NASA Space Station Status Report 15 March, 2022 – U.S. Spacewalk 79 Completed

NASA astronauts Kayla Barron and Raja Chari concluded their spacewalk at 3:06 p.m. EDT after 6 hours and 54 minutes in preparation for upcoming solar array installation.
Barron and Chari completed their major objectives for today to prepare the space station for upcoming solar array upgrades by assembling and installing modification kits. The duo built a support bracket onto which a future ISS roll out solar array (iROSA) will be mounted. So far, two of six iROSAs have been deployed on station with four additional arrays to be delivered. The arrays will ultimately augment six of the station’s eight power channels, increasing the station’s total available power from 160 kilowatts to up to 215 kilowatts.

It was the 247th spacewalk in support of space station assembly, upgrades and maintenance, and was the first in Chari’s career and the second for Barron. Chari and Barron are in the midst of a planned six-month science mission living and working aboard the microgravity laboratory to advance scientific knowledge and demonstrate new technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions as part of NASA’s Moon and Mars exploration approach, including lunar missions through NASA’s Artemis program.

Astronaut roles for the next spacewalk on March 23 will be confirmed soon. NASA TV coverage for the March 23 spacewalk will begin at 7:30 a.m. for a spacewalk expected to begin around 8:50am.

For the Wednesday, March 23, spacewalk, designated U.S. EVA 80, two astronauts will install hoses on a Radiator Beam Valve Module that routes ammonia through the station’s heat-rejecting radiators to keep systems at the proper temperature. The crew members also will install a power and data cable on the Columbus module’s Bartolomeo science platform, replace an external camera on the station’s truss, and conduct other upgrades to station hardware.

On-Orbit Status Report

Payloads:

Nutrition Monitoring for the International Space Station (NutrISS): In support of the NutrISS investigation, an ESA Nutritional Assessment (ENA) was performed. In the NutrISS investigation, a periodic assessment of body composition (body weight, fat mass, and fat-free mass) during spaceflight aboard the ISS is carried out using a dedicated bio-impedance analysis device to allow for the measurement of long-term energy balance modification over time. It is hypothesized that an adjusted diet maintaining a near-neutral energy balance, and/or increasing protein, intake can limit microgravity-induced bone and muscle loss.

Standard Measures (SM): In support of the SM investigation, an Actiwatch Plus (AWP) was retrieved and donned, and a pre-sleep questionnaire was filled out. The aim of the investigation is to ensure consistent capture of an optimized, minimal set of measures from crewmembers until the end of the ISS Program in order to characterize the adaptive responses to and risks of living in space. Among other things, the ground teams perform analyses for metabolic and chemistry panels, immune function, microbiome, etc. These measures populate a data repository to enable high-level monitoring of countermeasure effectiveness and meaningful interpretation of health and performance outcomes and support future research on planetary missions.

Space Tango – CubeLab: The crew removed the two CubeLab satellites from their TangoLab facility location, activated them, and photo-documented the resulting operations. Following this they were re-installed in their TangoLab location to recharge and transfer data. Space Tango – CubeLab Satellite Demonstrator tests a new attitude-control technology for small satellites, which is an integral part of future space missions. Conventional attitude control systems for large satellites are not suited for small satellites. The new technology is energy efficient, lightweight, and not subject to friction wear and could enhance the attitude maneuvering capabilities of small satellites.

Systems:

USOS EVA 79: 3A IROSA Prep EVA: Today, ISS crewmembers Kayla Barron and Raja Chari completed the 79th USOS Extravehicular Activity (EVA). The main goal of this EVA was to continue with the assembling and installation of modification kits required for the future solar array upgrades, called the ISS Roll-Out Solar Arrays (IROSA). The IROSA is a modification to the existing Solar Array Wings (SAWs). It provides additional power for the proposed commercial modules to be launched to station as well as MLM. During the 6-hour and 54-minute EVA, the EV crew completed the following objectives:

Install IPA Mod Kit on S4 3A Mast Canister
Fold back S6 BCDU MLI
S6 BCDU 1 H1 & H2 Break Torque & Reset
S6 BCDU 2 H1 & H2 Break Torque & Reset
Additionally, the crew completed the following get-ahead procedures including robotic enhancements which reduce future EVA time by enabling robotic R&R capabilities:

BCDU 3A1 H1 and H2 break torque and reset
BCDU 3A2 H1 release and H2 break torque and reset
BCDU 3A3 H1 release and H2 break torque and reset
DDCU 3A H1 and H2 break torque and reset
DCSU 3A H1 and H2 break torque and reset
PFCS 3A H3 and H4 break torque and reset
AMS Patch Panel Access
TUS Inspection
Network Monitoring Laptop Replace & Setup: The crew replaced an existing failed/degraded Network Monitoring System (NMS) Zbook Laptop with a stowed spare and connected the new laptop to the network and prepped for ground loading. The GigE to USB adapters were connected to the NMS and the failed laptop was stowed.

In-Flight Maintenance (IFM) Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Pre-Treat Tank Remove & Replace (R&R): The crew R&Red the Pre-Treat Tank as part of nominal WHC preventive maintenance. Each tank contains five liters of pre-treat solution, a mixture of acid, chromium oxide, and water, used for toiled flushing and required for nominal WHC operation. The installed WHC Dose Pump connectors and pump head were inspected for pre-treat leaks. The spare WHC Urine Filter Hose was also inspected and configured for stowage to minimize risk for hose kinking or damage.

Completed Task List Activities:

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

3A IROSA Prep EVA
Look Ahead Plan

Wednesday, March 16 (GMT 75)
Payloads:

Confocal Space Microscopy
EasyMotion/CEVIS
ELT2 Setup
Food Acceptability
LSG Ops
Myotones
NutrISS
Space Biofilms-2
Standard Measures
SQuARE
UNIGLO
Vascular Aging
Systems:

Columbus Bay Clean-up/Restow
EMU Water Recharge
Return SSC 12
WHC ??? R&R
POC DOUG Software Review
EVA QD Training Review
HD EMU Camera Assembly Terminate
EMU LLB/REBA Removal
EVA Battery Ops
EVA Debrief
Thursday, March 17 (GMT 76)
Payloads:

HRF PC Software Update
ISS HAM Pass
J-SSOD-21 Install
Lumina
NutrISS
PG Tide
SQuARE
Standard Measures
SQuARE
Touching Surfaces
UNIGLO
Vascular Aging
Wireless Compose-2
Systems:

OGA Pump ORU Flush
EVA Tool Config
EMU ECWS OBT
Robotics Procedure Print
EVA Procedure Review
OBT ROBoT Setup
IMS Conference
WHC Manual Fill
OBT ROBoT Session
OGA Post Maintenance Flush/Stow
SSC 10 and 20 Swap
EMU Swap
EMU Resize
METOX Regeneration Termination
Friday, March 18 (GMT 77)
Payloads:

CAL MTL Leak Check
EasyMotion/T2
FROST2 Checkout
JEM Microbe
LSG Hardware Audit
Repository
SQuARE
Vascular Aging
Systems:

PAM iPad Deploy
EVA Battery Operations Terminal Terminate
US EVA Ammonia OBT
Brine Processor Bladder Changeout
EVA Procedure Review
EVA Procedure Conference
REBA Powered Hardware Checkout
EMU LLB METOX Installation
ISS Safety Briefing
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

Assist with ISLE EVA PREP activities
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) In-Suit Light Exercise (ISLE) Preparation
Comm configuration for USOS EVA
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Purge
Actiwatch Plus Watch Don
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) In-Suit Light Exercise (ISLE) Prebreathe
TangoLab CubeLab Satellite Activation and Checkout
Airborne Particulate Monitor Status Check
Crewlock Depress
Network Monitoring Laptop Replace & Setup
Crewlock Post Depress
Crewlock Egress
Worksite Prep
3A Center Pad To Mast Canister
Install 3A Left Struts
In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Pre-Treat Tank Remove & Replace
Install 3A Right Struts, MLI, and Clamps
NutrISS – ESA Nutritional Assessment
Microgravity Science Glovebox MSG Laptop Activation
SQuARE Flexible Daily Imagery
Worksite Cleanup
Waste Hygiene Compartment Urine Filter Hose Configure
S6 Battery Charge Discharge Unit Multi-Layer Insulation Tieback
Stowage Photo Survey
US EVA 79 Get Ahead Tasks
LSG Work Volume Deploy
NetworK Monitoring Closeout and Cleanup
EVA Crew Lock Ingress
Crewlock Pre Repress
Crewlock Repress
Return to nominal comm configuration after USOS EVA
Standard Measures Pre-sleep Questionnaire
Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) Post-EVA Activities
Photo/TV Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Camera Disassembly
EVA Glove Photo Downlink