NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 8 February, 2021 – Next Resupply Missions Coming Up

Two cargo rockets on opposite sides of the world are nearing their launch to resupply the Expedition 64 crew this month.
A new science and cargo airlock installed late last year on the International Space Station is now open for business.

Russia’s Progress 76 (76P) cargo craft, packed with trash and discarded hardware, will depart the orbiting lab tonight completing a 201-day mission attached to the Pirs docking compartment. It will deorbit a few hours later for a fiery, but safe destruction over the South Pacific.

The 76P will be replaced after the Progress 77 (77P) cargo craft blasts off on Feb. 14 at 11:45 p.m. EST from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The 77P will dock to the vacant Pirs port a little more than two days later on Feb. 17 at 1:20 a.m. The launch and docking activities will be broadcast live on NASA TV.

The next cargo mission to resupply the station will be Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus cargo ship lifting off atop an Antares rocket on Feb. 20 from Virginia. Cygnus will be delivering about 8,000 pounds of station hardware, science experiments, and crew supplies to replenish the orbiting lab on Feb. 22. It will be captured with the Canadarm2 robotic arm and installed to the Unity module’s Earth-facing port.

Aboard the space station today, NASA astronauts Kate Rubins and Victor Glover configured and opened the NanoRacks Bishop airlock. Bishop was attached to the station’s Tranquility module on Dec. 19 two weeks after it was delivered inside the SpaceX Cargo Dragon spacecraft. Bishop will enable more commercial research, satellite deployments, and cargo operations outside in the vacuum of space.

On-Orbit Status Report

Payloads

3DMM: The crew collected swab samples from Node 1. This investigation will conduct a series of over 1000 swab sample collections throughout several modules of the ISS. Surfaces in the space station contain microbes and associated biomolecules excreted by these microorganisms. Three-dimensional Microbial Mapping of ISS Environment (3DMM) uses DNA sequencing and other analyses to construct a 3D map of bacteria and bacterial products throughout the station. The team also plans to characterize how these microbes respond at a molecular level to specific stress conditions, including altered gravity and atmospheric composition.

Antimicrobial Coatings (Boeing Environment Responding Antimicrobial Coatings): The crew touched each coupon on Antimicrobial Coatings placard. Boeing Environment Responding Antimicrobial Coatings tests an antimicrobial coating on several different materials that represent high-touch surfaces. Some microbes change characteristics in microgravity, which could create new risks to crew health and spacecraft systems as well as creating the possibility of contaminating other planetary bodies. The samples remain in space approximately six months then return to Earth for analysis.

CBEF-L (Cell Biology Experiment Facility-L): The crew installed humidifiers into CBEF IU uG and 1G. CBEF-L is a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) new subrack facility, which is an upgraded facility of the original Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) currently aboard the ISS. CBEF-L provides new capabilities with additional new resources such as Full High Definition video interface, Ethernet, 24 VDC power supply, and a larger diameter centrifugal test environment. By using the original CBEF and CBEF-L as one facility for the same experiment, the payload user is provided with an upgraded experimental environment that can handle the processing of more experimental samples for a wider array of experiments.

Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) – Fluids and Combustion Facility: The crew replaced the CIR Manifold #2 bottle and the CIR Manifold #4 bottle. The CIR includes an optics bench, combustion chamber, fuel and oxidizer control, and five different cameras for performing combustion investigations in microgravity.

FRIDGE (Freezer/Refrigerator/Incubator Device for Galley and Experimentation): Fridge 1 was emptied and the ground team started to finalize commissioning. FRIDGE is a locker-sized unit that provides active temperature control with a range from -20.0°C to +48.0°C. It can accommodate storage of both crew galley items and scientific research samples and can be fully operated and maintained from the ground.

HRF Veg: Crewmembers are scheduled to complete the Veg Questionnaire just prior to sleep. Crew members take surveys to evaluate their moods and assess any psychological benefits from interacting with plants in the spaceflight environment. Pick-and-eat Salad-crop Productivity, Nutritional Value, and Acceptability to Supplement the ISS Food System is a hybrid experiment with plant research, as well as human organoleptic and behavioral research.

Plant Water Management: The crew set up the Plant Water Management experiment. This experiment seeks to demonstrate engineered capillary fluidic soils that can deliver water and nutrients to plants at rates actually required by the plant. Crew also setup the digital camera and initiated a 48-hour imaging session. The Plant Water Management investigation demonstrates passive measures for controlling fluid delivery and uptake in plant growth systems. Reduced gravity creates challenges in providing adequate fluid and nutrition for plant growth. This investigation examines using other physical properties such as surface tension, wetting and system geometry to replace the role of gravity.

Repository: The crew performed blood and urine collections in support of the Repository study. Repository is a storage bank of crew biological specimens collected over extended periods of time. Repository supports scientific discovery that contributes to our fundamental knowledge in the area of human physiological changes and adaptation to a microgravity environment and provides unique opportunities to study longitudinal changes in human physiology spanning many missions.

Veg-03: The crew installed Root Mats and then placed small Plant Pillows on top of the root mat. The crew then primed the small Plant Pillows with water. Photos of the plant pillows were downlinked. Organisms grow differently in space, from single-celled bacteria to plants and humans. But future long-duration space missions will require crew members to grow their own food, so understanding how plants respond to microgravity is an important step toward that goal. Veg-03 uses the Veggie plant growth facility to cultivate Extra Dwarf Pak Choi, Amara Mustard and Red Romaine Lettuce using Seed Film which are harvested on-orbit with samples returned to Earth for testing.

Systems

Nanoracks Airlock (NRAL) Vestibule Outfitting Part 1: The crew performed activities to configure the Node 3 Port vestibule for the NRAL initial vestibule outfitting. These activities included removing an existing Node 3 external antenna communications cable and Controller Panel Assemblies (CPAs), connecting NRAL power and data connections, installing IMV ducts and kickplates, and re-installing the CPAs.

Countermeasures (CMS) Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation Stabilization (CEVIS) Ergometer Swap: The crew completed a removal and replacement (R&R) of the CEVIS ergometer and performed a checkout after experiencing issues with the unit making noise and not responding to resistance inputs this past weekend. Teams have reviewed data and CEVIS is GO for exercise.

Space Integrated Global Inertial Navigation System (SIGI) 1 GPS Receiver R&R: The crew performed an R&R of the failed GPS receiver located in the LAB1S7 rack. Once replaced, the ground performed a checkout of the unit. The primary function of SIGI is to produce the GPS based position, velocity, and attitude outputs needed to control the ISS’s position in space.

Completed Task List Activities:

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

Thermal Amine Scrubber Troubleshooting
SPS NRAL Node 3 Deactivation
SSRMS Maneuver to Park
Look Ahead Plan

Tuesday, February 9 (GMT 040)
Payloads:

3DMM US LAB and Node 1 Sample Collection
EXPRESS Rack 11B Locker Removal
MELFI1-DEWAR-AUDIT
Solidification Using Baffles in Sealed Ampoules OBT
Vection Experiment Session
ELF sample Holder Change including Debris Bag R&R
ISS HAM Service Module Pass
Plant Water Management – Soil Refill Ops
Systems:

CEVIS Ergometer Stow
WHC UR and IF R&R
Tele Operational Control Mode Drill
Node 3 Port Forward and Port Aft IMV Install and C/O
EVA A/L Unstow
EBOT Hardware Prep
Wednesday, February 10 (GMT 041)
Payloads:

3DMM Node 2 Sample Collection
Antimicrobial Coatings Touch
AstroRad Vest Familiarization
GRIP science performance in seated position
ISS HAM Service Module Pass
JEM Cell Biology Experiment Facility Alternative Checkout
MELFI2-DEWAR-AUDIT
Solidification Using Baffles in Sealed Ampoules Sample Exchange
Systems:

FSS Setup and Refill of Node 2 and Lab LTL PPA
EBOT Install and Closeout
PMD Teardown
Thursday, February 11 (GMT 042)
Payloads:

3DMM Node 3 Sample Collection
ASTRORAD Vest Survey 1
Food Acceptability Survey
Food Physiology Crew Diet Briefing
GRIP science performance in seated position
HRF Veg Subject Operations Veg Questionnaire
Plant Water Management Hydroponics Operations
Solidification Using Baffles in Sealed Ampoules OBT
Systems:

FSS Teardown and Stow
EVA A/L Restow
PiP AC Inverter Secure
NRAL Vestibule Outfitting Part 2
Node 3 Endcone Stowage Replace
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Phospho-Aging Generic MELFI Sample Retrieval and Insertion Operations
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Periodic Health Status (PHS) Evaluation – Subject
Progress 444 (DC1) stowage and IMS ops
JEM Cell Biology Experiment Facility Alternative Reconfiguration B
MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE-dosimeter initialization and deployment
Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) Humidifier Installation
Maintenance of DC1 АСП hatch sealing mechanisms and Progress 444 (DC1) [АСА] hatch
MELFI3-DEWAR-AUDIT
Activation of Progress 444 (DC1)
In-Flight Maintenance GPS Receiver Processor 1 at LAB1S7 R&R and C/O
Telescience Resource Kit Emerald Brick Power Cycle
Antimicrobial Coatings Touch
DC1-Progress 444 Hatch Closure
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Inspection
DC1-Docking Assembly and Progress-Docking Assembly hatch leak check
Combustion Integrated Rack Manifold #2 and #4 Bottle Replacement
Fluid System Servicer (FSS) Procedure Review
Pressure Management Device (PMD) Partial Teardown
Plant Water Management-Soil Prime and Operations
Nanoracks Airlock (NRAL) Vestibule Outfitting Part 1
FRIDGE IMAK Trash
Galley Refrigerator/Freezer 1 Content Transfer
VEG-03 Experiment Install
Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) Maintenance (DEFERRED)
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows (WinSCAT) Test
Three-Dimensional Microbial Monitoring (3DMM) Node 1 Sample Collection
Countermeasures (CMS) Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation Stabilization (CEVIS) Ergometer Swap
Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Manual Fill Initiation and Termination
ISS HAM Kenwood Radio Power Down in Columbus and Service Module
Node 3 EWC WAP Power On
Plant Water Management Fast Refill
USOS Window Shutter Close