NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 10 February 2017
The Expedition 50 crew is gearing up for three different spaceships in two months to resupply the International Space Station. The crew also worked today on a variety of research hardware and practiced an emergency drill.
Two U.S. companies are getting their rockets ready to deliver food, fuel, supplies and new science gear to the crew. SpaceX is first in line with a plan to launch their Dragon spacecraft atop its Falcon 9 rocket no earlier than Feb. 18. Next, Orbital ATK is targeting March 19 to launch their Cygnus spacecraft on its seventh resupply mission to the station. Both spaceships will be captured by the Canadarm2 robotic. The Dragon will be installed to the Harmony module and the Cygnus will be attached to the Unity module.
Russia is preparing its Progress 66 (66P) cargo craft for a Feb. 22 launch from Kazakhstan. The 66P will take a two-day trip to the orbital laboratory before automatically docking to the Pirs Docking Compartment.
Onboard the station, Flight Engineer Thomas Pesquet spent the day in Japan’s Kibo lab module working on science gear maintenance. NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson installed a leak locator in Kibo’s airlock that will be used to locate the source of an ammonia leak outside the Japanese lab.
Commander Shane Kimbrough and his Soyuz crewmates cosmonauts Andrey Borisenko and Sergey Ryzhikov got together in the afternoon an emergency descent drill. The trio practiced the procedures necessary to evacuate the station quickly in the unlikely event of an emergency and return to Earth inside their Soyuz MS-02 spacecraft.
On-Orbit Status Report
Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) ORU Transfer Interface (JOTI) and Robotics External Leak Locator (RELL) Installation on JEM Airlock (JEMAL) Slide Table: The crew installed the JOTI on the JEM A/L Slide Table. Afterwards, the crew installed the Robotics External Leak Locator (RELL) onto the JOTI, and retracted the Slide Table inside the JEMAL. RELL operations are scheduled for this weekend to try and locate the source of the ammonia leak on External Active Thermal Control System (EATCS) Loop B.
JEM Pressurized Module (JPM) Thermal Control Assembly (TCA) Accumulator Package Remove & Replace (R&R): Today, the crew replaced the JPM TCA Accumulator package. They disengaged Cabin Ducts and rotating the Environmental Control Life Support System / Thermal Control System (ECLSS/TCS) rack. They then removed the Accumulator Package and installed a spare. After mating the rack umbilical and attaching the accumulator, they rotated the rack and engaged the Cabin Ducts. The removed Accumulator Package was packaged for return to the ground.
Packed Bed Reactor Experiment (PBRE) Removal: The crew removed the PBRE from the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) and packed it for return on SpX-10. The PBRE investigation studies the behavior of gases and liquids when they flow simultaneously through a column filled with fixed porous media. The porous media or “packing” can be made of different shapes and materials and are used widely in chemical engineering as a means to enhance the contact between two immiscible fluid phases (e.g., liquid-gas, water-oil, etc.). Packed columns can serve as reactors, scrubbers, strippers, etc. in systems where efficient interphase contact is desired, both on Earth and in space.
Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR) Light Remove & Replace: The crew translated the Optics Bench out in the FIR rotating it to 60°. They then removed and replaced both FIR White Light Lamps in the FIR White Light Chassis on the back of the Optics Bench. The Optics Bench was then rotated back to vertical position and translated into the rack. The White Light Lamps were close to their expected end of life, and to prevent a burn out during the Light Microscopy Module (LMM) Biophysics experiment, which is arriving on SpaceX-10 (SpX-10), the light was changed out early. LMM Biophysics 1 (The Effect of Macromolecular Transport of Microgravity Protein Crystallization) will launch on SpX-10. When installed, investigators will use the results from LMM Biophysics 1 to examine the movement of single protein molecules in microgravity. By studying the crystals of a higher quality that can be grown in microgravity, scientists will be able to better understand their structure and how they work.
48 Soyuz (44S) Emergency Egress Drill: The crew participated in an emergency decent drill. This training session focused on off-nominal procedures that would be used in the event the crew needs to egress the ISS and perform an emergency descent. The drill is scheduled when the crew has been aboard the ISS for 12-14 weeks, then once every 2.5 months.
Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: Overnight, Robotics Ground Controllers powered up the MSS and walked the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) off the Node2 Power Data Grapple Fixture (PDGF) and onto Mobile Base System (MBS) PDGF1. They then unstowed the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) from MBS PDGF2 and maneuvered the SSRMS (holding the SPDM) to a translation configuration. Finally, Ground Controllers translated the Mobile Transporter (MT) from Worksite #4 (WS4) to WS7. The MSS is now in position for the start of the Robotic External Leak Locator (RELL) operations scheduled to begin this afternoon.
Treadmill 2 (T2) Secure Digital (SD) Card Recovery – On February 9th T2 was declared non-operational. The ground teams were not successful in performing the nominal weekly powercycle and later on that day crew was unable to get the T2 treadbelt to spin. T2 had been operating in debug mode, due to previous anomalies, which increased the amount of data files stored on the SD card. Teams determined that yesterday’s failed powercycle was due to the SD card being too full. In order to recover T2, crew and ground teams executed a successful recovery of the SD card and unmanned activation and checkout. T2 is GO for operations.
Extravehicular Activities (EVA) Pistol Grip Tool (PGT) Torque Analyzer Kit (TAK) Data Gather: The crew installed the TAK onto each of the PGTs and recorded their torque output for ground analysis. This activity is part of a 6-month requirement for all on-orbit PGTs.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Video for Russia Today TV Channel
DUBRAVA. Observations and photography
Preparation of Reports for Roscosmos Web Site and Social Media
EKON-M. Observations and photography
Inventory Management System (IMS) conference
Treadmill 2 (T2) SD Card Recovery
Fluids Integrated Rack Doors Open
JEM Cabin Duct Disengagement
RELAKSATSIYA Hardware Setup
Glisser-M Video Battery (2) Charge (GoPro HERO3 No.6): setup and initiate battery charge
Crew will bag Actiwatches on the HRF Rack 2 front and stow for return.
VIZIR. Experiment set up and start using СКПИ P/L
Crew will access and save the VUE error logs for drives E and F by using the MSG laptop
БД-2 control panel software installation
JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Extension to JPM Side
JEM Airlock (AL) Slide Table Passive Capture Mechanism Removal
JPM TCA L Accumulator Package R&R
RELAKSATSIYA. Parameter Settings Adjustment
Structures and Mechanisms JEM ORU Xfer I/F and Robo Ext Leak Locator Installation
RELAKSATSIYA. Observation
RS2, RS3 Laptops Inspection And Cleaning
RELAKSATSIYA. Closeout Ops and Hardware Removal
СОЖ maintenance
Fluids Integrated Rack Rack Doors Close
Glisser-M Video Battery (2) Charge (GoPro HERO3 No.6): Terminate charge and stow
RS1 Laptop Inspection and Cleaning
Structures and Mechanisms (S&M) JEM ORU Xfer I/F (JOTI) and Robo Ext Leak Locator (RELL) Assist 1
JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Retraction from JPM Side
SEISMOPROGNOZ. Cable Disconnect from Autonomous Temperature Monitoring Module [МАКТ] Х4 cnctr
JEM Airlock Depressurization
Meteor hard drive swap
Space Headaches – Weekly Questionnaire
JEM ECLSS/TCS1 Rack Umbilical Mate
SEISMOPROGNOZ. Cable 17КС.42Ю -8242А-9130 Disconnect from Х4 МАКТ
SEISMOPROGNOZ. Removal of [МАКТ] unit and Control and Data Acquisition Module (МКСД)
SPHERES USB Download
JEM Cabin Duct Engagement
Packed Bed Reactor Experiment Hardware Stow
IMS Update
VIZIR. СКПИ Closeout Ops
ISS Emergency OBT Drill (Soyuz 732 Descent)
Life On The Station Photo and Video
JPM Accumulator Package-FSE Attaching To Removed Accumulator Package
JEM Airlock Vent
Robotic Workstation (RWS) Lab Setup
Robotic Workstation (RWS) High Definition (HD) Monitor Downlink
JEM Airlock Vent Confirmation
Treadmill 2 (T2) Cable Secure
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) QD27 Remate
SPHERES USB Stow
ISS HAM Service Module Pass
Consolidate MSG spare hardware from two CTBs into one CTB.
Remote Workstation Monitor HD Video Downlink Deactivation RWS.
Completed Task List Items
Veg-03 Pillow Water
EVA PGT TAK Data Gather
P/L Hardware Relocate
EVA EHDC Inspection
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
RELL Operations
Battery Capacity Test 3A3
JEM Airlock Depressurization
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Saturday, 02/11: Housekeeping, Crew Off Duty, RELL Operations
Sunday, 02/12: Crew Off Duty, RELL Operations
Monday, 02/13: Rodent Habitat Install, ELF Sample Remove, MSG Setup
QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
Component – Status
Elektron – On
Vozdukh – Manual
[СКВ] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) – On
[СКВ] 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 – Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 – Standby
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
