NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 11 June 2019 – Regularly Scheduled Eye Scans Today

Four Expedition 59 astronauts underwent periodic health checkups and regularly scheduled eye scans today. The International Space Station residents also had time set aside for space gardening, furnace work, crew ship packing and radiation checks.
Astronauts Anne McClain and Christina Koch started Tuesday morning checking each other’s vital signs including temperature, blood pressure, pulse and respiratory rate. They were followed shortly afterward by Flight Engineers Nick Hague and David Saint-Jacques.

In the afternoon, the Koch and Hague swapped roles as Crew Medical Officer (CMO) and used an ultrasound device to scan each other’s eyes. Saint-Jacques then took over as CMO and activated the optical coherence tomography gear to image the retinas of Koch and Hague. The ongoing eye exams help flight surgeons understand how long-term weightlessness affects vision and the shape of the eye.

McClain and Koch spent a few moments in the middle of their eye checks today thinning and watering plants for the Veg-04 botany experiment. The research takes place in a specialized greenhouse and explores the feasibility of a continuous fresh food production system in Europe’s Columbus laboratory module.

After the vital sign checks, Hague partnered up with McClain to reconfigure and install an advanced furnace in the Japanese Kibo laboratory module. The Electrostatic Levitation Furnace enables the observation of thermophysical properties and the synthesis of high temperature materials on the station.

Commander Oleg Kononenko continued readying the Soyuz MS-11 crew ship for its departure June 24 carrying him, McClain and Saint-Jacques back to Earth. Flight Engineer Alexey Ovchinin collected radiation sensors from the station’s U.S. side and downloaded measurement readings. The Russian duo also trained to operate a unique suit that counteracts microgravity and draws body fluids towards the feet to minimize head pressure.

On-Orbit Status Report

Airway Monitoring: The crew located the hardware and reviewed the Big Picture Words in preparation for the Airway Monitoring ambient pressure session activities later this week. The primary goals of the experiment is to determine how gravity and microgravity influence the turnover of Nitric Oxide in the lungs. During future manned missions to the Moon and to Mars, airway inflammation due to toxic dust inhalation is a risk factor. Since dust may cause airway inflammation and since such inflammation can be monitored by exhaled Nitric Oxide analysis the present study is highly relevant for astronaut health in future space programs.

Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) Configuration: The crew removed the ELF hardware and connected the software upload cable to perform the planned software upgrade which is designed to improve the function of the ELF. JAXA’s ELF is an experimental facility designed to levitate, melt and solidify materials by containerless processing techniques using the electrostatic levitation method. With this facility, thermophysical properties of high temperature melts can be measured and solidification from deeply undercooled melts can be achieved. ELF typically processes oxide samples, but is also capable of processing semiconductors, alloys, and metals.

Food Acceptability: The crew completed the Food Acceptability questionnaires. This investigation seeks to determine the impact of repetitive consumption of food currently available from the spaceflight food system. Results will be used in developing strategies to improve food system composition to support crew health and performance on long duration missions.

Radi-N2: Following the planned week of detector deployment, a USOS crewmember retrieved the detectors and handed them over to a Russian crewmember for processing. The objective of this Canadian Space Agency investigation is to better characterize the ISS neutron environment, define the risk posed to the crew members’ health, and provide the data necessary to develop advanced protective measures for future spaceflight. It’s been recognized that neutrons make up a significant fraction (10-30%) of the biologically effective radiation exposure in low-Earth orbit. The bubble detectors used in the investigation are designed detect neutrons and ignore all other radiation.

Veg-04A Pillow Prime and Plant Thinning: The crew performed plant thinning and pillow priming activities. The plant thinning activity removed all but one plant from each pillow, leaving the largest seedling in each plant pillow to continue growing. In order to ensure successful germination of at least one seed, the ground plants multiple seeds in each of the plant pillows. The plant pillow prime activity adds water to support continued hydration of the plants. Veg-04A is a Human Research Program sponsored experiment which will grow Mizuna mustard, a leafy green crop, for 28 days under two different light quality treatments. The Pick-and-Eat Salad-Crop Productivity, Nutritional Value, and Acceptability to Supplement the ISS Food System (Veg-04A, Veg-04B, and Veg-05) investigation is a phased research project to address the need for a continuous fresh-food production system in space.

Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: Yesterday, Robotics Ground Controllers powered up the MSS for the first time using MSS 9.3 software. The Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) was walked off from Node 2 to Mobile Base System (MBS) Power Data Grapple Fixture (PDGF) 1. The SSRMS was maneuvered to the Latching End Effector (LEE) B survey position and performed snare cable surveys as well as LEE checkout and diagnostics. Today and tomorrow, snare cable surveys of LEE A and Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) LEE will be performed.

Crew Quarters (CQ) Starboard Cleaning: The crew performed this scheduled maintenance to clean intake and exhaust ducts, fans and airflow sensors. Pre-cleaning photos were taken throughout the procedure to help evaluate the effectiveness of the recently installed inlet screens.

Completed Task List Activities:
Monday
Vacuum cleaner label attach
Glass cloth tape stow
ISS Experience log recording
SLT ZBook swap
SCU 1008 wanted poster

Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
SSRMS walkoff MBS2
SSRMS LEE A high def survey
WSS activation/checkout

Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 6/12 (GMT 163)

Payloads:
FIR/LMM/Ace module change-out
Airway Monitoring
Behavioral Core Measures
Bio Analyzer
Bionutrients
Capillary Structures
ELF
ISS Experience stow
Probiotics
SABL2 CO2 controller remove
Standard Measures

Systems:
MPEP install on JEMAL Slide Table
JPM light install

Thursday, 6/13 (GMT 164)

Payloads:
Airway Monitoring
CIR manifold bottle replace
ELF
ISS HAM pass
JSSOD-11 install
Standard Measures
Vascular Echo

Systems:
SSRMS contingency power jumper install
58S crew emergency drill

Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Standard Measures Body Sampling Collection
GEMATOKRIT. Measuring Hematocrit Number
Probiotics Saliva Operations
GEMATOKRIT. Equipment Stowage
HRF Generic Sample MELFI Insertion Operations
Probiotics Saliva Sample MELFI Insertion
Probiotics Question
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Periodic Health Status (PHS) Evaluation Setup
Virus Definition File Update on Auxiliary Computer System [???] Laptops
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Periodic Health Status (PHS) Evaluation – Subject
Standard Measures Body Sampling Stow
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Periodic Health Status (PHS) Evaluation – Crew Medical Officer (CMO)
MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE-Dosimeter Gathering and Measurements
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Periodic Health Status (PHS) Evaluation – Subject
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Periodic Health Status (PHS) Evaluation – Crew Medical Officer (CMO)
EXPRESS Rack ZBook Setup
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Periodic Health Status (PHS) Evaluation – Subject
Water sampling from ???-? (HOT, WARM) to drink bags
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Periodic Health Status (PHS) Evaluation – Crew Medical Officer (CMO)
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Periodic Health Status (PHS) Evaluation – Subject
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Periodic Health Status (PHS) Evaluation – Crew Medical Officer (CMO)
XF305 Camcorder Setup
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Periodic Health Status (PHS) Stow Hardware
Multi purpose Small Payload Rack 2(MSPR2) Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) Retrieve
Radi-N Detector Retrieval/Readout
[???-??] water sampling to Russian drink bags
Radiation Dosimetry Inside ISS-Neutrons Hardware Handover
MATRYOSHKA-R. Handover of BUBBLE-dosimeter detectors from USOS
Crew Departure Preparations for Return to Earth
MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE-dosimeter detectors gathering and measurements
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows (WinSCAT) Test
Collection of Condensate Water [???] Samples from [???-?2?] upstream ??? using Russian Samplers – init
Joint Station Local Area Network (LAN) (JSL) Network Information for JSL Administration (NINJA) Print
ISS Crew Departure Preparation
Multi purpose Small Payload Rack 2(MSPR2) Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) Retrieve Sub
Airway Monitoring Hardware Location
Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) Reconfig
LBNP (????) Training (PRELIMINARY). Tagup with specialists
Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) Reconfig Sub
EXPRESS Rack ZBook Setup Start
Environmental Health System (EHS) – Surface Sampler Kit (SSK) and Microbial Air Sampler (MAS) Analysis T + 5
Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) Install to MSPR2 Work Volume
Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) Install to MSPR2 Work Volume Sub
EXPRESS Rack ZBook Setup Finish
Ultrasound 2 HRF Rack 1 Power On
MRM1 comm config for tag-up
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Ultrasound 2 Scan Prep
SEPARATSIA. Water Distillation from Urine Using New [???-?-??] Control Logic (Cycle I)
??? (???) fill (separation) for ELECTRON system or EDV-SV
Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) and PLCB Connection
Nikon still camera time sync with on-board clock
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Ultrasound 2 Scan performed by a Crew Medical Officer (CMO)
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Ultrasound 2 Scan
Food Acceptability Questionnaire
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Crew Quarters (CQ) Starboard Cleaning
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Ultrasound 2 Scan performed by a Crew Medical Officer (CMO)
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Ultrasound 2 Scan
SM Ventilation Subsystem Preventive Maintenance. [?1] Group
SEPARATSIA. Water Distillation from Urine Using New [???-?-??] Control Logic (Cycle II)
Weekly ISS RS Video HW functional check. Memory Card Exchange in Videorecorders of MRM1, MRM2 and ???
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Ultrasound 2 Post Exam
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT2 Setup
VEG-04 Plant Thin
VEG-04 Plant Pillow Prime
Probiotics Item Gathering
Delta file prep
CONTENT. Experiment Ops
XF305 Camcorder Setup
Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) Software upload Cable Change
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT2 Prep
Capillary Structures Camera Check
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Robotic Workstation (RWS) Cable Repair
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – OCT2 Exam – Operator
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT2 Exam – Subject
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT2 Prep
SEPARATSIA. Closeout ops and log file downlink
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – OCT2 Exam – Operator
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT2 Exam – Subject
Comm reconfig to nominal
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT2 Stow