NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 28 February 2020 – More Human Research Activities

The Expedition 62 crew wrapped up the work week with more bone studies and human research activities.
Meanwhile, a U.S. cargo craft is one week away from launching to resupply the International Space Station.

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Andrew Morgan split their day between a pair of investigations exploring how the human physiology is impacted by long-term weightlessness.

The pair started Friday with ultrasound scans of the upper chest area followed by eye and head pressure checks. The biomedical exams are part of the Fluid Shifts study that seeks to understand and control the upward flow of body fluids in microgravity that affects astronauts. Results could inform preventative measures that keep crews healthy on future missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

Morgan then set up a 3D video camera in the afternoon to film Meir as she serviced bone cell samples for the OsteoOmics-02 experiment. The study is observing these cells for accelerated bone loss caused by microgravity. Doctors are pursuing the new knowledge to gain therapeutic insights into ground-based ailments such as osteoporosis. The virtual reality film is being recorded to provide cinematic, immersive experiences for audiences back on Earth.

Space physics continued in the Russian segment of the space station as Commander Oleg Skripochka studied the formation of plasma crystals. The experiment provides fundamental knowledge about the physics of microgravity potentially influencing advanced research activities and future spacecraft designs.

Meanwhile, processing continues at the Kennedy Space Center as SpaceX readies its Dragon resupply ship to launch atop the Falcon 9 rocket on March 6 at 11:49 p.m. EST. Dragon will arrive March 9 at the station packed with new science gear to study a wide variety of space phenomena. The experiments will be looking at how to grow food in space, develop nano-materials and increase fuel efficiency.

On-Orbit Status Report

OsteoOmics: The crew performed BioCell Media Changeout in BioCell habitat S/N 2. Millions of Americans experience bone loss, which results from disease or the reduced effects of gravity that can occur in bed-ridden patients. OsteoOmics tests whether magnetic levitation accurately simulates the free-fall conditions of microgravity by comparing genetic expression osteoblastic cells, a type of bone cell, levitated in a high-field superconducting magnet with cells flown in low-Earth orbit. This information helps scientists determine the molecular and metabolic changes that take place in magnetic levitation and real microgravity.

Hermes Facility: The crew opened the MSL HERMES Vacuum valve. These operations maintain the desired vacuum levels for the granular/regolith simulation experiments typically hosted by the HERMES facility. Hermes is an experimental microgravity facility that enables science experiments, microgravity exposure testing, testing of engineering components, testing of CubeSats, concept trials, and any payloads that fit within the Hermes design and operations constraints. It is open to any investigation that benefits from microgravity exposure.

Fluid Shifts: The crew performed Baseline imaging Scans in support of the Fluid Shifts study. Fluid Shifts is a NASA investigation, divided into Dilution Measurements, Baseline Imaging, and Imaging with Chibis. The Chibis hardware is used to perform the Lower Body Negative Pressure (LBNP) part of the experiment. The Fluid Shifts experiment investigates the causes for severe and lasting physical changes to astronaut’s eyes. Because the headward fluid shift is a hypothesized contributor to these changes, reversing this fluid shift with a LBNP device is being evaluated as a possible intervention. Results from this study may help to develop preventative measures against lasting changes in vision and prevention of eye damage.

The ISS Experience: The crew used the ISS Experience Hardware to record OsteoOmics operations and performed an Astronaut Log recording. The ISS Experience creates a virtual reality film documenting daily life aboard the ISS. The 8 to 10 minute videos created from footage taken during the six-month investigation cover different aspects of crew life, execution of science aboard the station, and the international partnerships involved. The ISS Experience uses a Z-CAM V1 Pro Cinematic Virtual Reality (VR) 360-degree camera with nine 190° fisheye lenses.

Completed Task List Activities:
None

Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
PRO LSG Facility Commanding
HRF Rack 2 Rack Commanding
All-sky X-ray Image File Uplink
OsteoOmics-2 Support
S-Band and Ku-Band – FWD Link Swing
VRS MSRR Configuration Commanding

Saturday, 2/29 (GMT 060)
Payloads:
HRF Saliva collect (NASA)
ISS Experience H/W Stow (NASA)

Systems:
Crew off duty; housekeeping
Sunday, 3/1 (GMT 061)

Payloads:
No crew activities

Systems:
Crew off duty

Monday, 3/2 (GMT 062)
Payloads:
JAXA Mission Data Recorder t/s (JAXA)
JEM Water Recovery System Connection Inspection (JAXA)
OsteoOmics Media Bag removal from GLACIER (NASA)
HRF Saliva collection (NASA)
Standard Mission Cognition Test and Fecal collect setup (NASA)
STaARS BioScience-09 Cryotube kit S/N 1010 into Cold Stowage (NASA)
EarthKAM Shutdown and stow (Joint)

Systems:
Dragon RoBOT OBT
ARED quarterly maintenance
Portable Emergency Provisions inspection

Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

PK-4 data hard drives exchange
Pille dosimeter readings download
VIZIR. Conducting Smart Drawer Coordinate Referencing System (СКП-УП) PL Session.
PK-4 Experiment Run 4/1
Fluid Shifts OCT2 baseline imaging setup
Fluid Shifts Ultrasound 2 HRF Rack 2 power on
Fluid Shifts blood pressure ops
Fluid Shifts Ultrasound ops
ISS Experience setup
ISS Experience recording prep
ISS Experience recording
Measuring glass deflection on SM window No.1 in SM
MERLIN ice brick insertion
Vacuum Cleaning of Dust collectors ПC1, ПС2 filter cartridges in FGB (panels 203, 403)
PK-4 Experiment Run 4/2
OsteoOmics-2 media change
Air sample collection using Draeger tube air sampler (ИПД) in SM for CO
Air sample collection in SM and FGB using АК-1М sampler
Preventive Maintenance of SM Ventilation Subsystem. Group А