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More Details for 2008-01-10

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CDR Whitson and FE-2 Tani started out with the daily reading of SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure during Spaceflight) experiment data accumulated during the night, for logging and filling in questionnaire entries in the SLEEP session file on the HRF-1 laptop for downlink.

(To monitor the crewmembers' sleep/wake patterns and light exposure, Dan and Peggy wear a special Actiwatch device which measures the light levels encountered by him as well as his patterns of sleep and activity throughout the Expedition. The log entries are done within 15 minutes of final awakening for seven consecutive days, as part of the crew's discretionary 'job jar' task list.)

Upon wakeup, FE-1 Yuri Malenchenko terminated his seventh MBI-12 SONOKARD experiment session, started last night, by taking the recording device from his SONOKARD sports shirt pocket and later copying the measurements to the RSE-MED laptop for subsequent downlink to the ground. (SONOKARD objectives are stated to (1) study the feasibility of obtaining the maximum of data through computer processing of records obtained overnight, (2) systematically record the crewmember's physiological functions during sleep, (3) study the feasibility of obtaining real-time crew health data. Investigators believe that contactless acquisition of cardiorespiratory data over the night period could serve as a basis for developing efficient criteria for evaluating and predicting adaptive capability of human body in long-duration space flight.)

FE-2 Tani completed the visual 'T+2 Day' microbial (bacterial & fungal) analysis of the Week 11 potable water samples, collected on 1/8 and processed on board with the MCDs (Microbial Capture Devices). (On 1/8, three samples (225 mL each) were taken in the Service Module (SM) -- at the potable water SRV-K hot port, SRV-K warm port & SVO-ZV tap for inflight analysis, plus two chemical post-flight samples (750 mL) for return on 1E from SRV-K warm & SVO-ZV.)

CDR Whitson, assisted by Dan Tani, had several hours set aside for the R&R (Removal & Replacement) of the leaking EXPRESS Rack 1 (ER1) ITCS (Internal Thermal Control System) pressure relief valve but completed the job successfully in a record time of 37 min, after some preparatory work yesterday. Peggy also took documentary photographs of the rack without all the lockers and drawers installed. (A fluid leak in ER1 was identified in late 2005, and the valve was identified as the most likely suspect. The rack's anomaly has significantly impacted the science community. A spare valve was delivered on 12A.1 and installed today. The suspect valve was not designed as an ORU (Orbital Replacement Unit), but its R&R restores full functionality to the rack. ER1, with 8 lockers and 2 drawers containing SAMS (Space Accelerations Measuring System) & MAMS (Microgravity Accelerations Measuring System), has been inactive since 1/2.)

Peggy later assisted the ground in activating the SAMS by turning on the ICU (Interim Control Unit) in ER1 (Drawer 1).

In the DC1 (Docking Module), with temporary comm link established, FE-1 Malenchenko terminated discharging the second Orlan 825M3 battery pack and started the discharge process on pack #3 (of three).

Yuri then continued his three-day life-extension maintenance on the three Russian Orlan-M spacesuits #25, #26 & #27 in DC1, today doing more spacesuit and BSS (Orlan Interface Unit) leak and valve tests, including a hermeticity check on the Orlan #26 backup bladder. Normal comm was restored after activity closeout.

The FE-1 prepared for today's second day of a new five-day wearing test of the spring-loaded 'Penguin-3' antigravity pressure/stress suit with its load measuring system (SIN), donning the suit and its equipment, then going about his business and downloading performance measurements several times. (During each of the five days, Yuri selects higher symmetrical (shoulders) & asymmetrical (chest & back) loads (~20-30 kgf), after calibrating the system with no load on the suit's internal tension straps. Performance/body motion data are then collected by the SIN electronics (via analog-to-digital converters) and downloaded to an A31p laptop three times daily, followed by downlink to the ground via BSR-TM. The load suit is intended to retain muscle tone during long missions and also retain the crewmember's normal height to facilitate his/her fit in their individual Kazbek seat in the Soyuz.)

The CDR performed the periodic deployment of two passive FMK (formaldehyde monitoring kit) sampling assemblies in the Lab (below CEVIS) and SM (most forward handrail) for two days, to catch any atmospheric formaldehyde on a collector substrate for subsequent analysis on the ground.

The FE-2 completed his daily status check on the BCAT-3 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test-3) science payload, running by itself in Node-2 since 12/13/07 (briefly interrupted for EVA-13 photo support). (The status check, conducted on the last image taken by the DCS 760 digital still camera which is controlled by EarthKAM software on an A31p laptop, is to verify proper image focus and camera alignment. The SSC (Station Support Computer) is taking photography of the phase separation occurring in the BCAT Sample 3, with the photo flash going off every half hour.)

Peggy Whitson conducted the weekly 10-min. CWC (Contingency Water Container) audit as part of on-going WDS (Water Delivery System) assessment of onboard water supplies. (Updated 'cue cards' based on the crew's water calldowns are sent up every other week (currently #16-0018N).)

Dan Tani deployed a new WAP (Wireless Access Point) unit each in Node-1 and Node-2. Afterwards, he loaded the crew PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) with new IMS/BCR (Inventory Management System/Bar Code Reader) software and deployed the PDAs by configuring them for use with the new WAPs. (WAP2 allows the usage of the wireless WiFi capabilities of the PDA for IMS updating, editing & synchronizing from throughout the station.)

Whitson worked for about half an hour on the CMRS (Crew Medical Restraint System), stowed in the CHeCS (Crew Health Care Systems) rack, to perform the periodic checkout and inspection of the system for upcoming standard CMO (Crew Medical Officer) proficiency training. (Peggy inspected the CMRS for cracks in the board and/or metal fastener exposed on top of CMRS (found on the ground units), either of which could provide a high-voltage defibrillation ground path from the patient to ISS structure. The board-like CMRS allows strapping down a patient on the board with a harness for medical attention by the CMO who is also provided with restraints around the device. The device can be secured to the ISS structure within two minutes to provide a patient restraint surface for performing emergency medical procedures, such as during ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support). It can also be used to transport a patient between the station and the Orbiter middeck. It isolates the crew and equipment electrically during defibrillations and pacing electrical discharges, accommodates the patient in the supine zero-G positions, provides cervical spine stabilization and, for a three-person crew, can also restrain two CMOs during their delivery of medical care.)

Malenchenko transferred the new Russian KPT-2 'BAR-RM' science payload from Progress 27P, set it up and prepared it for subsequent operation. After taking measurements, the FE-1 was to downlink the data via BSR-TM channel from the RSE-1 laptop and close out operations with hardware deactivation. (BAR-RM is designed to develop a procedure for detection of air leakage from ISS modules based on environmental data anomalies (temperature, humidity, ultrasound emissions). The payload uses a remote infrared thermometer (Kelvin-Video), a thermohygrometer (Iva-6A), a heat-loss anemometer/thermometer (TTM-2), an ultrasound analyzer (AU-01), and a leak detector (UT2-03) to determine physical background signs of loss of ISS pressure integrity which could be indicative of leaks in the working compartments of the station. Measurements are taken in specific zones (13 in SM PkhO and 4 in DC1), both with lights & fans turned on and off. )

Yuri also completed today's routine maintenance of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS) in the SM, including ASU toilet facilities systems/replaceables.

Working off his discretionary 'time permitting' task list, the FE-1 later conducted the daily 20-min. IMS maintenance, updating/editing its standard 'delta file' including stowage locations, for the regular weekly automated export/import to its three databases on the ground (Houston, Moscow, Baikonur).

The crewmembers performed their regular 2.5-hr. physical workout program (about half of which is used for setup & post-exercise personal hygiene) on the CEVIS cycle ergometer (FE-2), TVIS treadmill (CDR, FE-1), RED (CDR, FE-2) and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer (FE-1).

Afterwards, Dan Tani transferred the exercise data file to the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) laptop for downlink, including the daily wristband HRM (Heart Rate Monitor) data of the workouts on RED, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).

At ~9:20am EST, the CDR and FE-2 supported two interactive PAO interviews with TV stations of 10 min each, one with WHO-TV in Des Moines, IA (Brooke Bouma), the other with WMAQ-TV in Chicago, IL (Phil Rogers).

Reboost Preview: Tomorrow's ISS reboost with the SM main engine (2 KD thrusters & ODU props) is scheduled for 7:42pm EST, with magnitude of the desired delta-V currently under review (typ.: ~3 m/s) since it is mostly designed for phasing for Progress 28P rendezvous as well as STS-122/1E docking on FD3. For example: If the Shuttle launch moves into the February window (starting 2/7), rescheduling of 28P launch from 2/7 to, say, 2/5 would be required to deconflict the two launches/dockings, which in turn determines the reboost delta-V tomorrow evening. Stay tuned.

PPS P6 Reconditioning: At ~10:00am EST, reconditioning (discharge/recharge) maintenance has started on the truss P6 batteriy sets 2B2 (channel 2B) and 4B2 (channel 4B), simultaneously. The approximate timeframe for the reconditioning runs from today to 1/19. After today's start of discharge, the batteries will be transitioned to recharge on 1/14. Times for the second discharge/recharge cycle will be adjusted after observing the first charge cycle.

BCC Dry Run: Early this morning, MCC-Houston conducted another BCC (Backup Control Center) dry run in test mode, with no involvement of the ISS crew or vehicle. The seven-hour exercise started at 1:00am EST. (Purpose of this periodic exercise is to demonstrate BCC functionality under Russian assets while providing proficiency training for Moscow-HSG (Houston Support Group) personnel at the HSR (Houston Support Room) and TsUP-Moscow specialists.)

CEO (Crew Earth Observation) photo targets uplinked for today again were South Tibesti Megafans, Africa (weather was predicted to be clear over this region of ancient dry river channels. The Tibesti megafans were formed by rivers and streams that flowed during a much wetter climatic regime (approximately 8000 years ago) than currently exists in the Sahara. Nadir-viewing, overlapping frames taken along-track were requested to map the southwestern extent of the megafans; looking for a discontinuous pattern of overlapping channels), Tenoumer Impact Crater, Mauritania (the crew had a near-nadir pass over this geologically young (~21,000 years old) impact structure. Looking to the left of track for the well-defined circular crater, located to the north of a dune field), Polar Mesospheric Clouds - PMC, Antarctica (IPY--PMC radar research station active. GMTs for this and subsequent PMC opportunities were chosen for closeness to the Antarctic PMC radar research site at 73S 13W. Radar is switched on during ISS passes at the given GMTs. But the crew was to feel free to look south during any night awake pass), and Madrean Sky Islands, North America (ISS orbit track paralleled mountains in northern Mexico that are part of the "sky islands". These cool, moist, high-altitude pine-oak forested mountain summits are surrounded by desert. The ecosystems of the mountain summits are considered to be remnants of much more widespread flora and fauna present at lower latitudes during cooler and wetter climatic periods. Nadir-viewing, overlapping frames taken along-track was requested).