NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 12 August, 2020 – Earth Observation this Week

The Expedition 63 crew members are getting a Japanese spaceship ready for departure next week. In the meantime, the International Space Station trio was busy today with science, video communications and orbital plumbing.
Commander Chris Cassidy and Flight Engineer Anatoly Ivanishin partnered up today loading Japan’s resupply ship with trash and old station gear. Cassidy will command the Canadarm2 robotic arm on Aug. 18 to release the H-II Transfer Vehicle-9 (HTV-9) into Earth orbit for a fiery, but safe reentry into the atmosphere above the South Pacific. The HTV-9 arrived at the orbiting lab on May 25 delivering four tons of new science experiments, station hardware, crew supplies and fuel.

Cassidy started the morning setting up the Space Frontier Studio that live-streams science activities from inside Japan’s Kibo laboratory module to audiences on the ground. The station commander from NASA then spent the afternoon installing new science hardware that will study gas-liquid flows in porous media in the Microgravity Science Glovebox. Results from the Packed Bed Reactor Experiment could benefit life support systems on the space station and future missions to the Moon and Mars.

Earth observations have been ongoing this week in the Russian segment of the space station. One long-running study has been monitoring natural and man-made conditions around the globe to forecast potential catastrophes. Ivanishin of Roscosmos was servicing photo equipment this morning for that experiment which measures radiation reflected from the Earth in a variety of wavelengths.

Cosmonaut Ivan Vagner worked during the morning servicing Russian plumbing hardware. The first-time space flyer then spent the rest of the day inventorying common office supplies such as printer cartridges, pens and tape.

On-Orbit Status Report

Payloads

Space Studio KIBO: The crew performed the KIBO studio setup with the X305 camera setup and recorded a live stream session for a JAXA TV show. The Space Frontier Studio KIBO is a broadcasting studio that is constructed and operated in the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), also known as Kibo. The studio can livestream activities, interactive entertainment, and communication from space. The program can receive uplinked video and audio from a ground studio to Space Frontier Studio KIBO, and downlink video and audio from space to ground.

Packed Bed Reactor Experiment-2 (PBRE-2): The crew performed PBRE-2 hardware setup and connected the cables and hoses in the Micro Gravity Science Glovebox (MSG). The ground will then initiate a run for several months using 2 science modules. The PBRE-2 investigates the forces acting on and created by a gas and a liquid flowing simultaneously through a column filled with glass spheres in microgravity. Known as two-phase flow, this side-by-side movement of a gas and liquid is used in a variety of space-based systems and equipment. Results could help improve the design of future mass and heat transfer equipment used in space.

Systems

H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV)9 Cargo Operations: In preparation for HTV9 unberth, scheduled for August 18th, the ISS crew continued to pack the HTV vehicle with Cargo Transfer Bags (CTBs). The crew also received Russian items for disposal. Ground teams estimate approximately 2 hours remain to complete available cargo ops. The crew will continue to focus on cargo operations in preparation for HTV9 close out and departure early next week.

Completed Task List Activities:

MELFI 1 Dewar Clean Part 2
HTV Cargo Ops (on-going)
Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Ground Ops for Kibo Studio
IAS Configuration for MRM Comm
ROBoT Checkout & Setup
Look Ahead Plan

Thursday, 8/13 (GMT 226)
Payloads:

ELF Cartridge Swap (NASA)
Astrobee JEM Cargo Temp Stow Placement & Powerup NASA)
JEM Water Recovery System Cable Connect (JAXA)
Systems:

VHF Emer Comm Checkout
N2 IMV Screen Installation
HTV Cargo Ops
Friday, 8/14 (GMT 227)
Payloads:

RADI-N2 Deploy-Node 3 F3 Rack (CSA)
JWRS System Bag Retrieval & Closeout (JAXA)
Food Physiology (NASA)
Astrobee Cargo Placement (NASA)
CBEF-L CO2 Flow Close (JAXA)
Systems:

HTV Departure OBT
CMS ARED Qtrly Maint
HTV Cargo Ops
Saturday, 8/15 (GMT 228)
Payloads:

Crew Off Duty
Systems:

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

JEM Temporary Stowage Relocation for Kibo Studio
??? (Universal Bioengineering Thermostat). Checking ???-? No.07 thermostat temperature and unobstructed area near ???-? inlet/outlet vents
JPM Aft Window Shutter Open/Close for Kibo Space Studio
Kibo Studio Setup, Camera Check and Closeout
[????] Comm Reconfiguration for MRM1
SEPARATION. Connecting a new Centrifugal multi-stage vacuum distiller (????) drive control module. Switching urine water regeneration system [???-?] to mixing mode
URAGAN. Diagnostics of VSS PL
Merlin Desiccant Swap
Station Support Computer (SSC) Power On
Packed Bed Reactor Experiment (PBRE) Hardware Gather & Setup
Russian Video recording
HTV9 Cargo Transfers
Inventory Audit of ???? office equipment
Filling (separation) of ??? (???) for Elektron or ???-??
Preparation & handover of items to be trashed on HTV-9