NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 29 May 2018 – New Crew Ready for Launch Next Week
The Expedition 55 crew is unloading the Orbital ATK Cygnus space freighter today ahead of next week’s crew swap at the International Space Station.
On top of the cargo transfers and crew departure activities, the orbital residents are also running space experiments to benefit humans on Earth and astronauts in space.
NASA Flight Engineer Scott Tingle has been working inside Cygnus today unpacking station hardware and research gear delivered just last week. He removed science kits and spacewalking gear and stowed them throughout the orbital lab.
Tingle finally wrapped up his workday with his homebound crewmates Commander Anton Shkaplerov and Flight Engineer Norishige Kanai preparing for their June 3 return to Earth. The trio packed personal items and other gear inside the Soyuz MS-07 spacecraft that will parachute the crew to a landing in Kazakhstan after 168 days in space.
Back on Earth, Soyuz MS-09 Commander Sergey Prokopyev and Flight Engineers Serena Auñón-Chancellor and Alexander Gerst are in final training in Kazakhstan ahead of their June 6 launch to the space station. The Expedition 56-57 trio will orbit Earth for two days before docking to the Rassvet module to begin a six-month stay in space.
NASA astronauts Ricky Arnold and Drew Feustel, who are staying in space until Oct. 4, familiarized themselves today with the new Cold Atom Lab’s hardware and installation procedures. The device, delivered last week on Cygnus, will research what happens to atoms exposed to temperatures less than a billionth of a degree above absolute zero.
The two later split up as Arnold set up thermal hardware that will help scientists understand the processes involved in semiconductor crystal growth. Feustel moved on and began uninstalling a plant biology facility, the European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS), which has finalized its research operations. The EMCS will now be readied for return to Earth aboard the next SpaceX Dragon cargo craft.
On-Orbit Status Report
Solidification Using Baffles in Sealed Ampoules (SUBSA): The crew set up the SUBSA hardware today and installed a calibration sample. The objective of the SUBSA investigation is to advance understanding of the processes involved in semiconductor crystal growth. It offers a gradient freeze furnace for materials science investigations that can reach 850°C. Samples are contained in transparent quartz or ceramic ampoules with high definition video imaging available in real-time along with remote commanding of thermal control parameters.
European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS): The crew decommissioned and removed ESA’s EMCS for return on the SpaceX-15 vehicle. The EMCS Holding Structure will be temporarily stowed in the Cygnus vehicle.
Microbial Tracking-2 (MT-2): Today the crew collected saliva and body samples and placed them inside a Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) in support of the Microbial Tracking-2 investigation. MT-2 monitors the different types of microbes that are present on ISS over a 1-year period. After the samples are returned to Earth, a molecular analysis of the RNA and DNA will be conducted to identify the specific microbes that are present on ISS in order to understand the microbial flora diversity on the ISS and how it changes over time.
Orbital ATK (OA)-9 cargo status: The crew is scheduled for ~8 hours of Cygnus Cargo operations today. The crew has completed 13.5 hours of cargo operations since last Friday. Cargo specialist estimate approximately 16 hours of cargo operations remain to complete Cargo Message #1. Cargo Message #1 will unload the Cygnus vehicle and load about 1/3 of the trash.
Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: This evening ground robotics controllers will ungrapple the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) from the OA-9 Cygnus spacecraft. Once complete, the SSRMS will backaway from the vehicle, complete a walkoff to Mobile Base System (MBS)-1, and stow the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) in preparation for tomorrow’s planned robotic surveys.
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Microbial Tracking-2 Sample MELFI Retrieval Insert
C/o and Report Results of Virus Scan on Auxiliary Computer System [ВКС] Laptops
Treadmill 2 (T2) SD Card Recovery Pt 2
Transfer Cygnus Cargo Operations
Treadmill 2 (T2) Cable Secure
Microbial Tracking-2 Body Sample Questionnaire
Verification of SM Central Post Laptop connection to wireless SM Ethernet
Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill
GoPro HERO3 Battery charging (6 pc) for Soyuz 737 – init
Microbial Tracking-2 Body Sample Collection
Stowage of Equipment for Disposal on Soyuz 737
Flushing СРВ-К2М Multi-Filtration Unit (БКО) Prior to R&R
STaARS Cryotube Kit removal
Place STaARS samples into Kynar Bag
ИП-1 Flow Sensor Positioning Check
Microbial Tracking-2 Sample MELFI Insert
Probiotics Fecal Sample Operations
URAGAN. Automatic exposure mode setting and testing
Probiotics Fecal Sample MELFI Insertion
VIZIR. Preparation Steps and СКПИ Science Hardware Calibration.
Public Affairs Office (PAO) High Definition (HD) Config JEM Setup
MERLIN 1 Status Check
PAO Preparation
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) – JEM
Changeout of Dust Filter ПФ1-4 Cartridges in SM (ФГБ1ПГО_4_419_1, bag 437-13 (00072389R)). Removed filters for disposal.
Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis
Food Acceptability Questionnaire Subject
Cold Atom Lab Procedure Review
СОЖ maintenance
Cold Atom Lab Fiber Optic Cable Cleaning Dry Run
ТК 737 Transfers Completion Report
Delta file prep
GoPro HERO3 Battery charging (6 pc) for Soyuz 737 – completion
Solidification Using Baffles in Sealed Ampoules Hardware Setup
IPEHG Installation Review
ISS Crew departure preparation
MPEG-2 TV Downlink Test via KU-band in preparation for Soyuz 739 Docking to the ISS
PEHG Hardware Install
Crew Departure Preparations for Return to Earth
European Modular Cultivation System Decommissioning Procedure Review
VIZIR. Closeout Ops
European Modular Cultivation System Facility Remove from EXPRESS Rack 3
HRF Generic Saliva Collection Setup
Transfer Cygnus Cargo Operations
Cold Atom Lab Hardware Gather
European Modular Cultivation System Facility Remove Assist
Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Personal Medication Stow
Cygnus Cargo Operations Conference
HRF Generic Saliva Collection Setup
RADIOSKAF. Battery charge
STaRS Sample Stow
Completed Task List Activities:
None
Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Lab MCA Zero Calibration
SSRMS Ungrapple Cygnus
SSRMS Walkoff MBS1
Unstow SPDM
TRRJ Survey
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 05/30: Cold Atom Lab install, ETVCG Bulb R&R, JEM Camera Robot Checkout
Thursday, 05/31: ER3 IPEHG Install, Soyuz Descent Drill, WRS Pump Roller R&R, PEPS Inspect
Friday, 06/01: CQ Cleaning, RFID Tag Install, EHDC Locking Mechanism Adjust, WRS transfer pump tubing R&R, Change of Command Ceremony
QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
Component – Status
Elektron – On
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) – Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Full Up
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Off
