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28 June 2003

ISS On-Orbit Status 27 Jun 2003

Part 1 of 3

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted
previously or below.  Another full day for the ISS crew.  [Quote
uplinked this morning: "Nothing great was ever achieved without
enthusiasm" (Ralph Waldo Emerson).] 

Before breakfast and physical exercise (and undoubtedly with
enthusiasm), CDR Yuri Malenchenko and FE/SO Edward Lu conducted the
Russian crew health-monitoring program's medical assessment
MO-9/Urinalysis, part 2 of their current PHS (periodic health status)
assessment and their second round of it.  After the sessions,
Malenchenko stowed the Urolux equipment.   [MO-9 is biochemical
urinalysis, conducted regularly every 30 days (and also before and
after EVAs), and it is one of five nominal Russian medical tests
adopted by NASA for US crewmembers for PHS evaluation exams (with or
without blood labs).  The analysis uses the sophisticated in-vitro
diagnostic apparatus "Urolux" developed by Boehringer/Mannheim in
Germany for the Mir program.  The device is first calibrated with
prepared calibration strips (if not used for more than seven days),
then receives the measuring strips with the subject's urine samples
for automatic (photometric) analysis.  LEDs indicate immediately if
the data are within (green) or outside (red) the physiological norm,
and they are also printed on a tape for report to MCC-M (actually to
IBMP, the Moscow Institute of Biomedical Problems). ] 

Science Officer Dr. Lu activated the Microgravity Science Glovebox
(MSG) for another session of the InSPACE (Investigating the Structure
of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions) experiment, on
CA006 (coil assembly #5) with the largest particles in suspension yet
tested (0.66 microns)  The MSG was later powered down again.
[Today's InSPACE session was test #28, with current amplitude of
0.875 amps remaining unchanged throughout the test and an initial
frequency of 1 Hz.  For  the second monitor period, the frequency was
changed to 0.66 Hz.  The test represented the last nominally planned
experiment with the largest particles.  Afterwards, Ed Lu performed a
coil exchange in the MSG, replacing CA006 with the as yet unused
CA001.  CA006 was then stowed.]

Ed Lu performed the second data collection and file indexing on the
NGL (Next Generation Laptop) machine, for downlink.   [The NGL, a
Notebook equipped with a 2GHz Pentium-4 processor, 60 GB hard disk
drive (HDD), 1 GB RAM memory, and a 2-hr. Li-Ion battery, is
currently on a three-week zero-G shakedown test.]

On the operational PCS (portable computer system) laptops in the ISS,
Ed Lu performed the regular weekly maintenance reboot.

Yuri Malenchenko completed the planned liquid waste transfer from
nine EDV container bags with collected urine to the Progress 11P
Rodnik water tank for eventual disposal.  This standard transfer was
prepared yesterday by pressurization of Rodnik's expulsion bladder.

Ed Lu conducted the regular bimonthly inspection/maintenance of the
TVIS treadmill.

Ed also completed the weekly transfer of accumulated data files with
workout data from the TVIS and RED exercise equipment to the MEC via
PCMCIA cards (personal computer memory card international
association) for subsequent downlink to Earth.

Afterwards, he transferred HRM (heart rate monitor) data files to the
MEC, then deleted them on the HRM receivers.  [Last time done: 6/20.]

The SO completed his seventh weekly filling-out of the FFQ (food
frequency questionnaire), which keeps a log of his nutritional intake
over time on special medical equipment computer (MEC) software.

Ed collected ppCO2 carbon dioxide partial pressure) readings in the
Lab from the newly deployed CSA-CPs (compound specific
analyzers-combustion products).   [CSA-CP is a toxicology monitoring
device for early CO detection/warning and post-fire decontamination.
It also checks for HCl and other combustion products and
contaminants.  Data takes are regularly collected for downlink.]

The crew was advised to retire the old Structures and Mechanisms
procedures book launched originally on 11A, now out of date.  For all
Structures and Mechanisms procedures, the crew will henceforth refer
only to the computer-based MPV (manual procedure viewer), which lets
them read the manuals from an SSC (station support computer) client
laptop for quick and easy reference.

Ed Lu conducted the daily routine maintenance of the SM's SOZh
environment control & life support system and did the regular status
checkup of autonomous Increment 7 Lab payloads (SAMS, MAMS,
PCG-STES010), while Malenchenko prepared the daily "delta" file for
the inventory management system (IMS).  Yuri also conducted the
weekly IMS tagup with ground specialists via S-band.

Malenchenko tended to his BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 ("Plants-2") experiment
which researches growth and development of plants under space flight
conditions in the Lada-2 greenhouse.

Ed conducted another weekly inventory audit of the available CWCs
(contingency water containers) and their contents.  [Last time done:
6/20].

The crew completed their regular daily 2.5-h program of physical
exercise, on TVIS treadmill, RED expander and, for Yuri, on the
Russian VELO cycle ergometer with load trainer.

At 4:40am EDT, the ISS Commander downlinked a televised
congratulatory address to the Chelyabinsk Iron and Steel Works (OAO
Mechel) on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the founding of
the huge industrial concern, a recognized industry leader for
high-quality steel and alloy production, which has always been
tightly linked to the history of Russian/Soviet cosmonautics.
[Mechel-produced steels and alloys have been and are widely used in
the rocket engines of Proton, Soyuz, Zenit, Cosmos, and the coming
Angara launch vehicles.] 

One of the two missing upgraded BRPK condensate separation & pumping
units has been located behind an SM panel.  Its installation is
planned for the week of July 7, the second (if the unit is found) a
week or two later.  [The plan is to replace the old pipe conduits,
including safety valves, with the new units.  The latter have no
filters and use higher safety valve trip pressures.  Purpose of the
upgrade is to prevent unwanted flow of the fluid through the bypass
line during condensate transfer cycles.] 

To support normal operations of the Russian "Packet" laptop and the
new laptop-3, a U.S. power supply unit has been provided by NASA, to
be used with the Packet machine.  The installation of the unit with
its cables and the stowage of the old unit has been added to
Malenchenko's optional task list.

 - Continued -

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