NASA Space Station Status Report 9 June, 2022 – NutrISS Study, Training for Astrobee Operations
The Expedition 67 crew spent Thursday servicing a variety of advanced space biology and human research hardware to learn how different organisms adapt to long-term microgravity.
NASA Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren kicked off Thursday morning swapping centrifuges inside the Kibo laboratory module’s Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF). The CBEF is an incubator that can house cells and plants while generating artificial gravity between 0.1 and 2.0 G during gravity contrast experiments. The life science research device is part of the Saibo Experiment Rack that houses science, power, and data transmission facilities.
NASA Flight Engineers Bob Hines and Jessica Watkins worked throughout Thursday on cargo operations inside the Cygnus space freighter ahead of its departure targeted for the end of June. Lindgren finalized the day’s cargo work in the afternoon before cleaning and inspecting hatch mechanisms in the station’s U.S. segment. Watkins also wrapped up her test session with the AstroRad radiation protection vest and completed a survey to document the specialized vest’s comfort and mobility.
ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti logged her food and beverage intake in a database in the morning for the NutrISS study that monitors an astronaut’s body composition in weightlessness. She later trained for Astrobee operations before joining Watkins to audit systems inside the Tranquility module. At the end of the day, she participated in the U.S. hatch inspections with Lindgren.
The orbiting lab’s three cosmonauts spent Thursday morning practicing an emergency evacuation drill on a computer. Commander Oleg Artemyev joined Flight Engineers Denis Matveev and Sergey Korsakov and simulated an unlikely emergency scenario that would require the threesome to quickly enter the Soyuz MS-21 crew ship, undock from the station, and descend toward Earth for a landing. The trio then split up in the afternoon and worked on an array of communications and life support systems.
On-Orbit Status Report
Payloads:
Astrorad Vest: The AstroRad Vest was worn overnight, doffed, and a questionnaire filled out to give feedback on the session. Comfort and Human Factors AstroRad Radiation Garment Evaluation (CHARGE) tests a special vest designed to protect astronauts from radiation caused by unpredictable Solar Particle Events (SPEs). Astronauts provide input on the garment as they wear it while performing daily tasks, including how easy it is to put on, how it fits and feels, and the range of motion it allows. Garment developers can use this input to improve design, and the use of the vest will protect crew members on missions to the Moon and Mars.
Gradient Heating Furnace (GHF): The crew checked the O-ring on the checkout cartridge in the Sample Cartridge Automatic Exchange Mechanism (SCAM), verified it was free of dust/debris, and cleaned if necessary. The GHF is a vacuum furnace that contains three heating blocks. Their positions and temperatures can be independently controlled, and various temperature profiles can be realized. This facility will be mainly used for high quality crystal growth experiments using unidirectional solidification
Nutrition Monitoring for the International Space Station (NutrISS): In support of the NutrISS investigation, an ESA Nutritional Assessment (ENA) was performed. In the NutrISS investigation, a periodic assessment of body composition (body weight, fat mass, and fat-free mass) during spaceflight aboard the ISS is carried out using a dedicated bio-impedance analysis device to allow for the measurement of long-term energy balance modification over time. It is hypothesized that an adjusted diet maintaining a near-neutral energy balance, and/or increasing protein, intake can limit microgravity-induced bone and muscle loss.
Snowcone Cloud Edge Compute Demonstration (Snowcone): Following the successful science operations late last week, the crew removed and stowed the Snowcone experiment hardware. Snowcone demonstrates technology to screen astronaut images and identify those that may contain sensitive information not for public release. The technology includes reduction of large-scale data and processing of data near the source, known as edge computing, capabilities integral to future space exploration.
Systems:
Intermodule Ventilation (IMV) Flow Measurements: As part of Station’s standard system health monitoring, the crew used a Velocicalc tool to measure the amount of airflow through ventilation inlets and outlets in the Airlock, Node 1, Cupula Vestibule, NanoRacks Airlock (NRAL), and Node 3. The IMV system circulates air between modules to air revitalization equipment so that ideal atmospheric condition is maintained throughout ISS.
Hatch Seal Inspections: As part of periodic maintenance, the crew cleaned and inspected the USOS hatch seals and hatch plate sealing surface for the Node 1 Forward, Starboard, and Port hatches. The crew also inspected the crank handle mechanism and hatch seal interlocking joints for foreign object debris (FOD) or damage. Due to a buildup of food on the surface, the crew will need to come back and complete the cleaning and inspection on the hatch.
Remote Power Control Modules (RPCM) P12B_C RPC 5 Swap: On Friday May 27, RPCM P12B_C RPC 5 which powers multiple channels of the Port Thermal Radiator (PTR) Multiplexer/Demultiplexer (MDM) Solenoid Driver Output (SDO) Card tripped. The primary impact was the loss of power to the two Integrated Motor/Controller Assemblies (IMCAs) which controls the Port 1-2 Radiator Isolation Valves. Beginning yesterday evening and lasting through early this morning, ground teams robotically swapped RPCM P12B_C with RPCM P11A_A to return isolation capability to protect for the loss of the External Thermal Control System (ETCS) system in the event of a Port 1-2 radiator leak to space.
Emergency Russian ISS Very High Frequency (VHF-1) Communication Checkout from USOS: The Russian ISS VHF-1 Emergency Communication was checked out from the USOS. The communication tested the ability for the Houston, Huntsville, Munich, Tskuba, and Moscow control centers to communicate with the crew while over a US VHF site. The ISS can communicate via the Russian Segment’s VHF radios when the ISS is over a VHF ground site and both the ISS and the ground site are configured to transmit and receive VHF signals. The ability to use VHF communications from a US groundsite is periodically verified in the event that it is needed during an emergency where the nominal communication path is unusable.
Completed Task List Activities:
None
Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
RPCM P12B_C RPC 5 Swap
Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) Robotics Micro Conical Tool (RMCT) Stow
Payload Rack Officer Fluids Integrated Rack Activation Commanding
Look Ahead Plan
Friday, June 10 (GMT 161)
Payloads:
Astrobee/SVGS
CAL MTL jumper check
HRF1 drawer inspect
Mochii review and prep
Touching Surfaces prep for Mochii
XROOTS
Systems:
Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) Ingress
BEAM Battery Replacement
Food Consolidate
Saturday, June 11 (GMT 162)
Payloads:
AstroRad Vest
Systems:
Crew Off-Duty Day
Sunday, June 12 (GMT 163)
Payloads:
XROOTS manual fluid recovery
Systems:
Crew Off-Duty Day
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Astrobee OBT Review
Astrobee Stowage Replace
AstroRad Vest Doff
AstroRad Vest Survey 2
Nitrogen Oxygen Recharge System (NORS) Low Pressure Oxygen Supply
BioCell Hardware Locate
CBEF-L Centrifuge Measurement, Installation, and Removal
Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) and Battery swap.
Emergency RS ISS VHF-1 Comm Checkout from USOS
Gradient Heating Furnace (GHF) Check Out Cartridge Confirmation.
Hatch Seal Inspection
ISS Node 3 Aft 2 Audit [Deferred]
ISS Node 3 Overhead 2 Audit
IWIS (Internal Wireless Instrumentation System) RSU (Remote Sensor Unit) Firmware Update
NutrISS – ESA Nutritional Assessment
On MCC Go Turning off SM Camcorders, TV System Monitoring Tools, Closing Applications
Payload Hardware Audit
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event – Lab
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in Columbus
Radio Frequency Identification Logistics Reader Troubleshooting
Snowcone Hardware Removal
Intermodule Ventilation (IMV) Flow Measurement Survey
Transfer CST-100 Cargo Operations
Transfer Cygnus Cargo Operations [Deferred]
USOS Barcode Reader/RFID Scanner Deploy
