NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 27 November 2018 – Dragon Rendezvous Training
In a replay similar to the weekend before Thanksgiving, two rockets on the opposite sides of the world are poised to launch one day after another to replenish the International Space Station with a new crew and cargo.
Three new Expedition 58 crew members are preparing to blast off to the space station on a Russian Soyuz crew ship early next week. The following day, SpaceX will launch its Dragon cargo craft to the orbital lab atop a Falcon 9 rocket.
New astronauts Anne McClain and David Saint-Jacques with veteran cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko will take a six-hour ride to the station on Monday Dec. 3. The trio will lift off inside their Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft at 6:31 a.m. EST from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. About six hours later they will reach their new home in space and dock to the Poisk module beginning a six-and-a-half-month mission.
The SpaceX Dragon is targeted to begin its ascent to space from the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center on Dec. 4. Dragon will orbit Earth for two days loaded with new science before it is captured with the station’s Canadarm2 and installed to the Harmony module.
Back in space, three Expedition 57 crew members are getting ready for the arrival of both spacecraft while staying focused on microgravity science and spacewalk preparations.
Commander Alexander Gerst and Flight Engineer Serena Auñón-Chancellor trained for next week’s Dragon rendezvous and capture on a computer today. The duo also continued working on more life science and physics research. Gerst once again studied how protein crystals impact Parkinson’s disease to possibly improve treatments on Earth. Serena researched how cement hardens in space and continued setting up hardware for a semiconductor crystal experiment.
Cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev is configuring the station’s Russian segment for a spacewalk targeted for Dec. 11. He and Kononenko will inspect the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft docked to the Rassvet module before the Expedition 57 trio returns to Earth on Dec. 20.
On-Orbit Status Report
CASIS PCG-16 card fill: The crew continued the PCG Card Micro-G card fill that was not fully completed the previous day. This was performed using some of today’s microscope observation time due to the relatively short lifetime of the protein precipitant solution. Crystallization of LRRK2 Under Microgravity Conditions-2 (CASIS PCG 16) evaluates growth of Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) protein crystals in microgravity. LRRK2 is implicated in Parkinson’s disease, but crystals of the protein grown on Earth are too small and compact to study. Detailed analysis of larger, space-grown crystals can define the protein’s exact shape and morphology and help scientists better understand the disease’s pathology.
Microgravity Investigation of Cement Solidification (MICS) – Multi-use Variable-g Processing Facility (MVP Cell-05) insert 2: The crew mixed the samples, inserted them into the MICS Module, then installed the MICS Module into the MVP Platform. This will start run 2 of 3 for the investigation. MVP Cell-05 investigates the complex process of cement solidification at gravity levels of interest (lunar, Mars and 0.7-g). The MVP facility is used to conduct research in space with a wide variety of sample types, such as fruit flies, flatworms, plants, fish, cells, protein crystals and many others. It includes internal carousels that simultaneously can produce up to 2 g of artificial gravity.
Solidification Using a Baffle in Sealed Ampoules (SUBSA) setup in the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) 2: The crew finished the installation of the SUBSA hardware in the MSG work volume, installed the calibration sample, and took 5 – 10 photos of hardware setup. This is being performed in support of the Cemsica investigation setup that was not fully completed yesterday. Cemsica tests a novel approach of using particles of calcium-silicate (C-S) to synthesize nanoporous membranes (those with pores 100 nanometers or smaller) that can separate carbon dioxide molecules from air or other gases. Synthesizing the materials in microgravity may resolve existing challenges in membrane manufacturing and lead to development of lower-cost membranes with improved flux and high-temperature stability. SUBSA offers a gradient freeze furnace for materials science investigations that can reach 850°C.
The Effect of Long Duration Hypogravity on the Perception of Self-Motion (VECTION): The crew performed the setup of the reference length for use in future operations. However, issues with the Zbook laptop prevented execution of the commissioning activities today for the VECTION experiment. The objective of the VECTION study is to determine to what extent an astronaut’s ability to visually interpret motion, orientation, and distance may be disrupted in a microgravity environment, and how it may adapt, and how it may be changed upon return to Earth. Multiple experimental time points inflight and upon return to Earth allows for the adaptation and recovery process to be investigated.
SpaceX 16 (SpX-16) Dragon On-Board Training (OBT): The crew reviewed Dragon Robotics procedures and participated in a conference with ground specialists in support of SpX-16 Dragon arrival. Using computer based training, the crew reviewed the Dragon mission profile, rendezvous crew procedures, and the crew interfaces for monitoring and commanding Dragon. SpX-16 Dragon launch is currently scheduled for December 4 with capture and berthing planned for December 6.
Treadmill 2 (T2) Monthly Inspection: The crew completed the monthly T2 inspection with no issues noted. This activity has the crew inspect all four Snubber Arms for signs of free play.
Completed Task List Activities:
None
Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
JEM Airlock Depressurization in support of NREP Exchange
Two-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 11/28:
Payloads:
Cemsica Sample exchange
JEMAL Pressurization (supports crew access to NREP)
NREP Hardware Swap
Myotones
Veg-03G Harvest
Systems:
EMU Loop Scrub
55S Undock Prepack
Dragon Prepack
SPDM Direct Drive Characterization
Thursday, 11/29:
Payloads
Myotones
Cemsica Sample exchange
Systems:
Surface and Air Sampling
ARED Cylinder Evac
SSC14 Shell Swap
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Auxiliary Computer System [ВКС] Laptops Antivirus Software Checkout and Report
PHOTOBIOREACTOR. Visual monitoring and photography
Food Acceptability Questionnaire
Retrieval of PCG-16 Sample Tube from MELFI
PCG-16 Card Fill Operations
Verification of ИП-1 Flow Sensor Position
DC1 EVA Support Panel Test. Tagup with specialists
ПхО EVA Support Panel (ПОВ) checkout. Caution & Warning Panel (ПСС) checkout
Microscope Reposition Preparation
PCG-16 PCG Card Microscope Photo Operations [Aborted]
СОЖ maintenance. Replacement of ИК0501 fan. Install No.040 (00069446R, СМ1РО_4_449_1, Bag ЗИП ГА). Stow dismantled fan No.028 (00039245R) in СМ1РО_4_449_1, Bag ЗИП ГА. Reflect changes in IMS
Microscope Reposition Post Ops
Water Recovery and Management (WRM) Waste Water Bus (WWB) Recombine with Isolated Condensate Tank
Condensate transfer from Lab Condensate tank to WPA Waste Water Tank
EXPRESS Rack 9 Locker Removal [Aborted]
HRF Supply Check
Condensate direct transfer from Lab condensate tank to WPA waste water tank.
On-board Training (OBT) Dragon Rendezvous Review
Water Recovery and Management (WRM) Waste Water Bus (WWB) Split
On-board Training (OBT) Dragon Rendezvous Review
Vection Length Assembly
PEV Activation Test from DC1 EVA Support Panel
Soyuz 739 Kazbek Fit Check
On-board Training (OBT) Dragon Robotics Review
Preventive Maintenance of SM АСП-О and Progress 440 [ACA] hatch Sealing Mechanisms prior to RS EVA
On-Board Training (OBT) Dragon OBT Conference
RS1 Laptop hard drive swap, RS1 Laptop upgrade to software version 08.10.
Multi-use Variable-g Platform Module Removal
Station Support Computer (SSC) 12 Client Troubleshooting
Glacier Desiccant Swap
Battery Stowage Assembly (BSA) Operation Initiation
Multi-use Variable-g Platform MWA Preparation
Multi-use Variable-g Platform Cell-05 Insert
JEM Regenerative Heat Exchanger (RHX) Water Wipe
Soyuz 739 Pre-pack Ops
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Inspection
ISS HAM Service Module Pass
Solidification Using Baffles in Sealed Ampoules Hardware Setup
CONTENT. Experiment Ops
Vection ZBook Configuration
