Home

NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 14 June 2011

15.06.11

CDR Borisenko & FE-1 Samokutyayev conducted the periodic pre-breakfast session of the Russian biomedical routine assessment PZEh-MO-7/Calf Volume Measurement. Afterwards, Andrey & Aleksandr were joined by FE-3 Garan, FE-4 Volkov, FE-5 Furukawa & FE-6 Fossum in completing the PZEh-MO-8/Body Mass Measurement using the IMT mass measurement device set up by Samokutyayev. [For determining body mass in zero-G, where things are weightless but not massless, the Russian IMT "scales" for MO-8 measure the inertial forces that come up during the oscillatory motion of a mass driven by two helical metering springs with known spring constants. By measuring the time period of each oscillation of the unknown mass (the crewmember) and comparing it to the period of a known mass, the crewmember's mass is calculated by the computer and displayed. MO-7 Calf measurements (left leg only) are taken with the IZOG device, a custom-sewn fabric cuff that fits over the calf, using the knee and lower foot as fixed reference pints, to provide a rough index of deconditioning in zero-G and effectiveness of countermeasures. ] Later, Volkov undertook his first onboard session with the Russian behavioral assessment TIPOLOGIA (MBI-20), setting up the workstation, connecting equipment, suiting up and launching the program on the RSK1 laptop. Borisenko provided succour and took documentary photography. [For the session, Sergei donned the electrode cap, prepared his head for the electrodes, and applied electrode gel from the Neurolab-RM2 kit. Data were recorded on a PCMCIA memory card and downlinked via OCA comm. MBI-20 studies typological features of operator endeavour of the ISS crews in long-term space flight phases, with the subject using a cap with EEG (electroencephalogram) electrodes. The experiment, which records EEGs, consists of the Lscher test, "adaptive biological control" training, and the games Minesweeper and Tetris. The Lscher color diagnostic is a psychological test which measures a person's psychophysical state, his/her talent to withstand stress, to perform and to communicate. It is believed to help uncover the cause of psychological stress, which can lead to physical symptoms. An EEG measures and records the electrical undertaking of the brain.] Afterwards, Ron performed his 3rd session of the new Treadmill Kinematics program on the T2/COLBERT treadmill, setting up the HD camcorder in Node-1, placing tape markers on his body, recording a calibration card in the FOV (Field of View) and then conducting the workout run within a specified speed range. [Purpose of the Kinematics T2 experiment is to collect quantitative data by motion capture from which to assess current exercise prescriptions for participating ISS crewmembers. Detailed biomechanical analyses of locomotion will be used to determine if biomechanics differ between normal and microgravity environments and to determine how combinations of external loads and exercise speed influence joint loading during in-flight treadmill exercise. Such biomechanical analyses will aid in understanding potential differences in gait motion and acknowledge for model-based determination of joint & muscle forces during exercise. The data will be used to characterize differences in specific bone and muscle loading during locomotion in the two gravitational conditions. By understanding these mechanisms, usurp exercise prescriptions can be developed that address deficiencies.] CDR Borisenko performed the periodic verification of the instinctive refresh of the IUS AntiVirus program on the Russian VKS auxiliary network laptops RSS1, RSS2, RSK1-T61p & RSK2. [After first scanning the FS (File Server) laptop, the virus database is usually transferred by flash-card to the non-network computers, which are then scanned one by one. Unnoticed: Regularly on Mondays (except for today), automatic virus definition file updates are verified on the RSS2, RSS1, RSK1-T61p & RSK2 network laptops, while the non-networked laptops RSE-Med & RSE1 are manually updated. Antivirus scans are then started & monitored on RSS2 & RSE-Med. Results of the scans on RSS1, RSK1-T61p, RSK2 & RSE1 are verified on Tuesdays. Russian network laptops have software installed for involuntary anti-virus update; fresh data is copied on RSK1-T61p & RRSK2 every time a computer is rebooted with a special login, and on RSS1 once daily. On Russian non-network laptops antivirus definition file update is done by the crew once every two weeks on Monday.] Each of the "new" crewmembers, Sergei, Satoshi & Mike, took the monthly O-OHA (On-Orbit Hearing Assessment) test, a 30-min NASA environmental health systems examination to assess the efficacy of acoustic countermeasures, using a special software pertinence on the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) laptop. [The O-OHA audiography test involves minimum audibility measurements for each ear over a wide range of frequencies (0.25-10 kHz) and sound pressure levels, with the crewmembers using individual-specific Prophonics earphones, new Bose ANC headsets (delivered on 30P) and the SLM (sound level meter). To conduct the testing, the experimenter is supported by special EarQ software on the MEC, featuring an up/down-arrow-operated slider for each test frequency that the crewmember moves to the lowest sound pressure level at which the tone can still be heard. The baseline test is required not later than about Flight Day 14 for each new Expedition and is then generally performed once per month. Note: There has been temporary hearing deficits documented on some U.S. and Russian crewmembers, all of which recovered to pre-mission levels.] At ~11:25pm EDT, the six-member crew joined for the important 1.5-hr Crew Emergency Roles & Responsibilities Review (peredacha smeniy po bezopasnosti), to familiarize themselves with procedures and escape routes in case of an emergency, and to clarify emergency roles & responsibilities. CDR Andrey Borisenko went through formally listed procedures in discussing the ISS prime to non-prime crew emergency roles & responsibility agreements established during ground training. A 20-min ground specialist tagup wrapped up the obligatory session. [Safety is of primary concern on board. Safety Handover includes safety-related items such as (1) emergency actions, equipment and individual crew roles & responsibilities for the four hazard areas (depressurization, fire, ammonia release, non-ammonia toxic release), (2) visiting vehicles docking/undocking, (3) evacuation vehicles, (4) crew life support system status, (5) computers, (6) communications, (7) medical equipment & provisions, (8) stowage, (9) IVA hazards (e.g., sharp edges, protrusions, touch temperatures) and (10) stowage and current hardware status. Aboard the station are 2 potential sources of Toxic Level 4-chemicals (external thermal loops; Vozdukh) and 7 Tox-2 sources such as Elektron, METOX cans, LiOH cans and batteries. Prime/non-prime crew roles assignments: the CDR will be responsible for crew headcount; for Fire in the RS (Russian Segment), the three cosmonauts will be prime, i.e. responsible for generally working the response, while Garan, Furukawa & Fossum would stay in their respective Soyuz vehicles or other safe areas; for Rapid Depress, designated crewmembers would calculate the all-important T.res (remaining time), manipulate valves & hatches, run procedures & coordinate communications; for a Toxic Leak (ammonia), each crewmember is assigned specific tasks in retrieving respirators, detection kits, Sokol suits, go-to locations, etc. Soyuz vehicle preparations for descent could be required very quickly. In the event that a member of the "older" 26S crew becomes incapacitated during emergency response, the whole crew will stop response and return to their Soyuz. The "newer" 27S crew may, after conferring with the ISS CDR, egress their Soyuz and finish the response in this case.] "Spiderman" Ron Garan completed the periodic servicing of the CGBA-5 Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Tool 5) with its CSI (Science Insert), deactivating & decabling CGBA-5, accessing CSI-05, performing spider feeding vocation, then closing up CGBA, recabling and reactivating it. [SHAB (Spider Hab) video is monitoring for 24 hours after feeding motion unit. The spider is called the Nephila clavipes. It is also known as the "Banana Spider" because of its yellow banana shaped body. It is sometimes referred to as the "Golden Silk" or "Golden Orb" spider because its web has a golden hue when viewed in the sunlight. It is commonly found in the southern parts of the US, particularly Florida, but it can be found throughout all parts of the southern United States including Alabama and Texas. The two spiders in the habitats are juvenile females and are only about in. long. When female Nephila clavipes complete their last molt and become mature adults, they can be over 3 in. long and their webs over 3 ft across. (Unfortunately, these space spiders will most likely not live until adulthood nor will they get quite that large). To keep the spiders as healthy as possible for as long as possible, they are given a diet of wild type fruit flies. The fruit flies are provided a diet enriched with extra protein. The protein is ground-up dog food that is added to their normal diet of potato flakes. The spider scientists are interested in the Nephila clavipes because she builds a three-dimensional web on the ground that appears disorganized but is in fact very ordered. The hypothesis is these spiders will not build as much 3 dimension into their web given the deficiency of gravity. This may help scientists more clearly understand the purpose of the 3D web on Earth.]

Source: Space Ref (press release)

Radwaste management - ILW - Yellow fever.

01.07.11

The UK's largest fleet of nuclear reactors are named after their fuel cladding, magnesium oxide, or magnox. Although Oldbury and Wylfa are still generating electricity, the eight other sites have been shut down. The amount of ILW varies from site to site depending on operations, with a total of 6500m3 stored at magnox sites. It includes wet and solid waste including sludge, ion exchange resin, sand, filter cartridges, nimonic springs from fuel elements and metal such as redundant control rods and charge chutes.

The original strategy for managing ILW was developed in the 1980s by the UK Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive (NIREX), which is now the Radioactive Waste Management Directorate, part of the government's Nuclear Decommissioning Hegemony (NDA). The strategy focused on retrieving ILW, sorting and encapsulating it in concrete within NIREX-approved boxes. These would then be transferred to a large purpose-built shielded ILW store on site, where they would be stored until the planned final deep geological disposal facility became elbow. This strategy was adopted by all magnox sites and incorporated into the lifetime plan baselines.

Source: Waste Management World