NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 23 July, 2021 – Nauka Progressing Towards Station

The Expedition 65 crew capped off this week’s research activities aboard the International Space Station by making headway with various science experiments related to human health and materials performance.
Russian flight controllers continued systems testing Friday on the new Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory Module as it heads toward the International Space Station for a scheduled docking next week.

ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet finished the third part of three GRIP tasks. For the experiment, Pesquet performed a set of movements in the supine position. 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 kinds of movements.

Commander?Akihiko?Hoshide, a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut, reconfigured the Cell Biology Experiment Facility – Left (CBEF-L), which is used to conduct space plant research. CBEF-L is an upgraded version of an original facility aboard the space station and provides new capabilities and resources, such as a full high-definition video interface, ethernet, 24 power supply, and a larger-diameter centrifugal test environment.

Hoshide, Pesquet, and NASA Flight Engineers Mark Vande Hei, Shane Kimbrough, and Megan McArthur also took turns undergoing eye exams using a remote ultrasound device. Some astronauts have reported experiencing vision changes during and after spaceflight, and the exams provide insight into how spaceflight affects the eye health of crews throughout the mission.

Kimbrough and McArthur continued conducting runs for the Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Ellipsoids, or InSPACE-4. For the investigation, the pair took turns distributing particles within the sample vial and activated research equipment. InSpace-4 studies the assembly of tiny structures from colloids using magnetic fields and could shed light on how to harness nanoparticles to fabricate and manufacture new materials.

Additionally, McArthur had a chance to complete a Robotic On-Board Trainer for Research (ROBoT-r) session as part of the Behavioral Core Measures experiment. The purpose of the study is to reliably assess the risk of adverse cognitive or behavioral conditions during extended spaceflight missions. Sessions are completed monthly, starting within two weeks of an astronaut’s arrival on station.

On-Orbit Status Report

Payloads

Cell Biology Experiment Facility-L (CBEF-L): The crew reconfigured the Low Temperature Loop (LTL) flow into CBEF facilities. CBEF-L is a new JAXA sub-rack facility, which is an upgraded facility of the CBEF currently aboard the ISS. CBEF-L provides new capabilities with additional new resources such as full high definition video interface, ethernet, 24 VDC power supply, and a larger diameter centrifugal test environment. By using the original CBEF and CBEF-L as one facility for the same experiment, the payload user is provided with an upgraded experimental environment capable of processing more experimental samples for a wider array of experiments.

Exploration Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) – Toilet: The crew inspected the Toilet for any potential leaks. 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 performed the third of three GRIP tasks in the supine position. 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 three 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.

Light Ions Detector for ALTEA (LIDAL) Facility: The crew returned the LIDAL facility to the COL1D1 rack front location. The LIDAL facility was used in support of the GRIP experiments. The LIDAL Facility utilizes a trigger based on fast scintillators to increase the window of acceptance of the Anomalous Long Term Effects in Astronauts (ALTEA) system to low Z ions (protons and helium ions) and to provide Time of Flight (TOF) measurements. LIDAL is an addition to the existing ALTEA facility, upgrading ALTEA’s ability to take measurements that can be converted by dedicated software in real-time into radiation risk coefficients, effectively enabling ALTEA to become a dosimetric “risk meter” aboard the ISS.

Systems

Avionics Air Assembly (AAA) Fan Checkouts: The crew performed checkouts of the two suspect AAAs (removed from the Water Processor Assembly (WPA) rack and Expedite the Processing of Experiments to Space Station (EXPRESS) 1 rack in May) in the LAB Atmospheric Revitalization rack. Following checkouts, both AAA fans were declared as failed. Additional AAA fans have been manifested on an upcoming flight to provide on-orbit spares. AAAs are high speed fans that provide cooling and smoke detection to racks in the ISS.

Eye Exams: The crew completed routine Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) eye exams and an ultrasound eye exam. 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 affected by long-duration stays in a microgravity environment.

Completed Task List Activities:

None
Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

AAA Checkout Commanding
CWC-I Fill Support
Look Ahead Plan

Saturday, July 24 (GMT 205)
Payloads:

Astrobee off (NASA)
Systems:

Crew Off-Duty
Sunday, July 25 (GMT 206)
Payloads:

Crew Off-Duty
Monday, July 26 (GMT 207)
Payloads:

SCEM T/S (JAXA)
InSPACE-4 Runs 41-44
PWM 3&4 Test Stand Assembly (NASA)
TOILET N3 Leak Inspect and Question (NASA)
AWP HRF1 Setup (NASA)
Astrobee Preparation (NASA)
Standard Measures Pre-Sleep Question (NASA)
CIR MANF 4 Bottle Replace (NASA)
STP-H5 Photo (NASA)
Systems:

ARED Quarterly & 6-Month Maintenance
JEM Stowage Consolidation
WRS Bus Sampling
Fundoscope ACO Exam
OFT-2 Rendezvous OBT
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Biochemical urine test
INSPACE-4 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions 4) Experiment Run Ops
Ultrasound 2 HRF Rack 2
GRIP science performance in supine position
Water Recovery System Potable Bus Sample
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Ultrasound 2 Scan
Water Recovery System CWC-Iodine Fill Initialization
Pin Kit Audit in Stow Track
Remove and Replace (R&R) Waste Hygiene Compartment (WHC) ???-Y
Water Recovery System CWC-Iodine Swap Part 1
Water Recovery System CWC-Iodine Swap Part 2
Water Recovery System CWC-Iodine Fill Terminate
HRF Centrifuge Rack 2 Checkout Spin Configuration
JAXA System Laptop Terminal (SLT) 8 Battery R&R
JAXA System Laptop Terminal (SLT) 7 Battery R&R
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Maximum Absorbency Garment (MAG) Search
Crew stows GRIP Supine Bag in COL1O0
Light Ions Detector Return
Behavioral Core Measures ROBoT-r Test
HRF Centrifuge Rack 2 Counterweight Tube Removal Unpowered State
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Avionics Air Assembly (AAA) Checkout
LTL DISTRIBUTION BOX Setup
SCRAM Troubleshooting
Node 3 Toilet Leak Inspection
Water Resource System (WRS) CTB Locate
Urine Transfer System Offload EDV Swap
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – OCT2 Exam
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – ESA Nutritional Assessment
Metal Oxide (METOX) Regeneration Termination