NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 29 June 2018 – Another Dragon Resupply Ship Launches
Dragon successfully launched on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 5:42 a.m. EDT from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The spacecraft’s solar arrays have deployed.
It will arrive at the International Space Station Monday morning carrying more than 5,900 pounds of research investigations and equipment, cargo and supplies that will support some of the hundreds of investigations aboard the orbiting laboratory.
A postlaunch press conference will take place at 8 a.m. on NASA Television and the agency’s website.
Participants are:
– Kirk Shireman, manager, International Space Station Program, Johnson Space Center
– Jessica Jensen, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX
NASA astronauts Ricky Arnold and Drew Feustel will use the space station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm to capture Dragon when it arrives at the station. Live coverage of the rendezvous and capture will air on NASA Television and the agency’s website beginning at 5:30 a.m. Monday, July 2. Installation coverage is set to begin at 9 a.m.
Research materials flying inside Dragon’s pressurized cargo area include a cellular biology investigation (Micro-12) to understand how microgravity affects the growth, gene expression and ability of a model bacterium to transfer electrons through its cell membrane along the bacterial nanowires it produces. Such bacteria could be used in microbial fuel cells to make electricity from waste organic material.
An Earth science instrument called the ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) will provide a new space-based measurement of how plants respond to changes in water availability. This data can help society better manage agricultural water use.
An observational pilot study with the Crew Interactive MObile companioN (CIMON) aims to provide first insights into the effects of crew support from an artificial intelligence (AI) in terms of efficiency and acceptance during long-term missions in space.
Among the hundreds of pounds of hardware flying to the space station is a spare Canadian-built Latching End Effector (LEE). Each end of the Canadarm2 robotic arm has an identical LEE, and they are used as the “hands” that grapple payloads and visiting cargo spaceships. They also enable Canadarm2 to “walk” to different locations on the orbiting outpost.
On-Orbit Status Report
SpaceX-15 Launch: SpX-15 launched nominally today at 4:42 AM CDT from Launch Pad LC-40 at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. In preparation for vehicle arrival, the crew scheduled to capture Dragon completed their second Robotics Onboard Trainer (ROBoT) session this afternoon. In addition, all USOS crew participated in a conference with ground cargo transfer specialists to discuss the SpX-15 cargo unloading and loading plan. Capture and berthing is scheduled for Monday, July 2, at approximately 6:00 AM CDT.
Umbilical Interface Assembly (UIA) Remove and Replace (R&R): After yesterday’ successful O2 Supply Line troubleshooting, including an overnight gross O2leak check, this morning the crew completed installation of the Service and Cooling Umbilicals (SCUs) and successfully completed the UIA checkout activities. This afternoon the crew performed the final closeout activities and stowed the tools used during the R&R. Nominal Extravehicular Activity (EVA) operations have been restored.
Airway Monitoring: In support of the European Space Agency’s Airway Monitoring investigation, today the crew completed calibration of the hardware in the US Laboratory and then completed the low Nitric Oxide (NO) protocol, which determines how much NO is exhaled with respiration, and the high NO protocol, which determines how much NO is diffused into the blood. The ISS provides a unique environment, allowing these measurements to be taken in weightless, hypobaric and hypoxic conditions. With dust particles present in the ISS atmosphere, this investigation studies indicators of airway inflammation in crewmembers, using ultra-sensitive gas analyzers to analyze NO in exhaled air. This will help to identify potential health impacts and support maintenance of crewmember health during future human spaceflight missions, where crewmembers will have to be more self-sufficient in identifying and avoiding conditions that may result in airway inflammation.
DEvice for the study of Critical LIquids and Crystallization (DECLIC): Today the crew replaced the DECLIC ALICE-Like Insert (ALI) in the DECLIC Experiment Locker with the DECLIC Directional Solidification Insert (DSI). DECLIC is a multi-user facility utilized to study transparent media and their phase transitions in microgravity onboard the ISS.
Microgravity Measurement Apparatus (MMA): As part of troubleshooting for an issue that occurred on October 31, 2017 with the MMA, that supports operations of the Ryutai rack in the JEM, the crew replaced the MMA Parallel Adapter Card with a T61p Express Card to Parallel Adapter.
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Calibrations, Low NO and High NO measurements
Inventory Management System (IMS) conference
Regeneration of Micropurification Unit (???) ?2 Cartridge (start)
COSMOCARD. Closeout Ops
Umbilical Interface Assembly (UIA) Checkout Part 2
FAZOPEREKHOD. Preparation steps and starting the experiment.
ABOUT GAGARIN FROM SPACE. Hardware Setup and Activation
Microgravity Measurement Apparatus (MMA) Parallel Adapter Card Replacement.
??? maintenance
Service and Cooling Umbilical (SCU) Installation
THE GREAT BEGINNING. GREAT BEGINNING Educational Session and Video Recording of ICARUS Science Hardware prior to EVA
HRF2 Supply Kit Resupply
Umbilical Interface Assembly (UIA) Checkout Part 3
STaARS Cryotube Kit MELFI Insertion #3
SPHERES Rechargeable Battery Install
SLS Relocate
AngieX Cancer Therapy SABL CO2 Meter Setup
Dragon Vestibule Outfitting Kit (VOK) Gather
BIOCARD. Assistance During the Experiment and Photography
BIOCARD. Experiment Session
Food Acceptability Questionnaire Subject
AIRMON Power off and Stow
FAZOPEREKHOD. Closeout Ops
SPHERES Rechargeable Battery Charge and Stow
GREAT BEGINNING. ICARUS P/L Stowage in Progress 438
Airway Monitoring Video Stow
CAL Fiber Troubleshoot
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Fill Part 3
GREAT BEGINNING. Copying Camcorder data
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Servicing and Cooling Umbilical (SCU) Checkout Part 4
Installation of ??-2 Treadmill and Testing ???-50?? Units After Replacement
AngieX Cancer Therapy SABL CO2 Meter Teardown and Stow
MICRO-11 Microscope Operations Overview
Tropical Cyclone Operations Review
Tropical Cyclone Untended Operations [Deferred]
MICRO-11 MSG Operations Overview
Umbilical Interface Assembly (UIA) Restow
DECLIC ALICE-Like Insert Removal
DECLIC Directional Solidification Insert Installation
GREAT START. Copying Camcorder Data
DECLIC Removable Hard Disk Drive Exchange
On-board Training (OBT) Dragon Attached Phase Operations Review
SPHERES Rechargeable Battery Charge and Stow
On-board Training (OBT) Dragon Robotics Onboard Trainer (ROBoT) Session 2
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Airlock Restow
ISS Food Intake Tracker (ISS FIT)
Dragon Cargo Operations Review
Inventory Management System (IMS) Conference
Dragon Cargo Operations Conference
GREAT BEGINNING. Terminate Camcorder Data Copy
Regeneration of Micropurification unit (???) ?2 cartridge (finish)
Completed Task List Activities:
None
Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
UPA PCPA Pumpdown
Dragon Cargo Conference
JEMRMS File Transfer and Checkout
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Saturday, 06/30: Weekly Housekeeping, Crew Off-Duty
Sunday, 07/01: Dragon Rendezvous Conference, Crew Off-Duty
Monday, 07/02: Dragon Capture, Vestibule Outfitting, MICS Ops, CIR Manifold BTL R&R, MagVector Sample Change, MICRO12 SABL Config
QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
Component – Status
Elektron – On
Vozdukh – Manual
[???] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) – Off
[???] 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) – Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Full Up
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3- Off
