NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 6 April 2017 – Peggy Whitson Mission Extended Three Months!

Three crew members aboard the International Space Station are packing up their gear for a homecoming on Monday. NASA also decided to extend the mission of an astronaut living aboard the station since November.
Two cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut will take a ride back to Earth early Monday inside the Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft. Commander Shane Kimbrough and Flight Engineers Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko will have completed a 173-day mission in space when they land Monday at 7:21 a.m. EDT in Kazakhstan. NASA TV will broadcast the departure and landing activities live.

Kimbrough has accumulated six spacewalks over two missions, including the STS-126 mission aboard space shuttle Endeavour in 2008. Ryzhikov, who is on his first space mission, will be commanding the Soyuz spacecraft during its landing. Borisenko was last aboard the station in 2011 and is completing his second stint as a station crew member.

Flight Engineer Peggy Whitson has been granted a three-month extension to her already record-breaking career aboard the station. She will stay in space until September as a member of Expeditions 50, 51 and 52. NASA managers wanted to ensure the station maintained a six-person crew to maximize research while Russia temporarily reduces its crew to two cosmonauts.

On-Orbit Status Report

Flight Day 120 (FD120) Human Research Program (HRP) Collections: The 49S subject performed a fasting blood draw and urine collections. Both samples were stowed in Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) for freezing and storage until their return and analysis. The Biochemical Profile experiment tests blood and urine samples obtained from astronauts before, during, and after spaceflight. Specific proteins and chemicals in the samples are used as biomarkers, or indicators of health. Post-flight analysis yields a database of samples and test results which scientists can use to study the effects of spaceflight on the body. Repository is a storage bank used to maintain biological specimens over extended periods of time and under well-controlled conditions. This repository supports scientific discovery that contributes to our fundamental knowledge in the area of human physiological changes and adaptation to a microgravity environment and provides unique opportunities to study longitudinal changes in human physiology spanning many missions.

Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) Sample Holder Exchange: The crew performed the second part of the ELF Sample Exchange, installing the Sample Holder and Cartridge into the ELF Work Volume. The ELF is an experimental facility designed to levitate/melt/solidify materials by containerless processing techniques using the Electrostatic Levitation method. With this facility, thermophysical properties of high temperature melts can be measured, and solidification from deeply undercooled melts can be achieved.

Multi-Omics Mouse Preparations: In preparation for the JAXA Rodent Research experiment hardware launching on SpaceX-11, the crew set up the CO2 Valve Unit and performed a checkout.

Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Relocate Postponed: The PWD was scheduled to be relocated today but the activity was postponed. The crew spent time yesterday and today looking for an adapter needed for the activity but were unable to locate it. Ground teams are discussing work arounds to allow the relocation to occur without using the adapter.

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

URAGAN. Observation and photography
EKON-M. Observations and photography
Lighting Effects Sleep Log Entry
HRF Generic Urine Collection
HRF Generic Saliva Collection
HRF Generic Frozen Blood Collection
HRF Generic Sample MELFI Insertion Operations
HRF Generic Refrigerated Centrifuge Spin
NEUROIMMUNITET. Saliva sample collection
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Stow
Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) Experiment Sample Holder Install
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain Part 2
LBNP Training
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Full Fill
Electrostatic Levitation Furnace(ELF) Sample Removal
Acoustic Dosimeter Setup Day 3
Soyuz 732 Stowage Ops for Return.
Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) Sample Cartridge 2 Install
Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) Slit Cover stow
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill
On-orbit Hearing Assessment using EARQ
IDENTIFICATION. Copy ???-? micro-accelerometer data to laptop
HRF Generic Sample MELFI Retrieval Insertion Operations
JEM Common Gas Support Equipment (CGSE) Gas Supply Start
Pre-Multi-Omics Mouse Item Gathering
Recharging Soyuz 733 Samsung PC Battery (if charge level is below 80%)
CO2 Vlv Unit Setup
IDENTIFIKATSIYA. Copy ???-? Micro-Accelerometer Data to HDD for return
Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) Alignment Guide Installation
CO2 Vlv Unit Checkout
Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) /Group Combustion Module (GCM) Component Deactivation
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill
Recharging Soyuz 732 Samsung PC Battery (if charge level is below 80%)
JEM Common Gas Support Equipment Gas Supply Stop
Hardware prepack for return and disposal on Soyuz 732
Glove Box Panel Closeout
Manufacturing Device Print Removal, Clean and Stow
Network Monitoring System (NMS) Laptop Battery Swap
VEG-03 Wick Open
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill
Separation of ??? using Separation Unit [??]
Soyuz 732 Transfer Ops
Galley Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Installation [Aborted]
Space Headaches – Weekly Questionnaire
CALCIUM. Bioekololgiya Cases: Photography, Processing, and Photo Downlink, Pre-pack for Return
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Fill Part 3
48S US Prepack
Trash Staging Cleanout
HRF Generic Sample MELFI Insertion Operations
INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops
OA7 Trash Pregather
Galley Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Installation Part 2
Terminate Soyuz 733 Samsung PC Battery Recharge (if necessary)
INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops
Preventive maintenance of MRM1 ??? Hatch Sealing Mechanism and Soyuz 732 hatch
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill
HRF Generic Sample MELFI Retrieval Insertion Operations

Completed Task List Items
Galley Rack Power Source Swap (From aborted Galley Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Installation Activity)
Portable Water Dispenser – TOCA (Total Organic Carbon Analyzer) Water Sample Collection & Analysis
Portable Water Dispenser – Environmental Health System (EHS) Coliform Water Detection
JLP Cleanup and Reconfiguration

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Galley Rack Power Source Swap Support – Safing and Power/De-power Assistance

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Friday, 04/07: Crew off duty
Saturday, 04/08: Crew off duty, housekeeping
Sunday, 04/09: 49S Crew Emergency Roles/Responsibilities review, Change of Command

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 – 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