NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 13 April, 2021 – Harvest Time

Three Expedition 64 crew members reviewed departure procedures today as they get ready to leave the International Space Station at the end of the week.
Meanwhile, there was a harvest onboard the orbital lab today while three new crewmates get used to life in space.

NASA astronaut Kate Rubins joined Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov Tuesday afternoon and looked over the steps they will take after they undock from the space station on Friday at 9:34 p.m. EDT. The trio reviewed the g-forces that occur when entering Earth’s atmosphere and experiencing gravity for the first time in 185 days. The former station residents will parachute to Earth inside the Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft after leaving the Poisk module about three-and-a-half hours earlier.

A small crop of Amara Mustard and Pak Choi plants was picked today as part of the ongoing Veg-3 space agriculture study. NASA Flight Engineer Michael Hopkins removed the plants from the Columbus lab module’s Veggie Facility and stowed the leaves for later analysis. The botany investigation is informing NASA and its international partners on how to feed crews without resupply ships on future missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

Ongoing technical and life support maintenance is key to ensuring science experiments are up and running and the astronauts stay healthy while orbiting Earth.

Astronaut Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency continued servicing the Cell Biology Experiment Facility, an incubator that generates artificial gravity to support cell and plant biology studies. Victor Glover routed ethernet cables and Shannon Walker, both NASA flight engineers, worked on a U.S. oxygen generator throughout Tuesday.

The station’s newest crew members, Mark Vande Hei of NASA and Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov, both from Roscosmos, are in their first week on the space station. They are getting oriented with station systems while also stepping up their science and maintenance activities. Vande Hei installed acoustic monitors and collected carbon dioxide data today. Novitskiy worked on a Russian radiation experiment as Dubrov checked ear, nose and throat medical equipment.

On-Orbit Status Report

Payloads

Cell Biology Experiment Facility – Left (CBEF-L): The crew continued the series of CBEF-L activities with an Measurement Experiment Unit detachment, transfer of the temperature logger data, and closeout of the humidifier 2 system. CBEF-L provides new capabilities with additional new resources such as Full High Definition video interface, Ethernet, 24 VDC power supply, and a larger diameter centrifugal test environment. By using the original CBEF and CBEF-L as one facility for the same experiment, the payload user is provided with an upgraded experimental environment that can handle the processing of more experimental samples for a wider array of experiments.

Gradient Heating Furnace (GHF): The crew used a multimeter to measure insulation resistance of the GHF Material Processing Unit heaters. The GHF is a vacuum furnace that contains three heating blocks. Their positions and temperatures can be independently controlled, and various temperature profiles can be realized. This facility is mainly used for high quality crystal growth experiments using unidirectional solidification. GHF has an automatic sample exchange system that can be accommodate up to 15 samples to reduce crew operation.

HRF Centrifuge: In response to recent centrifuge issues, the crew performed an HRF centrifuge LCD interface calibration. The HRF centrifuges are typically used to process (separate) blood samples before they are placed in the freezer for long-term storage.

HRF Veg: The crew filled out their Profile of Mood States questionnaires in support of the investigation. The research of HRF Veg focuses on the overall behavioral health benefits of having plants and fresh food in space for various plants grown by other investigations.

Nanoracks Rotational Dynamics: The crew deflated 2 Rotational Dynamics soccer balls to prepare them for return to the ground. The investigation examined the behavior of free-flying soccer balls in microgravity. Researchers measure the spin speed, wobble, and spin axis of balls with different shapes and textures and compare the data to Earth-based experiments. Results could improve the understanding of interaction between free-flying objects and their environment.

Veg-03K and Veg-03L Final Harvest: Since the plants are at the end of their roughly 2-month life cycle, the crew performed the final sample gathering, harvest activities and termination of the experiment. Organisms grow differently in space, from single-celled bacteria to plants and humans. But 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 I/J/K/L (Veg-03) uses the Veggie plant growth facility to cultivate Extra Dwarf Pak Choi, Amara Mustard and Red Romaine Lettuce using Seed Film which are harvested on orbit with samples returned to Earth for testing.

Systems

Joint Station Local Area Network (LAN) (JSL) Gigabit Cable Routing: Today the crew completed cable routing between Node 2 (N2) and the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) as well as between N2 and Columbus (COL). Cable mate is scheduled for tomorrow. This mod kit adds Gigabit Ethernet cables to the main hubs of the network and once mated, the cables will improve JSL network performance on ISS.

Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) Resistance Measurements: The crew performed resistance measurements on the J1 connector of both OGA Orbital Replacement Units (ORUs) S/N 003 & S/N 004 in a data gathering effort. Both units were installed in late March but failed to activate with pump speeds that never got above 0 rpm. Today’s measurements will help the ground teams in their root cause investigation.

Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: Yesterday, Robotics Ground Controllers powered MSS

and maneuvered the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to the translate configuration.

The Mobile Transporter (MT) was then translated from Worksite #2 (WS2) to WS6 and SSRMS was maneuvered to grapple SPDM on Lab and to relocate it on Mobile Base System PDGF2.

After SSRMS released SPDM, it was maneuvered in position to perform a monthly test on Elbow Pitch joint.

Completed Task List Activities:

64S USOS unpack
77P USOS unpack
Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

MSS powerup
SSRMS walkoff to MBS3
MT translation from WS6 to WS4
Look Ahead Plan

Wednesday, April 14 (GMT 104)
Payloads:

AC touch, ER1 rotate and t/s, Food Acceptability, MSPR2 workbench ops, RFID photos, SAMS CU activation, SERFE, Standard Measures pre-sleep questionnaires, T2AR ops
Systems

OBT Crew-1 free flight depress response & emergency departure refresher
EVA PGT checkout
N2 UOP 4 install
Thursday, April 15 (GMT 105)
Payloads:

Astrobee/Gecko-2, COSMIC, FNS relocate, MELFI dewar audit, Micro-16, PL NAS vent clean, RR habitat stow, Standard Measures, Transparent Alloys, Video cable wanted poster
Systems

Crew-1 deorbit entry and landing contingency refresher/conference with ground
EVA HECA cable install
Change of Command ceremony
Friday, April 16 (GMT 106)
Payloads:

AC Touch, AstroPi tape removal, AWP, DOSIS-3D, Food Acceptability, HRF Veg questionnaire, Kermit, PLT5 setup, RTPCG-2, SCEM, Standard Measures, Time Perception, Veg-03 hardware deactivation
Systems

63S undock
OBT Crew-1 nominal departure/deorbit
Crew-1 deorbit paper sim with ground team
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Reminder Periodic Health Status (PHS) Evaluation
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Periodic Health Status (PHS) Evaluation Setup
Pump Package Assembly (PPA) Acoustic Blanket Deploy
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Periodic Health Status (PHS) Evaluation – Subject
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Periodic Health Status (PHS) Evaluation – Crew Medical Officer
Gradient Heating Furnace (GHF) Heating Units Insulation resistance Measurement
VEG-03 MWA Preparation
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Periodic Health Status (PHS) Stow Hardware
VEG-03K TERMINATION FOR AUTONOMOUS OPERATIONS
ISS Crew Adaptation
Gathering PCS for Crew-2
Joint Station LAN (JSL) Node 2/JEM Gigabit Cable Routing
VEG-03 MELFI Insertion #1
VEG-03 Clean and Dry
Stowage of the equipment to be returned to earth
Personal CO2 Monitors Data Collection
Actiwatch Plus HRF Rack 1 Setup
HRF Centrifuge Placeholder
ISS Crew departure preparation
NanoRacks Rotational Dynamics Regulation Ball Deflation
Cell Biology Experiment Facility Left (CBEF-L) Meas Exp Unit A Detachment
Joint Station LAN (JSL) Node 2/COL Gigabit Cable Routing
Adlink Mini PC Troubleshooting
Cell Biology Experiment Facility Left (CBEF-L) Humidifier Detachment
Environmental Health System (EHS) Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Collect
JEM Wireless Instrumentation System Environmental Monitor Remote Sensor Unit Battery R&R
Cell Biology Experiment Facility Left (CBEF-L) Meas Exp Unit A Closeout
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Analysis
Oxygen Generator Assembly (OGA) Pump ORU Troubleshooting
Temperature Data Transfer for Cell Biology Experiment Facility Left (CBEF-L) Checkout
Actiwatch Plus HRF Rack 1 Swap
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows (WinSCAT) Test
Atmospheric Control System (ACS) Nitrogen Oxygen Recharge System (NORS) Oxygen Transfer to Low Pressure O2 Tank
Handover of Increment 65 Crew
IVA Tool Box Label Installation
Environmental Health System (EHS) Coliform Water Processing
Pump Package Assembly (PPA) Acoustic Blanket Return
Actiwatch Plus HRF Rack 1 Stow
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows (WinSCAT) Test
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record
Early Mission Debrief Conference
EVA Battery Operations Terminal Charge Terminate
HRF Veg Subject Operations Profile of Mood States Short Form Questionnaire
Daily Planning Conference
Crew Choice Event Set Up
CCE Preparation
Crew Choice Event
Reminder to Clear IMV Inlet