Space Stations

NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 17 October 2014

By Marc Boucher
Status Report
October 20, 2014
Filed under , ,
NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 17 October 2014
This moonlit panorama was shot recently with a wide-angle lens by an Expedition 41 crew member aboard the International Space Station, as they looked southwest from a point over Nebraska. The wide-angle lens shows a huge swath of country that stretches from Portland, Oregon (right) to Phoenix, Arizona (left). The largest string of lights is the Ogden-Salt Lake City-Provo area (lower center) in Utah. The Los Angeles and San Francisco metropolitan regions, and the cities of the central valley of California (Bakersfield to Redding) stretch across the horizon. The green airglow layer always appears in night images. Moonlight shows the red tinge of the space station's solar arrays top left. Moonlight emphasizes the broader-scale geological zones. Nevada's short, dark, parallel mountain ranges of the basin and range geological province (center) contrast with the expanses of flat terrain of the Colorado Plateau (left) in Colorado, Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. The near-full moon even reveals the vast dry lake bed known as the Bonneville Salt Flats. The black line of the Sierra Nevada marks the edge of California's well-lit central valley (directly below the San Francisco Bay area). Credit: NASA.
NASA

Today: Commercial Protein Crystal Growth High Density Modified (CPCG-HM): Gerst reviewed CPCG-HM experiment overview reference file and procedures.
He then deactivated samples, powered down, and placed CPCG-HM inside a Merlin+4 deg C unit for return on Dragon/SpaceX (SpX)-4. CPCG-HM is a National Laboratory Office experiment that is intended to demonstrate the scientific and commercial value of protein crystallization on a long-duration microgravity mission. This will be accomplished using flight hardware that accommodates high-value proteins whose structures cannot be determined through ground-based methods. Studying protein crystals grown in microgravity could provide useful information in the development of new drugs.

Space Headaches: Gerst and Wiseman completed Space Headaches questionnaires. The objectives for this study are to obtain in-flight data allowing evaluation of the prevalence and characteristics of headache in microgravity.

Nanoracks Module 19: Gerst performed microscope analysis of the Crystal Plates contained in NanoRacks Module-19 after several days of crystal growth. The Crew uses the Reflective Microscope (Module-12) to take photos of the Crystal Plates located in NanoRacks Module-19 Crystal Plate Frames.

Seedling Growth-2: Gerst reviewed overview materials and then replaced experiment containers (EC) within the European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS) with new ECs prepared to perform the first Seedling Growth-2 experiment run. Seedling Growth-2 is the second part of the Seedling Growth Experiment series and uses the plant Arabidopsis thaliana to determine the effects of gravity on cellular signaling mechanisms of phototropism and to investigate cell growth and proliferation responses to light stimulation in microgravity conditions.

CASIS PCG-3: Wiseman retrieved two Handheld High Density Protein Crystal Growth (HDPCG) units and relocated samples from the +2 Minus Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) dewar to the -95 MELFI dewar in preparation for return on Dragon/SpX-4. The CASIS PCG-3 investigation focuses on the crystallization of monoclonal antibodies, which are immune cells that can specifically bind to target cells or proteins. The monoclonal antibodies are currently undergoing clinical trials for the treatment of several diseases. High quality crystals can be used by the pharmaceutical industry to determine protein structure, improve drug delivery and drug purification methods and to develop better methods for the storage of biologically active ingredients.

Rodent Research -1: The Crew relocated Rodent Research samples from +4C cold stowage to -95C cold stowage in preparation for retrun on Dragon/SpX-4.

Dragon/SpaceX (SpX)-4 Activities: Wiseman and Wilmore completed training in preparation for the Dragon/SpX-4 undock planned for Tuesday, October 21. Wilmore performed some additional Dragon/SpX-4 cargo operations.

Russian Extravehicular Activity (EVA) preparations: Wilmore started a battery charging cycle and gathered tools and equipment in support of Russian EVA 40. Imagery of the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) was taken to allow assessment of the cargo stowage. The ATV hatch will be closed for the Russian EVA and needs to be in a configuration to allow a manual undocking in the event of a contingency. Suraev, Samokutyaev and Serova completed a dry run with pressurized Orlan suits. The crew also installed lights and cameras onto the suits and completed an EVA procedure review. Russian EVA 40 is scheduled for Wednesday, October 22.

Multifiltration Bed Removal and Replacement (R&R): Wiseman completed an R&R of the Water Processor Assembly (WPA) multifiltration bed. The levels of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) measured in recent water samples has been rising indicating that filtration bed is saturated.

Today’s Planned Activities

All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

ISS crew and ???? (RSA Flight Control Management Team)
CPCG – Procedure Review
On-orbit Hearing Assessment using EARQ
D2XS Battery Charge
OBT – Dragon Departure Review
NANORACK. Operation with Module-19
CASKAD. Manual Mixing in Bioreactor
Crew Prep for PAO
TV PAO Event With the Participants Of The XXII International Scholastic Space Olympiad Dedicated to the 80th Birthday of Y. A. Gagarin)
??? Config for Training Exercise
Comm configuration
Orlan Comm Check for EVA
Dry Run with Pressurized Orlan Suit Transfer to ??? (proficiency training of emergency translation to ??? in the event of DC1 leak).
Remove stowage from Double Coldlbag that will be packed and returned on SpX-4
Comm reconfig after Orlan Comm. Check
Battery Stowage Assembly (BSA) Battery Recharge Terminate
IFM – Multifiltration Bed Remove and Replace
US EVA Tools Gathering
Configuring ??? to Initial State after the Dry Run
MATRYOSHKA-R BUBBLE-dosimeter gathering and readings.
Veg-01 MELFI Insertion of Data Logger
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – Food Frequency Questionnaire
EMCS. Opening Gas Valve
Tool Transfer from USOS to RS in preparation for EVA 40
Space Headaches Weekly Questionnaire
D2XS Battery Charge
CPCG – Deactivation and Transfer to Descent Vehicle and Activation of CPCG-HM
Installation of US EMU lights, TV cameras, and REBA power supply units on Orlan 5 and 6 6915
ATV imagery for assessment of free volume before closeout ops
Crew Air Lock Procedure Review
PGS PL Sample Retrieval from MELFI
PGS – Sample Fixation
PGS. MELFI Sample Insertion
DRAGON. Transfer Ops
HAM Radio Session
RR-MELFI. Sample Relocation between Different MELFI Sections and Relocation of Samples from the +2 MELFI to -95 MELFI Dewar
D2Xs EVA Camera Configuration for EVA
Space Headaches Weekly Questionnaire
IMS Delta File Prep
Dragon Transfers Tagup
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – Food Frequency Questionnaire
Handover of US photo cameras to RS EVA crew
CASKAD. Manual Mixing in Bioreactor
SDGR2. Crew OBT[Aborted]
Start EMU METOX Regeneration
SDGR2. Experiment Container Replacement
Completed Task List Items

None
Ground Activities

All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

Audio Configuration to support ORLAN Suit Checks
Three-Day Look Ahead:

Saturday, 10/18: Dragon RoBOT OBT and cargo ops, CUCU CCP setup, MELFI to Glacier sample transfer, MICRO Gap 8
Sunday, 10/19: Crew Day Off, Weekly Cleaning, NanoRack Mod 9, Glacier transfer to Dragon
Monday, 10/20: Double Coldbag packing, Dragon/SpX-4 loading, egress and hatch closure
QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:

Component – Status
Elektron – On
Vozdukh – On
[???] 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) – Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Full up

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