NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 12 October 2017 – Launch of Russian Cargo Mission Scrubbed
Launch of the Russian Progress 68 cargo craft has been scrubbed for today. The next launch attempt will be no earlier than Saturday Oct. 14 at 4:46 am EDT (2:46 p.m. local time in Baikonur).
Following a 34-orbit, two-day trip, Progress 68 would arrive at the Pirs Docking Compartment of the International Space Station for docking on Monday, Oct. 16. Roscosmos technicians in Baikonur are analyzing the cause of the scrubbed launch.
On-Orbit Status Report
68P Launch and Dock Delay: 68P was planned for launch at 04:30 AM Central time, but the launch was aborted during final countdown. Russian teams are looking into the cause of the abort. The next launch opportunity is Saturday morning at 03:47 AM Central, with docking two days later on Monday morning.
Multi-Omics Sample Collections: A 52S crewmember collected saliva samples and completed a questionnaire for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Multi-Omics experiment. The samples were placed into the Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI). The Multi-omics analysis of human microbial-metabolic cross-talk in the space ecosystem (Multi-Omics) investigation evaluates the impacts of space environment and prebiotics on astronauts’ immune function, by combining the data obtained from the measurements of changes in the gut microbiological composition, metabolites profiles, and the immune system.
Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) Maintenance: The crew performed maintenance activities in the CIR by replacing a window and the CIR Interface Resource Ring (IRR) vent filter inside the combustion chamber due to fuel and combustion by-product buildup. The CIR is used to perform combustion experiments in microgravity. The CIR can be reconfigured easily on orbit to accommodate a variety of combustion experiments. It consists of an optics bench, a combustion chamber, a fuel and oxidizer management system, environmental management systems, and interfaces for science diagnostics and experiment specific equipment.
Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) Configuration for Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments (ACME): The crew continued to conduct ACME insertion configurations that began yesterday, by disconnecting water umbilicals at CIR Z-Panel to remove water pressure from the rack and then remove the Multi-user Droplet Combustion Apparatus (MDCA) Chamber Insert Assembly (CIA) from the CIR combustion chamber for the final time. The ACME chamber insert for the first set of test points was configured and connected into the CIR combustion chamber. After the water umbilicals were reconnected to Z-Panel, the crew checked for leaks. The ACME investigation is a set of five independent studies of gaseous flames to be conducted in the CIR. ACME’s primary goal is to improve fuel efficiency and reduce pollutant production in practical combustion on Earth. Its secondary goal is to improve spacecraft fire prevention through innovative research focused on materials flammability.
Fine Motor Skills (FMS): A 51S crewmember conducted a Flight Day 75 FMS session executed on a touchscreen tablet, where the subject performed a series of interactive tasks. The investigation studies how fine motor skills are affected by long-term microgravity exposure, different phases of microgravity adaptation, and sensorimotor recovery after returning to Earth gravity. The goal of FMS is to answer how fine motor performance in microgravity trends/varies over the duration of a six-month and year-long space mission; how fine motor performance on orbit compares with that of a closely matched participant on Earth; and how performance trends/varies before and after gravitational transitions, including the periods of early flight adaptation, and very early/near immediate post-flight periods.
Veg-03 Operations: The crew checked and photo documented the status of the plants in the Veggie facility, and evaluated the plant pillows to determine if additional watering was required. The Veg-03 investigation uses the Veggie plant growth facility to cultivate a type of cabbage, lettuce and mizuna which are harvested on-orbit with samples returned to Earth for testing. Organisms grow differently in space, from single-celled bacteria to plants and humans. Future long-duration space missions will require crew members to grow their own food, so understanding how plants respond to microgravity is an important step toward that goal. Veg-03 uses the Veggie plant growth facility to cultivate a type of cabbage, lettuce and mizuna which are harvested on-orbit with samples returned to Earth for testing.
USOS Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) #46 Preparations: Today the crew reconfigured necessary EVA tools and resized an EVA Mobility Unit (EMU) in support of next week’s EVA. The goals of this EVA include Removal and Replacement (R&R) of the degraded CP13 camera and lubrication of the Latching End Effector (LEE) B.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Multi Omics Saliva Operations
Multi Omics Saliva sample MELFI Insertion
Multi Omics Question
KUBIK Temperature Logger Deinstallation
KUBIK Temperature Adjustment to 38°C
ISS Crew and ГОГУ (RSA Flight Control Team) Weekly Conference
USOS Window Shutter Close
ISS HAM Radio Power Down
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tool Configuring
Inventory Management System (IMS) conference
Treadmill 2 (T2) Exercise Video Equipment Setup
Fine Motor Skills Experiment Test – Subject
Vacuum Cleaning ВД1 and ВД2 air ducts in MRM2
Photography of the БД-2 treadmill belt edge and screen form of Belt tab
Progress 436 [AO] Cargo Transfers and IMS Ops
At Home In Space Culture Photo
СОЖ Maintenance
ACME Insertion Configuration
CIR Window Replacement
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Pre-Treat Tank and Dose Pump Remove & Replace
Monitoring shutter closure on windows 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14.
EML Reprogramming Cable installation
CIR Vent Filter Replacement
MPEG2 Multicast Test via Ku-band (Activation/Deactivation of TV data and MPEG2 Multicast controls). Tagup with specialists
Preparation for Progress 437 Docking
Fluids Integrated Rack Hardware Gather
Progress 437 Docking to DC1
Activation of MPEG2 Multicast TV Monitoring Equipment. Tagup with specialists
Combustion Integrated Rack Front End Cap Close
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Long Life Battery (LLB) Terminate
Activation of mpeg2 multicast video recording mode
Combustion Integrated Rack Rack Doors Close
VEG-03 Plant Photo
Closing Applications and Downlink of MPEG2 Multicast Video via OCA
Combustion Integrated Rack Hardware Return
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows (WinSCAT) Test
CHeCS Rack stowage reconfiguration
BIOPLENKA. Installation of Thermostat ТБУ-В No.05
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Full Fill
EML Reprogramming Cable removal
PRODUTSENT. ТБУ-В No.2 Incubator Setup
Progress 436 [AO] Stowage for Disposal and IMS Ops
BIOPLENKA. Installation of Cryogem-03
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Resize
Water Recovery System Waste Water Tank Drain
Emergency RS ISS VHF-1 Comm Checkout from USOS
IMS Update
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill
Flight Director/ISS CREW CONFERENCE
CONTENT. Experiment Ops
Completed Task List Activities
VEG-03 Plant Pillow Water
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
68P docking support
Nominal commanding
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Friday, 10/13: ETVCG Build, FIR Reconfiguration, DECLIC Hose Return, EVA Procedure Review and Conference
Saturday, 10/14: Housekeeping Tasks, Crew Off-Day
Sunday, 10/15: Crew Off Duty
QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
Component – Status
Elektron – On
Vozdukh – Manual
[СКВ] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) – Off
[СКВ] 2 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV2”) – On
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 – Standby
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
