All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below.
Before breakfast and exercise, FE-2 Chamitoff performed his second PHS (Periodic Health Status) w/Blood Labs examination, using the U.S. PCBA(Portable Clinical Blood Analyzer). The second part of PHS, Subjective Clinical Evaluation, was performed later in the day. CDR Volkov assisted in the assessment as CMO (Crew Medical Officer). All data were then logged on the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) and the hardware stowed. [The PHS exam, with PCBA analysis and clinical evaluation, is guided by special software (IFEP, In-Flight Examination Program) on the MEC laptop. While PCBA analyzes total blood composition, the blood's hematocrit is particularly measured by the Russian MO-10 protocol.]
Sergey Volkov serviced the Russian BMP (Harmful Impurities Removal System), starting the "bake-out"-to-vacuum cycle on absorbent bed #2 of the regenerable dual-channel filtration system. The regen process will be terminated tonight at ~5:15pm EDT. Filter bed #1 was regenerated yesterday. [Regeneration of each of the two cartridges takes about 12 hours and is conducted only during crew awake periods. The BMP's regeneration cycle, normally done every 20 days, is currently performed four times more frequently to remove any lingering Freon-218 from the cabin atmosphere (last time: 8/11 & 12).]
FE-1 Kononenko took the periodic readings of potentially harmful atmospheric contaminants in the SM (Service Module), using the CMS (Countermeasure System), a component of the GANK-4M Real-Time Harmful Contaminant Gas Analyzer suite, which uses preprogrammed microchips to measure H2CO (Formaldehyde, methanal), CO (Carbon Monoxide) and NH3 (Ammonia), taking one measurement per microchip.
The CDR had several hours set aside for preparing the Progress-364/29P spacecraft for its undocking. To get the uncrewed cargo ship ready for departure, Volkov -
- Dismantled and removed the electronic LKT local temperature sensor commutator (TA251MB) of the BITS2-12 onboard telemetry measurement system and its PZU-1M ROM (read-only memory) unit from inside the ship for recycling,
- Salvaged a good two-light SD1-7 lighting fixture from 29P and replaced it with a failed (one-light) SD1-7 from ZIP stowage,
- Worked with Oleg Kononenko in the spacecraft to finish packing and tying down trash and excess cargo while logging moves in the IMS (Inventory Management System),
- Activated 29P and tore down the ventilation air duct to the FGB,
- Closed FGB-to-Progress transfer hatches (~2:00pm), and
- Started the usual one-hour hatch leak check on the connecting vestibule.
[Undocking is scheduled for ~3:47pm EDT on 9/1 (Monday). Progress 364 will remain in orbit on independent flight to conduct a "Plasma" experiment. Destructive reentry over the Pacific Ocean is scheduled for 9/9 (deorbit ~5:15pm).]
Chamitoff and Kononenko finished up on ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) cargo transfers and undock preparations. [Documentary photography & video of the stowage arrangement are being examined on the ground for last-minute adjustments to ensure proper containment of all items and good CG (center-of-gravity) position for stable maneuvering during independent flight after undocking. "Jules Verne" is scheduled to de-orbit on 9/29 for a nighttime return timed for observing the fiery reentry and destruction from a high-flying observation plane and the ground.]
The FE-1 completed another radiation data checkup for accumulated flux & dose rate data with the Matryoshka-R radiation payload (RBO-3-2) and its LULIN-5 electronics box.
Oleg also took the periodic photographs of the plants growing in the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 ("Plants-2") Lada-13 greenhouse, using the Nikon D2 photo camera with F=17-55 mm lens, then downlinked the images via BSR-TM. The regular status check of the payload which researches growth and development of plants (barley) under spaceflight conditions was also conducted.
Afterwards, Kononenko continued preparations for the upcoming installation of ATV proximity ops control equipment by readying panels 226 & 227 in the SM for the outfitting and tagging up with ground specialists. [The outfitting involved a remote hand controller with its stand, a BUAP antenna switch box with cabling and the PCE (Proximity Communications Equipment; Russian: MBRL) unit.]
Meanwhile, Gregory spent several hours collecting fluid samples from ITCS (Internal Thermal Control System) loops in the
- JAXA Kibo module: one NH3 (ammonia) sample from the LTL (Low Temperature Loop),
- U.S. Lab: a Triol return-to-ground sample plus an OPA (Ortho-Phthalaldehyde) sample,
- Node-2: an OPA or NH3 sample from LTL and MTL (Moderate Temperature Loop) each,
- Columbus Laboratory: a Triol return-to-ground return and one NH3 sample from MTL.
[Collecting and on-orbit analyzing (for ppm) of fluid specimen are done with a standard ITCS Sampling Adapter. Some samples will be returned to ground for analysis.]
Chamitoff also configured and recharged three PDAs (Personal Digital Assistant) units (via dual-USB cables) in preparation for their loading with new BCR (Bar Code Reader) and WINS (Windows Internet Name Service) software next week. [WINS is Microsoft's implementation of NetBIOS Name Service (NBNS), a name server and service for NetBIOS computer names (equivalent to what DNS is to domain names).]
The FE-2 conducted the regular bi-monthly reboot of the OCA Router and File Server SSC (Station Support Computer) laptops.
Greg took measurements for the regular atmospheric status check for ppCO2 (Carbon Dioxide partial pressure) in the Lab, SM at panel 449 and COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory) plus battery ticks, using the hand-held CDMK (CO2 Monitoring Kit, #1002). The unit was then deactivated and returned to its stowage location (LAB1S2). [Purpose of the 5-min activity is to trend with MCA (Major Constituents Analyzer), i.e., to correlate the hand-held readings with MCA measurements.]
In the U.S. Lab, Oleg Kononenko performed a controlled shut-down of the EHS VOA (Environmental Health System-Volatile Organic Analyzer), with the ground power-cycling its RPC (Remote Power Controller).
The FE-1 also completed the routine daily servicing of the SOZh system (ECLSS/Environment Control & Life Support System) in the SM. [Regular daily SOZh maintenance consists, among else, of checking the ASU toilet facilities, replacement of KTO & KBO solid waste containers and replacement of EDV-SV waste water and EDV-U urine containers.]
Afterwards, Oleg took care of the daily IMS maintenance, updating/editing its standard "delta file" including stowage locations, for the regular weekly automated export/import to its three databases on the ground (Houston, Moscow, Baikonur).
The station residents conducted their regular 2.5-hr. physical workout program (about half of which is used for setup & post-exercise personal hygiene) on the CEVIS cycle ergometer (FE-2), TVIS treadmill (CDR, FE-1), RED resistive exercise device (CDR, FE-1, FE-2) and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer (CDR, FE-1). Later, Sergey will transfer the exercise data file to the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) laptop for downlink, including the daily wristband HRM (Heart Rate Monitor) data of the workouts on RED, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).
At ~4:45am EDT, the crew held the regular (nominally weekly) tagup with the Russian Flight Control Team (GOGU/Glavnaya operativnaya gruppa upravleniya = "Main Operative Control Group"), including Shift Flight Director (SRP), at TsUP-Moscow via S-band/audio, phone-patched from Houston and Moscow.
At ~5:00am, Sergey & Oleg linked up with TsUP stowage specialists via S-band to conduct the weekly IMS tagup, discussing inventory & stowage issues, equipment locations and ATV & Progress cargo transfers.
At ~2:55pm, the ISS crew will have their regular weekly tagup with the Lead Flight Director at JSC/MCC-H via S-band/audio. [S/G-2 (Space-to-Ground 2) phone patch via SSC (Station Support Computer)].
As generally every day now, starting at ~9:00am and running until 3:00pm, the US CDRA (Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly) was activated intermittently for two half-cycles to control ppCO2 levels. This configuration for the daily ops does not require connecting & disconnecting the ITCS (Internal Thermal Control System) cooling loop. [A forward plan is in work for cycling the CSV (CO2 Selector Valve) to prevent its sticking.]
WRM Update: An updated WRM (Water Recovery Management) "cue card" was uplinked overnight for the crew's reference, updated with yesterday's water audit. [The new card (17-0002X) lists 31 CWCs (~1163.8 L total) for the four types of water identified on board: technical water (385.0 L, for flushing only because of Wautersia bacteria), potable water (706.7 L, incl. 174.6 L currently on hold), condensate water (54.1 L), waste/EMU dump and other (17 L). Wautersia bacteria are typical water-borne microorganisms that have been seen previously in ISS water sources. These isolates pose no threat to human health.]
MT Translation Update: Today at ~3:10pm-4:40pm EDT, ground commanding will move the Mobile Transporter from WS-6 (Worksite 6) to WS-7 using string-A IMCAs (Integrated Motor/Controller Assemblies) to provide added MMOD (Micrometeoroid/Orbital Debris) protection of the TUS (Trailing Umbilical System) cable. During the move, Russian thrusters will be inhibited (2:55pm-5:55pm) due to loads constraints.
Conjunction Update: The conjunction with another Kosmos-2421 piece (#33248) tonight at 9:09pm EDT will not require a DAM (Debris Avoidance Maneuver). Based on more tracking, the object's trajectory is quite stable, with a predicted miss distance of 20.789 km, yielding a collision probability of 3.84E-10 (i.e., odds ~1:2,600,000,000), which moves the conjunction way out of the Red box (threshold 1:10,000).
Tropical Storm Gustav Update: In response to TS Gustav, JSC/Houston has transitioned to Level 4. As currently expected, the Center will go to Level 3 not earlier than Saturday evening, 8/30. Level 2 (Center Shutdown & relocation of the BCC/Backup Control Center deploy team to MSFC/Huntsville) would follow on Sunday evening unless changes in storm track, condition or speed alter this timeline. Gustav's landfall is still expected to be early on Tuesday morning, 9/2, somewhere on the Texas/Louisiana coast.
CEO (Crew Earth Observations) photo targets uplinked for today were Cairo, Egypt (aiming at nadir and a touch left, and shooting margins of this rapidly expanding megalopolis on both banks of the Nile River in the green floodplain. Pyramids can be seen just west of the floodplain in the light-toned desert), South Tibesti Megafans, Chad (Greg was asked to shoot a swath of overlapping images just right of track. Two larger rivers from the Tibesti Mountains used to flow out onto the light-toned plains spreading enormous cones of sediment. The remnants of such cones in this target appear to be a good analog for the arid plains of Mars. Greg's visual cue was the light-toned plains directly at the foot of the black lava slopes of the Tibesti Mts.), Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (detailed overlapping images just right of track were requested to document various features within the National Park, especially trails and remote roads that are best mapped from above), and Hurricane Gustav, Caribbean (Gustav has restrengthened into a Category 1 storm south off Cuba by the time of this pass [1:19pm EDT]).
CEO photography can be studied at this "Gateway" website:
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov (as of 3/1/08, this database contained 757,605 views of the Earth from space, with 314,000 from the ISS alone).
Week 19/20 Scheduled Main Activities:
- Sat. (8/30): Station cleaning (RS); PFCs (CDR, FE-1); VolSci (SPHERES); FFQ; Ham pass.
- Sun. (8/31): Station cleaning (USOS); WINSCAT; PFC (FE-2).
- Mon. (9/1, Labor Day): Crew off duty; Progress 29P Undock (~3:47pm); CSA-CP probe replacement; ham session; FSL/FCE lock.
- Tue. (9/2): ATV Undock OBT; BUAP/MBRL (PCE) equipment install in SM (ATV hand controller, antenna switch box, prox comm unit); Elektron deact/act; Vozdukh AVK test; FGB PS1/PS2 filter & TsV1 screen cleaning; USOS water sampling; CMO profic.train.; FSL/FCE release.
- Wed. (9/3): MO-7 (all); RED inspection; BMP ch.1 regen; MO-3/FE-1 (TVIS); WRS O2 purge/port install/leak check; SAMS s/w load; CGSE troubleshooting; BRTK-MBRL (PCE) test 1.
- Thu. (9/4): SOTR-KOB1 maintenance; SRVK-BRPK maintenance; BMP ch.2 regen; CWC audit; SLEEP init.; PCS s/w load-ghosting; IWIS reprogram; ATV: activate/SSVP docking system remove/close hatches/take photo+video; TVS-MPEG Ku test.
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 8:33am EDT [= epoch]):
Mean altitude -- 353.7 km
Apogee height -- 358.3 km
Perigee height -- 349.1 km
Period -- 91.61 min.
Inclination (to Equator) -- 51.64 deg
Eccentricity -- 0.0006797
Solar Beta Angle -- -12.2 deg (magnitude decreasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day -- 15.72
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours -- 71 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) -- 56007
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time, some changes possible.):
09/01/08 -- Progress M-64/29P undocking, FGB nadir (~3:47pm); independent flight w/"Plasma" exp.
09/05/08 -- ATV1 undocking, from SM aft port (~5:27pm); independent flight
09/09/08 -- Progress M-64/29P de-orbit (~5:19pm)
09/10/08 -- Progress M-65/30P launch (~3:49:45pm)
09/12/08 -- Progress M-65/30P docking (SM aft, ~5:08pm DM)
09/29/08 -- ATV de-orbit (nighttime re-entry for observation)
10/01/08 -- NASA 50 Years (official)
10/08/08 -- STS-125/Atlantis Hubble Space Telescope Service Mission 4 (SM4)
10/11/08 -- Progress M-65/30P undocking (from SM aft)
10/12/08 -- Soyuz TMA-13/17S launch (~3:03am EDT; Lonchakov, Fincke, Garriott)
10/14/08 -- Soyuz TMA-13/17S docking (FGB nadir port, ~4:51am)
10/23/08 -- Soyuz TMA-12/16S undocking (DC1 nadir) or 10/24?
11/10/08 -- STS-126/Endeavour/ULF2 launch - MPLM Leonardo, LMC
11/12/08 -- STS-126/Endeavour/ULF2 docking
11/20/08 -- ISS 10 Years
11/25/08 -- Progress M-65/30P undocking & deorbit
11/26/08 -- Progress M-66/31P launch
11/30/08 -- Progress M-66/31P docking
02/09/09 -- Progress M-66/31P undocking & deorbit
02/10/09 -- Progress M-67/32P launch
02/12/09 -- Progress M-67/32P docking
02/12/09 -- STS-119/Discovery/15A launch - S6 truss segment
02/14/09 -- STS-119/Discovery/15A docking
02/24/09 -- STS-119/Discovery/15A undocking
02/26/09 -- STS-119/Discovery/15A landing (nominal)
03/25/09 -- Soyuz TMA-14/18S launch
03/27/09 - Soyuz TMA-14/18S docking (DC1)
04/05/09 -- Soyuz TMA-13/17S undocking
04/07/09 -- Progress M-67/32P undocking & deorbit
05/15/09 -- STS-127/Endeavour/2J/A launch - JEM EF, ELM-ES, ICC-VLD
05/25/09 -- Soyuz TMA-15/19S launch
05/27/09 -- Six-person crew on ISS (following Soyuz 19S docking)
07/30/09 -- STS-128/Atlantis/17A - MPLM(P), last crew rotation
10/15/09 -- STS-129/Discovery/ULF3 - ELC1, ELC2
12/10/09 -- STS-130/Endeavour/20A - Node-3 + Cupola
02/11/10 -- STS-131/Atlantis/19A - MPLM(P)
04/08/10 -- STS-132/Discovery/ULF4 - ICC-VLD, MRM1
05/31/10 -- STS-133/Endeavour/ULF5 - ELC3, ELC4 (contingency).
