NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 21 November 2017 – CubeSat Deployment

More CubeSats were ejected from the International Space Station today to demonstrate and validate new technologies. Back inside the orbital lab, the Expedition 53 crew continued outfitting an experimental module and studying life science.
Two more tiny satellites were deployed from the Kibo laboratory module into Earth orbit today to research a variety of new technologies and space weather. One of the nanosatellites, known as TechEdSat, seeks to develop and demonstrate spacecraft and payload deorbit techniques. The OSIRIS-3U CubeSat will measure the Earth’s ionosphere in coordination with the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.

Commander Randy Bresnik was back inside the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) today with Flight Engineers Paolo Nespoli and Joe Acaba. The astronauts are converting the experimental habitat into a cargo platform by replacing old BEAM hardware with new electronics and stowage gear.

Eye exams are on the schedule this week as two cosmonauts and two astronauts took turns playing eye doctor and patient today. Alex Misurkin and Sergey Ryazanskiy of Roscosmos started first with the optical coherence tomography hardware using a laptop computer. Next, Nespoli and NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei took their turn to help doctors on the ground understand the vision changes that take place in space.

On-Orbit Status Report

Sarcolab-3: With USOS operator assistance, a Russian subject ingressed the Muscle Atrophy Research & Exercise System (MARES) chair in the Columbus module and adjusted pads and restraints for the Sarcolab-3 ankle protocol. The operator then collected ultrasound images of the subject’s leg. The data collected for Sarcolab-3 will be compared to pre and post flight measurements to assess the impact of hypothesized microgravity induced muscle loss. Myotendinous and Neuromuscular Adaptation to Long-term Spaceflight (Sarcolab) investigates the adaptation and deterioration of the soleus (calf muscle) where it joins the Achilles tendon, which links it to the heel and carries loads from the entire body. Muscle fiber samples are taken from crewmembers before and after flight, and analyzed for changes in structural and chemical properties. MRI and ultrasound tests and electrode stimulation are conducted to help assess muscle and tendon changes caused by microgravity exposure.

NanoRack Cubesat Deployer (NRCSD) #13 Deploy: Following yesterday’s successful deployment of silos 1-(ASTERIA), 3-(EcAMSAT), and 5-(RBLE); today the last two silos #7 (TechEdSat) and #8 (OSIRIS-3U) were deployed. JAXA ground teams commanded the deployment of the NRCSD #13 deployers while the crew recorded HD video and took still photos of the satellite deployment. Due to the configuration of single- and double-wide deployers, NRCSD #13 has a total five deployers (slots 1, 3, 5, 7, and 8). There are no deployers for slots 2, 4, and 6. Deployers 1-(ASTERIA), 3-(EcAMSAT), and 5-(RBLE) each contain a single 6U CubeSat (CS1). Deployers 7-(TechEdSat) and 8-(OSIRIS-3U) each contain one 3U CubeSat (CS1) and a spacer.

Advanced Nano Step Specimen Cell 1 Removal: After successfully completing the 35-day Advanced Nano Step experiment run last week, today the Specimen Cell was removed from the Solution Crystallization Observation Facility (SCOF) and stowed until its return on SpX-13. This experiment investigates the relationship between impurity incorporation mechanisms and the quality of obtained protein crystals should be clarified for the progress to an “advanced” stage of the space utilization for structure-based drug design. In this mission, we observe the protein crystal growth surfaces of glucose isomerase crystals in space in the presence of various impurities with the use of a Michelson interferometer. In addition, we also clarify the crystal surface morphology on the molecular step level by using the laser confocal microscope. We evaluate the crystal quality of the returned crystals.

Lighting Effects Meter Readings: The crew setup and configured the Light Meter hardware and obtained the Light Meter readings before downloading the data and stowing the hardware. The Lighting Effects investigation studies the impact of the change from fluorescent light bulbs to solid-state LEDs with adjustable intensity and color and aims to determine if the new lights can improve crew circadian rhythms, sleep, and cognitive performance.

Zero Boil-Off Tank Particle Injection: The crew injected Digital Particle Imaging Velocimetry (DPIV) particles into the test section for an imaging test. Rocket fuel, spacecraft heating and cooling systems, and sensitive scientific instruments rely on very cold cryogenic fluids. Heat from the environment around cryogenic tanks can cause their pressures to rise, which requires dumping or “boiling off” fluid to release the excess pressure, or actively cooling the tanks in some way. ZBOT uses an experimental fluid to test active heat removal and forced jet mixing as alternative means for controlling tank pressure for volatile fluids.

Bigelow Expandable Aerospace Module (BEAM) Outfitting: This week, the crew is outfitting BEAM to make room for future stowage operations inside BEAM. Earlier today the crew re ingressed BEAM and converted BEAM Distributed Impact Detection System (DIDS) and Wireless Temperature System (WTS) sensor systems from wireless to a wired configuration. They then extended the IMV ducts, installed stowage nets and retrieved six radiation area monitors and stowed them in the Crew Health Care System (CHeCS) resupply stowage rack. Before egressing the BEAM the crew installed stowage enclosure bags that will be used in the future for generic ISS stowage.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Exam: Routine OCT Exams were scheduled today for ISS CDR, FE-6 and FE-1. Due to the incorrect baseline files being onboard FE-1 OCT Exam will have to be rescheduled for a future date.

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

Acoustic Monitor Assembly and Checkout
MARES Ankle Shaving Preparation
Ultrasound 2 HRF Rack 2 Power On
COSMOCARD. Setup. Starting 24-hr ECG Recording
NanoRacks TechEdSat-6 photography and video
MARES Ultrasound session
XF305 Camcorder Setup
Test Activation of Air Conditioning [???2] with open connector 59?=?14.
Advanced Nano Step Specimen Cell 1 Removal
Search for equipment and prep for [???2] Power Supply Unit (??) replacement.
Columbus Video Camera Assembly 2 Adjustment
MARES subject electrodes equipment
Node 1 Diffuser Tape Removal
ARED Platform Partial Fold
Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) Ingress
Inspection of FGB cable network behind panels 217, 314, 315, 316, and isolation of cable screen fault location.
Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) Sensor Conversion
Assemble new PBAs that arrived on OA-8 and deploy to A/L.
NanoRacks CubeSat Deployment Photos
Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) Duct and Net Install
Environmental Health System (EHS) – Radiation Area Monitors (RAM) Retrieve
Microbial Air Sampling (MAS)
Surface Sample Kit (SSK) Collection/Incubation
Delta file prep
MARES Power On and Battery Charge
Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) stowage bag install
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT Exam
Lighting Effects Light Meter Readings
Onboard Training (OBT) Robotics On-board Trainer (ROBoT) Setup
Miniature Exercise Device Surface Pro 3 Charge
Filling (separation) of ??? (???) for Elektron or ???-??.
Replacement of urine receptacle (??) and filter-insert (?-?) in ???. [???] Activation after Replacement
Environmental Health System (EHS) – Compound Specific Analyzer-Combustion (CSA-CP) Checkout
Telescience Resource Kit Laptop Shutdown
INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops
[???] maintenance
Plant Habitat Facility Photo
MARES Ankle setting adjustments
MARES Battery Charge control
BEAM Cleanup and Egress
NanoRacks Microbial Growth Experiment Imagery
MARES Ankle configuration fit check
Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) Node 3 Aft Stow
ARED Platform Unfold Back to Nominal Position
EXPRESS Rack ELC Hard Disk Drive Swap
Zero Boil-Off Tank Particle Injection
EXPRESS Rack 5 Laptop Computer Software Load

Completed Task List Activities
PMM Rack Front Audit
VEG-03 Plant Pillow Water

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
JEM Airlock and JEM RMS commanding to support NRCSD deploy
Node 3 Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) full calibration
Standard commanding

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 11/22: MARES, Install N1N CPA modification kit, Dragon Capture OBT, Tangolab transfer, Vision exams, N2 IMV diffuser Clean
Thursday, 11/23: Cygnus Transfer, MARES, Nanoracks VUZE camera mount, Veg-03, Vision exams, Education Imagery
Friday, 11/24: Crew Off Duty

QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
Component – Status
Elektron – On
Vozdukh – Manual
[???] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) – On
[???] 2 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV2”) – Off
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab – Operate
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 – Standby
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab – Idle
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 – Operate
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) – Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) – Reprocess
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Full Up
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Off