NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 14 April 2014

Today: SpaceX (SpX)-3 Launch Scrub: Today’s planned SpX-3 launch from Cape Canaveral was scrubbed due to an issue with the launch vehicle. The next launch opportunity would be Friday, April 18, at 2:25pm CDT if the issue can be resolved.
External (EXT) Multiplexer/Demultiplexer (MDM)-2: EXT MDM-2 did not fully boot when powered up on Friday, drawing only 33 watts of power rather than a nominal 50 watts. It did not respond to subsequent mode code commands, despite several power cycles. The MDM manages communications from ISS computers to ISS Orbital Replacement Units (ORUs) and replacement of an EXT MDM is one of the critical contingency Extravehicular Activity (EVA) tasks. The ISS Mission Management Team (IMMT) convened yesterday and approved moving forward with SpX-3 launch and berth, as well as an EVA to be performed No Earlier Than (NET) April 22 to replace the MDM.

ISS HAM Video Commissioning: Wakata successfully completed the fourth ISS HAM video test pass. The first three passes tested the ground reception of the configuration. This fourth pass was a functional test of the optimal configuration over the duration of a full ground pass. All testing was nominal.

Radi-N2 Neutron Field Study (Radi-N2): Mastracchio deployed eight bubble detectors around the ISS for the Radi-N2 experiment. The objective of this investigation is to better characterize the ISS neutron environment and define the risk posed to the crewmembers’ health and provide the data necessary to develop advanced protective measures for future space flight.

Hybrid Training Part Five: Wakata donned the Hybrid Training hardware which provides electrical impulses to his non-dominant arm during concentric and eccentric arm motions. The electrical impulses will help to simulate the resistance that gravity would provide on the ground. This was Wakata’s fifth of twelve Hybrid Training sessions. Hybrid Training will be used for Wakata’s upper limbs (the non-dominant arm) for four weeks, and his muscular strength and bulk will be compared to those of his dominant arm to examine its orbital operation capability utility, as well as the preventive for muscle atrophy. Hybrid Training can become a useful back-up for the standard training device on the ISS. It can also be a useful training device in small space ships for the exploration of the Moon and Mars.

FLame Extinguishment Experiment (FLEX)-2 Operations: ISS CDR Wakata removed the Combustion Integration Rack (CIR) alignment guides, which isolated the rack and allowed ground teams to start another FLEX-2 test point via ground commanding. The fuel mixture will consist of 95% Propanol and 5% glycerol for this test point. FLEX-2 uses small droplets of fuel to study the special burning characteristics of fire in space. The FLEX-2 experiment studies the rate and manner in which fuel is burned, the conditions that are necessary for soot to form, and the way in which a mixture of fuels evaporate before burning. The results from these experiments will give scientists a better understanding how fires behave in space and will provide important information that will be useful in increasing the fuel efficiency of engines using liquid fuels.

Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU)/Airlock Cooling Loop Flush, Sampling Operations, Fan Pump Separator (FPS) R&R: Over the weekend the crew successfully completed the second phase of EMU airlock flushes on EMUs 3010 and 3011 to mitigate silica contamination. The EMUs were recharged with fresh water from Payload Water Reservoirs (PWR)s. A second water sample from EMU 3010 was collected for return and ground analysis. Today Wakata collected a third water sample on EMU 3010. Swanson and Mastracchio performed an FPS R&R on EMU 3005. These activities are in preparation for the EVA planned for NET April 22. Tomorrow the crew will perform the 3rd and final Airlock flush on 3005, 3010 and 3011, collect a water sample from 3005 and 3011, and will complete a Return-to-Service checkout on 3005.

Reboost: On Saturday, ISS performed a nominal reboost using 53P thrusters. This reboost set up phasing for 37S undock and landing scheduled for May 13 and 39S launch and 4-orbit rendezvous scheduled for May 29.

Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: Last Friday, in preparation for SpX-3 capture, Robotics Ground Controllers powered up the MSS and performed Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) LEE, Brake and Joint Diagnostics. Controllers then powered down the SSRMS, powered it up again on the Redundant String and repeated the diagnostics. They then maneuvered the SSRMS to the Latching End Effector (LEE) Snare Cables Inspection Position and verified visually that the LEE-A Snares Cables closed and opened properly. The SSRMS was then maneuvered back to the SpX Capture High Hover Position.

Yesterday Controllers translated the MT from Worksite 4 (WS4) to WS2. This was in preparation for the Extravehicular Activity (EVA) to replace External Multiplexer/Demultiplexer 2 (EXT-2 MDM) as the MT needed to be moved away from WS4 to allow EVA access to the EXT MDMs. The MT was translated to WS2 vice another WS in order to preposition the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) at WS2 for contingency camera support for SpX-3 capture. Controllers powered up the MSS in the Hot Backup Configuration to protect against the next worst failure (should EXT-1 MDM fail, Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) power up would not be possible).

Today’s Planned Tasks

Laptop RS1(2) reboot [Complete]
RSS1,2 reboot / r/g 1009 [Complete]
SM ??? Test / ???, [Complete]
??-? connection inspection at ???-?? behind ??? panel 139 [Complete]
RGN – water transfer to ???, start [Complete]
FPS R&R [Complete]
??? ?1 cartridge cycling (start) [Complete]
NAPOR-miniRSA. ???1-? software version update. r/g 5352 [Complete]
NAPOR-miniRSA. RSS2 laptop script installation. r/g 5353 [Complete]
Sound recording using EARQ software [Complete]
MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE dosimeter detector setup and initializer/g 5350 [Complete]
General photography of SM interior panels r/g 5338 [Complete]
RGN – water drain into ???, end [Complete]
MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE dosimeter detectors handover to USOS / r/g 5350 [Complete]
RADIN – receive detectors form FE-2 [Complete]
RADIN – deployment for exposure [Complete]
MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE dosimeter detector initialization/deployment for exposure.r/g 5350 [Complete]
RELAKSATSIYA. Hardware setup. r/g 5347 [Complete]
Urine transfer from EDV-U to 53P Rodnik ??2 r/g 5339 [Complete]
55P unstow with IMS updates r/g 5317 [Complete]
CIR – alignment guide removal [Complete]
MERLIN3 – desiccant transfer [Complete]
EMU Swap [Complete]
EMU Pre Water Sample [Complete]
RELAKSATSIYA. Parameter setup.r/g 5347 [Complete]
RELAKSATSIYA. Observation. r/g 5347 [Complete]
EMU Airlock mix [Complete]
EMU Airlock Flush Config [Complete]
SEYSMOPROGNOZ. ???? HDD data copy (start). / r/g 5349 [Complete]
HYBRID – simulation [Complete]
EMU Airlock sample [Complete]
RELAKSATSIYA. Observation. Specialist conference / r/g 5347 [Complete]
Soldering iron operability check / r/g 5356 [Complete]
RELAKSATSIYA. Closeout ops. r/g 5347 [Complete]
ISS O2 repress from Progress 421 ???? Section 1(start) [Complete]
OBT – Space X joint mission procedures review [Complete]
EMU Airlock Flush De-Config [Complete]
ISS O2 repress from Progress 421 ???? Section 1 (end) [Complete]
Address video shooting / r/g 5357 [Complete]
Space X cargo ops review
Sound recording using EARQ software [Complete]
??? laptop antivirus database update / r/g 5201[Complete]
KONSTANTA. 3rd study setup and execution.r/g 5351[Complete]
Space X cargo ops review
BIOEMULSIYA. Thermostate uninstall / r/g 5345 [Complete]
ARIL. Thermostate uninstall / r/g 5346 [Complete]
Log update [Complete]
SEYSMOPROGNOZ. ???? HDD data copy (end). r/g 5349 [Complete]
MERLIN3 – dessicant R&R [Complete]
??? maintenance [Complete]
IMS update [Complete]
Exercise data dump / r/g 2639 [Complete]
DPC (S-band) [Complete]
RELAKSATSIYA. Battery charging for Relaksatsiya / r/g 5256 [Complete]
??? ?1 cartridge cycling (end) [Complete]
Task List

CMS ARED cylinder evac
IFM Sabatier purge [Complete]
Journal Audio Entry FE3
Journal Audio Enter FE5 [Complete]
WHC KTO Replace
WHC EDV R&RCSL Cleint reload
CSL Client Reload
EHS-Dosimeter startup
EHS-Dosimeter transter/stow
EVA tether inspect [Complete]
EVA RET inspect, tape
EVA FPS tool gather [Complete]
EVA MDM R&R overview
Safer OBT
Gamah seal locate
H2O in helmet brief
IFM cotherm verify
IFM MDM prep/gather
JAXA Report7
Petri light eval
Dragon Robot self study [Complete]
FE-3 ECWS OBT [Complete]
Transfer Dragon Cargo Review (FE-5) [Complete]
WHC KTO replace
IMS Edit
WHC EDV-Y R&R
Roscosmos Report
Econ photo
Uragan photo
ARED RHEOlube fix
ARED SSCV5 pre-gather
CWC-I relocate
Data prep return
KTO EDV audit
MI core return prep
ST-ISS read
Ground

Nominal commanding
Three-Day Look Ahead:

Tuesday, 04/15: EMU Ops, prep for T-Cell Act in Aging experiment
Wednesday, 04/16: Replan in work due to SpaceX scrub
Thursday, 04/17: Replan in work due to SpaceX scrub
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 – Stop
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 – Operate
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) – Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) – Norm
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Full up