Space Station Appearing Nationwide Over July 4 Weekend

PRESS RELEASE
Date Released: Thursday, July 2, 2009
Source: NASA HQ
HOUSTON -- As America celebrates its 233rd birthday this holiday weekend, there will be an extra light in the sky along with the fireworks. Across the country, Americans will be treated to spectacular views of the International Space Station as it orbits 220 miles above Earth.

Many locations will have unusually long sighting opportunities of as much as five minutes, weather permitting, as the station flies almost directly overhead. find out when to see the station from your city, visit: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings

The largest spacecraft ever built, the station also is the most reflective. It will be brighter than most stars at dawn and dusk, appearing as a solid, glowing light, slowly traversing the predawn or evening sky. It is visible when lit by the Sun while the ground below is not in full daylight. It moves across the sky too fast for conventional telescopes, but a good set of binoculars can enhance the viewing experience, even revealing some detail of the station's structure.

The station circles Earth every 90 minutes. It is 357 feet long, about the length of a football field including the end zones, and 45 feet tall. Its reflective solar arrays are 240 feet wide, a wingspan greater than that of a jumbo jet, and have a total surface area of more than 38,000 square feet.

An international crew of six astronauts, including American flight engineer Michael Barratt, is aboard the complex conducting research and continuing its assembly. Other crew members are from Russia, Europe, Canada and Japan.

Third Spacewalk of STS-128 Mission Begins

TATUS REPORT
Date Released: Saturday, September 5, 2009
Source: NASA HQ

At 4:39 p.m. EDT, NASA astronaut Danny Olivas and ESA astronaut Christer Fuglesang began the third & final spacewalk scheduled during the STS-128 mission. The spacewalk is expected to last 6.5 hours. Olivas, the STS-128 lead spacewalker, is wearing a spacesuit marked with solid red stripes. Fuglesang is wearing an all-white spacesuit.Their first tasks will complete work that began during the STS-127 mission. The spacewalkers will deploy an attachment system that will be used to hang spare parts on the station’s truss. They also will replace a device designed to help the station determine its position relative to the Earth.

The two will deploy a payload attachment system on the starboard truss. They will have a special tool with them in the event they encounter any problems with a detent pin that caused problems on similar tasks in previous missions.

Next they will replace a failed rate gyro assembly, which measures rates for any changes in the station’s attitude, with a new one.

With that complete, the two will split up for the next tasks. Olivas will install a Global Positioning System antenna while Fuglesang will remove and replace a remote power control module and install an insulation sleeve on a cable inside the truss. Fuglesang will follow that up with the installation of a second GPS antenna.

The two will reunite for the final task, routing two 60-foot-long avionics systems cables along the station. The cables are being installed in preparation for the arrival of the Node 3 “Tranquility” in 2010.

NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 5 September 2009

TATUS REPORT
Date Released: Saturday, September 5, 2009
Source: NASA HQ

All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Flight Day 9 of STS-128/17A. Saturday --- a very busy day for the crews.

Today’s sleep/wake cycle for the crew: Sleep – 3:30am; wake – 12:00pm; sleep tomorrow – 3:00am.


Tim Kopra & Nicole Stott completed another “liquid” session part of the biomed experiment INTEGRATED IMMUNE, collecting their liquid saliva samples right after wake-up. [Along with NUTRITION (Nutritional Status Assessment), INTEGRATED IMMUNE (Validating Procedures for Monitoring Crew member Immune Function) samples & analyzes participant’s blood, urine, and saliva before, during and after flight for changes related to functions like bone metabolism, oxidative damage and immune function to develop and validate an immune monitoring strategy consistent with operational flight requirements and constraints.The strategy uses both long and short duration crewmembers as study subjects. The saliva is collected in two forms, dry and liquid. The dry samples are collected at intervals during the collection day using a specialized book that contains filter paper. The liquid saliva collections require that the crewmember soak a piece of cotton inside their mouth and place it in a salivette bag; there are four of the liquid collections during docked operations. The on-orbit blood samples are collected right before undocking and returned on the Shuttle so that analysis can occur with 48 hours of the sampling. This allows assays that quantify the function of different types of white blood cells and other active components of the immune system. Samples are secured in the MELFI (Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). Also included are entries in a fluid/medications intact log, and a stress-test questionnaire to be filled out by the subject at begin and end. Urine is collected during a 24-hour period, conventionally divided into two twelve-hour phases: morning-evening and evening-morning.]

Starting at ~1:45pm EDT, FE-1 Barratt & FE-4 Thirsk haven taken on the extensive 3.5 hr-task of removing & replacing the powered bolt 4-1 of the ACBM (Active Common Berthing Module) at the Node-2 nadir vestibule. As part of the job, the associated PCBM (Passive CBM) nut of the MPLM (Multi-Purpose Logistics Module) is also to be replaced. Later tonight, Frank will re-install the CPA-4 (Controller Panel Assembly 4) in the vestibule. [Without the R&R, the MPLM could not be unberthed.]

As the second important IFM (Inflight Maintenance) today, Barratt will join with FE-5 De Winne at ~9:00pm to continue troubleshooting of the OGA (Oxygen Generator Assembly System), performing the 3 hr-job of removing & replacing the Water ORU inlet screen. [This task involves removing one QD (Quick Disconnect), releasing the Manifold from the ORU, and cleaning all components prior to reassembly. Spare small O-ring seals were not found, but two small O-rings were recovered during pump filter R&R. One was likely exposed to catalyst and will not be re-used. If a spare is needed, the other will be evaluated to determine if it’s a viable spare.]

Mike is also timelined to relocate a PBA (Portable Breathing Apparatus, #1028) from the JLP (JEM Logistics Pressurized Segment), where it has become inaccessible due to stowage, to the Kibo JPM (JEM Pressurized Module).

FE-3 Romanenko conducted another spectrometer calibration session for the DZZ-12 RUSALKA (“Mermaid”) science payload, using solar observation from SM (Service Module) window #1. [RUSALKA ops involve calibration and tests of research equipment relating to the Sun and the Earth's limb at sunset (atmosphere lighted). To be tested are the procedure for remote determination of Methane (CH₄) & Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) content in the atmosphere (in the First Phase), measurement of CH₄ & CO₂ content in the atmosphere and reception of data on NI2 and NI4 content over the territories subjected to natural and technogenic effects, reception of sufficient data on seasonal dependencies of tropospheric parameters being studied (in the Second Phase). Equipment used: Rusalka monoblock, Nikon D2X digital photo camera(s); AF VR Nikkor ED 80-400f/4.5-5.6D lens with ultraviolet filter, bracket for attachment to the window, and a Rusalka-Accessories set.]

Continuing the current round of monthly preventive maintenance of RS (Russian Segment) ventilation systems, Romanenko is timelined to clean the four “Group B” fan screens (VT1, VTK1, VT2 & VVTK2) in the SM.

Similarly, CDR Padalka will do the periodic ventilation maintenance in the SM on the Group A fans and change out the cartridges of the four dust filters (PF1-4).

The CDR is also to “modernize” the Russian RSK2 laptop, installing a new shell (A31p laptop #1152 from US spares) to replace the failed shell and affixing Russian letter decals to laptop keyboard. Gennady will also move a new shell (31p #1157 from US spares) for the RS1 laptop to a stowage location.

Barratt, Kopra & Thirsk had more time set aside for more MPLM cargo transfers.
Status of completion as of end-FD8:

• Middeck – 98% (to ISS), 77% (from ISS)
• MPLM – 91% (to ISS), 66% (from ISS)
• Overall completed: 66%, on schedule.

FE-2 Kopra & FE-2-20 Stott are both scheduled for the periodic 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 application 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 every 45 days thereafter. Note: There have been temporary hearing deficits documented on some U.S. and Russian crewmembers, all of which recovered to pre-mission levels.]

Tim also has another hour set aside for regular crew departure preparations, working on the standard end-of-increment cleanup preparatory to his return to Earth on STS-128/17A. [It is usual for crewmembers to be granted reduced workdays for making their departure preparations, as their return date approaches.]

Stott is to retrieve & stow the four passive FMK (Formaldehyde Monitoring Kit) sampling assemblies deployed by Mike Barratt 9/3 in the Lab (at P3, below CEVIS) and SM (at the most forward handrail, on panel 307), to catch any atmospheric formaldehyde on a collector substrate for subsequent analysis on the ground. [Two monitors each are usually attached side by side, preferably in an orientation with their faces perpendicular to the direction of air flow.]

In addition, Nicole will conduct her first offloading of the WPA (Water Processor Assembly) from WRS (Water Recovery System) Rack 1 into a CWC-I (Collapsible Water Container-Iodine) with the common H₂O transfer hose (which takes about 23 min) from the PWD (Potable Water Dispenser) Auxiliary Port, then flush the system.

Thirsk & De Winne are both on schedule for another session with the MedOps experiment WinSCAT (Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows), Bob’s 5^th and Frank’s 4^th, by logging in on the MEC laptop and performing the psychological evaluation exercise on the PC-based WinSCAT application. [WinSCAT is a monthly time-constrained questionnaire test of cognitive abilities, routinely performed by astronauts aboard the ISS every 30 days before or after the PHS (periodic health status) test or on special CDR's, crewmembers or flight surgeons request. The test uses cognitive subtests that measure sustained concentration, verbal working memory, attention, short-term memory, spatial processing, and math skills. The five cognitive subtests are Coding Memory - Learning, Continuous Processing Task (CPT), Match to Sample, Mathematics, and Coding Delayed Recall. These WinSCAT subtests are the same as those used during NASA’s long-duration bed rest studies.]

Mike, Timothy, Nicole & Bob have time set aside for filling out their regular weekly FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire) on the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer). [On the FFQs, NASA astronauts keep a personalized log of their nutritional intake over time on special MEC software. Recorded are the amounts consumed during the past week of such food items as beverages, cereals, grains, eggs, breads, snacks, sweets, fruit, beans, soup, vegetables, dairy, fish, meat, chicken, sauces & spreads, and vitamins. The FFQ is performed once a week to estimate nutrient intake from the previous week and to give recommendations to ground specialists that help maintain optimal crew health. Weekly estimation has been verified to be reliable enough that nutrients do not need to be tracked daily.]

The CDR will do the routine daily servicing of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS) in the SM. [Regular daily SOZh maintenance consists, among else, of checking the ASU toilet facilities, replacement of the KTO & KBO solid waste containers and replacement of EDV-SV waste water and EDV-U urine containers.]

The FE-3 is scheduled for 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).

Afterwards, Roman conducts the periodic checkout & performance verification of IP-1 airflow sensors in the various RS hatchways.

FE-5 De Winne will take documentary photography of the three JAXA MDS (Microbial Detection Sheet) devices used by him yesterday to take surface samples in the Kibo JPM (Saibo Rack wall, Node-2/JEM hatch handrail, JPM OA1 diffuser), then stow the samples in the MELFI-1 (Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS, Dewar 4, Tray A, Section 4).

Frank also has an hour reserved to continue troubleshooting the ROBoT simulator program, doing performance test runs of the application with the new uplinked software patch. [After the troubleshooting, Frank was to clean up any old patches and save the uplinked patch to USB devices.]

The ISS crew are performing their regular daily 2.5-hr. physical workout program on the CEVIS cycle ergometer (FE-1, FE-2-20, FE-4, FE-5), TVIS treadmill with vibration isolation (CDR, FE-2, FE-3), ARED advanced resistive exercise device (FE-1, FE-2, FE-4, FE-5), and VELO cycle ergometer with bungee cord load trainer (CDR).

Afterwards, Frank De Winne transfers the exercise data files to the MEC for downlink, including the daily wristband HRM (Heart Rate Monitor) data of the workouts on ARED, followed by their erasure on the HRM storage medium (done six times a week).

When the ground has powered down the external DDCU (DC-to-DC Converter Unit) S01A tonight during the EVA-3 for the RPCM (Remote Power Controller Module) R&R, the FE-4 will use this opportunity to safe an ungrounded floating connector in the Lab (loc. LAB1P3) by covering it with a CTB (Cargo Transfer Bag) divider and gray tape.

The usual pre-EVA activities like EMU batteries recharge, D2Xs camera turn-around, amateur/ham radio power down, protective shutters closing for Lab & JPM windows, etc. will be handled by Barratt, Stott and De Winne.

PMA-3 Heater Cable Installation: After the EVA-2 crew discovered that the PMA-3 (Pressurized Mating Adapter 3) is rotated (“clocked”) 90 degrees off (“tail nadir”) from the expected orientation (”tail aft”), further evaluation by ground teams confirmed that the on-board jumper harness is not long enough in this orientation. Therefore, this task will not be performed during EVA-3. It was also confirmed that the actual PMA-3 orientation is the same as in 2007 (Expedition 15) before it was relocated to Node-1 nadir, and that this is the correct orientation expected for HTV rendezvous/berthing. There are currently no plans to rectify the situation which requires that entrances to PMA-3 need to be restricted to certain (solar-heated) Beta angle periods to prevent condensation within the module. The root cause for this discrepancy is under investigation.

Buzz Lightyear Video: During the EVA ingress tonight, Tim Kopra will be taking high-definition video of the Buzz Lightyear doll for an "EVA" Episode. [This video, which should capture footage of crew ingressing from an EVA, is part of the ISS National Lab Office partnership with Disney/Pixar. It will be used in educational and outreach videos produced by Pixar, with a “Toy Story” movie spin, to stimulate young children's interest in NASA and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education.]

After Danny Olivas (EV1) & Christer Fuglesang (EV2) spent last night on “campout” in the U.S. Airlock (A/L) on 10.2 psi atmospheric pressure, their EVA-3 activities today are scheduled as follows:

• Hygiene break/with mask prebreathe (~12:35pm-1:44pm)
• A/L hatch closed again by Jose Hernandez & Tim Kopra for EVA preps in 10.2 psi
• EMU purge (~3:20pm-3:29pm)
• Prebreathe (~3:29pm-4:50pm) in the EMUs
• CL (Crewlock) depressurization (~4:45pm)
• EV1/EV2 switch to suit power
• Hatch open and egress, to begin EVA-3 (4:39pm, actual time)

• Deploy S3 Upper Outboard PAS (Payload Attach System, 1:30h)
• R&R (Remove & Replace) RGA-2 (Rate Gyro Assembly 2) at S0 truss (1:0h)
• Install GPS Antenna 4 at S0 truss (0:45h)
• Install GPS Antenna 2 at S0 truss (0:45h)
• R&R S0 RPCM (Remote Power Controller Module, 0:45h)
• Route two Node-3 Avionics Umbilicals (CH2/3, CH1/4) and connect at S0 panel A145
• Remove damaged Node-1 slide wire (from fwd & aft stanchion)

• Cleanup & ingress (~11:09pm).

Post-ingress activities by Olivas, Fuglesang, Stott, Kopra & Hernandez will include the usual post-EVA tasks like photographing EMU gloves for inspection, recharging EMUs with water, downloading & downlinking D2XS EVA & glove photographs, recharging REBA batteries, etc.

Sleeptime for the crews will begin tomorrow morning at 3:00am, to last until 11:30pm.

Weekly Science Update (Expedition Twenty -- Week 14)

3-D SPACE: “Tim, thanks for the performance of your final session on 09/02 (GMT245)! Thanks also for configuring the Digital Tablet pens for future use.”

AgCam (Agricultural Camera): No report.

ALTCRISS (Alteino Long Term monitoring of Cosmic Rays on the ISS): Complete.

ALTEA DOSI (NASA/ASI): Standing by.

BCAT-4/5 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test 4/5): No report.

BIOLAB (ESA): No report.

Biological Rhythms (JAXA, BIORHYTHMS): No report.

BISE (CSA, Bodies in the Space Environment): No report.

BISPHOSPHONATES: “Bob, thanks for completing your pill ingestion. Your next session is scheduled for 9/7”.

CARD (Long Term Microgravity: Model for Investigating Mechanisms of Heart Disease, ESA): No report.

CARDIOCOG-2: Complete.

CB (JAXA Clean Bench): No report.

CBEF (JAXA Cell Biology Experiment Facility)/SPACE SEED: CBEF Fan Sensor removal was completed on 8/28. After few CBEF Fan repairs and the checkout, we will start the Space Seed experiment from 9/10. Space Seed KFT’s were inserted into MELFI prior to the experiment star. Due to an error in stowage note, the actuator KFT’s were inserted into MELFI instead of the Space Seed KFT’s. However, this was corrected the next day and the correct KFT’s have been successfully inserted into MELFI.

CCISS (Cardiovascular & Cerebrovascular Control on Return from ISS): “Tim, thanks for completing your last on-orbit CCISS session. We look forward to seeing you on the ground.”

CFE (Capillary Flow Experiment): Reserve.

CSI-3/CGBA-5 (CGBA Science Insert #2/Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 5): Complete.

CGBA-2 (Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 2): Complete.

CIR (Combustion Integrated Rack), MDCA/Flex: No report.

CSLM-2 (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures 2): Complete.

Commercial 2 (JAXA): Completed.

Commercial 3 (JAXA): Completed.

CW/CR (Cell Wall/Resist Wall) in EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System): Complete.

DomeGene (JAXA): Complete.

DOSIS (ESA): Experiment is progressing nominally with active and passive dosimeters measurements. Data downlink was performed on 8/31.

EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students): Planned.

EDR (European Drawer Rack, ESA): The rack is continuously active in support of the Protein Crystallization Diagnostic Facility (PCDF) experiment. EDR is providing power/data and temperature control (via cooling loop) to PCDF.

ELITE-S2 (Elaboratore Immagini Televisive - Space 2): Planned.

ENose (Electronic Nose): No report.

EPM (European Physiology Module): MEEMM HD was packed on 8/26 in order to be returned on 17A (STS-128).

EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA): No report.

EPO 3-min Video (JAXA): No report.

EPO J-Astro Report (JAXA): Ongoing.

EPO Space Clothes (JAXA): Complete.

EPO Hiten (Dance, JAXA): No report.

EPO Moon Score (JAXA): No report.

EPO Try Zero-G (JAXA): “No report.

EPO Kibo Kids Tour (JAXA): Complete.

EPO Spiral Top (JAXA): No report.

ETD (Eye Tracking Device): Completed.

EuTEF (European Technology Exposure Facility): On 9/1 during 17A EVA-1, the EuTEF platform and its instruments have been de-installed from the CEPF (Columbus External Platform Facility) and successfully transferred to the Shuttle cargo bay for return. For some instruments, science acquisition was performed until a couple of hours prior to de-installation.

FACET (JAXA): No report.

FSL (Fluid Science Laboratory): No report.

GEOFLOW: No report.

HDTV System (JAXA): To be launched by HTV1.

Holter ECG (JAXA): No report.

HQPC (JAXA): To be launched by 34P.

ICE CRYSTAL (JAXA): Complete.

ICV (Integrated Cardiovascular): “Nicole, the ICV team is looking forward to your first echo session next week. Bob and Frank have done this three times already with wonderful results so you are in excellent hands. Welcome aboard!”

IMMUNO (Neuroendocrine & Immune Responses in Humans During & After Long Term Stay at ISS): Complete.

INTEGRATED IMMUNE: No report.

InSPACE-2 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions 2): No report.

IRIS (Image Reversal in Space): No report.

LOCAD-PTS (Lab-on-a-Chip Application Development-Portable Test System): No report.

MEIS (Marangoni Experiment for ISS) in JAXA FPEF (Fluid Physics Experiment Facility): “16 runs completed.

MAXI (Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image, JAXA): On 8/25, all MAXI data transmission though Ethernet had stopped. Trouble shooting was completed. After power cycles, Ethernet and other communication has returned.

MDCA/Flex: See under CIR.

Microbe-1 (JAXA): Microbe Swab sampling on the 3 diffusers and the tube installation into MELFI has been completed.

Micro-G Clay (JAXA EPO): Complete.

MMA (JAXA/Microgravity Measurement Apparatus): MMA data downlink performed on 7/1. FSL Optical Target #4 check-out was completed by 7/1.

MISSE (Materials ISS Experiment): Ongoing.

Moon Photography from ISS (JAXA EPO): No report.

MSG-SAME (Microgravity Science Glovebox): Complete.

MTR-2 (Russian radiation measurements): Passive dosimeters measurements in DC1 “Pirs”.

MULTIGEN-1: Completed.

NEUROSPAT (ESA/Study of Spatial Cognition, Novelty Processing and Sensorimotor Integration): No report.

NOA-1/-2 (Nitric Oxide Analyzer, ESA): Complete.

NUTRITION w/REPOSITORY: Ongoing.

PADLES (JAXA, Area PADLES 3; Passive Area Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiment in Space): Area Dosimeters (PADLES 2) were removed for return on 17A.

PCDF-PU (Protein Crystallization Diagnostic Facility - Process Unit): No report.

PCG (JAXA, Protein Crystal Growth): Temperature monitoring by the ground team is now in progress. Experiment continues to be in good condition.

PCRF (Protein Crystallization Research Facility) Reconfiguration (JAXA): Complete.

PMDIS (Perceptual Motor Deficits in Space): Complete.

POLCA/GRAVIGEN (ESA): Complete.

RadGene & LOH (JAXA): Complete.

RadSilk (JAXA): RadSilk Sample transfer completed 9/3.

SAMS/MAMS (Space & Microgravity Acceleration Measurement Systems): Ongoing.

SAMPLE: Complete.

SEDA-AP (Space Environment Data Acquisition Equipment-Attached Payload, JAXA): All monitor functions have been verified. Temperature monitoring by ground operation is now in progress.

SHERE (Shear History Extensional Rheology Experiment): Complete.

SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight): The next monthly Sleep Actiwatch download will be on the task list from 9/12 to 9/18 and hard scheduled on 9/20. The Actiwatches will stop recording data on 9/20.

SMILES (JAXA): Exposed Payload, to be launched by HTV1.

SOLAR (Solar Monitoring Observatory): The current Sun observation window ended on 0/25. Next Sun observation window is predicted to start on 9/15.

SOLO (Sodium Loading in Microgravity): No report.

SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellite): No report.

SPICE (Smoke Point In Co-flow Experiment): No report.

SWAB (Characterization of Microorganisms & Allergens in Spacecraft): No report.

TRAC (Test of Reaction & Adaptation Capabilities): Planned.

ULTRASOUND: Planned.

VLE (Video Lessons ESA): VLE-1 completed.

WAICO #1/#2 (Waving and Coiling of Arabidopsis Roots at Different g-levels): Complete/Planned (2J/A Stage). No report.

CEO (Crew Earth Observations): “Through 9/1 the ground has received a total of 26,005 frames of ISS CEO imagery for review and cataloging. “We are continuing to work through a sizeable backlog of your plentiful imagery. We are pleased to confirm your acquisition of imagery for the following CEO target requests: Heidelberg, Germany; Haruj Megafans, Libya – under review; Black Point Lava Flow, Arizona – excellent views – requirements complete; Hurricane Bill, Atlantic Ocean; Lake Poopo, Bolivia – excellent detail, incomplete; Toshka Lakes, Egypt – under review; All Saints Bay, Salvador, Brazil – you found parts of it despite the clouds; and Sao Paulo-Rio de Janeiro Aerosol – under review. Nice work! Your recent image of the Heiltskuk Ice Field in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, Canada was published on NASA/GSFC’s Earth Observatory website this past weekend. This image is one of the best we have ever seen of this long standing CEO target area and provides excellent baseline imagery for changes in the glaciers of this spectacular ice field. Great Shot!”

No CEO photo targets uplinked for today.
CEO photography can be studied at this “Gateway” website:
http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov (as of 9/1/08, this database contained 770,668 views of the Earth from space, with 324,812 from the ISS alone).

STS-128/Discovery - 17A Crew & Mission Timeline:
v CDR: Fredrick W. “Rick” Sturckow
v PLT: Kevin A. Ford
v MSs: Patrick G. Forrester; Jose M. Hernandez; John D. “Danny” Olivas; Christer Fuglesang
v ISS FE-2s: Nicole Passonno Stott (UP); Timothy L. Kopra (DOWN)
. FD09 (9/05) -- EVA3; deploy S3 PAS, R&R RGA 2, connect PMA-3 heater cable, R&R S0 RPCM, route Node-3 cabling
. FD10 (9/06) -- Crew off duty; final cargo transfers; initiate O₂ transfer
. FD11 (9/07) -- Egress & uninstall MPLM; berth MPLM in PLB, terminate O₂ transfer, close hatches
. FD12 (9/08) -- Undock from ISS (~3:27pm EDT); perform flyaround; dump H₂O; late inspection
. FD13 (9/09) -- Cabin stow; Orbiter FCS checkout; RCS hot fire; H₂O dump
. FD14 (9/10) -- Nominal deorbit (6:05pm); landing (~7:08pm KSC).

ISS Crew Sleep Shifting: To synchronize the ISS crew’s timeline with STS-128/17A arrival and docked activities, the station’s wake/sleep cycle is undergoing a number of shifts which started on 8/29 and ends on 9/9. For the next few days, the schedule is as follows:

9/05	Sleep: 3:30a – 12:00p
9/06	Sleep: 3:00a – 11:30a
9/07	Sleep: 3:00a – 11:30a
9/08	Sleep: 2:30a – 11:00a
9/09	Sleep: 3:00a – 2:00a
9/10	Sleep: 5:30p – 2:00a

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time, some changes possible!):
09/08/09 -- STS-128/Discovery/17A undocking – ~3:27pm
09/10/09 -- STS-128/Discovery/17A deorbit burn – ~6:05pm
09/10/09 -- STS-128/Discovery/17A landing (KSC; ~7:08pm)
09/10/09 -- H-IIB (JAXA HTV-1) launch (~1:01pm EDT)
09/17/09 -- H-IIB (JAXA HTV-1) capture & berth w/SSRMS (~3:50pm)
09/29/09 -- Progress 34P undock
09/30/09 -- Soyuz TMA-16/20S launch
10/02/09 -- Soyuz TMA-16/20S docking (SM aft, until MRM-2 w/new port)
10/11/09 -- Soyuz TMA-14/18S undock
10/14/09 -- H-IIB (JAXA HTV-1) unberth (under review)
10/15/09 -- Progress 35P launch
11/10/09 -- 5R/MRM-2 (Russian Mini Research Module 2) on Soyuz-U
11/12/09 -- STS-129/Atlantis/ULF3 - ELC1, ELC2
12/07/09 -- Soyuz TMA-17/21S launch
12/26/09 -- Progress 36P launch
02/03/10 -- Progress 37P launch
02/04/10 -- STS-130/Endeavour/20A – Node-3 + Cupola
03/18/10 -- STS-131/Discovery/19A – MPLM(P), LMC
04/02/10 -- Soyuz TMA-18/22S launch
04/27/10 -- Progress 38P launch
05/14/10 -- STS-132/Atlantis/ULF4 – ICC-VLD, MRM-1
05/29/10 -- Soyuz TMA-19/23S launch
06/25/10 -- Progress 39P launch
07/29/10 -- STS-133/Endeavour (ULF5 – ELC4, MPLM) or STS-134/Discovery (ULF6 – ELC3, AMS)
08/11/10 -- Progress 40P launch
09/16/10 -- STS-133/Endeavour (ULF5 – ELC4, MPLM) or STS-134/Discovery (ULF6 – ELC3, AMS)
09/29/10 -- Soyuz TMA-20/24S launch
10/19/10 -- Progress 41P launch
11/??/10 -- ATV2 – Ariane 5 (ESA)
12/??/11 -- 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA – on Proton

CU-Boulder Satellite Instrument to Provide New Details on Ozone

Just after 3 a.m. on July 10, University of Colorado at Boulder researcher John Gille expects to watch a new NASA satellite blast into orbit from the dark California coastline on a mission to study Earth's protective ozone layer, climate and air quality changes with unprecedented detail.

Gille, principal investigator on the satellite's High Resolution Dynamics Limb Sounder (HIRDLS) instrument, said he and his sleep-deprived colleagues will probably only get to watch the rocket for a few moments before it disappears into a thick deck of clouds that typically settles over the area this time of year.

The irony isn't lost on Gille, who's been at work on the instrument since 1988. "Writing about clouds in a meteorological journal, a scientist once said, 'There's no way to deal with these troublesome objects,' " he laughed.

Surface ozone pollution and air quality deterioration -- byproducts of agricultural burning, deforestation, urban activity and industry -- are increasing worldwide. Questions remain about the recovery of the protective ozone layer and the role of chemistry in climate change. HIRDLS and three other instruments on NASA's AURA satellite are designed to address these questions in detail.

HIRDLS is an international collaboration between scientists and engineers in the U.S. and Britain. Gille is HIRDLS U.S. principal investigator, and along with his Oxford University counterpart he is responsible for the overall success of the instrument, including design, testing, collection and use of data for scientific purposes.

At CU-Boulder, Gille is an adjoint professor in the Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and senior research associate at the Center for Limb Atmospheric Sounding. "Limb" is the astronomical term for the edge of a planet and its atmosphere.

"Unlike the satellite images you see during TV weather forecasts, which are looking straight down at the Earth, our instrument is looking off toward the horizon," Gille said. "We look at the horizon from orbit, scanning up and down for a profile view."

The profile gives scientists insight into radiation, temperature and distribution of gases at different levels in the atmosphere. The data is then used to study the ozone layer, climate change and interaction between layers of the atmosphere.

HIRDLS will scan the mid- to upper-troposphere and the tropopause, the boundary region between the troposphere and the stratosphere. The troposphere extends upward from the Earth's surface to about 10 miles high at the equator and five miles high at the North and South poles. The stratosphere, which contains trace gases as well as the radiation-absorbing ozone layer, lies on top of the troposphere.

HIRDLS is expected to present a much clearer picture of whether the ozone layer is recovering, as well as the distribution of greenhouse gases that influence climate.

"HIRDLS has much finer horizontal resolution than we've ever had before," Gille said. "We can send commands to the satellite to zoom in and get readings with resolutions as fine as 30 to 60 miles, and a vertical resolution of 1,500 feet. Also, the HIRDLS detectors are up to 10 times more sensitive than similar instruments that have flown in the past."

The instrument is designed to last much longer in orbit than its predecessors, too. Thanks to an onboard mechanical refrigerator built by Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. of Boulder, scientists expect it will last longer than five years. It's hoped that longer-term trends can be predicted with the volume of data that will be collected.

The HIRDLS project began in 1988. Since that time, Gille and his research team at the university have led a collaborative effort to design and build the instrument with scientists and engineers at Oxford University in the United Kingdom, the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, the University of Washington and Lockheed Martin in Palo Alto, Calif.

Gille expects many of those who have worked on HIRDLS during the past 16 years to make the trip to Vandenburg Air Force Base, north of Santa Barbara, Calif., for the July 10 AURA launch at 3:01 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time.

For more information about the HIRDLS instrument visit http://www.eos.ucar.edu/hirdls/. For more information about CU-Boulder atmospheric research visit http://paos.colorado.edu/ and click on "Related Links

Earth satellite instrument

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man-made object launched into a temporary or permanent orbit around the Earth. Spacecraft of this type may be either manned or unmanned, the latter being the most common.

The idea of an artificial satellite in orbital flight was first suggested by Sir Isaac Newton in his book Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica (1687). He pointed out that a cannonball shot at a sufficient velocity from atop a mountain in a direction parallel to the horizon would go all the way around the Earth before falling. Although the object would tend to fall toward the Earth’s surface because of gravitational force, its momentum would cause it to descend along a curved path. Greater velocity would put it into a stable orbit, like that of the Moon, or direct it away from the Earth altogether. On Oct. 4, 1957, nearly three centuries after Newton had proposed his theory, the Soviet Union launched the first Earth satellite, Sputnik I. Sputnik circled the Earth every 96 minutes, and its simple radio signal was heard by scientists and radio operators across the world. The United States orbited its first satellite, Explorer 1, three months later (Jan. 31, 1958). Explorer, though much smaller than Sputnik, was instrumented to detect radiation and discovered the innermost of the two Van Allen radiation belts, a zone of electrically charged solar particles that surrounds the Earth.

Since these initial efforts, more than 5,000 Earth satellites have been orbited by at least 15 different nations. The satellites vary widely in size and design, ranging from a tiny sphere of several pounds equipped with only two radio transmitters to heavily instrumented space laboratories weighing many tons. They are equally diverse in function. Scientific satellites are chiefly used to collect data about the Earth’s surface and atmosphere and to make astronomical observations. Weather satellites transmit photographs of cloud patterns and measurements of other meteorological conditions that aid in weather forecasting, while communications satellites relay telephone calls, radio and television programs, and data communications between distant parts of the world. Navigation satellites enable the crews of oceangoing vessels and airplanes to determine the position of their craft in all kinds of weather. Some satellites have distinctly military applications, such as reconnaissance and surveillance.

Satellites can be placed in any number of different orbits. The particular path selected is largely determined by the function of the spacecraft. Most weather and reconnaissance satellites, for example, are fired into a polar orbit in which the Earth’s polar axis is a line on the orbital plane. Because the Earth rotates under polar-orbiting satellites, they pass over its entire surface within a given time period, providing full global coverage. Communications satellites, on the other hand, are generally placed into an equatorial orbit, which enables them to circle the most densely populated regions of the Earth from west to east. Moreover, communications satellites comprising a network or system are nearly always launched to a distance of 22,300 mi (35,890 km) above the Earth. At this altitude, the motion of a satellite becomes synchronized with the Earth’s rotation, causing the craft to remain fixed over a single location. If properly positioned, three communications satellites travelling in such a synchronous orbit can relay signals between stations around the world. See also spacecraft.

Blue Marble Next Generation

	Everyone knows that NASA studies space; fewer people know that NASA also studies Earth. Since the agency’s creation almost 50 years ago, NASA has been a world leader in space-based studies of our home planet. Our mission has always been to explore, to discover, and to understand the world in which we live from the unique vantage point of space, and to share our newly gained perspectives with the public. That spirit of sharing remains true today as NASA operates 18 of the most advanced Earth-observing satellites ever built, helping scientists make some of the most detailed observations ever made of our world.		Scroll to the bottom of the page for links to Blue Marble Next Generation imagery. Monthly global images shows changes over time on the Earth’s surface, with links to high-resolution images.
	In celebration of the deployment of its Earth Observing System, NASA is pleased to share the newest in its series of stunning Earth images, affectionately named the “Blue Marble.” This new Earth imagery enhances the Blue Marble legacy by providing a detailed look at an entire year in the life of our planet. In sharing these Blue Marble images, NASA hopes the public will join with the agency in its continuing exploration of our world from the unique perspective of space. To learn more about the development of NASA’s imagery of the Earth as a whole, read the History of the Blue Marble. Enhancements Blue Marble: Next Generation offers greater spatial detail of the surface and spans a longer data collection period than the original. The original Blue Marble was a composite of four months of MODIS observations with a spatial resolution (level of detail) of 1 square kilometer per pixel. Blue Marble: Next Generation offers a year’s worth of monthly composites at a spatial resolution of 500 meters. These monthly images reveal seasonal changes to the land surface: the green-up and dying-back of vegetation in temperate regions such as North America and Europe, dry and wet seasons in the tropics, and advancing and retreating Northern Hemisphere snow cover. From a computer processing standpoint, the major improvement is the development of a new technique for allowing the computer to automatically recognize and remove cloud-contaminated or otherwise bad data—a process that was previously done manually.		The Blue Marble: Next Generation is a series of images that show the color of the Earth’s surface for each month of 2004 at very high resolution (500 meters/pixel) at a global scale. This image shows South America from September 2004. (NASA image courtesy Reto Stöckli and Robert Simmon) High-resolution images: 1024 by 1024 screen (190 kB JPEG) 4096 by 4096 screen (1 MB JPEG) 4096 by 4096 print (12 MB PNG)
	Blue Marble: Next Generation improves the techniques for turning satellite data into digital images. Among the key improvements is greater detail in areas that usually appear very dark to the satellite (because a large amount of sunlight is being absorbed), for example in dense tropical forests. The ability to create a digital image that provides great detail in darker regions without “washing out” brighter regions, like glaciers, snow-covered areas, and deserts is one of the great challenges of visualizing satellite data. The new version also improves image clarity, and gives highly reflective land surfaces, such as salt flats, a more realistic appearance.		Monthly imagery shows seasonable variability, like the change in Alpine snow-cover from January to July. (NASA images by Reto Stöckli) High-resolution images: Alps, January 2004 (750 kB JPEG) Alps, July 2004 (650 kB JPEG)
	Limitations Those who intend to use the Blue Marble: Next Generation in their own publications or projects should be aware of areas that still require improvement. Areas of open water still show some “noise.” In tropical lowlands, cloud cover during the rainy season can be so extensive that obtaining a cloud-free view of every pixel of the area for a given month may not be possible. Deep oceans are not included in the source data; the creator of the Blue Marble uses a uniform blue color for deep ocean regions, and this value has not been completely blended with observations of shallow water in coastal areas. The lack of blending may, in some cases, make the transition between shallow coastal water and deep ocean appear unnatural. Finally, the data do not completely distinguish between snow and cloud cover in areas with short-term snow cover (less than three or four months). This problem may be resolved in the future through the use of a more sophisticated snow mask. Data Access Full-resolution, subsetted, and reduced-resolution files are available on the Blue Marble Next Generation collection on NASA’s Visible Earth. Monthly global images provides web-resolution copies of each of the monthly maps, along with links to 8km/pixel and 2km/pixel JPEGs, and full-resolution torrents. 500 meter/pixel images are available either via BitTorrent (see monthly global images page for links to torrent files) or from one of our mirror sites: Additional Download Sites: Arctic Region Supercomputing Center San Diego State University Sample 500 meter/pixel images. Animations: Seasonal Landcover Change over Western Asia in 2004 Seasonal Landcover Change over the Alps Seasonal Landcover Change over the Eastern United States Global Seasonal Landcover in 2004 Interactive viewers: Blue Marble Viewer EarthSLOT GeoFusion NASA JPL OnEarth NASA World Wind YaWah Credits Blue Marble: Next Generation was produced by Reto Stöckli, NASA Earth Observatory (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center). See The Blue Marble Next Generation—A true color Earth dataset including seasonal dynamics from MODIS (880 kB PDF) for acknowledgments. Anyone using or republishing Blue Marble: Next Generation please credit “NASA’s Earth Observatory.” References: Justice C.O., 1 Townshend J.R.G., Vermote E. F., Masuoka E., Wolfe R.E., El Saleous N., Roy D.P. and Morisette. J.T. , 2002. An overview of MODIS Land data processing and product status. Remote Sensing of Environment, 83, 1-2, 3-15. Los, S.O., Collatz, G.J., Sellers, P.J., Malmström, C.M., Pollack, N.H., DeFries, R.S., Bounoua, L., Parris, M.T., Tucker, C.J., and Dazlich, D.A. (2000) A global 9-year biophysical land-surface data set from NOAA AVHRR data. J Hydrometeor., 1, 183-199. Sellers, P.J., Los, S.O., Tucker, C.J., Justice, C.O., Dazlich, D.A., Collatz, G.J., and Randall, D.A. (1996) A revised land surface parameterization (SiB-2) for atmospheric GCMs. Part 2: The generation of global fields of terrestrial biophysical parameters from satellite data. Journal of Climate, 9, 706-737. Stöckli, R, and Vidale, P.L. (2004) European plant phenology and climate as seen in a 20 year AVHRR land-surface parameter dataset. Internat. J. Remote Sens., 25 (17), 3303-3330.		Improvements to the data-processing algorithms resulted in relatively noise-free images with few artifacts. Dry salt flats, such as the Etosha Pan in Namibia, rendered as water in the original Blue Marble, but are now accurately colored. (NASA images by Reto Stöckli.) High-resolution images: Etosha, January 2004 (240 kB JPEG) Etosha, July 2004 (220 kB

Moon

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Earth’s sole natural satellite and nearest large celestial body. Known since prehistoric times, it is the brightest object in the sky after the Sun. It is designated by the symbol ☽. Its name in English, like that of Earth, is of Germanic and Old English derivation.

The Moon’s desolate beauty has been a source of fascination and curiosity throughout history and has inspired a rich cultural and symbolic tradition. In past civilizations the Moon was regarded as a deity, its dominion dramatically manifested in its rhythmic control over the tides and the cycle of female fertility. Ancient lore and legend tell of the power of the Moon to instill spells with magic, to transform humans into beasts, and to send people’s behaviour swaying perilously between sanity and lunacy (from the Latin luna, “Moon”). Poets and composers were invoking the Moon’s romantic charms and its darker side, and writers of fiction were conducting their readers on speculative lunar journeys long before Apollo astronauts, in orbit above the Moon, sent back photographs of the reality that human eyes were witnessing for the first time.

Centuries of observation and scientific investigation have been centred on the nature and origin of the Moon. Early studies of the Moon’s motion and position allowed the prediction of tides and led to the development of calendars. The Moon was the first new world on which humans set foot; the information brought back from those expeditions, together with that collected by automated spacecraft and remote-sensing observations, has led to a knowledge of the Moon that surpasses that of any other cosmic body except Earth itself. Although many questions remain about its composition, structure, and history, it has become clear that the Moon holds keys to understanding the origin of Earth and the solar system. Moreover, given its nearness to Earth, its rich potential as a source of materials and energy, and its qualifications as a laboratory for planetary science and a place to learn how to live and work in space for extended times, the Moon remains a prime location for humankind’s first settlements beyond Earth orbit.

Properties of the Moon and the Earth-Moon system
	Moon	Earth	approximate ratio (Moon to Earth)
mean distance from Earth (orbital radius)	384,400 km	--	--
period of orbit around Earth (sidereal period of revolution)	27.3217 Earth days	--	--
inclination of equator to ecliptic plane (Earth’s orbital plane)	1.53°	23.45°	--
inclination of equator to body’s own orbital plane (obliquity to orbit)	6.68°	23.45°	--
inclination of orbit to Earth’s Equator	18.28°-28.58°	--	--
eccentricity of orbit around Earth	0.0549	--	--
recession rate from Earth	3.8 cm/year	--	--
rotation period	synchronous with orbital period	23.9345 hr	--
equatorial radius	1,738 km	6,378 km	1:4
surface area	37,900,000 km2	510,066,000 km2 (land area, 148,000,000 km2)	1:14
mass	0.0735 × 1024 kg	5.976 × 1024 kg	1:81
mean density	3.34 g/cm3	5.52 g/cm3	1:1.7
mean surface gravity	162 cm/sec2	980 cm/sec2	1:6
escape velocity	2.38 km/sec	11.2 km/sec	1:5
mean surface temperature	day, 380 K (224 °F, 107 °C); night, 120 K (-244 °F, -153 °C)	288 K (59 °F, 15 °C)	--
temperature extremes	396 K (253 °F, 123 °C) to 40 K (-388 °F, -233 °C)	331 K (136 °F, 58 °C) to 184 K (-128 °F, -89 °C)	--
surface pressure	3 × 10-15 bar	1 bar	1:300 trillion
atmospheric molecular density	day, 104 molecules/cm3; night, 2 × 105 molecules/cm3	2.5 × 1019 molecules/cm3 (at standard temperature and pressure)	about 1:100 trillion
average heat flow	29 mW/m2	63 mW/m2	1:2.2

Distinctive features

The Moon is a spherical rocky body, probably with a small metallic core, revolving around Earth in a slightly eccentric orbit at a mean distance of about 384,000 km (238,600 miles). Its equatorial radius is 1,738 km (1,080 miles), and its shape is slightly flattened in a such a way that it bulges a little in the direction of Earth. Its mass distribution is not uniform—the centre of mass is displaced about 2 km (1.2 miles) toward Earth relative to the centre of the lunar sphere, and it also has surface mass concentrations, called mascons for short, that cause the Moon’s gravitational field to increase over local areas. The Moon has no global magnetic field like that of Earth, but some of its surface rocks have remanent magnetism, which indicates one or more periods of magnetic activity in the past. The Moon presently has very slight seismic activity and little heat flow from the interior, indications that most internal activity ceased long ago.

Scientists now believe that more than four billion years ago the Moon was subject to violent heating—probably from its formation—which resulted in its differentiation, or chemical separation, into a less dense crust and a more dense underlying mantle. This was followed hundreds of millions of years later by a second episode of heating—this time from internal radioactivity—which resulted in volcanic outpourings of lava. The Moon’s mean density is 3.34 grams per cubic cm, close to that of Earth’s mantle. Because of the Moon’s small size and mass, its surface gravity is only about one-sixth of the planet’s; it retains so little atmosphere that the molecules of any gases present on the surface move without collision. In the absence of an atmospheric shield to protect the surface from bombardment, countless bodies ranging in size from asteroids to tiny particles have struck and cratered the Moon. This has formed a debris layer, or regolith, consisting of rock fragments of all sizes down to the finest dust. In the ancient past the largest impacts made great basins, some of which were later partly filled by the enormous lava floods. These great dark plains, called maria (singular mare [Latin: “sea”]), are clearly visible to the naked eye from Earth. The dark maria and the lighter highlands, whose unchanging patterns many people recognize as the “man in the moon,” constitute the two main kinds of lunar territory. The mascons are regions where particularly dense lavas rose up from the mantle and flooded into basins. Lunar mountains, located mostly along the rims of ancient basins, are tall but not steep or sharp-peaked, because all lunar landforms have been eroded by the unending rain of impacts. For additional orbital and physical data, see the table.