NASA Space Station On-Orbit Status 15 June, 2020
The Expedition 63 crew is starting the week getting ready for a pair of upcoming spacewalks and a satellite deployment.
The International Space Station residents are also setting up research gear that will analyze hazardous particles and plasma crystals.
The three NASA astronauts onboard the station teamed up today setting up hardware and reviewing plans for two spacewalks planned to start at the end of the month. Commander Chris Cassidy and Flight Engineer Bob Behnken checked out rechargeable batteries that will power up U.S. spacesuit components. Flight Engineer Doug Hurley looked at procedures to put on the spacesuits as well as steps a spacewalker would take during an emergency.
The spacewalks will continue power upgrades begun last year on the outside of the space station. Cassidy and Behnken will replace old nickel-hydrogen batteries with new lithium-ion batteries on the Starboard-6 truss segment. The batteries store and distribute power collected from the solar arrays throughout the station.
Cassidy started Monday in Japan’s Kibo laboratory module readying a 110-kilogram Red-Eye satellite for deployment in the next couple of weeks. He installed the satellite inside Kibo’s airlock where it will be placed into the vacuum of space and ejected into orbit from the NanoRacks Kaber Microsat deployer. Red-Eye, the second of three microsatellites, will test satellite communications, flight computers and thermal management technologies.
Behnken helped out with the Red-Eye work before installing the new Mochii microscope in the Kibo lab where it will analyze particles that could threaten crew health and spacecraft safety. Hurley worked in the European Columbus laboratory module making room for the new European Drawer Rack-2 that will support a variety of new space experiments.
The two cosmonauts in the Russian segment of the station kept up their schedule of microgravity research and life support operations. Veteran Flight Engineer Anatoly Ivanishin serviced hardware that observes plasma crystals which could lead to improved research methods and new spacecraft designs. First time space-flyer Ivan Vagner checked space radiation readings and set up Earth observation hardware.
On-Orbit Status Report
Payloads
REDEYE: The crew installed the RED-EYE 2 satellite onto the Japanese Module (JEM) KABOR deployer system on the JEM Airlock slide table. The crew also replaced the old capture mechanism with a new unit and took the multilayer insulation (MLI) from the old unit and installed it onto the new capture mechanism unit. The RED-EYE program develops and demonstrates technologies which increase the utility of low-cost microsatellites using the Kaber Micro Satellite Deployer attached to the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM).
Mochii: The crew attempted to install the Mochii Microscope. The crew was not able to successfully power on the unit and the installation was aborted. The ground teams will assess configuration photos and will provide future trouble shooting steps. Mochii is a miniature scanning electron microscope (SEM) with spectroscopy to conduct real-time, on-site imaging and compositional measurements of particles on the International Space Station (ISS). Such particles can cause vehicle and equipment malfunctions and threaten crew health, but currently, samples must be returned to Earth for analysis, leaving crew and vehicle at risk. Mochii also provides a powerful new analysis platform to support novel microgravity science and engineering.
Repository: The crew performed the Urine Collection setup in support of the Repository study. Repository supports scientific discovery that contributes to our fundamental knowledge in the area of human physiological changes and adaptation to a microgravity environment and provides unique opportunities to study longitudinal changes in human physiology spanning many missions.
Systems
Rack Transfer Preparations: Two new payload racks, Express Rack-11B (ER11B) and the European Drawer Rack 2 (EDR2), were delivered on H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV)9. Today, the crew staged the Columbus module in preparation for the transfer of the new racks from HTV9. Preparations included relocating cargo from the Columbus module, emptying out and deinstalling the European Transport Carrier (ETC) locker, and clearing out payload cargo from the Columbus Overhead 2 (COL1O2) rack. The two racks will be transferred from HTV9 tomorrow and the ETC will be transferred to HTV9 for disposal.
Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Collection: Crew collected water samples from the Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) to perform a Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) analysis that measures the amount of organic constituents in the potable water. The crew also tested the water samples for the presence of Coliform bacteria utilizing a Coliform test bag. The ground team encountered issues today with the Nitrogen/Oxygen Recharge System (NORS) tanks which resulted in a delay in the TOCA analysis. The crew will reconvene in the morning with steps to complete the TOCA sample analysis and also perform a waste water bag (WWB) changeout.
S6 Battery Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Preparations: In preparation for the S6 Battery EVA currently planned for Friday, June 26th, the crew completed the following:
EMU Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly (REBA) install and checkout on both suits (3004/3006).
EVA suit intravehicular (IV) Review: The IV crew reviewed reminders, emergency briefing, helpful tips and procedures used during EVA prep.
Termination of the second set of Battery Stowage Assembly (BSA) battery maintenance.
On-Orbit Hearing Assessment (O-OHA): Today the crew performed an auditory test as a baseline for future exams conducted periodically during their stay on the ISS. The assessment measures hearing function while crewmembers are exposed to noise and microgravity during long-duration spaceflight. The exam is performed in conjunction with the crew-worn acoustic monitor surveys.
Periodic Health Exam (PHS): Today the crew completed a periodic health evaluation. During the evaluation, vital signs are obtained and an ear examination is conducted by taking images of the tympanic membranes and the external ear. The data and imagery is then downlinked for review by a medical specialist.
Completed Task List Activities:
iPad To CrewNet – 1006
Atmospheric Control System (ACS) Nitrogen Oxygen Recharge System(NORS) Nitrogen Transfer Termination
Uninstalling and stowing the NORS N2 Tank from the AIK
ACS NORS Nitrogen Transfer Initiation
Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
X2R18B Software Transition
Airlock LTL Flow support
Look Ahead Plan
Tuesday, 6/16 (GMT 168)
Payloads:
Hourglass SD cared removal (JAXA)
HRF Urine collect (NASA)
HRF Blood setup (NASA)
JEM A/L depress for REDEYE-2 (NASA)
CIR ACME Bottle Exchange (Joint)
CDM Plate Config (NASA)
ISS HAM (NASA)
Systems:
BEAM Ingress
EVA Tool Config
ETC Rack Transfer
ER-11B Rack Transfer
EHS Acoustic Monitoring
Wednesday, 6/17 (GMT 169)
Payloads:
HRF Urine collect (NASA)
HRF Blood collect (NASA)
REDEYE-2 Deploy Imagery (NASA)
LIDAL reinstallation (NASA)
Systems:
EVA Procedure Review & Conference
Dragon Suit Inspect
EVA Tool Config
Thursday, 6/18 (GMT 170)
Payloads:
EM Sample Exchange (4) (NASA)
Food Physiology (NASA)
Systems:
EVA Loop Scrub
EVA DOUG Review
RGN Recycle Tank Ops & WSTA Fill
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Acoustic Monitor Setup for Crew Worn Measurements & Battery Swaps
Red Eye Satellite Operations Review
Cleaning FGB Gas-Liquid Heat Exchanger (???) Detachable Screens 1, 2, 3
Red Eye Satellite Mission 2 Hardware Gather
Nikon camera sync with station time
Countermeasures System (CMS) Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Cylinder Flywheel Evacuation
Health Maintenance System (HMS) Periodic Health Status (PHS) Evaluation
JEM Airlock Press & Leak Check
PK-4 Video Monitor Installation& Checkout
Columbus Bay 1,2,3 and 4 cargo relocation
Photo T/V (P/TV) Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Exercise Video Session
Adjusting ???-? Warm valve in [???-?2?]. ???-? Replacement if necessary
FGB (??) Vacuum Cleaning
Dust collectors ?C1, ??2 Dust Collectors Filters Vacuum Cleaning in FGB (panels 203, 403)
Transfer cargo from ETC before de-installation.
A/L Adapter Plate (JCAP) and NanoRacks Kaber Plate (STEP) Installation
URAGAN. Observation and photography using the camera
JPM1D5 Rack Clear
Red Eye Satellite Mission 2 Hardware Preparation and Installation on the JEM Airlock Slide Table
PK-4 flex hose connection to Cleaning gas bottle
COL1O2 HRF Hardware Trash
COL1O2 Clear
JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Retraction & Extension
Ultrasound 2 HRF Rack 2 Stow Alternate
JEM Airlock Slide Table Passive Capture Mechanism MLI Replacement & Removal
MELFI 1 Ice Brick Insert 2
Environmental Health System (EHS) Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Collect
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Procedure Review
MOCHII On-Board Training
Progress 443 (DC1): Disposable Equipment Stow and IMS update
Battery Stowage Assembly (BSA) Operation Termination
Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly (REBA) Installation & Powered Hardware Checkout
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Analysis
Rack Transfer Stowage Gather
Mochii Installation, Activation and First Sample Load [ABORTED]
MATRYOSHKA-R. Tritel Hardware Monitoring
Multi-use Variable-g Platform-02 Switch On
Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (RGN) Wastewater Storage Tank Assembly (WSTA) Fill [ABORTED]
Environmental Health System (EHS) Coliform Water Processing
HRF Generic Urine Collection Setup
Exercise Data Downlink via OCA
On-Orbit Hearing Assessment (O-OHA) with EarQ Software Setup and Test
UF-ATMOSPHERE. Scientific Hardware Installation, Activation & Monitoring
PK-4 Chamber Gas Exchange
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Sample Data Record [ABORTED]
Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Waste Water Bag (WWB) Changeout [ABORTED]
