NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 9 February 2016

The Expedition 46 crew members participated in immunology research today helping scientists learn to keep astronauts healthy on longer and farther space missions. The crew also continued more vision checks and explored heart health.
Commander Scott Kelly, British astronaut Time Peake and cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko each participated in a different experiment looking at the immune system of space residents.

Kelly collected body samples looking for microbes that could potentially cause infections or allergies and stowed them in a science freezer for analysis. Peake took a saliva sample for an experiment that is researching biomarkers for immune dysfunction in space. Kornienko explored how radiation and other unique factors of living in space could affect a crew member’s immune system.

NASA astronaut Tim Kopra also joined Kelly and Kornienko for eye exams for an experiment studying vision impairment reported by some International Space Station astronauts. Kopra and Peake also partnered up for ultrasound scans of their arteries with guidance from doctors on the ground. The ongoing Cardio Ox study looks at an astronaut’s carotid and brachial arteries before, during and after a space mission.

On-Orbit Status Report

Mycological Evaluation of Crew Exposure to ISS Ambient Air (Myco): Shortly after wakeup, Kelly took body samples for the Myco investigation and then inserted them into a Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) for return to Earth. Analysis of the samples will focus on microflora, particularly fungi, which may cause opportunistic infections or allergies if a crewmember’s immunity is compromised on the ISS.

Aurora: Kopra set up a camera in a Cupola window to capture images of auroras. A second aurora opportunity is scheduled for Thursday.

Multi-Omics: Peake completed sampling and a questionnaire today for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Multi-Omics investigation. The Multi-omics analysis of human microbial-metabolic cross-talk in the space ecosystem (Multi-omics) investigation evaluates the impacts of space environment and prebiotics on astronauts’ immune function, by combining the data obtained from the measurements of changes in the gut microbiological composition, metabolites profiles, and the immune system. Biomarkers for immune dysfunction during the crewmembers time on the ISS could be useful for the health management of astronauts

Cardio Ox: Kopra and Peake performed their Flight Day 60 (FD60) Cardio Ox ultrasound and blood pressure measurement sessions. The goal 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 risk in astronauts. Twelve crewmembers 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 are obtained at the same time points, as well as through 5 years after landing, as an indicator of cardiovascular health.

Dose Tracker: Kopra and Peake completed entries for medication tracking on an iPad today. This investigation documents the medication usage of crew members before and during their missions by capturing data regarding medication use during spaceflight, including side effect qualities, frequencies and severities. The data are expected to either support or counter anecdotal evidence of medication ineffectiveness during flight and unusual side effects experienced during flight. It is also expected that specific, near-real-time questioning about symptom relief and side effects will provide the data required to establish whether spaceflight-associated alterations in pharmacokinetics (PK) or pharmacodynamics (PD) is occurring during missions.

Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Maintenance: Today, Peake temporarily installed EMU 3005 on the forward EMU Don/Doff Assembly (EDDA). Once installed, he performed a dump and fill of the EMU’s feed water tanks in order to satisfy maintenance requirements for on-orbit stowage. After the dump and fill activity was complete, he removed EMU 3005 from the EDDA and placed it in storage within the Crew Lock.

Fan Pump Separator Remove and Replace (R&R) Tool Gather: Kelly gathered required tools in support of tomorrow’s EMU 3003 FPS R&R. The FPS had failed to start up on December 19th during a Liquid Cooling and Ventilation Garment (LCVG) fill activity.

Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: Yesterday afternoon, Robotic Flight Controllers powered up the MSS and maneuvered the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) and Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) into position for the Mobile Transporter (MT) translation. The MSS was then powered down and the MT was successfully moved from Worksite (WS)-2 to WS-4. This move will be followed by a SSRMS walk off to the Node 2 Power Data Grapple Fixture (PDGF) on Thursday in preparation for Cygnus unberth February 19th.

Fine Motor Skills: Kopra completed sessions of the Fine Motor Skills experiment today. During the experiment he performed a series of interactive tasks on a touchscreen tablet. This investigation was the fine motor skills study to measure long-term microgravity exposure, different phases of microgravity adaptation, and sensorimotor recovery after returning to Earth gravity.

Ocular Health Testing: Today Kelly, Peake, Volkov, and Kornienko performed their Return minus 30 day (R-30) Ocular Health activities. They completed tonometry and vision testing, measured blood pressure, and completed a vision questionnaire. Volkov completed a fundoscopy to obtain images of the retinal surface, a vision test and a vision questionnaire. The Ocular Health protocol calls for a systematic gathering of physiological data to characterize the risk of microgravity-induced visual impairment/intracranial pressure in the ISS crewmembers. Researchers believe that the measurement of visual, vascular and central nervous system changes over the course of this experiment and during the subsequent post-flight recovery will assist in the development of countermeasures, clinical monitoring strategies, and clinical practice guidelines.

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

MYCO – Morning Sample Collection
MO – Experiment Ops
Morning Inspection. SM ??? (Caution & Warning Panel) Test
Ocular Health Reminder
NEIROIMMUNITET. Saliva Collection and Questionnaire Filling out
MO – Sample Insertion into MELFI
MYCO – Sample Insertion into MELFI
MO – Hardware stowage
Ocular Health Reminder
MO – Questionnaire Completion
MORZE. Measuring Bioimpedance using SPRUT-2
Acoustic Dosimeter Reminder
MORZE. NEIROIMMUNITET. CORRECTSIYA. Blood Sample
MORZE. CORRECTSIYA. Venous blood sample processing using Plasma-03 centrifuge
NEIROIMMUNITET. Venous blood sample processing (smear)
NEIROIMMUNITET. Venous blood sample processing using Plasma-03 centrifuge
OCT Hardware Setup
CORRECTSIYA. Closeout Ops
Photo/TV Battery Charge Initiation
MORZE. NEIROIMMUNITET. CORRECTSIYA. Handover to USOS for MELFI Insertion
Terminate the 1st Orlan-MK 825?3 Battery Pack discharge No.126499191 (b/c 00068690R, stow ???1???_2_221_1) and start discharging the 2nd pack No.126499192 (b/c 00068691R, ???1???_2_221_1)
RUEXP – MELFI Insertion of Samples
Post-EVA SM ??? and DC1 reconfig to nominal
RGN – recycle tank drain into EDV
Fine Motor Skills – Test
Acoustic Dosimeter Operations and RS Crew Handover – Day 2
Eye Examination
USND2 – Hardware Activation
CARDOX – Setup Ops
MORZE. Psycho-physiological Evaluation: Tsentrovka, SENSOR Tests
Post-EVA SM ??? and DC1 reconfig to nominal
Crew Medical Officer (CMO) Proficiency Training
Flushing Multi-Filtration Unit (???) Prior to its installation in ???-?2?
MORZE. Psycho-physiological Evaluation: SUPOS Test
CARDOX – Scanning
MORZE. Closeout Ops
MATRYOSHKA-R. Monitoring Lulin-5 readings
CARDOX – Measurements
IMS Delta File Prep)
CARDOX – Doffing and Stowage Ops
Eye Examination
USND2 – Hardware Deactivation
VEG-01 – Plants Photo
Post-EVA SM ??? and DC1 reconfig to nominal
Eye Examination, Operator
OCT Eye Examination, Subject
Charger Battery Swap
TM750 – Lens Removal
TROPICYC – Experiment Ops
TM750 – SW Installation
TM750 – Photography
WRS Maintenance
Gather tools required to EMU Fan/Pump/Separator (FPS) R&R
TM750 – View and Downlink Video
OCT Hardware Stowage
DOSETRK – Medication Tracking Update
EMU backpack replacement
WRS Maintenance
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Full Water Tank Dump and Fill
INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops
SM Ventilation System Preventive Maintenance. Group ?
CONTENT. Experiment Ops
HABIT -Document observations
EMU backpack replacement
Fundoscope Exam Subject Preparation
Crew Medical Officer (CMO) Proficiency Training
DOSETRK – Medication Tracking Update
??? Maintenance
Fundoscope Setup for exam
Fundoscope – Eye Exam
Fundoscope Exam Setup
Terminate Photo/Video Battery Charge
Fundoscope – Vision Test
SPLANH. Preparation for Experiment
Equipment stowage after Fundoscope Eye Imaging
NEIROIMMUNITET. Stress Test
NEIROIMMUNITET. Saliva Sample
NEIROIMMUNITET. Hair Sample

Completed Task List Items
None

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Nominal System Commanding

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 02/10: SPRINT, EMU 3003 FPS R&R, BASS-M
Thursday, 02/11: EVA FPS R&R, Ocular Health, SPRINT, NanoRacks Multi-Gas Monitor Deploy, Col Desiccant Module R&R, PEPS Inspection
Friday, 02/12: SPRINT, Microbe-IV Sample Collection, FPS Pack and Tool Stow, SkinB, BASS-M

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”) – Off
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab – Override
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) – Shutdown
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Full Up
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Off