NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 17 June, 2021
The Expedition 65 crew is checking spacesuits and tools following Wednesday’s spacewalk while also getting ready for a second spacewalk on Sunday.
There was also time aboard the International Space Station for ongoing research and maintenance.
Astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Thomas Pesquet completed Wednesday’s spacewalk after seven hours and 15 minutes beginning the installation of a pair of new roll out solar arrays. The duo now turns its attention to a Sunday spacewalk to continue more solar array installation work on the orbiting lab’s P-6 truss segment. NASA TV will begin its live coverage at 6:30 a.m. EDT for all the spacewalk activities.
The spacewalkers and their assistants NASA Flight Engineers Megan McArthur and Mark Vande Hei began Thursday morning relaxing. The quartet then spent the day checking spacesuit components, organizing spacewalk tools and calling down to the ground for a conference with specialists.
Space science continued today, as Commander Akihiko Hoshide spent some time servicing samples for a study to improve quality and extend the shelf-life of medicines on Earth and in space. Vande Hei also worked a couple of hours on the Oral Biofilms experiment investigating how bacteria is affected by microgravity and ways to counteract harmful changes.
Cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov began Thursday morning exploring how microgravity impacts the immune system before moving on and studying ways to maximize the effectiveness of space exercise. Fellow Roscosmos Flight Engineer Oleg Novitskiy worked on a variety of Russian station hardware and swapped samples inside the Electromagnetic Levitator for a study observing chill-cooled industrial alloys.
On-Orbit Status Report
Payloads:
ISS HAM: The crew initiated a contact with Collège Albert Camus, La Norville and Université Paris-Saclay, Saint-Aubin, France. ISS Ham Radio provides opportunities to engage and educate students, teachers, parents and other members of the community in science, technology, engineering and math by providing a means to communicate between astronauts and the ground HAM radio units.
Manufacturing Device (MAND): The crew assembled the AstroRad prints, performed a flex test and integrated the AstroRad prints into the AstroRad vest. The Manufacturing Device enables the production of components on the ISS for both NASA and commercial objectives. Parts, entire experiments, and tools can be created on demand utilizing the MAND printer that is installed into an Express Rack locker location. MAND is capable of producing parts out of a wide variety of thermopolymers including engineered plastics.
Nanoracks CubeSat Deployer-20 (NRCSD-20): The crew removed the NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer hardware from the MPEP (Multipurpose Experiment Platform). NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer-20 (NRCSD-20) will be used to launch 2 satellites: RamSat and SOAR. RamSat is a 20x10x10 cm satellite equipped with multispectral and near-infrared cameras to study large-scale disturbances to forests. SOAR is a 30x10x10 cm satellite which looks at the effects various materials have on aerodynamic drag and performance, measures thermospheric winds, and demonstrates various maneuver capabilities. NRCSD is a stackable, modular, ground loaded launch case. Each NRCSD accommodates up to six launch cases. NRCSD is passed through the JEM Airlock, and manipulated robotically for to the satellite deployment position.
Oral Biofilms in Space (OBIS): The crew hydrated the OBiS Assembly Session Packs 6,7,9 and 10 with Fluid Bag 3 into the Fluid Chamber and then restowed them for incubation for 30 minutes. Session Pack 8 showed evidence of a leak and was trashed. Fluid Bag 3 is a fixative fluid medium, containing chemicals designed to arrest and preserve bacteriological growth within the Fluid Chamber. The crew then stopped the flow inside the remaining Session Packs and removed the Fluid Chambers from each Session Pack and stowed the packs in cold stowage. Effect of Environmental Stressors on Oral Biofilm Growth and Treatment (Oral Biofilms in Space) studies the effect of gravity on the behavior of oral bacteria, including the structure of the bacterial community, and changes in bacterial response to common oral care agents. The findings could support development of novel treatments to fight oral diseases such as caries, gingivitis, and periodontitis. The investigation also could provide insights into how microgravity affects the microbiome of other mucosal surfaces in the body.
Electromagnetic Levitator (EML Batch 3): The crew performed a replacement of EML Sample Chamber in support of Batch 3 sample experiments. EML is a multi-user facility that provides containerless melting and solidification of electrically conductive, spherical samples, under ultra-high vacuum and/or high gas-purity conditions. Heating and positioning of the sample is achieved by electromagnetic fields generated by a coil system. The EML supports research in the field of meta-stable states and phases. It also supports measurement of high-accurate thermophysical properties of liquid metallic alloys in the stable and undercooled state.
Lyophilization-2: The crew removed the processed sample tray from the sample chamber and stowed it for return to the ground and then inserted a new sample tray. Lyophilization-2 in Microgravity (Lyophilization-2) examines gravity’s effects on freeze-dried materials. Lyophilization, or freeze-drying, is a common method for formulating pharmaceuticals with improved chemical and physical stability. On Earth, the process leads to formation of layers with structural differences, but if such stratification is due to gravity, it may not occur in microgravity. This investigation, which follows up on previous work, may result in improved freeze-drying processes for the pharmaceutical and other industries.
Systems:
Post-EVA Activities: The crew completed several post-EVA activities after yesterday’s spacewalk. The crew configured EVA tools, battery charge, and debriefed with the EVA ground team. Additionally, the crew completed an EMU water recharge and removed & replaced (R&R) the EMU Metal Oxide (METOX) Cartridge.
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Pre-Treat Tank Remove & Replace: The crew R&R’d the Pre-Treat Tank as part of nominal WHC preventative maintenance. Each tank contains five liters of pre-treat solution, a mix of acid, chromium oxide, and water, used for toilet flushing and required for nominal WHC operation.
Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Quarterly Inspection: The crew completed this regularly scheduled inspection on ARED’s Vibration Isolation Stabilization (VIS) rails, VIS rollers, upper stop cables and X-rotation dashpots. They also gave feedback on ARED performance when the ARED lift bar is moved between lower stops and upper stops.
Completed Task List Activities:
None
Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Atmosphere Revitalization System (ARS) Lab Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) 4 Half Cycles [Active]
Configure Airlock for METOX Regeneration
Payload Rack Officer Fluids Integrated Rack Activation Commanding
Look Ahead Plan:
Friday, June 18 (GMT 169)
Payloads:
JAXA Moderate Temp PCG Sample prep (JAXA)
AC Touch (NASA)
Food Acceptability (NASA)
NanoRacks Module-83 Photo (NASA)
Standard Measures Post Sleep Question (NASA)
PK-4 disk audit (Joint)
Systems:
EVA procedure review
EVA procedure conference
EVA tool configuration
IDA-Zenith MLI Velcro Inspection and Re-seat
Saturday, June 19 (GMT 170)
Payloads:
Repository Urine setup (NASA)
Systems:
EVA procedure review
EVA ROBO procedure review
EVA tool audit
Sunday, June 20 (GMT 171)
Payloads:
OBIS Bag1 init and activate (NASA)
Systems:
2B Troubleshooting IROSA EVA
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
TV conference with the participants in the Space Lesson
Japanese Experiment Module NORS Tank Move
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Long Life Battery (LLB)/Metal Oxide (METOX) Installation
Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly (REBA) Installation
EVA Battery Operations Terminal Charge
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Water Recharge
To relocate bags and gather items as per Stowage Note
ISS Portable Glove Bag (IPGB) Setup
Manufacturing Device AstroRad Vest Print Ops
Oral Biofilms In Space (OBiS) MELFI OBiS Biofilms Session Pack
Checking ESA Pwr Bank charge level
EML. Sample swap
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Debrief
Microgravity Science Glovebox Activation
Countermeasures System (CMS) Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Quarterly Inspection
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Resize
US Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tether Inspection
Robotics Procedure Print
Reading post-EVA Pille dosimeter data
Lyophilization MELFI Sample Retrieve
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record
Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) Post-EVA Activities
RSA Water transfer termination
Charging EVA Camera D4 Battery
Metal Oxide (METOX) Regeneration Initiation
Crew Dragon Tablet Sync
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Pre-Treat Tank Remove & Replace
