NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 18 August 2016
A new port for commercial crew vehicles was robotically removed from the back of the SpaceX Dragon Wednesday night. The International Docking Adapter was placed in position for its installation Friday morning to a pressurized mating adapter attached to the Harmony module.
Two spacewalkers, Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Kate Rubins, will complete the installation work during a spacewalk scheduled to begin Friday at 8:05 a.m. EDT. The NASA astronauts will install cables and outfit the docking port that will enable future Boeing and SpaceX crew vehicles to dock at the International Space Station.
While the spacewalk preparations were under way, a Japanese astronaut and three cosmonauts conducted a variety of space research. Takuya Onishi tended to the mice being observed for the Mouse Epigenetics study. That experiment is researching altered gene expression and DNA changes in mice and their offspring living in space.
Cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin explored ways of detecting micrometeoroid impacts on the outside of the station. He also joined Oleg Skripochka and studied how galactic and solar radiation genetically affects viruses that infect bacteria. Veteran cosmonaut Anatoly Ivanishin investigated how coulomb crystals and liquids are formed by charged macroparticles and researched how the heart beats in space.
On-Orbit Status Report
Mouse Epigenetics Cage Unit Maintenance: The crew completed standard maintenance activities for the Mouse Epigenetics experiment by refilling the Transportation Cage Units with water and checking the water nozzles of the individual cages. The Mouse Epigenetics investigation studies altered gene expression patterns in the organs of male mice that spend one month in space, and also examines changes in the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of their offspring. Results from the investigation identify genetic alterations that happen after exposure to the microgravity environment of space.
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Preparations: The crew spent most of the day preparing for tomorrow’s EVA, completing the following:
– Configured/audited tools and prepared the Equipment Lock (EL), Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMUs) and ancillary hardware.
– Removed/relocated stowage from the Node 2 forward port endcone to access the forward International Docking Adapter (IDA) control panel.
– Set up the IDA control panel and 2 multimeters for the Modified Androgynous Peripheral Attachment System (MAPAS) installation.
– Copied EMU/Airlock contingency procedures to their iPads in the event the Station Support Computer (SSC) goes down.
– Pre-EVA health check.
– Pre-EVA conference with ground teams.
International Docking Adapter (IDA): Ground controllers used the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to inspect the sealing surface of IDA2, and then successfully extracted the IDA from the Dragon trunk overnight. There was a delay in the removal when a tethered pyro bolt from the Latch B Flight Support Equipment (FSE) floated very close to the IDA handrail. A video inspection of the handrail confirmed that the tether was not looped around or through the handrail. The ground team continued with the IDA extraction but the FSE bolt interfered with the bottom of the handrail and the IDA structure. The FSE bolt was freed after a sequence of adjustments with the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) robotic arm. The adjustments were very minor and positive margin between the IDA and Dragon were verified prior to each adjustments. The IDA was maneuvered to position for the installation on Pressurized Mating Adapter (PMA) 2 during the spacewalk tomorrow morning.
MERLIN-1 False Fire Indication: MERLIN-1 was unpowered following a false fire indication. Crew members took Compound Specific Analyzer- Combustion Products (CSA-CP) readings which were all zero. Ground teams are investigating the cause. No loss of science was incurred, as MERLIN-1 is located in the Node 1 Galley area and is used primarily for crew preference items.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
ISS crew and ???? (RSA Flight Control Management Team) weekly conference r/g 3090
FAGEN. Photography during fixation of samples / r/g 3118
FAGEN. Fixation of samples from MCK No.4 and setup in SM r/g 3117
CARDIOVECTOR. Experiment Ops r/g 3115
MOUSE Hardware Setup
ABOUT GAGARIN FROM SPACE. HAM Radio Session Leaders Club / r/g 3114
Pre-EVA Crew Health Status – Prep
Pre-EVA Crew Health Status – CMO
Pre-EVA Crew Health Status – Subject
Pille Sensors setup for USOS EVA / r/g 3120
CARDIOVECTOR. Photography of the Experiment Ops / r/g 3116
UDOD. Experiment Ops with DYKNANIYE-1 and SPRUT-2 Sets r/g 3119
Collecting surface samples from SM equipment and structures / r/g 3084
PHS hardware stow (Periodic Health Status)
ABOUT GAGARIN FROM SPACE. HAM Radio Session Leaders Club / r/g 3114
XF305 Camcorder Settings Adjustment
Mouse Epigenetics, Transportation Cage Unit, Troubleshooting, Part 1
Kulonovskiy Kristall Experiment Run. Tagup with specialists / r/g 3123
EVA Tool Config
KULONOVSKIY KRISTALL. Copy and Downlink Data / r/g 3123
EVA Procedure Review
On MCC Go Installation of a new upgraded ???-??8 device at FGB ??-9??-8 system ??1? operation site r/g 3095
Equipment Lock Preparation
USOS EVA Tool Audit
Final printout of EVA procedures
EVA Procedure Conference
On MCC Go: Replacement of ??1? ??025? device with the upgraded FGB ??-9??-8 device r/g 3095
Collecting surface samples from SM equipment and structures / r/g 3084
US EVA, NODE2 Ops in Preparation for International Docking Adapter (IDA) Installation
OTKLIK. Hardware Monitoring / r/g 1588
??? Maintenance
Private medical conference before EVA from USOS
Replacement of CO2 Filter Unit ??0501
ISS-HAM Radio Session
On-orbit hearing assessment using EARQ
Progress 432 [OA] Stowage Ops with IMS Support / r/g 3122
CUCU EVA Inhibits
Countermeasures System (CMS), Sprint Exercise, Optional
Multimeter and Camcorder Setup in N2 in preparation for IDA Installation
Physical Fitness Evaluation (on the treadmill) r/g 3100
IDENTIFICATION. Copy ???-? micro-accelerometer data to laptop / r/g 1589
INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops / r/g 3113
ISS HAM RADIO Power Down
Private medical conference before EVA from USOS
On-orbit hearing assessment using EARQ
Completed Task List Items
None
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
EVA procedures review
IDA multimeter startup
Nominal ground commanding
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Friday, 08/19: IDA2 EVA
Saturday, 08/20: Post EVA cleanup activities, EVA debrief, Heart Cells media change, Mouse cage maintenance, CMO OBT
Sunday, 08/21: 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 – Operate
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
