NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 22 May, 2020 – Japanese Cargo Set to Arrive
Three Expedition 63 crewmates are orbiting Earth getting ready to welcome a Japanese cargo ship and the first crew to launch from America in almost a decade.
NASA Commander Chris Cassidy will command the Canadarm2 robotic arm to capture Japan’s ninth space freighter to visit the station on Memorial Day at 8:15 a.m. EDT. The H-II Transfer Vehicle-9 (HTV-9) is delivering over four tons of crew supplies, space experiments and new lithium-ion batteries to upgrade station power systems. NASA TV’s live coverage begins Monday at 6:45 a.m.
Cassidy spent Friday readying the Harmony module for the HTV-9’s installation while also working on plumbing tasks. He’ll spend Saturday and Sunday relaxing aboard the International Space Station before turning his attention to the Japanese and American spaceships.
In Florida, astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program are in final preparations for their launch aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon on Wednesday at 4:33 p.m. They will dock the next day at 11:39 a.m. to the station’s International Docking Adapter on the Harmony module’s forward port.
Cassidy with Flight Engineers Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner will welcome the Commercial Crew astronauts aboard the station when the hatches open about two-and-a-half hours later. Behnken and Hurley will join the Expedition 63 crew as Flight Engineers and ramp up space science aboard the orbiting lab.
Back onboard the space station, cosmonauts Ivanishin and Vagner spent Friday servicing a variety of Russian communications and life support hardware. The duo also continued inventorying station maintenance and repair equipment.
On-orbit Status Report
Payloads
Astrobee: The crew powered off the Astrobee hardware that was used for the previous day’s Robo-Pro Challenge checkout. Astrobee is made up of three free-flying, cube-shaped robots which are designed to help scientists and engineers develop and test technologies for use in microgravity to assist astronauts with routine chores, and give ground controllers additional eyes and ears on the space station. The autonomous robots, powered by fans and vision-based navigation, perform crew monitoring, sampling, logistics management, and accommodate up to three investigations.
Systems
Moderate Temperature Loop (MTL) Pump Package Assembly (PPA) Remove & Replace (R&R): Today, the crew performed an R&R of the Node 2 MTL PPA. This PPA experienced transient failures first seen in October 2019 with a recurrence in March 2020. Since March, the frequency of hydraulic events increased indicating the PPA was deteriorating. The issue appeared to be internal to the Pump/Fan Motor Controller (PFMC) which could not be replaced individually. With the PFMC being internal to the PPA, the entire PPA required replacement to resolve the issue. The MTL PPA is responsible for providing coolant pumping, gas removal and coolant filtration in the USOS segment and consists of a pump assembly, gas trap and filter assembly.
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Operations: Today the crew performed a drain of the Waste Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Recycle Tank to an empty ???-?. Once the Recycle Tank drain was complete, the crew performed a visual check of the Recycle Tank quantity indicator to verify it was indicating empty. The crew then reconfigured the Recycle Tank valves to the “Fill” configuration and transferred the contents of ???-? serial# 1304 to the Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) Waste Water Storage Tank (WSTA). Finally, the crew configured the UPA drain/fill valves to “process” so the pre-treated urine can be processed by the UPA.
Completed Task List Activities:
PCS Relocate – A/L to Cupola
PCS Relocate – JEM to LAB
Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
SDMS Recording During ??-2 Testing
UPA Recycle Tank Drain/Fill Ground Support
C2V2 Activation and Backup KCU Activation in prep for DM-2
OGA to standby in support of Elektron activation
DDCU Reconfig and Powerdown/up for Node 2 MTL Pump R&R
Safing/Safing Removal for Node 2 MTL Pump R&R
Node 2 MTL Deactivation/Activation in support of Node 2 MTL PPA R&R
Look Ahead Plan
Saturday, 5/23 (GMT 144)
Payloads:
Off Duty
Systems:
Off Duty
Sunday, 5/24 (GMT 145)
Payloads:
Off Duty
Systems:
Off Duty
Monday, 5/25 (GMT 146)
Payloads:
No Payload activities
Systems:
HTV9 Capture/Berthing
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Replacement of Agat-2 audio/video system hard drives with psychological support materials for the crew
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain & Fill
TV conference in preparation for Chess Match on June 9, 2020 (Ku + S-band)
Countermeasures System (CMS) Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Cylinder Flywheel Evacuation
ISS Crew and ???? (RSA Flight Control Team) weekly conference
Replacement of Agat-2 audio/video system monitor and test checkout
Node 2 Pump Package Assembly (PPA) Hardware Gather
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fills
Environmental Health System (EHS) – Formaldehyde Monitoring Kit (FMK) Stow Operation
JPM Window Shutter Close
Assembly of water and condensate separator pump [??-??] and filling (separation) of ???-?? or ??? [???] for Elektron VM
HTV Capture Review
Inventory audit of Maintenance and Repair equipment
Overlay Camera Calibration
Astrobee Off
In-Flight Maintenance (IFM) Node 2 Pump Package Assembly (PPA) Thermal Expansion Bag Connection & Removal
Node 2 Camcorder Setup & Deactivation
In-Flight Maintenance (IFM) Node 2 Pump Package Assembly (PPA) Gas Trap Plug Removal
Node 2 Moderate Temperature Loop (MTL) Pump Package Assembly (PPA) Removal
In-Flight Maintenance (IFM) Node 2 Pump Package Assembly (PPA) Gas Trap and Fine Filter Swap
Vacuum cleaning ventilation grilles on FGB interior panels (201, 301, 401)
Setting up video equipment to film ??-2 exercise
??-2 Treadmill Test (Day 3 Exercise)
Node 2 Moderate Temperature Loop (MTL) Pump Package Assembly (PPA) Installation
Vacuum cleaning of ??7 screens on ???4 behind FGB panel 108
Disconnect video equipment used to capture ??-2 exercise and downlink files
Vacuum cleaning dust collector ?C1, ??2 filter cartridges in FGB (panels 203, 403)
Node 2 Audio Terminal Unit (ATU) Reconfiguration
