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ISS On-Orbit Status 29 May 2003

Part 1 of 3

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted
previously or below.

Both crewmembers today performed Part 2 of the IMG PHS (Integrated
Medical Group/Periodic Health Status) tests without blood labs, each
one acting first as the examining CMO (crew medical officer) and then
becoming the examined subject.  [Guided by special software (IFEP,
in-flight examination program) on the medical equipment computer
(MEC), the tests were performed with equipment from the crew's
ambulatory medical pack (AMP) and advanced life support pack (ALSP).
All PHS data were recorded by the two CMOs on the IFEP, using the
same forms started by them yesterday during the MO-9 assessment.]

Later in the day, with Ed Lu's assistance, CDR Yuri Malenchenko also
completed the MO-5 MedOps protocol of cardiovascular evaluation
during graded exercises on the VELO cycle ergometer, which had been
deferred last week (5/22).  [In this first (for him) session,
Malenchenko used the Gamma-1 ECG equipment with biomed harness, skin
electrodes, and a blood pressure and rheoplethysmograph cuff wired to
the cycle ergometer's instrumentation panels.  For the graded
exercise, he worked the pedals after a prescribed program at load
settings of 125, 150, and 175 watts for three minutes each. All
measurements were recorded and telemetered during Daily Orbit 1 to
MCC-M, from where the workout was controlled by a specialist.]

After FE/SO Edward Lu set up the video camcorder for the subsequent
Educational Payload Operations (EPO) session, the crew performed (and
recorded) great zero-G flight demonstrations of paper airplanes and
particularly of a model of the Wright Flyer.  [The crew had prepared
for the event with an OBT (on-board training CD-ROM) on 5/18.  As
special topic for the education community and the approaching 100th
anniversary of the Wright Brother's first flight, the small (10 inch
wingspan, mass <2 ounces) replica of the Wright Flyer was built by
students at Orono Middle School in Orono, Maine, with science teacher
Richard Glueck, using toothpicks, birch stirring sticks and rip-stop
nylon. The model was packed in a special NASA-built cushioning
container and launched on Soyuz 6S with the Expedition 7 crew.] 

The brief troubleshooting of the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox)
was successful.  The MSG is functioning nominally, and five InSPACE
(Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from
Colloidal Emulsions) experiment runs are being scheduled for next
week.  [The rack, which had not been power-cycled on 5/27 came up
without hitch this morning when powered up. The 5/27 curtailment of
the planned test run was due to an off-nominal pressure indication
during the rack's activation.  Telemetry had indicated a
higher-than-expected delta-pressure for the MSG work volume. The MSG
work volume usually exhibits a slight negative pressure (erroneously
reported as "increase" on 5/28) after fans are turned on in order to
prevent outflow in case of leak.  In this case, no pressure drop was
indicated, probably because of what now is thought to have been a
control software "hang-up".]

The Science Officer again took the 24-hr. noise measurements of the
static acoustic dosimeter deployed on 5/27.

Ed Lu also performed another one of the weekly inventory audits of
the available CWCs (collapsible water containers) and their
contents.  [Last time done: 5/23].

Yuri Malenchenko conducted his regular daily monitoring/servicing of
the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2 ("Plants-2") zero-G plant growth experiment,
checking water level in the Lada-2 greenhouse water container and the
seed status. Today, he also transferred the accumulated data files to
the payload laptop 3 for subsequent downlink via Regul-Packet.

The CDR tagged up with MCC-Moscow, via S-band, for the periodic IMS
(inventory management system) "negotiation" conference, then prepared
the daily IMS delta file for automatic export/import to update the
database. Later, he also conducted the daily routine maintenance of
the SM's SOZh life support system (including ASU toilet facilities)

At 10:45am EDT, both crewmembers participated in two interactive
televised PAO interviews (Ku-band and S-band) on WABC-TV, New York,
and KNX Radio, Los Angeles, CA, each one lasting about ten minutes.

Ed and Yuri today also had their weekly conference with the JSC
Astronaut Office (Kent Rominger).

Both crewmembers performed their regular daily physical exercise (2.5
hrs) on TVIS, RED, CEVIS and VELO (for Yuri's MO-5 test).

Overnight, the newly installed storage battery #8 in the Service
Module was successfully tested, and it is now fully operational on
line.  [The SM has another failed 800A battery (#4) and one with
degraded capacity (#2), out of eight total.]

After yesterday's cooling problem during the EVA don/doff dryrun, Ed
Lu's EMU (extravehicular mobility unit) suit is currently considered
"No Go" for use.  Troubleshooting on the ground continues.  [Because
of the curtailment of the dry-run when Lu could not establish coolant
water flow, SAFER (simplified aid for EVA rescue) donning was
demonstrated only by Malenchenko, and  Airlock/Crewlock (AL/CL)
ingress and hatch closure were not performed.]

Contrary to yesterday's report, EMU battery maintenance discharge on
5/28 did not go as planned, apparently due to a problem with the
controlling laptop. [Troubleshooting is scheduled for next Monday
(6/2).  During this procedure, the SSC (station support computer)
will be operated in DOS mode in order to prevent possible erroneous
interactions with Windows mode.  If the SSC6 laptop is unsuccessful
in initiating the EMU battery discharge, SSC6 may be suspect, and a
second SSC laptop will be utilized.] 

In a test to verify good communications between the Loop A PCVP (pump
and control valve package) of the ETCS (external thermal control
system) and its controlling MDMs (multiplexer/demultiplexers, i.e.,
computers), MCC-H will power on the firmware of the PCVP, preparatory
to the ETCS' activation on Mission 12A.1.  The pump itself will not
be spun up.  [Loop A will remain in this configuration for the
foreseeable future, while power is available. The Loop B PCVP will
have its firmware powered on following the S1/P1 software upload in
the near future.]. 

MCC-H/Avionics personnel today are conducting a mission configuration
test of the S1/P1 truss element software upgrade, release 2 (R2), in
preparation for its uplink in the near future.

To better manage carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction on board, an
agreement has been reached between Houston and Moscow to cycle the
Vozdukh CO2 scrubber between Mode 3 (night) and Mode 5 (day).  [In
Mode 3, Vozdukh switches between its two regenerative adsorbent
cartridges every 20 minutes.  In Mode 5, the switch cycle is reduced
to 10 minutes.  Vozdukh was originally designed for three filter
channels, but the third has never been functional.]

 - Continued -

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