NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 3 August 2016
Two astronauts are getting ready for a spacewalk amidst ongoing heart and genetics research this week. The crew also practiced the techniques necessary to care for a crew member during a medical emergency in space.
Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Kate Rubins are due to complete the installation of a new International Docking Adapter during a spacewalk Aug. 19. The duo are setting up their spacesuits today, including a new one delivered on the SpaceX Dragon, and verifying the functionality of the suit systems.
Rubins started her day peering into a microscope exploring cell samples for the Heart Cells experiment. Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi kept the Mouse Epigenetics habitat stocked with food and water for the experiment observing genetic alterations in mice and DNA changes in their offspring.
Rubins and Onishi joined cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin in the afternoon for a medical emergency training session. The crew members familiarized themselves with medical gear and locations, chest compression techniques and practiced communication and coordination.
On-Orbit Status Report
Fluid Shifts Operations In the Service Module: With ground team assistance, crewmembers configured the Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) hardware, the Cerebral and Cochlear Fluid Pressure (CCFP) analyzer, and the Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission (DPOAE) hardware before conducting a DPOAE test, OCT exam, and the Tonometry exam. The scheduled CCFP test was not completed due to software issues that could not be resolved during the Chibis session. However ground teams confirmed that the OCT, Tonometry and DPOAE exams were successfully completed. The purpose of this investigation is to characterize the space flight-induced fluid shift, including intra- and extravascular shifts, intra- and extracellular shifts, changes in total body water and lower vs. upper body shifts. Noninvasive techniques are used to assess arterial and venous dimensions and flow parameters, ocular pressure and structure, and changes in intracranial pressure. Lower body negative pressure is being investigated for its ability to mitigate some of the effects of the space flight-induced fluid shift. Results from this investigation are expected to help define the causes of the ocular structure and vision changes associated with long duration space flight and assist in the development of countermeasures.
Heart Cells Microscope Operations: The crew set up the Heart Cells microscope, removed the BioCell Habitat from the Space Automated Bioproduct Lab (SABL) and the Multiwell BioCell from the BioCell Habitat and inserted into the microscope before completing Heart Cells operations. The Heart Cells investigation studies the human heart, specifically how heart muscle tissue, contracts, grows and changes (gene expression) in microgravity and how those changes vary between subjects. Understanding how heart muscle cells, or cardiomyocytes, change in space improves efforts for studying disease, screening drugs and conducting cell replacement therapy for future space missions.
Mouse Epigenetics Cage Unit Maintenance: The crew completed standard maintenance activities for the Mouse Epigenetics experiment by exchanging the food cartridge of the Mouse Habitat Cage Unit which is located in the Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF). The Mouse Epigenetics investigation studies altered gene expression patterns in the organs of male mice that spend one month in space, and also examines changes in the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of their offspring. Results from the investigation identify genetic alterations that happen after exposure to the microgravity environment of space.
Dose Tracker: The crew completed entries for medication tracking today. This investigation documents the medication usage of crewmembers 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.
NanoRacks External Platform (NREP) Preparation: In preparation for tomorrow’s NREP installation operations on the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Airlock (JEMAL) Slide Table, the crew reviewed operation information and gathered hardware to support NREP assembly activities.
Extravehicular Activity Mobility Unit (EMU) checkout: The crew retrieved Extravehicular Activity Mobility Unit (EMU) 3006 which was delivered on SpX-9 and installed it on the Forward EMU Don/Doff Assembly (EDDA). The crew then performed an initial checkout of EMU systems to confirm suit 3006 as a viable spare prior to returning the previous spare (EMU 3005) on SpaceX-9.
Patch Uplink for ETCS Loop Startup Freeze Protection: Ground teams uplinked a patch to the EXT and S0 MDMs. This patch provides a Fault Detection, Isolation, & Recovery (FDIR) to limit the amount of time that cold ammonia can flow through the External Thermal Control System (ETCS) during startup, to prevent the Interface Heat Exchanger (IFHX) from freezing if there is cold ammonia flowing through the ETCS with stagnant water present in the IFHX. The new FDIR will cut power to the pumps when this timer expires and stop the flow of ammonia. The new FDIR has been enabled.
Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Drain and Multifiltration (MF) Bed #2 Effluent Sample
The Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) WSTA was drained into an EDV and subsequently refilled. A sample will be taken from this EDV later this week to address high conductivity seen in the UPA. The Water Processor Assembly (WPA) MF bed was also drained so that a sample could be taken to address high conductivity in the WPA. After the sample was collected, WPA was put back in standby. Both samples will be returned to ground on SpaceX-9.
On Board Training (OBT) Medical Emergency: The 47S crew participated in this training which provides the opportunity to review procedures, hardware and communication methods necessary to manage a medical emergency. Specific topics covered included:
Emergency medical hardware configuration and desired deployment locations.
Individual preference for performing chest compressions in microgravity.
Crew communication and coordination of care during an emergency medical event.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
FLUID SHIFTS. OCT Setup in SM
FLUID SHIFTS. Comm configuration for the experiment / r/g 9995
FLUID SHIFTS. Gathering and Connecting Equipment for TV coverage
FLUID SHIFTS. Connecting OCT Laptop to RS BRI and HRF PC to ???-26 (Instead of RSE-Med) r/g 2978
CASKAD. Manual Mixing in Bioreactor / r/g 2888
Acoustic Dosimeter Setup Day 2
FLUID SHIFTS. OCT Power up in SM
Soyuz 731 Samsung Tablet Recharge, Initiate
MOUSE Gather Hardware for the Experiment
LDST. Drawer Installation
FLUID SHIFTS. TONO Hardware setup in SM
Dust Filter Replacement and MRM1 Gas-Liquid Heat Exchanger (???) Cleaning
On-orbit Hearing Assessment using EARQ
FLUID SHIFTS. CCFP Activation and Settings Adjustments in RS [Aborted]
Multi Omics. Item gathering
MCRSCPE Hardware Setup
FLUID SHIFTS. DPOAE Setup in SM
DOSETRK iPad data entry
FLUID SHIFTS. Chibis Setup / r/g 2979
FLUID SHIFTS. Operator Assistance with Chibis and Gamma-1 r/g 2979
XF305 Camcorder Settings Adjustment
FLUID SHIFTS. Gathering Data in SM, Subject [CCFP activity aborted]
FLUID SHIFTS. Gathering Data in SM, Operator [CCFP activity aborted]
Mouse Habitat Cage Unit Maintenance, Refilling water and exchanging Food Cartridge [Water refill activity aborted]
HRTCEL Sample Insertion into Microscope
Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Drain to ???
Soyuz 731 Samsung Tablet Recharge, terminate
FLUID SHIFTS. Chibis Closeout Ops / r/g 2979
FLUID SHIFTS. Copying Data from CCFP/DPOAE devices and their deactivation in RS [CCFP activity aborted]
Filling (separation) of ??? (???) ??? ??????? “????????” ??? ???-??. for Elektron or ???-??
Progress 432 [AO] Stowage Ops with IMS Support / r/g 2962
HRTCEL Ops
FLUID SHIFTS. TONO Stowage in SM
FLUID SHIFTS. OCT Power off in SM
FLUID SHIFTS. Disconnecting of Laptop OCT, HRF and connecting RSE-Med r/g 2980
??? Maintenance
FLUID SHIFTS. Disconnect and Stow OCT hardware
FLUID SHIFTS. Crew Onboard Support System (????) Hardware Deactivation and Closing Applications on CP SSC
MCRSCPE Microscope Exam Ops
FLUID SHIFTS. Restore nominal comm config
Dust Filter Replacement and ?1, ?2 Fan Grille Cleaning in DC1
PAO Hardware Setup
WRS Maintenance
Soyuz 720 Samsung Tablet Recharge, initiate
Crew Prep for PAO
PAO Event
NREP. Procedure Review
Video Footage of Greetings / r/g 2985
EVA Equipment transfer from Airlock
WRS Maintenance
IMS Delta File Prep
NREP. Hardware Pre-gather
EMU backpack replacement
CheCS OBT
EMU Reconfiguration of Launch Enclosure (SLE)
Soyuz 720 Samsung tablet charge, terminate
Life On The Station Photo and Video / r/g 2747
INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops / r/g 2976
EMU backpack replacement
INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops / r/g 2977
DOSETRK Questionnaire Completion
ARED Exercise
CASKAD. Manual Mixing in Bioreactor / r/g 2888
FLUID SHIFTS. Chibis measurements in SM Reminder 2
Completed Task List Items
None
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Heart Cells microscope ops
Fluid Shifts ops
Nominal ground commanding.
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Thursday, 08/04: NREP hardware assembly/install to JEMAL, Fluid Shifts, EVA tool config
Friday, 08/05: EVA prep, Vascular Echo resting ultrasound, SPHERES-Zero Robotics Dry Run, SkinB, Heart Cells media change, Mouse Transportation Cage Unit prep
Saturday, 08/06: Crew off duty, housekeeping, Mouse Cage maintenance
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
