NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 6 March 2018
The orbiting Expedition 55 crew members participated in a variety of biology research and life support maintenance today. Their counterparts on the ground took part in traditional ceremonies today ahead of their liftoff to the International Space Station in two weeks.
NASA astronaut Scott Tingle started his day photographing and watering plants being grown for the Veggie-3 botany study. He later charged a pair of U.S. spacesuit batteries before inspecting emergency equipment including portable fire extinguishers and breathing apparatus.
Norishige Kanai, from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, set up hardware to measure the levels and analyze the exhaled air in the station’s environment. Afterward, he positioned an infrared sensor arm to measure Dwarf Wheat leaf temperatures growing inside the Kibo laboratory’s Plant Habitat.
Commander Anton Shkaplerov spent Tuesday morning working on Russian environmental and life support systems. The veteran cosmonaut also activated video gear and checked the tension of an exercise treadmill shock absorber.
In the midst of all the orbital maintenance work, Shkaplerov still had time for a pair of science experiments. The commander explored the internal and external radiation the space station encounters along its flight path. He also researched how international crews interact with each other during different phases of a long term space mission.
Back in Kazakhstan, three new Expedition 55-56 crew members are counting down to their March 21 liftoff and two-day trip to the space station. Cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev and NASA astronauts Ricky Arnold and Drew Feustel raised the flags of their respective countries today at their Cosmonaut Hotel crew quarters in Baikonur near their launch site. The trio is in final preparations training for their launch aboard the Soyuz MS-08 spacecraft.
On-Orbit Status Report
Airway Monitoring: In support of the European Space Agency (ESA) Airway Monitoring investigation, today the crew set up hardware in the US Laboratory for nitric oxide measurements to be taken tomorrow. Airway Monitoring aims to determine the pulmonary nitric oxide turnover in weightlessness and in combined weightless, hypobaric and hypoxic environments as well as determining the lung diffusion capacity for nitric oxide. With dust particles present in the ISS atmosphere, this investigation studies the occurrence and indicators of airway inflammation in crewmembers, using ultra-sensitive gas analyzers to analyze exhaled air. This will help to identify health impacts and support maintenance of crewmember well-being on future human spaceflight missions, where crewmembers will have to be more self-sufficient in identifying and avoiding such conditions.
Plant Habitat: The crew positioned the Infrared Sensor Arm in the growth chamber of the Plant Habitat to test use of the sensor for measuring leaf temperatures of the growing Dwarf Wheat plants over the next week. The Plant Habitat is a fully automated facility that is being used to support plant bioscience research on the ISS in a large, enclosed, environmentally controlled chamber.
Veg-03: The crew continued with the photo-documentation of plant growth for the Veg-03 investigation. They also watered the plants. Veg-03 supports the proof-of concept for the Veggie plant growth chamber and the planting pillows. Future long duration space missions will require a fresh food supply grown in space to supplement crew diets.
Earth Imagery from ISS Target (EIISS): Today the crew captured images of Cape Town, South Africa. EIISS captures a series of videos showcasing targets around the world as seen from the ISS. The videos will be integrated into a product for later release.
Microgravity Sciences Glovebox (MSG) Video Upgrade Equipment (VUE) Troubleshooting: Today, ground controllers unsuccessfully attempted to repower the MSG-VUE. The crew rerouted an Ethernet cable to connect directly with the MSG laptop computer, bypassing the VUE and allowing the Transparent Alloys payload to continue nominal file downlinks. A Failure Investigation Team (FIT) is currently scheduled on Thursday to work the forward plan.
Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Pre-Treat Tank [E-K] Remove and Replace (R&R): The crew R&R the E-K tank as part of nominal WHC preventative maintenance. Each tank contains five liters of pre-treat solution, a mix of acid, chromium oxide, and water, used for toilet flushing and required for nominal WHC operation.
Portable Emergency Provisions (PEPS) Inspection: The crew inspect and confirmed that the Portable Fire Extinguishers (PFEs), Extension Hose Tee Kits (EHTKs), Portable Breathing Apparatuses (PBAs) and Pre-Breathe Masks are all free of damage to ensure functionality. This is routine maintenance performed every 45 days.
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Li-Ion Battery Data Logging: The crew initiated a charging Autocycle of two EMU Long Life Batteries (LLB) with data logging. Over the course of three days, the Autocycle will capture the battery health data required to determine if the expiration date of the LLBs can be extended by 10 months.
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Educational Event: Scott Tingle, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth alumnus, participated in an educational event with the university. Scott answered a number of questions from Dartmouth students and faculty members.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities are completed unless otherwise noted.
ISS CREW/SSIPC CONFERENCE
Clean Bench (CB) Valve Checkout
Node 1 Starboard Hatch Open
Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis
Changeout of Replaceable Condensate Removal Lines [????]
VEG-03E and F Plant Photo
VEG-03 Dual Facility Watering for each Plant Pillow
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Social Media Event
Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Exercise Video Setup
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Long Life Battery (LLB) Initiate
Photo/TV (P/TV) Airway Monitoring Video Setup
AIRMON Setup and Power On
Photo/TV Camcorder Setup Verification
MATRYOSHKA-R. Monitoring Tritel Readings
AIRMON Power Off
Equipment Setup and Activation for MPEG2 TV coverage via Ku-band in MRM2.
Portable Emergency Provisions (PEPS) Inspection
Plant Habitat IR sensor arm and plant removal
??? maintenance
??-2 Treadmill Shock Absorber Cord Tensioning.
Hypervisor 5 (HV5)-Server Hardware Setup
MSG Ethernet Cable Reroute
Airway Monitoring Video Stow
Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Pre-Treat Tank Remove & Replace
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) – Lab
INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops
Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record
Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Waste Water Bag (WWB) Changeout
???? Equipment Deactivation and Closing Application after TV coverage
Photo T/V (P/TV) Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Exercise Video Stow
Completed Task List Activities
EIISS-RED CREW-S/U
EIISS-RED CREW-TGT
Ground Activities
All activities are completed unless otherwise noted.
Standard Commanding
Solar Array Maximum Output Test (Channel 3B, 1A, 2A and 1B)
ACS Nitrogen Leak Check
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 03/07: Airway Monitoring, T2 6-Month maintenance and associated acoustic measurements, EIISS Ops, Airlock Filter R&R
Thursday, 03/08: COL Smoke Detector Cleaning, ACME Hardware R&R, HV5 Server Deploy, VEG-03 Harvest, EIISS Ops
Friday, 03/09: ELF Ops, FIR ACE Module Changeout, C2V2 Cable Swap, Max CEVIS, Veg-03, LLB Charging
QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
Component – Status
Elektron – Off
Vozdukh – Manual
[???] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) – Off
[???] 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 – Full Up
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Off
