NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 29 April 2015
The Expedition 43 crew continued their work on Wednesday with a variety of research and technology demonstration activities.
NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Terry Virts studied the effects of microgravity on living organisms for the Rodent Research experiment. They are looking at mice and how their body systems change in space. The results may promote the development of new drugs tackling the effects of aging and disease on Earth.
Meanwhile, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti continued operations with the Triplelux-A experiment and adjusted imaging equipment on the Electromagnetic Levitation study.
The crew was also notified in the morning that the planned docking of Progress 59 has been called off. Both the Russian and USOS segments of the station continue to operate normally and are adequately supplied well beyond the next planned resupply flight.
Russian flight controllers are continuing to assess the vehicle and what the plan going forward will be. More information will be provided as available.
On-Orbit Status Report
59 Progress (59P) Status: Last night Russian ground controllers resumed 59P troubleshooting during Russian ground passes and were able to establish communications with the vehicle and review telemetry. Russian controllers configured the refueling system to feed the thrusters and made two unsuccessful attempts to command the thrusters to stabilize the vehicle’s angular rotation. Per Mission Control Center Moscow (MCC-M) request, the crew will take photos of 59P when it was estimated to be approximately 170 km under the ISS. In the meantime, Moscow has officially announced that 59P will not dock to the ISS.
Rodent Research-2 Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (RR-2 CASIS): Virts and Kelly performed bone density scans and collected samples from five test subjects. This research is to monitor the effects of the space environment on the musculoskeletal and neurological systems of mice as model organisms of human health and disease. Living in microgravity results in significant and rapid effects on the physiology of mice that mimic the process of aging and some diseases in humans on Earth, including muscle atrophy and the loss of bone mineral density. This project will help scientists to discover new molecular targets that can facilitate the development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of muscle and bone-related diseases. Long-duration exposure to microgravity will also induce changes in gene expression, protein synthesis, metabolism, and eye structure/morphology that will be identifiable as a series of assessable biomarkers for tracking the onset and progression of disease.
Gene, Immune and Cellular Responses to Single and Combined Space Flight Conditions – A (Triplelux-A): Cristoforetti continued operations for the first runs of Triplelux-A. She integrated the first Experiment Container (EC) handling Mechanism (HM) interface in the EC and installed the EC on the Biolab rotor, retrieved the Triplelux Reservoir A (three) and installed into the Triplelux-A automatic ambient stowage (AAS) Insert. Finally, the crew retrieved the first culture tube A (one) from MELFI, thawed in the Biolab glovebox and inserted into the Tripleux EC. Triplelux-A uses a rat macrophage cell line to investigate and compare the ability of macrophages to kill pathogens under normal gravity and microgravity conditions. The goal is to gain a better understanding of immune suppression in spaceflight.
Electromagnetic Levitation (EML): Cristoforetti changed the mode of the High Speed Camera to change the magnification factor. The EML provides containerless processing of liquid metals in a micro-gravity environment and precise measurement of their thermo-physical properties. EML aims to increase the performance of metallic/alloy structures through an understanding of how solidification can be controlled and develop a data base of properties to allow better process modeling. The experiment investigates solidification and microstructural evolution and evaluates thermo-physical properties of highly reactive molten metals.
Solution Crystallization Observation Facility (SCOF): Cristoforetti performed the second of three on board cable reconfigurations on the SCOF to support ground checkouts. This is in preparation for the Soret Facet cell2 experiment planned for May 12. The Soret effect in fluids is a thermodynamic phenomenon in which different particles respond in different ways to varying temperatures. The effect, studied by the Swiss chemist Charles Soret, has been difficult to examine in detail on Earth because of gravity. The Study on Soret effect (thermal diffusion process) for the mixed solution by the in-situ observation technique facilitated at SCOF (Soret-Facet) is the first investigation to verify Soret conditions in steady and changing conditions, and to compare the Soret effect in microgravity with results on the ground, an important measurement for calibrating future investigations.
False Fire Indication in Treadmill 2 (T2) Rack: This morning a fire alarm annunciated in the T2 rack. The crew immediately powered down the rack. Cabin and fire port Compound Specific Analyzer-Combustible Products (CSA-CP) readings were zero with no odor present. At the time of the alarm, the crew was exercising on T2 and reported that the tread belt stopped moving immediately prior to the alarm. T2 is currently powered down and the crew is no-go for exercise.
Public Affairs Event: Kelly and Kornienko participated in an One Year Crew interview with the Associated Press and Westwood One Radio Network.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Reaction Time Test (morning)
IMS Tagup (S-band)
JRNL – Journal Entry
TPLXA – Hardware Unpack
Conference on specifics of ??? 426 docking.
Consolidation of Personal Hygiene Article for Priority Use
TPLXA – Hardware Unstow and Preparation
USND2 – Hardware Activation
CARDOX – Preparation Steps and Hardware Setup
Rodent Research (RR) – Fixative Swap
LBNP – Exercise (PRELIMINARY) assistance
LBNP Exercise (PRELIMINARY).
EML – Camcorder Config
CARDOX – Experiment Ops
OTKLIK. Hardware Check
CARDOX – Scanning (operator)
MOTOCARD. Experiment Ops.
Cleaning ??1 and ??2 Air Ducts in DC1
TPLXA – Triplelux Transfer to the Glovebox
TORU OBT [Aborted]
MOTOCARD. Assistance with the Experiment
CARDOX – Blood Pressure Operations
DRAGON Transfers Ops
RR-MELFI. Sample Relocation between Different MELFI Sections
TPLXA – Hardware Setup
Hardware prepack for return and disposal on ?? 715
USND2 – Hardware Deactivation and Stowage
PAO Hardware Setup
Crew Prep for PAO
PAO Event DRAGON Transfers Ops
Symbolic Activity
DRAGON Transfers Ops
TPLXA – Preparation Ops
HRF – Hardware Setup
Symbolic Activity
Dragon -Transfers Tagup
Cleaning fan grilles on FGB interior panels (panels 201, 301, 401)
Separation of EDV (KOV) ???1???_4_404_1. EDV for separation No.1104
Hardware prepack for return and disposal on ?? 715
SCOF – Cable Reconfiguration
MSG – Powerdown
TPLXA – Hardware Gather
TPLXA – Tube insertion into Glovebox
??? Maintenance
Crew prep for departure
Cleaning fan grilles on FGB interior panels (116, 316, 231, 431)
TPLXA – Hardware Setup
CONTENT. Experiment Ops
IMS Delta File Prep
TPLXA – Equipment Stowage
Dragon Cargo Operations Conference
Closing window shutters 6,8,9,12,13,14
REACTION Experiment Ops
Reaction Time Test (evening)
Completed Task List Items
None
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Rodent Research ops
Cardio Ox Ultrasound ops
JEM RMS MNVR [On Schedule]
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Thursday, 04/30: 41S undock pre-pack, Body Measures, Space Aging sample 1, JEMAL table extension for RRM
Friday, 05/01: USOS crew half day off, DRAGON Cargo Transfer, RR access unit cleaning
Saturday, 05/02: Crew off duty, housekeeping, TripleLux A closeout, Space Aging, SSRMS RRM transfer
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 – Operate
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 – Standby
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 -Warmup
