NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 5 September 2019 – Soyuz MS-14 Spacecraft Departs
While flying about 260 miles above the border between northeastern China and southeastern Russia, an uncrewed Russian Soyuz spacecraft undocked and departed from the International Space Station at 2:14 p.m. EDT.
The Soyuz MS-14 spacecraft was attached to the station’s aft-facing port of the Zvezda service module for a two-week stay as part of its test flight. The Soyuz delivered 1,450 pounds of cargo to the Expedition 60 crew currently residing on the orbital outpost. Part of the cargo was a humanoid robot that was used for tests before being loaded back inside the Soyuz for its return to Earth.
The Soyuz will land back on Earth in south-central Kazakhstan at 5:34 p.m. (3:34 a.m. Kazakhstan time on Sept. 7), where Russian personnel will be standing by to recover the spacecraft for postflight analysis. NASA TV will not provide live coverage of landing. The mission’s completion will be reported on social media and the agency’s website.
On-Orbit Status Report
60 Soyuz (60S) Undock/Landing Preparation: The 60S unmanned vehicle has been activated in preparation for tomorrow’s undocking at 1:14 PM CT and landing in Kazakhstan at 4:34 PM CT. The hatches between the Soyuz and ISS have been closed and successful leak checks performed. No US cargo is manifested for return on this unmanned flight. Therefore, no NASA personnel will be at the landing site.
Fluid Shifts: The crew performed several activities including Cerebral and Cochlear Fluid Pressure (CCFP), Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission (DPOAE) measurements, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), and ultrasound scans in support of the Fluid Shifts investigation. This is week 2 of the 3 week sequence and focuses on baseline imaging. Fluid Shifts is a NASA investigation, divided into Dilution Measurements, Baseline Imaging, and Imaging with Chibis and is typically spread over several weeks. The Chibis hardware is used to perform the Lower Body Negative Pressure (LBNP) part of the experiment. The Fluid Shifts experiment investigates the causes for severe and lasting physical changes to astronaut’s eyes. Because the headward fluid shift is a hypothesized contributor to these changes, reversing this fluid shift with a LBNP device is being evaluated as a possible intervention. Results from this study may help to develop preventative measures against lasting changes in vision and prevention of eye damage.
Fluid Science Laboratory/Reference mUltiscale Boiling Investigation (FSL/RUBI) Cable Exchange: As a corrective measure for a power cable with bend radius issues, the crew replaced the short power cable with a power cable previously used successfully for the Soft Matter Dynamics experiment. Nucleate boiling is a process that is used in many technical applications of heat transfer. Examples are power plants and reactor technology, air conditioning technology as well as chemical and process engineering. The design of new processes and evaporators is significantly hindered by the fact that general methods of calculation are not available yet. The development of such methods requires a better understanding of highly complex and dynamic transport phenomena.
Microgravity Crystals: In support of day 6 of the on-going experiment run, the crew set up a microscope, then took images of the solutions and any crystals in the wells of the crystal plates. The Microgravity Crystals investigation crystallizes a membrane protein that is integral to tumor growth and cancer survival. Although crystallization of this protein has yielded unsatisfactory results on Earth, this investigation leverages extensive protein crystallization work on the space station, significantly increasing the likelihood of successful crystal growth. Results may support development of cancer treatments that target the protein more effectively and with fewer side effects.
Rodent Research-17 (RR-17) Maintenance: The crew restocked Habitats 2 and 3 and cleaned the access unit. RR-17 uses younger and older mice as model organisms to evaluate the physiological, cellular and molecular effects of the spaceflight environment. Some responses to spaceflight in humans and model organisms such as mice resemble accelerated aging. This investigation provides a better understanding of aging-related immune, bone, and muscle disease processes, which may lead to new therapies for use in space and on Earth.
Space Moss: The crew detached the plant experiment unit from the Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) micro-G incubator unit and set up the Space Moss Sample on the Microscope for observation. Space Moss grows mosses aboard the ISS and on Earth to determine how microgravity affects their growth, development, gene expression, photosynthetic activity, and other features. Tiny plants without roots, mosses need only a small area for growth, an advantage for their potential use in space and future bases on the Moon or Mars.
Time Perception: Using a head-mounted Oculus Rift display/headphones, a finger trackball, and support computer, several crewmembers performed the Time Perception experiment sessions. Although some initial issues were encountered, they were resolved by using a backup headset. In this experiment, a program on the laptop induces visual and audio stimuli to measure a subject’s response to spatial and time perception in a microgravity environment. The accurate perception of objects in the environment is a prerequisite for spatial orientation and reliable performance of motor tasks. Time is fundamental to motion perception, sound localization, speech, and fine motor coordination.
Main Bus Switching Unit (MBSU) Operations: To finalize this week’s MBSU operations, today the failed MBSU was removed from the Japanese Experiment Module Airlock (JEMAL) slide table and placed in a Cargo Transfer Bag (CTB). The MBSU-3 was declared hard failed on April 29, 2019. The MBSU will return to ground on SpaceX-19.
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Systems Briefing Package Review: In preparation for the planned P6 Battery EVAs, the crew reviewed the Intravehicular (IV) briefing package which provides reminders, emergency briefing, helpful tips and procedures used during EVA preparation.
Completed Task List Activities:
HTV-8 trash gather
COL photo audit
EVA tether inspect
Node 1 Aft reorg
Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
EPS max test
Payloads ops support
Repaired MBSU AFRAM robotically stowed at ESP-2 Site 4
Friday, 9/6 (GMT 249)
Payloads:
At Home in Space
Acoustic Diagnostics
Fluid Shifts
Food Acceptability
ISS Experience
Repository
Standard Measures
LSR filter replacement
Standard Measures
Space Moss
Systems:
HTV OBT
LST WWB filter change
Saturday, 9/7 (GMT 250)
Payloads:
Repository
Space Moss observation
Systems:
Crew off duty; housekeeping
Sunday, 9/8 (GMT 251)
Payloads:
Repository
Standard Measures
Microgravity Crystals day 9 observation
Systems:
Crew off duty
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Fluid Shifts OCT2 Baseline Imaging Setup
Countermeasures System (CMS) Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) Troubleshooting
Fluid Shifts Ultrasound 2 HRF Rack 2 Power On
Fluid Shifts CDL Holter Arterial BP Hardware Don
Fluid Shifts Ultrasound Baseline Imaging Scan Subject
Microscope Reposition Preparation
Microgravity Crystals Microscopy Plate Set B, Session 2 (Day 6)
ALGOMETRIYA. Pressure and Thermal Algometry preparation for and measurement session
Fluid Shifts CCFP Baseline Imaging Test
SEPARATION. Deactivation of [???-?-??] system. Log-file downlink
Fluid Shifts OCT2 Baseline Imaging Exam Subject
Microscope Reposition Post Ops
Magnetic 3D-bioprinter Session 4 Cleanup
Fluid Shifts DPOAE Baseline Imaging Test
HRF Generic Frozen Blood Collection Hardware Setup
Fluid Shifts Tonometry Baseline Imaging Exam Subject
Fluid Shifts CDL Holter Arterial BP Hardware Doff
Fluid Shifts CCFP Baseline Imaging Stow
FOTOBIOREACTOR. Retrieval of kits from ???-? No.07 and transfer to Soyuz 743
BIOPLENKA. MICROVIR. Retrieval from Cryogem-03M and transfer to Soyuz 743
Stowage of the equipment to be returned to earth
Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Food Intake Tracker (ISS FIT)
Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Food Intake Tracker (ISS FIT)
Rodent Research Habitat 2 & 3 Restock
In Flight Maintenance Main Bus Switching Unit (MBSU) 3 Packaging
TIME experiment combined session (Science + Stowage)
??? 60S – ?? hatch cover foto downlink
Rodent Research Access Unit Clean
JEM ORU Xfer I/F (JOTI) Kit and Main Bus Switching Unit (MBSU) Maintenance Kit and Test Hardware Stow
ALGOMETRIYA. Tenso-algometry measurements
CONTENT. Experiment Ops
Removal of Quick Release Screw Clamps from SM Aft – Soyuz 743 interface and video downlink via OCA
Food Acceptability Survey
Soyuz 743 ??-?? and ???-?? hatch closure
ALGOMETRIYA. Conducting measurements in tenso- and thermo-algometry mode. Closeout Ops
HRF Generic Saliva Collection 10 Minutes
