NASA Space Station Status Report 11 March, 2022 – Another Day of Spacewalk Preparations

Two astronauts spent the day getting their spacesuits and tools ready for a spacewalk set to begin on Tuesday at the International Space Station.
The rest of the Expedition 66 crew focused on a variety of combustion and space biology research on Friday.

Flight Engineers Kayla Barron and Raja Chari worked throughout Friday preparing for a six-and-a-half hour spacewalk scheduled for 8:05 a.m. EDT on Tuesday. Barron and Chari checked out spacesuit emergency jet packs and other suit components including lights, cameras, and data recorders. They also configured a host of tools inside the U.S. Quest airlock they will use during their external maintenance job. The pair on Tuesday will install modification kits on the Starboard-4 truss structure that will ready the space station for its third roll-out solar array. NASA TV begins its live spacewalk broadcast on Tuesday at 6:30 a.m.

Astronauts Mark Vande Hei of NASA and Matthias Maurer of ESA (European Space Agency) took turns installing combustion science hardware in the Kibo laboratory module at the end of the week. Vande Hei later serviced samples for the Space Biofilms study that seeks to prevent molds from growing and impacting spacecraft systems and crew health. NASA Flight Engineer Tom Marshburn worked in the U.S. Destiny laboratory module servicing gear supporting a fire safety study that could inform future spacecraft designs.

Cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov continued evaluating the lower body negative pressure suit that expands veins and tissues in the lower body possibly preventing vision changes and head pressure in microgravity. Shkaplerov then attached sensors to himself and jogged on the Zvezda service module’s treadmill for a Russian exercise study. Dubrov collected microbe samples from station surfaces and photographed them for analysis.

On-Orbit Status rReport

Payloads:

Airborne Particulate Monitor (APM): The APM experiment hardware was removed from its US Lab location, its science data was transferred to a Station Support Computer (SSC) for downlink, and it was installed in Node 3. Air quality in crewed spacecraft is important for keeping astronauts healthy and comfortable. Although requirements exist for maximum allowable concentrations of particulate matter, currently no measurement capability verifies whether these requirements are met. APM demonstrates an instrument for measuring and quantifying the concentration of both small and large particles in spacecraft air. The data can be used to create a map of air quality in terms of particles and shed light on the sources of such particles.

Behavioral Core Measures (BCM): ROBoT-r research sessions consisting of a set of 12 runs/tests were performed. The Standardized Behavioral Measures for Detecting Behavioral Health Risks during Exploration Missions (Behavioral Core Measures) experiment initially examined a suite of measurements to reliably assess the risk of adverse cognitive or behavioral conditions and psychiatric disorders during long-duration spaceflight and evaluated the feasibility of those tests within the operational and time constraints of spaceflight for two crewmembers. Subsequent subjects perform a subset of the original activities to measure the performance capabilities of deconditioned crew members to complete either individual or crew telerobotic operations within the first 24 hours after landing. This information could help characterize what tasks a crewmember who has spent months in weightlessness can reasonably be expected to perform after landing on the surface of Mars.

Crew Interactive MObile companioN (CIMON): Following the successful software update earlier this week, checkouts and troubleshooting continued. The Pilot Study with CIMON is a technology demonstration project, and an observational study, that aims to obtain the first insights into the effects on crew support by an Artificial Intelligence (AI), in terms of efficiency and acceptance during long-term missions in space. Spaceflight missions put the crew under a substantial amount of stress and workload, and it is thought that AI could provide operational support to crew members.

Combustion Integrated Rack/Solid Fuel Ignition and Extinction (CIR/SoFIE): The crew gained access to the CIR combustion chamber, removed a rail segment which was causing the interference encountered earlier this week, and then successfully seated the SoFIE insert. SoFIE is a hardware insert for CIR that will enable a wide range of solid-material combustion and fire suppression studies, providing common infrastructure including sample holders, flow control, test sections, external radiant heaters, igniters, and diagnostics for multiple investigations. While SoFIE initially meets the requirements of five investigations, it is intended for use by any researchers who propose related solid combustion studies to NASA in the future.

Food Physiology: A diet briefing was attended in support of the Food Physiology investigation. The Integrated Impact of Diet on Human Immune Response, the Gut Microbiota, and Nutritional Status During Adaptation to Spaceflight (Food Physiology) experiment is designed to characterize the key effects of an enhanced spaceflight diet on immune function, the gut microbiome, and nutritional status indicators. These factors are interlinked, but diet is the only one that can be easily and meaningfully altered on Earth or during flight. This investigation aims to document the effect of dietary improvements on human physiology and the ability of those improvements to enhance adaptation to spaceflight.

Retinal Diagnostics: Using an iPad with a special retinal lens device attached, Retinal Diagnostics science sessions and follow-up questionnaires were performed. The DLR-EAC Retinal Diagnostics Study (Retinal Diagnostics) utilizes a commercially available ophthalmology lens, approved for routine clinical use with mobile devices, to capture images of the human retina in space. The videos/images are downlinked to test and train models to detect retinal pathologies common among astronauts.

Space Biofilms-2: The crew performed the fixation activity for a 24-well plate. Fixation refers to a group of techniques which are used to preserve various aspects of the samples for later analysis. The Characterization of Biofilm Formation, Growth, and Gene Expression on Different Materials and Environmental Conditions in Microgravity (Space Biofilms) investigation characterizes the mass, thickness, structure, and associated gene expression of biofilms (molds) that form in space by analyzing a fungal species grown on different materials. The experiment uses the model fungal organism Penicillium rubens. Biofilm formation can cause equipment malfunction and human illnesses and could be a serious problem on future long-term human space missions.

Systems:

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Preparation Activities: Several activities were completed in preparation for the upcoming 3A ISS Roll Out Solar Array (IROSA) Prep EVA. A checkout of the Simplified Aid for EVA Rescue (SAFER) was performed to ensure it is functional prior to the EVA, and the Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly (REBA) underwent a powered hardware checkout for functionality of the Helmet Lights, EVA Mobility Unit (EMU) Glove Heaters, EMU TV, HD EMU Camera, and EMU Data Recorder. EVA tools were configured, and the crew printed the EVA Cuff Checklist. The Cuff Checklist is a small book with an elastic band to allow EV crew to wear it on their wrist. The book always contains a set of pages for EMU contingency responses and pages for task-specific information to be printed and taped. The Photo TV GoPro EVA Cameras were also configured for EVA operations.

Temperature and Humidity Control (THC) Intermodule Ventilation (IMV) Flow Measurement Survey: To support monitoring of the health of the ISS IMV system, a Velocicalc device was used to take measurements of air flow exiting outlets and entering inlets throughout the USOS modules. In addition to flow rate measurements, inspections were performed in selected locations.

In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Brick Orientation: The crew performed an activity to reorient the Cobalt Bricks in the Lab out of the Keep Out Zone (KOZ). The Cobalt Bricks upstream of the HV-Server Laptops had impinged on a KOZ, and this activity shifted bricks to clear the KOZ and prepare for the upcoming H2 Sensor Tech Demo which will be installed on the rack front.

IFM Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Full Fill: ISS crewmembers performed a manual WHC flush tank fill. By using a post-flight analysis bag to capture any pressure relief, also known as the burp, they depressurized the flush water tank and water valve block to protect the dose pump. This pump is critical as it injects the pre-treat required to properly recycle waste urine.

Completed Task List Activities:

None
Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

JEMRMS Deactivation
JEM Airlock Status Monitoring
NanoRacks External Platform Activaiton.
JEM Mode Transition from ROBO to STANDARD
MCC-H Transition to Standard Mode
SDMS Activation
Venting System Deactivation – VEDD closing
MCC-H Transition to Reboost Mode
MCC-M Transition to Standard Mode
Look Ahead Plan

Saturday, March 12 (GMT 71)
Payloads:

SQuARE
Systems:

IDA Docking Ring MLI Floating Bracket Fit-check
Sunday, March 13 (GMT 72)
Payloads:

Easy Motion
SQuARE
Systems:

Crew Off-Duty Day
Monday, March 14 (GMT 73)
Payloads:

CAL MTL leak check
CBEF-L backup power unit install
EasyMotion/ARED
J-SSOD-21 install
JWRS bag check
ManD print remove and stow
MLC shell changeout
SQuARE
UNIGLO probe exchange
UOP activation
Systems:

EVA PGT Batt Install
E-LK Prep
EVA Tool Config
EHS TOCA WRS Sample Analysis/Data Record
EVA Tool Audit
EVA #1 Proc Review for EV Crew
EVA Proc Conf
ECLSS Recycle Tank Drain/Fill
EVA iPad Prep
RWS Setup
UTS EDV Swap
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Crew to power ON Cimon Free Flyer
FROST2 CONTROLLER2 INSTALLATION
HRF Rack 1 PC 1 Transfer 1
Airborne Particulate Monitor Data Transfer
[deferred] HRF Rack 2 PC Software Integrated Build Load Installation Preparation
Airborne Particulate Monitor LAB Hardware Remove
Cimon sound, camera settings and LEDs check
LSG Work Volume Deploy/Stow
Airborne Particulate Monitor Node 3 Install
CIMON Troubleshooting 1: Check Connectivity on different network interfaces
CIMON Troubleshooting 2: WiFi Connectivity Checks on Different COL Locations
Crew to interact with the Cimon and checkout new software update functionality features
Temperature and Humidity Control (THC) Intermodule Ventilation (IMV) Flow Measurement Survey
Cimon Disconnection, Clean-up, and Stow
LSG UV-C Decontamination System Install
Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue (SAFER) Checkout
Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly (REBA) Powered Hardware Checkout
SOFIE Insertion and Secure
Emergency Ammonia Hardware Relocate
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Brick Orientation
Swap SSC (Station Support Computer) 10 and 20 Swap
Cold Atom Lab MTL Jumper Leak Check
Photo/TV Camcorder Setup Verification
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tool Configuring
Behavioral Core Measures ROBoT-r Test
Food Physiology Crew Diet Briefing
Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Food Intake Tracker (ISS FIT)
LSG Primary Crew Restraint Unfold/Fold
Space Biofilms-2 Fixation 1 Ops
EVA Cuff Checklist Print
SAMS CU Battery Replace
Space Acceleration Measurement System Control Unit Activation
Payload Hardware Consolidate
Solid Combustion Experiment Module (SCEM) install to Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) Work Volume
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in Columbus
IGO Probe Retrieve and Stow
HRF Rack 1 PC 1 Transfer 2
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Full Fill
Photo TV GoPro Setup
SQuARE Flexible Daily Imagery
Ultrasound 2 HRF Rack 2 Power On
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Prep.
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Subject Prep.
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Venous Thromboembolism Scan
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Venous Thromboembolism Scan performed by a Crew Medical Officer (CMO)
Space Biofilms Iceberg Sample Insert
Retinal Diagnostics Photodocumentation
Retinal Diagnostics Data Acquisition
Retinal Diagnostics Equipment Stow
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Ultrasound 2 Post Exam