NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 5 November, 2021
A pair of astronauts aboard the International Space Station studied advanced piloting controls using virtual reality today.
In the meantime, four Expedition 66 crewmates are turning their attention to returning to Earth this month.
An experiment sponsored by ESA (European Space Agency) is using virtual reality in the space environment to help engineers optimize workstations and interfaces for controlling future space robots and spacecraft. Commander Thomas Pesquet of ESA set up the Pilote experiment this morning for NASA Flight Engineer Megan McArthur who wore the virtual reality headset. She worked in the Columbus laboratory module wearing the VR goggles using a haptic controller to pilot and capture simulated spacecraft in a video game-like environment.
Flight Engineers Shane Kimbrough of NASA and Akihiko Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) worked throughout Friday on a variety of station hardware. Kimbrough worked in the in the U.S. Destiny laboratory module servicing thermal gear as Hoshide checked out lights and orbital plumbing systems in the Kibo laboratory module.
Kimbrough will also lead McArthur, Pesquet and Hoshide back to Earth inside the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour. The quartet have been packing Endeavour with personal items and station hardware, as well as training on a computer for the ride back home. The four commercial crew astronauts will undock from the Harmony module’s space-facing port and splashdown off the coast of Florida ending a station mission that began in April.
The orbiting lab’s other three crewmates, NASA Flight Engineer Mark Vande Hei and Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anton Shkaplerov, will continue their stay in space until spring next year.
Vande Hei trained throughout Friday for his role when he will be monitoring the Crew Dragon’s upcoming undocking and departure. He also checked U.S. toilet sensors before ending his day setting up hardware to collect biological samples. Shkaplerov continued cargo transfers inside the ISS Progress 79 resupply ship then photographed the Photobioreactor hybrid life support system experiment for inspection. Dubrov explored ways to maintain safe, sterile conditions when conducting microgravity biology research for the Aseptic study.
On-Orbit Status Report
Payloads:
Actiwatch Plus: Crewmembers doffed the Actiwatch Plus and stowed it in the Actiwatch Plus Kit. The Actiwatch is a waterproof, nonintrusive, sleep-wake activity monitor worn on the wrist of a crewmember. The device contains a miniature uniaxial accelerometer that produces a signal as the subject moves. The data is stored in nonvolatile memory within the Actiwatch until they are downloaded for analysis.
Exploration Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS)-Toilet: A crewmember performed troubleshooting steps to recover a suspect Toilet pressure sensor. The Toilet System is an Exploration Tech Demo that has evolved into a permanent United States On-orbit Segment (USOS) system. The Toilet has the same basic design as the Orion Universal Waste Management System (UWMS) and interfaces with the Urine Transfer System (UTS) to allow concurrent Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) and Toilet operations.
Pilote: A crewmember performed Pilote science runs to test the ergonomics of a multisensory interface for controlling robotic arms and spacecrafts. It is necessary to perform these trials in microgravity because performing the test on Earth would lead to the design of a workstation using terrestrial ergonomic principles that do not correspond to conditions experienced on a spacecraft in orbit. The Pilote investigation tests the effectiveness of novel control schemes for the remote operation of robotic arms and space vehicles, using virtual reality and a new class of user-machine interfaces based on haptics.
Polar: Crewmembers transferred samples from Cold Stowage to Polar units using Ice Bricks and a Double Coldbag in preparation for Dragon departure. Polar is a Cold Stowage managed facility that provides transport and storage of science samples at cryogenic temperatures (-80ºC) to and from the ISS. Polar operates on 75 W supplied power and uses air cooling as its heat rejection method. Polar can accommodate up to 12.75 liters of sample volume and 20 lbm including sample support equipment.
Systems:
Crew-2 Dragon Departure Preparations: The crew completed several activities in preparation for the upcoming Crew-2 departure. The crew completed On-Board Trainings (OBTs) to review Dragon departure procedures, transferred cargo to the vehicle, and prepared personal data for downlink to the ground. Crew-2 is tentatively scheduled to undock and return the Endeavor Dragon crew on November 7th.
LAB Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) Manual Flow Control Valve (MFCV) Adjustment: Today, the crew used a Coriolis Flowmeter to adjust the MFCV of the Direct Current to Direct Current Converter Unit (DDCU)-1 rack to decrease ITCS flow through the rack. This is done as part of an effort to reallocate cooling resources for the LAB’s Moderate Temperature Loop (MTL). The ITCS provides equipment cooling, and heat rejection through a combination of water loops, and interface heat exchangers.
Regenerative ECLSS Recycle Tank Drain/Fill: Today, the crew set up the recycle tank to drain to a ЕДВ-У. Following the setup, the ground performed the tank drain using the Urine Transfer System (UTS). Once the ground specialists completed the transfer, the crew verified the recycle tank was empty, terminated the drain, and repositioned the fill/drain valve to fill. The crew also swapped the ЕДВ in the offload ЕДВ spot of the UTS.
Completed Task List Activities:
None
Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Portable Computer System (PCS) Reboot
Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) Leak Limits Set
Command and Control Software (CCS) Monthly File Downlinks
Atmosphere Revitalization System (ARS) Thermal Amine Scrubber (TAS) Activation
Atmosphere Revitalization System (ARS) Lab Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Deactivation
Look Ahead Plan
Saturday, November 6 (GMT 310)
Payloads:
APM Status Check (NASA)
Standard Measures Saliva collect (NASA)
Systems:
Crew Arrival Preparations
Change of Command Ceremony
Crew Dragon Departure Conference
Sunday, November 7 (GMT 311)
Payloads:
Actiwatch Plus Don (NASA)
Probiotics Capsule stow (JAXA)
Standard Measures Saliva collect (NASA)
Systems:
Crew-2 Undock
Monday, November 8 (GMT 312)
Payloads:
Actiwatch HRF1 setup (NASA)
EarthKam Shutdown and stow (NASA)
Food Physiology MELFI transfer (NASA)
Plant Habitat-04 Debris removal (NASA)
SERFE Gather and Degassing (NASA)
Systems:
Emergency Equipment Return
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
HRF Generic MELFI Sample Insertion Operations
Probiotics Question
Microgravity Science Glovebox Power Down
Dragon Cargo Transfer
JEMRMS RLT2 Status Check
JPM1OA4 Light Troubleshooting
PILOTE H/W setup
Remove and Replace (R&R) Waste Hygiene Compartment (WHC) ЕДВ-Y
Waste Hygiene Compartment (WHC) EDV Dosing
Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) JEM Water Recovery System (JWRS) Setup
US LAB Low Temperature Loop (LTL) Gas Trap Plug (GTP) Removal
PILOTE Science
DOSIS 3D Passive Detectors De-Installation from Columbus (10 PDPs and 1 TDP).
Cargo Dragon Station Support Computer Relocate
SpX-CREW DRAGON review CBT
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain
On-board Training (OBT) Dragon Departure Review
DC to DC Converter Unit (DDCU)-1 Rack Rotate Down Preparation
Data Preparation for Return
Toilet Pressure Sensor Troubleshooting
LAB1P3 Manual Flow Control Valve (MFCV) Adjustment
Crew Departure Preparations for Return to Earth
Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) Manual Flow Control Valve (MFCV) Adjustment Assistance
Charging D4 Battery for return
On-board training (OBT) Crew Dragon Departure CBT
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in JEM
Urine Transfer System Offload EDV Swap
DC to DC Converter Unit (DDCU)-1 Rack Rotate Up Closeout
Station Support Computer (SSC) System Vent Cleaning
Manufacturing Device Print Removal, Clean and Stow
Polar Sample Transfer From Cold Stowage
HRF Generic Saliva Collection
Roll Up and Stow Sleep Bag
