NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 8 June, 2020 – Servicing Communications Gear

The five-member Expedition 63 crew aboard the International Space Station started the workweek servicing a variety of communications gear. The quintet also worked on spacewalk gear, orbital plumbing and microgravity research.
NASA Commander Chris Cassidy started Monday working in the Japanese Kibo laboratory module. The veteran astronaut disconnected and removed an HDTV camera from Kibo’s airlock that filmed activities outside of the orbiting lab.

During the afternoon, he and fellow NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken worked in the station’s bathroom checking drain valves and recycle tanks. Located in the Tranquility module, the Waste and Hygiene Compartment also recycles urine into drinking water.

Hurley and Behnken started the morning unpacking more cargo from inside Japan’s H-II Transfer Vehicle-9 (HTV-9). After the space plumbing work, the pair set up the U.S. Quest airlock and began organizing hardware to get ready for upcoming spacewalks.

In the Russian segment of the space station, cosmonauts Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner inspected headsets and cables and updated communications inventory. The duo split up in the afternoon taking pictures of the Earth and studying the station’s magnetic environment.

On-Orbit Status Report

Payloads

High-Definition Television (HDTV) Camera Removal: The crew removed the HDTV hardware from the JEM Airlock (JEMAL) slide table and stowed it. This is a continuation of the ops needed to prepare for the installation of the external JAXA integrated Standard Imager for Microsatellites (iSIM) experiment later this week. iSIM is a high-resolution optical binocular telescope developed by SATLANTIS. The objective of this experiment is to demonstrate the technology, and its functionality, in the low-Earth orbit environment.

Hourglass-SD Swap: As a continuation of the data downlink for Hourglass run 2, the crew swapped out secure digital (SD) memory cards. JAXA’s Hourglass investigation examines the relationship between gravity and the behavior of granular materials such as regolith that covers the surface of planets and planetary-like bodies. Researchers observe various granular materials inside an hourglass and a measuring cylinder under different gravity conditions. Better understanding of the behavior of these materials supports the design of spacecraft for future missions landing on the surfaces of planets and other celestial bodies.

Systems

Treadmill (T2) Maintenance: Over the weekend, the crew began work to remove and replace (R&R) the T2 Data Avionics Unit (DAU). During the maintenance a stuck Node 3 Moderate Temperature Loop (MTL) Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) Quick Disconnect (QD) resulted in an ITCS leak of approximately 1.5 liters which resulted in a Node 2 ITCS shutdown. The ground team was able to recover cooling within 45 minutes. Although the crew made significant progress on the T2 DAU R&R activities this weekend, several closeout activities still remain and T2 remains non-operational. The remaining activities to recover T2 will be incorporated into the timeline this week.

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Airlock Unstow: In preparation for the upcoming S6 battery EVAs tentatively scheduled at the end of the month, the crew relocated hardware not needed for the upcoming EVA and prepared the Airlock to support EVA operations.

Emergency Communication Verification: Today the crew performed an emergency communication checkout from the US segment using the Very High Frequency (VHF)-1 comm system over US ground sites. During the ground site pass, the crew conducted a comm check with each center in Houston, Huntsville, Munich, Tsukuba, and Moscow. VHF-1 provides the emergency back-up for ISS to ground communication. Due to the rarity of using the VHF system over the US ground sites, emergency VHF comm verifications offer the only means of assuring the end-to-end VHF systems, equipment and personnel are operational and ready to support an emergency.

H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV)9 Cargo Operations: Today, the crew continued to perform HTV9 cargo transfer operations. Ground teams estimate ~8 hours of cargo operation remain to unload the vehicle.

Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Operations: Today the crew performed a drain of the Waste Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Recycle Tank to an available liquid waste container (???-?). Once the Recycle Tank drain was complete, the crew performed a visual check of the Recycle Tank quantity indicator to verify it was indicating empty. The crew then reconfigured the Recycle Tank valves to the “Fill” configuration and transferred the contents of a full ???-? to the Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) Waste Water Storage Tank (WSTA). Finally, the crew configured the UPA drain/fill valves to “process” so the pre-treated urine can be processed by the UPA.

Completed Task List Activities:

EMU Long Life Battery (LLB) Terminate
EVA Sublimator Briefing
PMM1P4 Trash Fill
Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

GNC PPL Update
ATS PPL Update
Recycle Tank Drain
VS leak limit commanding
Look Ahead Plan

Tuesday, 6/9 (GMT 161)
Payloads:

Electrolysis Measurement
iSIM Conference & Installation to JEMAL Slide Table
MELFI Icebrick Insert
Systems:

EMU HUT ORU R&R
HTV Cargo Ops
AQM Relocate
Wednesday, 6/10 (GMT 162)
Payloads:

CIR Manifold Bottle Replacement
Electrolysis Measurement
ISS Experience
JEMAL Depress
Plant Hab-02
Spectrum Procedure Review
Systems:

EVA Procedure Review
HMS Ultrasound
EMU Resize
HTV Cargo Ops
Thursday, 6/11 (GMT 163)
Payloads:

Electrolysis Measurement
EPM laptop load
Manufacturing Device
ISS Experience H/W Stow
PL NAS Vent Clean
Spectrum Setup
Systems:

MAX CEVIS
HTV Cargo Ops
EVA Battery Ops
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Body Mass Measurement
SCENARIO. Observation and photography using photo hardware
OBT for UPA Recycle Tank Drain and WSTA Fills
Hourglass SD Card exchange on PL Cntl Box S/N 002 for data downlink
JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Extension & Retraction
Transfer Operations – Pack and stow items on HTV
JEF HDTV Removal from EFU Adapter
Regeneration of Micropurification Unit (???) ?1 Absorption Cartridge (init)
SM Audio Subsystem [????] Routine Maintenance (Checkout of LF path and VHF receivers health check)
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Cuff Checklist Print and Incorporate
DUBRAVA. Observation and photography using [?? ???]
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain & Fill
Environmental Health System (EHS) Grab Sample Container (GSC) Sampling Operations
Air sampling using ??-1? sampler in LAB near AQM
[????] comm assets switchover to a backup set
URAGAN. Observation and photography using photo hardware
[CTTC] VHF2d comm check from SM on primary & backup comm sets. Return to nominal comm. configuration
Battery Stowage Assembly (BSA) Operation Initiation
Auxiliary Computer System [???] Laptops Antivirus Update
SM ventilation systems preventive maintenance. (Group A)
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) – JEM
Actiwatch Plus HRF Rack 1 Setup Evaluation
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill
Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Manual Fill
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Airlock Unstow
SREDA-ISS. Hardware focus setup, camera configuration & activation
Emergency RS ISS VHF-1 Comm Checkout from USOS
Actiwatch Plus HRF Rack 1 Stow Evaluation
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Process
[???] Auxiliary Computer System Antivirus Scan Prep