NASA Space Station Status Report 3 August, 2022 – Free-Flying Robots
The Expedition 67 crew kept busy aboard the International Space Station today readying free-flying robots, preparing sample returns, and transferring cargo.
NASA Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren set up Astrobee’s free-flying robots for a student robotics competition. For the competition, students write software to control one of the station’s Astrobee free-flying robots. Finalists have their code downloaded by NASA to the Astrobee platform and observe its performance.
NASA Flight Engineer Bob Hines made progress preparing and photographing sample returns for the Genes in Space-9 study, which evaluates how cell-free technology could be used in microgravity. The technology may provide a portable, low-resource, and low-cost tool with medical and monitoring applications for future space missions.
NASA Flight Engineer Jessica Watkins continued to purge and take samples of carbon dioxide from the Thermal Amine Scrubber, which tests a technology for removing carbon dioxide from the station’s air. ESA (European Space Agency) Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti spent time talking with students about life in space and other space-related topics. Watkins and Cristoforetti worked together to transfer cargo from the SpaceX CRS-25 Dragon spacecraft.
In the Russian segment of the station, Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos and Cosmonaut Denis Matveev were tasked with locating, photographing, and storing equipment and tools during a meeting with specialists. Cosmonaut Sergey Korsakov spent time replacing a carbon monoxide filter and sensor a part of a gas analyzer.
On-Orbit Status Report
Payloads:
Astrobee-Zero Robotics: The crew assisted with the performance of the competition finals. In this experiment session, student teams compete by using the Astrobee robots to spell out 3-6 letter passwords for the crew. The password is needed for a fictional situation in which two astronauts need to enter a password to restart power systems. For Astrobee-Zero Robotics (Zero Robotics), students write software to control one of the space station’s Astrobee free-flying robots. The first several rounds of the competition, co-led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Innovation Learning Center, and many collaborators, use an online simulation. Finalists have their code downloaded by NASA to the Astrobee platform and observe its performance. The experience helps inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers.
Four Bed Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Scrubber: Two CO2 samples were obtained, and one relative humidity sample was obtained for the Four Bed CO2 scrubber effluent. Four Bed CO2 Scrubber demonstrates a technology for removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere on a spacecraft. The technology is based on the current system in use on the ISS with mechanical upgrades in absorption beds, heater elements, and valves while using an improved zeolite absorbent to reduce erosion and dust formation. A goal for next-generation systems is continuous operation for 20,000 hours without a failure, and this technology is a step toward that goal.
Genes in Space-9 (GIS-9): Today, the crew concluded runs 3 and 4 that were initiated on Tuesday. Cell-free technology is a platform for protein production that does not include living cells. GIS-9 evaluates two approaches for using this technology in microgravity: cell-free protein production and biosensors that can detect specific target molecules. The technology could provide a portable, low-resource, and low-cost tool with potential applications for medical diagnostics, on-demand production of medicine and vaccines, and environmental monitoring on future space missions.
ISS Ham Radio: The crew participated in an ISS HAM pass with Swiss Guide and Scout Movement, Bern, Switzerland. Some of the questions asked by the scouts included what the crew thinks about space tourism, what Ham radio equipment the crew is using for this event, and how the crew handles medical emergencies. Since the earliest space station expeditions, ISS Ham Radio has allowed groups of students in schools, camps, museums, and planetariums to hold a conversation with the people living in space. As the ISS passes overhead, students have about 9 minutes to ask crew members 10 to 20 questions.
Ring Sheared Drop (RSD): In preparation for the start of science operations, the RSD hardware was set up in the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG). The RSD investigation examines the formation and flow of amyloids without the complications associated with the solid walls of a container, because in microgravity, surface tension provides containment of the liquid. Fibrous, extracellular protein deposits found in organs and tissues; amyloids are associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Results could contribute to better understanding of these diseases as well as to development of advanced materials.
Spacesuit Evaporation Rejection Flight Experiment (SERFE): The crew removed the SERFE experiment hardware and prepared it for return to the ground. The SERFE science objectives were previously completed. SERFE demonstrated a new technology to remove heat from spacesuits and maintain appropriate temperatures for crew members and equipment during space walks. The technology uses evaporation of water for cooling. The investigation determines whether microgravity affects performance and evaluates the technology’s effect on contamination and corrosion of spacesuit material.
Standard Measures: Presleep questionnaires were filled out in support of the Standard Measures investigation. Spaceflight Standard Measures (Standard Measures) collects a set of core measurements related to many human spaceflight risks from astronauts before, during, and after long-duration missions. The aim is to ensure consistent capture of an optimized, minimal set of measures from crew members until the end of the ISS Program in order to characterize the adaptive responses to and risks of living in space. 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.
eXposed Root On-Orbit Test System (XROOTS): The crew drained fluid from the XROOTS plant growth system and filled the reservoir with plant nutrient solution. This will help prepare the system for the 3rd plant growout, currently planned to begin next week. The XROOTS investigation uses hydroponic and aeroponic techniques to grow plants without soil or other growth media. Video and still images enable evaluation of multiple independent growth chambers for the entire plant life cycle from seed germination through maturity. Results could identify suitable methods to produce crops on a larger scale for future space missions.
Systems:
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Ultrasound 2 Eye Scan: The crew performed ultrasound exams on the eye today as the final of three regularly performed on-board routine tests to monitor crewmembers eye health. Ultrasound is an imaging technique that uses sound waves to capture an image of the eye structure. Eyesight is one of the many aspects of the human body that is affected by long-duration stays in microgravity environment.
Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Urine Receptacle (UR) and Insert Filter (IF) Remove and Replace: The crew conducted routine maintenance to replace the UR and IF. As part of the R&R, the crew cleaned the WHC power supply and reactivated WHC, and performed a functionality test to verify the WHC was operational following the maintenance.
Hypervisor Server Power Reconfiguration and Relocations: The crew reconfigured the power chain and untangled cables in order to route power to the new Hypervisor Server locations. Hypervisors 5 and 6 were then relocated from the Lab Forward Bulkhead to the LAB1P6 rack bay. The Hypervisor is a virtual machine manager that creates and runs the software, firmware, and hardware for the virtual machines on board the ISS.
Completed Task List Activities:
- None
Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
- Mobile Transporter (MT) Translate and Diagnostic Buffer Collection List (DBCL) Dump
- Mobile Servicing System (MSS) MTT JOTI Install
- Atmosphere Revitalization System (ARS) Lab Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) 2 Half Cycles
- Battery Charge/Discharge Unit (BCDU) Firmware Load
Look Ahead Plan
Thursday, August 4 (GMT 216)
Payloads:
- Cerebral Augmentation
- Plant Habitat Facility Reinstall
- Ring Sheared Drop Syringe Install
- SCEM Leak Check
- Standard Measures
Systems:
- Training for Emergency Response On-board ISS
- In-Flight Maintenance (IFM) Airlock Closeout Panel Fastener Survey
- Transfer Crew Dragon Cargo Operations
- Water Recovery System (WRS) Contingency Water Container-Iodine (CWC-I) Gather
Friday, August 5 (GMT 217)
Payloads:
- Astrobee Off
- Cold Atom Lab Jumper Leak Check
- Manufacturing Device Component Swap
- MISSE-15 MSC Removal and Pack for Return
- SALI1 Reinstall
Systems:
- Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Cooling Loop Maintenance Scrub
- Waste Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Piping R&R
- Transfer Crew Dragon Cargo Operations
- Health Maintenance System (HMS) – OCT2 Eye Exams
- Portable Emergency Provisions (PEPS) Inspection
Saturday, August 6 (GMT 218)
Payloads:
- Tangolab-3
Systems:
- Crew Off-Duty
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
- Astrobee Crew Conference
- Astrobee-Zero Robotics Finals Operations
- Atmosphere Revitalization System Four Bed Carbon Dioxide Scrubber Samples Part 2
- Brine Processor Bladder Remove Only
- Brine Processor Odor Control Mask Gather
- Cerebral Autoregulation Data Measurement Item Gathering and Setup
- Columbus PWS1 Installation
- Environmental Health System (EHS) – Formaldehyde Monitoring Kit (FMK) Stow
- ESA Monthly Management Conference
- Genes in Space 9 Run 3/4 End
- Genes in Space-9 MELFI Insert 3 & Sample Retrieve 3
- [not statused] Health Maintenance System (HMS) – ESA Nutritional Assessment
- Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Medical Accessories Kit (IMAK) Unpack from SPX-25
- Health Maintenance System (HMS) Ultrasound 2 Eye Scan Operations
- [active] Hypervisor Server Power Reconfiguration and Relocation
- ISS HAM Columbus Pass Kenwood
- Plug In Plan Hardware Stow
- POLAR-1/2/6 Desiccant Swap
- Review Emergency OBT Simulator Functionality
- Ring-Sheared Drop Hardware Setup Operations
- [deferred] Ring Sheared Drop Procedure Review
- SERFE Hardware Removal
- [deferred] SERFE Hardware Consolidate
- Standard Measures Pre-Sleep Questionnaire
- Transfer Crew Dragon Cargo Operations
- Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Urine Receptacle (UR) and Insert Filter (IF) Remove and Replace
- XROOTS System Flush and Fill
