This Echo is READ ONLY !   NO Un-Authorized Messages Please!
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

15 May 2003

ISS On-Orbit Status 14 May 2003

Part 1 of 2

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted
previously or below.  Day 19 in space for Expedition 7.

As a standard task after Russian docking events, CDR Yuri Malenchenko
took photos of the internal FGB (funktsionalnyi-grusovoi blok) module
nadir docking assembly (StA) used for the 6S/Soyuz TMA-2 linkup.
These images will be used to refine current understanding of docking
conditions.  [The goal is to take photos of the scratch or scuff mark
left by the head of the docking probe on the internal surface of the
docking cone ring.  As other cosmonauts before him, Yuri used the
Kodak 760 digital still camera to take two pictures with the hatch
closed down and downlinked them later (4:55am EDT) via OCA.]

FE/SO Edward Lu performed  a checkout of the MedOps cardiac
defibrillator, a routine task that is performed as soon as possible
from Expedition start and every 60 days thereafter.  [For the
checkout, the defib is connected to the 120V outlet, equipped with
its battery and then allowed to charge, for about five seconds, to a
preset energy level (e.g., 100 joules).  After the button-triggered
discharge, a console indicator signals success or failure of the
test.] 

Science Officer Ed Lu conducted surface sample swabs in Lab, SM and
Node with the EHS SSK (environmental health systems/surface sample
kit) for cultivation.  [The colony growth on the sampling slides will
be analyzed after two and five days of incubation.]

Lu then used the MAS (microbial air sampler) kit to collect air
samples for bacterial and fungal analysis.  [As for the SSK, the
analysis is usually performed on Days 2 and 5 of incubation in Petri
dishes.] 

Ed Lu also transferred the BSTC (Biotechnology Specimen Temperature
Controller Functional Test) experiment and its GSM (gas supply
module) from EXPRESS rack 3 (ER3) to ER4.  This positioned the
hardware for a functional checkout later in the Increment.  [BSTC is
part of NASA/JSC's Cellular Biotechnology Program that develops
ground-based and space bioreactor technology to support
investigations in cell biology and tissue engineering by providing
the proper thermal and gas environment plus employing the weightless
environment to form three-dimensional, functional tissue equivalents.
CBOSS (cell biotechnology operations support systems) includes the
BSTC, which houses stationary bioreactors called QTCMAs (quad tissue
culture module assemblies), maintained at a specified temperature in
a controlled atmosphere.  Growth, morphology and function of
mammalian cells in the BSTC are monitored by the crew by means of pH
and chemistry analysis of media samples and postflight analysis of
"fixed" cell samples.  The GSM provides carbon dioxide (CO2) gas for
purging the incubation chambers after sessions, and the BCSS
(biotechnology cell science stowage), which includes a supercold
cryo-dewar, will supply the consumables and tools.]

Malenchenko completed his regular daily 5-min. inspection of the
BIO-5 Rasteniya-2/Lada-2 ("Plants-2") plant growth experiment.

Both crewmembers again had an hour reserved on their schedule for ISS
familiarization and adjustment to their new surroundings and
activities.

The CDR completed the daily routine maintenance on the SOZh life
support system (including ASU toilet facility, KRP food containers,
EDV water containers and KTO solid waste containers).

He also prepared the regular IMS (inventory management system)
"delta" file for updating the IMS database, while Ed Lu conducted the
daily status checkup of Lab payloads (PCG-STES, SAMS, MAMS).

Yuri and Ed performed their daily physical exercise program on the
TVIS treadmill, RED expander, CEVIS cycle and VELO ergometer with
load trainer. 

Yesterday, the Science Officer downlinked his first on-air responses
to specific questions about his and Malenchenko's experiences and
impressions, which were submitted on the Internet by the public.
[The answers, with the questions, are to be posted on
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/feedback/expert/answer/isscrew/index.html

At 9:50am EDT, the crewmembers downlinked two TV messages via Ku- and
S-band for videotaping on the ground, one for generic PAO purposes,
the other for playing at various NASA Visitors Centers around the
U.S.

Starting at 9:55am EDT, MCC-Moscow began a six-hour remote-commanded
test of transmitting a time signal between the BSV-M time
synchronization unit on one of the system power panels (PPS) master
clock units and the BSMM payload computer
(multiplexer/demultiplexer).  [The synchronization test was repeated
twice for the two BSV-M sets.  New software was loaded into the SUBA
BSMM a month ago, and troubleshooting, begun by Nikolai Budarin,
continues.]

New pages for the on-board Emergency procedures (EMER-1) book were
uplinked for the crew to be substituted in the onboard hard copies.
[While performing the emergency equipment OBT (on-board training) on
5/12, the crew discovered that one of the three EMER-1 books had been
left in the Soyuz 5S orbital module, now burnt up (nominally, there
should be three copies on board, one each in the Russian segment,
U.S. segment, and Soyuz). Instructions were uplinked for building a
new book, incorporating previous pages and the new material.]

Instructions were also uplinked for the crew to observe and
photograph the total Lunar Eclipse (by Earth's shadow) tomorrow
night, 5/15.  Since it will occur during crew sleep time, the
activity is at crew's choice.  [Preceded by partial eclipse, total
eclipse begins at 11:14pm EDT and ends at 12:07am, followed by
another hour of partial eclipse.  The crew will be able to see it
best from the Soyuz spacecraft, since the Lab window must remain
shuttered most of the time due to the current XPOP attitude.] 

Yesterday at about 2:00pm EDT, MCC-Houston suffered an outage of its
command server and its backup, remaining without station commanding
or telemetry reception until the system was restored after about 64
min..  An investigation of the cause is underway.

Today's CEO (crew earth observations) targets, severely restricted by
limited the use of the science window in the Lab due to the current
XPOP attitude, were Anatahan volcano, N Marianas (this island volcano
may still be erupting.  Looking right ~1 degree off track.  Anatahan
lies ~200 miles north of Guam), Madrid, Spain (nadir pass), Algiers,
Algeria (nadir pass), El Paso, Texas (nadir pass), Monterrey, Mexico
(nadir pass), Angolan Biomass Burning (fires rage in north central
Angola.  Shoot obliques for best capturing of the smoke palls, both
sides of track), and Amazon Basin, Brazil (Dynamic event.
Unseasonably clear weather over the Amazon allows sunglint views left
of track of the vast wetlands that flank the river on its wide
floodplain.  The ground suggested a mapping strip for about 3 mins).
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov and http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov

U.S. and Russian Segment Status (as of 1:15pm EST).

 - Continued -

@Message posted automagically by IMTHINGS POST 1.30
---