NASA Space Station Status Report 4 August, 2022 – Inspecting for Leaks

The Expedition 67 crew’s midweek schedule aboard the International Space Station centered on installing equipment, inspecting for leaks, and a training exercise.

NASA Flight Engineer Jessica Watkins set up the drain for an installed recycling tank for the Environmental Control and Life Support System, a piece of hardware that provides the station with clean water and air. She also made configurations to the Plant Habitat Facility, which monitors plants grown in space.

NASA Flight Engineer Bob Hines completed a session for the Cerebral Autoregulation investigation, which assesses how the human brain regulates blood flow in microgravity. The experiment required him to wear electrodes and sensors that measured blood flow in his head and chest. Results of the study may benefit astronauts readjusting to Earth’s gravity upon their return.

NASA Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren completed a photo survey of fasteners of the station’s airlock close out panel. He later inspected a leak and reconnected parts for the Solid Combustion Experiment Module designed to investigate the oxygen concentration required to sustain a flame over solid fuels.

ESA (European Space Agency) Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti installed a sample into hardware for the Ring Sheared Drop investigation. The experiment examines the formation and flow of a type of protein, called amyloids, in microgravity. Amyloids are associated with neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s. Results of the study could help researchers better understand these diseases and aid the development of advanced materials.

Commander Oleg Artemyev of Roscosmos and Cosmonaut Denis Matveev met with specialists to stage spacewalk equipment and tools. Cosmonaut Sergey Korsakov spent time photographing microbial samples stored in petri dishes.

Toward the end of the day, the crew gathered to train on how to respond to an emergency aboard the station. The team practiced communicating, executing procedures, and makings decisions based on cues from simulator displays.

On-Orbit Status Report

Payloads:

Cerebral Augmentation: The crew set up the appropriate hardware and participated in a Cerebral Autoregulation science session. As the body’s most important organ, the brain needs a strong and reliable blood supply, so the brain is capable of self-regulating blood flow even when the heart and blood vessels cannot maintain an ideal blood pressure. The Cerebral Autoregulation investigation tests whether this self-regulation improves in the microgravity environment of space. Non-invasive tests measure blood flow in the brain before, during, and after a long-duration spaceflight, and provide new insights into how the brain safeguards its blood supply in a challenging environment.

Plant Habitat Facility: Earlier in the week, the Environmental Control System (ECS) and camera system were replaced. Today, the crew performed the remaining closeout steps. The Advanced Plant Habitat (Plant Habitat) is a fully automated facility used to conduct plant bioscience research on the ISS. It occupies the lower half of the EXPRESS Rack and one powered International Subrack Interface Standard (ISIS) drawer, providing a large, enclosed, environmentally controlled chamber.

Ring Sheared Drop (RSD): The remaining hardware setup was completed, and the first sample syringe was installed in the RSD in preparation for a science run. 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.

Solid Combustion Experiment Module (SCEM): The crew performed an inspection of the combustion chamber door and its sealing surfaces, as well as reconnected the gas line quick disconnects (QDs). The SCEM facility most recently been used to support the Fundamental Research on International Standard of Fire Safety in Space – Base for Safety of Future Manned Missions (FLARE) investigation. FLARE, a JAXA investigation, explores the flammability of materials in microgravity. Various solid fuels are burned under different conditions and observed inside a flow tunnel. Microgravity significantly affects combustion phenomena and results are expected to contribute to the improvement of fire safety in space.

Systems:

Training for Emergency Response On-board ISS: The crew practiced ISS Emergency Response for ISS rapid depressurization and toxic atmosphere scenarios with ground teams based on information provided by the simulator displays. The crew executed procedures and decision making based on cues provide by the simulator and physically translated through the ISS to appropriate response locations to visualize the use of equipment and interfaces. This allows the crew to practice communication and coordination with MCC-H and MCC-M teams for a given emergency scenario.

In-Flight Maintenance (IFM) Airlock Closeout Panel Fastener Survey: The crew performed a photo survey of individual fasteners on specific Airlock Closeout Panels on the Starboard Endcone. The crew also tested fasteners not identified as fully fastened to confirm their unfastened condition. These panels have been noted by crew as time consuming to install/uninstall due to fastener issues.

NOD1 WAP (Wireless Access Point) Removed and Replace: The crew replaced the degraded Node 1 BelAir WAP with the spare. The WPA connects the External Wireless Communication (EWC) System comprised of four external antennas on the LAB to the JSL via internal cabling. BelAir WAPs use the JSL trunk ports for connectivity and are capable of broadcasting multiple Virtual LANS.

RS Water Transfers: Per documented agreements between the US and IP Russia, the crew began transferring water from the USOS to the RS. Surplus water in the USOS was transferred from the Contingency Water Container – Iodine (CWC-I) to an ЕДВ. An ЕДВ is intended for short-term storage and manual water transportation between facilities.

Dragon Cargo Operations and Crew Resupply Cargo Photo: The crew continued cargo operations by packing cargo into Cargo Dragon in preparation for SpX-25 undock on Thursday, August 18. The crew also took photos of supply cargo in the Cupola to be used for future outreach events.

Completed Task List Activities:

• None

Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

• Crew Dragon Awake Mode Checkout
• [deferred] Battery Charge/Discharge Unit (BCDU) Firmware Load
• Lab CDRA ASV Troubleshooting

Look Ahead Plan

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
• SERFE Hardware Consolidate

Systems:

• Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Cooling Loop Maintenance Scrub
• Waste Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Piping R&R
• Water Recovery System CWC-Iodine Fill Operations
• Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Portable Emergency Provisions (PEPS) Inspection
• Health Maintenance System (HMS) – OCT2 Exam

Saturday, August 6 (GMT 218)
Payloads:

• Tangolab-3

Systems:

• Crew Off-Duty

Sunday, August 7 (GMT 219)
Payloads:

• Iceberg Sample Transfer

Systems:

• Crew Off-Duty

Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

• BPA Odor Mask Gather
• Cerebral Autoregulation Data Measurement and Closeout
• [active] Countermeasures System (CMS) Treadmill 2 System (T2) Monthly Inspection
• Crew Dragon Zenith Monthly PCS Checkout
• ESA Weekly crew conference
• Gather CWC-Is ahead of the water transfer station setup
• [not statused] Health Maintenance System (HMS) – ESA Nutritional Assessment
• Health Maintenance System (HMS) Tonometry Minus Eighty Degree laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) Retrieval and Stow
• [deferred] HMS Tonometry Test Crew Medical Officer (CMO)
• HMS Tonometry Test Setup and Stow
• [deferred] HMS Tonometry Test Subject
• In-Flight Maintenance (IFM) Airlock Closeout Panel Fastener Survey
• LAB PCS Log File Transfer
• NOD1 WAP (Wireless Access Point) R&R
• On-board Training (OBT) ISS Emergency Drill Conference
• Plant Habitat Hardware Gather and Facility Reinstall
• Program Management/ISS Crew Conference
• Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Operations
• Ring-Sheared Drop Hardware Setup and Syringe Installation 1st time
• Solid Combustion (SCEM) Experiment Leak Troubleshooting
• SpaceX-25 Crew Supply Cargo Photo
• Standard Measures Post-Sleep Questionnaire
• Training for Emergency Response On-board ISS
• [active] Transfer Crew Dragon Cargo Operations
• Urine Transfer System Offload EDV Swap
• Water Recovery System Potable Bus Sample
• Water Transfer from CWC-I to ЕДВ Initiate and Terminate