NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 22 January 2015
Today: Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (CATS) Transfer: Overnight, Robotic Flight Controllers used the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) with the Special Purpose Dexterous manipulator (SPDM) in order to extract CATS from the Dragon trunk.
They then performed a handoff of CATS to the Japanese Experiment Module Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS) and installed the experiment onto the JEM exposed facility. Today’s operation was the first time that the SPDM handed off a payload to the JEMRMS. The CATS investigation uses a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system to measure the location, composition and distribution of pollution, dust, smoke, aerosols and other particulates in the atmosphere. CATS is mounted on the Japanese Experiment Module’s Exposed Facility and is used to study the atmospheric constituents that impact global climate. By gaining a better understanding of cloud and aerosol coverage, scientists can create a better model of the Earth’s climate feedback processes.
Advanced Plant Experiment (APEX)-03: Wilmore inserted three APEX-03 fixation tubes into the Minus Eighty Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI). APEX-03 continues a highly successful investigation into the effects of microgravity on the development of roots and cells on plant seedlings. The experiment photographs seedlings of Arabidopsis, or thale cress, every two hours as they grow in petri dishes. After 14 days, the seedlings are preserved for return to Earth and detailed analysis
Coarsening in Solid Liquid Mixtures (CSLM)-4: Virts configured the third sample processing unit (SPU). Over the next week, six CSLM SPUs will be processed in the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) and prepared for return on SpaceX-5. For each run, the crew configures valves and connections to vent the SPU and water lines, start the automated processing sequence, transfer experiment data and exchange the processed SPU with a new one after each sample run. CSLM-4 is a materials science investigation that studies the growth and solidification processes (i.e., coarsening) in lead-tin solid-liquid mixtures that contain a small amount (low volume fraction) of tin branch-like (i.e., dendritic) structures, some of which possess many arms. During sample heating, the growth at the tip of each dendrite continues over time, whereas side branches, behind the tip, develop during constant temperature (i.e., isothermal) conditions. By understanding how temperature and time control the growth of such dendrites, researchers hope to develop more efficient and economical means of producing higher quality products derived from the casting of molten metals.
Ocular Health: Wilmore set up the fundoscope and Cristoforetti acted as Crew Medical Officer (CMO) performing Flight Day 60 eye exam measurements on subject Virts. The Ocular Health protocol is a systematic gathering of physiological data to characterize the risk of microgravity-induced visual impairment / intracranial pressure in ISS crewmembers. Researchers believe the measurement of visual, vascular and central nervous system changes over the course of this experiment and during the subsequent post flight recovery will assist in the development of countermeasures, clinical monitoring strategies, and clinical practice guidelines.
Airway Monitoring: Cristoforetti performed a calibration and then three Fractional Expired Nitric Oxide (FENO) measurements, followed by three Diffuse Capacity in Lungs Nitric Oxide (DLNO) measurements. Virts will perform DLNO measurements on Saturday, January 24th. The FENO protocol determines how much Nitric Oxide is exhaled with respiration. The DLNO protocol determines how much Nitric Oxide is diffused into the blood. The primary goals of the Airway Monitoring experiment is to determine how gravity and microgravity influence the turnover of Nitric Oxide in the lungs. During future manned missions to the Moon and to Mars, airway inflammation due to toxic dust inhalation is a risk factor. Since dust may cause airway inflammation and since such inflammation can be monitored by exhaled Nitric Oxide analysis the present study is highly relevant for astronaut health in future space programs.
T-Cell Act in Aging (T-Cell) 2: Cristoforetti copied KUBIK temperature and centrifuge data from KUBIK to the European Drawer Rack (EDR) laptop after completion of the T-Cell 2 experiment and transferred it to a Station Support Computer (SSC) for downlink to ground. The crew also disconnected and stowed the portable power supplies and the KUBIK units. T-Cell 2 seeks the cause of a depression in the human immune system while in microgravity. T-cells, a type of white cell, are coated with chemical receptors that must trigger together to activate the body’s immune system properly. T-cells from flight crews and ground volunteers in a range of ages are analyzed to determine changes in protein production and gene response on the ground and in microgravity
Circadian Rhythms: Cristoforetti continues with her third of four 36 hour Circadian Rhythms session. Circadian Rhythms investigates the role of synchronized circadian rhythms, or the “biological clock,” and how it changes during long-duration spaceflight. Researchers hypothesize that a non-24-hour cycle of light and dark affects crewmembers’ circadian clocks. The investigation also addresses the effects of reduced physical activity, microgravity and an artificially controlled environment. Changes in body composition and body temperature, which also occur in microgravity, can affect crewmembers’ circadian rhythms as well. Understanding how these phenomena affect the biological clock will improve performance and health for future crewmembers.
Dragon Cargo Transfer: Today, the crew continued with SpaceX Dragon cargo operations. The crew has completed ~31 hours of the estimated 65 hours needed to unpack then pack SpaceX-5 cargo.
Emergency On-Board Training (OBT) Debrief: All six crewmembers reviewed their actions and lessons learned from the false ammonia leak event which occurred last week on January 14th. As a result to the event, the crew had executed ammonia response emergency procedures and temporarily isolated themselves to the Russian Segment. It was later determined that the event was initiated by an erroneous indication from the Node 2-2 Multiplexer/Demultiplexer.
Remote Power Control Module (RPCM) LAS62B RPC 07 Trip: Yesterday evening, the RPC for the Lab Moderate Temperature Loop (MTL) Nitrogen Introduction Assembly (NIA) vent valve tripped open. Loss of power to this valve prevents ground commanded or automatic safing by depressing the Lab MTL Internal Thermal Control Systems (ITCS) loop in the case of an ITCS leak. This morning, Ground teams confirmed there was no over current conditions and have reclosed the RPC. There was no immediate impacts to the trip since the Lab ITCS is currently operating off of the Low Temperature Loop (LTL) Pump.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
JEMRMS Bus Monitor Cable Setup
CSLM – Preparation Ops
Ocular Health (OH) – Hardware Setup
Replacement of the expired Pressurization Equipment “Germetizator” on the RS
WRS Maintenance
URAGAN. VSS Health Check
APEX3 – MELFI Sample Insertion
OTKLIK. Hardware Check
Life On The Station Photo and Video
AIRMON – Power On
Ocular Health (OH) – Examination
TCELL2 – Copying Data
VIBROLAB. Installation of Sensors on Calibration Plate (??). Installation of Calibration Plate on panel 218
VIBROLAB. Installation of Electronics Unit and on-orbit P/L kit SINUS-ACCORD on panel 220. Connecting bonding strap
TCELL2-KUBIK – Closeout Ops
VIBROLAB. Connecting inter-modular cable bundles (between sensors and electronics unit) of SINUS-ACCORD P/L
VIBROLAB. Photography
VIBROLAB. Laying onboard cable network
Life On The Station Photo and Video
Microbial Air Sampling (Medium 1) – Analysis of medium 1 results, locations 1-8
DRAGON. Transfer Ops
Columbus – Stowage Reconfiguration
Cleaning ???4 (Gas-Liquid Heat Exchanger) ??-7 Fan Screen
Crew activates Portable Power Supply (PPS) 1 power outlet 1
AIRMON – Hardware Activation and Calibration.
JEMRMS – Virus Check
JEMRMS – Transfering data to SSC, Deactivating, and Disconnecting Power Cables
JRMS – Disconnect cables between UOP and RLT3
ESA Weekly Crew Conference
AIRMON – AIRMON FENO measurements, Calibration and DLNO measurement
Emergency Event Debrief
DRAGON Transfer Ops
CSLM2-SPU – Data Transfer
AIRMON – DLNO measurement
24-hour Holter monitoring (terminate)
FGB ??1 Circulation Fan Screen Cleaning
OBSTANOVKA. Download of Obstanovka P/L Data from ???? (Payload Server) to RSS1 Laptop
24-hour BP monitoring (start)
AIRMON – Power Off and Stow [Deferred]
CSLM – Crew verifies that data transfer was successful
PAO Event
CSLM – Hardware Checkout
DRAGON Transfer Ops
WRS Maintenance
Dragon – Prepack Tagup
Ocular Health (OH) Fundoscope – Examination (Equipment Setup)
JEM camcorder Setup for HD downlink
OH Fundoscope -Examination
Dragon Cargo Operations Conference
OH Fundoscope – Examination (Stowage)
Completed Task List Items
None
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted
SSRMS and JEMRMS commanding associated with CATS transfer
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Friday, 01/23: CIR MDCA replace, Ocular Health Cardiac Ops, MagVector
Saturday, 01/24: Airway Monitoring, CSLM, Crew Day Off, Weekly Cleaning
Sunday, 01/25: CSLM , Crew Day Off
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 – Idle
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 – Operate
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) – Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) – Normal
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Full up
