NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 22 July, 2021 – A Delay in the Pirs Undocking
A delay in the undocking events scheduled for tomorrow gave the crew of Expedition 65 aboard the International Space Station extra time to focus on training, science, and maintenance today.
Russia’s Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) launched on July 21, and to provide more time for Russian flight controllers to check out MLM’s status, the undocking of the Russian Progress 77 and Pirs docking compartment has been postponed until Saturday, July 24. The space station crew has been notified. Progress 77 undocking with the Pirs docking compartment is now scheduled for 8:28 am EDT. Live coverage on NASA TV, the agency’s website, and the NASA app will begin at 8 am.
On Thursday, June 29, MLM is scheduled to dock at the station. Named Nauka, after the Russian word for “science,” MLM will serve as a new science facility, docking port, and spacewalk airlock for future operations.
Once Pirs and Progress 77 are decoupled from the station on Saturday, they will undergo a de-orbit maneuver that will send it towards Earth to disintegrate in Earth’s atmosphere. In preparation, Russian Cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Oleg Novitskiy performed a series of maintenance tasks today.
The crew also prepared for another upcoming event: the scheduled arrival of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner at the space station on July 31 as part of NASA’s Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission. NASA Flight Engineers Mark Vande Hei and Shane Kimbrough along with station Commander?Akihiko?Hoshide, a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut, received training on procedures relating to the approach, docking, and undocking of Starliner.
A full suite of science interspersed these maintenance and training tasks. The crew continued its focus on eye health, remotely guided by scientists on Earth. NASA astronaut Megan McArthur along with Hoshide and Vande Hei set up hardware and helped each other administer drops that dilate their eyes so that onboard equipment can capture 3-D images of their eyes’ internal structures. They also performed vision tests. The low gravity on the space station can change eye shape in some astronauts, so monitoring eye health is important to ensuring crew health.
Astronauts also continued work on science experiments that could provide insight into how to harness nanoparticles to fabricate and manufacture new materials. McArthur, Vande Hei, and Kimbrough all ran tests for the Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Ellipsoids, or InSPACE-4, study. Magnetic fields used in the experiment, when combined with the station’s low gravity, allow particles to be observed in a suspended state, which is ideal for monitoring their interactions with light and heat.
In addition, Kimbrough, Vande Hei, and McArthur completed surveys about their recent meals that will allow scientists to study menu fatigue. In space, menu fatigue can have serious consequences. Lost appetites could result in astronauts not eating enough food, which may lead to body mass loss, nutritional deficiencies, and other health issues, particularly on long-duration missions.
Meanwhile, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas?Pesquet focused his attention on testing how the KEyence Research Microscope Testbed (KERMIT) would work in different locations on the station. KERMIT is designed to streamline imaging and analysis through a single platform with easy operation by the station crew as well as by remote operatiors on the ground. With real-time guidance from researchers on Earth, Pesquet moved KERMIT along with other equipment that can characterize vibrational disturbances caused by the microscope when in use. He then tested whether KERMIT’s functionality could be retained in this new location.
On-Orbit Status Report
Payloads
Exploration Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) – Toilet: The crew completed a fit-check of the Collapsible Contingency Urinal (CCU) with the Toilet. Additionally, the crew inspected Toilet air filters for loose particulates and damage. The Toilet System is an Exploration Technology Demonstration that has evolved into a permanent United States On-orbit Segment (USOS) system. The Toilet has the same basic design as the Orion Universal Waste Management System (UWMS). The Toilet System will be the primary WMS for USOS for up to 90 crew days and interfaces with the Urine Transfer System (UTS) to allow concurrent Waste & Hygiene Compartment (WHC)/Toilet operations.
GRIP: The crew perform the second of three GRIP tasks. The GRIP experiment studies the long-duration spaceflight effects on the abilities of human subjects to regulate grip force and upper limbs trajectories when manipulating objects during different kind of movements: oscillatory movements, rapid discrete movements, and tapping gestures.
Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Ellipsoids (InSPACE-4): The crew distributed particles within the sample vial and initiated experiment runs. InSPACE-4 studies the assembly of tiny structures from colloids using magnetic fields. These structures change the properties of the assembled material, such as its mechanical response to or interaction with light and heat. Microgravity allows observation of these assembly processes free of confining sample walls and sedimentation and during timescales not possible using simulated microgravity. Results could provide insight into how to harness nanoparticles to fabricate and manufacture new materials.
ISS Amateur (HAM) Radio: The crew initiated a HAM radio pass with Seinan Gakuin Junior Senior High School, Fukuoka, Japan. 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.
KERMIT (KEyence Research Microscope Testbed): The crew installed sample slides into the KERMIT Hardware as part of ground commanded Checkouts and Vibration tests. KERMIT is a commercial off-the-shelf microscope that provides researchers with fundamental microscope capabilities, including state-of-the-art imaging and analysis modules. KERMIT is designed to streamline imaging and analysis through a single platform with easy operation by the International Space Station crew and from the ground. KERMIT provides the ability to perform advanced microscopy during spaceflight and remotely from the ground.
SoundSee: The crew installed the SoundSee hardware onto Astrobee, and performed audio data collection for acoustic mapping and machine health monitoring experiments. Investigation of Deep Audio Analytics on the International Space Station (SoundSee Mission) tests monitoring of the acoustic environment using an audio sensor on Astrobee, a mobile robotic platform aboard the space station. Microphones collect acoustic information, and the Astrobee determines the sensor’s position. The system can detect anomalies in the sound of components inside a machine, providing autonomous monitoring of the health of infrastructure such as life support and exercise equipment.
Systems
Starliner On-Board Training (OBT): The crew completed several OBTs in preparation for the upcoming Boeing Starliner Orbital Flight Test 2 (OFT-2) mission. The OBTs provided the crew with an overview of the OFT-2 mission profile, crew procedures for rendezvous, interfaces for monitoring/commanding OFT-2, and ISS attitude control expectations. OFT-2 is scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center on Saturday, July 30th and dock to the ISS on Sunday, July 31st.
Eye Exams: The crew completed routine Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) eye exams. OCT is an imaging technique analogous to ultrasound imaging that uses light instead of sound to capture micrometer-resolution, two- and three-dimensional images of tissue; In this case, the objects of interest are the crewmember’s eyes. Eye exams are performed regularly on-board in order to monitor crewmembers eye health. Eyesight is one of the many aspects of the human body that is affected by long-duration stays in a microgravity environment.
Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Application Computer Unit (MACU) Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Remove and Replace (R&R): The crew performed an R&R of the LAB MACU HDD using an on-orbit spare. The crew packaged the suspect HDD for return so that ground teams can investigate error messages observed during commissioning. The MACU is a component of the Robotics Workstation (RWS). The RWS provides the crew the capability to control and monitor MSS equipment in order to support robotic functions of ISS assembly and maintenance, payload and user servicing, and safe haven support.
Completed Task List Activities:
RFID Logistics Reader Troubleshooting
WHC KTO Replace
Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
OPM to -XVV
SSRMS Walk-Off to LAB PDGF
SPDM Reconfigure and Stow
LAB CDRA Deactivation
Node 3 CDRA Activation
Look Ahead Plan
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:
AAA Fan Checkout
JEM SLT 7 & 8 R&R
METOX Regeneration Terminate
EVA MAG Search
Saturday, July 24 (GMT 205)
Payloads:
Toilet N3 Leak Inspect and Question (NASA)
Astrobee Off (NASA)
Systems:
77P/DC-1 Undock
Sunday, July 25 (GMT 206)
Payloads:
Toilet Question (NASA)
Systems:
Crew Off-Duty
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
USOS Window Shutter Close
Emer Air Supply On Board Training Refresh
Collapsible Contingency Urinal (CCU) Toilet Fit-Check
Rebooting the AstroPi Vis
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – ESA Nutritional Assessment
Astrobee Crew Conference
Resupply Air Tank Teardown
SoundSee Data Collection
SAMS Sensor Relocate1
ISS HAM Columbus Pass Kenwood
MSRR Protective Cover Installation
KEyence Research Microscope Testbed (KERMIT) Power Up
INSPACE-4 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions 4) Experiment Run Ops
KEyence Research Microscope Testbed (KERMIT) Hardware Checkout Part 1
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis
Environmental Health System (EHS) Air Quality Monitor (AQM) Antenna RR
MELFI Status Check
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain
Astrobee Dock Secure (DEFERRED)
KEyence Research Microscope Testbed (KERMIT) Hardware Checkout Part 2
Robot Startup
Personal Tool Kit Configuration in Stow Track
GRIP science performance in seated position
MELFI Drawer Audit
PMA2/PMA3 Crew Suitcase Swap
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain Part 2
KEyence Research Microscope Testbed (KERMIT) Hardware Checkout Part 3A
KEyence Research Microscope Testbed (KERMIT) Hardware Checkout Part 3B
Lab MSS Application Computer Unit (MACU) Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Module Assembly Gather
PMA2 Egress
Urine Transfer System Offload EDV Swap
In Flight Maintenance of Lab MSS Application Computer Unit (MACU) Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Module Assembly R&R
Toilet Filter Inspection
KEyence Research Microscope Testbed (KERMIT) Hardware Checkout Part 4
Lab MSS Application Computer Unit (MACU) Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Module Assembly Stowage
KEyence Research Microscope Testbed (KERMIT) Power Down and Stow
On-Board Training (OBT) CST-100 OFT OBT Conference
SAMS Sensor Relocate 2
On-Board Training (OBT) CST-100 OFT Procedure Review (3 CBTs)
MSRR Protective Cover Removal
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Fill Part 3
Crew Dragon Hand Held Gas Detector Battery Removal
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record
Behavioral Core Measures ROBoT-r Test
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT2 Exam
Metal Oxide (METOX) Regeneration Initiation
