NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 14 April 2016
The International Space Station will get a new module Saturday when the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) is removed from the SpaceX Dragon and installed on the Tranquility module. BEAM will be attached to the station for two years of tests before expandable modules become a permanent feature of future spacecraft.
NASA and its international partners are using the station as an orbital laboratory to learn how the human body adapts to living and working in space. The wide variety of human research taking place on orbit today looked at work performance, vision, heart function, bones and muscles.
British astronaut Tim Peake explored how astronauts perform detailed, interactive tasks using a touchscreen tablet for the Fine Motor Skills experiment. He also joined Commander Tim Kopra for eye checks as scientists study how the lack of gravity affects vision. NASA astronaut Jeff Williams scanned his legs with an ultrasound device for the Sprint exercise study and helped search for gravity sensors in cells to prevent muscle atrophy in space.
Cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Oleg Skripochka researched heart function so doctors can understand how the cardiovascular system adapts during different phases of a spaceflight. Veteran cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko performed maintenance throughout the orbital lab’s Russian segment. He swapped out GoPro batteries and photographed the condition Zvezda service module panels.
On-Orbit Status Report
Cell Mechanosensing 3 (CMS-3) Operations: The crew successfully initiated and completed another microscope observation setting for CMS-3, after repositioning the thermal sample container to allow enough lighting through the microscope for imaging. The investigation 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.
Ocular Health (OH) Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Fundoscope Exams: The crew configured the OCT hardware and software and conducted eye exams using the OCT laptop. The Fundoscope was set up and operator assistance and remote guidance from ground teams were available. The Ocular Health investigation gathers data on crew members’ visual health during and after long-duration space station missions. Tests monitor microgravity-induced visual impairment as well as changes believed to arise from elevated intracranial pressure to characterize how living in microgravity can affect the visual, vascular and central nervous systems. The investigation also measures how long it takes for crew members to return to normal after they return to Earth.
Sprint Ultrasound 2 Operations: The crew set up the VCA2 camcorder and SD video, configured the Ultrasound 2 software, placed reference marks on subject’s right thigh and calf, donned the Sprint thigh and calf guides, and performed scans with guidance from the Sprint ground team. Ultrasound scans are used to evaluate spaceflight-induced changes in the muscle volume. The Sprint investigation evaluates the use of high intensity, low volume exercise training to minimize loss of muscle, bone, and cardiovascular function in ISS crewmembers during long-duration missions.
Bone Densitometer Calibration: In preparation for upcoming Bone Densitometer operations, the crew reviewed training material and performed two field calibration tests to ensure that measurement results from the tests are accurate. Densitometry measures the mass per unit volume (density) of minerals in bone. Quantitative measures of bone loss in mice during orbital space flight are necessary for the development of countermeasures for human crew members as well as for bone-loss syndromes on Earth by commercial entities. Planned studies, both academic and commercial, require on-orbit analytical methods including bone densitometry.
Fine Motor Skills: Two crew members completed a session of the Fine Motor Skills experiment this morning by performing a series of interactive tasks on a touchscreen tablet. This investigation is the first fine motor skills study to measure long-term microgravity exposure, different phases of microgravity adaptation, and sensorimotor recovery after returning to Earth gravity.
Dose Tracker: The crew configure the Dose Tracker app and completed entries for medication tracking on an iPad. This investigation documents the medication usage of crew members 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.
Compound Specific Analyzer (CPA) Combustion Products (CP) Checkout: The crew checked out four newly resupplied CSA-CPs delivered on OA-6 including verification there was no sensor contamination. He then zero calibrated four monitors and deactivated all units. Following the checkout, deploy of two CSA-CPs in Node 1 (N1) and the Service Module (SM) was completed.
Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: Yesterday afternoon, Robotics Ground Controllers powered up the Mobile Servicing System (MSS) and maneuvered the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to position it and the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) to survey the Port Functional Cargo Block (FGB) Solar Array from four different positions. After completing the survey, controllers maneuvered the SSRMS to a park position.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
EarthKAM. Camera Battery Swap
Eye Imaging (Ocular Health), OCT Setup
Eye Imaging (Ocular Health), OCT Exam (Subject)
Soyuz 719 GoPro HERO3 camcorder battery charge, initiate
Eye Imaging (Ocular Health), OCT Exam (Operator)
Maintenance Activation of Spare Atmosphere Purification System Emergency Vacuum Valves [??? ???]
USND2 Hardware Activation
Multi Omics (MO) Hardware Setup
Data Transmission Radio (????) – Onboard Memory Device (???) r/g 1927
Maintenance activation of Atmosphere Purification System Emergency Vacuum Valves [??? ???]
URAGAN. Observation and photography using Photo Equipment / r/g 1951
FINEMOTR Photo Documentation
FINEMOTR Experiment Ops
SPRINT Ultrasound Scan Operations
SPHERES Disconnect the USB from the SSC and stow
Photography of Soyuz landing sites / r/g 1953
Bone Densitometer (BD) Review of training material
CONSTANTA-2. Preparation and Execution 4 r/g 1952
KUBIK warm temperature check for the SPHEROIDS experiment
US LAB (USL) Hardware Setup
Bone Densitometer (BD) hardware calibration
Universal Battery Charger (UBC) Hardware Installation and Checkout
BIOCARD. Experiment Ops. r/g 1907
BIOCARD. Operator Assistance During the Experiment / r/g 1907
Bone Densitometer (BD) hardware calibration
Soyuz 719 GoPro HERO3 camcorder battery charge, terminate
ESA Weekly Crew Conference
??? (=?3) Replacement Preparation Ops r/g 1928
PLR/GLCR Sample Transfer to Glove Box
??? Maintenance
On MCC GO Demate ??? telemetry connector / r/g 1928
RunSocial Update for iPad
??? (=?3) Replacement r/g 1928
RunSocial Update for iPad
PAO Hardware Setup
Prep for ??-2 Maintenance r/g 1954
Crew Prep for PAO
PAO Event
On MCC GO Mate ??? telemetry connector / r/g 1928
??? (=?3) Replacement Closeout Ops / r/g 1928
USND2 Hardware Deactivation
Eye Imaging (Ocular Health), OCT Exam (Operator)
Eye Imaging (Ocular Health), OCT Exam (Subject)
OTKLIK. Hardware Monitoring / r/g 1588
CMS3 Sample Retrieval from MELFI
EarthKAM. Camera Battery Swap
CMS3 Sample retrieval from CBEF IU and setting them in Thermal Container
Photography of the back side of SM interior panels / r/g 1931
ABOUT GAGARIN FROM SPACE. Hardware deactivation / r/g 1914
Node 3, Checkout of Aft Hatch to Unlatch Hardstop
INTER-MAI-75. Hardware Setup and HAM Radio Activation r/g 1955
DOSETRK Survey Questionnaire Completion
POLAR1 Desiccant Pack Swap
Checking RunSocial application file for Pad
CMS3 Sample Preparation
INTER-MAI-75. Hardware status check / r/g 1955
On MCC GO ISS Repress with air from Progress 431 (DC1) ???? Section 2 (start)
??1-4 dust filter cartridge replacement in SM
Crew Onboard Training (OBT) Self-Assessment Questionnaire
Universal Battery Charger (UBC) Battery Charge
On MCC GO ISS repress with air from Progress 431 (DC1) ???? Section 2 (terminate)
IMS Conference
IMS Delta File Prep
Eye Imaging (Ocular Health), Stowage of OCT Equipment
INTER-MAI-75. Hardware status check / r/g 1955
Compound Specific Analyzer-Combustion (CSA-CP) Checkout Part 2
INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops / r/g 1950
Cupola Window Shutter Closure
Ocular Health Experiment, Fundoscope Setup Adjustment
Ocular Health Experiment, Fundoscope Setup
HRF blood collection setup
Fundoscope Eye Exam
INTER-MAI-75. Hardware Deactivation and Closeout / r/g 1955
Ocular Health Experiment, Fundoscope Setup
Fundoscope Eye Exam
Fluid Shifts (FS) Experiment procedure review
Daily Planning Conference (S-band)
Ocular Health Experiment, Fundoscope Stowage
EarthKAM. Camera Battery Swap
Completed Task List Items
None
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Nominal ground commanding
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Friday, 04/15: Ocular Health, CMS3 ops, SODF deploy, Smartcycler install, WHC urine receptacle R&R
Saturday, 04/16: Crew off duty, housekeeping
Sunday, 04/17: Crew off duty
QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
Component – Status
Elektron – On
Vozdukh – Manual
[???] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) – On
[???] 2 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV2”) – Off
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
