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25 Mar 2003

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

ISS On-Orbit Status 3/24/03

Part 1 of 2

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted
previously or below. This is Week 17 for Expedition 6, with four
months behind it. 

Before breakfast and first exercise session, the crew started the day
off with the regular periodic Russian medical assessments MO-7 (calf
volume measurement) and MO-8 (body mass measurement, BMM). FE-1
Nikolai Budarin set up the BMM mass measuring device, which uses
calibrated springs to determine the subject's mass in weightless
space, and stowed it away after the tests. 

FE-2/SO Don Pettit began what soon may settle down to nominal science
operations for the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox). The newly
installed left AHU (air handling unit) fan was successfully checked
out, while power was also applied to the PFMI (pore formation and
migration investigation). [After the PFMI samples were removed from
the thermal chamber and secured inside the WV (work volume), the MSG
started its 11 hrs. of operation, intended as a long duration test
run while the PFMI software is monitoring the sample thermocouples.
After the test run is terminated, MSG will return to regular science
ops with the InSPACE experiment (Investigating the Structure of
Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions), perhaps on 3/26
(Wednesday).]

Pettit also initiated discharge/recharge on EMU (extravehicular
mobility unit) batteries 728J and 575J, which recently did not accept
the expected capacity. [The batteries are GO for EVA, but they are
being discharged and recharged because ground engineers were
concerned about long range impacts to their life.]

Nikolai Budarin performed the periodic functional closure test of the
emergency vacuum valves (AVK) of the Vozdukh CO2 removal system. [The
AVKs are critical because they close the Vozdukh's vacuum access
lines in the event of a malfunction in the regular vacuum valves
(BVK) or a depressurization in the Vozdukh valve panel (BOA). Access
to vacuum is required to vent carbon dioxide during the regeneration
of the absorbent cartridges (PP). During nominal operation, the AVK
valves remain open.] 

Later, Budarin completed a major (4-hr.) preventive maintenance job
on three Orlan spacesuits (## 12, 14, 23) in the DC-1 "Pirs" docking
compartment and on the BSS Orlan interface units in the DC-1 and
SM/PkhO compartment. The work was supported by tag-up with a ground
specialist via S-band. [The activity consisted of activation of all
three suits for assessment of their interior shell condition and
potential need for dry-out, also of simultaneous degassing of the
Orlans and DC-1 BSS (with BSS water hoses remaining attached to the
onboard heat exchanger), and final stowage of the equipment.]

Science Officer Pettit worked on ER2 (EXPRESS rack 2), which was
powered up by the ground for a number of checkout activities. [The
current checkout deals with an ARIS (active rack isolation system)
software change made several months ago. Don configured ER2 for
control by the ARIS ICE POP (isolation characterization
experiment/payload on-orbit processor). Afterwards, he removed the
snubber cup isolators so POC (Payload Operations Center) can conduct
the ARIS' isolation capability tests.] 

CDR Ken Bowersox set up and activated the EVARM IV-CPDS
(intravehicular charged particle directional spectrometer), for
taking EVARM (EVA radiation monitoring) background radiation readings
in the cabin. After subsequent data transfer to the computer, the
equipment was stowed again. 

Budarin conducted the daily routine maintenance of the SM's SOZh life
support system (including ASU toilet facilities) and prepared the
daily IMS inventory delta file. Nikolai also performed his regular
daily checkup and watering of the BIO-5 Rasteniya-2/Lada-2
("Plants-2") plant growth experiment.

Pettit set up and tested onboard network systems for conducting
meeting conferences, involving Bose ANC headset and video camera
connections. 

Later, Don worked on updating the onboard "Warning Book" hard copy,
inserting uplinked new procedures, which were also incorporated in
the electronic MPV (manual procedures viewer).

MCC-H has concurred with the Russian-proposed optimum dates for the
Progress reboost burns of 4/4 and 4/10. They will require a total
delta-V of 4.0 m/sec (2 m/sec per burn). Slipping the maneuvers to a
later date would have increased delta-V requirements.

At today's IMMT (ISS Mission Management Team meeting), EVA planners
also confirmed 4/8 as the date for the planned Stage EVA2 by Bowersox
and Pettit. 

All crewmembers completed their daily physical exercise program on
RED (resistive exercise device), TVIS (treadmill with vibration
isolation and stabilization), VELO with load trainer, and CEVIS
(cycle ergometer with vibration isolation).

Yesterday's PFEs (periodic fitness evaluations) on the newly repaired
CEVIS were judged very successful. The PFE data were reviewed on the
ground and sent to the EVA specialists for deciding CEVIS prebreathe
Go/No-Go. 

The new Russian software, vers. 7.01, will have different responses
to emergency situations than the previous software. The changes are
being reviewed by both sides.

The crew, in response to a question, was provided with background on
the currently used continuous tone duration of the C&W (caution &
warning) system in the U.S. segment (USOS). [This mode was selected
during Increment 3, changing from the original 5 seconds of tone
duration, to resolve inconsistent tone annunciation between the USOS
and the Russian segment (RS). Ground specialists still believe that
the current continuous tone is warranted. The crew's question was
motivated by the recent numerous warnings during the PPA thermal
fluid pump repair.] 

Carbon dioxide partial pressure (ppCO2) level in the Lab was at 3.2
mmHg this morning, trending downward. Vozdukh is operating nominally
in manual switchover mode. CDRA is off.

Comm was lost last Friday with the SCU-1 ORU (sync control unit #1
on-orbit replaceable unit)) of the video subsystem, leaving the
subsystem on SCU-2, i.e., without redundancy. Troubleshooting is
underway. 

On the ground, upgrading of MCC-H to the new IBM servers is still
going. Flight control will return to nominal configuration tonight
starting at 6:45pm EST. [During such computer modifications, flight
control "swings" to LSOS (limited station outage support) away from
the regular consoles. During the boot-up of the command server and
restoration of operational data flow, the ISS Flight Team temporarily
operates from the WFCR (White Flight Control Room, normally used for
Shuttle), moving back tonight after verifying that there are no
issues. ISS will then be on the new IBM servers.] 

 - Continued -

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