Space Stations

NASA Space Station Status Report 26 August, 2022 – Biomedical Research

By SpaceRef Editor

Status Report

SpaceRef

August 27, 2022

Filed under Expedition 67, ISS, ISS On-orbit status, NASA

NASA Space Station Status Report 26 August, 2022 – Biomedical Research — The SpaceX Dragon resupply ship departs the space station. (Aug. 19, 2022)

NASA

Biomedical research topped the science schedule for the Expedition 67 crew members at the end of the week. Meanwhile, the International Space Station is ramping up for another spacewalk to configure its third robotic arm.

An astronaut’s skin experiences accelerated aging in microgravity and scientists are exploring if the space-caused molecular processes affect the way wounds heal. Observations of the skin healing biological mechanisms may inform advanced wound treatments and therapies for astronauts and Earthlings. Flight Engineers Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, all from NASA, with Samantha Cristoforetti of ESA (European Space Agency), have been supporting the biomedical experiment taking place inside the Kibo laboratory module this week. On Friday, the quartet continued practicing surgical techniques such as biopsies, suture splints, and wound dressing, inside Kibo’s Life Science Glovebox.

Two cosmonauts spent Friday reviewing procedures for an upcoming spacewalk to continue outfitting the European robotic arm (ERA). Cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Denis Matveev reviewed the tasks and maneuvers they will use when they exit the Poisk module’s airlock and translate towards the ERA in their Orlan spacesuits. The duo previously worked outside the station on Aug. 17, 2022, configuring the ERA when Artemyev’s spacesuit experienced a power issue officially ending the spacewalk after four hours and one minute.

The station’s third robotic arm, from ESA, is attached to the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module and being tested for commanding and operations by Flight Engineer Sergey Korsakov. He partnered with his cosmonaut crewmates for the spacewalk procedures review on Friday and will assist Artemyev and Matveev in and out of their spacesuits and maneuver the ERA when they conduct their upcoming robotics spacewalk.

On-Orbit Status Report

Payloads:

AstroPi: The AstroPi photography checkout activity was continued with the removal of the 6 mm camera lens and the installation of the 12 mm camera lens. In this checkout, ground teams are assessing night-time photography capabilities of the AstroPi system with both lenses. Two augmented Raspberry Pi computers (called AstroPis) were flown to the ISS and are both equipped with the mighty Sense Hardware Attached on Top (HAT) which measures the environment inside the ISS, detects how the station moves through space, and picks up the Earth’s magnetic field. Each AstroPi is also equipped with different types of cameras: one has an infrared (IR) camera, and the other has a standard visible spectrum camera.

Systems:

Space Station Computer (SSC) Swap: Today, the crew moved SSC 12 from Dragon to LAB and moved SSC 20 from LAB to Dragon. SSCs are swapped regularly to ensure that International Procedures Viewer (IPV) backups are applied to SSCs remaining in Dragon for emergency situations. SSCs are laptops associated with non-command activities onboard the ISS.

EVA Battery Operations Terminal Charge Initiation: The crew initiated a charge of the Lithium-Ion Battery using the EVA Battery Operations Terminal. The Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly (REBA) Lithium-Ion Batteries are being recharged for use during Russian EVA 54A.

Completed Task List Activities: