NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 19 July 2017 – Food Planning for Long Duration Missions to Mars

The Expedition 52 crew embarked on tasks Wednesday to further NASA’s eventual journey to Mars and aid researchers in understanding how to stimulate cancer-fighting drugs to target cancer cells–and cancer cells alone–in the human body.
The astronauts lent their opinions to a food questionnaire designed to explore if the current food available in the spaceflight food system would be acceptable for even longer-duration missions, like a Martian sojourn. Their input will help develop strategies to improve futuristic food systems in support of crew health and performance.

Of even greater magnitude to Earthlings approximately 240 miles below the orbiting laboratory is the work being performed with the Efficacy and Metabolism of Azonafide Antibody-Drug Conjugates in Microgravity (ADCs in Microgravity) investigation. The crew retrieved a BioCell Habitat, inoculation kits and ADC samples from a Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI), set up hardware inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) and inoculated the Multiwall BioCells using syringes. Later, the astronauts will repeat these steps with a second BioCell Habitat, which begins an 11-day experiment stretch. In the zero-g environment of space, cancer cells grow in spheroid structures that closely resemble how they form in the human body. This study may speed up the development of targeted therapies for cancer patients, increasing the effectiveness of chemotherapy treatment and while reducing unwanted side effects.

Expedition 52 is taking out the trash midday tomorrow when Russia’s Progress 66 (66P) uncrewed cargo craft departs the International Space Station for a fiery disposal over the Pacific Ocean. The 66P is loaded with garbage and obsolete gear and will undock from the Pirs docking compartment Thursday at 1:46 p.m. EDT. The Russian resupply ship will orbit Earth for a few more hours before reentering Earth’s atmosphere harmlessly over the Pacific. NASA TV will not be covering the undocking activities.

On-Orbit Status Report

Efficacy and Metabolism of Azonafide Antibody-Drug Conjugates in Microgravity (ADCs in Microgravity): The crew retrieved a BioCell Habitat, inoculation kits and ADC samples from a Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI), set up hardware inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) Work Volume and inoculated the Multiwall BioCells using Inoculum syringes. Later today the crew will repeat these steps with a second BioCell Habitat which begins an 11-day run. The ADCs in Microgravity investigation evaluates new antibody-drug conjugates that combine an immune-activating drug with antibodies to target only cancer cells, increasing the effectiveness of chemotherapy and reducing its side effects. In microgravity, cancer cells grow in three-dimensional, spheroid structures that closely resemble their form in the human body, allowing for better drug testing. This investigation may accelerate development of targeted therapies for cancer patients.

NeuroMapping: The crew set up the Neuromapping hardware and performed tests in “strapped in” and “free floating” body configurations. During the test, the crew executed three Behavioral Assessments: mental rotation, sensorimotor adaptation, and motor-cognitive dual tasking. The investigation studies whether long-duration spaceflight causes changes to brain structure and function, motor control, or multi-tasking abilities. It also measures how long it would take for the brain and body to recover from possible changes. Previous research and anecdotal evidence from astronauts suggests movement control and cognition can be affected in microgravity. The NeuroMapping investigation performs structural and functional magnetic resonance brain imaging (MRI and fMRI) to assess any changes that occur after spending months on the ISS.

Food Acceptability: The crew completed a Food Acceptability questionnaire. The Food Acceptability investigation seeks to determine the impact on food acceptability on ISS of repetitive consumption of food currently available from the spaceflight food system. Results will be used in developing strategies to improve food system composition to support crew health and performance on long duration missions.

Fine Motor Skills (FMS): The crew completed a series of interactive tasks during a FMS session. The investigation studies how the fine motor skills are effected by long-term microgravity exposure, different phases of microgravity adaptation, and sensorimotor recovery after returning to Earth gravity. The goal of the investigation is to determine how fine motor performance in microgravity varies over the duration of six-month and year-long space missions; how fine motor performance on orbit compares with that of a closely matched participant on Earth; and how performance varies before and after gravitational transitions, including periods of early flight adaptation and very early/near immediate post-flight periods.

JEM Wireless Access Point (J-WAP)-2 Install: The crew removed the JEM Wireless Access Port located at the JPM1A7 location and replaced it with an improved JEM Wireless Access Port (J-WAP)-2. JWAP-2 will provide JEM internal Wi-Fi capability which incorporates new radio communications standards.

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

Antibody Conjugates MELFI Sample Retrieve
Combustion Integrated Rack Alignment Guide Removal
Fine Motor Skills Experiment Test – Subject
Ultrasound 2 HRF Rack 1 Power On
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Ultrasound 2 Scan
Antibody Conjugates Thawing and Inoculation Preparation
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Ultrasound 2 Post Exam
Ultrasound 2 Guided Data Export
JEM Wireless Access Point 2 Installation
Antibody Conjugates MELFI Sample Retrieve
Antibody Conjugates Biocells Inoculation
Antibody Conjugates MELFI Sample Retrieve
Antibody Conjugates Biocells Inoculation
Antibody Conjugates MELFI Sample Retrieve
Antibody Conjugates Biocells Inoculation
Antibody Conjugates MELFI Sample Retrieve
Antibody Conjugates Biocells Inoculation
Food Acceptability Questionnaire – Subject
Antibody Conjugates Session Cleanup
Cupola Window #2 Shutter Closed
??-2 Physical Fitness Evaluation (on ??-2)
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT Setup
NeuroMapping Experiment Neurocognitive Test – Subject
Preventive maintenance of DC1 ??? hatch sealing mechanisms and Progress 435 (DC1) [???] hatch
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – OCT Exam
Removal of ???305 Light Units from Progress 435 (DC1) and Stowage in Spares Kit. (Stow in ???1_??_407_1, CTB No.4355 (00180358J))
Antibody Conjugates MELFI Sample Retrieve
Progress 435 Activation, Air Duct Removal
Countermeasures System (CMS) Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) iPad Downlink
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – OCT Exam
Connecting HDV Sony HVR-Z7E Camcorder in DC1 and starting NASA MPEG-2 application (for TV coverage of Removal of Quick Release Screw Clamps (???))
On MCC Go Removal of quick-release screw clamps from DC1-Progress 435 side Video of the interface
Antibody Conjugates Thawing and Inoculation Preparation
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT Stow
DC1-Progress Hatch Closure
Antibody Conjugates MELFI Sample Retrieve
Antibody Conjugates Biocells Inoculation
DC1-?? and Progress-?? Hatch Leak Check
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) in Columbus
Antibody Conjugates MELFI Sample Retrieve
Antibody Conjugates Biocells Inoculation
Deactivation of HDV Sony HVR-Z7E camcorder and closing of NASA MPEG-2 Viewer application
Changeout of Dust Filter ??1-4 Cartridges in SM (???1???_2_224_1, bag 432-7 (00069509R). Discard the removed items. Reflect changes in IMS)
Antibody Conjugates Session Cleanup
Rodent Research Access Unit Clean
Environmental Health System (EHS) – Rad Detector Rotate
On MCC Go Removal of Quick Release Screw Clamps (???) Video Downlink via OCA

Completed Task List Items
None

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
JEMRMS Maneuver to transfer Handhold Exp Platform at SPB to JEMAL

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Thursday, 07/20: 66P undock, Antibody Conjugates Operations, JEM Airlock Operations, Russian EVA Tool Gathering
Friday, 07/21: Node 2 Bacteria Filter R&R, CIR Rack Ops, Handheld External Platform Ops
Saturday, 07/22: Crew off duty, housekeeping

QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
Component – Status
Elektron – Off
Vozdukh – Manual
[???] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) – On
[???] 2 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV2”) – Off
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 – Operate
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) – Standby
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) – Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Full up
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Off