Space Stations

NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 3 April 2017 – Crew Cultivates Crystals for Drug Development

By Marc Boucher
Status Report
April 4, 2017
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NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 3 April 2017 – Crew Cultivates Crystals for Drug Development
Crew members aboard the International Space Station will begin conducting research this week to improve the way we grow crystals on Earth. The information gained from the experiments could speed up the process for drug development, benefiting humans around the world. Credit: NASA.
Lawrence DeLucas/NASA

Today – EXpedite PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station (EXPRESS) Rack Locker Relocation: Following the successful completion of the Rodent Research-4 experiment during SpaceX-10, this morning the crew reconfigured EXPRESS Racks 1 and 2 to their nominal configuration for upcoming payload operations.
Programmable Isolation Mount (PIM): The crew installed the PIM into EXPRESS Rack 7 in the US Lab. The Controlled Dynamics Locker (CDL) is an EXPRESS locker insert with a programmable isolation mount inside. The research experiment is mounted to the isolated platform interface inside the locker insert. The isolation platform provides the research experiment with a broadband acceleration environment below 10µg-rms from 0.01Hz to 200Hz on ISS. It also allows for programmable variations of that dynamic acceleration environment independently in each axis. Microgravity research in areas such as protein crystal growth, fluid physics, plant biology and horticulture, stem cell research, cell/tissue culturing and other microstructure studies focusing on the intricacies of cell functioning and mechanisms would benefit from utilizing the customizable features of the PIM.

Manufacturing Device (MD) Operations: The crew removed and replaced (R&R) the MD Feedstock Canister, Extruder, and Print Tray. The Manufacturing Device -Additive Manufacturing Facility (AMF) enables the production of components on the ISS for both NASA and commercial objectives. Parts, entire experiments, and tools can be created on demand utilizing the AMF that is installed into an Express Rack locker location. The AMF is capable of producing parts out of a wide variety of thermopolymers including engineered plastics.

ISS Reboost: The ISS performed a nominal reboost using the Service Module (SM) main engine thrusters. The reboost was to set up planned conditions for 48S landing on April 10 and 50S launch on April 20.

Portable Emergency Provisions (PEPS) Inspection: The crew completed this regularly scheduled maintenance to inspect Portable Fire Extinguishers (PFEs), Portable Breathing Apparatus (PBAs) and Extension Hose Tee Kits (EHTKs). They will also performed 180-day mask harness maintenance.

Node 1 (N1) Starboard Aft Intermodule Ventilation (IMV) Fan Inlet Cleaning: The crew completed cleaning this location to remove Foreign Object Debris (FOD) from IMV fan inlets and silencers.

Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

KORREKTSIA. Collection of Blood Samples [Aborted]
KORREKTSIA. Hand over to USOS for placement into MELFI [Aborted]
Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Portable Emergency Provisions (PEPS) Inspection
Environmental Health System (EHS) Acoustic Dosimeter Operations – Setup Dosimeter for Static Measurement
ISS HAM Service Module Pass [Aborted]
At Home In Space Video
USOS Window Shutter Close
KORREKTSIA. Taking food and liquids (medicine) registration in flight log [Aborted]
Closing Window Shutters # 6,8,9,12,13,14. Note 5
FAGEN. Deactivate [“МСК] №5 kit
FAGEN. Photography of kits
SM Ventilation Subsystem Preventive Maintenance. Group А
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Node 1 Aft Starboard Intermodule Ventilation (IMV) Fan Cleaning
On MCC GO Drain water from Progress №435 [БВ1] tank. Compress bladder of Progress №435 [БВ1] tank
Photography of panels 131, 135 to find a place for [ЕДВ-РП] location
EXPRESS Rack 1 Locker Move
MATRYOSHKA-R. Photography of “Protection shutter” experiment location
EXPRESS Rack 2 Locker Move
EXPRESS Rack 1 Locker Install
Environmental Health System (EHS) – Rad Detector Rotate
EXPRESS Rack 2 Locker Install
LBNP simulation (PRELIMINARY)
LBNP Exercise (PRELIMINARY) – (Operator)
Google Street View Q&A Interview
Manufacturing Device Print Removal, Clean and Stow
Programmable Isolation Mount Hardware Locate
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) Separator Plumbing Assembly (SPA) Contingency Water Container-Iodine (CWC-I) Swap
VEG-03 MWA Preparation
PIM Locker Insert Install
Water Recovery System Waste Water Tank Drain Termination
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill [Aborted]
VEG-03 Experiment Install
HRF Generic Urine Collection Setup
Stow equipment in Soyuz №732
HRF Generic Frozen Blood Collection Setup
SM Ventilation Subsystem Preventive Maintenance. Group А
Wet Lab Kit Resupply
Preventive Maintenance of FS1 Laptop
Recharge IRIDIUM phone of Soyuz №732- setup and start of charging (ФГБ1ПГО_2_224_1, 0.5 CTB 1017, soft container 00044322R)
Monthly smart switch [БРИ] cleaning and audit of cables
Node 2 HMU220 Procedure Review
Recharge IRIDIUM phone of Soyuz №732 – check battery level
Recharge IRIDIUM phone of Soyuz №732- switch off charging, tear down (store at ФГБ1ПГО_2_224_1, 0.5 CTB 1017, soft container 00044322R)
Crew Departure Preparations for Return to Earth
Node 2 Cable Routing (HMU 220) Conference
Space Automated Bioproduct Lab 2 Hard Drive Swap
Medical Consumables Tracking Manual System Scan
Story Time From Space Flash Drive Buoyancy Video Transfer
Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer HRDL Cable Move Two
Environmental Health System (EHS) – Formaldehyde Monitoring Kit (FMK) Deployment Operations
NAPOR-mini RSA. Cleaning Onboard Memory Storage БЗУ-М vents
Environmental Health System (EHS) Grab Sample Container (GSC) Sampling Operations
Fit check in KAZBECK suit
Compression of Progress №435 tank [БВ1]. Concluding ops
Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) /Group Combustion Module (GCM) Component Activation
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill
SPHERES Battery Setup

Completed Task List Items
Airlock Deconfiguration [Completed GMT 91]
GOOGLE JEM Photo [Completed GMT 92]
ESA PAO Hands of Air France [Completed GMT 92]
Systems Operations Data File (SODF) Emergency Book Update [Completed GMT 92]
Deconfigure and stow tools and hardware from US EVA 41 [Completed GMT 92]
HRF Hardware Trash [Completed GMT 92]
Network Monitoring System (NMS) Reload [Completed GMT 92]
Replace KTO [Completed GMT 93]

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
PIM installation support

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Tuesday, 04/04: Soyuz OBT, N2 power cable rerouting for N1 Galley Rack, Habitability experiment
Wednesday, 43/05: Galley PWD install, EMU loop scrub, Crew Quarters cleaning, crew departure prep
Thursday, 04/06: Rodent Research inventory, Google Street View image acquisition, 48S prepack, VEG03 install

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 – Standby
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 – Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab – Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 – Operate
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) – Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) – Process
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Full Up

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