NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 15 December 2015
Tim Kopra of NASA, Tim Peake of ESA (European Space Agency), and Yuri Malenchenko of Roscosmos joined their Expedition 46 crewmates aboard the orbiting laboratory when the hatches between the Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft and the International Space Station officially opened at 2:58 p.m. EST.
Expedition 46 Commander Scott Kelly of NASA and Flight Engineers Mikhail Kornienko and Sergey Volkov of Roscosmos welcomed the trio aboard their orbiting home.
The crew members will install equipment and conduct experiments to help NASA’s journey to Mars while making discoveries that can benefit all of humanity. Learn more about Expedition 46 crew members and their activities (PDF).
The incoming trio will spend about six-months aboard the station. Kelly and Kornienko are about nine months into their one-year mission, and are scheduled to return home in March 2016. These trips also enable the Roscomos to rotate a crew member and a Soyuz spacecraft. Each Soyuz remains in orbit about six months.
On-Orbit Status Report
45 Soyuz (45S) Launch and Dock: 45S successfully launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 5:03 am CST this morning with Malenchenko, Peake, and Kopra onboard. 45S executed a nominal 4 orbit rendezvous and docked to the ISS Mini-Research Module (MRM)-1 at 11:33 am CST. Docking was completed in manual mode following a failed thruster message during the initial automated approach. With the arrival of the 45S crew, the ISS crew complement increased from 3 to 6 crewmembers.
Observation and Analysis of Smectic Islands in Space (OASIS): Kelly exchanged the OASIS samples in the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) today. OASIS studies the unique behavior of liquid crystals in microgravity, including their overall motion and the merging of crystal layers known as smectic islands. Liquid crystals are used for display screens in televisions and clocks, and they also occur in soaps and cell membranes. The experiment allows detailed studies of the behavior of these structures, and how microgravity affects their unique ability to act like both a liquid and a solid crystal.
Russian Pilot-T Experiment: Kelly performed a session of the Russian experiment Pilot-T today. The goal of Pilot-T is to improve methods and develop equipment to assess and predict crewmember performance reliability during the execution of complex operator tasks (such as piloting a space vehicle or controlling transport and robotic equipment on the surface of a spacecraft) during various stages of long-term spaceflight.
Veg-01: Kelly refilled the Veg-01 plant pillows with water on Saturday and again today. The Veg-01 investigation is used to assess on-orbit function and performance of the Veggie facility, focusing on the growth and development of seedlings in the spaceflight environment and the composition of microbial flora on the plants and the facility. For this run, Zinnias will be grown for 60 days and are expected to produce flowers.
Journals: Kelly completed a Journals entry today. The Journals investigation obtains information on behavioral and human issues that are relevant to the design of equipment and procedures used by astronauts during extended-duration missions. Study results provide information used in preparations for future missions to low-Earth orbit and beyond.
Space Headaches: Later this afternoon, Peake will complete the first of a week of daily Space Headaches questionnaires. The daily questionnaires are only scheduled immediately after arrival of a new crewmember to the ISS. Weekly questionnaires will be completed in subsequent weeks. 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.
Vozdukh Status: Vozdukh experienced an anomaly on Thursday of last week. Several attempts to reactivate the system had been unsuccessful. Russian Life Support Specialists suspected a failure of the vacuum pump and scheduled additional troubleshooting. On Monday, the Russian Crew performed the troubleshooting in order to verify the failed component and then successfully performed a vacuum pump change out. Vozdukh is now operating nominally.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Soyuz ODF Procedures ?719
ISS – HAM RADIO Power Down
PILOT-T. Preparation for Experiment
Closing USOS Window Shutters
Review TV Coverage procedure “Hatch Opening from MRM1? and “Arrival of Expedition 46”
PILOT-T. Experiment Ops
Closing window 6,8,9,12,13,14 shutters
Filling (separation) of EDV (KOV) for Elektron or EDV-SV. Separate KOV No. (00063570R)
RS Arriving Crew CQ outfitting
Gas Analyzer Activation in ?? 718
??? Maintenance
Soyuz 718 Samsung Tablet Recharge – Initiate
OASIS – Sample Swap
PILOT-T. Closeout Ops
On MCC GO ISS Repress from Progress 428 (DC1) ???? Section 1 – initiate
Water Recovery System (WRS) Drain Waste Water Tank, initiate
On MCC GO ISS O2 Repress from ??? 428 (DC1) ???? Section 1 – terminate
MPEG2 Multicast Test via Ku-band (Activation/Deactivation of TV data and MPEG2 Multicast controls)
Soyuz 718 Samsung Tablet Recharge – terminate
Preparation for Soyuz 719 Docking
???? configuration for ?? 719 docking to MRM1. Comm check with Soyuz 719 via RSA2-S/G2
Monitoring Soyuz 719 Rendezvous with ISS (MRM1)
Activation of TV Data and MPEG2 Multicast Monitoring Equipment
On MCC GO Activation of mpeg2 multicast video recording mode
Water Recovery System (WRS) Drain Waste Water Tank, terminate
On MCC GO Switch MRM1-?? PEV to ELECTR CONTR position
Comm config after Soyuz 719 docking
Closing Applications and Downlink of MPEG2 Multicast video via OCA
BIOSIGNAL. Installation of Cryogem-03
INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops
On MCC GO ?? 719 – MRM1 Interface Leak Check. Start Drying 2 space suits
Hardware Setup in SM and checkout for “Expedition 46 Arrival” TV PAO Coverage from SM
Disconnecting TVS Camera ??-153? from ?RM1 TVS
CONTENT. Experiment Ops
Hardware Setup in MRM1 for “Hatch Opening from MRM1? TV PAO Coverage from SM and Test Checkout from MRM1
WRS – Recycle Tank Fill
TV Coverage “Soyuz 719- MRM1 Hatch Opening”, TV Coverage “Expedition 46 Arrival”
Soyuz 719-MRM1 Hatch Opening, TV coverage “Expedition 46 Arrival”
VEG-01 – Refilling Root Mat with Water
JRNL – Journal Entry
Safety briefing after ?? 719 docking
Handover of the 3rd space suit and gloves for drying in Soyuz 718
Comm reconfig for nominal ops
Drying the 3rd spacesuit in Soyuz 718 – start
Terminate drying suits 1,2, in Soyuz 719
On MCC GO Closing Applications, Deactivation of camcorders and TV data monitors
Installing the 1st pair of gloves for drying in Soyuz 719
?? 719 Deactivation (without Gas Analyzer deactivation)
CEVIS Exercise
Connecting TV Camera ??-153? to MRM1 TVS
SHD1ST – Survey Questionnaire Completion
Terminate drying the first pair of gloves and start drying the second pair in Soyuz 719
Soyuz 719 Deactivation (without Gas Analyzer deactivation)
INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops
Terminate Drying the Second Pair of Gloves in Soyuz 719
Stowage of the 1st and the 2nd suit and gloves in TK 719 after drying
Terminate drying the 3rd suit, start drying the 3rd pair of gloves in T? 718
Terminate Drying the 3rd pair of Gloves in Soyuz 718
Handover of the 3rd space suit and gloves after drying in ?? 718
Stowage of the 3rd suit and gloves in TK 719 after drying
Closing USOS Window Shutters
Closure of SM window shutters No.6,8,9,12,13,14
ECON-M. Observation and Photography
Preparation of Reports for Roscosmos Web Site and Social Media
Installation of inserts to ease opening of SM interior panel locks (Unstow ???????? ??????????? (Structural Elements) kit (004890R), ???1???_4_427_1, ??? No.1112 (004106J)
Completed Task List Items
None
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
System commanding associated with 45S rendezvous and dock
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 12/16: Optical Coherence Tomography, Emergency Roles and Responsibilities Review
Thursday, 12/17: Cygnus Cargo Ops
Friday, 12/18: VEG-01, CIR Ops
QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
Component – Status
Elektron – Off
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 – Startup
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 – Full Up
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Off
