NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 16 September 2016
The Expedition 49 trio is looking at plant growth today after the successful deployment of eight nanosatellites Thursday. The crew also inspected a treadmill and trained to care for a sick or injured crew member.
NASA astronaut Kate Rubins swapped seeds in a cultivator for the Plant RNA Regulation experiment. Some seeds were stowed in a science freezer, the other seeds will be grown in the cultivator for a week to research how microgravity changes a plant’s gene expression. Observations may provide new insights on how to grow plants for food and oxygen on long-term spaceflights.
Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi thoroughly inspected a treadmill inside the Tranquility module photographing its parts for analysis on the ground. Onishi also took a refresher course to stay up to date on medical procedures and gear in case of a crew illness or injury.
Commander Anatoly Ivanishin collected data from a radiation detection experiment and worked maintenance on a variety of Russian systems throughout Friday.
On-Orbit Status Report
Plant Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) Regulation Harvest: FE-6 removed the European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS) Seed Cassettes from EMCS Rotors A and B stowed them in an EMCS Cold Stowage Pouch. The removed cassettes were then stowed in MELFI. New Experiment Container (EC) Seed Cassettes were installed into the EMCS and will be grown for approximately one week. Compared to plants grown on the ground, plants grown in space experience broad changes in gene expression, which affects how they grow and develop. The Plant RNA Regulation investigation studies the first steps of gene expression involved in development of roots and shoots. Scientists expect to find new molecules that play a role in how plants adapt and respond to the microgravity environment of space, which provides new insight into growing plants for food and oxygen supplies on long-duration missions.
NanoRack Cubesat Deployer (NRCSD) Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform (MPEP) Return: FE-5 extended the JEM Airlock (JEMAL) Slide Table so that ground controllers could install the MPEP following the successful release of the eight Planet Lab DoveSats. The crew then retracted the table back into the JEMAL. The JEMAL will be repressurized next Tuesday, and the NRCSD will be removed next Friday.
Treadmill 2 (T2) Yearly and 6-Monthly Maintenance: The crew performed a thorough inspection of T2’s drive shaft, pulley teeth, motor, motor carriage bolts, motor belt, mounting screws, lateral belts, and clean the bearing housing. All observations were photo documented and downlinked to the ground for analysis. Once the maintenance is completed, T2 was powered up and a checkout was performed. T2 was cleared for crew use.
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Crew Medical Officer (CMO) Training: FE-5 completed a refresher course on some of the equipment and procedures taught in the CMO classes covering crew illness and/or injury. Lessons include text, pictures and video detailing previously learned medical procedures and hardware.
Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) High Definition (HD) Encoder Connectivity – On September 13, the previous AVN 443 HD Encoder in the JEM Module (S/N 1006) was inadvertently misconfigured with the wrong IP address. A spare unit (S/N 1009) was installed but its IP address was incorrect. Ground teams developed a procedure to reset the IP address via the JSL which was successfully executed today.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Extension to JEF side
Regenerative ECLSS Recycle Tank Drain
Replacement of ????
63P USOS Trash Label
Plant RNA Regulation/EMCS Procedure Review
Columbus Video Camera Assembly 1 (VCA1) Adjustment
JEMRMS Small Fine Arm Attachment Mechanism (SAM) Softdock
Acoustic Dosimeter Operations – Setup Dosimeter for Static Measurement
Plant RNA Regulation/EMCS Experiment Container Removal from Rotor A
Crew Medical Officer (CMO) On Board Training (OBT)
Plant RNA Regulation/EMCS Rotor A Sample Processing
JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Retraction from JEF side
Plant RNA Regulation/EMCS MELFI Sample Insertion
Mating telemetry connectors to ????2-12
Plant RNA Regulation/EMCS Experiment Container Removal from Rotor B
Replacement of ????. Closeout
MATRIOSHKA-R. Measurements
Plant RNA Regulation/EMCS Rotor B Sample Processing
Plant RNA Regulation/EMCS MELFI Sample Insertion
Exchange of EMCS TCS Sponge before PRR Run2
Strata Status Check
Long Duration Sorbent Testbed Status Check.
Treadmill 2 (T2) Yearly Maintenance
Quick-disconnect screw clamps (???) maintain
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ)
Quick-disconnect screw clamps (???) tightening in MRM1-FGB
Hard To Wet Surfaces OBT Review
-Monitiring ??-1 Air Flow Sensors
??? Maintenance
Delta file prep
Metal Oxide (METOX) Regeneration Termination
Metal Oxide (METOX) Regeneration Initiation
Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus (CGBA) 4 and 6 Status Check and Maintenance
Countermeasures System (CMS) Treadmill 2 (T2) Unmanned Activation and Checkout (ACO)
Space Headaches – Weekly Questionnaire
Compound Specific Analyzer-Combustion Products (CSA-CP) Extended Maintenance
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) – Lab
Completed Task List Items
CCE-Google-Sci Fair
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
JEMRMS installation of NRCSD deployer on slide table
Battery 4B1 Reconditioning
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Saturday, 09/17: Housekeeping, Crew Off Duty
Sunday, 09/18: Crew Off Duty
Monday, 09/19: Body Measures, HTWS setup, MSL SCA exchange, PWD sample
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 – Standby
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) – Reprocess
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Full Up
