Space Stations

NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 13 November 2015

By Marc Boucher
Status Report
November 16, 2015
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NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 13 November 2015
The Soyuz TMA-17M is seen docked to the International Space Station. The Russian spacecraft carried Expedition 44/45 crew members Oleg Kononenko of the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos), Kjell Lindgren of NASA and Kimiya Yui of the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA.) It docked with the station on July 22, 2015. Credit: NASA.
NASA

The Expedition 45 crew is wrapping up the work week on biomedical science and Cygnus mission preparations. The orbital residents also worked maintenance throughout the numerous modules inside the International Space Station.
Flight Engineers Kjell Lindgren and Kimiya Yui, who both have been in space over 100 days, checked their vision and blood pressure for the long-running Ocular Health study. Yui then worked on experiment hardware inside Japan’s Kibo lab module. Lindgren explored growing food in space for the Veggie botany experiment.

Commander Scott Kelly continued installing gear to prepare for the early December arrival of the Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo craft. He also worked on station maintenance tasks and cleaned his crew quarters.

On the Russian side of the orbital lab, One-Year crew member Mikhail Kornienko explored human digestion in space and sampled the station’s atmosphere and surfaces for microbes. Veteran cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Sergey Volkov worked in the Zvezda service module to replace a battery and repair overhead sheets. Volkov is the newest Expedition 45 crew member having been in space 70 days.

On-Orbit Status Report

Direct Current Switching Unit (DCSU) 1B Remote Bus Isolator (RBI) 1 Trip – At ~11:55am CST DCSU 1B RBI 1 experienced a trip on Friday taking all power from the 1B Power Channel. Numerous systems were affected including core avionics. Command and Control (C&C) and Guidance Navigation & Control (GNC) Multiplexer/Demultiplexers (MDMs) automatically transitioned to their backups. As a result, the ISS has good attitude control and good communications. The ground team executed standard response procedures to recover and crosstie MBSU 1A and 1B in order to regain equipment that was temporarily powered down. Equipment power ons are continuing. Preliminary indications point to a potential short between Sequential Shunt Unit (SSU) 1B and DCSU 1B. Teams will be investigating the issue and working forward plans for recovery.

Capillary Effects of Drinking in the Microgravity Environment (Capillary Beverage) Demonstration: Yui and Lindgren performed a Capillary Beverage demonstration using a drink of their choice to observe fluid interface and critical wetting behavior during drinking and draining activities. Microgravity affects the way fluids behave and crew members currently drink from special sealed bags instead of using straws or normal cups. The Capillary Beverage investigation studies the process of drinking from specially designed Space Cups that use fluid dynamics to mimic the effect of gravity.

Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Airlock Operations: Yui pressurized the JEM Airlock and performed a leak check today as part of the closeout activities from the deployment of JAXA’s Exposed Experiment Handrail Attachment Mechanism (ExHAM) #2 on the JEM Exposed Facility (JEF) on Wednesday.

Large Format Motion Picture Camera (IMAX): Kelly connected the IMAX Codex to a Station Support Computer (SSC) for a downlink of recorded video files. IMAX filmmakers intend to produce a three dimensional movie called A Perfect Planet, using ISS-based video and images to show how natural and human forces shape planet Earth. The film will also showcase NASA’s exploration efforts and highlight the ISS as a platform for scientific research and a stepping stone to deep space exploration.

Reaction Self Test: Kelly and Kornienko completed sessions for the Reaction Self Test investigation after they woke up this morning and again prior to their sleep period. Reaction Self Test helps crewmembers objectively identify when their performance capability is degraded by various fatigue-related conditions that can occur as a result of ISS operations and time in space (e.g., acute and chronic sleep restriction, slam shifts, extravehicular activity (EVA), and residual sedation from sleep medications).

Integrated Resistance and Aerobic Training Study (Sprint) Volume of Oxygen Utilized (VO2) Max: For his Flight Day 225 Sprint VO2 session, Kelly attached Electrocardiogram (ECG) electrodes to himself, set up and donned Heart Rate Monitor hardware, performed Portable Pulmonary Function System calibrations, and then performed the VO2 protocol. The Sprint VO2 investigation evaluates the use of high intensity, low volume exercise to minimize loss of muscle, bone, and cardiovascular function in ISS crewmembers while reducing total exercise time during long-duration space missions

Radi-N Neutron Field Study (Radi-N): Today Kornienko will handover eight Radi-N detectors to Yui, who will then deploy them around the ISS for the Radi-N experiment. This is the third of six RADI-N dosimeter deploys for Increments 45 and 46. The objective of this investigation is to better characterize the ISS neutron environment and define the risk posed to the crewmembers’ health and provide the data necessary to develop advanced protective measures for future space flight.

Space Headaches: Yui and Lindgren completed their weekly Space Headaches questionnaires. Headaches can be a common complaint during spaceflight. The Space Headaches experiment will provide information that may help in the development of methods to alleviate associated symptoms and improvement in the well-being and performance of crew members in space.

Sleep Log: Kelly will record a Sleep Log entry today. The Sleep ISS-12 experiment monitors ambient light exposure and crew member activity and collects subjective evaluations of sleep and alertness. The investigation examines the effects of space flight and ambient light exposure on sleep during a year-long mission on the ISS.

Nitrogen/Oxygen Recharge System (NORS) Airlock Interface Kit (AIK) Closeout: Yui and Kelly worked with the ground team in order to perform NORS System leak checks. Leak checks for the Oxygen line were successful. However, the fine leak check associated with the Nitrogen line did not meet the success criteria. ISS is in a safe configuration while ground teams assess a forward plan. NORS provides the capability to refill the US Airlock High Pressure Gas Tanks (HPGTs) with nitrogen and oxygen following Shuttle retirement. Two Recharge Tank Assemblies (Oxygen and Nitrogen) are manifested onboard the Orbital ATK (OA)-4 Flight scheduled to launch on December 3rd.

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

ISS crew and ???? (RSA Flight Control Management Team) weekly conference
Sprint Portable Pulmonary Function System (PPFS) Partial Setup
ECLSS Recycle Tank Remove and Replace
Terminate Nitrogen/Oxygen Recharge System (NORS) Leak Check
JEM Airlock Pressurization
Video Footage of Greetings
MATRYOSHKA-R. Gathering and Initialization of Bubble-Dosimeter Detectors
JEMRMS Bus Monitor Cable Teardown
SPRINT – Hardware Power On
JEM Airlock Leak Check
MATRYOSHKA-R. Handover Photo
MATRYOSHKA-R. Handover of BUBBLE-dosimeters to USOS
RADIN – Handover of detectors for deployment
MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE-dosimeter initialization and deployment
RADIN – Dosimeter Deployment
Photos of panels and windows in CQ , plane II
Waste & Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Usage Rate Counter R&R
SPRINT Experiment Ops
PILOT-T. Experiment Ops [Deferred]
Photo/TV Camcorder Setup Verification for ARED Exercise
RGN – Initiate drain into EDV
HRF – Equipment stowage after sample collection
HMS – Food Frequency Questionnaire
RGN – Terminate water drain into EDV
Mid-point mission debrief – Part 4.
Drinking demonstrations using specially-designed cups
IMA? – Connecting to SSC
WRS – Recycle Tank Fill
NORS Installation Closeout Ops
WRS – Recycle Tank Fill
Soyuz 718 Samsung tablet charge – start
Pumping urine from EDV-U into Progress 428 Rodnik ??1 tank
HMS – Food Frequency Questionnaire
PROBOY. RS?1 Laptop Ops
PROBOY. Penetration Simulator Ops
IMS and Stowage Conference
Post-ARED Exercise Video Equipment Stowage
SPRINT – Equipment Stowage
WRS – Recycle Tank Fill
HMS Defibrillator Inspection
WRS Maintenance
MELF2 – Ice Brick Insertion into Dewar
RGN REC-TNK – Removal of depress hose for nominal operations
SEISMOPROGNOZ. Data copying initiation
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) – Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) – Full Fill
WRS Water Sample Analysis
PILOT-T. Experiment Ops
IMAX – Terminate Battery Charge
Soyuz 718 Samsung tablet charge – end
IMAX – Terminate Codex 512 GB Drive charge
WRS Maintenance
SPRINT – Closeout Ops
Video Footage for State Show “Year of Literature 2015?
WHC Fill
Replacement of FGB Dust Collector ??1, ??2 Filters
SHD – Weekly Questionnaire
Evening Work Prep
??? Maintenance
ALGOMETRIA. Experiment Ops
Private Exercise Conference (PEC)
SEISMOPROGNOZ. Terminate Data Copy and Downlink via OCA
Psychological Evaluation Program (WinSCAT)
IMS Delta File Prep
???? comm assets switchover to a backup set
Starting EMU METOX Regeneration
TOCA Data Recording
VHF2d test from SM (using redundant ???? sets)
Reaction Self-Test (Sleep)

Completed Task List Items
Wanted EPO Peake Bag
IWIS RSU Comm t/s

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
NORS Leak Checks

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Saturday, 11/14: Crew off Duty, Weekly Cleaning
Sunday, 11/15: Crew off Duty
Monday, 11/16: Stbd Radiator Imagery, Port CQ Cleaning, Ocular Health, Veg-01

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 – Off
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab – Shutdown
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 – Off
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) – Shutdown
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) – Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Off

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