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2\22 ISS On-Orbit Status 22-02-2003
Part 1 of 2

ISS On-Orbit Status 2/22/03

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except as noted 
previously or below. Day 91 in space for Expedition 6.

This is an important holiday weekend for Russia. On Monday, 2/24, 
"Defender of the Fatherland Day" is observed in honor of WWII heroes. 
The ISS crew downlinked a greeting yesterday for today's holiday 
ceremony in Moscow's Kremlin Palace, and the crew will have half a day 
off on Monday.

The station residents had their regular off-duty Saturday, except for
weekend routine tasks, necessary repair work and daily maintenance.

Following wake-up (1:00am EST), morning inspection, hygiene and 
breakfast, the crew completed the weekly 3-hr. house cleaning.

After yesterday's failure of the Russian Vozdukh CO2 (carbon dioxide)
removal system, FE-1 Nikolai Budarin began preparations and testing 
for tomorrow's repair activities on the suspected vacuum valve group 
(BVK).  [Destowed equipment included two spare BVK assemblies, an AP 
switching unit and assorted wrenches.]

The U.S. CDRA (CO2 removal assembly) in the Lab continues to operate 
in single-bed mode, to reduce ppCO2 until Vozdukh is recovered. [CDRA 
failed yesterday due to a stuck-open check valve in adsorbent bed 2. 
Since transient check valve failures have been seen in the past, CDRA 
performance is being monitored in order to determine if this 
particular failure is transient. Single bed ops require extra 
commanding in order to isolate the failed check valve such that cabin 
air is not vented overboard. Also, the vacuum vent line pressure needs 
to be monitored during CDRA operation.  Instructions were uplinked for 
the crew in the event that cabin air is venting overboard and a Cabin 
Pressure Low caution is annunciated.]

FE-2/SO Don Pettit collected the two regular daily CO2 readings in the 
SM and Lab with the U.S. CO2 monitoring kit (CDMK) which is being used 
to calibrate Russian CO2 measurements.

CDR Ken Bowersox had half an hour reserved on his schedule for 
changing out newly uplinked ODFs (Operational Data Files) covering 
modified and new crew activities such as CDRA single-bed operations 
with failed-open check valve, EVA EMU (without IV) demo on 2/24, and 
cardiac defibrillator checkout on 2/27.

The daily routine inspection/maintenance of the SOSh life support 
system (incl. ASU toilet system) was completed by Nikolai Budarin, 
while Pettit prepared the IMS inventory system for database auto 
import/export. [With the new IMS vers. 1.37 software, the capability 
exists for the automated import of all outstanding "delta" files on 
the ISS. The crewmember executes a batch file that performs the 
automated import in the morning and export to the ground in the 
evening].

Ken Bowersox conducted the weekly download of exercise files from the 
TVIS treadmill, RED pulley machine and CEVIS cycle ergometer to the 
MEC (medical equipment computer). [The activity includes unstowing of 
logs, configuring the MEC, downloading the data, and stowing.]

The ground completed the R3 software transition. Bowersox was 
scheduled to provide support by replacing the remaining 8A-11A PCS 
laptops hard disk drives (HDDs) with the new 12A HDDs and running 
their installation procedure. [A minor snag with missing file names on 
the crew's PCS laptop displays was overcome yesterday by correcting 
file names in the Primary, backup and standby C&C MDMs.]

Science Update (Expedition Six -- 12th):  Lead Increment Scientist Vic 
Cooley expressed the payloads community appreciation for the ISS 
crew's work this week and for their patience.  Ground teams continue 
troubleshooting on the MSG and Foot issues and hope to have steps for 
the crew to complete soon.

Extra-Vehicular Activity Radiation Monitors (EVARM): Data downlinked
yesterday (2/21) will provide excellent insight into the ISS 
environment for future missions.

GASMAP/Pulmonary Function in Flight (PuFF): The next session is next 
week.

Renal (Kidney) Stone Experiment: Completed for Increment 6. Bowersox 
and Pettit continue to take pills.

Human Research Facility/Workstation (HRF WS): Continuing.

Foot/Ground Reaction Forces During Space Flight (FOOT): Foot 
troubleshooting on the ground continues. Next session is tentatively 
planned for 3/4-5.

Pore Formation and Mobility Investigation (PFMI): On hold until MSG
(microgravity science glovebox) is operational. Remaining in MSG until
further notice.

Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS): SAMS continues to 
collect acceleration data for vibratory characterization of the 
microgravity environment, including the recent reboost activities.

Microgravity Acceleration Measurement System (MAMS): MAMS continues
measurement of microgravity environment in the quasi-steady regime for
general characterization.

Protein Crystal Growth-Single Locker Thermal Enclosure System 
(PCG-STES):  Temperatures are nominal.

Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal
Emulsions (InSPACE): On hold until MSG is operational.

Materials ISS Experiment (MISSE): In progress. Deployed outside. 
Nominal and collecting data.

Zeolite Crystal Growth (ZCG): ZCG has finished science operations for 
Inc 6.

EarthKAM (EK): All activities complete for Increment 6.

Crew Earth Observations (CEO): A preview of ISS CEO imagery indicates
beautiful night views of cities including Athens, Buenos Aires, Jidda,
Bengazi and Rome. Investigators appreciate the crew's continued 
efforts to obtain good photos despite the limitations imposed by the 
current XPOP (x-axis perpendicular to orbit plane) attitude, which 
constrains the use of the science window in the Lab. Also, due to the 
current payload downmass limitations, only the electronic (digital) 
camera system is being used for CEO.  Today's CEO targets were North 
China Plain Smog (frigid, stable air masses and high fuel consumption 
contribute to severe air pollution over much of China during the 
winter months. With improving weather and lighting, crew was to look 
obliquely left of track to document aerosol distribution over this 
populous region of China), Eastern Mediterranean Smog (this pass ran
the length of the Italian Peninsula and offered good viewing of smog 
buildup over the Adriatic Basin from the Po Valley to the coast of 
Albania. Looking obliquely left of track), Western Mediterranean Dust 
(a vigorous cold front is approaching the western Med. Looking left of 
track for wind-borne dust moving northward off the coast of Algeria), 
and NE US Snow Cover (continuing to monitor the melting of earlier 
heavy snows over the northeastern US. Crew was to try for views to the 
left of track over New York and southern New England).

(continued)

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