NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 20 April 2016

The Expedition 47 crew is researching how plants sense gravity today and exploring how fluids shift in an astronaut’s body. The orbital residents are also learning how living in space affects the structure of bones and muscles.
The crew set up botany gear and collected samples for the Plant Gravity Sensing-3 experiment. The study seeks to determine if plants sense gravity and if the concentration of calcium in their cells change.

Fluids in an astronaut’s cells and blood vessels respond to the lack of gravity and can impact brain pressure and potentially affect vision. Scientists on the ground are researching this phenomenon by analyzing blood, saliva and urine samples collected from astronauts while on orbit.

Lack of gravity also weakens bones and muscles, and scientists are testing an antibody that has been effective on Earth to prevent that weakening. Doctors are observing those muscular and skeletal changes in mice to learn how to prevent muscle and bone atrophy in astronauts.

On-Orbit Status Report

SPHEROIDS: The crew completed a data transfer from KUBIK 6 to the European Drawer Rack (EDR) laptop following an automated experiment run. This experiment investigates the effects of microgravity on endothelial cell function with respect to blood vessel formation, cellular proliferation, and programmed cell death. Results could help in the development of potential countermeasures to prevent cardiovascular deconditioning in astronauts and improve knowledge of endothelial functions on Earth.

Plant Gravity Sensing-3 Preparation: In preparation for upcoming Plant Gravity Sensing-3 operations, the crew set up the experiment laptop at Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF), prepared the Seed Paper in a culture dish and placed the kit in the Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI). The investigation studies whether plants grown in microgravity conditions can sense the changes in the gravitational acceleration, and the concentrations of calcium in plant cells changes. Gravity is a critical environmental factor affecting the morphology and functions of organisms on Earth.

Fluid Shifts: With remote guidance from ground teams, the crew performed Fluid Shifts operations by configuring the Refrigerated Centrifuge for sample load operations, conducting body sample collections and stowing the samples in the MELFI. Fluid Shifts is a joint USOS Russian experiment that measures how much fluid shifts from the lower body to the upper body, in or out of cells and blood vessels, and determines the impact these shifts have on fluid pressure in the head, changes in vision and eye structures.

Rodent Research 3 (RR-3) CASIS Injections: Crewmembers transferred animals to and from the Rodent Habitat and the Micro-Gravity Science Glovebox (MSG) and completed the first day of RR-3 operations. RR-3 studies molecular and physical changes in the musculoskeletal system that happen in space. Results expand scientists’ understanding of muscle atrophy and bone loss in space while testing an antibody that has been known to prevent muscle wasting in mice on Earth.

Dose Tracker: The crew configured the Dose Tracker application and completed entries for medication tracking. The 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 is 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.

Habitability Human Factors Directed Observations: The crew recorded and submitted a walk-through video documenting observations of an area or activity providing insight related to human factors and habitability. The Habitability investigation collects observations about the relationship between crew members and their environment on the International Space Station. Observations can help spacecraft designers understand how much habitable volume is required, and whether a mission’s duration impacts how much space crew members need.

Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: This evening the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) will be unstowed from Mobile Base System (MBS) 2. A Force Moment Sensor (FMS) coarse characterization is planned after which Robotics teams will maneuver the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to the starting location for tomorrow’s HTV5 Battery get-ahead tasks.

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

FLUID SHIFTS Saliva Sample Collection
FLUID SHIFTS. MELFI Urine Sample Insertion
FLUID SHIFTS Urine Sample Collection
FLUID SHIFTS. MELFI Urine Sample Insertion
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Setup
FLUID SHIFTS Blood Collection
FLUID SHIFTS Blood Collection, Operator
FLUID SHIFTS Refrigerated Centrifuge Configuration
FLUID SHIFTS Operation with Samples
SPHEROIDS. Copy Temperature and Centrifuge Data
FLUID SHIFTS. Conclude spin
HABIT Video of the Experiment
FLUID SHIFTS. MELFI Urine Sample Insertion
COSMOCARD. Closeout Ops / r/g 1988
OTKLIK. Equipment Check / r/g 1588
DOSETRK Survey Questionnaire Completion
ISS RS System Power Panels ППС-26 and ППС-31 Plug-in Audit / r/g 2007
COSMOCARD. Setup. Starting 24-hr ECG Recording / r/g 2013
SPHEROIDS. Setting temperature to 6°C and report
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Eye Scan (Operator)
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Eye Scan (Subject)
Replacement of fuse plugs ПВ-12Р (2) in БСКУ5-12 and fuses in the dismantled plug ПР-12Р.r/g 1999
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Equipment Stowage
MRM2 comm config to support the P/L Ops / Communications System
Kulonovskiy Kristall Experiment Run. r/g 2014
FLUID SHIFTS Urine Sample Collection
Test activation of Progress 431 Backup Set Of Klest-M TV system in proximity link mode in mated flight r/g 2015
FLUID SHIFTS. MELFI Urine Sample Insertion
FLUID SHIFTS Blood Collection
FLUID SHIFTS Blood Collection, Operator
FLUID SHIFTS Blood sample collection operator
FLUID SHIFTS Refrigerated Centrifuge Configuration
MRM2 Comm Reconfig for Nominal Ops
FLUID SHIFTS. MELFI Urine Sample Insertion
PILOT-T. Experiment Ops. r/g 2008
FAGEN. Fixation of samples from MCK No.6 and setup in SM. r/g 2009
FAGEN. Photography during fixation of samples / r/g 2010
FLUID SHIFTS. Conclude spin
PILOT-T. Photography of the Experiment Ops / r/g 2016
FLUID SHIFTS. MELFI Urine Sample Insertion
KULONOVSKIY KRISTALL. Copy and Downlink Data / r/g 2014
ENERGY. Crew Conference
WRS Recycle Tank Fill
FS Saliva Sample Collection
FLUID SHIFTS. MELFI Urine Sample Insertion
Rodent Research (RR) Camcorder Setup
PAO Hardware Setup
HABIT Data Recording to iPad
Crew Prep for PAO
PAO Event
FLUID SHIFTS Urine Sample Collection
СОЖ Maintenance
Life On The Station Photo and Video / r/g 2000
DOSETRK-PI Crew conference
FLUID SHIFTS. MELFI Urine Sample Insertion
SPHEROIDS. Temperature Check
Rodent Research (RR) Animal transfer to MSG and back
Rodent Research (RR) Performing injection
ISS RS System Power Panels ППС-26 and ППС-31 Plug-in Audit / r/g 2007
Rodent Research (RR) Retrieval from MELFI
PGS3. Laptop setup
Rodent Research (RR) Animal transfer to MSG and back
Plant Gravity Sensing 3 (PGS3) Plant Gathering
PGS3 MELFI Retrieval
Rodent Research (RR) Performing injections
PGS3 Sample Preparation
MOTOCARD. Experiment Ops r/g 2011
PGS3 MELFI Sample Insertion
MOTOCARD. Operator Assistance with the Experiment / r/g 2012
Verification of ИП-1 Flow Sensor Position / Pressure Control & Atmosphere Monitoring System
Rodent Research (RR) – Animal transfer to MSG and back
IMS Update
Fundoscope Setup for exam
RODENT. Cleaning Rodent access module
MSG power off
Fundoscope, Eye Examination, Assistance
Fundoscope, Eye Examination (Subject)
RODENT. Rodent access module stowage
Equipment stowage after Fundoscope Eye Imaging
Plaque Hanging at MCC-H
Saliva and urine sample MELFI insertion Reminder
Completed Task List Items

None
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

MSS ops [In work]
RR-3 support
Nominal ground commanding
Three-Day Look Ahead:

Thursday, 04/21: JSSOD-M1 install Part 1, BEAM SSC deploy, ENERGY PFS setup
Friday, 04/22: SPRINT VO2, ENERGY PFS ops, Protein Crystal Growth, BCAT
Saturday, 04/23: Crew off duty, housekeeping, ENERGY

QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
Component – Status
Elektron – On
Vozdukh – Manual
[СКВ] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) – On
[СКВ] 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) – Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Full Up