All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted previously or below.
Early this morning, before breakfast, Peggy Whitson concluded the acoustic measurements program by recording the accumulated data from the three static dosimeters and stowing the hardware. This providea engineers with a full 24-hour data take for their sound level assessments.
At 9:00 am EDT, Whitson and CDR Korzun began the survey of the ACBM (active common berthing module) on the Node's nadir side, using the LEE (latching end effector) camera of the SSRMS/Canadarm2. Objective: to look for any damage or contamination corresponding to the metallic FOD (foreign object debris) found on the PCBM (passive CBM) of the Leonardo MPLM (multipurpose logistics module) after its return with STS-111 last June. The survey focused both on the ACBM's hatch sealing surface and the undersides of the four protective petal covers, which were opened and closed by the crew one at a time. The inspection discovered two different types of FOD, viz., black specks and shiny white specks, both in "expected" and unexpected places. Further action is under discussion.
During the robotics ops, FE-2 Sergei Treschev worked on the SM's gas analyzer (IK0501), setting up the IGZ analyzer unit for an O2 (oxygen) readings correction by the ground during a Russian comm pass. [IK0501 analyzes the air flow pumped through it for humidity (H2O), oxygen (O2), carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen (H2), and converts its measurements into partial pressure values going to a monitoring laptop and, if they exceed limit values, to the caution and warning panel (PSS).]
Treschev then replaced the inlet fitting cap on the BPK micropump of the BRPK water condensate separator, to extend the latter's service life. [The cap is a swivel nut with holes, installed on the micropump next to its hydraulic connections.]
He also completed the routine inspection of the BRPK-1 separator and SKV-2 air conditioner fan (VR).
Another task completed by Sergei was to set up water regeneration from the SRV-K2M condensate water processor, which converts collected condensate (from the SKV air conditioners) into drinking water and dispenses the reclaimed water (warm and hot) for drinking and preparing food and beverages.
CDR Korzun performed the periodic functional test of the emergency vacuum valves (AVK) of the Vozdukh CO2 removal system. [The AVKs are critical because they close the Vozdukh's vacuum access lines in the event of a malfunction in the regular vacuum valves (BVK) or a depressurization in the Vozdukh valve panel (BOA). Access to vacuum is required to vent carbon dioxide during the regeneration of the absorbent cartridges (PP). During nominal operation, the AVK valves remain open.]
The two cosmonauts performed a detailed inventory audit of Russian onboard medical kits. Several such kits were identified to be discarded, and some other medical kits had their service life extended by removing and wasting part of their pharmaceutical medications with expired life.
Peggy Whitson transferred IWIS RSU (internal wireless instrumentation system remote sensor unit) #1028 to the SM and activated the IWIS sensors. Treschev installed the RSU in the SM to collect structural dynamics data during today's Russian thruster test SDTO (station development test objective).
The test burns, scheduled for this afternoon, will be two firings of Progress 8P thrusters at 2:58pm EDT, and two firings of SM thrusters at 3:01pm. [During the tests, the US segment will have its attitude control commanded to free drift and then hand over to RS thruster control, to snap and hold current attitude (resulting from the 25-min. period of free drift).]
Korzun activated the reader of the EVARM (EVA radiation monitoring) experiment and later took pre-EVA background badge readings, to meet the EVA-minus-21-day requirement.
Daily routine maintenance tasks were performed by Treschev (SOSh life support systems servicing & IMS delta file preparation) and Whitson (status checkup of ADVASC and PCG-STES008 payloads).
FE-1 Whitson completed her weekly data collection of the NTXN Interactions experiment, entering subjective mood, group and journal impressions in the HRF (human research facility) PC-based questionnaire.
PFMI (pore formation and mobility investigation) experiment runs in the MSG (microgravity science glovebox) will begin next week on 9/19. Since they depend heavily on video for their science return, a test run is planned on 9/17 to ensure proper camera operation. [For this experiment, the effects of changing experiment-processing parameters on the growth process will only be known after the data is downlinked. Once the experiment has been completed, the GI (glovebox investigator) will perform an assessment of the data and determine the parameters for the next run in order to maximize the science return. Therefore, PFMI intends to process no more than two samples per week so that there is time to downlink and assess the data.]
Peggy set up the amateur radio equipment and, at 6:42am EDT, engaged in a ham radio exchange with Glen Waverly Secondary College in Melbourne, Australia, fielding questions from students.
Good news for CDRA (carbon dioxide removal assembly): The crew' was successful yesterday in locating, as suspected, a leaking hydroflow coupling downstream of the AD/DES 1 bed (adsorbent/desorbent bed #1), between valves #104 and #105. This troubleshooting inspection was on the "job jar" task list.
Station reboost last night was nominal. Eight Progress 8P thrusters, burning the resupply tanks to completion, produced a delta-V of 1.5 m/s, increasing ISS mean altitude by 2.2 km (1.4 s.mi.) to 390.5 km (244 s.mi.). Since it was a single burn at perigee (orbit low point), the maneuver affected only apogee (high point), lifting it by 4.6 km and increasing the orbit's eccentricity (ellipticity). The reboost had been rescheduled from 8:31pm EDT to 9:10pm, so as to serve also for avoiding a potential conjunction with the Starshine 3 satellite which had been predicted for later this week.
Today's targets for the U.S. CEO program were Athens, Greece (nadir pass; ESC [electronic still camera] requested), Madrid, Spain (nadir pass; ESC), Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (nadir pass over this capital city; ESC), Angolan Biomass Burning (crew to look left and right for fires. Smoke should be held near the ground due to evolving high pressure system in place), Industrialized SE Africa (high pressure setting in, should maintain air pollution near the ground as a visible blanket, left and right of track), Navassa Island (nadir pass; ESC), Brasilia, Brazil (nadir pass; ESC), High Central Andean Glaciers (detailed views of any mountain [volcano or massif] ice caps that the crew saw near nadir. These tropical ice masses are melting fast. New high resolution crew photos allow documentation of ice edges accurately enough to map change in these remote and very inhospitable places), Lake Poopo (astronaut photography over several years allows us to predict that this lake should start to wane as the present El Nino starts up. Shots to test this prediction requested), Midway Islands (crew to shoot reef detail, to include mapping sequence [or longer views] to enable views to be located), Pearl & Hermes reefs (crew to photograph reef detail, including mapping sequence [or longer views] to enable views to be located), Lisianski reefs (crew to shoot reef detail, including mapping sequence [or longer views] to enable views to be located), Tuamotu Archipelago (reef detail, including mapping sequence [or longer views] to enable views to be located), and Patagonian Glaciers (shots of glacier detail [especially snouts of glaciers] requested).
CEO images can be viewed at the website http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov
U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 2:09 am EDT):
Environmental Control and Life Support (ECLSS) and Thermal Control (TCS):
Elektron O2 generator is powered On (16-amp mode), on backup pump. Vozdukh CO2 scrubber is ON in MANUAL cycle mode #5, i.e., 10-min. cycle time (vacuum pump failed). U.S. CDRA CO2 scrubber is offline. BMP Harmful Impurities unit: Absorbent bed #1 in Purify mode, bed #2 in Purify mode.
SM Working Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 757, temperature (deg C) -- 26.2, ppO2 (mmHg) -- 159.5, ppCO2 (mmHg) -- 3.9.
SM Transfer Compartment: Pressure (mmHg) -- 752, temperature (deg C) -- 21.0.
FGB Cabin: Pressure (mmHg) -- 752, temperature (deg C) -- 20.3.
Node: Pressure (mmHg) -- 749.61, temperature (deg C) -- 23.6 (shell); ppO2 (mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- n/a.
U.S. Lab: Pressure (mmHg) -- 751.79, temperature (deg C) -- 24.9, ppO2 (mmHg) -- 162.2*; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- 5.0*;
Joint Airlock (Equip. Lock): Pressure (mmHg) -- 751.79, temperature (deg C) -- 24.3; shell heater temp (deg C) -- 23.2, ppO2 (mmHg) -- n/a; ppCO2 (mmHg) -- n/a.
PMA-1: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 23.8
PMA-2: Shell heater temp (deg C) -- 19.4
(*Note: Partial pressures ppO2 and ppCO2 in Node are obtained from the recently restored MCA [major constituent analyzer] and are not considered reliable until purge of water vapor within sample lines has been completed.
Electrical Power Systems (EPS):
Both P6 channels fully operational. Beta Gimbal Assembly (BGA) 2B and BGA 4B in "Parked" (Blind) mode (non solar-tracking), for dual-angle ops.
SM batteries: Battery #1 is offline, battery #4 is in "Cycle" mode; all other batteries (6) are in "Partial Charge" mode. Data are static.
FGB batteries: Battery #4 is in "Storage" mode (offline); all other batteries (5) are in "Partial Charge" mode.
Plasma Contactor Unit PCU-1 in Standby mode; PCU-2 in Standby mode.
Thermal Control Systems:
Air conditioner SKV-1 is On; SKV-2 is Off.
Command & Data Handling Systems:
C&C-3 MDM is prime, C&C-2 is back-up, and C&C-1 is in standby.
GNC-2 MDM is prime; GNC-1 is Backup.
LA-1, LA-2 and LA-3 MDMs are all operating.
PL-1 MDM is Off (cold backup); PL-2 MDM is operating as primary.
APS-1 (automated payload switch #1) and APS-2 are both On.
SM Terminal Computer (TVM): 3 redundant lanes (of 3) operational.
SM Central Computer (TsVM): 2 redundant lanes (of 3) operational; #3 dropped out on 8/29.
Attitude Source:
3 CMGs on-line.
State vector -- US GPS (SIGI string 1)
Attitude -- Russian segment
Angular rates -- US RGA1 (rate gyro assembly 1)
Communications & Tracking Systems:
All Russian communications & tracking systems are nominal.
S-band is operating nominally.
Ku-band is operating nominally.
Audio subsystem operating nominally.
Video subsystem operating nominally.
MCOR (medium-rate communications outage recorder) is operating nominally.
Robotics:
SSRMS/Canadarm2 at MBS PDGF1 (mobile base system/power & data grapple fixture 1) and PDGF2, with Keep Alive power on both strings. SSRMS based on PDGF1 (LEE A, derigidized)
MBS: Keep Alive power on both strings.
RWS (robotics workstations): Lab RWS is Off; Cupola RWS is Off.
ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 7:47am EDT [= epoch]):
Mean altitude -- 390.5 km
Apogee -- 403.0 km
Perigee -- 378.0 km
Period -- 92.4 min.
Inclination (to Equator) -- 51.64 deg
Eccentricity -- 0.0018427
Orbits per 24-hr. day -- 15.59
Solar Beta Angle -- 14.9 deg (magnitude increasing)
Altitude increase -- 2200 m (mean) in last 24 hours
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. '98) -- 21764
Current Flight Attitude -- LVLH (local vertical/local horizontal = "earth-fixed": z-axis in local vertical, x-axis in velocity vector [yaw: -10 deg, pitch: -7.8 deg, roll: 0 deg]). Transition from LVLH (Russian: OSK) back to XPOP (Russian: RSO) will be on 9/16.
For more on ISS orbit and worldwide naked-eye visibility dates/times, see
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/viewing/issvis.html
