NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 9 October 2018 – Astronauts Set for Thursday Launch

The next rocket that will launch NASA’s Nick Hague and Roscosmos’ Alexey Ovchinin to the International Space Station stands ready at its launch pad at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
The duo will liftoff atop the Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft Thursday at 4:40 a.m. EDT for a six-hour ride to their new home in space.

Hague and Ovchinin have been in final preparations at the launch site for two weeks of fit checks, Soyuz tests, procedure reviews and other traditional activities. This will be Hague’s first flight and Ovchinin’s second to the orbital lab.

Three Expedition 57 crew members aboard the space station await their new crewmates. Commander Alexander Gerst and Flight Engineers Serena Auñón-Chancellor and Sergey Prokopyev will greet the new duo Thursday when they aim to dock at 10:44 a.m. and open the Soyuz hatch around 1:10 p.m.

In the meantime, the orbiting trio today continued juggling a variety of science to improve life on Earth and maintenance to keep the station in tip-top shape. Gerst set up a microscope to observe the structure of protein molecules. Auñón-Chancellor brought in a small satellite deployer from outside the Kibo laboratory module after it deployed three CubeSats on Monday. Prokopyev worked on computers and life support gear throughout the station’s Russian segment.

On-Orbit Status Report

Lighting Effects: A Crewmember provided a sleep log entry upon waking. The Lighting Effects investigation studies the impact of the change from fluorescent light bulbs to solid-state light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with adjustable intensity and color and aims to determine if the new lights can improve crew circadian rhythms, sleep, and cognitive performance.

JAXA Low Temperature Protein Crystal Growth (LT PCG): Low Temp Protein Crystal Growth samples were prepared and inserted into the Glacier facility. The goal of the JAXA LT PCG experiment is to produce high quality protein crystals in a microgravity environment at a low temperature.

JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD): The J-SSOD #10 launch hardware was removed from the Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform in preparation of the Loop Heat Pipe Radiator installation. J-SSOD provides a novel and safe small satellite launching capability from the ISS.

Demonstration of Loop Heat Pipe Radiator (LHPR) System: The Crew installed the LHPR System and the External Ethernet Extender onto the Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform inside the JEM Airlock for future deployment. LHPR is an advanced two-phase heat transfer device that utilizes the evaporation and condensation of a working fluid to transfer heat, and the capillary force to circulate the fluid. This investigation demonstrates the heat transfer performance/functions under microgravity conditions using the LHPR experimental apparatus, which is grappled by the JEM Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS). This technology can be applied in the thermal control system of future satellites that generate large amounts of heat that could negatively affect satellite operations.

Binary Colloidal Alloy Test – Cohesive Sediment (BCAT-CS): The Crew checked the camera alignment and focus by viewing the latest BCAT images on a laptop. BCAT-CS focuses on the study of forces between particles that cluster together by using sediments of quartz and clay particles. Conducting the research in the microgravity environment of the ISS makes it possible to separate the forces acting on the particles over a short range (adhesive forces) versus those acting over a long range (cohesive forces). The quartz/clay system is commonly found in a wide variety of environmental settings (such as rivers, lakes, and oceans) and plays an important role in technological efforts related to deep-sea hydrocarbon drilling and carbon dioxide sequestration.

Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR) Light Microscopy Module (LMM) Biophysics: Crew reconfigured the FIR LMM Biophysics facility and installed the Biophysics Plate 2 into the LMM Petri Base Auxiliary Fluids Container. Proteins are important biological molecules that can be crystallized to provide better views of their structure, which helps scientists understand how they work. Proteins crystallized in microgravity are often higher in quality than those grown on Earth. The Effect of Macromolecular Transport on Microgravity Protein Crystallization (LMM Biophysics 4) studies why this is the case, examining the movement of single protein molecules in microgravity.

Human Resources Facility (HRF) 1: Crew unstowed a Z-Book to be used as HRF Portable Computer 1 and connected it Express Rack 3. The new Z-book laptops will be used for upcoming NeuroMapping sessions. HRF-1 provides an on-orbit laboratory that enables scientists conducting human life science research to evaluate the physiological, behavioral, and chemical changes induced by space flight. Research performed using HRF-1 provides data to help scientists understand how the human body adapts to long-duration spaceflight.

Basic Express Rack 10 (ER-10B): Express Rack 10B was activated by the ISS Crew for the first time today. The new rack arrived on HTV-7 and was previously installed by the Crew. Today’s activities included initiating the Manual Flow Control Valve that will affect the Moderate Temperature Loop (MTL)flow into the Rack. In addition, they worked with the ground teams and successfully performed the initial activation and checkout of the rack. EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments for Space Station (EXPRESS) Racks are multipurpose payload rack systems that store and support research aboard the ISS. The EXPRESS Racks support science experiments in any discipline by providing structural interfaces, power, data, cooling, water, and other items needed to operate science experiments in space.

VHF-1 Emergency Comm Checks: The Crew configured USOS and ROS Audio Subsystems to support successful VHF-1 comm checks with Houston, Huntsville, Tsukuba, and Moscow via the Wallops Flight Facility. VHF-1 provides an emergency back up for ISS to ground communications and is verified using each of the three U.S. ground sites at least once per year.

Completed Task List Activities:
None

Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
VHF1 Comm Checks
C2V2 RF Demonstration with ESTL
ER-10B Activation and Checkout Support

Two-Day Look Ahead:

Wednesday, 10/10:

Payloads:
LTE Meter Readings (Crew Quarters)
ELF Gas Bottle Unit Replacement (JAXA)
Actiwatch Spectrum Setup and Swap and Stow (NASA)
CIR Manifold 4 Bottle Replacement (NASA-Joint)
Life Science Rack O2 Generator Preparation (ESA)
Life Science Rack Red helium Camera setup and Meter reading (ESA)
Time Perception (ESA)
Aerosol Passive Samplers Stow (NASA)
ISS HAM (NASA)

Systems:
JEMAL depressurization in support of LHPR deploy planned for October 22

Thursday, 10/11:

Payloads:
JAXA PCG Install (JAXA)
Team Task Switching Survey (NASA)
Food Acceptability (NASA)
Actiwatch Donning (NASA)
BCAT Camera Activity (NASA)
Myotones hardware Gather (JAXA)
Express Rack 10 Locker removals (NASA)
NanoRacks Platform 3 Relocate (NASA)
Z-book Software Loads (NASA)

Systems
56S Launch and Docking
ISS Safety Briefing

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

Record COP24 script
EVA Procedure Review for Suit IV
International Procedure Viewer Tablet Questionnaire
Spacetex-2 Final Questionnaire
Visual inspection and leak check, using US Leak Detector in the orbital compartment [БО] of Soyuz №739. Report to MCC during comm pass
Record UN Forum Script
Record VDE Summit Script
Handover Big Picture Words Review
Sextant Navigation Payload Proficiency
IMS Delta File Prep
Preparation of Reports for Roscosmos Web Site and Social Media
Visual Inspection and Leak Monitoring Using US ULD Leak Detector in Soyuz 739 Orbital Module. Report to MCC
ECON-M. Observation and photography
Lighting Effects Sleep Log Entry Subject
БМП Micropurification Unit Ф2 Cartridge Regen (start)
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain
JEM Airlock Press
СОЖ Maintenance
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain Part 2
Audit of the Hardware Plugged in Onboard Outlets in the SM, DC1, MRM2, MRM1, FGB, System Power Panels ППС-26 and ППС-31
JEM Airlock Leak Check
JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Extension to JPM Side
JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (SSOD) removal from Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform
Fluids Integrated Rack Doors Open
LMM Biophysics Configuration
Loop Heat Pipe Demo Installation
S/G 1 Comm Check from Baikonur
Nikon Time Synch with ISS Time
Fluids Integrated Rack Doors Close
JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Retraction from JPM Side
SM Ventilation Preventive Maintenance. Group B1
LMM MELFI Sample Retrieve
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill
XF305 Camcorder Setup
JAXA LT PCG Sample Preparation and Insertion
Fluids Integrated Rack Doors Open
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill
LMM Biophysics Plate Installation
Binary Colloidal Alloy Test-Cohesive Sedimentation SB-800 Flash Setting
Binary Colloidal Alloy Test – Cohesive Sedimentation Camera Activities
Fluids Integrated Rack Doors Close
EXPRESS Rack10B Rack MTL Flow Rate Adjust
Crew Medical Officer (CMO) Proficiency Training
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Waste Water Bag (WWB) Change out
Magnetic 3D Bioprinter. ТБУ-В Thermostat #5 Setup and Activation
Ultrasound 2 HRF Rack 1 Power On
Emergency RS ISS VHF-1 Comm Checkout from USOS
Monitoring ИП-1 Sensors Installation
EXPRESS Rack10B Initial Activation and Checkout
БМП Micropurification Unit Ф2 Cartridge Regen