NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 2 January 2018 – Installing New Exterior Sensors
Today – Amyloid: Over the weekend, the crew retrieved the third set of Amyloid samples from the measurement experiment unit on the Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) and placed them in a Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI).
Amyloid fibrils prepared in the microgravity environment of the ISS will be returned to Earth for analysis through Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and electron microscopy. Amyloid fibrils are the peptide or protein aggregates known to be associated with various diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and diabetes. This study is expected to provide additional insight into the mechanism of amyloid fibril formation.
Human Research Program (HRP) Collections (Biochemical Profile, Repository): On Saturday, a 53S subject completed his Flight Day (FD)15 urine sample collections to support the Biochemical Profile and Repository experiments. The samples were placed in the 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.
– Spaceflight-induced Hypoxic/ROS Signaling (APEX-05) Operations: Over the weekend, the crew removed two LMM APEX-05 petri plates from the MELFI and installed them into the VEGGIE facility to begin the growth process of the plants. When plants grow in the confines of the International Space Station (ISS), they do not seem to get enough air and as a result, exhibit a stress response in their genes and proteins. The APEX-05 experiment grows different wild and mutant varieties of Arabidopsis thaliana in order to understand how their genetic and molecular stress response systems work in space. The plants grow from seeds in the Veggie plant growth facility aboard the ISS, are frozen, and returned to Earth for detailed laboratory analysis.
Cell Science Validation Bioreactor and Sample Bag Removal: Over the weekend, the crew removed the bioreactors and the sample bags from the Cell Science Validation cassettes in the Bioculture System facility and stowed them in the MELFI. Today the crew replaced the used gas supply with a new one to allow the Bioculture System to keep running the Cell Science Payload. This flight of the Bioculture System is to validate the hardware by testing and checking out its engineering and operational capability to maintain cell cultures for a long duration in the space flight environment on the ISS. Furthermore, the new enabling capabilities and procedures to manually conduct experiments with the specimens cultured in the Bioculture System will be demonstrated. Overall, the validation of the performance of the Bioculture System in the space flight environment is a critical step to insure the success of future space bioscience experiments that will be conducted on ISS using this facility.
Microbial Tracking-2 (MT-2): Over the weekend and today, a 52S subject completed body and saliva sample collections in support of the MT-2 investigation. The MT-2 series continues the monitoring of the types of microbes that are present on the ISS. It seeks to catalog and characterize potential disease-causing microorganisms onboard the ISS. Crew pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight samples and environmental samples from ISS surface and air locations are collected to identify any associations between the microbial content of the samples, as well as potential health effects.
Rodent Research 6 (RR-6): In support of the on-going RR-6 investigation, today the crew removed the mice and restocked the rodent habitats with new food bars in addition to cleaning the lids and interiors cages of the habitats. The Rodent Research-6 (RR-6) mission uses mice flown aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and maintained on Earth to test drug delivery systems for combatting muscular breakdown in space or during disuse conditions. RR-6 includes several groups of mice selectively treated with a placebo or implanted with a nanochannel drug delivery chip that administers compounds meant to maintain muscle in low gravity/disuse conditions.
Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Camera Robot Operations: The crew disconnected the JEM Camera Robot USB power cable from the JEM Camera Robot and connected the USB power/data cable to the JEM Camera Robot to allow the ground team to perform a software update. This device is a free-flying camera robot that provides real time video downlink and photographs. It is expected to reduce the crew time requirements to support video recording of activities, especially at the blind spot of existing JEM internal cameras.
Meteor Hard Drive Replacement: The crew removed and replaced the hard drive in the Meteor laptop located in the Window Observational Research Facility (WORF). The Meteor payload is a visible spectroscopy instrument with the primary purpose of observing meteors in Earth orbit. Meteor uses image analysis to provide information on the physical and chemical properties of the meteoroid dust, such as size, density, and chemical composition. Since the parent comets or asteroids for most of the meteor showers are identified, the study of the meteoroid dust on orbit provides information about the parent comets and asteroids.
Airlock Unstow Operations: The crew unstowed hardware from the Airlock which is not needed for the upcoming Extravehicular Activity (EVA)s, and prepared the Airlock to support EVA operations. They also charged ancillary Batteries in the Battery Stowage Assembly (BSA) for the EVAs.
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Operations: Today, the crew removed the Short Extravehicular Mobility Unit (SEMU) from the Launch Enclosure (SLE) in order to remove the SEMU Soft Stow Covers and SOP Ancillary hardware. The crew also resized EMUs 3008, 3003, and 3004 in preparation for the upcoming EVAs later this month.
Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Water Sample Collection: The crew collected water samples from the PWD for in-flight analysis. This water sample collection activity will occur multiple times throughout the expedition and the number of water samples collected will vary each time. Analysis of the water samples collected during this activity will occur during separate activities later in the timeline.
Robotic Operations: Over the weekend, ground robotics operators removed the Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor (TSIS) from the SpX-13 Dragon trunk and installed it at Express Logistics Carrier (ELC)3 site 5. Yesterday, robotics operations continued with the removal of the Space Debris Sensor (SDS) payload from the trunk and its installation on the Columbus External Payload Facility (EPF), at the Starboard Overhead X-Direction (SOX) site. Last night, the RapidScat payload and its nadir adapter were removed from the Starboard Deck X-Direction (SDX) site of the Columbus EPF. Later this evening, the two items will be stowed in the Dragon trunk. This will complete Dragon trunk operations for this mission.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
Microbial Tracking-2 Body Sample Collection
Microbial Tracking-2 Sample MELFI Retrieval Insert
Rodent Research Node 2 HD Camcorder Video Setup
Rodent Research Habitat 1 & 2 Restock
In-flight Maintenance (IFM) External Television Camera Group (ETVCG) Colour Television Camera (CTVC) Removal
JEM Camera Robot Cable Swap
Crew time for ISS adaptation and orientation
VIZIR. Setup Ops
Microbial Tracking-2 Saliva Stow
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Waste Water Bag (WWB) Changeout
Environmental Health System (EHS) Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Collect
ISS Crew Handover
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Social Media Event
Rodent Research Habitat 3 & 4 Restock
MELFI 1 Ice Brick Insert 2
Environmental Health System (EHS) Coliform Water Processing
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Analysis
Meteor Hard Drive Swapout
Vacuuming FGB [???4]’s [??-7] screen
Environmental Health System (EHS) – Formaldehyde Monitoring Kit (FMK) Deployment Operations
Environmental Health System (EHS) Grab Sample Container (GSC) Sampling Operations
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Airlock Unstow
Crew Medical Officer (CMO) On Board Training (OBT)
Battery Stowage Assembly (BSA) Operation Initiation
Rodent Research Access Unit Clean
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) – JEM
VIZIR. Closeout Ops
Filling EDV ?1239, ?1303, ?1306 from Progress 437 [??1] Rodnik ?V1
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill
ISS Crew Orientation
MSG Glove Swap
Fungistat Treatment of FGB structural elements and shell areas
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Short Extravehicular Mobility Unit (SEMU) Launch Enclosure (SLE) Launch Reconfigure
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record
??? maintenance
Handover of Increment 54 Crew
Valve closure after filling EDV from Progress 437 [DC1] Rodnik tank [??]1
Cell Science Validation (CSV) Gas Supply Change Out
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Resize
Delta file prep
TangoLab-1 Card Cube Replace
Exercise Data Downlink via OCA
TangoLab-2 Card Cube Replace
Metal Oxide (METOX) Regeneration Initiation
Completed Task List Activities
EVA Procedure Review
ISS Crew Handover Part 2
ISS Food Warmer Stow
JAXA Video Taking Part 3-2
53 Soyuz USOS Unpack
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
N3 MCA Full Calibration
N3 CDRA Half Cycle
RapidScat Insertion into Dragon Trunk
Standard commanding
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 01/03: Synthetic Bone, Arthrospira, WHC AF/COT R&R, BEAM IMV Inspection and Cleaning, N2 Nadir CPA Install, Transparent Alloys
Thursday, 01/04: Cell Science Validation, Transparent Alloys, Dragon Cargo Operations, At Home in Space Questionnaire
Friday, 01/05: ACME, Microbial Tracking, Dragon Cargo Operations, JEM Camera Setup for Amyloid
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 – Operate
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) – Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) – Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Full Up
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Off
