NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 15 February 2017 – SpaceX Dragon Set to Launch Saturday

The Expedition 50 crew is getting ready for the upcoming SpaceX CRS-10 mission to resupply the International Space Station. Commander Shane Kimbrough checked out SpaceX communications gear today so the astronauts can monitor the approach and rendezvous of the Dragon cargo craft.
SpaceX is targeting Feb. 18 to launch its Dragon space freighter atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Dragon is scheduled to arrive at the station two days later for a robotic capture and a month-long stay at the Harmony module

Kimbrough also joined Flight Engineers Peggy Whitson and Thomas Pesquet for periodic eye exams during the afternoon. The trio started the day collecting blood and urine samples and stowing them in a science freezer for later analysis on the ground. The ongoing human research helps doctors understand how living in space affects astronauts as NASA plans longer-term missions farther out into space.

Kimbrough and his Soyuz MS-02 crewmates Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko are now set to return to Earth April 10 officially ending the Expedition 50 mission. Whitson will become Expedition 51 commander and continue her stay on the station with fellow crew members Pesquet and cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy.

Two new Expedition 51 crew members will launch to the station April 20. Veteran cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and NASA astronaut Jack Fischer will take a single-day ride inside the Soyuz MS-04 spacecraft to begin their mission on orbit.

On-Orbit Status Report

Transition to (X2) R15 Software: As part of the R15 software transition, the Payload (PL) Multiplexer/Demultiplexers (MDMs) were transitioned to updated software Payload Executive Processor R12 (PEP R12) today. Updates to the PL MDMs include:

Redundancy Management Time Reduction
Additionally, the Lab-1 (LA-1) MDM was transitioned to Lab System-R5 (LSYS1-R5) software. Updates to the LA-1 MDM includes:

Checksum region expanded to include restart vector
Common Cabin Air Assembly (CCAA) setpoint telemetry updates
Tomorrow, the Port 1 (P1) and Starboard 1 (S1) MDMs will be updated to new software.

Capillary Flow Experiment-2 Interior Corner Flow-9 (CFE ICF-9): The crew used a CFE-2 vessel to perform several Interior Corner Flow tests that show the passive capillary driven redistribution of liquid in a container in low-gravity due to the specific fluid properties and 3-D geometry of the container and the spontaneous phase separation characteristics of such flows when bubbles are introduced into the liquid. CFE-ICF studies capillary flow in interior corners. Structured inside tanks providing interior corners are used in the design of fuel tanks so that the fuel will always flow to the outlet of the tank in the absence of gravity. The equations governing the process are known but, to date, have not been solved analytically because of a lack of experimental data identifying the appropriate boundary conditions for the flow problem. Experimental results will guide the analysis by providing the necessary boundary conditions as a function of container cross section and fill fraction. The benchmarked theory can then be used to improve propellant management aboard spacecraft.

JEM Airlock (JEMAL) Operations: The crew removed the Robotics External Leak Locator (RELL) and JEM ORU Transfer Interface (JOTI) from the JEMAL Slide Table this morning following this past weekend’s successful operations. The crew then installed the Small Fine Arm Attachment Mechanism (SAM) and Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform (MPEP) on the Slide Table. Later this week, the crew will install NanoRack Cubesat Deployer (NRCSD) #10 which will be deployed after SpaceX-10 and 66 Progress have docked to the ISS.

Human Research Facility (HRF) Collections: Upon wakeup the crew performed their Flight Day 120 (FD120) Biochemical Profile and Repository blood and urine collections. The samples collected were placed in Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI). The Biochemical Profile experiment tests blood and urine samples obtained from astronauts before, during, and after spaceflight. Specific proteins and chemicals in the samples are used as biomarkers, or indicators of health. Post-flight analysis yields a database of samples and test results, which scientists can use to study the effects of spaceflight on the body. Repository is a storage bank used to maintain biological specimens over extended periods of time and under well-controlled conditions. This repository supports scientific discovery that contributes to our fundamental knowledge in the area of human physiological changes and adaptation to a microgravity environment and provides unique opportunities to study longitudinal changes in human physiology spanning many missions.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Logistics: Yesterday, the crew installed antennas in the Lab and Node 1 modules. After activation, ground teams identified Node 1 Reader 1 was not providing data. Based on downlink photos teams determined that a power cable was not connected. Today, the crew completed the RFID Logistics hardware in Node 2 and successfully connected the power cable to the Node 1 Reader 1 recovering the Node 1 capabilities. The RFID Logistics experiment aims to utilize RFID enabled tags on hardware throughout the ISS, and assist in the tracking of the hardware as it is moved around the station.

Solar Platform Powerdown: With the completion of the Solar experiment the Solar platform was unpowered for the final time. The Solar platform is planned to return on SpaceX-12. Solar is a monitoring observatory that will measure the solar spectral irradiance. Apart from scientific contributions for solar and stellar physics, the knowledge of the solar energy irradiance into the Earth’s atmosphere and its variations is of great importance for atmospheric modeling, atmospheric chemistry and climatology. The three experiments mounted on Solar are Solar Variable and Irradiance Monitor (SOVIM) observing the near-ultraviolet, visible and thermal regions of the spectrum (200 nanometers – 100 micrometers); SOLar SPECtral Irradiance Measurements (SOLSPEC) observing the 180 – 3000 nanometer range with high spectral resolution; and SOLar Auto-Calibrating Extreme UV/UV Spectrometers (SOLACES) measures the EUV/UV spectrum range (17 nanometers – 220 nanometers) with moderate spectral resolution.

SpaceX-10 Preparation: The crew, along with ground specialists, performed a nominal checkout the COTS UHF Communication Unit (CUCU) system. Dragon Launch Commit Criteria (LCC) requires two fully functional ISS CUCU equipment strings. CUCU is critical for Relative Global Positioning System (RGPS) navigation and is required for Dragon telemetry and command during final R-bar approach when the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) link may be blocked by ISS structure.

Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: Overnight the Ground Robotic Controllers will stow the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM), walk the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) off to Node2 Power Data Grapple Fixture (PDGF) and maneuver SSRMS to the offset grapple park position.

Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

Calf Volume Measurement
HRF Generic Frozen Blood Collection
HRF Generic Refrigerated Centrifuge Configuration
HRF Generic Refrigerated Centrifuge Spin Conclude
RS lighting system audit (SM, MRM1, MRM2, DC1)
XF305 Camcorder Setup
???25 and ???26 cable rerouting and reconnecting
HRF Generic Sample MELFI Insertion
JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Extension to JPM Side
Structures and Mechanisms (S&M) JEM ORU Xfer I/F (JOTI) and Robo Ext Leak Locator (RELL) Removal From JEM Airlock
Structures and Mechanisms JEM ORU Xfer I/F Robo Ext Leak Locator Assist
HRF Generic Urine Collection
HRF Generic Sample MELFI Insertion Operations
HRF Generic Frozen Blood Collection Conclude Stow
HMS Tonometry Test Setup
HMS Tonometry Test
Small Fine Arm (SFA) Airlock Attachment Mechanism (SAM) installation To JEM Airlock (AL) Slide Table
Study of veins in lower extremities
Capillary Flow Experiments Interior Corner Flow Procedure Review
HMS Tonometry Test Stow
Capillary Flow Experiment MWA Preparation
Capillary Flow Experiments Hardware Setup
Study of veins in lower extremities
Initiate water transfer from CWC-I to ???
JEM Airlock Capture Mechanism Release
Columbus Video Camera Assembly 2 Adjustment
JEMRMS Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform Installation to Small Fine Arm Attachment Mechanism
Columbus Payload Power Switching Box (PPSB) – Switch reconfiguration
Capillary Flow Experiments Interior Corner Flow 9 Test Operations
JEM Airlock Capture Mechanism Capturing
Terminate water transfer from CWC-I to ???
JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Retraction from JPM Side
Mating ??? telemetry connector
HRF Generic Sample MELFI Retrieval Insertion Operations
Fast Neutron Spectrometer Relocate from Lab to Node 1
Capillary Flow Experiments Hardware Teardown
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill
???25 and ???26 cable rerouting and reconnecting
??? maintenance
Glacier Desiccant Pack Swap
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Remove and Replace
Columbus Payload Power Switching Box (PPSB) – Switch reconfiguration
Glacier 5 Desiccant Pack Swap
Vacuum Cleaning of ??1 and ??2 air ducts in DC1
COTS UHF Communication Unit (CUCU) Activation
Multi Omics Fecal Sample Operations
IMS Update
HRF Generic Sample MELFI Insertion Operations
Multi Omics Fecal Sample MELFI Insertion
Glacier 2 Desiccant Pack Swap
Multi Omics Fecal Stow
CONTENT. Experiment Ops
Glacier 4 Desiccant Pack Swap
Life On The Station Photo and Video
Photo/TV CUCU Video Setup
COTS UHF Communication Unit (CUCU) Crew Command Panel (CCP) Checkout
ESA ACTIVE DOSIMETER MOBILE UNIT SWAP
COTS UHF Communication Unit (CUCU) Crew Command Panel (CCP) Stow
Photo TV CUCU Video Deactivation
Camcorder setup to capture ??-2 exercise
HRF Generic Sample MELFI Retrieval Insertion Operations
Robotic Workstation (RWS) Setup
OCT Exam
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT Stow
Closeout operations after video recording ??-2 Exercise

Completed Task List Items
Solid Waste Container [KTO] Replace
Veggie 03 Pillow Watering
SPHERES USB Download
Restow Food BOBs
Stow loose Urine Receptacles and Insert Filters
Expedition New Earth Video-EXERCISE
Occular Coherence Tomography (OCT) Set-up Demonstration

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
X2R15 Software transition – PL and LA-1 MDMs
MSS Operations – SPDM stow, SSRMS walkoff N2

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Thursday, 02/16: Google Street View – Cupola/N3/PMM, Dragon OBT, Eye Exams
Friday, 02/17: Dragon ROBoT Session, Cubesat Deployer Install
Saturday, 02/18: Weekly Housekeeping, Crew Off Duty, SpaceX-10 Launch

QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
Component – Status
Elektron – On
Vozdukh – Manual
[???] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) – Off
[???] 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 – 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