NASA Space Station Status Report 6 September, 2022 – Busy Labor Day

Life support and computer maintenance filled the Expedition 67 crew schedule on Tuesday following a busy Labor Day aboard the International Space Station.

The station’s four astronauts focused on a variety of biology and physics research on the U.S. holiday as they photographed growing vegetables and explored how fuel behaves in space. In the orbiting lab’s Russian segment, the crew’s three cosmonauts continued cleaning up after last week’s spacewalk and studied how to exercise effectively in weightlessness.

On Tuesday, the crew’s attention turned to servicing orbital hardware ensuring the space station’s life support systems and computer networks operate continuously.

NASA Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren removed the Tranquility module’s oxygen generation system (OGS) rack and installed it in the U.S. Destiny laboratory module. He was assisted by fellow Flight Engineers Bob Hines and Jessica Watkins who helped remove gear and clear the path for the transfer of the refrigerator-sized OGS rack. The trio completed the installation and cable connections during the afternoon.

Watkins also had time to join ESA (European Space Agency) Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti as she transferred the Life Support Rack from the Harmony module to Tranquility. Hines and Lindgren wrapped up the day reconfiguring the modules and reinstalling the station’s bathroom, the Waste and Hygiene Compartment located in Tranquility, following the rack transfers.

Roscosmos Commander Oleg Artemyev and Flight Engineer Denis Matveev spent the afternoon installing a computer desktop in the Zvezda service module. The new work area is wide enough to hold three laptop computers supporting a variety of operations including monitoring Russian spaceships arriving and departing. Flight Engineer Sergey Korsakov worked on a pair of human research experiments on Tuesday, the first exploring ways to maintain space fitness and the second researching how international crews and mission controllers can communicate successfully.

On-Orbit Status Report

Payloads:

Fluid Dynamics in Space (FLUIDICS): FLUIDICS session 13, runs 2 and 3, were performed by a crewmember. The measurement of liquid displacement within a sphere in microgravity relates to a given kinematic representation of a spacecraft’s fuel tank. The FLUIDICS investigation evaluates the Center of Mass (CoM) position regarding a temperature gradient on a representation of a fuel tank. The observation of capillary wave turbulence on the surface of a fluid layer in a low-gravity environment can provide insights into measuring the existing volume in a sphere.

Life Support Rack (LSR): The LSR was untied from NOD2D2, transferred, and partially configured into NOD3A5. LSR is a Technology Demonstrator for Closed Loop Air Revitalization. LSR captures carbon dioxide from cabin air and recovers 50% of its oxygen for use by the astronauts. LSR operates for a minimum of one year on the ISS to demonstrate the robustness of the technology for future Exploration missions.

NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer Mission-23 (NRCSD-23): The crew recorded video and took still photos of the NRCSD-23 deployments. NRCSD-23 is an external deployer installed in the JEM Airlock and robotically placed in the deploy configuration using the JEM RMS. NRCSD-23 will be deploying five different satellites. The Capacitor Satellite 1 (CapSat1) will measure capacitance and the discharge rate of capacitors as a function of time to test the efficiency of using capacitors as an electrical power system in place of lithium-ion batteries. The Drag De-Orbit Device CubeSat (D3) tests a device with controllable drag surfaces that can be repeatedly deployed and retracted to adjust a satellite’s rate of orbital decay. The JAGSAT will provide spatially resolved measurements of plasma density irregularities in the ionosphere. The BeaverCube will measure cloud properties, ocean surface temperatures and ocean color to study Earth’s climate and weather systems. The CubeSat Laser Infrared Crosslink, Vehicle A (CLICK A) will demonstrate laser communications crosslinks between two LEO CubeSats.

Systems:

Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Rack Transfer: To transfer OGA from Node 3 to the US Lab, the crew thermally safed the OGS, removed OGS from NOD3A5, and structurally installed OGS at LAB1P1. The OGS is being moved to the Lab to support Advanced OGA upgrades and the Advanced OGA for exploration tech demonstration. The ground team will power OGA on overnight to validate proper functionality.

Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Umbilical Install: After OGA was structurally in place in the US Lab, the crew installed umbilicals for OGA operation. The crew will install the Hydrogen Sensor Tech Demo (H2ST) to finish the OGA install tomorrow.

Stall Removal: The crew removed the Starboard half of Stall to make room for OGS and LSR rack translations. The Stall is used to enclose the Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) for crew privacy. After translating the LSR and OGA racks to their final locations, the Stall was reinstalled for crew use.

Completed Task List Activities:

• None

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

• Repower rack, OGA and establish communication
• Regeneration System (OGS) Deactivation
• Command and Control Software (CCS) Pre-positioned Load (PPL)

Look Ahead Plan

Wednesday, September 7 (GMT 250)
Payloads:

• OGS H2 Sensor Tech Install (ESA)
• LSR Umbilical Connect (ESA)
• RFID Smart Sensing Act and Checkout(NASA)
• RSD Sample to MELFI Insert (NASA)
• Standard Measures-Saliva Collect and Body Collect, Fecal Stow and Cognition Test (NASA)
• VEGGIE Monitoring Review (NASA)
• XROOTS Nutrient Mix, Fluid Recovery, Nutrient Fill (NASA)

Systems:

• Hatch Seal Inspection
• Hydrogen Sensor Tech Demo (H2ST) Installation on OGS
• Treadmill 2 (T2) Moderature Temperature Loop (MTL) Inspection

Thursday, September 8 (GMT 251)
Payloads:

• GRIP Seated Session (ESA)
• NRCSD-23 Disassembly Hardware Gather (NASA)
• RFID Smart Sensing Hardware Install (NASA)
• Ring Shear Drop IBP Sample and Test Cell Install (NASA)
• Standard Measures Saliva Collect (NASA)
• TOILET Test (NASA)
• VEGGIE Monitoring Photos (NASA)

Systems:

• Toilet Test and Checkout
• Lab Low Temperature Loop (LTL) Gas Trap Plug Installation
• Small PL Multi-purpose Controller Power Cable Connection

Friday, September 9 (GMT 252)
Payloads:

• GRIP Supine Session (ESA)
• NRCSD-23 Hardware Removal (NASA)
• Ring Shear Drop IBP Sample and Test Cell Install (NASA)
• Standard Measures Saliva Collect (NASA)
• XROOTS Fluid Recovery, Plant Check (NASA)

Systems:

• SpX-Crew Dragon Emergency Response Review
• Hydrogen Sensor Tech Demo (H2ST) Installation on OGS
• Gather CWC-Is

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

• ARED Software Troubleshooting
• Cryo Chiller Sample Cartridge Removal and Decontamination
• NanoRacks Cubesat Video Setup
• ESA Crew Conference with Two Way Audio and Video
• Fluidics Closeout Activities
• Fluidics completion of data copy and ZBook Laptop stowage
• Fluidics Run 2 and 3 execution
• Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Inspection
• Health Maintenance System (HMS) Vision Test Setup [Deferred]
• Vision Test and Questionnaire
• HMS Vision Test Stow
• Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows (WinSCAT) Test [Deferred]
• HRF Generic HRF Centrifuge Frozen Blood Collection Activities
• HRF Generic MELFI Sample Insertion Operations
• HRF Generic Saliva Collection 10 Minutes
• Life Support Rack (LSR) Transfer NOD3A5
• Life Support Rack (LSR) Tie Down Release
• In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Rack Transfer Prep
• Node 3 Aft 5 Pivot Fitting Swap
• Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Hydrogen/Nitrogen Vent Jumper Installation
• Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Rack Transfer
• Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Umbilical Install
• CEVIS Removal
• Rack Swap Module Reconfiguration
• In Flight Maintenance Soft Dummy Panel Removal
• Stall Installation Assist
• Stall Removal
• Maintenance Work Area (MWA) Rotate Down
• Maintenance Work Area (MWA) Rotate Up
• Onboard Training (OBT) Robotics On-board Trainer (ROBoT) Teardown
• Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in JEM [Deferred]
• Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Activation QD Connection
• Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Hydrogen Sensor ORU Purge Adapter (HOPA) Operations
• US Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tether Inspection [Deferred]
• Standard Measures Fecal Collection Setup