NASA ISS Weekly Space to Ground Report – February 12, 2018
A Russian Progress resupply ship to the International Space Station aborted its express delivery mission just a few seconds before launch early Sunday. The cargo vehicle will now launch on Tuesday, Feb. 13 at 3:13 a.m. EST (2:13 p.m. Baikonur time) to send three tons of food, fuel and supplies to the station.
Live coverage will be provided on NASA TV and the agency’s website beginning at 2:45 a.m. Progress 69 will dock automatically to the station two days later at 5:43 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15. NASA TV and web coverage will begin at 5 a.m.
Back inside the orbital lab, the Expedition 54 crew continued exploring how living in space affects plants, animals and humans. A pair of astronauts are also getting ready for a spacewalk to wrap up maintenance on the Canadarm2 robotic arm.
Flight Engineer Norishige Kanai wrapped up a study that took place last week exploring how mice injected with a muscle maintenance drug may help astronauts in space and patients on Earth. Cosmonauts Alexander Misurkin and Anton Shkaplerov researched how microgravity impacts the human digestive system and how much radiation the space station is exposed to.
Kanai and astronaut Mark Vande Hei are also reviewing procedures for their upcoming robotics maintenance spacewalk. The duo configured spacewalk tools and charged up spacesuit batteries and cameras. NASA astronauts Scott Tingle and Joe Acaba, who will assist the spacewalkers, also trained for their role as robotics controllers.
On-Orbit Status Report
69 Progress (69P) Launch Abort: Over the weekend, the planned launch of 69P did not occur. The vehicle issued an abort command shortly before launch and successfully shut down the launch sequence. The root cause is under investigation, and the forward plan is in work. The next available launch opportunity is tomorrow morning, Tuesday, February 13th at 2:13am CST.
Rodent Research 6 (RR-6): Following four consecutive days of RR-6 operations last week, over the weekend the crew completed the final set of fixative swaps and cleaned the access units. The RR-6 hardware was removed from Microgravity Sciences Glovebox (MSG) this morning, and MSG is now ready for re-installation of Transparent Alloys so that payload can continue its science runs begun prior to RR-6 operations. The RR-6 mission uses mice flown aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and maintained on Earth to test drug delivery systems for combatting muscular breakdown in space or during disuse conditions. RR-6 includes several groups of mice selectively treated with a placebo or implanted with a nanochannel drug delivery chip that administers compounds meant to maintain muscle in low gravity/disuse conditions.
NanoRacks DreamUp Xtronaut Crystal Growth (DreamXCG): To track the progression of the DreamXCG formation that was initiated two weeks ago, the crew took photo and video images of each pouch to show any visible sugar crystal growth over the weekend. This investigation teaches students about the effects of microgravity on crystal formations using near-identical flight kits flown and operated aboard the International Space Station (ISS). With access to crew member videos and data on the same experiment, students are able compare crystal formations in space to those in their classrooms. The investigation aims to promote science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields to the next generation of students.
Earth Imagery from ISS Target (EIISS): Over the weekend, the crew took images of the Caribbean and the Iberian Peninsula. Today the RED camera was used to take images of Central America to the Caribbean, New Zealand, the Amazon, and the southern tip of Baja. EIISS is used to support creation of a series of videos showcasing Earth views taken from space. The videos are taken with cameras on the ISS in 6K hi-resolution and are integrated into videos for screensavers for public enjoyment, exploration, and engagement.
Veg-03 Initiation: Following the initiation of the 5th and 6th Veg-03 experiment runs last week, today the crew opened the wicks of each Veg-03 plant pillow. The overall goal of Veg-03 is to further demonstrate proof-of concept for the Veggie plant growth chamber and the planting pillows. Future long-duration missions into the solar system, finally culminating on Mars, will require a fresh food supply to supplement crew diets, which means growing crops in space. Previous investigations focused on improving productivity in controlled environments, but the limited quarters of the space shuttle and International Space Station made it difficult to conduct large-scale crop production tests. Veg-03 expands on previous validation tests of the new Veggie hardware, which crew members will soon use to grow cabbage, lettuce and other fresh vegetables in space.
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Preparations: This morning, the crew completed a review of the robotics procedures for the upcoming USOS EVA and then completed a training session using the Robotics On-Board Trainer (ROBoT). They also performed a review of the EVA activities using the Dynamic Onboard Ubiquitous Graphics (DOUG) software. This afternoon, they performed tool configuration, camera battery charging, GoPro camera charging, and a conference with the EVA ground controllers. EVA #48 is currently scheduled for February 15th.
Soyuz 52S Packing: The crew started packing USOS cargo for return on 52 Soyuz (52S). Some of the USOS cargo will be retrieved at the landing site for immediate return to the US. This cargo is packed with special labelling for ease of retrieval. There will be additional packing as items become available.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
SPLANH. SPLANHOGRAF Setup, Initiate EGEG Recording
Max Cycle Ergometer w/Vibration Isolation & Stabilization (CEVIS) Portable PFS Power Up
Transfer from CWC-I into EDV #1246 (init)
Max Cycle Ergometer w/Vibration Isolation & Stabilization (CEVIS) Portable PFS Subject
Preparation of Items for Return and Disposal with Soyuz 734
On-board Training (OBT) EVA Robotics Onboard Trainer (ROBoT) Session
MATRYOSHKA-R. Tritel Hardware Monitoring
Transfer from CWC-I into EDV (term)
Audit of ISS RS Lighting Fixtures in FGB
SPLANH. ECG data recording end. Closeout Ops
Actiwatch Spectrum HRF1 Setup
Actiwatch Spectrum HRF1 Stow
Rodent Research Lab Camcorder Video Setup
DAN Experiment Ops
Rodent Research Microgravity Science Glovebox Stow
Manufacturing Device ABS Print Removal, Clean and Stow
Transfer Operations – Prepack of US items to be loaded into Soyuz
Filling (separation) of ??? (???) for Elektron or ???-??
RED Camera Setup.
EIISS Crew Preference RED Camera Target Operations
VEG-03F Wick Open
Max Cycle Ergometer w/Vibration Isolation & Stabilization (CEVIS) Portable PFS Partial Stow
??? maintenance
On MCC Go ISS repress with air from section 2 of ???? Progress #437 (DC1) (init)
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tool Configuring
Plant Gravity Perception/European Modular Cultivation System Experiment Container Replace
ISS repress with air from Progress 437 (DC1) ???? Section 2 (terminate)
Vacuuming [???4]’s [??-7] screen behind FGB panel 108
Charging EVA Camera D4 Battery
Photo TV EVA Go Pro Battery Charging
MELFI 2 Ice Brick Insert 5
SM ventilation systems maintenance. ?1 group
Portable Onboard Computers (POC) Dynamic Onboard Ubiquitous Graphics (DOUG) Software Review
Laptop vent grills maintenance
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Procedure Review
Inspection and Cleaning of RS2 and RS3 Laptops
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Procedure Conference
VZAIMODEISTVIE-2. Experiment Ops
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Profile of Mood States (POMS) Questionnaire
Countermeasures System (CMS) Max Cycle Ergometer w/Vibration Isolation & Stabilization (CEVIS) Portable PFS Conclude
Crew Departure Preparations for Return to Earth
???- ? No.5 Current Temperature Check
Exercise Data Downlink via OCA
RED Camera Deactivation.
Completed Task List Activities
Transfer ECOM Adapter
Extravehicular Activity Mobility Unit (EMU) Enhanced Caution and Warning System (ECWS) On-Board Training
Robonaut Hardware Stow
KTO Replace
Ground Activities
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
EVA ROBOT Support
Standard Commanding
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Tuesday, 02/13: EVA prep (tool config, proc review, GoPro setup), EIISS, Veg03, ACME Controller R&R, Transparent Alloys, ASIA Try Zero G, CBEF Video Cable Reconfig
Wednesday, 02/14: EVA prep (tool config, proc review, Eq Lock prep), Microbial Tracking, Plant Gravity, Biolab, NR Rock Candy
Thursday, 02/15: USOS EVA #48 (swap POA LEE with ESP2 degraded LEE, return POA LEE to airlock, CLA swap, FMS grounding strap install)
QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
Component – Status
Elektron – On
Vozdukh – Manual
[???] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) – Off
[???] 2 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV2”) – On
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab – Operate
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 – Standby
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 – Full Up
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Off
