NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 6 May, 2021 – How Space Affects Immune System, Exercise

Human Research and space physics topped the science schedule aboard the International Space Station today.
The seven-member Expedition 65 crew also spent Thursday servicing a variety of life support gear.

The new Celestial Immunity study underway aboard the orbiting lab this week is looking at how the human immune system is affected by long-term weightlessness. NASA Flight Engineer Mark Vande Hei started the day readying blood cell samples for the human research experiment inside the Life Science Glovebox (LSG). In the afternoon, NASA Flight Engineer Megan McArthur thawed the samples, placed them in a centrifuge, and inoculated them inside the LSG located in the Kibo laboratory module.

Commander Akihiko Hoshide joined Flight Engineer Thomas Pesquet for a long-running space workout study today. The duo took turns attaching sensors to themselves then pedaling on an exercise cycle. The exercise study measures an astronaut’s aerobic capacity and the effort required to perform strenuous activities such as spacewalks.

A space physics experiment is looking at the production of semiconductor crystals aboard the orbiting lab. Flight Engineers Shane Kimbrough of NASA and Oleg Novitskiy of Roscosmos swapped hardware for the study taking place inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox. Results may improve the quality of semiconductors to benefit industries on Earth.

Maintenance is key to ensuring life support systems and science hardware stay in tip-top shape on the station. The crew is constantly monitoring and servicing lab hardware with support from mission controllers on the ground.

Cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov worked throughout Thursday checking out fans and navigation hardware in the station’s Russian segment. Vande Hei, McArthur, and Pesquet partnered together and replaced components in the U.S. segment’s oxygen generation system throughout the day.

On-Orbit Status Report

Payloads:

Celestial Immunity: The crew performed activities related to the inoculation, treatment injection, and sample collection for the Celestial Immunity cultures. This project seeks to gain a broad understanding of how gravity affects overall human immune function and potentially uncover novel pathways of immune function that can be exploited to develop better vaccines and immunobiologics for human use. The project will build on earlier studies that evaluated lymphocyte (a type of white blood cell) function in microgravity. The project will also evaluate whether gravity-regulated immune pathways are affected by age by examining cells from both young adult and elderly donors in parallel.

DOSIS-3D: The crew installed the DOSIS-3D main box in its intended configuration and took photos of the suite of 11 DOSIS dosimeters. International Space Station crewmembers are continually exposed to varying levels of radiation which can be harmful to their health. Dose Distribution Inside the International Space Station – 3D (DOSIS-3D) uses several active and passive detectors to determine the radiation doses inside the ISS. The goal is a three-dimensional radiation map covering all sections of the ISS.

Food Acceptability: Using the data collection tool an available Station Support Computer (SSC), the crew filled out a Food Acceptability Survey. This investigation seeks to determine the impact of repetitive consumption of food currently available from the spaceflight food system. Results will be used in developing strategies to improve food system composition to support crew health and performance on long duration missions.

SBC-2: The crew powered up the recently installed SBC-2 experiment hardware. Installation of this experiment hardware was delayed due to a tool incompatibility which was recently resolved. Spaceborne Computer-2 High Performance Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Computer System on the ISS (Spaceborne Computer-2, or just SBC-2) builds upon the successes of the previous Spaceborne Computer, exploring how commercial off-the-shelf computer systems can advance exploration by processing data significantly faster in space with edge computing and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. SBC-2 further tests additional techniques for recovering or mitigating errors in the extreme environment of unprotected solar radiation, galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) and other events. SBC-2 has an anticipated 24 to 36-month mission duration.

SUBSA (Solidification Using a Baffle in Sealed Ampoules): As a continuation of the BRAINS investigation, the crew exchanged the calibration ampoule for the first science ampoule in the SUBSA. BRazing of Aluminum alloys IN Space (SUBSA-BRAINS) examines differences in capillary flow, interface reactions, and bubble formation during solidification of brazing alloys in microgravity. Brazing technology bonds similar materials (such as an aluminum alloy to aluminum) or dissimilar ones (such as aluminum alloy to ceramics) at temperatures above 450°C. It is a potential tool for construction of human space habitats and manufactured systems as well as repair of damage from micrometeoroids or space debris.

Systems:

Fluid System Servicer (FSS) Setup Node 3: Crew set up the Fluid System Servicer (FSS) Fluid Control Pump Assembly (FCPA) in order to refill the Node 3 Moderate Temperature Loop (MTL) and Low Temperature Loop (LTL) Pump Package Assembly (PPA) Accumulators. After FSS operations were completed, the FSS FCPA and Jumpers were be drained and purged. This procedure has occurred now that the Node 3 Port Endcone has been cleared of stowage.

Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Pump ORU Maintenance: Crew will inject a thermal expansion air bubble into the pump to protect Pump ORU S/N 4 and allow for removal of a Thermal Expansion Device needed for a different ORU. The crew will then purge the OGS Hydrogen Sensor with dry oxygen to prevent the possibility of condensation on the sensor when OGS is unpowered. Then the crew will Remove S/N 1 OGS Pump ORU and Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Rack Electrical Harness P-Clamp, and lastly replacing the Pump ORU with S/N 6.

Max Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation and Stabilization (CEVIS): The crew completed Max CEVIS today which is used by the medical community to evaluate astronauts’ aerobic fitness. The test is performed every 90 days and upon the crew’s arrival and departure from the ISS.

DOSIS Main Box Repositioning and Photo Audit: Crew reinstalled the DOSIS Main Box in its proper configuration. Crew also was asked to take pictures of eleven dosimeters (ten Passive Detector Packs and one Triple Detector Pack) that are deployed in the ColumbusModule.

EDV Changeout for UTS: Crew swapped out the offload EDV and the mainline EDV, so that Urine Transfer System (UTS) offloading can take place.

Completed Task List Activities:

None
Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Fluid System Servicer (FSS) Refill Support
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Pump Test
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) Oxygen Generator Assembly (OGA) Cell Discharge
Solidification Using Baffles in Sealed Ampoules Sample Exchange
Look Ahead Plan:

Friday, May 7 (GMT 127)
Payloads:

AC Touch
Astrobee off
Celestial Immunity
CIR manifold bottle replace
ELF sample holder change
ESA EPO AstroPi config
Food Acceptability
Food Physiology
JAXA video take 1
HRF2 troubleshooting deconfiguration
Nanoracks Platform 2 module remove
Standard Measures/Repository
Systems

Crew Provisions Consolidation
Environmental Health System (EHS) – Compound Specific Analyzer-Combustion Products (CSA-CP) Extended Maintenance
In-Flight Maintenance Starboard Stall Mounting Bracket Remove & Replace
Saturday, May 8 (GMT 128)
Payloads:

AWP Doff
Celestial Immunity
Standard Measures
Systems

Weekly Cleaning
Sunday, May 9 (GMT 129)
Payloads:

AWP Doff
HRF urine setup
Systems

Crew Off-Duty Day
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Adlink Mini PC Restow
Astrobee Off
Celestial Immunity Thaw and Centrifuge
Celestial Immunity Crew Handover
Celestial Immunity LSG Staging
Celestial Immunity MELFI Sample Insertion
Celestial Immunity MELFI Sample Retrieve
Celestial Immunity Treatment and Sample
Combustion Integrated Rack Bottle Gather
ARED Power down
Countermeasures System (CMS) Max Cycle Ergometer w/Vibration Isolation & Stabilization (CEVIS) Portable PFS Conclude
Max Cycle Ergometer w/Vibration Isolation & Stabilization (CEVIS) Portable PFS Partial Stow
Max Cycle Ergometer w/Vibration Isolation & Stabilization (CEVIS) Portable PFS Power Up
Max Cycle Ergometer w/Vibration Isolation & Stabilization (CEVIS) Portable PFS Subject
ISS HAM Kenwood Radio Power Up
DOSIS Main Box repositioning and photo audit
Acoustic Monitor Stow
Environmental Health System (EHS) – Formaldehyde Monitoring Kit (FMK) Stow Operation
ESA Weekly crew conference
Flight Director/ISS CREW CONFERENCE
Food Acceptability Survey
Fluid System Servicer (FSS) Setup Node 3
Health Maintenance System (HMS) – ESA Nutritional Assessment
Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Food Intake Tracker (ISS FIT)
Private Exercise Conference (PEC)
HRF Generic Frozen Blood Collection Hardware Setup First Time Performance
HRF Generic MELFI Sample Insertion Operations
HRF Generic MELFI Sample Retrieval and Insertion Operations
HRF Generic Saliva Collection 10 Minutes
HRF Generic Urine Collection Male
Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Rack Electrical Harness P-Clamp Removal
Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Pump ORU Maintenance
Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Pump ORU Maintenance Part 1
Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Pump ORU Maintenance, Part 2
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Oxygen Generator System (OGS) Gather
Inventory Management System (IMS) Conference
ISS CREW/SSIPC CONFERENCE
ISS Crew Orientation
LSG Primary Crew Restraint Fold
Power down NOD3 Plug-in Plan (PIP) hardware
Node 3 UOP Install Gather
N3 Utility Outlet Panel (UOP) Installation Big Picture Words (BPW)
Photo/TV Camcorder Setup Verification
Treadmill 2 (T2) Exercise Video Equipment Stow
Photo/TV Camcorder Setup Verification
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) in Columbus
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Hydrogen Sensor ORU Purge Adapter (HOPA) Operations
Spaceborne Computer-2 Power ON
T2 SSC Relocation for Alternative Power Chain
Solidification Using Baffles in Sealed Ampoules Sample Exchange
Urine Transfer System Offload EDV Swap
Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Manual Fill Initiation
Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Manual Fill Termination