NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 6 March 2015

Astronauts Terry Virts and Samantha Cristoforetti were in the U.S. Quest airlock conducting airflow monitor tests, measurements and calibrations. The tests were part of the Airway Monitoring experiment that is looking for possible indicators of airway inflammation in astronauts during spaceflight.
– Read more about the Airway Monitoring experiment.

Their crewmate Anton Shkaplerov worked in the Zarya cargo module sampling equipment surfaces for microbial analysis. He also photographed the condition of the surfaces inside the Zarya module.

Their homebound crewmates Expedition 42 Commander Barry Wilmore, Soyuz TMA-14M Commander Alexander Samokutyaev and Flight Engineer Elena Serova practiced a Soyuz descent drill ahead of their March 11 departure and landing in Kazakhstan.

The next trio of space station to crewmates to launch to the International Space Station conducted a news conference Friday then laid flowers at the Kremlin Wall at the Red Square in Moscow. One Year crew members Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko along with Soyuz TMA-16M Commander Gennady Padalka are set to launch March 27 to join their Expedition 43 crewmates.

On-Orbit Status Report

Airway Monitoring Experiment: The crew prepared the airlock by removing equipment, transferring and setting up Airway Monitoring hardware and configuring a video camera. This experiment was performed in the US airlock at 10.2 psi pressure with the hatch closed. This is the first time the US equipment lock (as a hypobaric facility) was used for performing utilization. Operations started nominally with the first low Nitric Oxide (NO) Fractional Expired Nitric Oxide (FENO) measurements under ambient pressure. An anomaly occurred when transitioning to the high NO Diffuse Capacity in Lungs Nitric Oxide (DLNO) measurements under ambient pressure. Teams observed the Low NO Analyzer going into an unexpected long warm-up mode after each measurement. Troubleshooting was unsuccessful and no ambient pressure DLNO measurements were performed. In the reduced pressure of 10.2 psi, three of twelve low NO measurements were captured for Virts and none for Cristoforetti. None of the four planned DNLO measurements were collected in the pressurized Airlock configuration. Ground specialists are developing a forward plan.

40 Soyuz (40S) Return Prep: Preparations continue for the upcoming 40S undock and return next week. Two ISS Reboosts have been completed to set up the proper ISS phasing for 40S landing in the southern zone. The crew has also completed a nominal Sokol Suit checkout, parts 1 and 2 of the Soyuz OBT decent drill, Soyuz thruster test, and has begun staging return cargo for loading in the vehicle.

Spare Pump Module (PM) Relocation: Earlier today the Robotics Ground Controllers removed the degraded PM from External Stowage Platform (ESP)2 are are currently working to remove the spare PM from Express Logistics Carrier (ELC)2. Later today, and tomorrow if required, the Ground Controllers will install the degraded PM on the ELC2 and the spare PM will be installed on the ESP2. The purpose of this PM swap is to position the good spare PM in a better location should it be needed for a PM R&R EVA.

Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

HRF Urine Sample Collection
?? 714 ???? No. 2 Test Before Undocking r/g 8192
AIRMON experiment
?? 714 ??? Activation
CASKAD. Manual Mixing in Bioreactor / r/g 8041
HRF – Equipment stowage after sample collection
Data Transfer and Dosimeter Stowage
MICB Photography
LBNP Exercise
MICB – Ziploc bag insertion into MELFI
WRS – Recycle Tank Fill [Aborted]
Surface samples from FGB equipment and structures / r/g 8183
International Docking Adapter (IDA) Ethernet Cable Procedure Review
Crew Departure Prep
Formaldehyde Monitoring Kit (FMK) Stowage Ops
?? 714 Descent OBT. / r/g 8182, 8193
Copying EXPOSE-R P/L data from ???? to RSS1, start / r/g 8190
BIODEGRADATSIYA. r/g 8191
Replacing Pre-Treat container and hose in [???]
??? Activation / Life Support System (???),
WPA – Waste Water Tank Offload into CWC
MELF3 – Insert Ice Bricks
WRS – Recycle Tank Fill [Aborted]
WPA – Waste Water Tank Offload into CWC – terminate
Copying EXPOSE-R P/L data from ???? to RSS1 – terminate / r/g 8190
THC – PFA Installation
IMS Delta File Prep
PBA – Relocation
CASKAD. Manual Mixing in Bioreactor / r/g 8041
Flight Director / ISS Crew Tagup
COGN – Experiment Ops
Completed Task List Items

None
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

40S Thruster Test
Airway Monitoring
PM FRAM Swap [In Work]
Three-Day Look Ahead:

Saturday, 03/07: Crew off duty
Sunday, 03/08: Crew off duty
Monday, 03/09: N2 IDA Ethernet cable install, Body Measures, crew departure prep, Airway Monitor stow, SSK and MAS samples, CQ clean
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) – Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Full up