NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 16 June 2015
SpaceX engineers are in the final weeks of processing of the Falcon 9 rocket that will launch their Dragon commercial cargo craft to the International Space Station late next week. On orbit, a pair of Expedition 43 crew members reviewed the procedures they will use when the Dragon supply ship arrives a few days later.
During ongoing orbital station maintenance today, advanced microgravity science took place as the orbiting trio continues to explore phenomena that can only be observed in space. The crew researched acoustic methods to locate micrometeoroid impacts on the station for the Proboy study. They also explored the effects of weightlessness in the carotid artery and the redistribution of blood in the upper half of a crew member’s body.
SpaceX will launch the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the SpaceX Dragon cargo craft to the station June 26. It will arrive June 29 to be captured by the Canadarm2 with One-Year crew member Scott Kelly at the controls. Kelly will capture Dragon with the assistance of station commander Gennady Padalka who will monitor Dragon systems before it is berthed to the Harmony Node.
On-Orbit Status Report
Binary Colloidal Alloy Test-Low Gravity Phase Kinetics Platform (BCAT-KP): Kelly reviewed the experiment prior to charging the D2Xs camera batteries, changing out batteries and setting the intervelometer settings. The BCAT-KP experiment aims to help materials scientists develop new consumer products with unique properties and longer shelf lives. Colloids are mixtures of small particles distributed throughout a liquid, which include milk, detergents and liquid crystals. Gravity affects how the particles clump together and sink, making the International Space Station an ideal platform to study their fundamental behaviors.
Advanced Colloids Experiment Heating-1 (ACE-H1) Sample Changeout: Kelly cleaned up oil on the first ACE Heated Sample inside the Light Microscopy Module (LMM) Auxiliary Fluids Container (AFC) followed by removal and inspection of the sample. He then installed the second sample and dispensed oil. This is the second of two planned ACE-H1 samples, although a third contingency sample is available. The ACE-H1 experiment examines densely packed microscopic spheres, or colloidal mixtures, to study their transition from ordered crystals into disordered glass. The particles are fluorescent and change size in different temperatures so scientists are able to see how they move and change forms as they are heated and cooled. Studying particle interactions without the influence of gravity improves the ability of scientists to understand how increasing disorder in a crystal material affects its freezing, melting, aging and structural integrity.
On Board Training (OBT) Robotics On-Board Trainer (RoBOT): Kelly and Padalka continued preparing for SpX-7 arrival, completing another OBT session. Today’s session focused on assessing vehicle motion prior to and after free drift, assessing Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) closing rate and monitoring Latching End Effector (LEE) telemetry.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
PAO hardware setup
Crew preparation for PAO in JPM
TV conference with Trud newspaper reporter in JPM
PROBOY. Activity with RS?1 Station laptop.
PROBOY. Activity with Penetration Simulator
WRS Water Sample Analysis
BCAT – Experiment Procedure Review
ARED Flywheel Cylinder Evacuation
PROBOY. Copy and Downlink Data
Replacement of urine receptacle (??) and filter-insert (?-?) in ???
??? Activation after Replacement
DAN. Experiment Execution Support
DAN. Experiment Ops.
TOCA Data Recording
MPEV – Providing Access
WRS – Recycle Tank Fill
BCAT – Start Battery Charge
OBT – Dragon Rendezvous and Berthing Procedures Review
Urine Transfer from EDV-U to ??? 425 Rodnik Water Tank1 and Flushing cnctr KV1 Connector
OBT – Dragon Rendezvous and Berthing Procedures Review
FIR Rack Doors Open
IMS Delta File Prep
ACE-H1. Sample Changeout
Video Footage of Greetings
FIR. Rack Doors Closure
WRS – Recycle Tank Fill
??? Maintenance
BCAT – Battery Replacement and Photo Downlink
PCS Battery Swap [Deferred]
Completed Task List Items
None
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
RoBOT training support
ACE-H1 sample changeout
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 06/17: JEMAL pressurization, MPEP dosimeter removal, Rodent Research (RR) MSG stow, Ocular Health
Thursday, 06/18: RR Microgravity Science Glovebox LSAH cleanup, Ocular Health
Friday, 06/19: Ocular Health, CUCU/CCP checkout, OBT RoBOT training
QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
Component – Status
Elektron – On
Vozdukh – Manual
[???] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) – Off
[???] 2 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV2”) – On
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab – Standby
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 – Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab – Shutdown
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 – Operate
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) – Standby
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) – Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Full Up
