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21 Apr 2003

ISS On-Orbit Status 20 Apr 2003

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

Easter Sunday, and an extra-special day because today FE-2/SO Dr.
Donald Pettit was born in Silverton, OR, in 1955, the US Surveyor 3
landed on the Moon in 1967, and Apollo 16, with John Young and
Charlie Duke, landed on the Moon in 1972.

In continuing the last round of Expedition 6's renal (kidney) stone
prevention experiment activities, Don Pettit recorded food intake and
collected urine samples throughout the day for a 24-hour period,
scanning each container label, recording their ID and stowing each
sample for return to Earth.  For CDR Ken Bowersox, today's sample
collection finished his session.

FE-1 Nikolai Budarin conducted his daily checkup of the BIO-5
"Rasteniya-2/Lada-2" zero-G plant growth experiment.

Later, he collected the weekly data readings of the SVO water supply
and SP toilet flush counters for calldown to MCC-Moscow via S-band.
He also completed the periodic inspection of the Elektron oxygen
generator's gas/liquid system (VM) for the air bubbles that usually
linger after an IFM (in-flight maintenance).

Pettit performed the preparation of the IMS inventory system for the
daily automated export/import of updates, while Budarin conducted the
regular daily maintenance of the SOZh environment control and life
support system in the Service Module (SM)..

All crewmembers completed their daily physical exercise program on
TVIS, RED, and CEVIS.

The crew had their weekly PFCs (private family conferences) via
S-band/audio.   Target areas for the Russian Uragan earth imaging
program on Budarin's task list for today, cloud cover permitting,
were the Kolka glacier (for its dynamics), the Chirkeisk reservoir
(for the flooding around it) and flood regions in the Carpathian
mountains and in Eastern Russia. [For his imaging, Nikolai used the
Nikon D1 digital camera with f=400 mm and 800 mm lenses, taking
overlapping shots to gradually record hydrological conditions from
the nadir to the distance without focal length change.] 

Bowersox was thanked for yesterday's extra session of the FOOT
(Foot/Ground Reaction Forces During Space Flight) and the excellent
video recorded of his run.

Today's CEO (crew earth observations) targets, currently restricted
by limited the use of the science window in the Lab including
near-vertical targets from the city target list due to the current
XPOP attitude, were Alexandria, Egypt (nadir pass; ESC [electronic
still camera]), Etna volcano (Dynamic event.  ISS passed just west of
this almost continuously erupting volcano), Costa Rica landuse
(Dynamic event.  Probable break in continuous wet-season cloud.
Detailed images of the rainforested mountains and populated lowlands
of this small country [about half the population of greater Chicago]
requested for time-sequence study of landuse), Mexico City, Mexico
(nadir pass; ESC.  Crew was to try for the whole city in the fewest
number of shots.  Puebla City a touch right of track on the far side
of the mountains at the same time), Tucson, Arizona (nadir pass;
ESC), Albuquerque, New Mexico (nadir pass; ESC), French Frigate
Shoals (this western end of the Hawaiian island chain should have
been clear.  Detailed views of coral reefs requested.  These shoals
display one of the most complex patterns on the planet), Northwest
Europe clear (views of Germany and the Baltic should still have been
available, followed by a second pass, with clear weather shifting
slowly east.  Views of the Low Countries should have been available).
CEO images can be viewed at the websites http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov and
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov 

ISS Orbit  (as of this morning, 7:40am EDT [= epoch]):

Mean altitude -- 392.5 km
Apogee -- 397.0 km
Perigee -- 388.0 km
Period -- 92.41 min.
Inclination (to Equator) --  51.63 deg
Eccentricity -- 0.000663
Orbits per 24-hr. day -- 15.58
Mean altitude loss in last 24 hours -- 90 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. '98)  -- 25200
For more on ISS orbit and worldwide naked-eye visibility dates/times,
see http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/station/viewing/issvis.html

Happy Birthday, Don!  And Happy Easter to all!

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