NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 18 October 2013

Blood Pressure Regulation (BP Reg) Experiment: Flight Engineer (FE)-5 Parmitano set up hardware to support the leg cuff and rebreathing protocol for the Canadian Space Agency BP Reg experiment.
He then performed the experiment protocol on himself. BP Reg tests the efficacy of an in-flight manipulation of arterial blood pressure as an indicator of post-flight response to a brief stand test. Space flight negatively impacts the regulation of BP on return to an upright posture on earth. This experiment has potential application for the general population, where dizziness and fainting (syncope) are major health problems and are especially important for elderly, where falling is a major contributor to bone fracture. A better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for fainting could reduce the risk of injury.

Interact and Stella Checkout: FE-6 Nyberg set up and performed tests of the newly loaded Stella software with Interact. The software provides a direct interface that can overcome communications delays and blackouts. Interact is a user interface and control system that allows ground-based users to operate a remote team of small satellites working on a common mission. Supervision of several assets working as a team will provide a more efficient way to assemble spacecraft, refuel or repair satellites, or conduct emergency repairs on the ISS.

Ocular Health (OH) Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Fundoscope Examination: With remote guidance from the ground team, Parmitano supported as the Crew Medical Officer (CMO) conducting a Fundoscope eye examinations of Nyberg after administering drops for pupil dilation. This activity is part of the technical demonstration of the OCT hardware, which will determine whether the unmodified, commercially available device can operate effectively in the ISS. The Ocular Health protocol calls for a systematic gathering of physiological data to characterize the risk of microgravity-induced visual impairment / intracranial pressure in ISS crewmembers. Researchers believe that the measurement of visual, vascular, and central nervous system changes over the course of this experiment and during the subsequent postflight recovery will assist in the development of countermeasures, clinical monitoring strategies, and clinical practice guidelines.

Capillary Flow Experiment (CFE) Interior Corner Flow (ICF)-3: Nyberg set up and initiated a run for the ICF-3. This is the third CEF ICF run out of 17 currently planned. CFE ICF studies capillary flow in interior corners. Structured inside tanks providing interior corners are used in the design of fuel tanks to promote fuel flow to the outlet of the tank in the absence of gravity. The units used in the ICF-3 runs differ from other ICF series in the capillary geometry of the test chambers. Equations governing the process are known but have not been solved analytically because of a lack of experimental data identifying the appropriate boundary conditions for the flow problem. Experimental results will provide the necessary boundary conditions as a function of container cross section and fill fraction. The benchmarked theory can then be used to improve propellant management aboard spacecraft.

Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV)-4 Cargo Operations: FE-3 Hopkins and Parmitano continued loading disposal items into ATV-4 today. ATV4 undocking from the Service Module aft port is scheduled for October 28th .

Vozdukh Performance Test: Vozdukh was activated on Monday in Manual Mode 6 to determine its actual performance in preparation for the 9 crew timeframe. The test period for Mode 6 ended this morning. The Vozdukh removed the equivalent of CO2 for 4.5 crew during periods when it was the only CO2 scrubber in use. It was necessary to activate Node 3 CDRA several times to keep CO2 below the 4.0 mm Hg limit. The measured Vozdukh performance in Mode 6 confirmed that during the 9 crew timeframe (Nov. 7-10) running both Vozdukh and N3 CDRA will adequately keep CO2 levels low. Lab CDRA and Amine Swingbed are also available if needed.

Today’s Planned Tasks

HRF-F/BLD – Frozen Blood Collection Operations [Complete]
HRF-RC – Centrifuge configuration [Complete]
???-1. Relaksatsiya Experiment Battery Charge [Complete]
HRF Refrigerated Centrifuge Spin Terminate [Complete]
HRF – Blood Sample MELFI Insertion [Complete]
HRF Blood Collection Hardware Stowage [Complete]
OBSTANOVKA. Telemetry Storage Unit (????) SAS-3 Test [Complete]
URAGAN. Photo Spectral System Battery Charge (begin) [Complete]
Blood Pressure (BP) – Experiment Ops [Complete]
CASKAD. Manual Mixing in Bioreactor [Complete]
EVA procedures and preliminary timeline review, watching DVD’s [Complete]
Crew Medical Officer (CMO) Proficiency Training [Complete]
CIR Alignment Guide Installation [Complete]
Combustion Integrated Rack Manifold Bottle Replacement [Complete]
??? Maintenance [Complete]
CIR – Rack Doors Close [Complete]
SPHERES Test Setup [Complete]
Symbolic Activity [Complete]
SHD – Weekly Questionnaire [Complete]
??0501 Gas Analyzer ?2 Channel Adjustment Uout= 2.65V [Complete]
HMS FOOD FREQUENCY QUESTIONNAIRE [Complete]
IMS Conference [Complete]
IMS and Stowage Conference [Complete]
Blood Pressure (BP) – Equipment Stowage [In Work]
Crew Prep for PAO [Complete]
PAO Hardware Setup [Complete]
Symbolic Activity [Complete]
PAO Event [Complete]
RELAKSATSIYA. Hardware Setup [Complete]
SPHERES Test Run [Complete]
Surface Sample Kit (SSK) Collection/Incubation [Complete]
SPHERES Test Shutdown [Complete]
RELAKSATSIYA. Experiment Ops [Complete]
ATV Cargo Operations [Complete]
Joint Station LAN (JSL) USL ISL Router Reboot [Complete]
OH – Fundoscope Setup [Complete]
OH – Preparation for Fundoscope Checkout [Complete]
Life On The Station Photo and Video [Complete]
CASKAD. Manual Mixing in Bioreactor [Complete]
URAGAN. Observation and Photography using Photo Spectral System (???) [Complete]
OH – Fundoscope Checkout [Complete]
OH – Fundoscope Stowage [Complete]
SHD – Weekly Questionnaire [Complete]
URAGAN. Closeout Ops [Complete]
ATV Transfer Load Master Tagup [Complete]
ATV Transfer Tagup [Complete]
Symbolic Activity [Complete]
Task List

ARED Cylinder Evacuation
KTO Replace
???-? R&R
Preparation of reports for Roskosmos site
IMS Update
ECON-M. Observations and Photography
URAGAN. Observations and Photography
CWC-I Swap [Complete]
EMU FPS R&R Study
EMU FPS Tool Gather [In Work]
ESA Imagery [In Work]
15th Anniversary PAO Messages
ATV Cargo Transfer
35S Prepack [In Work]
CFE ICF3 Ops [Complete]
Crew Discretion PAO [In Work]
CDRA ASV Clean [In Work]
PMA 1 Clean up [Complete]
SM Printer Troubleshooting
Ground

Nominal Commanding[Complete]
Battery Capacity Test on 3B3[In Work]
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Saturday, 10/19: Housekeeping, Crew Off Duty
Sunday, 10/20: Crew Off Duty
Monday, 10/21: Cygnus prep for departure, Microbial Air Samples

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 – Standby
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 – Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab – Off
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 – Operate
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) – Standby
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) – Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) – Lab Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Full up