ejbehr@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu (Eric Behr) (06/14/91)
MCC STATUS REPORT #13 -- Flight Day 7
4:30 a.m. CDT --- Tues., June 11, 1991.
The Space Shuttle Columbia's crew was awakened this morning to
the lively tune "Shout - The Faber College Theme" from the movie
"Animal House."
CAPCOM Kathy Thornton told the crew that ground flight
controllers had seen a second link error in the Spacelab
Experiment Computer Operating System (ECOS). The
computer experienced its first link error on flight day four
(Sat., June 6). A trouble shooting procedure was performed and
the computer was recovered within 10 minutes.
Ground flight controllers opted not to awaken the crew when the
link error was seen at a MET of 5/16:02 or about 12:30 a.m. CDT
and crew members apparently were not awakened by the low level,
single tone message alert on board. Flight controllers commanded
the computer to downlink its data from its mass memory. This
precaution insures that no data will be lost while controllers
and crew members trouble shoot the link error. The crew and
flight controllers are expected to work a recovery procedure
later this morning.
The ECOS is one of three identical computers in the Spacelab
command and data management system which provides a variety of
services to Spacelab experiments and subsystems. ECOS is
dedicated to Spacelab experiments. A second computer, called the
Subsystem Computer Operating System or SCOS, supports Spacelab
subsystems. A third computer, called the Backup Computer or BUC,
can function in the place of either the ECOS or the SCOS.
The flight crew monitors and operates Spacelab subsystems and
payload experiments through data display and keyboard units. The
experiment computer, or ECOS, activiates, controls and monitors
payload operations and provides experiment data acquisition and
handling. The subsystem computer provides control and data
management for basic Spacelab services that are available to
support experiments, such as electrical power distribution,
equipment cooling and scientific airlock operations.
Planning shift flight controllers spent their overnight shift
monitoring systems, adjusting the flight plan, and preparing
messages that have been uplinked to the crew.
Crew members will get an extra day to gather science in the
Spacelab today during flight day 7. Original flight plans called
for the Spacelab to be unpowered on flight day 7 because of
concern over limited consumables, but because of crew members'
and flight controllers' conservative use of consumables crew
members will conduct science investigations in a fully powered
Spacelab module.
MCC STATUS REPORT #14 -- FLIGHT DAY 7
11:30 a.m. CDT -- Tuesday, June 11, 1991
Columbia's crew got an extra day to gather science in the
Spacelab module today due to conscientious planning to
conserve onboard fuel used to produce electricity for all
orbiter and payload systems.
Optional activities for the payload crew aboard Columbia
included verifying a handling procedure that will involve
rodents currently housed in the Research Animal Holding
Facility installed in the Spacelab module.
Other optional activities are working with the rotating dome
experiment; a rodent health check; videotaping jellyfish;
and conducting intravenous fluid pump procedures.
Last night the Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment was
activated. The objective of the experiment is to accurataly
measure aerodynamic acceleration rates in zero G to expand
the database of knowledge in predicting orbital drag in the
design of future space systems like Space Station Freedom.
Earlier on the orbit 1 shift, OARE was performed as Columbia
flew three separate 360 degree maneuvers: pitch, yaw and
roll. The orbiter was also put into calibration attitude and
the crew remained still and quiet for about an hour.
Commander Bryan O'Connor radioed to Mission Control that the
crew apparently had traced the communication problem that the
two payload specialists encountered yesterday to a faulty
audio interface unit. The two had switched to a unit mounted
in the crew cabin to reestablish communications.
Shortly after handover from the Planning Team, the Text and
Graphics System jammed and has not been used since. Messages
are currently being routed through the onboard teleprinter.
Other orbiter systems continue to perform smoothly with no
systems problems being tracked by the flight control team.
--
Eric Behr, Illinois State University, Mathematics Department
Internet: ejbehr@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu Bitnet: ebehr@ilstucarl@iago.caltech.edu (Lydick, Carl) (06/14/91)
In article <1991Jun14.045132.4950@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu>, ejbehr@rs6000.cmp.ilstu.edu (Eric Behr) writes... >CAPCOM Kathy Thornton told the crew that ground flight >controllers had seen a second link error in the Spacelab >Experiment Computer Operating System (ECOS). The >computer experienced its first link error on flight day four >(Sat., June 6). A trouble shooting procedure was performed and >the computer was recovered within 10 minutes. Just what is a "link error"? >Commander Bryan O'Connor radioed to Mission Control that the >crew apparently had traced the communication problem that the >two payload specialists encountered yesterday to a faulty >audio interface unit. Is that a speaker or a microphone? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carl J Lydick HEPnet/NSI: SOL1::CARL Internet: CARL@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU