NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 5 August, 2021 – Cargo Transfer and Spacesuit Checks
The Expedition 65 crew was multi-tasking today working on everything from physics research to U.S. spacesuits to cargo transfers from Russia’s new science module.
Meanwhile, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus space freighter is on track to resupply the International Space Station next week.
Station Flight Engineers Megan McArthur and Thomas Pesquet were back on science duty today conducting more runs for the InSpace-4 space-manufacturing study. The investigation takes place inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox researching ways to harness nanoparticles and develop advanced materials in microgravity to improve space and Earth systems.
The duo will also be watching Cygnus approach the space station a day-and-a-half after its launch from Virginia on Aug. 10 at 5:56 p.m. EDT. McArthur will command the Canadarm2 robotic arm to grapple Cygnus at 6:10 a.m. on Aug. 12. Pesquet will back her up as he monitors the U.S. cargo craft’s approach and rendezvous.
NASA Flight Engineer Mark Vande Hei joined Commander Akihiko Hoshide gathering spacewalking tools and checking spacesuit tethers inside the U.S. Quest airlock. The crew is ramping up for a spacewalk to prepare the orbital lab’s Port-4 truss structure ahead of the installation of the next set of roll out solar arrays.
Throughout Thursday, Flight Engineer Shane Kimbrough worked on three different EXPRESS racks which are refrigerator-sized research devices supporting a wide variety of science experiments. Kimbrough first repaired components with minor damage inside the U.S. Destiny laboratory module’s EXPRESS-11 rack. Afterward, the three-time station visitor removed an incubator from the Kibo laboratory module’s EXPRESS rack-8 and installed it in the Columbus laboratory module’s EXPRESS rack-3.
Cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov continued unpacking hardware delivered inside the new “Nauka” Multipurpose Laboratory Module. Novitskiy also worked on water transfers from the ISS Progress 78 cargo craft while Dubrov photographed microbes growing for a Russian science experiment.
On-Orbit Status Report
Payloads
Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) humidifier installation: The crew installed the CBEF Incubator Unit (IU) humidifier on the micro-gravity CBEF IU. The Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) is a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) subrack facility; it is an incubator with an artificial gravity generator. CBEF is housed in the Saibo (living cell) Experiment Rack with the Clean Bench (CB).
Food Physiology: The crew supported a diet briefing with the Food Physiology investigation team. The Integrated Impact of Diet on Human Immune Response, the Gut Microbiota, and Nutritional Status During Adaptation to Spaceflight (Food Physiology) experiment is designed to characterize the key effects of an enhanced spaceflight diet on immune function, the gut microbiome, and nutritional status indicators. These factors are interlinked, but diet is the only one that can be easily and meaningfully altered on Earth or during flight. This investigation aims to document the effect of dietary improvements on human physiology and the ability of those improvements to enhance adaptation to spaceflight.
Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Ellipsoids (InSPACE-4): The crew performed the steps necessary to initiate experiment runs, with a goal of working through repeat runs 5-8. InSPACE-4 studies the assembly of tiny structures from colloids using magnetic fields. These structures change the properties of the assembled material, such as its mechanical response to or interaction with light and heat. Microgravity allows observation of these assembly processes free of confining sample walls and sedimentation and during timescales not possible using simulated microgravity. Results could provide insight into how to harness nanoparticles to fabricate and manufacture new materials.
Space Automated Bioproduct Laboratory (SABL3) unit relocate: The SABL3 unit was relocated from EXPRESS rack 8 to EXPRESS rack 3. The SABL supports a wide variety of investigations in the life, physical and material sciences with a focus on supporting research of biological systems and processes. It has over 23 liters of temperature-controlled volume with LED lighting for scientific hardware and investigations. It can be fitted to provide 5% CO2 (or any required concentration of CO2) for cell cultures or other types of investigations and has two USB 2.0 ports and two Ethernet LAN connections. It also has switchable 28vdc and 5vdc power supplies for investigation use.
Systems
Preparation for NG-16: The crew began preparing for the arrival of NG-16. They gathered the Node1 Nadir Vestibule Outfitting Kit (VOK) and deployed and checked out the centerline Berthing Camera System (CBCS) at Node 1 Nadir to support Common Berthing mechanism (CBM) mating operations. NG-16 is scheduled to launch on August 10th.
EXPRESS Rack-11B (ER-11B) Knee-Brace Attachment Replacement (K-BAR) Installation: The crew repaired the damaged internal threads for the upper, right K-BAR receptacle on ER-11B at LAB1P4 using the Tap & Die Kit and then installed the upper, right K-BAR. A K-BAR is a device that attaches to the rack upper attach mechanism to allow easy rotation of a rack without the use of tools.
USOS EVA preparation: The crew began preparing for the upcoming 4A ISS Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA) Prep EVA. The crew gathered tools and performed an inspection of the safety tethers, waist tethers, and D-Ring extenders. The USOS EVA is currently planned for August 25th.
Completed Task List Activities:
None
Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
CCS monthly file downlink
Look Ahead Plan
Friday, August 6 (GMT 218)
Payloads:
Astrobee/RFID recon
Butterfly USND
ESA EPO
Food Acceptability
InSPACE-4 hardware stow
MSG power down
Robo-Pro briefing
Systems:
EMU Resize
ISS Emergency OBT
PWD Filter R&R
Saturday, August 7 (GMT 219)
Payloads:
Astrobee off
RFID Recon remove
Systems:
No system ops planned
Sunday, August 8 (GMT 220)
Payloads:
HRF urine sampling setup
Systems:
No system ops planned
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Crew Alternate Sleep Accommodation (CASA) Bumpout Fix
Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) Humidifier Setup
Columbus Toolbox spare screw driver restore
Cygnus Centerline Berthing Camera System (CBCS) and Vestibule Closeout Equipment Gather
Environmental Health System (EHS) – Coliform Water Sample Analysis 44 +/- 4 hours post processing
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record
US Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tether Inspection
Metox O-ring Changeout
US Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tool Gather
Food Acceptability Survey
Found Items Photo
Food Physiology Crew Diet Briefing
Galley Refrigerator/Freezer Card Exchange
Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Food Intake Tracker (ISS FIT)
In Flight Maintenance Hatch Questionnaire
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Lab Bypass Duct Removal and Disassembly
In Flight Maintenance Node 3 Overhead 4 Assessing Determination
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Urine Receptacle (UR) and Insert Filter (IF) Remove and Replace
INSPACE-4 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions 4) Experiment Run Ops
INSPACE-4 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions 4) Experiment Run Conclude
InSPACE 4 SSD Install
MSRR-1 and TReK ZBook Laptop Configuration Checkout
Centerline Berthing Camera System (CBCS) Installation and Checkout
N1 Nadir Hatch to Unlatch Hardstop
Review Emergency OBT Simulator Functionality
Review Emergency OBT Simulator Functionality
Photo TV Lab High Definition (HD) Video Setup
Payload Hardware Locate
Post-SpX-22 Cleanup
Fluid Transfer Pump Assembly Tube Uninstall
??? Fill Station Deconfigure
Structures & Mechanisms (S&M) EXPRESS Rack-11B (ER-11B) K-BAR INSTALLATION
Space Automated Bioproduct Lab 3 Unit Relocate
Space Acceleration Measurement System es18 Sensor Move to MSRR-1
Vestibule Outfitting Kit Equipment Gather
