NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 20 June 2019 – Three Crewmembers Prepare for Departure

Three Expedition 59 crewmembers are reviewing the procedures they will use on their way to Earth after undocking from the International Space Station early next week.
In the midst of the departure preparations, the six orbital residents also had time set aside for biomedical science and physics research aboard the orbiting lab.

Commander Oleg Kononenko will lead astronauts Anne McClain and David Saint-Jacques back to Earth on Monday inside the Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft after 204 days in space. The trio spent the afternoon practicing their Soyuz undocking, atmosphere reentry and landing procedures. The homebound crew also familiarized themselves with the g-forces and the physical sensations they will experience when they penetrate Earth’s atmosphere 100 kilometers above Earth’s surface.

McClain continued more biomedical tests Thursday as she submitted breath samples for the Marrow fat and blood cell study. Saint-Jacques injected control samples inside the new Bio-Analyzer to demonstrate the rapid analysis of blood, urine and saliva samples in microgravity.

Flight Engineer Christina Koch is in the midst of a ten-and-a-half month mission on the station, conducting scientific research and station maintenance. Today, she explored the possibility of producing high-grade fiber optic cables made possible only in microgravity. Fellow NASA astronaut Nick Hague, who is staying in space until October, nourished and collected samples of microalgae grown inside the Photobioreactor. The study is demonstrating biological processes that may support hybrid life support systems in space.

Flight Engineer Alexey Ovchinin will lead Expedition 60 after the Expedition 59 trio departs Monday. He and Kononenko continued training to use a specialized Russian suit that counteracts the upward fluid shifts in the human body caused by microgravity. Ovchinin also checked inventory and configured hardware aboard Russia’s Progress 72 resupply ship.

On-Orbit Status Report

Fiber Optic Production (FOP): The crew performed a preform and spool exchange allowing the ground to initiate a print run. The Hardware was then removed from the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) and stowed. The Fiber Optic Production investigation creates optical fibers with high commercial value aboard the ISS using a blend of zirconium, barium, lanthanum, sodium, and aluminum called ZBLAN. It operates in the MSG. Extensive theoretical studies along with a limited number of experimental studies suggest that ZBLAN optical fibers produced in microgravity should exhibit far superior qualities to those produced on Earth. The resulting optical fiber from Fiber Optic Production is expected to help verify these studies and guide further engineering efforts to manufacture high value optical fiber in large volume aboard the ISS.

PhotoBioreactor: The crew performed the nutrient exchange on the algae sample chambers. 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.

The ISS Experience: The crew recorded a Social Moments event for the ISS Experience study which creates a virtual reality film documenting daily life aboard the ISS. The 8 to 10 minute videos created from footage taken during the six-month investigation cover different aspects of crew life, execution of science aboard the station, and the international partnerships involved. The ISS Experience uses a Z-CAM V1 Pro Cinematic Virtual Reality (VR) 360-degree camera with nine 190° fisheye lenses.

Japanese Small Satellite Orbital Deployer 11 (J-SSOD#11): The crew removed the J-SSOD #11 hardware from the JEM Airlock slide table. The J-SSOD provides a novel, safe, and small satellite launching capability to the ISS. The J-SSOD is a unique satellite launcher, handled by the Japanese Experiment Module Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS), which provides containment and deployment mechanisms for several individual small satellites. Once J-SSOD, including satellite install cases with small satellites, is installed on the Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform (MPEP) by crew members, it is passed through the JEM airlock for retrieval, positioning, and deployment by the JEMRMS.

RED-EYE: The crew reviewed JEM slide table Satellite to Kaber installation procedures for the RED-EYE satellite. Yesterday Robotics Ground Controllers maneuvered the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to the start position for Red Eye deployment scheduled on June 27. The RED-EYE program develops and demonstrates technologies which increase the utility of low-cost microsatellites.

57S Soyuz Nominal Descent On-Board Training (OBT): In preparation for Monday’s 57S departure, the 57S crew performed the second descent drill. They practiced a nominal descent and the transition to Manual Entry Control [РУС]. Responses to emergencies caused by nominal decent hazards were also reviewed.

Completed Task List Activities:
EVA zip ties wanted poster
EVA scraper gap gauge build
Locate IDA jumper cables

Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Payloads ops support

Look Ahead:
Friday, 6/21 (GMT 172)

Payloads:
MARROW Air sample (CSA)
Russian Experiment MELFI inserts (ESA)
Probiotics Saliva collection and questionnaire (JAXA)
Newton’s Law PL Review and ops (NASA)
REDEYE satellite Hardware install onto JEM slide table (NASA)
Behavioral Core Measures Cognition and ROBoT tests and Questionnaire (NASA)
VEG-04 Mass Measurement Device setup (NASA)
JEM-MPEP removal (JAXA)
ISS Experience H/W stow (NASA)

Systems:
RPCM contingency hot mate/demate
Behavioral core measures ROBoT training

Saturday, 6/22 (GMT 173)

Payloads:
ISS Experience RS Inverter handover to US crew and H/W stow (NASA)
Veggie Questionnaire (NASA)
LTE post sleep log (NASA)
HRF Saliva collect (NASA)
VEG-04 Mass Measurement Device Calibrate and Ops (NASA)
Probiotics Saliva collect and questionnaire (JAXA)

Systems:
Crew off duty, housekeeping

Sunday, 6/23 (GMT 174)

Payloads:
Veg-04 Mass Measurement Device Ops (NASA)
LTE Post Sleep Log (NASA)
ISS Experience Lab recording (NASA)
HRF Saliva Collect (NASA)
HRF Functional Immune Saliva collect (NASA)

Systems:
Crew off duty, 58S crew emergency roles & responsibilities review, Change of Command ceremony

Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Soyuz 741 СУДН No.2 test prior to undocking
A/L Adapter Plate (JCAP) Reconfiguration
Recharging Soyuz 742 SM-AGAT-U55 external batteries (2), start
Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) Humidifier Closeout
KORREKTSIYA. Log Entry of Liquids and Food (Medicine) Intake
COSMOCARD. Closeout Ops
JEM Airlock Press
Water Recovery Management (WRM) Condensate Pumping Initiation
CARDIOVECTOR. Experiment Session
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Full Fill
XF305 Camcorder Setup
Soyuz 741 [АСУ] Activation
JEM Airlock Leak Check
Water Resource Management Condensate Bag Swap
JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Extension to JPM Side
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Full Fill
JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (SSOD) 11 Removal from Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform
LBNP Training (PRELIMINARY)
LBNP Training (PRELIMINARY), Operator
Water Resource Management Condensate Bag Swap
Fiber Optic Production Sample Exchange
JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Retraction from JPM Side
Team Task Switching Experiment Survey
Removal of PBR syringes from MELFI
Soyuz 741 Stowage Ops for Return. Note 10
Crew Departure Preparations for Return to Earth
PhotoBioreactor
Bio-Analyzer Session Setup Partial
Photo T/V (P/TV) Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Exercise Video Setup
Bio-Analyzer Microchip Preparation And Control Sample Analysis
PBR MELFI Insert
ISS HAM Service Module Pass
MERLIN 2 Desiccant Swap
ISS Crew departure preparation
KORREKTSIYA. Log Entry of Liquids and Food (Medicine) Intake
Progress 441 (DC1) Transfers and IMS Ops, and providing access to Progress 441 (DC1) Navigation Module [НМ-2]
Soyuz 741 Descent OBT
Removal of Navigation Module [НМ-2] and cables from Progress 441 (DC1)
Remote Power Control Module (RPCM) Remove and Replace Big Picture Words
In Flight Maintenance N22A3A_A RPCM R&R Crew Conference
Fiber Optic Production Hardware Stow
REDEYE Operations Review
VEG-04 Plant Check/Watering for each Plant Pillow
Photo/TV. Checking Camcorder Settings
ISS Crew departure preparation
REDEYE Operations Review
Actiwatch Plus HRF Rack 1 Setup
Bio-Analyzer Hardware Stow
Descent Private Medical Conference (PMC, audio only)
Marrow Breath And Ambient Air Sample Setup Subject
Photo/TV Camcorder Setup Verification
Recharging Soyuz 742 SM-AGAT-U55 external batteries (2), end
Probiotics Item Gathering
Water Resource Management Condensate Pumping Init
KORREKTSIYA. Experiment setup
Inventory Management System (IMS) Conference
Microgravity Science Glovebox Power Down
Water Recovery Management (WRM) Condensate Pumping Termination
Actiwatch Plus HRF Rack 1 Stow
Photo T/V (P/TV) Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Exercise Video Stow
Daily Planning Conference
Standard Measures Pre-sleep Questionnaire
Behavioral Core Measures Team Measures Questionnaire