NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 12 April 2016

Today: SPHEROIDS Temperature and Power Check: The ESA SPHEROIDS experiment completed its two day experiment run.
Yesterday, Peake retrieved the SPHEROIDS hardware from SpaceX-8 (SpX-8) and installed the containers into the Kubik. Today he will completed a temperature and power check. The experiment investigates the effects of microgravity on endothelial cell function with respect to blood vessel formation, cellular proliferation, and programmed cell death. Results could help in the development of potential countermeasures to prevent cardiovascular deconditioning in astronauts and improve knowledge of endothelial functions on Earth.

Rodent Research-3 (RR-3) Transfer: Kopra and Peake set up the rodent habitats, moved the transporters from SpX-8 to the US Lab, and transferred the animals to the habitats. RR-3 is a Joint USOS Russian Experiment performed with both USOS and Russian crew members. RR-3 studies molecular and physical changes to the musculoskeletal system that happen in space. Results will expand scientists’ understanding of muscle atrophy and bone loss in space while testing an antibody that has been known to prevent muscle wasting in mice on Earth.

Cell Mechanosensing 3 (CMS-3) Microscope Observation: Williams completed the first of three microscope observation settings. He retrieved the Measurement Experiment Culture Chamber from the Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) Incubator Unit (IU) and installed in microscope stage for observation by the ground. CMS-3 is a JAXA investigation that identifies gravity sensors in skeletal muscle cells to develop countermeasures to muscle atrophy. Scientists believe that the lack of mechanical stress from gravity causes tension fluctuations in the plasma membrane of skeletal muscle cells which changes the expression of key proteins and genes and allows muscles to atrophy.

NanoRacks Module-51: Williams watched an operations overview video and retrieved NanoRack Module 51 from the Minus Eight-degree Freezer for ISS (MELFI) Rack before initiating the NanoRacks Mission Discovery-2 sub-experiments housed within NanoRacks Module-51. The four different investigations within the module study: antibiotic use to inhibit Staphylococcus aureus bacteria; the rate at which yeast decomposes organic matter; whether steroid-enhanced plants could grow better in space than on Earth; and whether an enzyme derived from fireflies can cause bioluminescence in microgravity.

Multi-Omics Operations: Williams performed the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Multi-Omics investigation by collecting human waste samples and inserting them into a Box Module in the MELFI (Minus Eight-degree Freezer for ISS). The investigation evaluates the impacts of space environment and prebiotics on astronauts’ immune function by combining the data obtained from the measurements of changes in the gut microbiological composition, metabolites profiles, and the immune system.

Ultrasound 2 Operations: Williams performed an Ultrasound software load by updating Ultrasound 2 system build software using the Ultrasound 2 Boot Drive. The software update supports the Fluid Shifts activities next week.

Orbital-ATK 6 (OA-6) Cargo Operations Status: The crew completed cargo operations off the task list today, for a total of 18:35 of OA-6 cargo ops.

SpaceX-8 Cargo Operations Status: The crew completed cargo operations off the task list today, for a total of 3:50 total unpack operations since ingress yesterday.

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

EarthKAM. Battery Swap
WRS Water Sample Analysis
NanoRacks Module-51 – Retrieval from MELFI
Handheld HDPCG unit and nine PCG Cards retrieved from Polar, stowed in +4 Double Coldbag, remaining samples are transferred to MELFI
SPHEROIDS – KUBIK Temperature Check
Setup and Activation of Crew Onboard Support Kit (????) Equipment for MPEG2 TV coverage from SM
Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Activation with LSAH
Audio Session with “This is Radio Moscow” radio station r/g 1934
Multi Omics Fecal – Operations with Samples
Crew Prep for PAO
Multi Omics (MO) – Sample Insertion into MELFI
Multi Omics (MO) – Equipment Stowage after Sample Collection
Test Session ISS-Kremlin-Vostochny Cosmodrome (S + Ku-band) / Video & Audio
Rodent Research Experiment Camcorder Installation in Node 2
HRF Rack 1 -Ultrasound 2 Hardware Setup
Rodent Research Transfer 1
Crew Prep for PAO
Telebridge ISS-Kremlin-Vostochny Kosmodrome
Deactivation of Camcorder, Video Control Monitor [???], and Closing CP SSC Applications
NanoRacks Module-51 Overview
NANO – Start Experiment
PAO Hardware Setup
ABOUT GAGARIN FROM SPACE. Hardware deactivation / r/g 1914
Crew Prep for PAO / r/g 1935, 1930
Press Conference with TASS Information Agency r/g 1935
TV Conference with Life News TV Channel r/g 1930
ISS HAM – HAM radio session with students
EarthKAM. Battery Swap
USND2 – SW Update
ABOUT GAGARIN FROM SPACE. Hardware activation / r/g 1914
TOCA Data Recording
Crew Prep for PAO / r/g 1933
TV Conference with the Participants of the Pan-Russian Let’sGo! session in Artek International Children Center r/g 1933
Rodent Research: Transfer 2
PCG4 – Sample Preparation, Activation, and Setup in MELFI
Stowage of Double Coldbags and Icebricks
USND2 – Closeout Ops
??? Maintenance
CMS3 – MICROSCOPE Sample Observation
Water Recovery Management (WRM) – Water Consumption Balance, place holder
USND2 – Hardware Deactivation
MSG – Hardware Deactivation
EarthKAM. Battery Swap

Completed Task List Items
None

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
RR transfer
SPDM unstow from MBS PDGF2 for FGB Port SAW survey
Nominal ground commanding

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 04/13: Ocular Health, NanoRacks Module 9 ops, N3 aft CBCS install/checkout, EPO-Biorock, SPRINT Ultrasound
Thursday, 04/14: Ocular Health, Lab KU power supply install, universal battery charger install/checkout, bone densitometer calibration, CMS3 ops, SPRINT Ultrasound
Friday, 04/15: Ocular Health, CMS3 ops, SODF deploy, Smartcycler install, WHC urine receptacle R&R

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 – Override
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