NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 12 May 2015
The return to Earth for NASA’s Terry Virts, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti and Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov now is scheduled for early June.
NASA and its international partners set the schedule after hearing the Russian Federal Space Agency’s (Roscosmos) findings on the loss of the Progress 59 cargo craft. The exact date has not yet been established and will be announced in the coming weeks.
The six-member Expedition 43 crew worked Tuesday on a wide variety of tasks. The International Space Station residents explored life sciences, trained for a robotics experiment, conducted maintenance and prepared for next week’s departure of the SpaceX Dragon cargo craft.
Astronaut Scott Kelly worked on an experiment which observes how a crew member’s fine motor skills adapt over a six-month and a year-long mission in space. He then moved on to training for the Robotics Refueling Mission.
Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti worked on the Rodent Research experiment during the afternoon. Commander Terry Virts worked on cargo transfers to the Dragon space freighter which is getting ready for its May 21 departure and splashdown.
The three cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov, Gennady Padalka and Mikhail Kornienko, worked in the Russian segment. The trio cleaned dust filters, changed out a smoke detector and downloaded results from a microbial air sampling.
On-Orbit Status Report
Rodent Research-2 Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (RR-2 CASIS): Kelly performed a fixative flush and swapped the samples collected yesterday which he inserted into MELFI. The primary objective of this research is to monitor the effects of the space environment on the musculoskeletal and neurological systems of mice as model organisms of human health and disease. Living in microgravity results in significant and rapid effects on the physiology of mice that mimic the process of aging and some diseases in humans on Earth, including muscle atrophy and the loss of bone mineral density. This project will help scientists to discover new molecular targets that can facilitate the development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of muscle and bone-related diseases. Long-duration exposure to microgravity will also induce changes in gene expression, protein synthesis, metabolism, and eye structure/morphology that will be identifiable as a series of assessable biomarkers for tracking the onset and progression of disease.
1-Year Mission (1YM) Human Research Program (HRP) Science Operations: Kelly performed the following suite of HRP activities today.
The Sleep ISS-12 experiment monitors ambient light exposure and crew member activity and collects subjective evaluations of sleep and alertness to examine the effects of space flight and ambient light exposure on sleep during a year-long mission on the ISS.
In the Fine Motor Skills experiment, crew members perform a series of interactive tasks on a touchscreen tablet. The investigation is the first fine motor skills study to measure long-term microgravity exposure, different phases of microgravity adaptation, and sensorimotor recovery after returning to Earth gravity.
Individualized Real-Time Neurocognitive Assessment Toolkit for Space Flight Fatigue (Cognition) is a battery of tests that measure 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.
Combustion Integration Rack (CIR) Hardware Gather: Virts gathered the equipment for the CIR reconfiguration from FLame Extinguishment Experiment (FLEX)-2 to the FLEX-2J scheduled for Wednesday.
Node 1 (N1) and Node 2 (N2) Bacteria/Charcoal Filter Remove & Replace (R&R): Virts removed N1 bacteria filters and replaced them with charcoal filters. Using charcoal filters in Node 1 will reduce the ISS atmospheric Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) concentration. Reducing the PDMS atmospheric concentration will subsequently reduce the quantity of dimethylsilanediol (DMSD) produced in the Common Cabin Air Assembly (CCAA) Condensing Heat Exchangers, thereby extending the life of the Multifiltration (MF) Beds that are in a zero spare posture. The bacteria filters that were removed from the N1 will replace the N2 Bacteria filters that were scheduled to be replace per preventative maintenance schedule.
Robotics Refueling Mission (RRM) Hardware Removal: Following the conclusion of last week’s RRM activities, Cristoferetti extended the JEMAL Slide Table (ST) into the Japanese Experiment Module Pressurized Module (JPM), brought the RRM Task Board-2 and Safety Cap Tool (SCT) into the ISS habitable volume and removed them from the JEMAL ST. The ST was then retracted from the JPM side and the inner hatch was closed.
Node 1 (N1) Stowage/Relocation: Cristoferetti began this activity to move infrequently used hardware from N1 to Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM)-1. This is to create space in the N1 for food stowage and the Galley Rack scheduled to arrive in August on H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV)-5.
Dragon Cargo Transfer Operations: As of today, the crew has approximately 11 hours of SpX-6 cargo operations remaining.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
SLEEP – Questionnaire
Regeneration of ??? ?2 Micropurification Cartridge (start)
Cleaning fan grilles on FGB interior 201, 301, 401
PROX Power Switch ON
Life On The Station Photo and Video
Node 1 Stowage – Part 3
CIR Hardware Gather
FINEMOTR – Experiment Ops
RRM. OBT, Procedure Overview
Cleaning fan grilles on FGB interior panels 116, 316, 231, 431
Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM) Removal Procedure Review
MRM1-FGB Screw Clamp Tightening
JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Extension to JPM Side
DRAGON. Transfers Ops
Verification of ??-1 Flow Sensor Position
RRM. Hardware Assembly
VIZIR. Experiment Ops
Dust Filter Replacement and MRM1 Gas-Liquid Heat Exchanger Cleaning
Activation of FS1 File Server.
JEM Airlock – Slide Table Retraction
???? Configuration for MRM2
Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) iPad Data Transfer to ISS Server
WRS – Recycle Tank Fill from EDV
Testing iPAD full network access capabilities on the RS.
Replacing ???-3 Smoke Detectors in MRM2
PROX Switch OFF
DRAGON. Transfers Ops
Audit of ??1 fuses in SM
Rodent Research (RR) – Fixative Swap
Node 1 Bacteria/Charcoal Filter Remove and Replace
DRAGON. Transfers Ops
ALGOMETRIA. Experiment Ops
Test activation of Vozdukh Atmosphere Purification System Emergency Vacuum Valves
ISS RS Plug-In Audit
Changeout of Dust Filter Cartridges in SM
Dragon -Transfers Tagup
Node2 Bacteria/Charcoal Filter Remove and Replace
Dragon Cargo Operations Conference
??? Maintenance
Rodent Research (RR) – Sample MELFI Insertion
MSG – Powerdown
Rodent Research (RR) – Cleaning Animal Access Unit
WRS – Recycle Tank Fill from EDV
IMS Delta File Prep
Historical Documentation. Photography of Synthetic Muscle
Relocate Rodent Tissue Boxes returning on SpX-6 and stow ACE Heated sample which arrived on SpX-6
CIR – Post-Experiment Hardware Stowage
MDCA – Multi-User Droplet Combustion Apparatus MWA Prep
COGN – Experiment Ops and Questionnaire
??? ?2 Absorption Cartridge Regeneration (end)
Completed Task List Items
None
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
N3 CDRA Bed Leak Check
HTV5 Prox Ops Checkout
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 05/13: Twin Studies, RR habitat stow, MDCA h/w replace, SAM install, N3 Power reconfiguration, IMAK unpack
Thursday, 05/14: N1 and N3 SDS Valve Install, HXP sampling
Friday, 05/15: Restocking rodent habitat, Micro Observatory sampling, FPEF MD10 removal
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 – Standby
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab – Shutdown
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 – Operate
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) – Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) – Process
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Full Up
