INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION STATUS REPORT #99-43
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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