ISS On-Orbit Status 12/30/02<br /><br />All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously<br />or below. Week 5 for Expedition 6...and one more day to go in the old year.<br /><br />After wake-up at 1:00am EST and before breakfast, the crew started the day<br />off with the regular periodic Russian MedOps assessments MO-7 (calf volume<br />measurement) and MO-8 (body mass measurement, BMM). FE-1 Nikolai Budarin set<br />up the BMM mass measuring device, which uses calibrated springs to determine<br />the subject's mass in weightless space, and stowed it away after the tests.<br /><br />FE-2/SO Don Pettit set up and then took the periodic O-OHA (on-orbit hearing<br />assessment) test, an EHS (environmental health systems) examination to<br />assess the efficacy of acoustic countermeasures. The two other crewmembers<br />followed suit. [The O-OHA test involves minimum audibility measurements for<br />each ear over a wide range of frequencies and sound pressure levels, with<br />the crewmembers using individual-specific Prophonics earphones, Bose ANC<br />headsets and the SLM (sound level meter). To conduct the testing, the<br />experimenter is supported by special "EarQ" software on the MEC (medical<br />equipment computer). The baseline test is required for about Flight Day 14<br />for the Expedition and is then performed once per month.]<br /><br />Pettit performed the monthly EVARM (EVA radiation monitoring) badge reading<br />and data download.<br /><br />Later, Don also took the daily CO2 (carbon dioxide) readings with the CDMK<br />(carbon dioxide monitor kit), in order to help resolve discrepancies between<br />ppCO2 (carbon dioxide partial pressure) readings by the SM gas analyzer and<br />U.S. MCA (major constituents analyzer).<br /><br />At 9:55am, Pettit had a teleconference with ground specialists on MSG<br />(microgravity science glovebox) science.<br /><br />Nikolai Budarin completed the daily checkup of the activated BIO-5<br />Rasteniya-2/Lada-2 ("Plants-2") experiment that researches plant growth and<br />development under spaceflight conditions.<br /><br />Budarin also terminated the 24-hr. regeneration cycle for adsorbent bed #2<br />of the BMP harmful impurities filtration unit. Both filter channels are now<br />back in Purify mode.<br /><br />CDR Bowersox set up a configuration of the ITCS (internal thermal control<br />system) coolant transfer ready for troubleshooting by the ground. [He was<br />scheduled to disconnect MTL PPA (moderate-temperature loop pump package<br />assembly) accumulator outlet and cap so MCC-H can troubleshoot the increase<br />in MTL accumulator quantity and corresponding decrease in LTL<br />(low-temperature loop) accumulator quantity in single LT. In this<br />configuration, MCC-H will monitor MTL and LTL accumulator quantities for up<br />to a period of three hours to isolate the source of ITCS water transfer to<br />the MTL PPA check valve or MTL SFCA SOV (shut-off valve). No crew action is<br />required.]<br /><br />New instructions for the use of the VELO cycle load trainer (NS-1) by<br />Nikolai Budarin were uplinked. [Restrictions for the physical exercises are<br />based on the analysis of loading of the ISS structure during crewmember<br />workouts with NS-1. Two exercise tempi are to be used and not to be<br />exceeded: Medium Tempo -- one full motion should take at least 3 seconds<br />(0.33 Hz); Fast Tempo -- one full motion should take at least 2 seconds<br />(0.50 Hz). Permitted types of exercise motions are as follows: In Medium<br />Tempo -- Rowing, Lean Forward/Lean Back, Trunk Flexes; in Fast Tempo --<br />Hammer Throw, Lower Arm Flexing/Extension (simultaneous).]<br /><br />Bowersox conducted a visual and physical inspection of the wire harness for<br />SD2 (smoke detector #2) in the Node (nadir midbay) for nicks, cuts, or<br />abrasions. [There have been numerous indications of shorts in this wire<br />harness over the past two years. MCC-H suspects there are two shorts, one in<br />the power circuit and one in the bit-enable circuit. Finding these shorts is<br />required for recovery of this SD.]<br /><br />FE-2/SO Don Pettit was scheduled for an R&R (removal & replacement) of an<br />electronic interface unit of the CCAA (common cabin air assembly) atmosphere<br />circulation system.<br /><br />Budarin prepared for and performed another monthly session of the Russian<br />MBI-9 "Pulse" experiment, scheduled before his physical exercise. [Execution<br />of the medical cardiological assessment is controlled from the Russian<br />laptop 3, using a set respiration rate (without forced or deep breaths) and<br />synchronizing respiration with computer-commanded "inhale" commands. The<br />first "Pulse" session by Nikolai was performed on 11/30.]<br /><br />Regular daily routine tasks were performed by FE-1 Budarin (SOSh life<br />support systems maintenance), FE-2/SO Pettit (IMS inventory update file<br />preparation for downlink), and CDR Bowersox (Lab payloads status checkup).<br /><br />At 7:30am, the crew conducted a 20-min. live televised New Year's press<br />conference with news media assembled at MCC-Moscow/TsUP.<br /><br />All crewmembers performed their regular daily physical exercise.