NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 13 January 2015

Today: SpaceX-5 Dragon Ingress and Cargo Ops: The crew started their day by opening the Dragon hatch, obtaining an air sample, and installing Inter-module Ventilation (IMV) ducting. They then began cargo operations by removing the items located in the vehicle’s center stack.
ARED Right Upper Stop Cable Severed: Over the weekend, the crew reported that the ARED right upper stop cable was frayed and had a severe bend in it. Today, the crew reported that the right upper stop cable had in fact severed. With only one intact upper stop cable installed, load limits are in effect for certain ARED exercises that use the upper stops. This cable was installed approximately one month ago and expected to normally last more than 1 year. There is one degraded spare cable onboard and one additional new spare right upper stop cable just arrived on SpaceX5. Teams are discussing plans for replacing the cable and determining the cause of the premature failure.

Binary Colloidal Alloy Test (BCAT)-Low Gravity Phase Kinetics Platform (KP): Wilmore changed the camera battery, set the intervalometer, and checked the camera alignment and focus. BCAT-KP provides a platform for material and industrial scientists to investigate colloid phase changes, providing results that may be used to develop new colloidal materials and formulations with unique properties. The results may support new applications, from new liquid crystals to consumer goods having longer shelf life and uses.

Radiation Dosimetry Inside ISS-Neutrons (RADI-N2): Virts retrieved all 8 detectors from their deployed locations in the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) and handed off the units to the Russian crew for processing in the Bubble Reader. The Radi-N2 Neutron Field Study (Radi-N2) is a follow on investigation designed to characterize the neutron radiation environment aboard the ISS. Eight neutron “bubble detectors” produced by the Canadian company Bubble Technology Industries are attached to fixed locations inside the ISS, including one carried by a crewmember. The objective of this investigation is to better characterize the ISS neutron environment and define the risk posed to the crewmembers’ health and provide the data necessary to develop advanced protective measures for future space flight.

Dragon double cold bag unpack: Wilmore unpacked the double cold bags and transferred their contents to the appropriate stowage facilities/locations.

Polar Transfer: Virts removed Polar from Dragon and installed it in EXPRESS Rack 1.

Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Activation: Virts performed a visual inspection and then activated the MSG facility to support Micro-5 payload operations. The Investigation of host-pathogen interactions, conserved cellular responses, and countermeasure efficacy during spaceflight, using the human surrogate model Caenorhabditis elegans (roundworm) with the microbe Salmonella typhimurium (which causes food poisoning in humans) will support a better understanding of the risks of in-flight infections in space explorers during long-term space.

Micro-5: Virts transferred the unpowered Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus-5 (CGBA-5) and its locker containing the Micro-5 experiment from Dragon to EXPRESS Rack 8 in the Lab. The crew then set up Scan Cams and Imaging habitats and stage the Micro-5 hardware inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) in preparation for a 10 day run. The Investigation of host-pathogen interactions, conserved cellular responses, and countermeasure efficacy during spaceflight using the human surrogate model Caenorhabditis elegans (Micro-5) investigation aims to better understand the risks of in-flight infections in space explorers during long-term space flight using the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans (roundworm) with the microbe Salmonella typhimurium (causes food poisoning in humans).

Nanoracks Module 30 (SABOL): Cristoforetti installed Module 30 into the NanoRacks Platform-1. NanoRacks-Self-Assembly in Biology and the Origin of Life (NanoRacks-SABOL) seeks to successfully grow lysozyme amyloid fibers in weightlessness for the first time. The investigation compares the characteristics of fibers grown in weightlessness with those grown in the ground control experiment.

JAXA Protein Crystal Growth (PCG) Demo Sample Preparation: Wilmore retrieved samples from the Freezer-Refrigerator Of STirling cycle (FROST), initiated start of protein crystallization, attached historical documentation of sample condition and restowed the samples in FROST. JAXA High Quality Protein Crystal Growth Demonstration Experiment (JAXA PCG-Demo) is aimed at the growth of crystals of biological macromolecules by the counter-diffusion technique and permeation method. The main scientific objective of the JAXA PCG Demo experiment is to make high quality protein crystals in the microgravity environment at 4 degrees Celsius.

Nanoracks Module 9: Wilmore viewed on board training (OBT) materials for activation and deactivation of NanoRacks Module-9 Mixture Tubes. After hardware retrieval from the double cold bag, the crew activated/deactivated/shook the mixture tubes to facilitate NanoRacks Module-9 experiments. Module-9 is a collection of student research projects utilizing the NanoRacks Mixsticks. The NanoRacks-National Center for Earth and Space Science Education investigation results from a commercial Science Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education program overseen by the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE), called the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP). Student teams from across the United States design their own experiments using flight approved fluids and materials. The investigation consists of 19 different science experiments flown in a NanoRacks Module on board the ISS.

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

DRAGON – Ingress
Life On The Station Photo and Video
BCAT. Camera Battery Changeout
SpX-5 Air Sampling using АК-1М sampler prior to Air Duct Installation
Dragon Hatch Open Photos
Checkout of Chibis-M Countermeasures Vacuum Suit (ПВК). Tagup with specialists
Dragon Center Stack Transfers
MATRYOSHKA-R BUBBLE-dosimeter gathering and readings.
RADIN – Detector Removal
MATRYOSHKA-R. Receiving BUBBLE-dosimeter detectors from USOS.
RADIN – Handover of Detectors to RS crew
MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE-dosimeter collection and measurements.
DRAG. CTB Retrieval
T-Cell Act in Aging (TCELL2-EC) – Installation
Double Coldbag (DCB) – Coldbag Unpack
Filling EDV from ATV5 WDS Tank 1 Using Compressor
SSRMS Checkout
NANO – Experiment ops and video.
TCELL2 – Re-installation
MICRO5 – Equipment Transfer
On-Board Training (OBT) Dragon Emergency Review
SM CO measurement using CMS unit
MRM2 comm config to support voice comm for the experiment
Kulonovskiy Kristall Experiment Run.
TCELL2 – Equipment Setup
TCELL2. Sample Insertions into MELFI at – 80° C.
Comm reconfig for nominal ops
MICRO5 – Equipment Setup
BCAT – Battery Replacement and Photo Downlink
PCG_DEMO – Sample Setup
NANO – Equipment Setup
TCELL2-EC – Container Fixation
Dragon – HARDWARE TRANSFERS.
STEM CELL – Dosimeter insertion into MELFI
POLAR. Transfer from Dragon to ISS
Dragon Cargo Operations Conference
POLAR1 – Photo/Video Ops
Completed Task List Items

IMAX SpaceX-5 scene [In work]
Ground Activities
All activities have been completed unless otherwise noted.

Nominal commanding
Three-Day Look Ahead:

Wednesday, 01/14: APEX3 Hardware Gather, ITCS Maintenance Canister Installation in COL, Fruit Fly Ops, MICRO-5
Thursday, 01/15: MICRO-5, Fruit Fly Ops, SPHERES Zero Robotics Setup
Friday, 01/16: ITCS Maintenance, Spheres Zero Robotics Checkout and Run, BRIC20 Activation, EMU Loop Scrub, JEMRMS USB Check, Airway Monitoring
QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:

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