ISS On-Orbit Status 2/6/03<br /><br />All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously<br />or below. Day 75 in space for the Expedition 6 crew.<br /><br />Kudos went up to the crew for their great work yesterday in tracking down<br />all consumables on board. This gives MCC-H and MCC-M a head start on<br />developing plans for the remainder of this increment and continued manned<br />station occupancy.<br /><br />CDR Ken Bowersox yesterday also took an inventory audit of CWCs (contingency<br />water containers). With water being the limiting consumable in the current<br />Shuttle stand-down situation, onboard water storage and getting the Russian<br />SRV-K H2O processing system to work for U.S. condensate are of prime<br />importance.<br /><br />Bowersox and FE-1 Nikolai Budarin continued unloading Progress 10P/M-47,<br />accompanied by careful bookkeeping for the IMS (inventory management system)<br />database, using an uplinked extensive cargo list for 10P with assigned ISS<br />stowage locations. Unpacking a Progress, with its often surprising "care<br />packages", is always a thrill for a station crew.<br /><br />FE-2/SO Don Pettit worked on the MSG (microgravity science glovebox), which<br />tripped a circuit breaker upon activation yesterday, very similar to what<br />was seen before the MSG failure on 11/20/02. As MSG specialists from ESA and<br />NASA are developing a troubleshooting plan, Pettit's activities today<br />focused on salient data gathering, following specific instructions uplinked<br />last night in an EFN (electronic flight note).<br /><br />Nikolai Budarin performed preventive maintenance on the FGB ventilation<br />system, replacing its two dust filters (PS-1 and 2).<br /><br />Budarin also conducted his regular daily checkup and watering, as required,<br />of the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2/Lada-2 ("Plants-2") plant growth experiment. Later,<br />he copied its accumulated photo/data files to a floppy disk for transfer to<br />the Russian laptop 3 and subsequent downlink via Regul-Packet.<br /><br />Bowersox took the two daily carbon dioxide (CO2) readings in the Service<br />Module (SM) and Lab with the CDMK (CO2 monitoring kit), in support of the<br />currently ongoing investigation of the discrepancy between the CO2 readings<br />of the MCA (major constituents analyzer) in the U.S. segment and the CO2<br />measurement in the Russian segment with the SM gas analyzer (GA). [At issue<br />are not only the suspect data of the GA, but also the lack of proper IMV<br />(intermodular ventilation) between the segments.]<br /><br />Sox also set up for tomorrow's scheduled Foot (foot/ground reaction forces<br />during space flight) experiment run, preparing the equipment for EMG<br />(electromyography) calibration with video recording, and for the actual data<br />take in the specially equipped outfit.<br /><br />Budarin transferred newly arrived Russian med/tech Bradoz A3 hardware from<br />the Progress and deployed it in the SM, after taking pictures of the<br />hardware for the record and saving them from the Nikon CompactFlash card to<br />a laptop HDD (hard-disk drive). [Bradoz (RBO-2) is a bio-radiation dosimetry<br />experiment that uses kits deployed in specific SM locations with minimum,<br />maximum or average levels of radiation protection within two days after<br />delivery. After the completion of the experiment, the samples must be<br />isolated from exposure to electromagnetic radiation as much as possible.]<br /><br />Bowersox and Pettit conducted another session for the general MedOps PFE<br />(periodic fitness evaluation), which checks up on blood pressure and<br />electrocardiogram during programmed exercise on the CEVIS in the Lab.<br />Readings were taken with the BP/ECG (blood pressure/electrocardiograph).<br />Each of the two in turn assisted his crewmate as CMO (crew medical officer).<br />[BP/ECG provides automated noninvasive systolic and diastolic blood pressure<br />measurements while also monitoring and displaying accurate heart rates on a<br />continual basis at rest and during exercise.]<br /><br />Nikolai performed the daily routine maintenance of the SOSh life support<br />system as well as the preparation of the IMS "delta" file for downlink.<br /><br />MCC-M/TsUP performed a smoke detector test in the DC-1 docking compartment<br />via S-band, then deactivated the "cycle" mode of FGB battery #5 and<br />activated it for battery #6. SM battery #6 was also set to cycling mode. [In<br />cycle mode (RTs), the battery is twice discharged down to 24 volts, then<br />recharged to 32.5V at least once every two weeks. Each battery requires<br />about 18 hours for the process. Cycle mode is performed to rid the battery<br />of its "memory" and restore the electrical characteristics of the storage<br />unit. It also resets accumulated errors in the battery's charge/discharge<br />current integrator (MIRT).]<br /><br />The Cupola RWS PCS (robotic workstation/portable computer system) suffered a<br />hard failure over last weekend. PCS spares are on board but are not usable<br />until after the pending 12A software transition.<br /><br />The Russian LiOH (lithium hydroxide) canister test performed over the<br />weekend, lasting more than 38 hrs, was deemed successful by MCC-M. The test<br />was in support of re-certification of the LiOH canisters' lifetime.<br /><br />Next ISS reboost, by Progress 10P, is scheduled for 2/11 (Tuesday), at<br />6:49am EST. The burn will last 21 min 48 sec and provide a delta-V of 6<br />m/sec, increasing station altitude by 10.4 km.<br /><br />Today's targets for the CEO (crew earth observations program) were Red<br />Basin, China (Dynamic event. The break in cloudy weather continues with high<br />pressure promoting continued smog buildup: these conditions allow<br />comparative views of this site from two days ago. The circular Red Basin<br />[oblique left of track] has 100 million people and major cities. Suggested<br />were obliques and short lenses [or series of tighter views] to capture the<br />full span of the basin and the smog event. Any flow lines in the smog<br />indicating a sense of the transport direction would be interesting to<br />document), Three Gorges Dam, Yangtze R. (nadir pass. Mapping swath requested<br />(i.e., overlapping views). The dam wall lies in a dark and deep canyon and<br />can be difficult to discern, but the vast construction sites on both banks<br />should stand out), Kinshasa, Congo (this capital city lies a touch right on<br />the south bank of the Congo River [where the river widens at "Stanley<br />Pool"]), Baghdad, Iraq (nadir pass; ESC [electronic still camera]. Also,<br />this was an opportunity to shoot sun glint views of the complex river<br />pattern in Mesopotamia, and the new dusting of snow on the Zagros Mts and<br />other ranges in Iran [for about 1.5 mins after Baghdad]), Eastern<br />Mediterranean Dust (gusty winds were kicking up dust off the coast of Egypt.<br />[Then there was an opportunity to shoot Crete in sun glint--right of<br />track]), Algiers, Algeria (nadir pass for this coastal city; ESC), Bogotá,<br />Colombia (nadir pass; ESC. The city appears as an elongated gray mass in the<br />valley [valley reported cloud free compared with mountain ranges to east and<br />west cloudy]), St. Louis, Missouri (a touch left of nadir; ESC), and<br />Detroit, Michigan (nadir pass; ESC).<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 1:50pm 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 On; SKV-2 is Off.<br /><br />SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 753; temperature (deg C) -- 27.6;<br />ppO2 (mmHg) -- 160.8; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- 2.3 (suspect).<br />SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 751; temperature (deg C) --<br />19.2.<br />FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) -- 752; temperature (deg C) -- 20.7.<br />Node: Pressure (mmHg) -- 741.98; temperature (deg C) -- 22.4 (shell); ppO2<br />(mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- n/a.<br />U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) -- 743.91; temperature (deg C) -- 22.7; ppO2<br />(mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- n/a;<br />Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) -- 744.01; temperature (deg<br />C) -- 20.0; shell heater temp (deg C) -- 22.4, ppO2 (mmHg) -- 165.07; ppCO2<br />(mmHg) -- 4.5.<br />PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 22.1<br />PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 18.3<br />(n/a = data not available)<br /><br />Propulsion System (PS): Total propellant load available [SM(820) + FGB(2898)<br />+ Progress(0)] -- 3718 kg (8197 lb) as of 1/30/03. (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 "blind" dual-angle mode (directed position).<br />SM batteries: Battery #7 is off line (failed); battery #6 is in "Cycle"<br />mode; all other batteries (6) are in "Partial Charge" mode.<br />FGB batteries: Battery #1 is off line; battery #6 is in "Cycle mode"; all<br />other batteries (4) are in "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-2 MDM is prime, C&C-3 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 />LVLH TEA (local vertical/local horizontal = "earth-fixed": z-axis in local<br />vertical, x-axis in velocity vector [yaw: -10 deg, pitch: -9.1 deg, roll: 0<br />deg]), CMG/TA (thruster assist) momentum management).<br />Solar Beta Angle: -12.0 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, 7:27am EST [= epoch]):<br />Mean altitude -- 386.5 km<br />Apogee -- 390.3 km<br />Perigee -- 382.7 km<br />Period -- 92.28 min.<br />Inclination (to Equator) -- 51.64 deg<br />Eccentricity -- 0.0005568<br />Orbits per 24-hr. day -- 15.60<br />Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours -- 200 m<br />Solar Beta Angle -- -12.0 deg (magnitude decreasing)<br />Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. '98) -- 24061<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