NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 29 August 2018 – More Eye Exams
The six residents aboard the International Space Station today continued exploring how living in space impacts their bodies.
The Expedition 56 crew also worked on science hardware and life support gear to ensure the orbital complex is in tip-top shape.
Three astronauts helped doctors understand what is happening to their eyes in the weightless environment of microgravity. One crew member has also worked all week on a pair of European experiments researching what happens during exercise and cognition on long-term missions in space.
NASA astronauts Ricky Arnold and Serena Auñón-Chancellor joined ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst for more regularly scheduled eye checks today. Arnold led the morning’s retina scans using optical coherence tomography on the other two crewmates. Later in the afternoon, Auñón-Chancellor and Gerst swapped medical roles and peered into each other’s eyes looking out the optic disc and macula with a fundoscope.
Gerst continued working out today in a custom t-shirt in a specialized fabric testing its comfort and thermal relief for the SpaceTex-2 study. He then moved on to the GRIP study exploring how microgravity impacts an astronaut’s cognition when working with tools and interfaces aboard spacecraft.
Commander Drew Feustel worked on the Materials Science Research Rack today replacing gear inside the refrigerator-sized device that can heat research samples to a temperature of 2500° F. Cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Sergey Prokopyev spent the afternoon checking the Vozdukh carbon dioxide removal device for leaks in the Russian segment of the station.
On-Orbit Status Report
Biomolecule Extraction and Sequencing Technology (BEST): The crew prepared BEST RNA samples and began 48 hour sequencing on the Biomolecule Sequencer. The BEST investigation studies the use of sequencing for identification of unknown microbial organisms living on the ISS, and how humans, plants and microbes adapt to living on the ISS.
SpaceTex-2 and Metabolic Space: A crewmember donned Thermolab equipment, a heart rate monitor, and a SpaceTex shirt for ESA’s SpaceTex-2 investigation. He also donned Metabolic Space equipment and completed an exercise session using the Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation and Stabilization (CEVIS). SpaceTex fabrics provide a higher rate of sweat evaporation and a corresponding higher evaporative heat loss compared to conventional cotton fabrics used by astronauts on the ISS. Metabolic Space provides a technology demonstration for a measurement system worn by astronauts that supports cardio-pulmonary diagnosis during physical activities of astronauts living onboard the ISS, while maintaining unrestricted mobility.
Grip: The crew completed the third of three Grip operations in the supine position. ESA’s Grip investigation tests how the nervous system takes into account the forces due to gravity and inertia when manipulating objects. Results from this investigation may provide insight into potential hazards for astronauts as they manipulate objects in different gravitational environments, support design and control of haptic interfaces to be used in challenging environments such as space. Additionally, it will also provide information about motor control that will be useful for the evaluation and rehabilitation of impaired upper limb control in patients with neurological diseases.
Binary Colloidal Alloy Test – Cohesive Sediment (BCAT-CS): The crew checked the camera alignment and focus by viewing the latest BCAT images on a laptop. The BCAT-CS investigation studies the forces between particles that cluster together by using sediments of quartz and clay particles. Conducting the research in the microgravity environment of the ISS makes it possible to separate the forces acting on the particles over a short range (adhesive forces) versus those acting over a long range (cohesive forces). The quartz/clay system is commonly found in a wide variety of environmental settings (such as rivers, lakes, and oceans) and plays an important role in technological efforts related to deep-sea hydrocarbon drilling and carbon dioxide sequestration.
Material Science Research Rack (MSRR): The crew is currently working to complete the Remove and Replace (R&R) of the MSRR Master Controller. On July 16th, when MSRR was powered, its health and status data was not available through either 1553 or Ethernet. After rotating the MSRR down, crew noted dried residue on the Moderate Temperature Loop (MTL) umbilical to the rack which was cleaned with vacuum and wipes. No wetness or fluid was noted during the cleaning of the umbilical. Following R&R of the Master Controller, the ground will complete a checkout; leak checks and recommissioning of the rack will occur at a later time. The MSRR is used for basic materials research in the microgravity environment of the ISS. It can accommodate and support diverse Experiment Modules. Many material types, such as metals, alloys, polymers, semiconductors, ceramics, crystals, and glasses, can be studied to discover new applications for existing materials and new or improved materials.
ExPRESS Rack (ER) 5 Slow Leak Status: On Tuesday, the crew isolated the Space Automated Bioproduct Laboratory (SABL) and Plant Habitat from the Moderate Temperature Loop (MTL) to assist in the investigation into the source of the leak in the Japanese Experiment Module. The ground continues to monitor the data on MTL flow at this time and an activity is being planned on Friday in case a rack rotation is required to check the payload leg valves.
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Swap: In preparation for Friday’s EMU Loop Scrub activities, the crew retrieved EMUs 3006 and 3008 from the Crewlock and installed them onto the forward and aft EMU Don/Doff Assemblies (EDDAs). EMUs 3003 and 3004, used during Tuesday’s EMU Resize activity, were temporarily stowed in the Crewlock. EMU Loop Scrubs are required preventive maintenance needed to remove any chemical and biological contaminants from the EMU Transport Loop.
Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Stowage Reconfiguration: In preparation for the arrival of H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV)-7 in September, the crew consolidated stowage in the JEM and took photos of the final stowage configuration at four rack locations. Today’s activities support the installation of the new Life Science Glovebox (LSG) and the Expedite the Processing of Experiments to Space Station (EXPRESS) Rack 10B arriving on HTV.
Eye Exams: Today the crew completed the second of four days of routine Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Ultrasound eye exams. 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 onboard in order to monitor crewmembers eye health. Eyesight is one of the many aspects of the human body that is affected by long-duration stays in a microgravity environment.
H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV)-7 Proximity Communication System (PROX) Review and Checkout: Today the crew reviewed procedures and configured the PROX system for three days of upcoming ground commanding and systems checkouts. HTV missions use the PROX system for communication between HTV and ISS. Crew commanding to HTV via PROX utilizes a Portable Computer System (PCS) version of the Hardware Command Panel (HCP). This week’s checkout includes sending PCS HCP commands to a Ground Station (GS) at Tanegashima, Japan to verify the functionality of this capability prior to HTV launch, planned for 10-September.
Completed Task List Activities:
None
Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
LAB MCA Zero Calibration
HTV PROX Checkout [Planned overnight]
JEMRMS Maneuver to stow position [Planned overnight]
Two-Day Look Ahead:
Thursday, 08/30:
Payloads
Atomization syringe replacement
GRASP seated configuration
PCG 13 microscope operations
Sextant Navigation session 5
Systems
EVA Tool Configuration
PAO Event – Kranz Junior High School in Dickinson, Texas
Eye Exams (OCT, Fundoscope, Ultrasound)
PCA O2 Repress from NORS O2 Tank [Ground]
HTV PROX Checkout
Friday, 08/31:
Payloads
PCG 13 microscope ops
SpaceTex2 and Metaspace session
GRASP reconfiguration to free floating and troubleshooting
Sextant Navigation session 5
Systems
EMU 3006 and 3008 Loop Scrub and Iodination
EVA Systems Operations Data File (SODF) Update
Eye Exams
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Metabolic Space equipment connection and calibration
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT Setup
Thermolab instrumentation for Spacetex-2
Acoustic Monitor Setup for Crew Worn Measurements
Metabolic Space instrumentation
MSRR Maintenance Work Area Preparation
UDOD. Experiment Ops with DYKNANIYE-1 and SPRUT-2 Sets.
CEVIS exercise session for MetabolicSpace and Spacetex-2 experiments
СТТС Configuration for MRM1 comm
Payload Control Box (S/N002) Installation
SEPARATSIYA. Flushing Centrifugal Multi-Purpose Vacuum Distiller (ЦМВД) and Urine Circulation Loop. Auto distillation of water with pre-treat solution.
Metaspace hardware deinstrumentation and stowage
Thermolab de-instrumentation for Spacetex-2
Comm reconfig for nominal ops
Verification of ИП-1 Flow Sensor Position
SM Atmosphere analysis using Freon Leak Analyzer/Detector (ФИТ)
Food Acceptability Questionnaire
OCT Exam
OTKLIK. Hardware check and restart
Installation of SW Updates on RSS1 laptop for АСП-MRM2.
MSRR Hardware Gather
ESA Weekly crew conference
OCT Stow
IMS Update
Food Acceptability Questionnaire
HTV PROX C/O Review.
JEM Stowage Reconfiguration before HTV7
Rotate MSRR-1 (LAB1O3) Down
Biomolecule Extraction and Sequencing Technology (BEST) MWA Preparation
HTV PROX Switch ON
BCAT Camera image transfer and setup
Vozdukh Atmosphere Purification System [СОА] Leak Check.
Biomolecule Extraction and Sequencing Technology (BEST) MELFI Sample Retrieve
Biomolecule Extraction and Sequencing Technology (BEST) Experiment 4
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Swap
GRIP science performance in supine position
MSRR Master Controller Replace
ESA Nutritional Assessment
Cold Atom Lab Fastener Photos
EVERYWEAR APP CONFIGURATION
Fundoscope Setup
GRIP partial stowage [Deferred]
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Educational Imagery Recording
MSRR-1 (LAB1O3) Umbilical Mate
Fundoscope Prep
Eye Exam – Fundoscope
Fundoscope Tear Down and Stow
Acoustic Monitor Battery Swap
MSRR Quick Disconnect Inspection [Deferred]
