NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 20 December 2017
Today – Zebrafish Muscle 2: Following the fixation and stowing of experiment units (EUs) from Group A earlier this week, today the crew performed fixation on the EUs from Groups B and C and then stowed them in the refrigerator of the Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI).
The results from Zebrafish Muscle 2 operations will help to determine whether atrophy of muscles under microgravity also occurs in zebrafish, and why that muscle atrophy occurs in microgravity. Physical exercise and control of posture are important for maintaining muscle mass and strength. In microgravity conditions, the postural, known as anti-gravity muscles, undergo atrophy because of prominent decrease in their gravity-dependent activity.
APEX-05 Operations: APEX-05 petri plates were installed into the VEGGIE facility to begin the growth process of the plants. When plants are grown 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 Spaceflight-induced Hypoxic/ROS Signaling (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.
Synthetic Bone BioCell Operations: During today’s scheduled microscope operations for BioCell Habitats A and B, microscope issues inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) prevented ground teams from viewing video footage of the growing bone cells from the BioCells. With the deferment of today’s fixation of BioCell Habitat A, the crew was able to accelerate one of tomorrow’s media exchanges to today. Ground teams will continue to resolve the issue with the microscopy video downlink and are rescheduling tomorrow’s activities. Synthetic Bone uses BioCell habitats A, B, and C. The BioCell habitats will be used to test the functionality and effectiveness of new material that can assist in recovery from bone injuries or dental work during long-term space travel. Determining how well Tetranite integrates with bone cell cultures can also inform general strategies for addressing bone loss in space. Synthetic Bone examines the cellular response to a new type of bone adhesive in the microgravity environment of space. This experiment uses facilities aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to grow bone cells in the presence of a commercially available bone adhesive, and a new product called Tetranite. Sets of bone cell cultures grow with the different adhesives for 20 days and are then fixed, frozen, and returned to Earth for detailed analysis in a fully equipped biological laboratory.
Arthrospira-B (Batch Culture) Assembly: Four Arthrospira experiment containers were retrieved from a Glacier and transferred to the Columbus module where they were assembled and installed into the Biolab Incubator. The Arthrospira B experiment is an important step in making improvements in the area of closed regenerative life support systems in space which will help in making future human exploration missions beyond low Earth orbit become a reality. The cyanobacterium Arthrospira sp. strain PCC8005 is a candidate for use in spacecraft biological life support systems, for CO2 and nitrate removal, and oxygen and biomass production. However, to ensure the reliability of such a biological life support system it is necessary to characterize the response of Arthrospira sp. PCC8005 to in situ spaceflight conditions.
JAXA Low Temperature (LT) Protein Crystal Growth (PCG): PCG samples were retrieved from the Freezer-Refrigerator Of STirling cycle (FROST) and then the crew initiated the crystallization of the samples before inserting them back into the FROST where crystallization is continuing at a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius. The samples will remain in the FROST until they are returned on SpX-13 for evaluation by ground teams. The goal of the JAXA LT PCG experiment is to make high quality protein crystals in a microgravity environment at a low temperature.
Dose Distribution Inside the ISS – 3D (DOSIS 3D): Passive radiation detectors were installed in the Columbus module in support of European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) DOSIS 3D investigation. This experiment uses several active and passive detectors to determine the radiation doses inside the ISS and provides documentation of the actual nature and distribution of the radiation fields. A concise three dimensional (3D) dose distribution map of all the segments of the ISS will be developed based on this data and data from JAXA and NASA monitoring devices.
Japanese Experiment Module Airlock (JEM A/L) Depress: The crew depressurized the JEM A/L and vented the remaining air in preparation for upcoming NanoRacks External Platform (NREP) activities.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Arthrospira-B On Board Training
ISS Crew Adaptation
JEM Airlock Depressurization
SABLE 2 CO2 Meter Setup
On MCC GO Regeneration of ??? ?2 Micropurification Cartridge (start)
ISS CREW/SSIPC CONFERENCE
Filling (separation) of ??? (???) for Elektron or ???-??
Filling (separation) of ??? (???) for Elektron or ???-??- handover
MSG Glove Setup
Dragon Locker Removal
Rodent Research Locker Preperation
ARED Handover Video Review
ARED Crew Handover
??? maintenance
Rodent Research Transporter Stow
Charging of SM-AGAT-U55 external batteries (2) in Soyuz 737 (start)
Verification of ??-1 Flow Sensor Position
Arthrospira EC Glacier Removal
Arthrospira EC Assembly
Replacement of ??-2 Treadmill belt (Procedure and R/g review, equipment gathering).
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Calibration Check
Preventive maintenance of MRM1 ??? Hatch Sealing Mechanism and Soyuz 737 hatch
Bringing ODF up to date using Soyuz 737 delivered files
Synthetic Bone BioCell Habitat Tape Removal
Environmental Health System (EHS) – Radiation Area Monitors (RAM) Deployment
Synthetic Bone Microscope Operations – Augmented
Photo of a trace left by the Active Docking Mechanism probe on the MRM1 Passive Mechanism Receiving Cone
Download docking cone internal surface photos to OCA
JEM Airlock Vent
ISS Crew Orientation
JEM Airlock Vent Confirmation
APEX-05 On-Board Training
On MCC GO ISS O2 Repress from Progress 436 [AO] ???? Section 1, start
APEX-05 Procedure Review #1
On MCC GO ISS O2 Repress from Progress 436 [AO] ???? Section 1, terminate
JAXA LT PCG Sample Preparation
Synthetic Bone Biocells Fixation
Test activation of Vozdukh Atmosphere Purification System Emergency Vacuum Valves
Soyuz 737 Transfers and IMS Ops
Treadmill 2 (T2) Handover Video Review
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain
UDOD. Experiment Ops with DYKNANIYE-1 and SPRUT-2 Sets. Tagup with specialists
APEX-05 Hardware Gather #1
Fixation Preparation of Zebrafish Muscle2 samples
APEX-05 MELFI Sample Removal #1
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain Part 2
APEX-05 Science Insertion
Fixation of Zebrafish Muscle 2 1G samples in Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF).
MELFI Sample Return Bag Insertion
MELFI BioCell Habitat Insertion
MELFI Fixative Return Bag Insertion
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Calibration Check Data Record
Public Affairs Office (PAO) High Definition (HD) Config LAB Setup
PAO Preparation
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) – Lab
Zebrafish Muscle2 MELFI Insertion
Charging of SM-AGAT-U55 external batteries (2) in Soyuz 737 (end)
Fixation of Zebrafish Muscle 2 Micro-G samples in Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF).
T2 Crew Handover
DOSIS 3D Passive Detector Pouch handover after upload of dosimeters with Soyuz.
Transfer and Handover of DOSIS 3D Passive Detector Pouch from Soyuz 737 to USOS
Installation of the DOSIS 3D passive detector packs in Columbus and photodocumentation.
Marrow Breath And Ambient Air Sample Setup – Subject
CSA Generic Frozen Blood Collection Setup
Fixation Closeout of Zebrafish Muscle2 samples
Space Headaches – Daily Questionnaire
Regeneration Micropurification Unit (???) ?2 Absorption Cartridge (end)
Completed Task List Activities
None
Ground Activities
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
SSRMS maneuver to cupola viewing position
JEMRMS: NREP unstow (overnight)
Standard commanding
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Thursday, 12/21: Marrow-2, EMER Role & Resp Review, Zebra, Synthetic Bone, STP-H5, Dragon Emer OBT, APEX-5, JAXA Area Dosimeter Install
Friday, 12/22: IMV Flow Measurement, FIR maintenance, Emer H/W OBT, CBM N2N Bolt Inspect, Cell Science Validation, JPM gas trap reconfig, JAXA Camera Robot, Blood Collection, APEX-5, STP-H5 ICE Photos, Space Headaches
Saturday, 12/23: Off duty
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”) – 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) – Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) – Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Full Up
