NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 17 July 2019 – Installing the HERMES Facility
Three Expedition 60 crewmates aboard the International Space Station spent the day servicing a variety of research hardware. Back on Earth, three different rockets are preparing to replenish the orbiting lab with a new crew and more science and supplies.
NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Nick Hague have been working on an array of science gear today supporting numerous advanced microgravity experiments.
Koch installed the HERMES facility researching the dynamics of asteroid and planetary surfaces with no atmospheres. She then checked out the Photobioreactor that explores microalgae as a means to support hybrid life support systems.
Hague was over in the Kibo laboratory module this morning configuring backup software for the Japanese robotic arm that maneuvers external experiments. After lunch, Hague replaced gear inside the Combustion Integrated Rack to support safe flame and fuel research in space.
The orbiting laboratory is gearing up for a high traffic period at the end of July. Two new Russian spaceships and a U.S. cargo craft will be occupying three different ports bringing the station crew up to full speed.
Saturday will see the launch and arrival of three new Flight Engineers aboard the Soyuz MS-13 crew ship. Astronauts Drew Morgan and Luca Parmitano and cosmonaut Alexander Skvortsov will lift off Saturday at 12:28 p.m. EDT from Kazakhstan and dock to the Zvezda service module at 6:50 p.m.
Next, the SpaceX Dragon resupply ship is scheduled to launch from Florida at Sunday at 7:35 p.m. Hague and Koch will be at the helm of the robotics workstation in the cupola to capture Dragon on Tuesday at 11 a.m. with the Canadarm2 robotic arm.
Finally, Russia’s Progress 73 (73P) space freighter will replace the Progress 72 when it departs the Pirs docking compartment July 29. The 73P is due to blast off July 31 on a short two-orbit trip before automatically docking to Pirs with food, fuel and supplies for the station inhabitants.
On-Orbit Status Report
Saibo Experiment Rack Clean Bench (CB) Checkout: The crew completed the yearly relief valve check of the CB in the JAXA Saibo Rack. Saibo includes a Clean Bench glovebox with microscope that isolates the organisms being studied, and Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) that includes incubator and centrifuges.
Hermes Facility: The crew installed the HERMES facility and Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS) tri-axial sensor heads (TSH). Hermes is an experimental microgravity facility that enables science experiments, microgravity exposure testing, testing of engineering components, testing of CubeSats, concept trials, and any payloads that fit within the Hermes design and operations constraints. It is open to any investigation that benefits from microgravity exposure.
Combustion Integration Rack (CIR)/Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments (ACME) /Flame Design: The crew replaced the igniter tip which burned out this week to complete the final Flame Design runs. The investigation studies the production and control of soot to optimize oxygen-enriched combustion and the design of robust, soot-free flames. Soot can adversely affect efficiency, emissions, and equipment lifetime, so this may lead to more efficient and cleaner burner designs. The experiment is conducted with spherical flames of gaseous fuels in the CIR as part of the ACME project.
Photobioreactor (PBR): The crew performed troubleshooting for the Photobioreactor by powering up the unit from a different locker power port. Today the life support systems that sustain astronauts in space are based on physicochemical processes. The Photobioreactor investigation aims at demonstrating that microalgae (i.e. biological processes) can be used together with existing systems to improve recycling of resources, creating a hybrid life support system. This hybrid approach could be helpful in future long-duration exploration missions, as it could reduce the amount of consumables required from Earth, and will first be tested in space on the ISS.
Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) Laptop Relocation: The AMS laptop was located in Columbus Express Rack (ER)1 where the Payload Ethernet Hub Gateway (PEHG) will be upgraded to an improved PEHG. The laptop must remain continuously powered to retain collected data. Today the crew relocated the laptop to Columbus ER3 which will provide continuous power.
Completed Task List Activities:
EDaR troubleshooting part 2
Email transition prep
USOS hatch seal inspection
CWC-I degas
Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Office 365 SSC loading onto 59S Crew SSCs
Payloads Ops Support
Look Ahead:
Thursday, 7/18 (GMT 199)
Payloads:
KUBIK (5,6) connect to portable power sply (ESA)
Florescence Microscope reconfiguration (JAXA)
Standard Measures (NASA)
ISS Experience Stow (NASA)
MSL ops review and Motor Valve R&R and water loop chk (NASA)
HERMES Vacuum vlv to open (NASA)
Systems:
JEMRMS BDS Checkout
Dragon Offset Grapple OBT
CUCU Checkout
Friday, 7/19 (GMT 200)
Payloads:
CBEF video cable config and vent fan covering (JAXA)
Food Acceptability (NASA)
Light Effects Performance test (NASA)
Team Task Switching (NASA
Actiwatch data downlinks (HRF)
MSRR Z-book setup and s/w load (NASA)
Cell Science-02 hardware setup (NASA)
PK-4 Campaign-7 Familiarization (Joint)
Systems:
WHC Pre-Treat R&R
Emergency Procedure Review OBT
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Node 2 Nadir Hatch to Unlatch
Portable Wireless Camera Activation
Relocation of a bag with additional Docking and Internal Transfer System from MRM2 to SM
Hermes Facility Installation
Voice check on S/G1 from Baikonur (S-band)
RS3 Laptop Inspection and Cleaning
Environmental Health System (EHS) Grab Sample Container (GSC) Sampling Operations
Hermes Cassette Installation
JEMRMS BDS Final Activation
??? maintenance
Clean Bench (CB) Valve Checkout
EXPRESS Rack 1 Locker Removal
EXPRESS Rack 1 Rack Power Switch Hardware Inspection
EXPRESS Rack 1 Locker Install
EXPRESS Rack ZBook Setup
Water Resource Management (WRM) Condensate Sample Init
SEPARATION. Activation of [???-?-??] system. Starting Distillation Cycle 1
Packing Equipment for disposal in Progress 441 (DC1) and IMS Ops
Photobioreactor Power Troubleshooting
Combustion Integrated Rack Rack Doors Open
AMS Laptop Relocate
Combustion Integrated Rack Front End Cap Open
ACME Igniter Tip Replace (Spherical Burner Installed)
EXPRESS Rack ZBook Setup Start
EXPRESS Rack ZBook Setup Finish
SEPARATION. Starting Distillation Cycle 2.
INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops
Combustion Integrated Rack Front End Cap Close
Combustion Integrated Rack Rack Doors Close
Water Resource Management (WRM) Condensate Sample Terminate
ARED Cylinder Flywheel Evacuation
MSRR Door Open
SEPARATION. Deactivation of [???-?-??] system. Log-file downlink
Standard Measures Pre-sleep Questionnaire
