NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 15 March 2016

Much of the research taking place onboard the International Space Station helps doctors improve health for citizens on Earth and astronauts living in space. Other station experiments help engineers design smarter materials and better technologies to advance business and space industries.
At the beginning of the day, British astronaut Tim Peake joined Commander Tim Kopra for blood pressure checks. The duo also checked the fluid pressure in each other’s eyes using a tonometer with support from doctor’s on the ground. The medical checks are part of the ongoing Ocular Health study that seeks to understand vision problems some astronauts have reported after their long-term missions.

Kopra then started researching liquid crystals and their potential for better display screens on spacecraft systems. Afterward, he collected and stored samples for a study that explores how microbes influence the human immune system in space.

Peake spent the rest of the afternoon inspecting the COLBERT treadmill located in the Tranquility module. Veteran cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko studied radiation exposure before cleaning fans and air ducts inside a pair of Russian modules.

On-Orbit Status Report

Observation and Analysis of Smectic Islands in Space (OASIS) Gylcerol/Water Fill: Kopra completed a science run of the OASIS Gylcerol/Water Fill activity by filling the Inkjet droplet device with glycerol/water for the final experiment protocol on each sample container and will exchange the hard drive for continued operations. 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 in 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.

Ocular Health: Kopra and Peake installed batteries in the Cardiolab (CDL) Holter Arterial BP Unit, powered on the unit, cleared the memory, donned the BP Cuff, and each performed a BP measurement prior to stowing the hardware. The results are recorded in the Vital Signs Data Collection Tool form. With observation from the ground support personnel, Kopra and Peake will practice using the Tonometer on an eye simulator and then conduct a Tonometry Exam with the Medical Ground Support team.

Microbiome: Kopra completed a questionnaire, set up body sampling collection equipment and performed body sample collections. He then placed the samples in cold stowage. Microbiome investigates the impact of space travel on both the human immune system and an individual’s Microbiome (the collection of microbes that live in and on the human body at any given time).

Hatch Seal Inspection: Kopra completed the first of two sessions of this scheduled maintenance to clean the USOS hatch seals in Node 2, Node 3, PMM, COL and JEM. He also inspected the sealing surface and hatch handle mechanism for Foreign Object Debris (FOD) or damage. The second hatch seal inspection session is planned for Thursday.

Treadmill 2 (T2) 6-Month Maintenance: Peake partially completed this 6-month inspection of T2. He inspected tread belt slats, cleaned closeout panels, lateral belt and drive shaft teeth and vacuumed inside T2 rack space and filter screen. He also replaced the eye bolts that attach bungees to the rack. Peake was scheduled to complete axle greasing, however, he was unable to locate sufficient grease so the task will be scheduled for a later date.

Cygnus Cargo Operations: Peake relocated cargo from the Japanese Experiment Logistics Module-Pressurized Section (JLP) Bay 2 to the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Pressurized Module (JEM) and Columbus (COL) in preparation for OA-6 arrival scheduled for March 26.

Robotics Operations: Robotics ground controllers maneuvered the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to the Offset Grapple start position in preparation for tomorrow’s planned OA-6 Robotics Onboard Trainer (RoBOT) training session. They are currently performing checkout maneuvers of the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) Shoulder Yaw Joint. This troubleshooting is intended to further isolate the cause of an anomaly that prevented the shoulder yaw joint from starting up during RRM operations in October 2015. SPDM Arm 2 is functional with some constraints.

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

Hematocrit Test / ?? Book 2 r/g 1647
HRF – Sample Insertion into MELFI
BIOME – Sample Collection
Hematocrit Test r/g 1647
Hematocrit Hardware Stowage
HRF – Sample Insertion into MELFI
??? Laptops Antivirus Scan Check and Status Report / r/g 8247
On MCC Go Regeneration of ??? ?2 Micropurification Cartridge (start)
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – Eye Examination
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – Vision Questionnaire
JEM – Relocating Cargo in Preparation for Cygnus arrival
MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE-dosimeter gathering and measurements.r/g 1662
Ocular Health (OH) – Blood Pressure Operations
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – Tonometry Test Setup
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – Eye Examination
Ocular Health (OH) Blood Pressure Operations
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – Vision Questionnaire
Health Maintenance System (HMS): Tonometry Test – assistance
Health Maintenance System (HMS): Tonometry Test – Subject
Ocular Health Experiment – Tonometry Test – Crew Medical Officer (CMO)
Ocular Health Experiment – Tonometry Ops – Test Subject
Laptop FS1 S/W Upgrade r/g 1665
BIOME – Sample Collection
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – Tonometry Hardware Stowage
HRF – Sample Insertion into MELFI
BIOME – Equipment Stowage
Observation and Analysis of Smectic Islands in Space (OASIS) – Sample Container Exchange and Glycerol/Water Fill
Crew Prep for PAO
PAO Hardware Setup
PAO Event
T2 Semi-Annual Maintenance [Partially completed]
Vacuum Cleaning of ??1 and ??2 air ducts in DC1
BIOME – Equipment Stowage
Hatch Seal Inspection
?3 Fan Screen Cleaning in DC1 / Thermal Mode Control System
Cleaning ??1, ??2 dust filters and ?1, B2 Fan Grilles in MRM2
On MCC Go ISS ?2 Repress from Progress 429 (Aft) ???? Section 2 (start)
??? Maintenance
?2 – Unmanned activities
On MCC Go ISS ?2 Repress from Progress 429 (?ft) ???? Section 2 (terminate)
IMS Delta File Prep

Completed Task List Items
None

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
MSS Powerup
SPDM Arm 2 shoulder yaw test [In work]
MSS Powerdown
Nominal ground commanding

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 03/16: Ocular Health, Fundoscope, OBT Cygnus RoBOT #1
Thursday, 03/17: Ocular Health, Hatch seal inspection, T2 6-month maintenance
Friday, 03/18: 46S launch (crew sleep shift)

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”) – 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