NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 21 May 2015
Scott Kelly, NASA’s One-Year crew member, flawlessly released the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from the grips of the Canadarm2 at 7:04 a.m. EDT this morning. Mission Control in Houston had earlier commanded the station’s 57.7 foot long robotic arm to remove Dragon from the Harmony module and place it in its release position.
After its release, SpaceX controllers in California took control of the cargo craft guiding it beyond the vicinity of the International Space Station with a trio of departure burns. The commercial space freighter is planned to parachute to a Pacific Ocean splashdown at 12:42 p.m. Engineers will be off the coast of Long Beach, Calif., to retrieve the spacecraft, which is filled with more than 3,100 pounds of science and other cargo.
Back inside the space station it’s business as usual as the six-member Expedition 43 crew worked ongoing microgravity science and maintenance of the world’s most advanced orbital laboratory. Commander Terry Virts, who is due to return home in early June, took a refresher course in Crew Medical Officer training and also participated in a hearing assessment. Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti conducted fluid physics work that could benefit commercial products on Earth. The cosmonaut trio, including One-Year crew member Mikhail Kornienko, were in the station’s Russian segment working on their to-do list of advanced science and technical tasks.
SpaceX is now gearing up for its seventh Commercial Resupply Services mission, scheduled for launch June 26. A Falcon 9 rocket will carry the Dragon spacecraft to orbit, allowing the vehicle to deliver the first of two International Docking Adapters to the space station. This mission, SpaceX CRS-7, will begin the process of readying the orbital lab for future Commercial Crew spacecraft.
On-Orbit Status Report
SpaceX-6 Dragon Departure: Overnight, the crew disconnected both power jumpers, installed the Center Disk Cover, and closed Node 2 Nadir Hatch. They then successfully depressurized and pressure checked the Node 2/Dragon vestibule. Dragon was unberthed from the Node 2 Nadir docking port and subsequently released by the crew utilizing the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) at 6:04am CDT this morning. Dragon splashdown was in the Pacific Ocean landing zone at 11:42am CDT. The Recovery team has Dragon safely on the recovery boat and they are heading to port.
Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR) Advanced Colloids Experiment (ACE)-Microscopy-3 (M3): Virts accessed the FIR Light Microscopy Module (LMM) and removed the Auxiliary Fluids Container (AFC) that housed the ACE-M3 sample. He removed the sample and using the Binary Colloidal Alloy Test (BCAT)-3 magnet mixed the samples prior to returning the sample to the LMM. ACE-M3 research involves the design and assembly of complex three-dimensional structures from small particles suspended within a fluid medium. These so-called self-assembled colloidal structures are vital to the design of advanced optical materials. In the microgravity environment, we will study the relation between particle shape, crystal symmetry and structure, a fundamental issue in condensed matter science.
BCAT-Low Gravity Phase Kinetics Platform (KP) Intervelometer Change: Cristoforetti changed the camera battery, transferred images to a laptop for ground controllers to downlink, and then set the D2Xs intervalometer. The BCAT-KP experiment aims to help materials scientists develop new consumer products with unique properties and longer shelf lives. Colloids are mixtures of small particles distributed throughout a liquid, which include milk, detergents and liquid crystals. Gravity affects how the particles clump together and sink, making the International Space Station an ideal platform to study their fundamental behaviors.
Columbus Solid State Drive Installation: Kelly removed the two Columbus Video Cassette Recorders (VCR) from the starboard end cone then replaced them with two newer design Solid State Drive (SSD) recorders. The newer SSD recorders will provide additional recording capability without the use of Hi-8 tapes. During cable connection portion of the activity, the crew encountered issues with connector clearances. Ground teams are investigating the problem.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Medical Ops OBT
Dragon/Node 2 Vestibule Depress
Morning Inspection. SM ??? (Caution & Warning Panel) Test
Reading Reminder for Fine Motor Skills Second
FIR Rack Doors Open
ACE – Sample Prep
On-orbit hearing assessment using EARQ
Columbus Stowage Items Relocation
ACE – Sample Prep
Video Monitor 1 (VMN1) Removal from Installation Location
Fine Motor Skills – Experiment Ops
Closing window shutters 6,8,9,12,13,14
Node 2 – Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) Demate
Crew Command Panel (CCP) Cable Route and Checkout
Medical Kit Audit
Installation of inserts to ease opening of SM interior panel locks – Preparation steps. Unstow kit with structural elements (004890R, ???1???_4_427_1, CTB No.1112 (004106J)
Life On The Station Photo and Video
Installation of inserts for easy opening of SM interior panel locks (panel 338)
BCAT-D2XS – Battery Charge Initiation
ACE – Sample Prep
FIR Rack Door Close
Installation of Camcorder in the LAB at LAB RWS 3 to monitor RWS commanding from the ground. Adjust LAB RWS monitor 3 to a maximum brightness to be able to see graphics via camcorder.
RWS – Configuration
WRS – Recycle Tank Fill
Video Footage of Greetings
Preparation for SSRMS Dragon Release from Node 2 Nadir
SSRMS Dragon Release from Node 2 Nadir and Departure Monitoring
Psychological Evaluation Program (WinSCAT)
Medical Kit Audit
Installation of inserts for easy opening of SM interior panel locks (panel 322)
Life On The Station Photo and Video
On-orbit Hearing Assessment using EARQ
Transfer of two Video Cassette Recorders from Columbus
BCAT – Battery Replacement and Photo Downlink
Installation of new Solid State Drive (SSD)
Gathering equipment to replace device ??-50-1? No.10 (?210)
RWS Teardown
Crew Command Panel (CCP) Cable Routing
Carrier Rack Rotation to gain access to VDPU
Installation of inserts for easy opening of SM interior panel locks (panel 234)
Carrier Rack Reconfig after VDPU Installation – Assistance (Part 1)
Installation of new VDPU
IMS Delta File Prep
Photo documentation of HRM harness ops
Installation of inserts for easy opening of SM interior panel locks (panel 320)
Video Downlink End
VIZIR. Experiment Ops
Carrier Rack Reconfig after VDPU Installation
RWS Monitor Video Downlink to See Graphics via Camcorder
Carrier Rack Reconfig after VDPU Installation – Assistance (Part 2)
WRS – Recycle Tank Fill [Aborted]
VMN1 Reinstallation
Columbus Stowage Items Relocation
VZAIMODEISTVIYE-2. Experiment Ops
URISYS Hardware Setup
CUCU Deactivation
Completed Task List Items
WHC-KTO-REPLACE
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
System commanding associated with Dragon departure
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Friday, 05/22: Ocular Health, EVA Loop Scrub, Biolab Microscope cassette removal
Saturday, 05/23: Weekly Cleaning, Crew Off Duty
Sunday, 05/24: Crew Off Duty
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 – 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
