NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 8 October 2020 – Preparing for a Change of Crew

The Expedition 63 crew is readying gear and suits today as they prepare to return to Earth in less than two weeks.
Meanwhile, Thursday’s research aboard the International Space Station looked at robotics and biology.

Two crews will launch to the station and another one will complete its mission this month. First, NASA astronaut Kate Rubins will ride to the station aboard the Soyuz MS-17 spacecraft with cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov. The Expedition 64 trio crew will blast off from Kazakhstan on Oct. 14 to begin a 185-day mission aboard the orbiting lab.

Expedition 64 Commander Chris Cassidy will hand over the station “keys” to Ryzhikov the day before he completes his mission with Flight Engineers Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner. The three crew members will enter the Soyuz MS-16, undock from the Poisk module and parachute to a landing in Kazakhstan on Oct. 21.

Cassidy joined Ivanishin and Vagner during the afternoon and checked for leaks inside the Sokol flight suits they will wear when they depart the station. Ivanishin and Vagner also continued gathering station gear and personal items they will soon pack inside their Soyuz crew ship.

As usual, science experiments are ongoing on the station whether with inputs from the crew or by remote operations from students and scientists on the ground. Robotics is a prime space research subject and Cassidy set up the AstroBee free-flying satellites today that students are learning to program to understand spacecraft maneuvers. The veteran NASA astronaut later installed new hardware on the Life Sciences Glovebox to support prolonged crew operations in the research device.

Ivanishin and Vagner were back on biology studies today exploring ways to prevent the loss of bone mass due to extended missions in space.

On-Orbit Status Report

Payloads

Life Sciences Glovebox (LSG): The crew installed the LSG crew restraint hardware and deployed the LSG Work Volume. The crew also replaced the 10 inch LSG sleeves. LSG is a sealed work area that accommodates life science and technology investigations in a “workbench” type environment. Due to its larger size design, two crew members can work in the LSG simultaneously.

NanoRacks Platforms: The crew removed Module 73 from Plate Reader 2. NanoRacks Platforms is a multipurpose research facility on board the ISS. NanoRacks Platforms supports NanoRacks Modules in the CubeSat form factor by providing power and data transfer capabilities to operate investigations in microgravity.

Robo-Pro Challenge: The crew supported the final rounds of the Kibo Robot Programming Challenge which involved prepping, positioning and releasing the Astrobee Free Flyers. Kibo Robot Programming Challenge (Robo-Pro Challenge), also known as Kibo-RPC, allows students to create programs to control Astrobee, a free-flying robot aboard the International Space Station (ISS). This opportunity provides hands-on experience with science, technology, engineering and mathematics in space and inspires the next generation of explorers. This activity is based on Japan-U.S. cooperation through the Japan-US Open platform Partnership Program (JP-US OP3).

Systems

Sokol Suit Leak Checks: In preparation for their return to earth on October 22, all three crew members donned their Russian Sokol launch and entry suits in order to perform standard leak checks. All leak checks were completed successfully.

Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis & Data Record: Crew performed an analysis of the water processing assembly (WPA) using the TOCA. The TOCA unit oxidizes organic carbon species present in the water to carbon dioxide gas and measures the concentration using nondispersive infrared spectroscopy. Analysis of the potable water using the TOCA occurs on a weekly basis.

Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: Yesterday, the Robotics Ground Controllers (ROBO) powered up the MSS and swapped the Robotics Work Stations (RWS) to pickup MSS files uplinked on GMT 280. The Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) was commanded to release the NG-14 Grapple Fixture (GF) and was walked off to the Lab GF and finally to the Russian FGB GF. After completing the walk off, the Soyuz vehicle survey was performed with the SSRMS tip Latching End Effector (LEE) camera. The SSRMS was walked off back to the Lab GF and maneuvered to park. Finally, early this morning, the Mobile Transporter was translated from Work Site 3 (WS 3) to WS 7 in preparation for for RRM3 operations later this month. MSS performance was nominal.

Completed Task List Activities:

Transfer 62S USOS prepack (ongoing)
Transfer Cygnus Cargo Operations (ongoing)
Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

ATS PPL Update
SMCC Data Dump
PMA3 Heater Test Term
Thermal Amine Weekly Vent
Look Ahead Plan

Friday, 10/9 (GMT 283)
Payloads:

Onco Selectors Mix & Injections (NASA)
Astrobee Off (NASA)
Systems:

Systems Operations Data File (SODF) Update
Saturday, 10/11 (GMT 284)
Payloads:

Onco Selectors GLO Reagent (NASA)
LSG WV Stow & Restraint Fold (NASA)
Systems:

No Systems Activities
Sunday, 10/12 (GMT 285)
Payloads:

Myotones Review (ESA)
Systems:

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

??? (Universal Bioengineering Thermostat). Checking ???-? No.07 temperature and unobstructed area near ???-? inlet/outlet vents
Cleaning ???-4 smoke sensor needle in DC1 Fire Detection System
MRM1 Fan Screen Cleaning (Group B)
Robot Programming Challenge Final Round 1 & 2
Astrobee Battery Change for ROBO-PRO-FIN ROUND 2
Hardware prepack for return and disposal on Soyuz 745
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis & Data Record
NanoRacks Platform-2 Module Removal
Soyuz 745 Sokol spacesuit leak check
KORREKTSIYA. Accelerometry start/end
Transfer of thermal jackets [???] from Soyuz 745 [??] to Soyuz 745 [??] Note 11
??? maintenance. Verification of ??-1 Flow Sensor Position
Sokol spacesuit and gloves dry-out
ISS Crew departure preparation
Food Physiology Crew Diet Briefing
LSG Work Volume Deploy
LSG Sleeve Swap
LSG Crew Restraint Installation Initial (Primary)
Quick Don Mask Assembly (QDMA) fit check and photography in Soyuz 745
JEM Temporary Stowage Relocate
Flight Director/ISS CREW CONFERENCE
ABOUT GAGARIN FROM SPACE. Hardware deactivation and cleanup