NASA International Space Station On-Orbit Status 27 July 2015
The International Space Station moved out of the way of a piece of satellite debris late Saturday night. There were no impacts to crew safety or operations. The maneuver may replace one of three reboosts planned for the orbital laboratory ahead of the Sept. 2 launch of the Expedition 45/Visiting Taxi Crew.
Commander Gennady Padalka and One-Year crew member Mikhail Kornienko are getting ready for an Aug. 10 spacewalk. They will work outside for six hours replacing experiments and equipment and photographing the condition of the station’s Russian segment.
The six-member Expedition 44 crew also moved full speed ahead with more science and maintenance work. One-Year crew member Scott Kelly worked on the Twins experiment that compares his adaptation in space with his Earth-bound brother and ex-astronaut Mark Kelly. NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren tended to lettuce plants being grown for the Veggie study then moved on to U.S. spacesuit maintenance.
Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui looked at how microorganisms can affect a crew member’s immune system in space for the Microbiome study. Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko worked on unpacking gear from the new Soyuz TMA-17M spacecraft, stowing discarded gear in the ISS Progress 58 space freighter and updating the station’s inventory management system.
On-Orbit Status
Pre-determined Debris Avoidance Maneuver (PDAM): On Saturday, the ISS performed a PDAM using 58 Progress R&D thrusters. This was the result of a late notification conjunction. Delta-V was 0.50 meters/second (m/s); burn duration was 4 minutes, 12 seconds. This PDAM will likely replace a reboost that was scheduled for August 6 as the first of three reboosts to set up 4-orbit rendezvous conditions for 44S launch and 42S landing this September.
Human Research Program (HRP) Operations: The United States On-orbit Segment (USOS) and 1-Year Mission crewmembers participated in a suite of HRP activities today. Kelly performed blood draws and urine collections in support of his Flight Day (FD) 120 Biochemical Profile and Twins Study experiments. Yui continued his FD7 Microbiome with body, perspiration, and surface sample collections. Lindgren performed his FD6 Cognition, and both Kelly and Kornienko continued their 7-day Sleep Shift Reaction Self-Test operations.
– The Biochemical Profile experiment tests blood and urine samples obtained from astronauts before, during, and after spaceflight. Specific proteins and chemicals in the samples are used as biomarkers, or indicators of health. Post-flight analysis yields a database of samples and test results which scientists can use to study the effects of spaceflight on the body.
– Twins Study is an integrated compilation of ten different studies led by multiple PIs at multiple centers. The studies take advantage of a unique opportunity to look at the effects of space travel on identical twins, one of whom experiences space travel for one year; the other remains earth-bound for that same year. The experiment studies changes in the human body in the fields of genetics, psychology, physiology, microbiology, and immunology.
– The Microbiome experiment 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).
– Individualized Real-Time Neurocognitive Assessment Toolkit for Space Flight Fatigue (Cognition) is a battery of tests that measures how spaceflight-related physical changes, such as microgravity and lack of sleep, can affect cognitive performance. Cognition includes ten brief computerized tests that cover a wide range of cognitive functions and provides immediate feedback on current and past test results. The software allows for real-time measurement of cognitive performance while in space.
– Reaction Self-Test is a portable, five-minute task that enables astronauts to monitor the daily effects of fatigue on performance while in space. Sleep restrictions and residual effects from sleep medications, slam shifts that change the sleep/wake cycle, and effects from spacewalks can cause fatigue and degrade astronaut performance. Periodically during the mission, and in association with major events, an astronaut performs a reaction-time test on a computer to measure changes in responses.
Veggie Hardware Validation Test (Veg-01): Lindgren added water to the plant pillows and root mat. He then took photos and downlinked for ground teams to evaluate the status of the plants. The primary goal of the Veg-01 testing is to demonstrate plant growth in the Veggie hardware using lettuce as a test species. Plants will be grown in two different sizes of arcillite, a calcined clay media. This test will help compare root zones of the two media sizes to determine water and root distribution in the different sized particles to provide recommendations for future Veggie investigations. Shoot samples will provide information on growth anomalies when compared with ground controls and information on microbial growth and food safety. Photographs will be used to assess plant growth rates and plant health. A data logger will record the environment within the Veggie hardware. Crew questionnaires will provide insight into the appropriateness and thoroughness of the crew procedures for Veggie hardware and plant growth operations.
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Fan Pump Separator (FPS) Remove and Replace (R&R) Procedure Review: Due to the loss of Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) 3017 on SpaceX (SpX)-7, the EVA community was directed to return EMU 3011 to operational status. The EMU was originally taken out of service due to corroded bearings in the FPS which was removed and not replaced. Today the crew reviewed FPS R&R procedures followed by a conference with ground teams to address questions in preparation for tomorrow’s planned gas trap and Water Line Vent Tube Assembly (WLVTA) R&Rs. Lindgren also gathered tools for configuration/staging of tools and hardware prior to starting the maintenance activities tomorrow.
Japanese Experiment Module (JPM) Stowage Consolidation: Yui removed trash and gathered hardware to be stowed under the JEM Airlock in preparation of the arrival of H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV)5. He also consolidated Cargo Transfer Bags (CTBs) to optimize JEM stowage configuration.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Reaction time test (morning)
Inspection of [???-??]’s [??-?] connection, [??2], [??4], [??5] behind ??? panel 139 and of the transparent 5182-03 hose running from [????] to [???]
Laptop RSS 1,2 reboot / r/g 7437
BIOME – sampling off the body surfaces
TWIN – urine sampling
HRF – sample insertion into MELFI
Reaction self-test. Reaction time test (morning)
HRF – sample insertion into MELFI
HRF – blood sampling
HRF – blood sampling (assistance)
DPC (S-band)
KORREKTSIYA. Logging the liquid and food (medicine) intake parameters / r/g 9431
Morning meal
HRF – cooling centrifuge configuration
Morning meal
Removal equipment transfer to Progress-425 (docked at SM [??]) along with IMS updates / r/g 9288
KASKAD. Manual stirring inside the bioreactor / r/g 9277
HRF – blood sampling cleanup ops
SEISMOPROGNOZ. Copy data from [????] HDD data (start) r/g 9013
HRF – sample insertion into MELFI
HRF – blood sampling and processing equipment stow
JEM stowage setup – part 1
EVA-41 equipment and tools search r/g 9420
ISS adaptation and familiarization time
Water treatment system sampling
VEG-01 – plant water filling
GoPro camera uninstall in Soyuz 717. Video copy to HDD. Flash card cleaning
TOCA – potable water dispenser sample analysis
HRF- hardware installation
VELO-1 exercise
TWIN – urine sampling
KONSTANTA-2. Retrieve the cartridge from [???-?] and stow at panel 418 to warm up for one hour / r/g 9436
HRF – sample insertion into MELFI
EMU FPS pump maintenance procedure review
KONSTANTA-2. 1st study setup and run r/g 9436
KORREKTSIYA. Logging the liquid and food (medicine) intake parameters / r/g 9431
Equipment transfer from Soyuz 717 and IMS update / r/g 9410
Water composition analysis using MCD
KONSTANTA-2. Photography during the science operation / r/g 9437
Crew preparation for audio-only PAO / r/g 9438
ISS adaptation and familiarization time
Audio only PAO with All-Russia Space Educational Month in Artek camp (S-band) / r/g 9438
SEISMOPROGNOZ. Copy data from [????] HDD data (term); archiving (start) r/g 9013
EMU FPS pump maintenance procedure conference
Crew handover
ISS adaptation and familiarization time
Soyuz 717 delivered ODF replacement / r/g 9424
TWIN – urine sampling
TOCA – data recording
EMU FPS pump maintenance tools setup
BIOME – sweat sampling setup
ISS adaptation and familiarization time
HRF – sample insertion into MELFI
VZAIMODEYSTVIYE-2. Science ops run / r/g 9435
Crew preparation for PAO / r/g 9446
Exercise data dump over OCA / r/g 6797
Equipment preparation for PAO / Refer to OSTPV for guidance
PAO during a one year-long mission r/g 9446
HRF- hardware installation
SHD – questionnaire fill-up
TWIN – urine sampling
BIOME – sweat sampling
PMC
URISIS hardware setup
HRF – sample insertion into MELFI
BIOME – sample stowage
KASKAD. Manual stirring inside the bioreactor / r/g 9277
HRF – sample insertion into MELFI
SHD – questionnaire fill-up
COGN – science ops run and questionnaire fill-up
Crew discretion activity
KORREKTSIYA. Logging the liquid and food (medicine) intake parameters / r/g 9431
Reaction self-test. Reaction time test (evening)
Completed Task List Items
COL ETC rotate inspection
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
EVA FPS procedure conference
Battery 1A3 Capacity Test
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Tuesday, 07/28: OBT ISS emergency hardware familiarization, EMU gas trap R&R, EMU WLVTA R&R, Plant Rotation sample
Wednesday, 07/29: FPS install, JEM stowage consolidation, CFE prep
Thursday, 07/30: CFE ops, EMU flush, N1 stowage reconfig
QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
Component – Status
Elektron – Off
Vozdukh – Manual
[???] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) – On
[???] 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 – Shutdown
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
