NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 8 February 2017 – Training to Capture a Dragon
The Expedition 50 crew trained today for the robotic capture of the SpaceX Dragon and studied how the brain adapts to living in space. Three crew members also conducted an emergency drill aboard the International Space Station.
Flight Engineers Peggy Whitson and Thomas Pesquet joined Commander Shane Kimbrough to study the robotics maneuvers they will use when the SpaceX Dragon resupply ship arrives later this month. Dragon is targeted to liftoff mid-February atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center. The tenth commercial resupply mission from SpaceX will deliver advanced space research to improve disease-fighting drugs, observe Earth’s climate and automate spacecraft navigation.
Whitson also set up magnetic resonance brain imaging hardware for the NeuroMapping experiment. The study, which has been ongoing since 2014, is exploring changes in the brain and how an astronaut’s cognition, perception and motion are affected by long-term space missions.
Veteran station residents Oleg Novitskiy and Whitson along with first-time space flyer Pesquet practiced an emergency Soyuz descent today. The trio entered their Soyuz MS-03 spacecraft and simulated a scenario in the unlikely event the crew would have to evacuate the station quickly and return to Earth.
On-Orbit Status Report
Galley Rack Outfitting: Today the crew relocated the Node 1 16-Port Ethernet Switch from Node 1 Port-Deck location to the Galley Rack. All pre-existing cables remained mated to the switch during relocation, and the switch power feed will remain the same. Later today they will connect the two Microgravity Experiment Research Locker/Incubator (MERLIN) Ethernet connections to the newly relocated switch followed by the crew relocating the MERLIN-2 unit currently located in EXPRESS Rack 6 Locker-2 to the Galley Rack in Node 1.
JEM ORU Transfer Interface (JOTI) Retrieval from PMA2: Earlier today the crew ingressed the Pressurized Mating Adapter-2 (PMA2) and retrieved the JOTI hardware. After the crew retrieved the JOTI the crew egressed PMA2. JOTI will be used tomorrow, Friday 10-February, to install the Robotics External Leak Locator (RELL) on Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Airlock (A/L) Slide Table. RELL operations are planned this weekend to perform surveys, focused around Radiator Beam Valve Module (RBVM) P1-3-2, to assist in an investigation into a possible External Active Thermal Control System (EATCS) Loop B leak.
Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) Universal Docking Port (UDP): The crew reconfigured the SPHERES satellites assembling the Docking Port hardware. They then loaded the test software and performed the session with ground support staff direction. The objectives of the UDP session are to demonstrate a reliably successful docking through running multiple, repeatable docking maneuvers using both global metrology and docking port cameras; perform joint maneuvers of docked satellites using the thrusters from two satellites to demonstrate controllability; and test an algorithm for docking to a satellite which is tumbling in a slow, known manner. The addition of the Docking Ports is a critical upgrade to the SPHERES facility aboard the ISS. With the new ability to dock and undock, SPHERES provides a test bed to address many of the challenges of combining autonomous spacecraft. Mated spacecraft can assemble complex systems in orbit or combine sensors and actuators for satellite servicing and repurposing missions. The SPHERES-UDP enables testing of complex tasks through optimal and adaptive control, autonomous decision-making processes, and real-time image processing.
Cool Flames Investigation: The crew performed a gas bottle change out in the Combustion Integration Rack’s (CIR’s) Fluids and Combustion Facility (FCF) upper rack. The Cool Flames Investigation will provide new insight into the phenomenon where some types of fuels initially burn very hot, then appear to go out — but they continue burning at a much lower temperature, with no visible flames (cool flames). Understanding cool flame combustion helps scientists develop new engines and fuels that are more efficient and less harmful to the environment.
Story Time From Space Buoy Demo: The crew narrated and recorded a video demonstrating how buoyancy and sedimentation occur in microgravity just as it does on Earth. Story Time From Space combines science literacy outreach with simple demonstrations recorded aboard the ISS. Crew members read five science, technology, engineering and mathematics-related children’s books in orbit, and complete simple science concept experiments. Crew members videotape themselves reading the books and completing demonstrations. Video and data collected during the demonstrations are downlinked to the ground and posted in a video library with accompanying educational materials. The narrated demonstration based on the children’s book Max Goes to Space Station.
Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: In preparation for the RELL RBVM scans this weekend, ground controllers walked off Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to Mobile Base System (MBS) Power and Data Grapple Fixture (PDGF) 1, unstowed Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM), and translated the Mobile Transporter (MT) to Worksite (WS)7.
Japanese Experiment Module Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS) Operations: Ground controllers at Japan’s Space Station Integration and Promotion Center (SSIPC) will maneuvered JEMRMS to stow Small Fine Arm (SFA) onto SFA Storage Equipment (SSE) and then moved to JEM AL cleared position for the next RELL transfer operation.
Treadmill 2 (T2) Belt Issue: Today the nominal, weekly T2 power cycle was not able to complete. Teams reattempted a ground powercycle via the nominal process with no joy. Crew confirmed the Graphical User Interface (GUI) was closed and the Command Logic Unit (CLU) was still showing as connected. All data LEDs indicated T2 was nominal so T2 was still considered GO for exercise. Later, however, when the crew attempted to exercise, the treadbelt would not spin. Ground teams are meeting today to determine a recovery plan.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
SM and DC1 [????] Tagup
RELAKSATSIYA. Hardware Setup.
DC1 S/G2 Comm Config
Fine Motor Skills Experiment Test – Subject
MLT2 Setup for EFU Adapter Wireless Access Point Checkout Part 2
Hardware setup for Orlan No.4 and Orlan No.6 checkout
RELAKSATSIYA. Parameter Settings Adjustment
JEM Airlock Press
Orlan No. 4 Activation
Water Recovery System Waste Water Tank Drain Termination
RELAKSATSIYA. Observation
Orlan No.4 and Orlan Interface Unit (???) checkout from ???-? panel
Node 2 Endcone Cleanout
RELAKSATSIYA. Closeout Ops and Hardware Removal
AstroPi IR health check
JEM Airlock Leak Check
DAN. Experiment Ops.
PMA2 Ingress
Galley Ethernet Switch Relocation and Install Galley Closeout Panel
JOTI Retrieval from PMA2
Orlan No.4 and ??? storage mode operation
PMA2 Egress
Orlan No. 6 Activation
Node2 Endcone Stowage Replace
Dose Tracker Data Entry Subject
Orlan No.6 and Orlan Interface Unit (???) checkout from ???-? panel
MLT2 Setup for EFU Adapter Wireless Access Point Checkout Part 3
Long Duration Sorbent Testbed Camera Return
Story Time from Space Exploring Buoyancy Demonstration
TIMER. Battery Charge
Story Time From Space Historical Photo
4K Encoder Disconnect
ISS HAM Radio Program
MELFI 1 Electronic Unit Remove
Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) /Group Combustion Module (GCM) Component Deactivation
Comm reconfig for nominal ops
SPHERES Crew Conference
SPHERES Test Session Setup
ESA Weekly crew conference
Combustion Integrated Rack Crew Conference
Orlan No.6 and ??? storage mode operation
Combustion Integrated Rack Inspection Hardware Gather
SPHERES Docking Port Test Run
Equipment stowage after Orlan No.4 and Orlan No.6 checkout
VEG-03 Plant Photo
TIMER. Experiment setup and initiation of video recording
Combustion Integrated Rack Bottle Replacement 1
Checkout of SM-AGAT-U42 Monitor Connection
VIZIR. Experiment Ops
Dose Tracker Data Entry Subject
TIMER. Termination of Experiment Ops Video and Closeout Ops
Public Affairs Office (PAO) High Definition (HD) Config LAB Setup
PAO Preparation
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) – Lab
On-Orbit Hearing Assessment (O-OHA) with EarQ Software Setup and Test
Galley Rack MERLIN Transfer 2
JEM ECLSS/TCS1 Rack Umbilical Demate
ISS HAM Service Module Pass
RELAKSATSIYA. Charging battery for Relaksatstiya experiment (initiate)
Completed Task List Items
Manufacturing Device Print Removal, Clean and Stow
PMM1D2 Cleanout
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
JEM SFA Stow
SSRMS Walkoff to MBS1
SPDM Unstow
MT Translation
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Friday, 02/10: JEM Accumulator Package R&R, PMA2 Ingress, RELL and JOTI Install on JEMAL Slide Table, FIR Rack Light Replacement
Saturday, 02/11: Housekeeping, Crew Off Duty, RELL Operations
Sunday, 02/12: Crew Off Duty, RELL Operations
QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
Component – Status
Elektron – On
Vozdukh – Manual
[???] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) – Off
[???] 2 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV2”) – On
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab – Standby
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 – Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab – Operate
Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 – Standby
Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) – Process
Urine Processing Assembly (UPA)- Standby
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab – Off
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 – Full Up
