NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 22 December 2017 – Holidays in Space
Six Expedition 54 crew members will spend Christmas orbiting Earth sharing a traditional meal and opening goodies delivered on recent cargo missions to the International Space Station. Veteran crew member Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos is spending his third holiday season in space.
Meanwhile, advanced space science is taking place seven days a week on the orbital lab as the astronauts explore a variety of phenomena that can only be revealed in the microgravity environment. Human research is especially important as doctors learn how to keep space travelers healthy and strong during spaceflight.
The station’s newest Flight Engineers, Scott Tingle of NASA and Norishige Kanai of JAXA, collected and stored their blood samples this morning for the Cell-Free Epigenome experiment. The samples will be analyzed later on the ground for cellular changes that take place in crew members while living in space.
Astronaut Joe Acaba of NASA is testing new research hardware today for its ability to maintain cell cultures and enable cellular experiment work. Acaba swapped out gear inside the Bioculture System that is being validated as a long-term biological research facility.
On-Orbit Status Report
Human Research Program (HRP) Collections – Cell-Free Epigenome: With operator assistance, a 53S subject conducted blood sample collections to support the Cell Free Epigenome investigation. The blood samples were processed in the centrifuge and placed in the Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI). In this study, blood samples are collected from astronauts and cellular genes are analyzed. Blood carries molecular signals released from the cells inside the body. The results tell scientists how human body function during space flight.
Cell Science Validation Bag Change Out Operations: The crew replaced the Bioculture System Cassette media and sump bags in the MSG with the media and sump bags from an ambient stowage container. After the bags were changed out, the cassettes were transferred back to the Bioculture System. 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 Bio culture 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.
Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR) Light Microscopy Module (LMM) Wide-field Camera Power/Data Cable Swap: Today the crew replaced the damaged power/data cable to the LMM Wide-field Camera with the new cable that was flown on SpaceX-13. Ground controllers will begin checkouts later today. The LMM wide-field camera is one of two primary science cameras in the new microscope configuration and will be used to support every payload investigation in the FIR. The Light Microscopy Module (LMM) is a modified commercial, highly flexible, state-of-the-art light imaging microscope facility that provides researchers with powerful diagnostic hardware and software onboard the International Space Station (ISS).
JEM Camera Robot: Today the crew activated the JEM Camera Robot and captured video of it while it performed maneuvers through the module. 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.
APEX-05 Operations: The crew photographed the four APEX-05 spare petri plates that are secured to the Advanced Biology Research Facility (ABRS) photo grid on the maintenance work area. 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.
Earth Imagery from ISS Target Operations: Using the RED camera, the crew captured images of the Nile Delta and the Iberian Peninsula. This investigation creates a series of videos, showcasing Earth from space. These videos are taken with cameras on the ISS in 6K hi-resolution, then integrated into videos for screensavers for public enjoyment, exploration, and engagement.
Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) Node 2 Nadir Bolt Inspection: During recent berthing and unberthing activities, one of the bolts that secures a visiting vehicle to the Node2 Nadir port has shown anomalous loads. Today, the crew inspected and photographed this bolt for evaluation of a possible R&R. The CBM bolts can only be accessed from inside the habitable volume when a vehicle is berthed to that particular port, so this task is being performed during the SpaceX-13 berthed period. When the onboard activity was completed, ground teams evaluated the imagery captured, and made the decision to replace the bolt. That R&R activity will take place next week.
Intermodule Ventilation (IMV) Flow Measurements: Today the crew took airflow measurements in the IMV inlet for the Oxygen Generator System (OGS) Avionics Air Assembly (AAA) and in other locations in the USOS. They used an expired Velocicalc measurement tool and a new calibrated Velocicalc for flow validation.
Dragon LiOH Removal: Today, the crew removed the LiOH filter bag from Dragon. The LiOH filter bag provided CO2 removal for the live cargo during Dragon free flyer operations.
Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) Operations: After extensive evaluation yesterday, including imagery and test grapples, engineering teams have cleared the SSRMS for operations. Operations to remove payloads from the Dragon trunk and install them in their final locations on the outside of ISS will begin next week as planned.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
CFE Generic Frozen Blood Collection 25 Minutes – Subject
CFE Generic Frozen Blood Collection – Operator
CFE Generic Refrigerated Centrifuge Configure
CFE Generic Refrigerated Centrifuge Spin Conclude
Public Affairs Office (PAO) High Definition (HD) Config LAB Setup
CFE Generic Sample MELFI Insertion
iPad Air 2 Charge
Countermeasures System (CMS) Treadmill 2 System (T2) Monthly Inspection
Photo/TV CBM Node 2 Nadir SD Camcorder Setup
TV-session with the winners of the International Flashmob We are the first! (Ku + S-band)
Node 2 Nadir Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) Bolt 1-3 Inspection
NODE2 HD XF305 Camcorder Setup
JEM Camera Robot Video Check
TV Session with the participants of Lesson from Space “Electromagnetic Environment. Space Communication”
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill
IP-conference with P.V. Vinogradov in Syktyvkar
Inventory of docking and internal transfer system (????) kits
ISS Crew Orientation
JAXA Video Taking Part 1
Review Cell Science Validation MSG OBT
Cell Science Validation Bag Ops Review 1
JEM Camera Robot Deactivation
Cell Science Validation Bag Change Out Ops Session1
Tightening Fast-Removal Screw Clamps on SM Aft – Progress 436 Interface
IDENTIFICATION. Copy ???-? micro-accelerometer data to laptop
Temperature and Humidity Control (THC) Intermodule Ventilation (IMV) Flow Measurement Survey
CFE Generic Frozen Blood Collection Conclude And Stow
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Fill Part 3
APEX-05 Spare Petri Plate Photo
On-board Training (OBT) ISS Emergency Hardware Familiarization
Dragon Locker Removal
Environmental Health System (EHS) – Microbial Air Sampler (MAS) Kit Sample Collection
Replacing ??0501Gas Analyzer ??2 Filter Unit (??).
On-Board Training (OBT) Dragon Emergency Review
Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Food Intake Tracker (ISS FIT)
Manufacturing Device Feedstock Canister Exchange
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis
On MCC GO ISS N2 Repress from Progress 436 [AO] ???? Section 2 (start)
Preventive Maintenance of SM Ventilation Subsystem. Group ?
ISS Crew Adaptation
MELFI 1 Desiccant Remove
Fluids Integrated Rack Rack Doors Open
MELFI 1 Electronic Unit Swap
On MCC GO ISS N2 Repress from Progress 436 [AO] ???? Section 2 (end)
Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Medical Accessories Kit (IMAK) Unpack from SPX-13
COSMOCARD. Setup. Starting 24-hr ECG Recording
FGB Internal Wireless Instrumentation System (IWIS) Remote Sensing Unit (RSU) Check
Space Headaches – Daily Questionnaire
COSMOCARD. Closeout Ops
Rodent Research Water Box and Light Check
Deactivation of Gas Analyzer in Soyuz 737
Dragon Lithium Hydroxide (LiOH) Filter Bag Removal
JPM Thermal Control Assembly for low temperature loop (TCA L) Gas Trap Manual Valves reconfiguration
Fluids Integrated Rack Rack Doors Close
Deactivation of Soyuz 734 Gas Analyzer
Space Headaches – Weekly Questionnaire
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record
Completed Task List Activities
None
Ground Activities
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Standard commanding
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Saturday, 12/23: Off duty
Sunday, 12/24: Off duty, APEX-5
Monday, 12/25: Crew Off Duty, Dragon Cargo Ops, Synthetic Bone-2
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 – 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
