NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 17 December 2015

The six-member Expedition 46 crew worked on human research activities and unloaded cargo today. The three newest crew members — Flight Engineers Yuri Malenchenko, Tim Kopra and Time Peake — continued familiarizing themselves with International Space Station systems and operations.
Commander Scott Kelly used an ultrasound during the morning to scan Flight Engineer Sergey Volkov’s eyes. Kelly then joined new station residents Kopra and Peake and unloaded cargo from the Cygnus private space freighter. Kelly later installed radiation detectors in the Columbus lab module. Peake filled out a daily questionnaire for the Space Headaches study.

Cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko was in the Russian segment of the orbital lab getting the Progress 60 resupply ship ready for its undocking early Saturday morning. Malenchenko transferred gear and supplies from the new Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft that arrived Tuesday. Malenchenko, who is on his fourth station mission, also photographed the condition of the Soyuz docking cone for inspection on the ground.

On-Orbit Status Report

Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Status: Today, Robotics Ground Controllers powered up the Mobile Serving System (MSS), surveyed the Mobile Transporter (MT) translation path and performed MT Checkouts. The MSS was then powered down for the MT translation from Worksite 4 (WS4) to WS2. The Translation Drive (TD) Integrated Motor Controller Assembly (IMCA)-A experienced an error shortly after the MT left WS4 which caused motion to stop. Another error was experienced while trying to translate back to WS4. Several attempts in different configurations were performed to move the MT back to WS4, but were unsuccessful. The team has powered down the MT and powered up the MSS to Keep Alive using the Mobile Transporter Relay Assembly (MTRA). The MT is currently braked but not latched. Ground teams have completed surveys of the MT and surrounding areas, and are analyzing the video. MCC-H and MCC-M are currently assessing impacts for upcoming Progress operations this weekend.

Habitability: Today, Peake documented his recent observations related to human factors and habitability for the Habitability investigation. Habitability assesses the relationship between crew members and their environment in order to better prepare for future long-duration spaceflights to destinations, such as near earth asteroids and Mars. Observations recorded during 6 month and 1 year missions can help spacecraft designers determine how much habitable volume is required, and whether a mission’s duration impacts how much space crew members need.

Dose Distribution Inside the ISS – 3D (DOSIS 3D): Kelly received passive radiation detectors from a Russian crewmember today and installed them in the Columbus module in the support of European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) DOSIS 3D investigation. Data from the various active and passive radiation detectors installed in the ISS are used in the determination of the radiation field parameters absorbed doses and dose equivalents inside the ISS. A concise three dimensional (3D) dose distribution map of all the segments of the ISS will be developed, based on this data and data from JAXA and NASA monitoring devices.

Space Headaches: Peake completed another Daily Space Headaches questionnaire as part of his week-long series. The daily questionnaires are only scheduled immediately after arrival of a new crewmember to the ISS. Weekly questionnaires will be completed in subsequent weeks. Headaches can be a common complaint during spaceflight. The Space Headaches experiment will provide information that may help in the development of methods to alleviate associated symptoms and improvement in the well-being and performance of crew members in space.

Electromagnetic Levitation (EML) Operations: Processing of samples in the European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) EML facility continues for the fourth week. The ongoing EML Batch 1 science experiments that are supported by EML utilize hardware that is ground commanded. The multi-user facility EML electromagnetic levitator is designed for containerless materials processing in space. It covers research in the areas of meta-stable states and phases (e.g., investigations of nucleation and solidification kinetics in undercooled melts and the developing microstructure) and thermophysical properties of liquid metallic alloys at high temperatures.

Cygnus Cargo Operations: Today, the USOS Crew participated in a Cygnus cargo conference with ground specialists. Once complete, all three worked on transferring cargo from the Cygnus vehicle to ISS.

Crew Handover: The 45S crew participated in a handover from Kelly regarding lessons learned, and suggested on-orbit practices related to ISS systems and payloads. Kelly also provided some generic safety reminders and a review of the exercise equipment.

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

BIOSIGNAL. Temperature check in Cryogem-03
Ultrasound 2 – Hardware Activation
Ultrasound – Scan Prep
Replacement of ??0501 CO2 Filter Unit (??) Install ?? CO2 #165 (00068061R, ??1??_4_449_1, bag 249-17. Removed #163 – for disposal on Progress 428. Update IMS
??? 428 (DC1) Stowage and IMS Ops
COSMOCARD. Setup. Starting 24-hr ECG Recording
Cygnus Cargo Operations Tagup
Ultrasound 2
Soyuz 719 Transfers and IMS Ops
OBT Cygnus Emergency Procedure Review
Ultrasound-2- Post-scan Ops
Test activation of Vozdukh Atmosphere Purification System Emergency Vacuum Valves [??? ???] [Aborted]
OBT Cygnus Emergency Ops
Ultrasound 2 – Data Export
??? Maintenance
Cygnus Cargo Operations
Ultrasound 2 – Deactivation
WRS – fill from EDV for processing [Aborted]
Bringing ODF up to date using ?? 719 delivered files
Post-PE Hygiene
Crew time for ISS adaptation and orientation
Photography of traces left by the Active Docking Mechanism Probe on the MRM1 Passive Mechanism Receiving Cone
T2 Monthly Inspection
Downlink docking cone internal surface photos to OCA
Crew Preparation for PAO Event
Preventive maintenance of MRM1 ??? Hatch Sealing Mechanism and Soyuz 719 hatch
Preventive maintenance of DC1 ??? hatch sealing mechanisms and ??? 428 ??? hatch (DC1)
?? 719 Transfers and IMS Ops
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – Food Frequency Questionnaire
PAO Event
CONTUR-2. P/L Assembly Setup on panel 418
Removal of ??? (??251??) and ROM from ??? 428 (DC1) Place in S?1??_3_314_1, bag 353-8 (00037141R)
Handover
CONTUR-2. Experiment Session Ops
?3 Fan Screen Cleaning in DC1 / Thermal Mode Control System [????], 10.4.4 p. 10-9 (123)
Inventory of rotation wrench set for [OHA] High Gain Antenna on RSOS/ r/g 0898
Crew time for ISS adaptation and orientation
Familiarization with PE procedures and ARED
CONTUR-2. Experiment Session Ops
Private Medical Conference
HABIT – Experiment Ops
On MCC GO ISS N2 Repress from Progress 428 (DC1) ???? Section 2
HABIT – Applications Overviews
OBT Cygnus Emergency Ops
Crew time for ISS adaptation and orientation
CONTUR-2. De-installation of master arm with adapter from panel 418
Crew time for ISS adaptation and orientation
ISS N2 Repress from ???428 (DC1) ???? Section 2 (terminate)
Handover of US cargo delivered on Soyuz 719
Handover of DOSIS 3D delivered on ?? 719 to US crew
DOSIS 3D – installation
??-1 sensor placement check
SHD- questionnaire
IMS ops
Removal of GoPro camera in ?? 719. Transfer of Video to Hard Drive. Clearing flash card. Battery Charge. Stowage in ?? 719
RODF update on iPADs ECON-M. Observation and Photography
URAGAN Observations and Photography
Preparation of Reports for Roscosmos Web Site and Social Media
Installation of inserts to ease opening of SM interior panel locks (Unstow ???????? ??????????? (Structural Elements) kit (004890R), ???1???_4_427_1, ??? No.1112 (004106J)

Completed Task List Items
None

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
MT Translation troubleshooting

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Friday, 12/18: VEG-01, CIR Ops, Cygnus Cargo Ops
Saturday, 12/19: 60P Undocking, Crew Off Duty, Weekly Cleaning
Sunday, 12/20: Crew Off Duty

QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:

Component – Status
Elektron – On
Vozdukh – Manual
[???] 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 – Idle
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 – Operate
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) – Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) – Norm
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Full Up
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Off