NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 22 April 2016
Today: European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS) Rotor Based Life Support System (RBLSS) Module and Water Reservoir Installation.
The crew installed all four EMCS RBLSS modules, two Water Reservoirs, and replaced the Fire Port Decal. These activities will support the Plant RNA Regulation investigation that is scheduled to arrive on SpaceX-9. The EMCS is an ESA experiment facility that is dedicated to studying plant biology in a reduced gravity environment. It supports the cultivation, stimulation, and crew-assisted operation of biological experiments under controlled conditions. The facility has performed multi-generation experiments and studies the effects of gravity and light on early development and growth, signal perception and transduction in plant tropisms.
Energy Operations: The crew began the first day of a ten day ESA Energy experiment run by performing four oxygen uptake measurements sessions. The data collected from the sessions will be used to measure metabolic changes. This investigation will help determine the crewmember’s energy requirements for long-term space flight. Energy also measures adaptations in the components of total energy expenditure of crewmembers so that an equation to determine the energy requirements of crewmembers during space flight may be derived. Such knowledge of energy requirements is of a great importance to ensure health, good performance and the overall success of a mission and also contributes to ensure adequate exercise load and cargo allotments for food during space flight.
Plant Gravity Sensing-3 (PGS-3): The crew retrieved the Seed Paper Kits from the Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) and installed the Plant Experiment Unit into Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) before beginning the Plant Gravity Sensing experiment. The investigation studies whether plants grown in microgravity can sense the changes in the gravitational acceleration. Gravity is a critical environmental factor affecting the morphology and functions of organisms on Earth.
Wet Lab RNA SmartCycler Session: The crew completed the second of four Wet Lab RNA SmartCycler sessions by processing a quality control sample to verify that the SmartCycler operates as expected in microgravity. The Wet Lab RNA SmartCycler is a research platform for conducting real-time quantitative gene expression analysis aboard the ISS. The system enables spaceflight genomic studies involving a wide variety of biospecimen types in the unique microgravity environment of space.
Sprint: The crew performed Sprint VO2 including video setup, exercise preparation, instrument calibrations and exercise protocol. Sprint VO2 is a test that measures oxygen uptake, ventilatory threshold, and other physiological parameters. It evaluates the use of high intensity, low volume exercise training to minimize loss of muscle, bone, and cardiovascular function in ISS crew members during long-duration missions.
Robotics Operations: Robotics Ground Controllers powered up the Mobile Serving System (MSS) and maneuvered Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) Arm1 to position Orbit Replaceable Unit (ORU) Tool Changeout Mechanism 1 (OTCM1) so that the gripper microswitches could be seen in SPDM Body Camera 1. They completed three OTCM1 checkouts and three OTCM1 free space grasps. The safing during grasping failure signature previously seen was seen again during the third OTCM1 checkout and the third OTCM free space grasp. Controllers also performed one OTCM2 checkout and one OTCM2 free space grasp for comparison. Engineering teams met this afternoon to discuss troubleshooting results and a forward plan, and the decision was made to reattempt the grasp of the tool tonight.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
ENERGY – PFM/PAM Activation
??-8. Configuration Setup
ENERGY Urine Sample Collection
??-8. Body Mass Measurement r/g 2033
??-8. Closeout Ops
ENERGY Hardware Checkout
ENERGY Labeled Water Intake
ISS crew and ???? (RSA Flight Control Management Team) r/g 2001
SPRINT Hardware Power Up
IMS Conference (S-band) / r/g 2038
PGS3 Plant Gathering
ENERGY Measurements, Part 1
JEMAL Depress and Vent
SPRINT Experiment Ops
Retrieval of Manufacturing Device M01 Bag [Deferred]
Video Footage of Greetings / r/g 2037
PGS3 Samples Retrieval from MELFI
ENERGY Standardized Breakfast
PGS3 Attachment in CBEF
BIMS. Operator Assistance During the Experiment / r/g 2039
SEISMOPROGNOZ. Downlink data from Control and Data Acquisition Module (????) HDD (start) r/g 1595
BIMS. Experiment Ops r/g 2039
ENERGY Measurements, Part 2
SmartCycler (SCYC) Laptop Activation
Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) Equipment Removal
Removal of NanoRacks Platform-3 Module
ENERGY Preparing for the experiment
Insertion of NANORACKS MELFI Module-28
ENERGY Measurements Session
DAN. Experiment Operator Assistance / r/g 0119
SmartCycler (SCYC) Sample Retrieval from MERLIN-3 for Session 2 Ops
DAN. Experiment Ops r/g 0119
DAN. Experiment Photos / r/g 2036
Inspection, photography, and video of internal surface of SM rigid air ducts r/g 2041
SPRINT Equipment Stowage
JEMAL Verifying depressurization complete
ENERGY Urine Sample Collection
ENERGY Measurements Session
JEM Airlock Depressurization and Vent Confirmation
POLAR3 Hardware Installation into the Express Rack
Pregather 3.0 CTB containing empty Payload Water Reservoirs (PWR)
POLAR1 Desiccant Packs Swap
Food Frequency Questionnaire
COSMOCARD. Closeout Ops / r/g 2024
ENERGY Urine Sample Collection
Food Frequency Questionnaire
SmartCycler (SCYC) Session 2 ops
OBT CMO Computer Based Training (CBT)
Inspection, photography, and video of internal surface of SM rigid air ducts r/g 2041
ISS Crew Medical Officer (CMO) Computer Based Training (CBT)
On MCC GO Replacement of ???-2 in ????. r/g 2040
ENERGY Diet Log of Lunch
SPHEROIDS. Temperature Check
ENERGY Closeout Ops
IMS and Stowage Conference
??? Maintenance
SHD. Weekly Questionnaire
EMCS European Modular Cultivation System. Module and Water Reservoir Installation
SmartCycler (SCYC) Video downlink
On MCC GO Replacement of ???-2 in ???? (mating telemetry connectors) r/g 2040
Water Recovery System (WRS): Payload Water Reservoir (PWR) Fill 1
Replacement of ???-2 in ???? (Closeout Ops). r/g 2040
PILOT-T. Experiment setup and ops. r/g 2034
SEISMOPROGNOZ. Download data from Control and Data Acquisition Module (????) HDD (end) and start backup. r/g 1595
Water Recovery System (WRS): Payload Water Reservoir (PWR) Fill 2
PILOT-T. Photography of the Experiment Ops / r/g 2035
SmartCycler (SCYC) Experiment Session Setup
IMS Delta File Prep
HAM radio session from Columbus
VHF1 Comm check from SM with MCC (Houston, Huntsville, Munich, Tsukuba, Moscow) via US Ground Sites (WAL, DRY, WHI)
SPRINT Exercise
Video endoscope closeout ops. Inspection and photography of filter-screens on rigid air duct and SM ventilation screen r/g 2041
SPRINT Closeout Ops
ISS-Server1 laptop replacement
ENERGY Diet Log of Dinner
Completed Task List Items
None
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
JEMAL ops
Smart Cycler ops
Nominal ground commanding
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Saturday, 04/23: Crew off duty, housekeeping, ENERGY
Sunday, 04/24: Crew off duty, FE-6 runs the London Marathon on T2
Monday, 04/25: Crew off duty: payback for working Cosmonautics Day on April 11 (SpX-8 ops)
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) – Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Full Up
