NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 21 July, 2021 – Crew Dragon Moved and Nauka Liftoff
Crew Dragon Endeavour with NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and??Megan McArthur, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut? Akihiko?Hoshide,?and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas?Pesquet, have re-docked to the International Space Station.
Crew Dragon autonomously undocked from the forward port of the station’s Harmony module at 6:45 a.m. and relocated to the space-facing port at 7:35 a.m. completing the second space station port change for the crewed spacecraft.
Next up for commercial crew, Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner is scheduled to arrive at the International Space Station about one day following its launch at 2:53 p.m. Friday, July 30, on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The uncrewed flight test, NASA’s Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2), will test the end-to-end capabilities of Starliner from launch to docking, atmospheric re-entry, and a desert landing in the western United States. The uncrewed mission will provide valuable data about Boeing’s crew transportation system, and help NASA certify Starliner and the Atlas V rocket for regular flights with astronauts to and from the space station.
Crew-2 astronauts are targeted to return to Earth in early-to-mid November following a short handover with NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 astronauts targeted to launch on Sunday, Oct. 31.
The uncrewed Russian Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) “Nauka” is safely in orbit following launch at 10:58 a.m. (7:58 p.m. Baikonur time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
The MLM deployed its solar arrays and navigational antennas as planned. After Nauka completes eight days in free-flight to allow Russian flight controllers to evaluate its systems, the 43-foot long, 23-ton module will automatically link up to the port on the Earth-facing side of the Russian segment of the International Space Station, which will be vacated by the departure of Pirs. Docking is scheduled for 9:25 a.m. Thursday, July 29, with live coverage beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Nauka will serve as a new science facility, docking port, and spacewalk airlock for future operations. Pirs has been part of the space station since September 2001, functioning as a docking port for Russian visiting spacecraft and an airlock for Russian spacewalks.
Pirs will vacate the space station attached to the uncrewed ISS Progress 77 spacecraft, which is scheduled to undock at 9:15 a.m. Friday, July 23. Live coverage on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website will begin at 8:45 a.m. A few hours later, Progress’ engines will fire in a deorbit maneuver to send the cargo craft and Pirs into a destructive reentry in the Earth’s atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean. Deorbit and reentry will not be covered on NASA TV.
On-Orbits Status Report
Crew Dragon Endeavour Port Relocation: Today, NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet, and JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, undocked Crew Dragon Endeavour from the Node 2 Forward International Docking Adapter (IDA) at 5:45 AM CT and docked to the Node 2 Zenith IDA at 6:36 AM CT. This relocation cleared the Node 2 Forward IDA for Starliner Orbital Flight Test 2 (OFT-2) docking planned for Saturday, July 31st.
Payloads
ISS Amateur (HAM) Radio: The crew initiated a HAM Radio contact with SpaceKids Global, Winter Park, FL. 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.
Systems
Crew Dragon Post-Relocation Configurations: The crew completed several tasks following the completion of the Endeavour port relocation to configure the vehicle for quiescent operations. First, the crew transferred ballast materials and stowage lockers from Crew Dragon to the ISS. Next, the crew transferred emergency hardware from the ISS to Crew Dragon and installed Emergency Air Supply equipment. Finally, the crew relocated the Space Station Computers (SSC) used in the Cupola for ISS crew monitoring of the relocation to the LAB.
Resupply Air Tank Re-pressurization: Today, the remaining two Resupply Air Tanks that were delivered on Cargo Dragon SpaceX-22 were vented in the PMM in order to re-pressurize the ISS internal volume.
Completed Task List Activities:
None
Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Support Commanding for Endeavour Port Relocation
Crew Dragon Configuration for Quiescent Operations (Scheduled)
Look Ahead Plan
Thursday, July 22 (GMT 203)
Payloads:
GRIP Seated (ESA)
AstroPi Reboot (ESA)
KERMIT Hardware Checks (NASA)
SAMS Sensor Relocate (NASA)
Toilet Stall Deploy (NASA)
Food Acceptability (NASA)
InSPACE-4 Runs 34-36 (NASA)
BCM Robot Test (NASA)
ManD Print Removal (NASA)
ISS HAM Pass (NASA)
Systems:
RGN Recycle Tank Drain
ARFTA Brine Filter R&R
Resupply Air Tank Teardown
PMA CP Swap
Friday, July 23 (GMT 204)
Payloads:
GRIP Supine (ESA)
LIDAL return (ESA)
CBEF LTL box set (JAXA)
Toilet question (NASA)
InSPACE-4 runs 37-40 (NASA)
ManD Print Removal (NASA)
BCM Robot Test (NASA)
Systems:
77P/DC-1 Undock
AAA Fan Checkout
JEM SLT 7 & 8 R&R
LAB MACU HDD R&R
Saturday, July 24 (GMT 205)
Payloads:
Toilet N3 Leak Inspect and Question (NASA)
Astrobee Off (NASA)
Systems:
Crew Off-Duty
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Docking Dragon Monitoring Tools Setup
Dragon Emergency Hardware Stow
Crew Dragon B Gas Detector Error Code Check
Dragon Crew Port Relocation Activity
USOS Window Shutter Close
Dragon Port Relocation Monitoring
Dragon Monitoring Tools Teardown
Crew 2 Locker Removal
Emergency Air Supply Install into Crew Dragon
Cargo Dragon Station Support Computer Return
Microgravity Science Glovebox Activation
ISS HAM Columbus Pass Kenwood
Systems Operations Data File (SODF) Update
Astrobee Preparation
Resupply Air Tank Setup and Initiation
