NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 12 January 2017

Expedition 50 astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Thomas Pesquet are ready for their mission’s second spacewalk (live) that starts Friday at 7 a.m. EST.
The duo will wrap up power maintenance work to connect new lithium-ion batteries and install adapter plates. Kimbrough and NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson started that work last Friday during a six-hour, 32-minute spacewalk.

Both spacewalks complement the ongoing robotics work that started at the end of December. Ground controllers have been remotely-operating the Canadarm2 robotic arm and Dextre robotic hand to remove and stow the old nickel-hydrogen batteries and the install the new batteries.

The three cosmonauts have been staying focused on their set of Russian space research and lab maintenance. Station veterans Andrey Borisenko and Oleg Novitskiy collected blood samples for a pair human research studies looking at bone loss and stress responses caused by living in space. First-time station resident Sergy Ryzhikov explored chemical reactions caused by jet engine exhaust in the Earth’s upper atmosphere.

On-Orbit Status Report

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Preparation: Today the crew performed final preparation for EMU EVA #39 (Channel 1A Battery R&R). Hatch open is scheduled tomorrow, Friday January 6th at 12:10 GMT (6:10 CST). Earlier today the crew completed the pre-EVA health status exams, final EVA tool configuration and procedure reviews. Ground specialists and the crewmembers participated in a conference to discuss any final questions. Finally, the crew prepared the Equipment lock for the EVA.

Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: Robotics Ground Controllers completed all battery moves in preparation for Friday’s EVA. Last night, the Robotics Ground Controllers powered up the MSS and maneuvered the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) and the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) Body and Arm2 as required to stow the Robotic Offset Tool (ROST) in the SPDM Tool Holder Assembly (THA). They then maneuvered the SSRMS and SPDM Body and Arm2 as required to remove the Nickel-Hydrogen (NiH2) battery from slot 2 on the 1A Integrated Electronics Assembly (IEA). Finally the Robotics Ground Controllers maneuvered the SSRMS and SPDM to a park position. Currently SPDM is holding three NiH2 batteries (one on each arm plus another on Enhanced ORU Temporary Platform). These batteries will be moved to the EP post-EVA. Due to some issues encountered yesterday with SPDM’s ROST tool, ground teams were unable to secure the H1 bolts on the Li-Ion batteries in slot 1 and 5, so the EV crewmembers will be picking that up as an EVA task, similar to what we did in last week’s EVA.

Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Laptop Hard Drive Replacement: Today the crew replaced the MSG hard drive and successfully completed the software installation. On GMT 009 the MSG laptop that supports the Packed Bed Reactor Experiment (PBRE) lost communication. Over the last few days the crew checked the cables, rebooted the laptop, and reset the hard drive before declaring it failed and replacing the hard drive. The MSG is fully operational and there was no loss of science or data to the PBRE.

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

Biochemical urine test, Sample collection
Biochemical urine test, Sample Measurements
Biochemical urine test, Closeout Ops
KORREKTSIYA. NEUROIMMUNITET. Collection of Blood Samples
KORREKTSIYA. NEUROIMMUNITET. Venous blood sample processing using Plasma-03 centrifuge
Insertion of Russian experiments blood samples into MELFI
KORREKTSIYA. NEUROIMMUNITET. Handover to USOS for MELFI Insertion
Periodic Health Status (PHS) Pre EVA Examination Setup
RELAKSATSIYA Hardware Setup
Periodic Health Status (PHS) Pre EVA Examination
Photograph Ceres, then stow Ceres and Cataliss.
Pre-EVA Periodic Health Status Examination – Stow
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tool Configuring
RELAKSATSIYA. Parameter Settings Adjustment.
PELLE Data Download & placement before EVA
??? maintenance
RELAKSATSIYA. Observation.
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tool Audit.
RELAKSATSIYA. Closeout Ops and Hardware Removal.
Maintenance activation of Atmosphere Purification System Emergency Vacuum Valves [??? ???] from the Sparest Kit (004173R, ??1??_3_321_1, white bag II-1/256-1, enclosure for [???] (007223R)
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Procedure Review
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Procedure Conference
Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) /Group Combustion Module (GCM) Component Deactivation
ISS HAM Service Module Pass
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) iPad Contingency Procedures preparation
Space Headaches – Weekly Questionnaire
Audit of FGB interior panel latches
Exchange Hard Drive for MSG Laptop computer
Audit of cables in space behind SM panels 228 and 229?.
Equipment Lock (E-LK) Preparation
Station Support Computer (SSC) 6 and 17 Reload Preparation
MSG MLC Software Load
Initiate water transfer from CWC-I to ???
Cleaning FGB Gas-Liquid Heat Exchanger (???) Detachable Screens 1, 2, 3
Terminate water transfer from CWC-I to ???
INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops
Replacing filters in FGB ??1, ??2 Dust Collectors (???1???_4_419_1, bag 429-21 (00068135R)). Discard de-installed items. Reflect changes in IMS
Delta file prep
RELAKSATSIYA. Charging battery for Relaksatstiya experiment (initiate)

Completed Task List Items
Node 3 Axial Shield Bundle Build
EVA Tool Configuration
Manufacturing Device Print Removal, Clean and Stow
Biomolecule Sequencer Sample Stop
Payload NAS Reboot
Strange Tool Bag Stowage Reconfiguration

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
HTV heater error troubleshooting

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Friday, 01/13: S4 Battery R&R EMU EVA
Saturday, 01/14: EVA Debrief, EVA Camera Disassembly, Airlock Deconfig, EMU Recharge
Sunday, 01/15: Crew Off Duty

QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
Component – Status
Elektron – On
Vozdukh – Manual
[???] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) – Off
[???] 2 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV2”) – On
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab – Standby
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 – Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab – Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 – Idle
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