NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 12 December 2014

Today: Cardio Ox: Virts setup and configured ultrasound hardware and acted as Crew Medical Officer (CMO) to support Cristoforetti’s flight day 15 Cardio Ox session. With guidance from the Cardio Ox ground team, ultrasound scans and blood pressure measurements were performed on Cristoforetti.
The objective of Cardio Ox is to determine whether biological markers of oxidative and inflammatory stress are elevated during and after space flight and whether this results in an increased, long-term risk of atherosclerosis in astronauts. Twelve crewmembers will provide blood and urine samples to assess biomarkers before launch, 15 and 60 days after launch, 15 days before returning to Earth, and within days after landing. Ultrasound scans of the carotid and brachial arteries will be obtained at the same time points, as well as through 5 years after landing, as an indicator of cardiovascular health.

Circadian Rhythms: Cristoforetti doffed the Thermolab Double Sensors, Thermolab Control Unit and Armband and stowed items, completing this 36 hour Circadian Rhythms session. Circadian Rhythms investigates the role of synchronized circadian rhythms, or the “biological clock,” and how it changes during long-duration spaceflight. Researchers hypothesize that a non-24-hour cycle of light and dark affects crewmembers’ circadian clocks. The investigation also addresses the effects of reduced physical activity, microgravity and an artificially controlled environment. Changes in body composition and body temperature, which also occur in microgravity, can affect crewmembers’ circadian rhythms as well. Understanding how these phenomena affect the biological clock will improve performance and health for future crewmembers.

Aniso: Virts will configured the fluorescence microscope, retrieved a sample from the Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) and installed it on the microscope. Observation was started by ground commanding after sample installation and will continue over 48 hours. Experimenters will examine growth modifications of Arabidopsis hypocotyls and the changing orientation of cortical microtubule under microgravity conditions in space. Scientists will further observe changes in dynamics of cortical microtubules and microtubule-associated proteins by observing Arabidopsis hypocotyls and microtubule-associated proteins with a fluorescence microscope.

Nanoracks Module 27: Virts utilized the Plate Reader to scan NanoRacks Module-27 samples (3 Microplates) at 24 hour intervals for the fifth of five planned scan sessions. The crew retrieves data for downlink via NanoRacks Platform after every session. NanoRacks-Module-27 compares the growth rates of microbes isolated from samples collected from ground-based public venues both in the microgravity environment of the ISS and in the lab at UC Davis. This study also characterizes the microbial communities found on surfaces aboard the ISS using culture-independent methods.

Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) 3005 Loop Scrub: Today, Wilmore configured EMU Suit 3005 for loop scrubbing. Once the suit was configured, he initiated ionic and particulate filtration (scrubbing) and conducted biocidal maintenance (iodination) on the suit and Airlock cooling water loops. Samples of the coolant water were obtained before and after the loop scrub activity to determine the effectiveness of the filtering. A portion of the water sample was utilized for a conductivity test and the remaining water will be sent to the ground for chemical analysis.

SpaceX-5 Dragon Robotics Onboard Trainer (ROBoT) Training: All three crewmembers conducted a ROBoT Training session, including conference with ISS Ground Controllers. This session used the ROBoT Trainer to practice approach and capture using the ROBoT simulator. The crew may elect to perform additional familiarity sessions using the ROBoT simulator as the SpaceX berthing approaches.

Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Right Upper Stop Cable Frayed – Yesterday the crew attempted to replace the frayed ARED right upper stop cable with a new spare. They were unable to install the lock nut on the new upper stop cable, so that task was not completed. The crew is No Go for ARED bar exercises until an upper stop cable is fully installed. A crew task is being planned for Saturday to either recover and install the new upper stop cable, or re-install the degraded/frayed upper stop cable.

Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

Regeneration of Micropurification Unit ??? ?2
Thermolab Equipment Stowage
USND2 – Hardware Power On
MSPR Components Activation
ARED Upper Stop Cable Removal
CARDOX – Experiment Ops
PROBOY. Activity with penetration simulators and Acoustic Signal Converter Unit (????) and Auto Recorder ?? units.
SEISMOPROGNOZ. Data downlink from ???? via RSS1
WRS – Recycle Tank Fill from EDV
CIR – Equipment Stowage
EMU Cooling Loop Scrub
USND2 – HRF1 Power OFF
HDD Stowage
BLB – Hardware packing
Video Recording for TV show “What? Where? When?”
ANISO – Observation prep
FENIX. Photography at Setup Location
HRF2 Data Management Unit File Update
??? 424 (DC1) Transfers and IMS Ops
VIZIR. Experiment Ops.
CRHYT – Sensor Removal
WRS – Recycle Tank Fill from EDV
URAGAN. Observation and Photography using VSS. Tagup with specialists / r/g 7431
EMU – Conductivity Test
Circadian Rhythms Data Downlink
Preparing for Photography of RS Windows
Inspection and photography of EV1, EV2 hatch windows, in DC1 and MRM2, data file downlink
Procedure Review of the EMU SOP ORU Changeout
Installation of overlay plates on FGB interior panels (panel 408).
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – Food Frequency Questionnaire
Nanoracks MOD27 – Plate Reader Scan
OBT – Dragon Rendezvous and Berthing Procedures Review
??-1 Flow Sensor Position Verification
Nanoracks MOD27 – MELFI Sample Insertion
Onboard Training (OBT) Robotics Onboard Trainer (ROBoT) Debrief
Iodination on EMU 3005
CRHYT – Armband cleanup and stowage
Atmosphere Control and Supply (ACS) High Pressure Nominal Configuration
Cognition Test Operations
??? ?2 Absorption Cartridge Regeneration (termination)
Completed Task List Items

None
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted

Nominal commanding
UHF Activation/Deactivation in support of EMU 3005 Loop Scrub
Battery Reconditioning for Battery Set 2B1
Three-Day Look Ahead:

Saturday, 12/13: Weekly Cleaning, Dragon Offset Grapple Session 1
Sunday, 12/14: Crew Day Off
Monday, 12/15: 3D printing, CBCS install, Seedling Growth-2, EMU SOP R&R, Dragon ROBOT OBT
QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:

Component – Status
Elektron – On
Vozdukh – On
[???] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) – On
[???] 2 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV2”) – Off
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab – Standby
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 – Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab – Stop
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 – Operate
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) – Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) – Process
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Full up