NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 14 July 2015
As the Expedition 44 crew orbited above the Earth at 17,500 miles per hour the New Horizons spacecraft flew by Pluto this morning at more than 30,000 mph.
New Horizons’ closest approach was about 7,750 miles above the dwarf planet’s surface after a nine-year trip. The International Space Station has been orbiting at an average altitude of about 250 miles since November 1998. Watch the video as NASA astronaut Scott Kelly recognizes the historical accomplishment.
Kelly talked to the Weather Channel and CNN International about his One-Year mission and today’s Pluto flyby. Kelly also checked out life support systems and deployed radiation detectors inside the station for the Radi-N experiment.
The two cosmonauts, Commander Gennady Padalka and One-Year crew member Mikhail Kornienko, worked on a variety of Russian science experiments Tuesday. The duo explored cell cultivation, radiation exposure, crew performance measures and vibrations the space station experiences during internal and external operations.
Another crew is in Kazakhstan counting down to their July 22 launch on the Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft to join Expedition 44. First time flyers NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren and JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui will join Soyuz Commander and veteran cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko for the six-hour ride to their new home in space.
On-Orbit Status Report
NanoRack Cubesat Deployer (NRCSD) Operations: Overnight there was an issue with a NRCSD deploy. Ground teams sent the command but only one door opened. Later during a night pass it was discovered that the CubeSat had deployed. Ground teams met and agreed to go forward with an additional deploy which was completed successfully. So far 8 of 16 Cubesats have been deployed. The complement consists of 14 Planet Lab Doves, 1 Arkyd-3 and 1 Centennial-1 satellite.
Integrated Resistance and Aerobic Training Study (Sprint) Portable Pulmonary Function System (PPFS): Kelly set up the Portable PFS (Pulmonary Function System) power, data, front panel, and gas connections from a temporary stow deployed position and configured the PPFS Mixing Bag System (MBS) in preparation for the Sprint session scheduled for Wednesday. Sprint evaluates the use of high intensity, low volume exercise training to minimize loss of muscle, bone, and cardiovascular function in International Space Station (ISS) crewmembers during long-duration missions. Ultrasound scans are used to evaluate spaceflight-induced changes in the muscle volume.
Radiation Dosimetry Inside ISS-Neutrons (Radi-N): Kornienko handed Radi-N hardware to Kelly who then distributed the eight bubble detectors in the Columbus module and took closeout photos of the detectors in the deployed locations. The objective of this investigation is to better characterize the ISS neutron environment and define the risk posed to crewmembers’ health and provide the data necessary to develop advanced protective measures for future space flight. For each session, 8 detectors are initialized and deployed in predetermined locations for measurements: a set of 6 spectrometric detectors and two control detectors are placed on a wall of a ISS Segment. After 7 days the detectors are collected and read using the BUBBLE reader.
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Status:
Node 3 (N3) CDRA: Today, ground controllers successfully commanded the N3 CDRA Air Selector Valve (ASV) 104 to position B. N3 CDRA was activated and is currently operational. Ground teams will continue to monitor ASV 104 performance and if necessary, a Removal & Replacement (R&R) will be planned later this week. Vozdukh was commanded to Mode 4 to assist with ppCO2 level management.
Lab CDRA: Remote Power Controller Module (RPCM) LAD62B-A Remote Power Controller (RPC) 12, which powers the Lab CDRA valves, continues to experience overcurrent trips. Yesterday, the RPC stayed closed for over 7 hours before it tripped. Ground controllers are reviewing the data on the most recent trips prior to attempting to reclose the RPC. An R&R of the RPCM is being considered for next week to rule out the RPCM as the source of overcurrent trips.
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Battery Stowage Assembly (BSA) Battery Maintenance: Kelly initiated battery maintenance for Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly (REBA), Helmet Light (HL), and Pistol Grip Tool (PGT) Batteries in the Battery Stowage Assembly (BSA) via the Battery Charger Assembly (BCA) using a discharge or an automated combination of charge and discharge cycling. This activity is in preparation for Russian EVA #41 currently scheduled for August 10.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities are on schedule unless otherwise noted.
24-hour BP Monitoring (start) r/g 9337
Regeneration of ??? ?2 Micropurification Cartridge (start)
CASKAD. Manual Mixing in Bioreactor / r/g 9277
PILOT-T. Preparation for the experiment. / r/g 9335
WRS – Recycle Tank Fill
MATRYOSHKA-R. Gathering and Initialization of Bubble-Dosimeter Detectors. / r/g 9327
PILOT-T. Experiment Ops. / r/g 9335
MATRYOSHKA-R. Handover of BUBBLE-dosimeters to USOS / r/g 9327
RADIN – Handover of detectors to USOS for deployment
MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE-dosimeter initialization and deployment. / r/g 9327
RADIN – Deployment of detectors
WRS Water Sample Analysis
PILOT-T. Experiment Ops. / r/g 9336
IDENTIFIKATSIYA. Copy ???-? micro-accelerometer data to laptop / r/g 8732
PILOT-T. Experiment Ops. / r/g 9334 [Deferred]
Start BSA Battery Maintenance Cycling
Preparing for ??2? Replacement (??025?) in FGB r/g 9333
NANO – Installation of Ethernet cable [Deferred]
Preparing for installation of ??28-120 voltage converter r/g 9328
PILOT-T. Closeout Ops. / r/g 9334 [Deferred]
PAO crew prep / r/g 9338
TV-PAO Event with Channel One and CNN r/g 9338
Semi-annual BRI cleaning (this includes cleaning filter, power supply unit, and fan unit). r/g 9329
TOCA Data Recording
CWC Relocation
Verification of ??-1 Flow Sensor Position
IMS Delta File Prep
PAO Event
Preventive Maintenance of FS1 Laptop (Cleaning and rebooting) / r/g 9331
Testing comm between modules. / r/g 9330
VHF1 Comm Test via US Ground Sites (AFRC, WHI) from SM
SPRINT – Hardware Setup
CASKAD. Manual Mixing in Bioreactor / r/g 9277
Regeneration of Micropurification unit (???) ?2 cartridge (end)
Completed Task List Items
None
Ground Activities
All activities are on schedule unless otherwise noted.
NanoRacks platform HD video
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 07/15: Sprint ops, VEG-01 plant thinning, JEM mesh cover-return grille cleaning, SSC 20 and 23 loading prep for 43S crew
Thursday, 07/16: JEMRMS/CubeSat activities, SPHERES Slosh review, N3 CDRA leak check
Friday, 07/17: SPHERES Slosh run
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
