NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 20 January 2017

The International Space Station residents are wrapping up their work week today installing and checking science communications gear. The Expedition 50 crew is also continuing to explore how long-term space flight affects eyesight.
Commander Shane Kimbrough and Flight Engineer Thomas Pesquet worked on increasing the operations and communication capabilities of science gear. The duo worked on separate devices to improve data transfers between different science racks allowing more research to be conducted on orbit.

NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson joined cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Andrey Borisenko for ongoing research into eye damage and vision changes that may be caused by living in space. A possible solution to the upward fluid pressure that may harm an astronaut’s eyes is the Lower Body Negative Pressure (LBNP) suit

Whitson donned the suit today which pulls fluids down towards the feet to offset the headward flow. Novitskiy and Borisenko used an ultrasound scan and performed eye checks on Whitson to determine the effectiveness of the suit.

On-Orbit Status Report

Fluid Shifts Before, During and After Prolonged Space Flight and Their Association with Intracranial Pressure and Visual Impairment (Fluid Shifts): The third 49S crewmember performed their second day of the Flight Day 45 Day (FD45) Fluid Shifts operations in the Russian Service Module (SM). The subject donned the Chibis device, and while the crewmember was exposed to the negative pressure (pulling the fluid feetward), the operator, with remote guidance from Houston, performed arterial and venous measurements of the head and neck; cardiac, ophthalmic, and portal vein measurements; and tissue thickness of various body parts using the Human Research Facility (HRF) ultrasound. The crew then deconfigured the ultrasound, and configured the Cerebral and Cochlear Fluid Pressure (CCFP) and Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions (DPOAE) for tomorrow’s operations. Fluid Shifts investigates the causes for severe and lasting physical changes to astronaut’s eyes. Because the headward fluid shift is a hypothesized contributor to these changes, reversing this fluid shift with a lower body negative pressure device is investigated as a possible intervention. Results from this study may help to develop preventative measures against lasting changes in vision and eye damage.

Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) Sample Installation: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA’s) ELF is located in the Multi-Purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR)-2. On Wednesday, the crew performed an ELF Sample Holder removal and then ground teams were able to perform a checkout. Today the crew installed an ELF Sample Holder. This cartridge sample will provide science capability for ground teams to evaluate. The ELF is an experimental facility designed to levitate/melt/solidify materials by containerless processing techniques using the Electrostatic Levitation method. With this facility, thermophysical properties of high temperature melts can be measured, and solidification from deeply undercooled melts can be achieved.

Veg-03 Initiation: After reviewing On-Board Training (OBT) materials, the crew initiated the next in the series of plant growth experiments in the Veggie facility. The crew configured and installed the Vegetable Production System (Veggie) on the Maintenance Work Area (MWA) and then installed six Small Plant Pillows to hold the Chinese Cabbage plants. The overall goal of Veg-03 is to further demonstrate proof-of concept for the Veggie plant growth chamber and the planting pillows. Future long-duration missions into the solar system, finally culminating on Mars, will require a fresh food supply to supplement crew diets, which means growing crops in space. Previous investigations focused on improving productivity in controlled environments, but the limited quarters of the Space Shuttle and ISS made it difficult to conduct large-scale crop production tests. Veg-03 expands on previous validation tests of the new Veggie hardware, which crew members have used to successfully grow flowers and lettuce in space. Tests determine which types of microorganisms are present in space-grown cabbage, providing baseline data for future crop-growing efforts. Behavioral health surveys assess the impact of growing plants on crew morale and mood.

Improved Payload Ethernet Hub Gateway (iPEHG) Installation: The crew installed an iPEHG into Expedite the Processing of Experiments to the Space Station (ExPRESS) Rack-7 (ER-7). The iPEHG is a component of the ISS’s Joint Station Local Area Network (JSL) and provides switched Ethernet full-duplex network data communication between International Standard Payload Racks (ISPR) devices, ExPRESS Rack devices, the JSL Edge Routers (ER), and a fiber optic High Rate Data Link (HRDL) Gateway to the High Rate Communications System (HRCS). Ground activation and checkout was completed successfully.

External (EXT) Multiplexer/Demultiplexer (MDM) Checkout: Last week, the crew configured a new Enhanced Processor and Integrated Communications (EPIC) EXT MDM by removing two circuit cards from a donor MDM and installing them, plus an additional spare card, into the spare EXT MDM. The MDM Front Cover was then exchanged for an EXT MDM Ethernet Cover. Today, the crew used the MDM On Orbit Tester (MOOT) to perform a checkout of the new MDM configuration. EPIC MDMs feature faster processors, increased memory, and an Ethernet port for data output, allowing for the simultaneous operation of a greater number of experiments. The upgraded EXT MDM is scheduled to be installed during a future EVA.

Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: Overnight, the Robotics Ground Controllers maneuvered the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to stow the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) on Mobile Base System (MBS) Power Data Grapple Fixture 2 (PDGF2). Then the SSRMS was walked off MBS PDGF1 onto MBS PDGF3. In this configuration, with Latching End Effector B (LEE-B) as the Base LEE and LEE-A as the Tip LEE, troubleshooting was performed to help determine the cause of the Binary Data Transfer (BDT) errors received late last year during the HTV-6 Exposed Pallet (EP) extraction and transfer to the Payload ORU Accommodation (POA). The anomaly appears to be within the SSRMS and is present when LEE A is the tip and payload power is being applied while operating on Channel A. At the completion of the troubleshooting, the SSRMS was walked back off MBS PDGF3 onto MBS, the SPDM was unstowed and the SSRMS and SPDM were configured for the Mobile Transporter (MT) translation from Worksite 2 (WS2) to WS5, which was then completed this afternoon in preparation for HTV6 Operations.

Integrated Communications Unit (ICU) R3 Software Patch: The ground team uplinked and installed the ICU R3 Patch 3 utilizing the generic ICU Software Load Procedure, This software patch specifically updates the Real Time Flow (RTF) Single Board Computers (SBC) within the ICU to support the upcoming installation of the new Edge Router replacement next year. The software patch works with both the current Edge Router and it’s replacement.

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

FLUID SHIFTS. Comm configuration for the experiment
FLUID SHIFTS. Gathering and Connecting Equipment for TV coverage
Fine Motor Skills Experiment Test – Subject
FLUID SHIFTS. OCT Hardware setup in SM
Inventory Management System (IMS) conference
XF305 Camcorder Setup
Electrostatic Levitation Furnace(ELF) Sample Holder installation
Life On The Station Photo and Video
FLUID SHIFTS. Connecting OCT Laptop to BRI and HRF PC to ???-26
Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis
Fluid Shifts OCT Service Module Power On
Fluid Shifts CCFP Service Module Configuration
Fluid Shifts DPOAE Service Module Setup
FLUID SHIFTS. Chibis Setup
FLUID SHIFTS. Assistance during Operation with CHIBIS and GAMMA-1M.
Fluid Shifts Experiment Service Module Data Collection – Subject
Recharging Soyuz 732 Samsung PC Battery
Express Rack 7 Rack Rotate Preparation
FLUID SHIFTS. Chibis Closeout Ops
FLUID SHIFTS. Deactivation of ???? Equipment and Closing Applications on Central Post SSC
FLUID SHIFTS. Restoring nominal comm config
Fluid Shifts OCT Service Module Power Off
FLUID SHIFTS. Disconnecting of Laptop OCT, HRF and connecting RSE-Med.
Fluid Shifts Tonometry Service Module Stow
iPEHG Hardware Install
Fluid Shifts OCT Service Module Stow Alternate
iPad procedure test for working with r/g.
Removal of 800? (?103) unit and inspection of Battery Module No.2 ????-1? (?402) connectors
WIRELESS LEAK DETECTOR ULTRASONIC SENSOR REMOVAL AND FILE TRANSFER
Progress 433 (DC1) Stowage Ops with IMS Support
Removal of unit 800? (?102)
Crew Handover Conference
iPEHG Hardware Install
VEGGIE Software On-Board Training
Reinstallation of unit 800? from position ?102 to ?103
Robotic Workstation (RWS) Setup
Photography of RS Windows: No.1, No.12 in SM, EV hatch 1 window in DC1
Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record
Intravehicular Tissue Equivalent Proportional Counter (IV-TEPC) Relocate
Multiplexer/Demultiplexer (MDM) On-Orbit Tester Laptop (MOOT) Hard Disk Drive Swap
In-flight Maintenance (IFM) External Multiplexer/Demultiplexer (EXT MDM) Checkout
VEG Series Experiment On-Board Training.
Reinstallation of unit 800? from position ?103 to ?102
VEG-03 MWA Preparation
Express Rack 7 Configuration Return
Terminate Soyuz 732 Samsung PC Battery Recharge
Life On The Station Photo and Video
VEG-03 Experiment Install
In-flight Maintenance (IFM) External Multiplexer/Demultiplexer (EXT MDM) Restow
Space Headaches – Weekly Questionnaire

Completed Task List Items
AR Rack Label
BBA/LHA JPM1OF5
WHC Cable Bag Locate

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
MT Worksite Translation (WS2 to WS5)

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Saturday, 01/21: Weekly Housekeeping, Crew Off Duty
Sunday, 01/22: Crew Off Duty
Monday, 01/23: CDRA Selector Valve R&R, MDCA Replace, Fluid Shifts

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 – Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 – Idle
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