NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 24 May 2018 – Cygnus Cargo Spacecraft Captured
At 5:26 a.m. EDT, Expedition 55 Flight Engineer Scott Tingle of NASA successfully captured Orbital ATK’s Cygnus cargo spacecraft using the International Space Station’s robotic arm, backed by NASA Astronauts Ricky Arnold and Drew Feustel.
Robotic ground controllers will position Cygnus for installation to the orbiting laboratory’s Earth-facing port of the Unity module.
The Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo ship was bolted into place on the International Space Station’s Earth-facing port of the Unity module at 8:13 a.m. EDT. The spacecraft will spend about seven weeks attached to the space station before departing in July. After it leaves the station, the uncrewed spacecraft will deploy several CubeSats before its fiery re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere as it disposes of several tons of trash.
Orbital ATK’s Cygnus was launched on the company’s Antares rocket Monday, May 21, from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The spacecraft’s arrival brings about 7,400 pounds of research and supplies to support Expedition 55 and 56. Highlights include:
– The Biomolecule Extraction and Sequencing Technology (BEST), an investigation to identify unknown microbial organisms on the space station and understand how humans, plants and microbes adapt to living on the station
– The Cold Atom Laboratory, a physics research facility used by scientists to explore how atoms interact when they have almost no motion due to extreme cold temperatures
– A unique liquid separation system from Zaiput Flow Technologies that relies on surface forces, rather than gravity, to extract one liquid from another
– The Ice Cubes Facility, the first commercial European opportunity to conduct research in space, made possible through an agreement with ESA (European Space Agency) and Space Applications Services.
– The Microgravity Investigation of Cement Solidification (MICS) experiment is to investigate and understand the complex process of cement solidification in microgravity with the intent of improving Earth-based cement and concrete processing and as the first steps toward making and using concrete on extraterrestrial bodies.
Three Earth science CubeSats
– RainCube (Radar in a CubeSat) will be NASA’s first active sensing instrument on a CubeSat that could enable future rainfall profiling missions on low-cost, quick-turnaround platforms.
– TEMPEST-D (Temporal Experiment for Storms and Tropical Systems Demonstration) is mission to validate technology that could improve our understanding of cloud processes.
– CubeRRT (CubeSat Radiometer Radio Frequency Interference Technology) will seek to demonstrate a new technology that can identify and filter radio frequency interference, which is a growing problem that negatively affects the data quality collected by radiometers, instruments used in space for critical weather data and climate studies.
On-Orbit Status Report
Orbital ATK (OA)-9 Cygnus S.S. J.R. Thomson Rendezvous with ISS: The crew successfully captured the S.S. J.R. Thompson with the Space Station Remote Manipulation System (SSRMS) at 4:29 am CDT. Once captured, the crew handed off control of the SSRMS to ground robotics controllers who maneuvered the Cygnus vehicle to the Node 1 nadir Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) interface where it was securely bolted to the ISS. Once the CBM bolting operations were complete, the crew and ground teams worked together to perform Node 1 CBM vestibule pressurization followed by hatch opening and ingress at ~12:05 PM CT.
Tropical Cyclone: The crew configured the camera settings in the Cupola to support the capture of untended images of Cyclone Mekunu, which is expected to make landfall on the Aragian Peninsula tomorrow. The Tropical Cyclone investigation is normally used to capture images of tropical cyclones and hurricanes that are rated at Category 3 or greater on the Saffir-Simpson scale. A pseudo-stereoscopic method is used to determine the altitudes of the cloud tops near the center (eye) of a cyclone by precisely tracking the apparent positions of cloud features with respect to the Earth and how those positions change over time as an observer (the ISS in this case) passes over the storm. The photographic images will be used to demonstrate that pseudo-spectroscopy can be used to measure the cloud altitudes to sufficient precision so that, when combined with other remote-sensing data, an accurate determination of the intensity of hurricane or cyclone can be made.
Human Research Program (Biochemical Profile, Marrow, Vascular Echo, and Repository): A 53S crewmember collected blood samples for their Return minus 14-day session of the Biochem Profile, Marrow and Repository investigations this morning. He also completed a 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring session. Blood samples are being processed in the new non-refrigerated centrifuge due to the issues experienced yesterday with the refrigerated centrifuge.
The Biochemical Profile investigation tests blood and urine samples obtained from astronauts before, during, and after spaceflight. Specific proteins and chemicals in the samples are used as biomarkers, or indicators of health. Post-flight analysis yields a database of samples and test results; which scientists can use to study the effects of spaceflight on the body.
Marrow looks at the effect of microgravity on bone marrow. It is believed that microgravity, like long-duration bed rest on Earth, has a negative effect on the bone marrow and the blood cells that are produced in the bone marrow.
Vascular Echo examines changes in blood vessels and the heart while the crew members are in space, and then follow their recovery on return to Earth. The results could provide insight into potential countermeasures to help maintain crew member health, and quality of life for everyone.
Repository is a storage bank used to maintain biological specimens over extended periods of time and under well-controlled conditions. The repository supports scientific discovery that contributes to our fundamental knowledge in the area of human physiological changes and adaptation to a microgravity environment and provides unique opportunities to study longitudinal changes in human physiology spanning many missions.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
USOS Window Shutter Close
Biochemical urine test
HRF Generic Centrifuge Frozen Blood Collection
URISYS Hardware Stowage
MORZE. Psycho-Physiological Evaluation: Tsentrovka, SENSOR Tests
Robotics Workstation (RWS) Configuration
Cygnus PCS Command and PROX Link Verification
HRF Generic Centrifuge Frozen Blood Collection Configuration
Robotic Workstation (RWS) High Definition (HD) Monitor Downlink
Photo/TV Ghost Camera in Cuopla on SSC power recording
Cygnus R-BAR Approach
HRF Generic Centrifuge Frozen Blood Collection Spin Conclude
Centerline Berthing Camera System (CBCS) Powerup
HRF Generic Sample MELFI Insertion
Cygnus/Node 1 Pressurization and Leak Check Preparation
JEM Ethernet Extender Internal Activation
Hardware prepack for return and disposal on Soyuz 737
JEM Ethernet Extender Internal Deactivation
Microgravity Measurement Apparatus (MMA) Laptop Terminal 2 (MLT2) Hard Disk Drive (HDD) Exchange 2
Cygnus R-BAR Approach
MMA Laptop Terminal 2(MLT2) Cable Setup.
Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) Cygnus Capture
СОЖ maintenance
Acoustic Monitor Setup for Static Measurements
Vascular Echo 24-Hour Ambulatory BP Monitoring Conclude – Subject
MERLIN SAMPLE TRANSFER REVIEW
MORZE. Psycho-physiological Evaluation: Cattell’s Test
Crew Medical Officer (CMO) Proficiency Training
Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill
Crew Departure Preparations for Return to Earth
Environmental Health System (EHS) Personal CO2 Monitor Data Transfer
Replacement of network cable RJ45 connectors
ISS Food Intake Tracker (ISS FIT)
24-hour ECG Recording (start)
Polar Cygnus Uninstall, Transfer, And EXPRESS Rack Install Review
24-hour Blood Pressure Recording (start)
Tropical Cyclone Untended Operations
CIR BOTTLE RELOCATE
Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows (WinSCAT) Test
Node 1 Centerline Berthing Camera System (CBCS) Removal
Cygnus/Node 1 Pressurization and Leak Check
Microbial Tracking-2 Saliva Setup
Remote Workstation Monitor HD Video Downlink Deactivation RWS.
Ghost camera teardown in Cupola
Tropical Cyclone Hardware Closeout
Photo TV High Definition (HD) Cygnus Video Setup
Plant Habitat Hardware Consolidate
Polar Cygnus Uninstall, Transfer, And EXPRESS Rack Install Review
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Personal Medication Stow
Node 1 Nadir to Cygnus Vestibule Outfitting
Video Recording of Greetings
KUBIK Temperature Adjustment to 6°C
PCS Laptop Relocate
MORZE. Psycho-physiological Evaluation: Strelau Test
MORZE. Psycho-physiological Evaluation: SUPOS Test
Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) Controller Panel Assembly (CPA) Rotation and Closeout
External Wireless Communication Wireless Access Point Activation
MORZE. Closeout Ops
HRF Generic Centrifuge Frozen Blood Collection Conclude And Stow
Cygnus Ingress
Cygnus (OA-9) Air Sampling using АК-1М sampler prior to Air Duct Installation
Crew Medical Officer (CMO) Proficiency Training
Cygnus Cargo Photo
IMS Update
Environmental Health System (EHS) Personal CO2 Monitor Stow
Robotic Workstation (RWS) Teardown
Centerline Berthing Camera System (CBCS) Stow
Completed Task List Activities
FE-6 Handover Questionnaire
Ground Activities
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
SPS power down/up and solar array park/auto for OA-9 capture.
SSRMS/ACBM Cygnus berthing ops
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Friday, 05/25: Cygnus Payload/Cargo Ops, 53S Return Prepack and Soyuz Decent Module Photo Survey, MERLIN Sample Xfer, MSG VUE HD Setup, TangoLab card R&R, JEMAL Slide Table Reconfiguration
Saturday, 05/26: Weekly Housekeeping, Crew Off-Duty
Sunday, 05/27: Crew Off-Duty
QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
Component – Status
Elektron – Off
Vozdukh – Manual
[СКВ] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) – Off
[СКВ] 2 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV2”) – On
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab – Operate
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 – Standby
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab – Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 – Idle
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) – Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) – Normal
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Full Up
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Off
