NASA Space Station Status Report 25 March, 2022 – Axiom Mission 1 a Go

The 10 Expedition 66 crew members aboard the International Space Station wrapped up the workweek exploring ways to adapt to microgravity, cleaning up after a spacewalk, and completing robotics work.
The orbital crewmates also prepared a crew ship for departure and checked emergency gear.

NASA Flight Engineers Raja Chari and Kayla Barron took turns in the Columbus laboratory module on Friday studying how astronauts manipulate objects for ESA’s (European Space Agency) GRIP experiment. The duo sat in a specialized chair making gripping motions and tapping gestures as video cameras monitored their activities. Results may inform the design of intelligent spacecraft interfaces for a variety of gravity environments on lunar and planetary surfaces.

Chari also joined ESA Flight Engineer Matthias Maurer in the U.S. Quest airlock for cleanup duties after this week’s spacewalk. The duo spent six hours and 54-minutes during a spacewalk on Wednesday installing thermal gear and electronics components on the orbiting lab. Maurer later tested the EasyMotion suit that stimulates muscles while working out on the U.S. Destiny laboratory module’s exercise cycle. Researchers are exploring the effectiveness of the suit which may enhance and shorten the duration of working out in weightlessness.

NASA astronauts Tom Marshburn and Mark Vande Hei worked throughout the day on maintenance activities. Marshburn serviced components on a unique incubator that can generate artificial gravity inside the Cell Biology Experiment Facility. Vande Hei cleaned ventilation systems inside station crew quarters.

Vande Hei is now turning his attention to his upcoming crew departure on March 30 with cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov. He ended Friday finalizing computer tasks necessary before he returns to Earth. Shkaplerov scanned and loaded cargo inside the Soyuz MS-19 crew ship that will take the trio home. Shkaplerov also joined Dubrov and evaluated the lower body negative pressure suit for its ability to counteract the effects of weightlessness on the human body.

Dubrov also partnered with Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Korsakov as they completed check out activities of the European Robotic Arm’s controls inside the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module. Korsakov also had a session with cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Denis Matveev reviewing station emergency procedures and hardware.

NASA’s Flight Readiness Review for Axiom Mission 1 Concludes

The Flight Readiness Review for Axiom Mission 1 has concluded, and teams are proceeding toward launch of the first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. Pending range availability, launch is targeted no earlier than Sunday, April 3, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center’s in Florida.

During the 10-day mission, the crew will spend eight days on the International Space Station conducting scientific research, outreach, and commercial activities.

On-Orbit Status Report

Payloads:

Cold Atom Lab (CAL): A visual inspection was performed of the CAL moderate temperature coolant jumper, and any coolant observed was cleaned up. The CAL produces clouds of atoms that are chilled to about one ten billionth of a degree above absolute zero — much colder than the average temperature of deep space. At these low temperatures, atoms have almost no motion allowing scientists to study fundamental behaviors and quantum characteristics that are difficult or impossible to probe at higher temperatures. In microgravity, researchers may be able to achieve even colder temperatures than what is possible on the ground, and observe these cold atom clouds for longer periods of time.

EasyMotion: EasyMotion data was exported to a Tablet for downlink. The EasyMotion investigation uses whole body Electro-Myo-Stimulation (EMS) with a wearable body skin suit for an ISS crew member to perform pre- and post-flight EMS-assisted exercises. EMS technology initiates spontaneous (involuntary) activation of global musculature (muscle, tendon, fascia) to be monitored (muscle tone/tension and stiffness) in-flight using the non-invasive Myoton technology that is currently aboard the space station for the Myotones investigation.

Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF): A crewmember removed the slide rail from the CBEF Micro-G Sample Tray. The CBEF, a JAXA subrack facility, is an incubator with an artificial gravity generator. CBEF is housed in the Saibo (living cell) Experiment Rack with the Clean Bench (CB).

GRIP: Crewmembers performed GRIP science sessions in the seated position. The GRIP experiment studies the long-duration spaceflight effects on the abilities of human subjects to regulate grip force and upper limbs trajectories when manipulating objects during different kind of movements such as oscillatory movements, rapid discrete movements, and tapping gestures.

Touching Surfaces: A crewmember performed the last Touching Surfaces event and then deinstalled all five Touch Arrays from COL, LAB, Node 2 and Node 3. Previous space research conducted during short-term flight experiments and long-term environmental monitoring on board orbiting space stations (such as MIR or the ISS) suggests that the relationship between humans and microbes is altered in the crewed habitat in space. This interdisciplinary project Touching Surfaces aims to investigate novel, laser-structured antimicrobial surfaces onboard the ISS. The realistic testing of the tailor-made nanostructured antimicrobial surface in space allows for the determination of the most suitable design for antimicrobial surfaces for terrestrial applications such as public transportation and clinical settings, as well as future human space mission and habitation design.

Universal Intelligent Glass Optics (UNIGLO): The spool and preform sample was exchanged and the ground initiated a run. UNIGLO tests the effects of microgravity on a glass optics module capable of processing various types of complex glasses. The module uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help adapt materials processing techniques to the microgravity environment and a sensor based on laser-Doppler interferometry to measure the effects of microgravity on processing complex glasses for a variety of applications in space and on Earth.

Systems:

Post-Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Activities: Post-Radiator Beam Valve Module (RBVM) Jumper Install EVA activities continued today with the Airlock deconfiguration to prepare Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMUs) and equipment for long-term stowage, as well as a reconfiguration of the EVA D5 Camera for Intravehicular Activity (IVA) use. The lithium-ion batteries were installed into the Battery Stowage Compartment for post-EVA 80 Autocycle. Crew obtained a feedwater sample from the EMU Display and Control Module (DCM) water poppet prior to recharging the EMU feedwater tanks to satisfy maintenance requirements for on-orbit stowage using iodinated water. High Definition EMU Camera Assembly (HECA) power was terminated after files were downlinked, and EVA tools were stowed.

Urine Transfer System (UTS) Activities: The crew swapped the Backup ??? with the Offload ??? and stowed the Backup ???. The ??? is a water container intended for short-term storage and manual water transportation between facilities, and are also used to store water and urine for disposal. The Pretreated Urine Hose was also inspected for kinks or pinches between the UTS and Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) as part of WHC troubleshooting operations. The WHC is currently Go for use.

External Wireless Instrumentation System (EWIS) Network Control Unit (NCU) Troubleshooting: As part of the setup for troubleshooting activities for EWIS NCU functionality, the crew configured a Space Station Computer (SSC) client to directly connect to a suspect EWIS NCU via serial interface. MCC-H remotely logged in to perform the troubleshooting steps. After troubleshooting, the serial cable was disconnected and the laptop returned to its original location.

Crew Handover Activities: In preparation for crew handover between the 67S crew and 65S crew, the Starboard Crew Quarters (CQ) was cleaned, including intake and exhaust ducts, fans, and airflow sensors. The 65S crew also reviewed the Emergency Hardware Familiarization On-Board Training (OBT) with the 67S crew. Other 65S crew departure preparations included cleaning up data on the SSCs and tablets.

Completed Task List Activities:

PAM Familiarization Big Picture Words Review
Light Installation at JPM1OF3
Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

UHF 2 Activation/Deactivation
BCDU Firmware Load
Comm Configuration During an EMER OBT
Look Ahead Plan

Saturday, March 26 (GMT 85)
Payloads:

Standard Measures Saliva collect (NASA)
Systems:

Soyuz Nominal Descent Training
EVA Tool Stow
Sunday, March 27 (GMT 86)
Payloads:

Standard Measures Saliva collect and Urine setup (NASA)
Systems:

Crew Off-Duty Day
Monday, March 28 (GMT 87)
Payloads:

ANITA-2 Sample Collects (ESA)
CAL MTL Jumper Leak Check (NASA)
GRIP Supine Session (ESA)
IGO Sample Exchange (NASA)
J-SSOD-21 Removal (JAXA)
JWRS Item Gather (JAXA)
Plant Habitat-05 Harvest #4 (NASA)
Standard Measures Saliva and Urine Collect (NASA)
TOILET Leak Inspect and Air Filter and PT Tank Install (NASA)
VEGGIE Monitoring Review (NASA)
Systems:

Stowage Consolidation In JEM
Review Toilet System BPW for Phase 2 Ops
Node 3 Toilet Leak Inspection
Toilet Air Filter Install
Toilet Pretreat Tank Install
T2 Daily Inspection
65S Crew Departure Prep
Cygnus Transfer Cargo Ops
EHS TOCA WRS Sample
IFM Node 3 Hatch Inspect
EMU Helmet Troubleshooting
EWIS NCU Replacement
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

HRF Generic MELFI Sample Retrieval and Insertion Operations
HRF Generic Saliva Collection Stow
Standard Measures Body Sampling Survey
Standard Measures Body Sampling Collection
Standard Measures Body Sampling Stow
GRIP Big picture reading
Cell Biology Experiment Facility Slide Rail Removal
Standard Measures Fecal Collection
Standard Measures Fecal Collection Stow
Environmental Health System (EHS) Acoustic Monitor Setup
Acoustic Monitor Setup for Static Measurements
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Air Lock Deconfiguration
Photo/TV Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Camera Disassembly
Crew Dragon Tablet Sync/Stow
Urine Transfer System Backup EDV Swap
Installs Li-Ion Batteries into Battery Stowage Compartment
Urine Transfer System Offload EDV Swap
EWIS Network Control Unit SSC Troubleshooting
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Feedwater Sample
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Crew Quarters (CQ) Starboard Cleaning
Waste Hygiene Compartment Urine Transfer System Pretreated Urine Hose Inspection
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Water Recharge
Inventory Management System (IMS) Conference
Touching Surfaces – Touching, taking pictures, deinstallation and stowage
Cold Atom Lab MTL Jumper Leak Check
Intelligent Glass Optics Sample Exchange
On-board Training (OBT) ISS Emergency Hardware Familiarization
GRIP science performance in seated position
Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Food Intake Tracker (ISS FIT)
High Definition EMU Camera Assembly Terminate
Crew Departure Preparations for Return to Earth
US Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tools Stow
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Inspection
Swap SSC (Station Support Computer) 19 and 22 Swap
Treadmill 2 Daily Inspection
EWIS Network Control Unit to SSC connection teardown.
HRF Generic Saliva Collection