Home - Search - Browse - Alphabetic Index: 0- 1- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9
A- B- C- D- E- F- G- H- I- J- K- L- M- N- O- P- Q- R- S- T- U- V- W- X- Y- Z

---

More Details for 2007-11-25

---

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

Ahead: Week 6 of Increment 16.

The FE-1 started his day by recording post-EVA radiation readings from the Russian 'Pille-MKS' dosimeters in the two spacesuits worn by Whitson & Tani during yesterday's spacewalk and from one background dosimeter. Measurements were logged in a table for subsequent downlink to the ground.

In the SM (Service Module), Malenchenko afterwards activated the Kenwood D700 amateur radio station and started the program for the Russian SHADOW-BEACON (Tenj-Mayak) experiment. (Objective of the experiment is the automatic retranslation of time tag (pre-planned executable) packets from ground stations. SHADOW (or ECLIPSE), sponsored by Roskosmos and its leading Moscow research organization TSNIIMASH (Central Research Institute of Machine Building), employs VHF amateur radio (ham) operators around the globe (via ARISS/Amateur Radio on ISS) to help in observing refraction/scattering effects in artificial plasmas using the method of RF (radio frequency) sounding in space experiments under different geophysical conditions. This is the experiment's second run, after Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin conducted it first on Expedition 14 in November 2006.)

The FE-2 meanwhile performed the periodic offloading of the Lab CCAA (Common Cabin Air Assembly) dehumidifier's condensate tank, filling CWC (Contingency Water Container) #1062 with the collected water slated for processing, and putting aside two water samples in sample bags for analysis. (Estimated offload time before termination (leaving ~6 kg in the tank): ~20 min. There is currently increased attention on water sampling after the discovery of some contaminated CWCs. The identified contaminant, a common soil bacterium (unicellular organism) called Wautersia after Belgian microbiologist Georges Wauters, is no more critical than what is found often in faucet water on the ground or in farm soil. Wautersia lives off hydrogen & carbon dioxide, oxidizing H2 and producing gaseous oxyhydrogen as energy for itself. Since it can turn sugar into a synthetic biodegradable fuel, it was seen for a short while as a promising long-term solution to the petroleum dependency, until it became clear that this 'solution' would require gigantic amounts of expensive sugar.)

Working in the Airlock, Dan Tani & Peggy Whitson later recharged the water tanks of their EMU (Extravehicular Mobility Unit) backpacks, using the fresh water from CWC #1062 and dumping the remaining water from the suits into CWC #1059, after UIA (Umbilical Interface Assembly) capping & plugging. The LTAs (Lower Torso Assemblies) and HUTs (Hard Upper Torsos) were then reassembled.

The CDR initiated the 8-10 hrs. discharge process on the EMU batteries in the BSA (Battery Stowage Assembly). (This procedure, required prior to their use on the next spacewalk, consists of fully discharging and then recharging the storage units. The process, originally handled manually by a crewmember, is an automated procedure controlled from an A31p SSC (Station Support Computer) laptop with a special DOS application.)

Whitson also initiated and monitored the regeneration of METOX (Metal Oxide) CO2 filter canisters #0007 & #0011, used during the Campout.

At ~11:20am, spacewalk-specific activities concluded for today with a post-EVA debriefing conference between the crew and the ground via S-band audio.

Later, Peggy ingressed Node-2 after its isolation during the EVA, opening Harmony's aft hatch, installing the caps on the Node-2 Stbd & Port PPRVs (Positive Pressure Relief Valves) and manually opening the Node-2 aft port IMV (Intermodular Ventilation) valve. Next step in Harmony was for Peggy to check out the Node's C&W (Caution & Warning) panel, testing & verifying connectivities and reporting the 'all clear' to MCC-H for further Node-2 activation steps from the ground.

Continuing the current round of monthly preventive maintenance of RS (Russian Segment) ventilation systems, Yuri Malenchenko cleaned the four 'Group B' fan grills (VT1, VT2, VTK1, VTK2) in the SM.

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

Later, Yuri conducted the daily IMS (Inventory Management System) 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),- today as a voluntary task from his 'time permitting' discretionary task list.

Working on the RBO MATRYOSHKA-R radiation monitoring payload in the DC1 (Docking Compartment), the FE-1 also completed the periodic collection and logging of accumulated data of its MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor) radiation sensor reader/display. (The reader automatically records radiation readings at strictly defined times (:00, :15, :30, :45 minutes). The complex Matryoshka payload suite is designed for sophisticated radiation studies. The payload collects radiation measurements every 15 minutes of each hour around the clock.)

The CDR unstowed and set up the NUTRITION with Repository hardware for the blood draw and urine collection part of her second session with the NUTRITION experiment, beginning tomorrow, requiring Dr. Whitson to forego exercising & food intake for eight hours, i.e., starting tonight. Urine sample collection begins tomorrow morning and continues for 24h, i.e., through Tuesday morning. (The Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile currently required on all U.S. Astronauts collects blood and urine samples preflight and postflight. NUTRITION expands this protocol by also capturing in-flight samples (plus an additional postflight sample), made possible by the MELFI (Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS). Furthermore, additional measurements are included for samples from all sessions, including additional markers of bone metabolism, vitamin status, and hormone and oxidative stressor tests. The results will be used to better understand the impact of countermeasures (exercise and pharmaceuticals) on nutritional status & nutrient requirements.)

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

Afterwards, Peggy 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 ~8:35am, the crewmembers held their regular weekly planning conference (WPC) with the ground, discussing next week's "Look-Ahead Plan" (prepared jointly by MCC-H and TsUP/Moscow timeline planners), via S-band/audio, reviewing upcoming activities and any concerns about future on-orbit events.

At ~9:40am, the FE-2 had another PFC (Private Family Conference) via S-band/audio and Ku-band/MS-NetMeeting application (which displays the uplinked ground video on the SSC-9 laptop).

At ~2:25pm, Dan Tani conducted a crew discretionary conference via S- & Ku-band.

Later, at ~3:40pm, Yuri Malenchenko is scheduled to downlink a PAO TV message of greetings for replay on 12/7 at a special meeting by the Russian Federation State House commemorating the 50th anniversary of the formation of the Military & Industrial Commission, headed by Sergey Borisovich Ivanov, First Vice Prime Minister of the RF Government. (' €¦please accept our warm greetings on the 50th Anniversary of the Military & Industrial Commission! Over the past 50 years, the Military & Industrial Commission has made a major contribution to the defense & industrial potential of the USSR and subsequently of the Russian Federation €¦')

No CEO (Crew Earth Observation) photo targets uplinked for today.