NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 16 August 2016
Space station and Commercial Crew managers wrapped up a spacewalk briefing Monday afternoon discussing the installation of a new International Docking Adapter at the end of the week. Spacewalkers Jeff Williams and Kate Rubins will begin the installation work Friday at 8:05 a.m. EDT to enable future crew vehicles from Boeing and SpaceX to dock in the future.
The first major task begins Wednesday evening when the docking adapter is extracted from the rear of the SpaceX Dragon space freighter. The Canadarm2 will then maneuver the new adapter just a few inches away from the forward end of the Harmony module. It will stay there until Friday when Williams and Rubins will complete the installation during a 6.5 hour spacewalk.
Meanwhile, Williams is loading gear into Dragon for return to Earth and retrieval by NASA and SpaceX engineers. Dragon’s last day at the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module is Aug. 26 when it will be grappled and then released by the Canadarm2 for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.
The crew also explored a wide variety of space research today amidst the spacewalk preparations. A pair of cosmonauts studied how microgravity impacts fluid shifts from the lower body to the upper body. Rubins researched the physics of tiny particles suspended in water possibly benefiting materials manufacturing on Earth. Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi observed altered gene expression and DNA changes in mice and their offspring living in space.
On-Orbit Status Report
Fluid Shifts Imaging with Chibis in the Service Module (SM): With ground team assistance, crewmembers continued the final week of this set of Fluid Shifts operations by configuring the Ultrasound 2 hardware prior to performing ultrasound scans in the SM while using the Chibis. The Fluids Shift investigation is divided into three segments: Dilution Measures, Baseline Imaging, and Baseline Imaging using the Russian Chibis Lower Body Negative Pressure (LBNP) device. The experiment 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.
Mouse Epigenetics Habitat Cage Unit Maintenance: The food cartridges of Mouse Habitat Cage Units were exchanged and then the cage units containing the mice were transferred to and from the glove box located in the Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) to complete standard maintenance activities. 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.
Advanced Colloids Experiment Temperature control-1 (ACE-T1) Configuration: The crew accessed the Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR) and removed the Micro-channel Diffusion Plate and Bio Base from inside the Light Microscopy Module (LMM) Auxiliary Fluids Container (ACE) before installing the LMM Control Base, ACE Module, and Constrained Vapor Bubble (CVB) surveillance camera in preparation for the ACE-T1 experiment. ACE-T-1 studies tiny suspended particles designed by scientists to connect themselves in a specific way to form organized structures in water. Materials having complex structures and unique properties potentially can be made with more knowledge of how these particles are joined together and the conditions which control their behaviors. The microgravity environment on the ISS provides researchers insight into the fundamental physics of micro particle self-assembly and the kinds of colloidal structures that are possible to fabricate. This in turn helps manufacturers on Earth in choosing which high-value material is worth investigating.
Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) Fuel Oxidizer Management Assembly (FOMA) Calibration: The crew performed the FOMA Calibration by closing the bottle valves and relieving the pressure in the manifolds. The FOMA Calibration Unit (FCU) was powered to collect pressure transducer data with the bottle pressure transducers at ambient pressure and the rack was powered down. The crew then opened the bottle valves before closing up the rack. CIR provides sustained, systematic microgravity combustion research and it houses hardware capable of performing combustion experiments to further research of combustion in microgravity.
Fine Motor Skills: A series of interactive tasks on a touchscreen tablet were completed for the Fine Motor Skills investigation. This investigation is critical during long-duration space missions, particularly those skills needed to interact with technologies required in next-generation space vehicles, spacesuits, and habitats. The crewmember’s fine motor skills are also necessary for performing tasks in transit or on a planetary surface, such as information access, just-in-time training, subsystem maintenance, and medical treatment.
Habitability Human Factors Directed Observations: The crew recorded and submitted a narrated task video documenting observations of life onboard ISS, providing insight related to human factors and habitability. The Habitability investigation collects observations about the relationship between crew members and their environment on the ISS. 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.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Soyuz 720 Kazbek Fit Check
FLUID SHIFTS. Activation of ??? for Ultrasound Equipment / r/g 3076
FLUID SHIFTS. Ultrasound 2 Setup and Activation in SM
Environmental Control & Life Support System (ECLSS) Tank Drain
FLUID SHIFTS. Comm configuration for the experiment / r/g 9995
MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE-dosimeter gathering and measurements. Memory Card pre-pack for return r/g 3078
FLUID SHIFTS. Gathering and Connecting Equipment for TV coverage
Fine Motor Skills (FINEMOTR) Test
Environmental Control & Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain Part 2
METEOR Ops
MOUSE Hardware Setup
FIR Rack Doors Open
FLUID SHIFTS. Operator Assistance with Chibis and Gamma-1 r/g 3085
FLUID SHIFTS. Chibis Setup / r/g 3085
WRS Recycle Tank Fill from EDV
Crew Prep for PAO
Light Microscopy Module (LMM). ACET1 Module Configuration
DRAGON. Transfers
FLUID SHIFTS. Ultrasound Ops in SM, Subject
FLUID SHIFTS. Ultrasound 2 Scan, Operator
Microbial Monitoring (RJR), Inspection of Surface Samples and Petri Dishes
FLUID SHIFTS. Chibis Closeout Ops / r/g 3085
RS Photo Cameras Sync Up to Station Time / r/g 1594
FLUID SHIFTS. Deactivation of ??? and USND / r/g 3077
PAO Hardware Setup
??? Maintenance
FIR Rack Door Close
INTERP-MAI-75. HAM Radio Hardware Activation See note 5 r/g 3057
FLUID SHIFTS. CCFP hardware, HRF Laptop in SM
FLUID SHIFTS. Crew Onboard Support System (????) Hardware Deactivation and Closing Applications on CP SSC
Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) Valve Closure
PAO Event
FLUID SHIFTS. Restore nominal comm config
WRS Recycle Tank Fill from EDV
MRM2 comm config to support the P/L Ops
FLUID SHIFTS. Ultrasound 2 Stowage in SM
KULONOVSKIY KRISTALL. Experiment Ops r/g 3079
FLUID SHIFTS. Hardware Transfer to USOS
Microbial Monitoring (RJR), Handover of SSK and MAS Samples
Environmental Health System (EHS), Surface Sampler Kit (SSK) and Microbial Air Sampler (MAS) Sample Pack for return
MRM2 Comm Reconfig for Nominal Ops
WRS Recycle Tank Fill from EDV
HABIT Video Recording
XF305 Camcorder Settings Adjustment
MOUSE Habitat Cage Unit Cleaning
EVA Photo/Video Camera Config
KULONOVSKIY KRISTALL. Copy and Downlink Data / r/g 3079
Environmental Control & Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Fill Part 3
HABIT Task Video End
DRAGON. Transfers
HMS Defibrillator Inspection
Symbolic Activity / r/g 3064
Distillate Filter & Purge Gas Filter Remove and Replace
MOUSE. Transportation Cage Unit Preparation
DRAGON. Cargo Transfer Tagup
Symbolic Activity / r/g 3064
CIR Valve Open
INTER-MAI-75. Equipment deactivation and cleanup / r/g 3057
In Flight Maintenance (IFM), Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC), Full Fill
HABIT Camcorder Setup
Symbolic Activity / r/g 3064
In Flight Maintenance (IFM), Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC), Full Fill
HABIT Task Video End
INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops / r/g 3075
Countermeasures System (CMS), Sprint Exercise, Optional
FLUID SHIFTS. Installation of cable assembly for voltage converter r/g 3086
FLUID SHIFTS. Connecting US-invertor to ???? r/g 3087
IMS Delta File Prep
FLUID SHIFTS. Chibis measurements in SM Reminder 2
Completed Task List Items
None
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
SPDM unstow
Fluid Shifts support
Nominal ground commanding
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 08/17: Fluid Shifts, OGA H2 sensor R&R, Dragon cargo ops
Thursday, 08/18: EVA procedures review/tool config/Equipment Lock prep, Mouse Epigenetics cage maintenance
Friday, 08/19: IDA2 EVA
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) – Norm
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Full Up
