NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 12 May 2016

The Expedition 47 crew members are back at work today conducting research to benefit humans in space and on Earth. While microgravity science is underway on the International Space Station, a series of completed experiments are back on Earth after returning Wednesday inside the SpaceX Dragon cargo craft.
NASA astronaut Jeff Williams is configuring the Japanese Kibo lab module today for another deployment of Earth observation nanosatellites scheduled for early next week. Cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka joined British astronaut Tim Peake readying hardware for the Rodent Research study that will observe how muscles and bones are affected by weightlessness.

Commander Tim Kopra set up hardware today for the NeuroMapping study that is researching how living in space changes brain structure and function. Cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin videotaped crew activities to document living on the station. Veteran cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko explored how natural and man-made phenomena affect the Earth’s atmosphere.

On-Orbit Status Report

Japanese Experiment Module Airlock (JEMAL) JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) Removal and NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer #7 (NRCSD) Installation: In preparation for next week’s NRCSD #7 deployment, the J-SSOD was removed from the Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform (MPEP) on the JEMAL Slide Table followed by installation of the NRCSD #7 onto the MPEP. The slide table was retracted into the JEMAL. The J-SSOD is the first of its kind to deploy small satellites from the ISS. The NRCSD is a commercially operated small satellite deployer that maximizes full capabilities of each airlock cycle of deployments. The MPEP/NRCSD is put into position to be grabbed by the robotic arm which places the CubeSat deployer into the correct position for release of miniature satellites into proper orbit.

Rodent Research 3 (RR-3) CASIS: In preparation for next week’s RR-3 operations, crewmembers referenced the RR-3 Grip Strength, Bone Scan, and other required documentation before participating in a conference with the payload developer. They also gathered hardware to configure the Grip Strength equipment in the Microgravity Sciences Glovebox (MSG).

Skin-B Operations: The crew completed Corneometer, Tewameter and Visioscan measurements on his forearm. The Corneometer measures the hydration level of the stratus coreum (outer layer of the skin); the Tewameter measures the skin barrier function; and the Visioscan measures the skin surface topography. Skin B is a European Space Agency (ESA) investigation that aims to improve the understanding of skin aging, which is greatly accelerated in space. The data will also be used to verify the results from previous testing for the SkinCare investigation on the ISS.

NeuroMapping Operations: The crew set up hardware to support the NeuroMapping investigation and performed the experiment including testing in both a “strapped in” and “free floating” body configuration. The investigation studies whether long-duration spaceflight causes changes to the brain, including brain structure and function, motor control, and multi-tasking abilities. It also measures how long it takes for the brain and body to recover from possible changes. Previous research and anecdotal evidence from astronauts suggests movement control and cognition can be affected in microgravity. The NeuroMapping investigation performs structural and functional magnetic resonance brain imaging (MRI and fMRI) to assess changes that occur after spending months on the ISS.

Fine Motor Skills: A series of interactive tasks was completed for the Fine Motor Skills investigation. This investigation is the first fine motor skills study to measure long-term microgravity exposure, different phases of microgravity adaptation, and sensorimotor recovery after return to Earth’s gravity.

Common Communications for Visiting Vehicles (C2V2) Radio Frequency (RF) Checkout: The C2V2 Comm Units are two fully redundant radios (C2V2 A and C2V2 B) that are planned for use with future visiting vehicles. The units were installed on March 11 in the LAB with initial activation on April 1. Today’s test commands and voice communication checkouts concluded the series of tests performed over the last several weeks to verify end to end functionality of both C2V2 Comm Units.

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

MIRT-3 Micro-integrator Changeout (4) Install
JEMAL Slide Table extension
RELAKSATSIYA. Charging battery for Relaksatstiya experiment (initiate) / r/g 0167
Environmental Control & Life Support System (ECLSS) Tank Drain
Removing JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer
HAM radio session from Columbus
FINEMOTR Experiment Ops
DATA TRANSMISSION RADIO LINK (????) Service Data Downlink from ???? (Payload Server) via RSS1 (start) / r/g 2217
Separator Valve Installation r/g 2214
Verification of ??-1 Flow Sensor Position
Rodent Research (RR) Procedure Review
High Definition Video Camera Assembly (HD-VCA1) Remove & Replace in Columbus
CUBESAT Procedure Review
WRS Recycle Tank Fill
WRS Maintenance
Deactivation of High Definition Video Camera Assembly (HD-VCA1) in Columbus
CUBESAT Hardware Setup
Replacement of Power Switching Unit ???-1#10?=?457, Preparation r/g 2215
SKNB Preparation and hardware gathering
ExPRESS Rack Manufacturing Device Power On
WRS Recycle Tank Fill
ARED PIP Pin Remove and Replace [Aborted]
IDENTIFICATION. Copy ???-? micro-accelerometer data to laptop / r/g 1589
Rodent Research (RR) Hardware Setup
USOS CWC condensate samples / r/g 2213
Rodent Research (RR) Procedure Review
Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Hardware Power Up
On-orbit Hearing Assessment using EARQ
VIZIR. Experiment Ops with ????? Hardware r/g 2216
RSS1 laptop BRI data download / r/g 2052
Rodent Research (RR) Camcorder Setup
PAO Hardware Setup
PAO Event
JEMAL Slide Table Retraction
Life On The Station Photo and Video / r/g 2000
OTKLIK. Hardware Monitoring / r/g 1588
Food Frequency Questionnaire
Rodent Research (RR) Hardware Setup
NeuroMapping (NMAP) Experiment Ops
Multi Omics (MO) Item gathering for tomorrow’s saliva sampling
RELAKSATSIYA Hardware Setup r/g 2205
DATA TRANSMISSION RADIO LINK (????) ???? Service Data Dump from ???? (Payload Server) via RSS1 (end) / r/g 2217
On-orbit Hearing Assessment using EARQ
Checking water container and lights in rodents modules during RR ops
Rodent Research (RR) Cleaning Rodent access module
RELAKSATSIYA. Parameter Settings r/g 2205
IMS and Stowage Conference
Common Communications Equipment for Visiting Vehicles (C2V2) Check 2
RELAKSATSIYA. Observation r/g 2205
Rodent Research (RR) Cleaning Rodent access module
INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops / r/g 2209
IMS Delta File Prep
RELAKSATSIYA. Closeout Ops and Hardware Removal r/g 2205
Common Communications Equipment for Visiting Vehicles (C2V2) Video Powerdown
VHF1 test from SM (using backup ???? sets) (VHF)
INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops / r/g 2207
Rodent Research Crew Conference
Video Footage of Greetings / r/g 2218

Completed Task List Items
EVA mesh bag locate

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
CCS TLM Format Swap [Aborted]
Battery 4A2 reconditioning
J-SSOD removal/Cubesat deployer install
Nominal ground commanding

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Friday, 05/13: USOS crew off duty as payback for working Russian Victory Day holiday on Monday, May 9
Saturday, 05/14: Crew off duty
Sunday, 05/15: 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) – Process
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Full Up