NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 26 February 2020 – Space Physics Research

The three-member Expedition 62 crew split its time today between biomedical studies and space physics.
The microgravity research aboard the International Space Station helps scientists, doctors and engineers provide unique solutions that could improve life for humans on Earth and in space.

Astronauts living in space experience a condition that mimics osteoporosis on Earth. The lack of gravity quickly weakens a crewmember’s bones unless they counteract it with daily exercise and proper nutrition. This is one of many challenges NASA faces as it plans to send humans to the Moon, Mars and beyond.

NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Andrew Morgan this week are helping doctors to compare bone cells in space with samples on Earth that are levitated magnetically. The observations from the OsteoOmics-02 study could provide deeper insights into bone ailments on Earth, including osteoporosis.

Meir also serviced a 3D bioprinter today replacing components inside the device that manufactures complex organ structures aboard the orbiting lab. She later joined Morgan for more eye checks this week using optical coherence tomography in the station’s Harmony module.

On the Russian side of the orbiting complex, station Commander Oleg Skripochka continued exploring plasma physics. The veteran cosmonaut set up a device that traps clouds of particles creating plasma crystals and observes their dynamics. At the end of the day, he swapped out a lens on an Earth observation camera controlled by students on Earth.

On-Orbit Status Report

EarthKAM (Sally Ride Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle Schools): The crew changed out the Lens of the EarthKAM hardware. EarthKAM allows thousands of students to photograph and examine Earth from a space crew’s perspective. Using the Internet, the students control a special digital camera mounted on-board the ISS. This enables them to photograph the Earth’s coastlines, mountain ranges and other geographic items of interest from the unique vantage point of space. The EarthKAM team then posts these photographs on the Internet for viewing by the public and participating classrooms around the world.

OsteoOmics: The crew performed the OsteoOmics media operations. Millions of Americans experience bone loss, which results from disease or the reduced effects of gravity that can occur in bed-ridden patients. OsteoOmics tests whether magnetic levitation accurately simulates the free-fall conditions of microgravity by comparing genetic expression osteoblastic cells, a type of bone cell, levitated in a high-field superconducting magnet with cells flown in low-Earth orbit. This information helps scientists determine the molecular and metabolic changes that take place in magnetic levitation and real microgravity.

BioFabrication Facility (BFF): The crew replaced the four smart pump barbs and bracket as troubleshooting step from a high pressure dispensing and ink flow failure during last operations. This will prepare the BFF for printing Meniscus sample which will arrive on SpX-20. The BFF is dedicated to manufacturing human organs and tissues in space, primarily for use by patients on Earth. Besides printing tissue, the BFF also can help maintain the health of deep space exploration crews by producing food and personalized pharmaceuticals on demand.

CBEF-L (Cell Biology Experiment Facility-L): The crew installed the Glovebox inn power cables inside the CBEF and fixated the LTL distribution box insulator in preparation for the Mouse Cage facility arriving on SpX-20. CBEF-L is a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) new subrack facility, which is an upgraded facility of the original Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) currently aboard the International Space Station (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 that can handle the processing of more experimental samples for a wider array of experiments.

Completed Task List Activities:
None

Today’s Ground Activities:
OsteoOmics LSG Operations Support
BioFabrication Facility Smart Pump Ops Support
WORF Activation
CMS Treadmill 2 Power Cycle

Thursday, 2/27 (GMT 058)
Payloads:
OsteoOmics Week 2- Media Changeout (NASA)
Mouse Mission Habitat pwr connection to Glove Box and Cage setup (JAXA)
MELFI Icebrick Inserts (NASA)
Food Acceptability (NASA)
STaARS BioScience-9: Sample S/N 1009 into Cold stowage (NASA)
Standard Measures PreSleep Questionnaire (NASA)
Fluid Shifts Baseline Imaging Setup (NASA)
SABL CO2 Incubator Controller Install (NASA)

Systems:
Water Storage System (WSS) Resupply Storage Swap
Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill

Friday, 2/28 (GMT 059)
Payloads:
Standard Measures PostSleep Questionnaire (NASA)
Fluid Shifts Ultrasound and CCFP and DPOAE Baseline Scans (NASA)
OsteoOmics Week 2- Media Changeout (NASA)
ISS Experience Recording of OsteoOmics ops (NASA)
Food Acceptability (NASA)
MSL HERMES Vacuum Vlv to open (NASA)
MELFI Icebrick Inserts (NASA)

Systems:
None

Saturday, 2/29 (GMT 060)
Payloads:
HRF Saliva collect (NASA)
ISS Experience H/W Stow

Systems:
Crew off-duty

Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

OsteoOmics-2 Maintenance Work Area Preparation
On MCC GO Regeneration of Micropurification unit (???) ?2 cartridge (end)
LSG Primary Crew Restraint Unfold
PK-4 data hard drives exchange
OsteoOmics Thaw Kit Retrieval
OsteoOmics LSG Operations
OsteoOmics Thaw Bag Retrieval
OsteoOmics-2 MELFI Sample Retrieve
OsteoOmics BioCell Thaw Operations
OsteoOmics Thaw Bag Retrieval
OsteoOmics-2 MELFI Sample Retrieve
OsteoOmics BioCell Thaw Operations
OsteoOmics Thaw Bag Retrieval
OsteoOmics-2 MELFI Sample Retrieve
OsteoOmics BioCell Thaw Operations
PK-4 Experiment Run 2/1
OsteoOmics Thaw Bag Retrieval
OsteoOmics-2 MELFI Sample Retrieve
OsteoOmics BioCell Thaw Operations
OsteoOmics Thaw Bag Retrieval
OsteoOmics-2 MELFI Sample Retrieve
OsteoOmics BioCell Thaw Operations
URAGAN. Installation and activation of SOVA and VSS PL.
OsteoOmics Thaw Bag Retrieval
OsteoOmics-2 MELFI Sample Retrieve
OsteoOmics BioCell Thaw Operations
OsteoOmics BioCell Habitat Cleanup
Cell Biology Experiment Facility Left (CBEF-L) LTL distribution box Insulator Fixation
Glove Box Inner Cable Connection
HYPERVISOR SERVER 1 (HV1) Shell Swap
PK-4 Experiment Run 2/2
Ultrasound 2 HRF Rack 2 Setup Alternate
LSG Primary Crew Restraint Fold
URAGAN. Closeout ops and SOVA and VSS PL teardown.
BioFabrication Facility Sensor Removal
LSG Work Volume Stow
HRF Generic Saliva Collection Setup
PK-4 Experiment Run 2/3
Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Food Intake Tracker (ISS FIT)
24-hour ECG Recording (start)
24-hour Blood Pressure Recording (start)
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT2 Setup
PK-4 Chamber filling with Neon gas
EarthKAM Node 2 Lens Change-Russian
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT2 Prep
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT2 Exam – Subject
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – OCT2 Exam – Operator
OsteoOmics-2 MELFI Sample Removal
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT2 Stow
Reminder Standard Measures Multi-day Saliva Collection
Reminder Portable O2 Monitor (POM) Reading
Reminder 1 Fluid Shifts Baseline Imaging Measures