NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 12 February 2020 – Science Demonstration for Students
A science demonstration for students and space research to improve life kept the Expedition 62 crew busy on Wednesday. The International Space Station residents also worked on a host of orbital plumbing and housecleaning tasks.
Radio waves generate energy that can be harnessed for a variety of applications including wirelessly powering devices or possibly beaming solar energy down to Earth. NASA Flight Engineer Jessica Meir filmed how a flashlight powered by Wi-Fi gets brighter and darker as it moves closer or farther away from a Wi-Fi device aboard the station. The video will be sent down to students to demonstrate the technology developed by the Naval Research Laboratory.
Biology research also takes place aboard the orbiting lab and the crew will soon continue exploring how microgravity affects rodents. NASA Flight Engineer Andrew Morgan worked in Japan’s Kibo lab module setting up the Life Science Glovebox that will house the rodents to be delivered on an upcoming cargo mission. Mice physiology is similar to humans so researchers observe how their bodies react to weightlessness as well as countermeasures to the long-term effects.
Meir and Morgan also split their on life support maintenance and space plumbing. Meir set up acoustic monitors to measure station sound levels before checking on safety masks and charging spacesuit batteries. Morgan printed out housecleaning to-do lists then worked on the U.S. bathroom, also known as the Waste and Hygiene Compartment.
Commander Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos serviced Russian Orlan spacesuit water loops and checked for leaks. After checking on water tanks in the Progress 74 cargo craft, he set up exercise research gear then photographed the after effects of catastrophes on Earth.
The Cygnus cargo craft from Northrop Grumman is counting down to a launch from Virginia on Friday at 3:43 p.m. EST. The U.S. space freighter, loaded with 7,300 pounds of science, supplies and hardware, will arrive Sunday for a robotic capture with the Canadarm2 at 4 a.m. NASA TV will cover all the launch, capture and installation activities live.
On-Orbit Status Report
Light Emitting Rectifying Antenna (LEctenna): The crew assembled the rectifier and LED components and set up the LEctenna experiment hardware. LEctenna demonstrates wireless power transmission via microwave signals using a rectifying antenna, which converts electromagnetic waves into direct electric current. For the investigation, a LEctenna device converts microwaves into electricity and powers an LED bulb. Similar technology could be used to transmit energy from a space-based solar panel array in the form of microwaves harvested on the ground by a rectifying antenna.
Microgravity Crystals (MGC) Hardware Trash: In order to free up space, the crew gathered items that are no longer needed for the already-completed MGC experiment, and staged them for trash. These included yellow pipet tips, the MGC contingency kit, reagent box and label kit. The investigation crystallized a membrane protein that is integral to tumor growth and cancer survival. Although crystallization of this protein has yielded unsatisfactory results on Earth, this investigation leverages extensive protein crystallization work on the space station, significantly increasing the likelihood of successful crystal growth. Results may support development of cancer treatments that target the protein more effectively and with fewer side effects.
Mouse Mission-5 Preparation: As a continuation of the preparation for the upcoming JAXA Mouse Mission-5, the crew set up the glovebox on the front of the Kobairo rack. Stress caused by partial G may alter gene expression in cells of the body. The investigation analyzes any such alterations and their possible effects on development of germ cells, which carry genetic information and expression to subsequent generations.
Nanoracks Module 72A Transfer: In order to recover from communication issues first experienced July 2019, the crew relocated Module 72A from the failed Frame 1 to Frame 1A. Module-72A has a Raspberry Pi Zero board and several sensors. This is an educational payload that allows students to code their own software experiments and have them collect data on the ISS.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) Cable Replace: The crew replaced a failed GFCI cable in order to recover functionality and allow a software update for the RFID system. This cable was found to be failed in December of 2019 when the software update was previously attempted. The RFID team has reported that during their 3 years of ops, they have run the data obtained from ISS through complex event processing on the ground and made continuous refinement. RFID Logistics aims to utilize RFID enabled tags on hardware throughout the ISS to assist in the tracking of the hardware as it is moved around the ISS.
Systems:
Installation of Anhydrous Ammonia (NH3) Filter Cartridges into Emergency Masks: Today, the crew performed an activity to configure four emergency masks with NH3 filter cartridges. The four masks with pre-installed NH3 cartridges were stowed in each of the two emergency mask stowage bags. This activity was performed to improve the overall ISS emergency response posture; specifically for an unexpected release of NH3 into the ISS pressurized volume. The crew also updated their emergency procedures to reflect the updated NH3 mask configuration inside the emergency mask stowage bags.
Completed Task List Activities:
None
Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Attitude Control System (ACS) SIGI Rate Data Dump
Regen Oxygen Generator Assembly Cell Stack Discharge
Secondary Power System (SPS) Power Down
Attitude Control System (ACS) Guidance Navigation and Control System (GNC) Pre-positioned Load (PPL) Update
Thursday, 2/13 (GMT 043)
Payloads/Systems:
Crew Off Duty Day
Friday, 2/14 (GMT 044)
Payloads/Systems:
Crew Off Duty Day
Saturday, 2/15 (GMT 045)
Payloads:
OsteoOmics prep, MSG core facility maintenance, LSR config
Systems:
Cygnus Cargo Operations Review
Camera Overlay and RWS Configuration for Cygnus Capture
Cygnus Capture Review
On-board Training (OBT) Cygnus Robotics Onboard Trainer (ROBoT) Session 2
Battery Stowage Assembly (BSA) Operations
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) Configuration
SODF Housekeeping Procedure Print
Environmental Health System (EHS) Acoustic Monitor Setup
Combined Orlan-MK No.6 and ??? water loop degassing in ???.
Glove Box Setup
Acoustic Monitor Setup for Static Measurements
Micro Gravity Crystals Hardware Trash
20-micron Filter Removal
LSR Pre-Filter Removal
On MCC Go Progress 433 (DC1) Rodnik H2O Tank 1 Shell Compression
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill
Systems Operations Data File (SODF) Update
Nanoracks Module-72A Transfer
Actiwatch Plus HRF Rack 1 Setup Evaluation
RR Inventory Audit Part 1
Battery Stowage Assembly (BSA) Operation Initiation
Network Attached Storage (NAS) Hard Drive Swap
On MCC Go Progress 4443 H2O tank 1 bladder compression, closeout
Orlan and ??? leak check and Orlan-MK No.6 valve tests.
Environmental Health System (EHS) – Formaldehyde Monitoring Kit (FMK) Deployment Operations
Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Manual Fill Initiation
Environmental Health System (EHS) Grab Sample Container (GSC) Sampling Operations
Environmental Health System (EHS) – Rad Detector Rotate
MELFI Probiotics Transfer
LEctenna Operations
Actiwatch Plus HRF Rack 1 Stow Evaluation
Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Manual Fill Termination
Radio Frequency Identification Logistics GFCI Cable Replace
Space Automated Bioproduct Lab, CO2 Incubator Removal
Cold Stowage Double Cold Bag Locate
PROFILAKTIKA-2. Equipment setup
MELFI -78 Ice Brick Gather
MELFI -32 Degrees Ice Brick Gather
Wireless Instrumentation System (WIS) Station Support Computer (SSC) Relocate Part 1
On-Orbit Hearing Assessment (O-OHA) with EarQ Software Setup and Test
