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More Details for 2008-01-20

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Sunday -- off-duty day for CDR Whitson, FE-1 Malenchenko and FE-2 Tani.

Ahead: Week 14 of Increment 16.

For today's VolSci (Voluntary Weekend Science) program, CDR Whitson continued her work with the MSG (Microgravity Science Glovebox) and the InSPACE-2 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions) experiment, today conducting runs #18, #19, and #20, then powered down the payload and switched the MSG to standby. (After activation of MSG plus InSPACE & InSPACE-2 equipment, Peggy checked on alignment & focusing of MSG video cams, switched the magnetic field between runs, today pulsing the field at 2 Hz (Hertz) instead of 20 Hz as she did previously. Peggy also repositioned the sample vial (VA-004) by 90 deg, used camera 2 & recorder 2 in the vial position 2 starting with run #19, changed out video recorder tapes and later deactivated InSPACE & MSG. InSPACE, conducted last in June 2006 by Jeff Williams on Increment 13, obtains basic data on magnetorheological fluids, i.e., a new class of "smart materials" that can be used to improve or develop new brake systems, seat suspensions robotics, clutches, airplane landing gear, and vibration damper systems. The dispersed particles are contained in CAs (Coil Assemblies) in the MSG that subject them to electric fields of certain strength and frequencies.)

FE-2 Dan Tani 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.)

FE-1 Malenchenko conducted today's routine maintenance of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS) in the Service Module (SM), including ASU toilet facilities systems/replaceables, the weekly collection of the toilet flush (SP) counter and water supply (SVO) readings for calldown to TsUP.

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 (CDR), TVIS treadmill (FE-1, FE-2), RED (CDR, FE-2) and VELO bike with bungee cord load trainer (FE-1).

At ~9:30am EST, Yuri had his PFC (Private Family Conference) via S-band/audio and Ku-band/MS-NetMeeting application (which displays the uplinked ground video on the SSC-10 laptop).

At ~2:22pm, Dan had his PFC.

With the Elektron-VM O2 (oxygen) generator currently off, a 5-min cabin air refresh is to be performed by the FE-1 (off his voluntary task list) from Progress M-62/27P storage (SrPK) as required.

MPC HDTV Update: Dan Tani was lauded by the ground for his great work on 1/17 verifying the MPC HDTV (Multi-Purpose Converter/High-Definition TV) capability all the way to the NASA TV satellite. The test was very successful, yielding an overall end-to-end audio latency (delay) for the MPC System of 3.2 seconds. This is the delay from the crewmember to JSC/MCC-H to NASA Headquarters and out to the NASA TV satellite in high definition, i.e. the sum total of the audio delay the interviewer and interviewee will "feel" during an interactive event. This Japan/JAXA originated system will be utilized soon for downlink messages and in-flight interviews based on client capability.

No CEO photo targets uplinked for today. (Due to the Martin Luther King Federal Holiday tomorrow (1/21), the next CEO observations will be conducted on 1/23 (targets uplinked 1/22).)