NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 5 October, 2021 – Russian Trio Arrive
The hatches between the International Space Station and the newly arrived Soyuz spacecraft officially opened at 11 a.m. EDT.
The arrival of three new crew members to the existing seven people already aboard for Expedition 65 temporarily increases the station’s population to 10.
This is the fourth flight into space for Roscosmos cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov. Actress Yulia Peresild and producer Klim Shipenko are making their first flights into space and will spend 12 days on the space station, filming segments for a movie titled “Challenge” under a commercial agreement between Roscosmos and Moscow-based media entities.
Peresild and Shipenko will return to Earth with Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy Oct. 16 (Oct. 17 Kazakhstan time) on the Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft, which is currently docked at the space station, for a parachute-assisted landing on the Kazakh steppe. Shkaplerov will remain aboard the station through next March, returning with NASA astronauts Mark Vande Hei, and Roscosmos cosmonaut and Pyotr Dubrov on the Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft. The return of Vande Hei and Dubrov will mark the end of a 355-day mission. Vande Hei will have completed the longest single spaceflight by an astronaut in U.S. history.
Expedition 65 Commander Thomas Pesquet of ESA (European Space Agency), NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, and Aki Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency have been aboard since arriving April 23, 2021, on the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour. Endeavor and its crew are currently planned to return early-to-mid November.
On-Orbit Status Report
Vehicle Traffic:
65S Launch and Dock: 65S successfully launched at 3:55 AM CT from the Baikonur Cosmodrome with Cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, Spaceflight Participant Klim Shipenko, and Spaceflight Participant Yulia Peresild on board. The vehicle docked at MRM1 at 7:22 AM CT. The ISS complement has increased to 8 crewmembers and 2 spaceflight participants and will remain so until 64S undock on October 17th.
Payloads:
TELe-Luminescence Analysis System (TELLAS): A crewmember installed the Calibration Light Source into the Observation System to calibrate the Tele-Luminescence Analysis System. TELLAS is an experimental facility that uses luminescence and an imager to make observations of tissues/genes in small living animals. Such in-vivo observations facilitate the study of mechanisms related to aging in the microgravity environment. Installed in the Kibo module, the TELLAS facility can provide information that contributes to aging research and improves the health and longevity of people on Earth.
FLUIDICS: A crewmember initiated the Science Run #2. The measurement of liquid displacement within a sphere in microgravity relates to a given kinematic representation of a spacecraft’s fuel tank. The FLUIDICS investigation evaluates the Center of Mass (CoM) position regarding a temperature gradient on a representation of a fuel tank. The observation of capillary wave turbulence on the surface of a fluid layer in a low-gravity environment can provide insights into measuring the existing volume in a sphere.
Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL) Soft Matter Dynamics & Compacted Granulars: A crewmember fully tightened all the connectors of the Fluid Science Laboratory (FSL) Soft Matter Dynamics (SMD) harness. FSL Soft Matter Dynamics – Hydrodynamics of Wet Foams (Foam Coarsening) aims to investigate bubble size and rearrangement dynamics for “wet foams”. Microgravity offers the opportunity to investigate such “wet foams”, which cannot be stabilized on Earth because of drainage. Moreover, microgravity conditions are essential to study rearrangement phenomena, such as coarsening and coalescence, disentangled from drainage.
JAXA Protein Crystallization Growth (PCG): A crewmember received JAXA PCG #18 protein samples from the Russian crew and initiated sample crystallization. The samples were then stowed into cold stowage. The objective of the JAXA PCG investigation is to grow high quality protein crystals in microgravity. The crystals are then returned to Earth to determine protein structures in detail; the structures are used to develop pharmaceutical drugs and to explore the mystery of human lives. The protein samples are launched to the ISS by a Soyuz or Progress Vehicle and crystallized at 20? using the counter-diffusion method.
Lumina (Fiber-optic Active Dosimeter): A crewmember performed a Lumina data transfer from the LUMINA device via the EveryWear Application on the crew iPad. Lumina is an active fiber dosimeter that monitors, in real-time, the received radiation dose by exploiting the capacity of optical fibers to darken when exposed to radiation. The dosimeter provides reliable dose measurements in complex environments such as the ones associated with electrons, protons, gamma-rays, X-rays, photons, or neutrons.
Systems:
Cygnus Cargo Operations: Today, the crew performed NG-16 cargo transfer operations and will continue to work on NG-16 cargo operations throughout the week. NG-16 is currently scheduled for unberth on November 20th.
Treadmill 2 (T2) Manned Activation and Checkout (ACO): Today, the crew performed a crewed ACO on T2 to ensure the components were performing nominally before the ground could declare T2 GO for use. This activity comes a day after the crew performed the Countermeasures System (CMS) T2 Rack Centering in which the crew realigned the T2 Snubbers within the Snubber Cups. The ground inspected the T2 post-realignment pictures and noticed that some of the Snubbers were out of place and requested the crew to inspect. The crew reported that the top left, top right, and bottom right Snubbers are out of alignment. T2 is NOGO while ground teams build a forward plan.
ISS Crew Safety Briefing: With the arrival of the 65S crew, all crewmembers and spaceflight participants participated in a safety briefing to familiarize the newly arrived crew with potential hazards and available safety measures on board the ISS as well as learn about equipment required for initial emergency response. Some contingency items covered were response to depressurization, fire, and toxic release. The crew also practiced using the emergency egress route and inspected the hatches for obstructions.
Completed Task List Activities:
None
Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Node 1 Fan Speed Test Day 2
JEMRMS Ground Control Main Arm Maneuver to Small Satellite Deploy Position
Soyuz VHF Relay – Docking
MPEG2 multicast test via Ku-band (activation/deactivation of TV data and MPEG2 multicast and unicast controls)
Atmosphere Revitalization System Thermal Amine Scrubber Mode Change from 2-bed to 4-bed
Look Ahead Plan
Wednesday, October 6 (GMT 279)
Payloads:
Express Rack bulb changes (NASA)
Food Acceptability (NASA)
J-SSOD-19 Deploy (JAXA)
Immersive Exercise PILOT VR charging (ESA)
Probiotics Saliva ops and questionnaire (JAXA)
Systems:
Lab Ethernet Cable Configuration
PAO Education Filming
Cargo Operations
EVA Glove Photos
EVA Wanted Poster
Node 3 Fwd 3 IMV Screen R&R
Thursday, October 7 (GMT 280)
Payloads:
Astrobee prep (NASA)
AWP setup for download (NASA)
DECLIC Harddrive and Alice Install (ESA)
ESA-EPO TOUCHS (ESA)
Immersive Exercise Session (ESA)
Technology Box T/S (ESA)
Systems:
Emergency Roles and Responsibilities Review
Portable PFS T/S
Cargo Operations
HMS Operations
PAO Events
Friday, October 8 (GMT 281)
Payloads:
Astrobee Perching Arm Install, stowage clear and crew conf and Astrobatics session (NASA)
BioLab Laptop checkout (ESA)
Food Acceptability (NASA)
Food Physiology Brief (NASA)
HRF1 Supply Inventory (NASA)
JAXA Water Recovery Pump3 Exchange (JAXA)
Technology Box Data transfer (ESA)
TELLAS (Tele-Luminescence) ops (JAXA)
Systems:
N1 20-Port JSL Switch Deploy
CASA Outfit
N3 Endcone Cleanout
PAO Events
NRAL Stowage Cleanout
Photo/TV N2 HD Encoder Ethernet Cable Swap
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
ISS HAM Kenwood Radio Power Down in Columbus
Photo T/V (P/TV) Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Exercise Video Setup
ISS HAM Radio Power Down in Service Module
ISS CREW/SSIPC CONFERENCE
Environmental Health System (EHS) Personal CO2 Monitor Data Transfer and Stow
Soyuz 749 ODF Ops. Start drying two space suits
Photo T/V (P/TV) Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Exercise Video Stow
USOS Window Shutter Close
Fluidics Run 2 preparation
Transfer Cygnus Cargo Operations
Monitoring of the rendezvous
Monitoring Soyuz 749 rendezvous with ISS (MRM1)
Capture photos of pin alignment after T2 Rack Centering.
Fluidics Run 2 execution
JEM Utility Outlet Panel (UOP) Activation
LUMINA data transfer with EveryWear and troubleshooting of import issue
Photo/TV Treadmill 2 (T2) Activation and Checkout (ACO) Video Setup
ISS Crew departure preparation
Hardware setup in SM for Expedition 66 Arrival TV coverage from SM
Equipment setup in MRM1 for Hatch Opening TV coverage from MRM1
???-65S hatches open and PAO-TV-rep. Hatches open
Soyuz 749-MRM1 hatch opening
???-65S hatches open and PAO-TV-rep. Hatches open
Countermeasures System (CMS) Treadmill 2 (T2) Manned Activation and Checkout (ACO)
TELE-LUMINESCENCE ANALYSIS SYSTEM (TELLAS) Calibration Light Source Installation
Crew Dragon Tablet Sync
Crew Dragon Tablet Stow
NOD3F3 Screen Inspection
Fluidics Run 3 execution
FSL Soft Matter Dynamics Experiment Container Harness Tightening
Probiotics Item Gathering
TELE-LUMINESCENCE ANALYSIS SYSTEM (TELLAS) Calibration Light Source Removal
ISS Safety Briefing
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT2 Setup
TELE-LUMINESCENCE ANALYSIS SYSTEM (TELLAS) UOP Disconnection
Fluidics Closeout Activities
Portable CO2 Monitor Power On and Deploy
Fluidics Ending of data copy and ZBook stowage
New crew ISS familiarization
ISS HAM Kenwood Radio Power Up
ISS HAM Columbus Pass Kenwood
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Social Media Event
Photo/TV Treadmill 2 (T2) Activation and Checkout (ACO) Video Teardown
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT2 Prep
Dragon/ISS Undock Crew Conference
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – OCT2 Exam – Operator
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT2 Exam – Subject
XF305 Camcorder Setup
JAXA Protein Crystal Growth (PCG) Crystallization Start
Soyuz 749 cargo transfers (Equipment for Vyzov PL Ops)
Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT2 Stow
