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2\07 ISS On-Orbit Status 07-02-2003
Part 1 of 2

ISS On-Orbit Status 2/7/03

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted 
previously or below. Day 76 in space for the Expedition 6 crew.

After wake-up and morning inspection, CDR Kenneth Bowersox set up for 
the 4th Foot experiment (foot/ground reaction forces during space 
flight) and performed basic (standing) calibration exercises with 
video (VTR2 initiated by ground via time-tag command), before starting 
the day-long experiment.  Afterwards, the equipment was stowed again. 
[EMG calibrations (electromyography, i.e., electric muscle currents 
recording) were done after donning the TVIS (treadmill) harness before 
running, after running with harness removed, and also at end of day 
prior to removing the LEMS pants.  Wearing these black Lycra "biking 
tights" with 20 electrodes as well as shoes fitted with insoles that 
measure impact forces on the bottom of the foot for the 12-hr session, 
Bowersox completed a typical on-orbit day while reaction forces 
against the ISS structure were recorded passively to determine how 
much stress his legs and feet endure. This provides better 
understanding of the bone loss and loss of muscle mass experienced by 
astronauts in zero-G (on Mir, for example, cosmonauts lost as much 
bone mass in a month as post-menopausal women do in a year). The 
experiment is led by the biomedical engineering department at the 
Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, Ohio.]

FE-1 Nikolai Budarin installed the electronics box containing the 
US-21 matching unit in the Progress vehicle (TGK). He then replaced 
the associated local signal switch device (commutator, LKT4B2/TA251) 
in the Service Module (SM) with a new spare. [The US-21 matching unit 
connects the Progress motion control and DPO thrusters systems to the 
SM, so that they can be commanded by the SM computer system (BVS). 
After bolting the box down, Budarin hooked it up with the telemetry 
(TM) connector to the BITS2-12 onboard TM system, after the ground 
inhibited data output to the VD-SU control system mode, powered off 
the BITS and deactivated BMP, Elektron, and the Vozdukh and DC-1 SOTR 
(thermal system) control algorithms. These systems were subsequently 
turned back on by MCC-Moscow, which then conducted an electric 
activation test of the US-21 without crew involvement. Tomorrow, the 
new configuration will also be tested dynamically, i.e., with a brief 
DPO thruster firing.]

Bowersox and Budarin also continued unloading and inventory of 
Progress 10P.  The IMS (inventory management system) team uplinked 
questions to tag up on the current unloading and disposal status, as 
well as comparing notes on planned activities.

POC (Payload Operations Center) sent up special thanks for FE-2/SO Don
Pettit's efforts and ideas on yesterday's MSG (microgravity science
glovebox) troubleshooting. POC and ESA specialists arestudying the 
data from the last two days in conjunction with data from the similar 
circuit breaker trip in November last year to develop a 
troubleshooting plan. [MSG is powered down and on hold after the 2/5 
event. Since the tripped circuit breaker is the same that tripped 6 
hrs. before MSG failed on 11/20/02, engineers want to be sure 
electronic parts are not damaged again.  Troubleshooting plans are 
expected to be on board next by next Tuesday or Wednesday.]

Nikolai Budarin initiated the regeneration cycle for adsorbent bed #1 
of the BMP micropurification unit. Filter channel #2 remains in Purify 
mode.

In support of the on-going investigation of the IMV (intermodular
ventilation) between U.S. and Russian segments for necessary 
improvement, the crew today took air ventilation flow measurements 
throughout the station interior with the electronic Velocicalc 
instrument. [Velocicalc measures relative humidity, dewpoint (or wet 
bulb) temperature, air temperature, and air velocity at specific 
locations and points, with and without installed air ducts. As 
comparison for the initial Velocicalc calibration in the morning, 
Russian air flow data from the BMP inlet were taken and recorded on 
the RS laptop. Velocicalc's airflow data should help determine if 
there is an airflow problem or an instrumentation problem. In 
addition, if the airflow is found not to be optimal, perhaps it can be 
improved in such a way as to maximize the amount of humidity the 
Russian SKV air conditioners remove and minimize the amount that the 
Lab CCAAs (common cabin air assemblies) remove. This would not only 
minimize the number of required water transfers but may also play a 
role in extending the duration of the crew's stay on orbit.]

As one effect of the apparent IMV inadequacy, formaldehyde levels have 
built up above defined long-term limits in the Lab, but not in SM. 
Since the selected limit settings are very conservative, there is no 
crew safety concern as yet. More effective IMV is also needed for 
improved ppCO2 (carbon dioxide partial pressure) and humidity 
management.

The next water transfer from the Lab condensate collection tank to a 
CWC (contingency water container) is scheduled for 2/11. The amount 
will be 20 liters, chosen with a view to its potential processing in 
the Russian SRV-K system, if the repair of the SRV-K with the new 
Progress-delivered CFU (condensate feed unit) is successful..

CDR Bowersox conducted a checkout of the on-board cardiac 
defibrillator.  [Without requiring crew involvement, the ground also 
took some steps to dump and collect archival (memory) data from the 
defib, in order to verify that the ground software and/or the ISS 
Payload MDM are processing the defib data correctly.]

Regular daily servicing tasks were performed by Bowersox (SOSh life 
support system maintenance and Lab payload status checkup) and Budarin 
(IMS inventory update file preparation). Budarin also tagged up with 
MCC-M/TsUP to discuss IMS stowage preferences for specific 10P cargo 
items.

The first station reboost by Progress 10P is planned for 2/11 (with 
2/12 as backup, as Moscow may not be able to access the Molniya comm 
relay satellite on 2/11). The burn is sized for 1400-1500 sec 
duration, and a delta-V of ~6m/sec, expending about 430 kg of 
propellants from the Progress refueling tanks. [This will protect a 
Shuttle launch date of mid-June (6/15), a tentative, though 
optimistic, assumption which obviously depends on the failure mode 
identified for Columbia, i.e., the maneuver is calculated to yield an 
altitude that can be reached by the Shuttle in June. If no Shuttle 
launch in June, ISS altitude will be raised beyond Shuttle reach. For 
Soyuz and Progress flights, it can be as high as 400 km.]

Today's schedule reserved crewtime for a self-study overview of the 
upcoming display and operational systems changes which will result 
from the planned software upgrades to the MDMs 
(multiplexer/demultiplexers, computers) for C&C (command and control), 
GNC (guidance, navigation and control), INT (interior systems) and 
PCS. [An initial software patch (vers. 5.04) was installed today in 
the Russian segment. If it tests OK, ISS is ready for transition to 
the upgrades. First step-up will be for MCC-H, after the reboost 
(i.e., on 2/12 or 2/13), and the station systems step-up will follow 
on 2/18, requiring three days. Russian transition with patch 7.01 will 
then conclude the process on 3/3, to take five working days.]

Due to the potential water limitation on board, one of numerous 
options being studied by MCC-H and MCC-M mission planners assumes a 
two-man crew for the next Soyuz launch at end-April, to limit the 
station crew to two persons for a while. This eventuality, among else, 
requires prior feasibility evaluation of conducting a U.S. contingency 
EVA with two crewmembers without a third crewmember assisting in EMU 
(extravehicular mobility unit) donning/doffing, or other IV 
(intravehicular) support operations. Thus, a test of this option is 
being planned for next week for the ISS crew. We also need to study, 
with the crew, how station systems must be configured during a two-man 
spacewalk. [Moscow has much experience with two-man EVAs from space 
station Mir, in Russian Orlan suits. Similar experience for EMUs is 
lacking on the U.S. side.]

(continued)

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