NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 9 April 2020 – New Crew Arrives

NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, along with Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner of the Russian space agency Roscosmos joined Expedition 62 Commander Oleg Skripochka of Roscosmos and NASA astronauts Andrew Morgan and Jessica Meir aboard the International Space Station when the hatches between the Soyuz spacecraft and the orbiting laboratory officially opened at 12:28 p.m. EDT.
The arrival temporarily restores the station’s crew complement to six for the remainder of Expedition 62.

Cassidy, Morgan, and Meir are set to participate in a crew news conference at 10:45 a.m. EDT Friday, April 10. The teleconference will stream on NASA TV and the agency’s website. Recorded video of the crew working on the International Space Station will air at 10:30 a.m.

Skripochka, Morgan, and Meir will undock in their Soyuz MS-15 spacecraft to return to Earth April 17. At the time of undocking, Expedition 63 will begin with Cassidy as the commander for a mission of more than six months during which they will conduct about 160 science investigations in fields such as, biology, Earth science, human research, physical sciences, and technology development. Work on the unique microgravity laboratory advances scientific knowledge and demonstrates new technologies, making research breakthroughs that will enable long-duration human and robotic exploration of the Moon and Mars.

The crew members of Expedition 63 are scheduled to be aboard the station to welcome the first commercial crew spacecraft, carrying NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, who will arrive on NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 flight test, currently targeted to launch in mid-to-late May.

It is the third spaceflight for Cassidy and Ivanishin and the first for Vagner.

On-Orbit Status Report

Autonomous Medical Officer Support (AMOS): The crewmembers performed autonomous ultrasound imaging using only the AMOS software instead of remote (ground team) guidance as is typical of these scans. They were able to successfully use the ultrasound instrument to image the urinary bladder and left/right kidney areas and no issues were reported. As missions venture farther from Earth, astronauts need the capability to diagnose and treat acute medical conditions without ground support. The AMOS Demonstration tests a software tool designed to help minimally trained or untrained users conduct complicated medical procedures, without assistance from Earth. For the study, the crew uses AMOS to perform ultrasound imaging of the bladder and kidneys, a plausible Mars mission medical scenario.

Food Acceptability: As a continuation of the ongoing Food acceptability experiment, the crew used the data collection tool on one of the SSCs (Station Support Computer) to complete the investigation survey. This investigation seeks to determine the impact of repetitive consumption of food currently available from the spaceflight food system. Results will be used in developing strategies to improve food system composition to support crew health and performance on long duration missions.

Veggie Passive Orbital Nutrient Delivery System (PONDS): The crew inspected the PONDS plant growth units for seed germination and noted what may be the start of plant growth in at least 2 of the 12 modules. Seed germination was expected before this time, and the ground team is looking into possible causes of the delay. Organisms grow differently in space, from single-celled bacteria to plants and humans. Future long-duration space missions will require crew members to grow their own food. Therefore, understanding how plants respond to microgravity and demonstrating the reliable vegetable production on orbit are important steps toward that goal. Veggie PONDS uses a newly developed passive nutrient delivery system and the Veggie plant growth facility aboard the ISS to cultivate lettuce and mizuna greens which are to be harvested on-orbit, and consumed, with samples returned to Earth for analysis.

Systems

62 Soyuz Launch/Dock: 62S launched on Thursday, April 9, from Baikonur Cosmodrome at 3:05 AM CT carrying Anatoly Ivanishin, Ivan Vagner, and Chris Cassidy to the ISS. Docking to the MRM2 port occurred at 9:13 AM CT with hatch opening at 11:29 AM CT. Following hatch opening, all 6 crewmembers performed the ISS Crew Safety Briefing during which the 61S crew familiarized the 62S crew with potential hazards and available safety measures. Plans were reviewed for emergency actions, roles and responsibilities in response to depressurization, fire and toxic release hazards.

Acoustic Monitor Noise Survey: The crew used an acoustic monitor to measure the acoustic environment in the habitable areas of the ISS by taking sound level readings. Measurements were taken in JLP, Node2, US Lab, Cupola and Service Module. This is a regularly scheduled activity to maintain acceptable noise levels which contributes to overall crew health.

Completed Task List Activities:
Countermeasures Systems (CMS) Exercise Equipment Gather

Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
62S docking ops
Payloads ground support

Look Ahead Plan
Friday, 4/10 (GMT 101)
Payloads:
Actiwatch Plus
Food Acceptability
MELFI OBT review
STP-H5 photo
Transparent Alloys stow

Systems:
61S Transfer Operations – Prepack US items for loading into Soyuz
On-board Training (OBT) ISS Emergency Hardware Familiarization
Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Pre-Treat Tank Remove & Replace
Crew Departure Preparations

Saturday, 4/11 (GMT 102)
Payloads:
ER 10B flow control adjust
SMD sample exchange
HRP saliva setup

Systems:
Emergency Roles and Responsibilities Review
Crew Quarters (CQ) Starboard Cleaning
Nitrogen Oxygen Recharge System(NORS) Nitrogen Transfer

Sunday, 4/12 (GMT 103)
Payloads:
Probiotics
Standard Measures

Systems:
PAO Symbolic

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

KORREKTSIYA. Starting Accelerometry
ISS HAM Radio Power Down in Columbus
USOS Window Shutter Close
ISS HAM Radio Power Down in Service Module
AMOS Demonstration Ultrasound 2 Scan Operator
Video Compression and Recording Unit 2 (VRU2) Cable Check and Reconfiguration
Soyuz 745 ODF Ops
KORREKTSIYA. Log Entry of Liquids and Food (Medicine) Intake
SOYUZ Gas-Analyzer Activation
AMOS Demonstration Operations Review Scanee
CASKAD. Cascade thermostat prep
AMOS Demonstration Ultrasound 2 Scan Scanee
Verify cover closure on SM windows 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14. Note 7
Preparation for Soyuz 745 Docking
MPEG2 Multicast Test via Ku-band (Activation/Deactivation of TV data and MPEG2 multicast controls)
Comm config for Soyuz docking to MRM2. Comm check with Soyuz 745 in RSA2-S/G2
Monitoring Soyuz 745 Rendezvous with ISS (MRM2)
Environmental Health System (EHS) Acoustic Monitor Setup
SPECTRUM MELFI Retrieve and Trash
Private Psychological Conference (PPC)
Acoustic Monitor Setup for Static Measurements
Activation of TV Data and MPEG2 Multicast Monitoring Equipment
Crew Departure Preparations for Return to Earth
VEGGIE PONDS Plant Photos
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Full Fill
On MCC Go Switching DC-Soyuz PEV in MRM2 to ELECTR CONTROL mode
Comm reconfig after Soyuz 745 docking
Closing Applications and Downlink of MPEG2 Multicast Video via OCA
Soyuz 745 – MRM2 Interface Leak Check. Start drying the first and the second space suits
Hardware setup in SM for “Expedition 63 Arrival” TV coverage from SM
Hardware setup in MRM2 for Hatch Opening from MRM2 TV Coverage
Soyuz-MRM2 hatch opening, Expedition 63 Arrival TV coverage
JEM Common Gas Support Equipment (CGSE) Lower CO2 Gas Supply Stop.
Food Acceptability Survey
Handover of the third space suit and gloves for drying in Soyuz 744
Drying of the third spacesuit in Soyuz 744, start
Comm reconfig for nominal ops
End of drying space suits 1, 2 (Soyuz 745)
ISS Safety Briefing
Arrival Private Medical Conference (PMC)
Setup the first pair of gloves for drying in Soyuz 745
Exiting Applications, Deactivation of camcorders and TV monitors
Soyuz 745 Deactivation (without Gas Analyzer deactivation) Transfer Atmosphere Purification & Filtration Unit (АФОТ-2М), ИПК-1М gas mask, and Portable Repress Tank (БНП) from MRM2 to Soyuz 745 БО
ISS Crew Orientation
Pressurization of Elektron-VM Liquid Unit before Activation
End drying the first pair of gloves and start drying the second pair (Soyuz 745)
End drying the third space suit, start drying the third pair of gloves (Soyuz 744)
Private Medical Conference (PMC)
End drying the second pair of gloves (Soyuz 745)
Stow the first, the second suits, and gloves in Soyuz 745 after drying
Handover of Increment 62 Crew
Terminate drying the third pair of gloves (Soyuz 744)
Handover of the third space suit and gloves after drying in Soyuz 744
Stow the third space suit and gloves in Soyuz 745 after drying
ISS HAM Radio Power Up
CASKAD. Transfer of БОП kit from Soyuz 745
BIOPLENKA, MICROVIR. Hardware transfer from Soyuz 745 and insertion into thermostat at
+4 deg C
CASKAD. Connecting БОП with БКУ to Cascade
Magnetic 3D-bioprinter. Hardware transfer from Soyuz 745
Magnetic 3D-bioprinter. Visual Inspection of the Cuvettes Kits
Soyuz 745 Transfers and IMS Ops
CASKAD. Cascad thermostat activation at +29°C
KORREKTSIYA. Accelerometry end