]<br /><br />Pettit conducted the daily routine maintenance of the SM's SOZh life support<br />system (including ASU toilet facilities) and prepared the daily IMS<br />inventory delta file, while Bowersox performed the regular payload status<br />checkup in the Lab (PCG-STES010).<br /><br />Budarin completed the weekly inspection of the BRPK air/condensate separator<br />unit in the SM. He also did his daily status check on the Russian BIO-5<br />Rasteniya-2/Lada-2 ("Plants-2") plant growth experiment in the SM.<br /><br />Shortly before sleep time (4:30pm EST), Nikolai is scheduled to set up the<br />"Urolux" equipment for another session with the Russian biochemical urine<br />test (PZE MO-9), on tomorrow's timeline for him.<br /><br />At 3:10am EST, while Nikolai was working on the Russian computers, amateur<br />radio operator Don Pettit chatted with students of St. Ursula's College in<br />Toowoomba, Australia, during a 10-min. ham radio pass. [St. Ursula is a<br />senior catholic girls school with an enrolment of 760 students, ages 13 to<br />18. Toowoomba (pop. 90,000) is Australia's largest inland regional center,<br />capital of Darling Downs region (pop. 250,000) in Queensland, 140 km west of<br />Brisbane.]<br /><br />All crewmembers completed their daily physical exercise program on RED<br />(resistive exercise device), TVIS (treadmill with vibration isolation and<br />stabilization), and VELO with load trainer.<br /><br />Today's targets for the CEO (crew earth observations) program (no Cities at<br />Night included until LVLH attitude) were Industrialized Southeastern Africa<br />(ISS pass over southern Africa bisected the late summer high-pressure area<br />that has dominated weather there and smog formation from industrial<br />activity. Looking left of track up the Orange and Vaal River valleys towards<br />Johannesburg and Pretoria for smog concentrations), and Lower Amazon River<br />Basin (lighting was minimal, but the crew was asked to try for oblique<br />context views to the right of track of the delta region, particularly noting<br />sediment plumes if possible).<br /><br />CEO images can be viewed at the websites<br />http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov and<br />http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov<br /><br />U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 1:35pm EST).<br /><br />Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):<br />Elektron O2 generator is powered On (24 Amp). Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is On<br />(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) -- 745; temperature (deg C) -- 25.9;<br />ppO2 (mmHg) -- 183.1; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- 2.5 (data suspect).<br />SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 751; temperature (deg C) --<br />20.0.<br />FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) -- 752; temperature (deg C) -- 23.0.<br />Node: Pressure (mmHg) -- 739.44; temperature (deg C) -- 23.2 (shell); ppO2<br />(mmHg) -- 166.0; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- 4.1.<br />U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) -- 741.08; temperature (deg C) -- 22.4; ppO2<br />(mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- n/a;<br />Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) -- 741.18; temperature (deg<br />C) -- 20.9; shell heater temp (deg C) -- 21.9, ppO2 (mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2<br />(mmHg) -- n/a.<br />PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 24.7<br />PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 12.2<br />(n/a = data not available)<br /><br />Propulsion System (PS):<br />Total propellant load available [SM(786) + FGB(2746) + Progress(490)] ---<br />4022 kg (8867 lb) as of 3/13/03. (Capability: SM -- 860 kg; FGB -- 6120 kg).<br /><br />Electrical Power Systems (EPS):<br />Both P6 channels fully operational. BGA (beta gimbal assembly) 2B and 4B<br />both in dual-angle "blind" mode (directed position).<br />SM batteries: All batteries (8) are in "Complete Charge" mode (data are<br />static).<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): 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 />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 />XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane = "sun-fixed" [yaw: -179.0 deg,<br />pitch: -8.8 deg., roll: 0 deg]), with CMG Momentum Management).<br />Solar Beta Angle: 46.0 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 (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, 7:10am EST [= epoch]):<br />Mean altitude -- 390.6 km<br />Apogee -- 396.1 km<br />Perigee -- 385.2 km<br />Period -- 92.37 min.<br />Inclination (to Equator) -- 51.63 deg<br />Eccentricity -- 0.0008072<br />Orbits per 24-hr. day -- 15.59<br />Solar Beta Angle: 46.0 deg (magnitude increasing)<br />Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours -- 125 m<br />Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. '98) -- 24701<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