NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 6 November 2017 – Orbital ATK Resupply Mission Set for Saturday

Orbital ATK’s eighth commercial cargo mission is set to launch to the International Space Station at 7:36 a.m. EST Veteran’s Day on Nov. 11. The Antares rocket carrying the Cygnus cargo craft will blast off from Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, with over 7,000 pounds of food, supplies and research gear.
Two astronauts will be inside the cupola commanding the Canadarm2 robotic arm to capture Cygnus when it arrives Monday at 5:40 a.m. Flight Engineer Paolo Nespoli will capture Cygnus, dubbed the “SS Gene Cernan”, assisted by Commander Randy Bresnik. Cygnus will deliver numerous advanced science experiments exploring a wide variety of subjects including communication and navigation, microbiology, animal biology and plant biology.

Meanwhile, the orbiting Expedition 53 crew members continued investigating biology and robotics in microgravity.

NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei collected and stowed saliva samples today that will be analyzed later for a study on the human immune system and metabolism. Bresnik took panoramic photographs inside the Kibo laboratory module to prepare for the upcoming Astrobee experiment. Astrobee consists of three free-flying, cube-shaped robots that will be tested for their ability to assist astronauts and ground controllers.

On-Orbit Status Report

MBSU transfer and installation: On Friday, ground controllers attempted to transfer the recently repaired spare Main Bus Switching Unit (MBSU) through the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Airlock (A/L) and install it on its stowage location on External Stowage Platform 2 (ESP2). The JEM A/L outer door opened as commanded, but the slide table did not respond to ground commanding via the Airlock Control & Display Unit- Remote Control (ACDU-RC). The crew was able to command the slide table (bypassing the ACDU-RC) to extend outside on Saturday. Robotics operations proceeded nominally after that and the MBSU was installed in its stowage location.

Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Airlock: After the MBSU transfer over the weekend, the JEM A/L was repressurized and the slide table was brought into the JEM. The JEM ORU Transfer Interface (JOTI) was removed and Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform (MPEP) was installed in preparation for upcoming an upcoming NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer (NRCSD) deployment series.

Microbial Tracking-2: Over the weekend and today, a 52S crewmember took saliva samples to support the Microbial Tracking-2 investigation. The Microbial Tracking series-2 continues the monitoring of the types of microbes that are present on the International Space Station (ISS). It seeks to catalog and characterize potential disease-causing microorganisms aboard the ISS. Crew samples from pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight times in addition to environmental samples from ISS surface and air locations will be collected to analyze any associations between the microbial content of the samples, as well as potential health effects.

Lighting Effects: A 52S crewmember conducted the second half of a two week long Sleep Shift session by tracking his daily sleep patterns and wakefulness. The Lighting Effects investigation studies the impact of the change from fluorescent light bulbs to solid-state light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with adjustable intensity and color and aims to determine if the new lights can improve crew circadian rhythms, sleep, and cognitive performance.

Astrobee JEM Pressurized Module (JPM) Mapping: To develop a programing map of the ISS, today the crew configured digital camera equipment, used a light meter to measure lighting, and took photos that will make a panorama of the interior of the JPM. Astrobee is set to arrive on the ISS in Spring 2018, and consists of three self-contained, free flying robots and a docking station for use inside the ISS. The robots are designed to help scientists and engineers develop and test technologies for use in microgravity to assist astronauts with routine chores, and give ground controllers additional eyes and ears on the space station. The autonomous robots, powered by fans and vision-based navigation, perform crew monitoring, sampling, logistics management, and accommodate up to three investigations.

Multi-Omics Sample Collections: This morning, a 52S crewmember collected saliva samples and completed a questionnaire for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Multi-Omics experiment. The samples will be placed into the Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI). The Multi-omics analysis of human microbial-metabolic cross-talk in the space ecosystem (Multi-Omics) investigation evaluates the impacts of space environment and prebiotics on astronauts’ immune function, by combining the data obtained from the measurements of changes in the gut microbiological composition, metabolites profiles, and the immune system.

Airway Monitoring Overview and Setup: The crew reviewed reference material and gathered hardware to support tomorrow’s Airway Monitoring session. With dust particles present in the International Space Station atmosphere, Airway Monitoring studies the occurrence and indicators of airway inflammation in crewmembers, using ultra-sensitive gas analyzers to analyze exhaled air. This helps to highlight any health impacts and to maintain crewmember well-being on future human spaceflight missions, especially longer-duration missions to the Moon and Mars for example, where crewmembers will have to be more self-sufficient in highlighting and avoiding such conditions.

Biological Experiment Laboratory (BioLab) Exchange Door Inspection: The crew checked the commanding capability of the BioLab experiment container exchange door. The BioLab is a multiuser research facility located in the European Columbus laboratory. The facility is used to perform space biology experiments on microorganisms, cells, tissue cultures, small plants, and small invertebrates. BioLab allows scientists to gain a better understanding of the effects of microgravity and space radiation on biological organisms.

Orbital-ATK 8 (OA-8) On-board Training (OBT): In preparation for OA-8 berth, currently planned for November 13, the USOS crew conducted Robotic On-Board Trainer (ROBoT) OBT with support from ground teams. The crew reviewed capture procedure, mission profile overview, rendezvous crew procedures and interfaces for monitoring/commanding Cygnus. They also practiced a 30 meter approach and 2 Capture Point hold runs.

Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

Lighting Effects Sleep Log Entry – Subject
Multi Omics Saliva Operations
Multi Omics Saliva sample MELFI Insertion
Multi Omics Question
Microbial Tracking-2 Body Sample Collection
Microbial Tracking-2 Sample MELFI Retrieval Insert
JEM Airlock Press
Biolab Inc EC Exch Door Inspection
MELFI 3 Ice Brick Insert 2
JEM Airlock Leak Check
Node 2 Remote Power Control Module (RPCM) R&R Review/Big Picture Words
PMM Rack Front Cleanup – Part 2
JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Extension to JPM Side
Temperature and Humidity Control (THC) Common Cabin Air Assembly (CCAA) Swap
In-Flight Maintenance (IFM) JOTI Removal
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis
PMM1D1 Cleanup
IV Fluid Priming Demonstration Two
MPEP Installation to JEM Airlock Slide Table
MPEP Installation to JEM Airlock Slide Table Support
JEM System Laptop Terminal Reboot
Node 2 IFM-N2 RPCM-GTHR (RPCM) R&R Equipment Gather
ISL Interface Panel Foam Cover Taping
JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Retraction from JPM Side
PMM1P2 Behind RSP Cleanup
MELFI 1 TDR Battery Swap
Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Water Sample
Earth Imagery from ISS Crew Preference Target Operations
PROBOY. Document review and equipment gathering
Astrobee JPM Mapping
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) in Columbus
??? maintenance
Battery Stowage Assembly (BSA) Operation Initiation
Polar Desiccant Swap
Environmental Health System (EHS) – Compound Specific Analyzer-Combustion Products (CSA-CP) Extended Maintenance
Big Picture Words Read
Airway Monitoring Hardware Location
ISS HAM Service Module Pass
Airway Monitoring Kit Consolidation
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record
On-board Training (OBT) Cygnus Robotics Onboard Trainer (ROBoT) Session 1
Exercise Data Downlink via OCA
N1 Nadir Hatch to Unlatch Hardstop
Node 2 Remote Power Control Module (RPCM) R&R Review Conference
Toggle MVIS to HDD1

Completed Task List Activities
Crew Support LAN (CSL) 1 client reload
ESA PAO Message MIUR Differenze
ESA PAO Message Wikipedia
Disposable In-Suit Drink Bag Lot Number Inventory
Manufacturing Device Print Removal, Clean and Stow
Photo/TV Go Pro Questionnaire
Plug in Plan Inverter Swap
PMM1D1 Cleanup
PMM1P2 Behind RSP Cleanup
VEG-03 Plant Pillow Water
Wanted Poster: (0-96 in-oz) Trq Driver, 1/4 Drive
KTO Replace

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
JEM A/L pressurization
Astrobee Support
LAB CCAA Switchover Support

Three-Day Look Ahead:
Tuesday, 11/07: EMU Water Vent Line R&R, N2 IMV Reconfig, Cygnus OBT, Airway Monitoring
Wednesday, 11/08: Airlock RPCM R&R, Airway Monitoring
Thursday, 11/09: Lab CDRA Maintenance, IWIS TAA R&R, ITCS FSS Refill

QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
Component – Status
Elektron – On
Vozdukh – Manual
[???] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) – On
[???] 2 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV2”) – Off
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab – Standby
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 – Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab – Idle
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 – Operate
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) – Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) – Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Full Up
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Off