NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 4 April 2018 – SpaceX Dragon Arrives
Two days after its launch from Florida, the SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft was installed on the Harmony module of the International Space Station at 9:00 a.m. EDT.
The 14th contracted commercial resupply mission from SpaceX (CRS-14) delivered about 5,800 pounds of research, crew supplies and hardware to the orbiting laboratory.
Among the research arriving to the U.S. National Laboratory is a Metabolic Tracking investigation to evaluate the use of a new method to test, in microgravity, the metabolic impacts of pharmaceutical drugs. This could lead to more effective, less expensive medicines on Earth. The Multi-use Variable-g Platform (MVP) will serve as a new test bed aboard the space station, able to host 12 separate experiment modules with samples such as plants, cells, protein crystals and fruit flies. The Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), which manages the U.S. National Laboratory, is sponsoring the investigation and the MVP.
Dragon will remain attached to the space station until May, when it will return to Earth with more than 3,500 pounds of research, hardware and crew supplies.
On-Orbit Status Report
SpX-14 Mission: At 5:40 am CDT this morning, the ISS crew used the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to capture the Dragon vehicle. This capture marked the first use of Forced Based Capture, a software enhancement to the Latching End Effector (LEE) that reduces loads on the snare cables, during SpaceX operations. Ground specialists maneuvered the Dragon to the preinstall position and performed an inspection of the Passive Common Berthing Mechanism (PCBM) prior to installation at Node2 Nadir at 9:07 AM CDT. Successful vestibule pressurization, leak checks, vestibule outfitting, and CBM Control Panel Assembly (CPA) rotation support tomorrow morning’s scheduled ingress.
Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) Tether Slosh: Today the crew set up the SPHERES Tether Slosh hardware but communication issues between the antenna and the SPHERES robots prevented successful completion of all of the test sessions. Ground teams are investigating. SPHERES Tether Slosh combines fluid dynamics equipment with robotic capabilities aboard the International Space Station to investigate automated strategies for steering passive cargo that contain fluids. In space, the fluid fuels used by spacecraft can slosh around in unpredictable ways making space maneuvers difficult. This investigation uses two SPHERES robots tethered to a fluid-filled container covered in sensors to test strategies for safely steering spacecraft such as dead satellites that might still have fuel in the tank.
Space Test Program – H5 (STP-H5) Innovative Coatings Experiment (ICE): The crew photographed the external ICE material strips on STP-H5 through the Cupola and Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) windows today. The harsh radiation and extreme temperatures of space can corrode the paint and coatings that protect spacecraft exteriors, potentially damaging a spacecraft’s hull. Optical coatings are also important for robotic and human navigators, who would rely on specialized markings to capture or repair spacecraft. The STP-H5 ICE investigation studies new coatings for use on spacecraft in low Earth orbit, determining their stability after 2 years in space. Photographs are taken at 60 day intervals.
Veg-03: Today the crew watered the plants and continued with the photo-documentation of plant growth for the Veg-03 investigation. Veg-03 supports the proof-of concept for the Veggie plant growth chamber and the planting pillows. Future long duration space missions will require a fresh food supply grown in space to supplement crew diets.
Lighting Effects: The crew obtained light meter readings in Node 2 and the Columbus module today. The Lighting Effects investigation studies the impact of the change from fluorescent light bulbs to solid-state light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with adjustable intensity and color and aims to determine if the new lights can improve crew circadian rhythms, sleep, and cognitive performance.
Microbial Tracking-2 (MT-2): To support the MT-2 investigation, a 53S crewmember collected his Flight Day 105 saliva samples and inserted them into the Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI). The MT-2 series continues the monitoring of the types of microbes that are present on the ISS. It seeks to catalog and characterize potential disease-causing microorganisms onboard the ISS. Crew pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight samples and environmental samples are collected to identify any associations between the microbial content of the samples, as well as potential health effects.
Food Acceptability: A crewmember completed a Food Acceptability questionnaire today. The Food Acceptability investigation seeks to determine the impact of repetitive consumption of food currently available from the spaceflight food system. Results will be used in developing strategies to improve food system composition to support crew health and performance on long duration missions.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Microbial Tracking-2 Body Sample Collection
Microbial Tracking-2 Sample MELFI Retrieval Insert
Crew Command Panel (CCP) Cable Route and Checkout
USOS Window Shutter Close
Regeneration of ??? ?1 Micropurification Cartridge (start)
Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis
Check to see that shutters are closed on windows 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14.
Mouse Stress Defense Cage Watering for M3
Robotic Workstation (RWS) High Definition (HD) Monitor Downlink Setup
FAZOPEREKHOD. Preparation steps and starting the experiment.
Photo/TV Ghost Camera in Cuopla on SSC power recording
Mouse Stress Defense Pre-mission Transfer Familiarization 1
Robotics Workstation (RWS) Dragon Configuration
Routine monthly maintenance of Central Post Laptop (RS1). Laptop Log-File Downlink.
Dragon R Bar Approach
UPA Brine Filter Gather
Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) Brine Filter Changeout
Test activation of Vozdukh Atmosphere Purification System Emergency Vacuum Valves
EarthKAM AC Inverter Deploy in NOD1
Filling (separation) of ??? (???) for Elektron-VM or ???-??
Cold Stowage Double Coldbag Unpack Review 1
ISS Crew Orientation
??? maintenance
Dragon R Bar Approach
SREDA-ISS. Preparation Steps and Start Imagery Ops.
Scheduled ??-2 Pilot’s Sight Test
Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) Dragon Capture
Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows (WinSCAT) Test
FAZOPEREKHOD. Closeout Ops.
Node 2 to Dragon Pressurization and Leak Check Equipment Setup
Scheduled PUMA Test (001497R,???1???_2_219_1, 0.5 ??? No.1174, container 228-4
SREDA-ISS. Closeout Ops
Polar and TCU Transfer from Dragon Overview
Robotic Workstation (RWS) High Definition (HD) Monitor Deactivation
Ghost camera teardown in Cupola
Photo TV High Definition (HD) Dragon Video Setup
MELFI Overview OBT
VEG-03 Dual Facility Watering for each Plant Pillow
Photography of FGB space behind panels 311, 421 to accommodate devices for comm quality enhancement (????).
Precision Vertical Wide Angle Sight (????) Checkout
Lighting Effects Light Meter Setup
VEG-03E & F Plant Photo
Cold Stowage Double Coldbag Unpack Review 2
Lighting Effects Light Meter Readings
SPHERES Test Session Setup
Food Acceptability Questionnaire – Subject
JEM Common Gas Support Equipment (CGSE) Gas Supply Start
Photography of SM windows 26, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Verification of ??-1 Flow Sensor Position
Lighting Effects Light Meter Stow
SPHERES TSLOSH Run
MATRYOSHKA-R. Monitoring Tritel Readings
Cyclops ICE Experiment Photos
Air Quality Monitor (AQM) Troubleshooting
Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill
Robotic Workstation (RWS) Teardown
Crew Command Panel (CCP) Cable Deroute
Node 2 to Dragon Pressurization and Leak Check
Dragon Vestibule Outfitting
Node 2 Nadir Controller Panel Assembly (CPA) Removal/Rotation
Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record
SPHERES Test Session Shutdown
SPHERES USB Stow
On-Board Training (OBT) Dragon Emergency Review
CONTENT. Experiment Ops
Regeneration Micropurification Unit (???) ?1 Absorption Cartridge (end)
Completed Task List Activities
None
Ground Activities
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Dragon Capture Support
Robotic Dragon Installation
Dragon Activation
Standard Commanding
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Thursday, 04/05: Dragon Cargo Ops, Mouse Stress Defense, TangoLab 2 Install, TangoLab 1 Card R&R, POLAR Sample Xfr, MVP Install, NanoRacks Plate Reader2 Ops
Friday, 04/06: Veg03 Ops, Metabolic Tracking Setup, Mouse Stress Defense Ops, STP-H5 Imagery, Medical Contingency OBT, MVP Insertion Ops, Made-In-Space Setup, METEOR Ops
Saturday, 04/07: Housekeeping, Crew Off-Duty
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”) – Off
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab – Operate
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 – Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab – Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 – Standby
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) – Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) – Process
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Full Up
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Off
