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23 June 2003

ISS On-Orbit Status 21 Jun 2003

Part 1 of 2

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted
previously or below.  The first of two weekend off-duty days for the
crew. 

Today is Summer Solstice -- longest daylight for the northern
hemisphere, i.e., best illumination of its high latitudes for
observations from ISS. Features of general scientific interest for
documentation by the crew include the distribution of sea ice, snow
and ice cover, glaciers, and cyclonic storms in remote areas of the
Far North.  [In St. Petersburg, there are the famed "White Nights",
and in Stockholm/Sweden one can easily read the newspaper on the
street at 2:00 o'clock in the morning.  Reason: because Earth's
rotational axis is inclined 23.5 degrees against its orbit plane and
currently tipped towards the Sun.]

After breakfast, Commander Yuri Malenchenko disassembled the water
transfer equipment which was used yesterday to pump the contents of
the 11P/Progress' Rodnik potable water tank to the Service Module
(SM)'s Rodnik tank, via DC-1 docking module plumbing.

Malenchenko and Flight Engineer/Science Officer Ed Lu then performed
the regular weekly 3-hr. "uborka stantsii" (station cleaning).  [This
included removal of food waste products, cleaning of compartments
with vacuum cleaner, wet cleaning of the SM dining table and other
surfaces with "Fungistat" disinfectant and cleaning fan screens to
avoid temperature rises.]

Later, Yuri conducted the daily routine maintenance of the SM's SOZh
life support system (including ASU toilet facilities), while Ed
prepared the daily IMS inventory "delta" file.

Both crewmembers completed their 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.

The crew had their the weekly planning conference with the ground via
S-band/audio, to discuss next week's "Look-Ahead Plan" (regularly
prepared jointly by MCC-H and MCC-M planners and uplinked ahead of
time). 

A new work item added to the Russian task list for Malenchenko's
attention today was cleaning up hard disk "D" in laptop TR1 to free
up storage volume for new files.  [A list of folders with photo
images that have already been successfully downloaded, was provided
for deletion.  In their stead, CDR "Yura" was to create new folders
for photos for Uragan. Diatomeya, EVA, Earth views, ISS interior
shots, and CDR-selected subjects.] 

Also added to the Russian task list on a time-available basis for
today was another session for Yuri with the biomedical MBI-9 "Pulse"
experiment, for which he set up payloads laptop 3.  These MBI-9
cardiological tests are done monthly (last time performed: 5/20).
[Execution of the medical cardiological assessment is controlled from
the Russian payloads laptop 3, using a set respiration rate (without
forced or deep breaths) and synchronizing respiration with
computer-commanded "inhale" commands.  Before the experiment,
arterial blood pressure is measured with the "Tensoplus"
sphygmomanometer.  After the test, laptop 3 was reconfigured to its
original settings.]

A third new item on the Russian task list, suggested for tomorrow, is
crew familiarization with the video-photo spectrometer VFS-3M.  This
is in preparation for an IFM (in-flight maintenance) scheduled for
6/25 to restore the system's functionality.   [In January this year,
a test of the VFS-3M twin-lens video-photometric system had revealed
a failure of the computer subsystem of the VFS electronics module
(ME).  The upcoming task will be a second attempt to restore the
system, after Nikolai Budarin had already worked on it on 3/31.  The
Molniya VFS-3M is used for studying atmospheric, ionospheric and
magnetospheric electromagnetic interaction related to storms and
seismic activities.] 

Weekly Science Update (Expedition Seven -- 7th):

This week the crew successfully performed the HRF GASMAP 30 Day
Health Check and completed another important Interactions session.
The MSG Rack was powered nominally in support of completion of a
valuable InSPACE run.  The ground has admired the beautiful images
the crew has been able to capture for the CEO team.  Everyone looks
forward to beginning EarthKAM operations in a few weeks and resuming
EPO activities. 

GASMAP:   Next 30-day health check is next month.   Human Research
Facility/Workstation (HRF WS):   Continuing.

Ultrasound:  The HRF and Space Medicine teams are looking forward to
next week's joint Ultrasound session.

Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation (PFMI):  Waiting to begin
operations.

Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS):  SAMS is nominal and
currently analyzing data in support of general characterization of
the ISS acceleration environment.

Microgravity Acceleration Measurement System (MAMS):  MAMS is nominal
and currently analyzing data in support of general characterization
of the ISS acceleration environment.

Protein Crystal Growth-Single Locker Thermal Enclosure System
(PCG-STES): PCG STES is operating nominally.  Temperatures are
holding steady. 

Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal
Emulsions (InSPACE):   The test on 6/18 provided interesting
structure development.  At 10 Hz, which starts to approach steady
conditions, there are fewer dispersed smaller structures and the view
through the structure is improved.  Conversely, when Ed Lu switched
to 2 Hz the image became murky because there was more opportunity for
dispersion during the field "off" state, which allows particles to
separate out from the structures.  This week's InSPACE run was the
second last planned test with the largest particles.  In fact, the
planned test matrix is almost complete.  There are only three
remaining runs: one with the large particles and two with the
smallest particles.  Upon completion of these tests, InSPACE will be
stowed. 

Materials ISS Experiment (MISSE):  In progress.  Deployed outside.
Nominal and collecting data.

Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students (EarthKAM):
Waiting to begin operations in July.

Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures-2 (CSLM-2):  Waiting to begin
operations.

 - Continued -

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