NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 4 December 2018 – SpaceX Cargo Resupply Mission

The launch of the SpaceX Dragon cargo vessel slipped one day to Wednesday at 1:16 p.m. EST with meteorologists forecasting 90% favorable weather for launch.
Meanwhile, the newest crew members aboard the International Space Station are getting used to their new home in space.

Dragon’s 16th mission to the orbital lab will deliver almost 5,700 pounds of science, crew supplies and hardware. The commercial space freighter is due to arrive at the station Saturday when astronauts Alexander Gerst and Serena Auñón-Chancellor will command the Canadarm2 to grapple Dragon around 6 a.m.

New station crew members Oleg Kononenko, Anne McClain and David Saint-Jacques are in their second day aboard the station. The trio are familiarizing themselves with station systems and safety procedures today. They began their mission Monday when they launched aboard the Soyuz MS-11 spacecraft at 6:31 a.m. and docked just six hours and two minutes later to the Poisk module. The new crew will stay in space until June.

Expedition 57 Commander Alexander Gerst is getting for his return to Earth on Dec. 20 and began packing his personal items today. He’ll wrap up his mission with Flight Engineers Serena Auñón-Chancellor and Sergey Prokopyev and land in Kazakhstan inside the Soyuz MS-09 crew ship after six-and-a-half months in space.

On-Orbit Status Report

SpaceX (SpX)-16 Launch Status: SpX-16 launch attempt was delayed from today’s opportunity due to a cargo issue. The next launch attempt is December 5 in order to accommodate replacement of late load cargo. Liftoff on December 5 is planned for 12:16 PM CT with rendezvous and capture planned for Saturday, December 8. Should SpX-16 still be on the pad after December 5, the next launch opportunity will be December 7.

Behavioral Core Measures: Today crewmembers completed journal questionnaires for the Behavioral Core Measures study. Standardized Behavioral Measures for Detecting Behavioral Health Risks during Exploration Missions (Behavioral Core Measures) examines an integrated, standardized suite of measurements for its ability to rapidly and reliably assess the risk of adverse cognitive or behavioral conditions and psychiatric disorders during long-duration spaceflight.

Standard Measures: Today crewmembers filled out questionnaires for the Standard Measures study. The aim is to ensure consistent capture of an optimized, minimal set of measures from crewmembers until the end of the ISS Program in order to characterize the adaptive responses to and risks of living in space.

VECTION (Effect of Long Duration Hypogravity on the Perception of Self-Motion): Today a crewmember performed Z-book configuration steps for the Vection software as well as verification of the Oculus Rift virtual Reality headset and trackball components. The objective of The Effect of Long Duration Hypogravity on the Perception of Self-Motion (VECTION) study is to determine to what extent an astronaut’s ability to visually interpret motion, orientation, and distance may be disrupted in a microgravity environment, and how it may adapt, and how it may be changed upon return to Earth. Multiple experimental time points inflight and upon return to Earth allows for the adaptation and recovery process to be investigated.

Solidification Using Baffles in Sealed Ampoules (SUBSA): Today a crewmember stowed the SUBSA hardware. 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.

Cemsica (Design of Scalable Gas Separation Membranes via Synthesis Under Microgravity): Today the crew removed the processed 4th Cemsica science cartridge from theSolidification Using a Baffle in Sealed Ampoules (SUBSA) facility and stowed the sample for return. Cemsica tests a novel approach of using particles of calcium-silicate (C-S) to synthesize nanoporous membranes (those with pores 100 nanometers or smaller) that can separate carbon dioxide molecules from air or other gases. Synthesizing the materials in microgravity may resolve existing challenges in membrane manufacturing and lead to development of lower-cost membranes with improved flux and high-temperature stability.

Emergency Roles & Responsibilities Review: With the arrival of 57S, all crewmembers participated in an Emergency Roles & Responsibilities Review. Items of discussion included crew accountability, access to escape vehicles, and ISS Commander responsibilities. Due to the complex nature of emergencies in space, it is imperative each crewmember is fully familiar with the various emergency procedures and strategies in place.

Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Liquid Cooling Ventilation Garment (LVCG) Water Fill: In preparation for potential ExtraVehicular Activity (EVA), the crew filled two LCVGs with water utilizing EMU 3004 water tanks. In addition, they installed a Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly REBA onto EMU 3003.

Completed Task List Activities:
None

Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Nominal System Commanding

Two Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 12/05:

Payloads:
Behavioral Core Measures questionnaire (NASA):
Standard Measures Questionnaire (NASA)
ISS HAM (NASA)
Express Rack Locker remove (NASA)
Rodent Research habitat installs (NASA)
Probiotics Saliva collection and questionnaire (JAXA)
Molecular Muscle Big Picture words (ESA)

Systems:
Cygnus Egress
ISS Crew Adaptation
Crew Departure Prep
EMU OFV
JEM IMV Aft Side Cleaning
Transfer Dragon Cargo Conference

Thursday, 12/06:

Payloads:
Vection hardware session (CSA)
Marrow Air Collection and frozen blood collection(CSA)
Molecular Muscle Kubik prep and check(ESA)
STaARS controller relocate (NASA)
NanoRacks Module-9 OBT (NASA)
Team Task Switching Survey (NASA)
Food Acceptability Questionnaire (NASA)

Systems:
TBD

Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

ISS Crew Handover Self Study for New Crewmembers
Delta file prep
ECON-M. Observations and photo (Task list)
Preventive Maintenance of MRM2 Passive Docking Assembly [АСП] and Soyuz 741 Active Docking Assembly [ACA] Hatch Sealing Mechanisms
Downlink photo information of docking mechanism interior surfaces
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Reminder for On-Orbit Fitcheck Verification (OFV)
Space Automated Bioproduct Lab Tray Swap
ISS Crew Adaptation
Max Cycle Ergometer w/Vibration Isolation & Stabilization (CEVIS) Portable PFS Power Up
ESA weekly crew conference
Behavioral Core Measures Journals Entry First Time
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Swap
ISS HAM Radio Power Up
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Liquid Cooling Ventilation Garment (LVCG) Water Fill
Magnetic 3D-bioprinter. Activation of ТБУ-В No.02 Thermostat
Water Recovery and Management (WRM) Waste Water Bus (WWB) Recombine with Isolated Condensate Tank
Magnetic 3D-bioprinter. Starting video recording of the experiment in SM
Magnetic 3D-bioprinter. Setup Cuvette No.1 kit for operation and insertion in ТБУ-В No.05 (+4 deg С)
Magnetic 3D-bioprinter. External view photography of Cuvette No.1 kit in ТБУ-В No.05
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill
PHOTOBIOREACTOR. Visual monitoring and photography
Vection ZBook Configuration
CSA-CP Deploy
Max Cycle Ergometer w/Vibration Isolation & Stabilization (CEVIS) Portable PFS Subject
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Liquid Cooling Ventilation Garment (LVCG) Water Fill
ISS Crew Orientation
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Swap
Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly (REBA) Installation
Magnetic 3D-bioprinter. Retrieval and setup of magnetic bioprinter for operation
Collecting surface samples from SM equipment and structures
Основные поведенческие меры – первое заполнение журнала
Magnetic 3D-bioprinter. Retrieval of Cuvette No.1 kit from ТБУ-В No.05.
Magnetic 3D-bioprinter. Session 1 of experiment using PL 3D Magnetic 3D-Bioprinter.
Handover of Increment 57S Crew
Max Cycle Ergometer w/Vibration Isolation & Stabilization (CEVIS) Portable PFS Partial Stow
Magnetic 3D-bioprinter. External view photography of bioprinter with installed cuvettes in ТБУ-В No.02
Magnetic 3D-bioprinter. End of video recording in SM and data downlink
Pressurization of Elektron-VM Liquid Unit before Activation
Countermeasures System (CMS) Max Cycle Ergometer w/Vibration Isolation & Stabilization (CEVIS) Portable PFS Conclude
Emergency Roles and Responsibilities Review
ISS Crew Orientation
MELFI Overview OBT
Solidification Using Baffles in Sealed Ampoules Hardware Stow
Soyuz 741 Transfers and IMS Ops
MATRYOSHKA-R. Transfer and Deployment of Tritel Passive Detectors at Exposure Location. Photography
FENIKS. Transfer of Bioekologiya kits from Soyuz
57 Soyuz USOS Unpack
Crew Departure Preparations for Return to Earth
FENIKS. Stowage of Biokologiya kits
FENIKS. Photography at the setup location
СОЖ maintenance
MELFI Overview OBT
Probiotics Item Gathering
Photo of a scuffmark left by the Active Docking Assembly Probe on the MRM2 Passive Docking Assembly (АСП) Receiving Cone