2 p.m. CDT, Thursday, November 4, 1999
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas
Routine operations continue aboard the International Space Station this week as flight controllers monitored
systems and made the usual checks of its orientation and spin rate.
The five batteries on Zarya used to store the Sun’s energy and convert it to electrical power are in cycling
mode. Periodically, each battery is cycled to ensure its health and maintain its life. Battery 1 continues to
remain disconnected from the electrical bus and is likely to be replaced during the next Shuttle visit
scheduled for the spring of 2000.
Again this week tests were performed of the command path to Zarya from Mission Control, Moscow, using
Unity’s early communications system and to Unity from Mission Control in Houston, via the Komparus
computer system inside Zarya.
All other Station systems are in excellent shape as it orbits at an altitude of 245 by 226 statute miles. Since
the launch of Zarya last November, the ISS has completed more than 5,470 orbits. Space Station viewing
opportunities worldwide are available on the Internet at:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/sightings/
Due to the observance of Veteran’s Day on Nov. 11, the next International Space Station status report will
be issued on Friday, Nov. 12. For further information, please contact the NASA Public Affairs Office at the
Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, 281-483-5111.
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