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

11 Apr 2003

ISS On-Orbit Status 10 Apr 2003

Part 1 of 3

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted
previously or below.  Space Day 138 for Expedition 6 (since STS-113
launch on 11/23/02).

The second reboost by Progress M-47/10P this morning took place as
scheduled (6:55am EDT).  The burn was nominal, establishing the
proper orbital phasing angle for 6S launch and 5S landing in northern
Kazakhstan.  [Preliminary data indicate an actual delta-V of 1.49
m/s, against 1.48 planned.  Altitude increase: 2.6 km.  The maneuver
consumed 100 kg props; total prop usage, including handover and
attitude control burns, was 140 kg.  The previous maneuver, on 4/4,
used 130 kg (179 kg total).] 

In preparation for his approaching return to gravity, FE-1 Nikolai
Budarin underwent session 2 of the biomedical protocol KARDIO-ODNT, a
shortened (one-hour) part of the MBI-5 cardiovascular test of human
pericardium (heart muscle) activity as well as primary parameters of
central and regional blood circulation at rest and under the effect
of lower body negative pressure (LBNP, Russian: ODNT).  The test was
controlled from MCC-Moscow by an MBI (biomed) specialist.  Budarin
was assisted by FE-2/SO Don Pettit during the setup of the equipment
and the procedure.  [The LBNP, generated by the specially designed "
Chibis? suit (PVK), applies suction on the lower body ranging from 10
to 60 mm Hg, thereby exerting a functional loading roughly equivalent
to 10-60 kg of force on the musculoskeletal system to test the body,s
adaptation to prolonged exposure to micro-G. After an initial setup
period, during which a large number of electrodes are attached to the
test subject's head, body and extremities, cardiographic readings on
the oscilloscope of the Gamma-1M medical complex were taken during
two Russian ground sites (RGS) comm passes, first without, then with
the Chibis suit.] 

All crewmembers performed their regular daily physical exercise
program. For Nikolai, TsUP uplinked a reminder that he will be
scheduled for TVIS treadmill workouts twice a day starting 4/14 in
preparation for the return to Earth, using nominal SLDs (subject load
devices) with a minimum load of 52 kg.

CDR Ken Bowersox initiated the planned discharge of the EMU
(extravehicular mobility unit) batteries used during the EVA on 4/8,
for which he retrieved an interface cable from the SPCE (service,
performance, and checkout equipment) maintenance kit in the Airlock
(A/L).

At about 11:00 am EDT, regeneration of the Metox (metal oxide) CO2
adsorbent canisters in the A/L oven was terminated.  This allowed
Pettit, later in the day, to deactivate the CDRA (CO2 removal
assembly) in the Lab. 

Bowersox and Pettit prepared and reviewed the DOUG (dynamic
operations ubiquitous graphics) software version for tomorrow's
SSRMS/Robotics operations.  [Ops will start out at about 10:45am with
the "fast checkout" of the Tip LEE (latching end effector) which
could not be performed yesterday because the needed SSRMS redundant
string was unpowered due to power constraints.  Then, Sox and Don
will perform a ten-step single joint maneuver to move the arm into
position to grapple MBS PDGF1 (mobile base system power & data
grapple fixture #1), after which SSRMS will switch base from the
current Lab PDGF to MBS PDGF1 for subsequent performance of a series
of LEE operations to complete remaining LEE OCRs (on-orbit checkout
requirements).  As final task, the arm will be maneuvered to the FMS
(force moment sensor) data gathering position #2.  This places theTip
LEE in a specific orientation which provides desired lighting
conditions to collect FMS data.  The latter will be collected by the
ground at the completion of Ops.]

Nikolai Budarin meanwhile terminated the bake-out/regeneration cycle
for adsorption bed #1 of the BMP micropurification unit and switched
it back to Purify mode.  He then started the regeneration cycle on
filter channel 2. [The regeneration of the air purifier filter beds
is repeated every 20 days. Each bakeout to space vacuum takes about
24 hours.] 

Budarin performed his regular daily inspection of the BIO-5
Rasteniya-2/Lada-2 ("Plants-2") experiment which researches growth
and development of plants under spaceflight conditions. Later, he
transferred the accumulated data files to a floppy disk for storage,
and conducted photography of the payload.  [The experimental seeds of
acacia-leaf type pea are planted between wicks in a root tray, with
environmental control powered on.  Regular daily maintenance of the
experiment involves monitoring of seedling growth, humidity
measurements, moistening of the substrate if necessary, and
photo/video recording.]

"Kolya" Budarin also continued the periodic preventive maintenance of
the air ventilation system in the RS, today changing out the four
dust filter inserts (PF1-4) in the SM (last changeout: 3/19).

Sox took care of the regular daily maintenance of the SOZh life
support system in the SM, while Don prepared the daily inventory
update file for downlink to the IMS (inventory management system)
database.    Science Officer Pettit had a good MSG (Microgravity
Science Glovebox) session with the InSPACE (Investigating the
Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions)
payload.  The glovebox worked without a hitch.  [After activation and
visual inspection of the rack, Pettit exchanged the InSPACE coil
assemblies in the box and replaced video tapes in the MSG recorders.
Later in the day, the experiment (run 27) was started, with Don
monitoring its operation and replacing video cassettes as required.]

The post-EVA session of the PuFF (pulmonary function in flight)
assessment by Bowersox and Pettit yesterday yielded good data
downlinks.  Last PuFF session for Expedition 6 is scheduled for next
week. 

After yesterday's installation of the EarthKAM (EK) equipment at the
Lab science window, pictures are being received on the ground, as
requested by the participating schools.  It is planned to have the
payload active through next Monday (4/14).  EK images are immediately
posted on the Internet at
http://datasystem.earthkam.ucsd.edu/cgi-bin/datasys/ek_images_station

The CGBA (commercial generic bioprocessing apparatus) isothermal
containment module (ICM) facility remains active. Purpose of its
current operation is not to conduct science research but to verify
various temperature configurations over the next few days. [On Stage
9A, CGA worked as expected, but it was stymied by a human error
committed during ground ops, that did not let it get to the expected
temperature at a certain point in the mission.  The ground team
worked around the issue as best as it could and got reasonable
results from experiments with yeast and renal cell, but a salmonella
experiment was lost.  The current system check is to make sure that
nothing, radiation or otherwise, has compromised the performance of
the equipment, so that new CGBA experiments, possibly flying up on a
Progress flight, would not be endangered.]

Since last December, the ARCTIC-1 refrigerator/freezer has been
inoperative due to a failed thermo-electric cooling unit.  A repair
procedure to restore some capability to the system by bypassing the
failed unit has now been finalized for review and approval.  [The
procedure would reduce ARCTIC's cooling capability, but tests are
needed to show by how much.  If ARCTIC's functionality can be
reasonably restored, new research activities are being looked at
which might be flown up on Progress.] 

 - Continued -

@Message posted automagically by IMTHINGS POST 1.30
---