NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 10 August 2016

A pair of astronauts tried on U.S. spacesuits this morning ahead of a spacewalk next week. Afterward, the crew explored heart cells, fluid pressure in the head and the eyes and the composition of meteors.
NASA astronauts Jeff Williams and Kate Rubins are due to work outside the International Space Station on Aug. 19 for 6.5 hours. The duo tried on the spacesuits today they will wear during the spacewalk to complete the installation of the first of two International Docking Adapters to the Harmony module. Commercial Crew vehicles are being developed by Boeing and SpaceX that will dock to the new adapters in the future.

Rubins then moved on to observing heart cells with a specialized microscope. The heart cells are derived from stem cells that were manufactured from human skin cells.

Williams joined cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin for ultrasound scans and vision checks. That work was part of the Fluid Shifts study that is exploring how the lack of gravity influences head pressure and eye shape possibly affecting an astronaut’s vision.

Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi replaced a hard drive on a laptop computer that collects data on the composition of meteors entering Earth’s atmosphere. Cosmonauts Oleg Skripochka and Alexey Ovchinin participated in a study that seeks to improve the ability of a crew member to pilot a spacecraft.

On-Orbit Status Report

Fluid Shifts Operations in the Service Module: With ground team assistance, crewmembers continued Fluid Shifts Imaging exams by conducting the Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) exam, Ultrasound scans, the Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission (DPOAE) tests, and a Tonometry exam. This investigation characterizes the space flight-induced fluid shift, including intra- and extravascular shifts, intra- and extracellular shifts, changes in total body water and lower vs. upper body shifts. Results from this investigation are expected to help define the causes of the ocular structure and vision changes associated with long duration space flight, and assist in the development of countermeasures.

Mouse Epigenetics Cage Unit Maintenance: The crew completed standard maintenance activities for the Mouse Epigenetics experiment by refilling the water in the Mouse Habitat Cage Unit located in the Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF). 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.

Heart Cells Microscope Operations: The crew set up the Heart Cells microscope, removed the BioCell Habitat from the Space Automated Bioproduct Lab (SABL) and the Multiwell BioCell from the BioCell Habitat and inserted into the microscope before conducting Heart Cells operations. The Heart Cells investigation studies the human heart, specifically how heart muscle tissue, contracts, grows and changes (gene expression) in microgravity and how those changes vary between subjects. Understanding how heart muscle cells, or cardiomyocytes, change in space improves efforts for studying disease, screening drugs and conducting cell replacement therapy for future space missions.

Meteor Hard Drive Change: The crew R&Rd the hard drive in the Meteor Laptop located in the Window Observational Research Facility (WORF) in preparation for upcoming meteor showers. The Meteor investigation provides the first space-based measurement of meteor flux. It also allows for the monitoring of carbon-based compounds. Continuous measurement of meteor interactions with the Earth’s atmosphere could also spot previously unforeseen meteor showers.

Dose Tracker: The crew completed entries for medication. This investigation documents the medication usage of crewmembers before and during their missions by capturing data regarding medication use during spaceflight, including side effect qualities, frequencies and severities. The data is expected to either support or counter anecdotal evidence of medication ineffectiveness during flight and unusual side effects experienced during flight. It is also expected that specific, near-real-time questioning about symptom relief and side effects will provide the data required to establish whether spaceflight-associated alterations in pharmacokinetics (PK) or pharmacodynamics (PD) is occurring during missions.

MSG Video File Transfer Issues – Yesterday, the Microgravity Sciences Glovebox (MSG) experienced an issue with the Video Unit Equipment (VUE). Ground teams were unable to access the solid state storage devices during HeartCell video downlink operations. A soft reboot was attempted with no success. A power cycle was then conducted and the drives were recovered. In addition, ground teams are having difficulties in downlinking large files associated with the payload. The HeartCell data is being recorded, so no loss of science at this time. If required, the current work-around is to have the crew utilize a thumb drive to allow the files to be downlink. Currently, the VUE is functional except for downlinking large files. Ground teams are investigating.

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Preparations: The crew continued preparations for the IDA2 EVA scheduled on August 19. This morning they performed pressurized Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) On Orbit Fit Check Verification (OFV) of EMUs 3003 and 3008 to assess fit and feel of the suits prior to the EVA.

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

EMU On-orbit Fitcheck Verification
PILOT-T. Preparation for the experiment r/g 3036
CASKAD. Manual Mixing in Bioreactor / r/g 2888
Soyuz 720 Samsung Tablet Recharge, Initiate
On MCC Go Regeneration of ??? ?2 Micropurification Cartridge (start)
EMU On-orbit Fitcheck Verification, Operator
Maintenance Closures of Vozdukh Valves
Filling (separation) ??? for Elektron
PILOT-T. Experiment Ops r/g 3037
??? Maintenance
Verification of ??-1 Flow Sensor Position / Pressure Control & Atmosphere Monitoring System
PILOT-T. Experiment Ops r/g 3036
EMU O-ring Replacement
METEOR Removal and Relocation
MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE-dosimeters initialization, BUBBLE-dosimeter Reader replacement and deployment for exposure r/g 3038
FLUID SHIFTS. Donning CardioLab Holter
FLUID SHIFTS. Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission (DPOAE) measurement Test
DOSETRK Data Input
JEMAL JEM Airlock Pressurization
FLUID SHIFTS, Ultrasound 2 Activation
FLUID SHIFTS. Ultrasound scan
Soyuz 720 Samsung Tablet Recharge, Terminate
ECG Device Activation and Checkout
FLUID SHIFTS. Ultrasound Scan Assistance
JEMAL JEM Airlock Leak Check
MCRSCPE Hardware Setup
MOUSE Hardware Setup
FLUID SHIFTS, OCT Setup
Exercise Placeholder, Crew’s Preference
Installation of Laptop RS1 SW Updates r/g 3016
Flush Progress 432 [AO] Rodnik ?1, B2 Connectors / r/g 3039
HRTCEL Sample Insertion into Microscope
Crew Conference on Flight Factors
Installation of Laptop RS2 SW Updates r/g 3016
Soyuz 731 Samsung tablet recharge, initiate
HRTCEL Ops
Installation of Laptop RS3 SW Updates r/g 3016
Crew OBT, Crew Medical Officer (CMO), Computer based training
FLUID SHIFTS. Eye Imaging Examination with Remote Guidance
FLUID SHIFTS. OCT Baseline Exam
XF305 Camcorder Settings Adjustment
FLUID SHIFTS. Tonometry Setup
PILOT-T. Experiment Ops r/g 3034
MOUSE Module Water Exchange
Installation and Testing of REMOTE RS LAPTOP S/W UPDATE r/g 3016
FLUID SHIFTS. Tonometer Exam Operator
FLUID SHIFTS. Tonometer Exam
MCRSCPE Ops
FLUID SHIFTS. Post-Ops Hardware Stowage
FLUID SHIFTS. Blood Pressure Equipment Stowage
FLUID SHIFTS. Hardware Removal and Stowage
PILOT-T. Closeout Ops r/g 3034
Countermeasures System (CMS) Sprint Exercise, Optional
IMS Delta File Prep
CONTENT. Experiment Ops / r/g 3035
PAO Hardware Setup
Thermolab – Instrumentation Ops for Circadian Rhythms
Crew Prep for PAO
PAO Event
ISS-HAM Radio Session
Soyuz 731 Samsung Tablet Recharge, Terminate
CASKAD. Manual Mixing in Bioreactor / r/g 2888
On MCC Go Regeneration of ??? ?2 Absorption Cartridge (end)

Completed Task List Items
None

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
EMU checkout ops
Fluid Shifts support
Nominal ground commanding.

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Thursday, 08/11: USOS crew holiday (Japan’s Mountain Day)
Friday, 08/12: NanoRacks Module 9 ops, Heart Cells media change, SPHERES-Zero Robotics competition, Neuro Mapping, HMS Ultrasound, Circadian Rhythms
Saturday, 08/13: 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”) – 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) – Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Full Up