RESULTS
Agricultural Camera (AgCam name used
historically from 2005 - 2010, later version
known as ISSAC) was originally installed
aboard the ISS over the US Lab Window in
May 2009. On May 31, 2009, during the
first execution of the AgCam TAKE_IMAGE
command (which initiates image
acquisition), an in-flight anomaly occurred.
ISS crew re-secured a loose cable
connection, however, the anomaly
continued to occur. The anomaly
manifested itself as an intermittently
random failure to successfully take
images. Over the next 5 months, an
extensive troubleshooting and failure
analysis effort was undertaken. This effort reached the conclusion that the intermittent random
failure was isolated to an internal electronics hardware problem within one AgCam component,
the Power/Data Controller (PDC). ISS crew deactivated and stowed the AgCam payload on
November 13, 2009. An upgraded sensor was developed and installed that both eliminated the
interface problem and significantly improved the science performance of the system by adding
a third band to increase its spectral resolution. The remainder of the onboard and ground
equipment functioned well and has been reused in the new investigation, which is known as
the International Space Station Agricultural Camera (ISSAC).
This investigation is complete, and no results will be published.
Astronaut Michael Barratt, Expedition 19/20 flight
engineer, performs Agricultural Camera setup and
activation in the US Laboratory of the International Space
Station.