NASA Space Station Status Report 8 August, 2022 – Skin Healing in Space

The seven Expedition 67 residents kicked off a busy week of critical research benefitting humans living on and off the Earth. The orbital residents also continued supporting the International Space Station’s vast array of flight, research, and life support systems.

Astronauts Bob Hines of NASA and Samantha Cristoforetti of ESA (European Space Agency) took turns on Monday cleaning hardware and supporting samples for a biology study that is exploring skin healing in space. Observations may provide insights improving wound healing therapies for astronauts and Earthlings. Hines then spent the afternoon installing seed cartridges and root modules for the XROOTS space agriculture investigation to begin a 30-day growth period of radishes and mizuna greens. The research uses hydroponics and aeroponics techniques to learn how to produce crops on a larger scale on future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

NASA Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren opened up the Kibo laboratory module’s airlock and retrieved an external science platform and installed a small satellite deployer on the research gear. The deployer will be placed outside Kibo in the vacuum of space before deploying a set of CubeSats into low-Earth orbit for a variety of research and education programs.

NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins started her morning with cable connections inside the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR), a refrigerator-sized research rack. The CIR is located in the U.S. Destiny laboratory module and enables safe investigations into the behavior of fuels, flames, and soot, in weightlessness. Watkins then assisted Lindgren in the afternoon as he installed a barrier on the Quest airlock’s vent relief and isolation valve to prevent inadvertent contact with the life support device.

Two cosmonauts, station Commander Oleg Artemyev and Flight Engineer Denis Matveev, spent Monday servicing a pair of Russian Orlan spacesuits. The duo inspected the suits’ communications and life support systems. Roscosmos Flight Engineer Sergey Korsakov began his day exploring future spacecraft piloting and robotic control techniques then moved on to inspections in the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module and ventilation maintenance the Zvezda service module.

On-Orbit Status Report

Payloads:

Combustion Integrated Rack/Solid Fuel Ignition and Extinction (CIR/SoFIE): The crew gained access to the interior of the CIR rack, and replaced the CIR Fuel and Oxidizer Management Assembly (FOMA) Calibration Unit. The FOMA calibration is performed periodically to help verify accurate readings from the various measurement systems in the CIR. The CIR facility includes an optics bench, combustion chamber, fuel, and oxidizer control, and five different cameras for performing combustion investigations in microgravity. SoFIE is a hardware insert for the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) that enables a wide range of solid-material combustion and fire suppression studies.

JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer-22 (J-SSOD-22): Part 1 of the J-SSOD-22 hardware installation to the JEM airlock slide table was completed. This is preparation for translation of the J-SSOD-22 system to the external environment for deployment of three satellites on Friday. The J-SSOD provides a novel and safe small satellite launching capability to the ISS. The J-SSOD is a unique satellite launcher, handled by the JEM Remote Manipulator System (JEMRMS), which provides containment and deployment mechanisms for several individual small satellites. Once J-SSOD, including satellite cases with small satellites, is installed onto the MPEP by crew members, it is passed through the JEM Airlock for retrieval, positioning, and deployment by the JEMRMS.

Nanoracks Mainframe Alpha: The crew removed Nanoracks Modules-72A, 95, 97, and 100 from Nanoracks Mainframe Alpha, took photos of the modules, and prepared them for return to the ground. Nanoracks Mainframe Alpha is an EXPRESS Rack sub-facility designed to provide thermal control, power, and data management to individual Nanoracks Module experiments. The modules are designed to a very limited and specific form factor that fits inside Mainframe Alpha; so, Mainframe Alpha supports a wide variety of sciences that changes each mission.

XROOTS (eXposed Root On-Orbit Test System): The insertion of the seed cartridges and root modules to formally begin the third plant growth session was performed. Over the next ~30 days, the crew will observe and assist with the seed germination and grow out of the plants. 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:

Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Manual Fill: As part of regularly scheduled preventive maintenance, the crew performed a manual WHC flush tank fill. By using a post-flight analysis bag to capture any pressure relief, also known as a burp, the crew depressurized the flush water tank and the water valve block to protect the dose pump. This pump is critical as it injects pre-treat required to properly recycle waste urine. 

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 #54 on Wednesday, August 17^th. 

Health Maintenance System (HMS) Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Inspection: The crew inspected the AED and its associated consumables as part of monthly preventive maintenance.  The crew tested batteries and examined the outer AED case and the AED Electrodes Kit.

Transfer Dragon Cargo Operations: The crew continued cargo operations by packing cargo into Cargo Dragon in preparation for SpX-25 undock later this month.

Completed Task List Activities:

• None

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

• Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) Robotics Micro Conical Tool (RMCT) Stow
• Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Maneuver to Stow SPDM

Look Ahead Plan

Tuesday, August 9 (GMT 221)
Payloads:

• Astrobee Prep
• CIR/SoFIE FOMA Cal
• HRF Urine Setup
• Iceberg Desiccant Swap
• Immunosenescence
• Kibo Robo Pro Prep
• MELFI Icebrick Insert
• Plant Hab Prep
• Plasma Kristall-4
• RSD Syringe Retrieve
• WiCo-2

Systems:

• Transfer Crew Dragon Cargo Operations
• Acoustic Monitor Operations
• Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Cylinder Flywheel Evacuation

Wednesday, August 10 (GMT 222)
Payloads:

• AWP
• FSL/SMD
• HRP/Repository Urine Collection
• Ice cubes Exchange
• Immunosenescence Observation
• ISS Ham Pass
• J-SSOD-22 Install (part 2 and 3)
• RSD

Systems:

• EVA Battery Operations Terminal Terminate & Removal
• Airlock Stowage Reconfiguration
• EVA Tool Transfer from USOS to the RS Segment
• Transfer Crew Dragon Cargo Operations
• On-orbit Hearing Assessment (OOHA) Kuduwave Test
• HMS Tonometry Test Operations

Thursday, August 11 (GMT 223)
Payloads:

• Astrobee off
• CAL GSC Sample
• ESA EPO Newton-2
• HRP/Repository
• MERLIN Sample Transfer
• MSPR LT Cable Connect
• Plant Habitat Facility Maintenance
• XROOTS

Systems:

• Transfer Crew Dragon Cargo Operations
• In-Flight Maintenance PrK IWIS RSU Cable Swap
• On-orbit Hearing Assessment (OOHA) Kuduwave Test
• CWC-Iodine Fill Initialization and Teardown

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

• CB/ISS CREW CONFERENCE
• Cold Atom Lab Jumper Leak Check
• Combustion Integrated Rack FOMA Cal Unit Replacement
• Combustion Integrated Rack Doors Open & Close
• EVA Battery Operations Terminal Charge Init
• Health Maintenance System (HMS) Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Inspection
• [deferred] In Flight Maintenance Airlock Vent and Relief Isolation Valve Rivet
• [deferred] In Flight Maintenance Airlock Vent and Relief Isolation Valve Rivet Assist
• JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) JPM Side Extension & Retraction
• JEM Payload Laptop Terminal 3 (PLT3) Troubleshooting
• JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (SSOD) Single (1 Deployer) onto Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform (MPEP) Installation Part 1
• MPEP and Passive Capture Mechanism Installation to JEM Airlock Slide Table
• MPEP Installation to JEM Airlock Slide Table Support
• MPEP Retrieval from JLP1 Bay 2 Corridor
• NanoRacks Mainframe Alpha Module Removal
• Nanoracks Module MELFI Insertion
• Nanoracks Module Photography & Assist
• PAO message recording
• Polar Multiple Desiccant Swap
• Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) Brine Filter Changeout
• Ring-Sheared Drop Cable Check
• Rodent Research Access Unit Clean
• Rodent Research Habitat Restock
• [not statused] Rodent Research MELFI Insert
• Rodent Research MELFI Insert
• Russian Makita Drill Handover & Battery Charge
• Transfer Crew Dragon Cargo Operations
• Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Manual Fill Initiate & Terminate
• Water Refill Kit Review
• XROOTS MWA Preparation & Experiment Install