NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 17 March 2012

Upon wakeup, CDR Dan Burbank, FE-5 André Kuipers & FE-6 Don Pettit each completed another post-sleep session of the Reaction Self-Test (Psychomotor Vigilance Self-Test on the ISS) protocol, the 36th for Dan, the 30th for André & Don. [RST is done twice daily (after wakeup & before bedtime) for 3 days prior to the sleep shift, the day(s) of the sleep shift and 5 days following a sleep shift. The experiment consists of a 5-minute reaction time task that allows crewmembers to monitor the daily effects of fatigue on performance while on ISS. The experiment provides objective feedback on neurobehavioral changes in attention, psychomotor speed, state stability, and impulsivity while on ISS missions, particularly as they relate to changes in circadian rhythms, sleep restrictions, and extended work shifts.]

After breakfast, FE-1 Shkaplerov performed the routine inspection of the SM (Service Module) PSS Caution & Warning panel as part of regular Daily Morning Inspection.

As most every Saturday, the six crewmembers joined in conducting the regular weekly three-hour task of thorough cleaning of their home, including COL (Columbus Orbital Laboratory) and Kibo JPM. [“Uborka”, usually done on Saturdays, includes removal of food waste products, cleaning of compartments with vacuum cleaner, damp cleaning of the SM dining table, other frequently touched surfaces and surfaces where trash is collected, as well as the sleep stations with a standard cleaning solution; also, fan screens and grilles are cleaned to avoid temperature rises. Special cleaning is also done every 90 days on the HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) bacteria filters in the Lab.]

As part of Uborka house cleaning, Anton, Anatoly & Oleg completed regular weekly maintenance inspection & cleaning of fan screens in the FGB (TsV2) plus Group E fan grilles in the SM (VPkhO, FS5, FS6, VP) and the BMP Harmful Contaminants Removal System grille in the SM.

FE-5 Kuipers conducted the regular (~weekly) inspection & maintenance, as required, of the CGBA-4 (Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 4) and CGBA-5 payloads in their ERs (EXPRESS Racks) at Lab O2 & O1, focusing on cleaning the muffler air intakes.

Later, André performed his 3rd session with the MedOps psychological evaluation experiment WinSCAT (Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows), logging in on the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer) laptop and going through the psychological evaluation exercise on the PC-based WinSCAT application. [WinSCAT is a monthly time-constrained questionnaire test of cognitive abilities, routinely performed by astronauts aboard the ISS every 30 days before or after the PHS (periodic health status) test or on special CDR’s, crewmembers or flight surgeons request. The test uses cognitive subtests that measure sustained concentration, verbal working memory, attention, short-term memory, spatial processing, and math skills. The five cognitive subtests are Coding Memory – Learning, Continuous Processing Task (CPT), Match to Sample, Mathematics, and Coding Delayed Recall. These WinSCAT subtests are the same as those used during NASA’s long-duration bed rest studies.]

Dan Burbank had ~1.5 hrs set aside for restowing the equipment & tools used yesterday for the routing/installation of the HRSC (High Rate Communication System) cabling in the Lab Forward Endcone.

Dan also filled out his weekly FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire) on the MEC (Medical Equipment Computer), his 16th. [On the FFQs, USOS astronauts keep a personalized log of their nutritional intake over time on special MEC software. Recorded are the amounts consumed during the past week of such food items as beverages, cereals, grains, eggs, breads, snacks, sweets, fruit, beans, soup, vegetables, dairy, fish, meat, chicken, sauces & spreads, and vitamins. The FFQ is performed once a week to estimate nutrient intake from the previous week and to give recommendations to ground specialists that help maintain optimal crew health. Weekly estimation has been verified to be reliable enough that nutrients do not need to be tracked daily.]

Oleg Kononenko performed the routine daily servicing of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS) in the SM. [Regular daily SOZh maintenance consists, among else, of checking the ASU toilet facilities, replacement of the KTO & KBO solid waste containers, replacement of EDV-SV waste water and EDV-U urine containers and filling EDV-SV, KOV (for Elektron), EDV-ZV & EDV on RP flow regulator.]

FE-1 & FE-4 conducted their weekly PFCs (Private Family Conferences), via S-band/audio and Ku-band/MS-NetMeeting application (which displays the uplinked ground video on an SSC laptop), Anton at ~5:50am, André at ~11:25am EDT.

At ~9:10am EDT, the six crewmembers held the regular WPC (Weekly Planning Conference) with the ground, discussing next week’s “Look-Ahead Plan” (prepared jointly by MCC-H and TsUP-Moscow timeline planners), via S-band/audio, reviewing upcoming activities and any concerns about future on-orbit events.

At ~9:40am, Burbank, Kuipers & Pettit conducted a phone conference with the PLUTO (Plug-In Port Utilization Officer) flight control team at MCC-Houston

At ~10:40am, Shkaplerov, Ivanishin & Kononenko engaged in a PAO phone interview via S-band with Ekaterina Beloglazova, Editor of Rossiyskiy Kosmos (Russian Space) Magazine and an old friend of ISS cosmonauts. [“You are taking a lot of pictures. Most likely, you have studied the Earth very well. What places seem to be very interesting, the most beautiful, amazing? And which places would you like to visit after the mission? You are more than half way through the increment. You are familiar with everything, well-adjusted, even to zero gravity. Is there anything that can surprise you? What else do you want to learn? European cargo vehicle will launch in late March. What is it delivering? How will be getting ready to welcome it? Another holiday is waiting for us in April, Cosmonautics Day. Tell us, when and why each one of you decided to become a cosmonaut? What would become of cosmonautics in 10-20 years from now? As we know, there is a recruitment competition for corps of cosmonauts. You also went through this process in your time. What was the most difficult thing? What crew selection criteria would you personally use for work in space?”]

The crew worked out with their regular 2-hr physical exercise protocol on the CEVIS cycle ergometer with vibration isolation (FE-5), TVIS treadmill with vibration isolation & stabilization (FE-1, FE-2, FE-4), ARED advanced resistive exerciser (CDR, FE-1, FE-2, FE-5, FE-6), T2/COLBERT advanced treadmill (CDR, FE-6) and VELO ergometer bike with load trainer (FE-4). [FE-6 is on the special experimental SPRINT protocol which diverts from the regular 2.5 hrs per day exercise regime and introduces special daily sessions, followed by a USND (Ultrasound) leg muscle self scan in COL. Today’s exercise called for ARED+T2, with CEVIS, ARED+T2, T2, ARED+T2 & CEVIS, following in the next 5 days. If any day is not completed, Don picks up where he left off, i.e., he would be finishing out the week with his last day of exercise on his off day.]

Tasks listed for Shkaplerov, Kononenko & Ivanishin on the Russian discretionary “time permitting” job for today were –
・ A ~30-min. run of the GFI-8 “Uragan” (hurricane) earth-imaging program with the NIKON D3X digital camera with Sigma AF 300-800mm telelens, focusing on the Caspian & Aral Seas, Allalin Glacier, Kolka Glacier, Pamir glaciers RGS,. Bear & Mabuza, Volga River delta, Laganakskoe plateau, Krasnaya Polyana and the volcanoes Papandayan, Idzhen, & Kilimanjaro,
・ A 10-min. photography session for the DZZ-13 “Seiner” ocean observation program, obtaining HDV (Z1) camcorder footage of color bloom patterns in the waters of the Central-Eastern Atlantic, then copying the images to the RSK-1 laptop,
・ A ~30-min. session for Russia’s EKON Environmental Safety Agency, making observations and taking KPT-3 aerial photography of environmental conditions on Earth using the NIKON D3X camera with the RSK-1 laptop, and
・ More preparation & downlinking of reportages (written text, photos, videos) for the Roskosmos website to promote Russia’s manned space program (max. file size 500 Mb).

WRM Update: A new WRM (Water Recovery Management) “cue card” was uplinked to the crew for their reference, updated with their latest CWC (Contingency Water Container) water audit. [The new card (29-0008O) lists 28 CWCs (287.25 L total) for the five types of water identified on board: 1. Silver technical water (1 CWC with 18.4 L, for Elektron electrolysis, plus 1 empty bag, all containing Wautersia bacteria; 2. Condensate water (5 CWCs with 42.3 L, plus 2 empty bags); 3. Iodinated water (16 CWCs with 195.75 L plus 1 empty bag; 4. Waste water (1 bag with 10.6 L EMU waste water); and 5. Special fluid (1 CWC with 20.2 L, hose/pump flush). Also one leaky CWC (#1024) with 8.5L). Other CWCs are stowed behind racks and are currently not being tracked due to unchanging contents. Wautersia bacteria are typical water-borne microorganisms that have been seen previously in ISS water sources. These isolates pose no threat to human health.]

Weekly Science Update (Expedition Thirty/Thirty-One — Week 25).

2D NANO Template (JAXA): The experiment is continuing in Dewar 4 of MELFI-1. The samples are proceeding by arranging peptides slowly on base plates. The samples will be returned on 28S.

3D SPACE: Complete.

AgCam (Agricultural Camera): No report.

ALTCRISS (Alteino Long Term monitoring of Cosmic Rays on the ISS): Complete.

ALTEA SHIELD (NASA/ASI): No report.

Amine Swingbed (NASA): No report.

AMS-02 (Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer): AMS Payload and Laptop Operations are nominal. 3/15 concluded the high negative Beta period (β <-45°), and the AMS Transition Radiation Detector (TRD) Gas Pump was successfully maintained above its lower temperature limit by positioning the Starboard Thermal Radiator Rotation Joint (TRRJ) at 45° Gamma. AMS would like to thank the ISS FCTs for the outstanding support. APEX (Advanced Plant Experiments on Orbit) -Cambium: No report. APEX-TAGES (Transgenic Arabidopsis Gene Expression System): No report. Asian Seed 2010 (JAXA): Returned on ULF6. BCAT-6 (Binary Colloidal Alloy Test 6): No report. [Colloids are particles as small as a few tens of nanometers (a thousandth of a thousandth of a millimeter) that are suspended in a medium, usually a liquid or a gas. The name “colloid” comes from the Greek word for “glue”, and expresses very important properties of colloids: when small and light enough, particles can be influenced in their behavior by forces of electromagnetic origin, and make them stick together, or repel each other depending on the configuration. Colloids are widely studied in science because the forces between particles can be controlled and tuned and because particles, while being small enough to be influenced by such forces, are big and slow enough to be seen with a relatively simple and inexpensive laboratory instrument like a microscope. This is why colloids are often studied as model for molecular systems (like standard gases or liquids) where molecules, the individual constituents, are much smaller than colloids and cannot be seen with light. As mentioned, forces between colloids can be tuned giving rise to a rich variety of phenomena. One of them is aggregation, which is when particles stick together and tend to form structures. Among the many ways to induce particle aggregation, one allows to do so by controlling the temperature of the solution in which the particles are immersed, thanks to very weak forces called “critical Casimir forces” that have been predicted more than 30 years ago but just partially verified in experiments. The objective of SODI COLLOID is to measure such forces and produce a controlled aggregation of tiny plastic particles. This would allow to shed light on critical Casimir forces and to make a step towards the fabrication of new nanostructured materials with remarkable optical properties for industrial applications.] BIOLAB (ESA): No report. BIORHYTHMS (JAXA, Biological Rhythms): No report. BISE (CSA, Bodies in the Space Environment): No report. BISPHOSPHONATES: No report. BXF-Facility (Boiling eXperiment Facility, NASA): No report. BXF-MABE (Microheater Array Boiling Experiment, NASA): No report. BXF-NPBX (Pool Boiling Experiment, NASA): No report. CARD (Long Term Microgravity Model for Investigating Mechanisms of Heart Disease, ESA): No report. CARDIOCOG-2: Complete. CB (JAXA Clean Bench): No report. CBEF-2 (JAXA Cell Biology Experiment Facility)/SPACE SEED: No report. CCISS (Cardiovascular & Cerebrovascular Control on Return from ISS): No report. CERISE (JAXA): No report. CCF (Capillary Channel Flow, NASA): No report. CFE-2 (Capillary Flow Experiment 2, NASA): No report. CFS-A (Colored Fungi in Space-A, ESA): No report. CSI-5/CGBA-5 (CGBA Science Insert #5/Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 5): No report. CGBA-2 (Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus 2): Complete. CIR (Combustion Integrated Rack), MDCA/Flex: No report. Commercial (Inc 23&24, JAXA): No report. Commercial (Inc 25 & 26, JAXA): No report. CSAC (Chip-Scale Atomic Clock, SPHERES): No report. CSLM-2 (Coarsening in Solid-Liquid Mixtures 2): No report. CsPins (JAXA): No report. CubeLab: No report. CW/CR (Cell Wall/Resist Wall) in EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System): Complete. DECLIC-ALI (Device for the Study of Critical Liquids & Crystallization-ALICE-like, CNES/NASA): No report. DomeGene (JAXA): Complete. DOSIS (Dose Distribution Inside ISS, ESA): No report. EarthKAM (Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle School Students): No report. EDR (European Drawer Rack, ESA): No report. EKE (Endurance Capacity by Gas Exchange and Heart Rate Kinetics During Physical Training, ESA): No report. ELITE-S2 (Elaboratore Immagini Televisive – Space 2): Planned. EMCS (European Modular Cultivation System): No report. ENose (Electronic Nose): No report. EPM (European Physiology Module): No report. EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (Eye in the Sky; Sleep 2): No report. EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (Sesame Street): No report. EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (Kids in Micro-G): No report. EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (Earth/Moon/Mars Demo): No report. EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (Space Sports): No report. EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (ISS Orbit): No report. EPO (Educational Payload Operations, NASA) (ISS Volume, Optical Sphere): Thank you for completing the EPO ISS Volume and EPO Optic Sphere Demos on 2/30 and 3/2. The demonstrations and your explanations of the concepts will be beneficial to our targeted audience of K-12 educators and students. The videos will be edited into 5-minute segments and posted to Teaching From Space’s STEM focused website. Thank you for your dedication to education.” EPO (Educational Payload Operations, ESA): No report. EPO CONVECTIONS (ESA): “No report. EPO MISSION X (ESA): No report. EPO LES-2 (ESA): No report. EPO GREENHOUSE (ESA): No report. EPO 3-min Video (JAXA): No report. EPO J-Astro Report (JAXA): No report. EPO Dewey’s Forest (JAXA): Closed out on 3/15. EPO Space Clothes (JAXA): Complete. EPO Hiten (Dance, JAXA): No report. EPO Lego Bricks (NASA, JAXA): No report. EPO Moon Score (JAXA): No report. EPO Kibo Kids Tour (JAXA): Complete. EPO Paper Craft (Origami, JAXA): No report. EPO Poem (JAXA): No report. EPO-5 SpaceBottle (Message in a Bottle, JAXA): No report. EPO-6 Spiral Top 2 (JAXA): No report. EPO-7 Doctor Demo (JAXA): No report. EPO-7 Green Tea Preparation (JAXA): No report. EPO-7 Ink Ball (JAXA): No report. EPO-7 Video (JAXA): EPO-7 Try Zero-G (JAXA): No report. EPO-8 Space Sakura (JAXA): No report. EPO-8 Space Musical Instruments (JAXA): No report. ERB-2 (Erasmus Recording Binocular, ESA): [ERB-2 aims are to develop narrated video material for various PR & educational products & events, including a 3D interior station view.] No report. ETD (Eye Tracking Device): Completed. FACET-2 (JAXA): No report. FERULATE (JAXA): No report. FIR/LMM/CVB (Fluids Integrated Rack / Light Microscopy Module / Constrained Vapor Bubble): No report. Fish Scales (JAXA): Completed on FD7/ULF-4 and returned on STS-132. FOAM STABILITY EPO (ESA): No report. FOCUS: No report. FSL (Fluid Science Laboratory, ESA): No report. FWED (Flywheel Exercise Device, ESA): No report. GENARA-A (Gravity Regulated Genes in Arabidopsis A/ESA): No report. GEOFLOW-2 (ESA): Another 2 no-rotation runs were completed earlier this week. For two of the runs, all but one of the planned scientific set-points were acquired. MVIS data and image data for all runs were downlinked and are under the assessment by the GEOFLOW-2 science team. We are now very close to the conclusion of the GEOFLOW-2 experimental campaign! [Background: Everybody is familiar with liquids. In an average day we get to use, handle or drink water or other liquids. And everybody knows how fluids (that is liquids and gases) behave: when subjected to a net force, may be pressure, a temperature difference or gravity, they can move freely. Scientists have been studying how fluids move for centuries, and managed to write mathematical formulas that can describe and predict such movements. Unfortunately, these equations are extremely complex and only approximate solutions are known. As a result, our quantitative understanding of fluid movement is just partial. This is especially true for natural phenomena where the forces can be enormous and unpredictable, like in oceans or in the atmosphere. Or the interior of the earth, where rocks are exposed to pressures and temperatures so incredibly high that they slowly move and adapt their shape. That is, over hundreds of years rocks flow just like a very viscous liquid. Scientists try to study such flows but cannot observe them directly due to the fact that they take place deep beneath the surface of our planet. The only way is to have computers simulating those movements starting from the equations, but how to check whether computers are correct? This is what Geoflow II is trying to answer on board the International Space Station. Geoflow II is a miniature planet that has some of its essential ingredients: a fluid can freely move inside a spherical container that rotates, has temperature differences and has a simulated gravity directed towards the centre just like in a real planet. By taking pictures of the fluid movements, scientists are able to understand the essential characteristics of the flows and determine whether computer simulations are correct or whether they need to be refined and improved towards a better understanding of the elusive movements that take place inside our planet.] HAIR (JAXA): No report. HDTV System (JAXA): No report. Hicari (JAXA): Pre-vacuum of GHF has started for communication trouble shooting. In this case, the automatic power shut down function of the Payload Data Handling (PDH) was disabled to get continuous telemetries before and after when communication error happened. This time, in order to isolate the suspected root cause, the Vacuum Evacuation Equipment (VEE) will not operate. The pre-vacuum will be continued until 4/12. Holter ECG (JAXA): No report. HQPC (JAXA): Was delivered by 34P. HREP (HICO/Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean & RAIDS/Remote Atmospheric & Ionospheric Detection System/JAXA): HICO has taken 5258 images to-date. The most recent HICO images include the Dead Sea, Onslo Bay in North Carolina, the coast of Venice and the lower part of the Chesapeake Bay. RAIDS is collecting secondary Science data including nighttime atmospheric disk photometry, spectra and temperatures. Extreme Ultra Violet airglow spectroscopy and optical contamination studies will also be performed. HRF-1 (Human Research Facility 1, NASA): No report. HydroTropi (Hydrotropism & Auxin-Inducible Gene Expression in Roots Grown under Microgravity Conditions/JAXA): No report. ICE CRYSTAL (JAXA): Complete. ICV (Integrated Cardiovascular): “André and Don, thanks to both of you for wearing the ICV hardware this week. You are now past the halfway point of your inflight ICV sessions! We also appreciate André’s inventory of the HM2 Consumables Kits as that is very helpful in anticipating availability of supplies for future sessions.” IMMUNO (Neuroendocrine & Immune Responses in Humans During & After Long Term Stay at ISS): No report. INTEGRATED IMMUNE: No report. InSPACE-2 (Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Emulsions 2): No report. IRIS (Image Reversal in Space, CSA): No report. ISS Amateur/Ham Radio: “Don, Thank you for a successful contact with Liberty Junior High School in Burbank, Illinois. Over 800 student and parents were present for the event and the school’s IT team made a videotape of the contact for the school’s webpage. Participants asked us to pass along their thanks for “an absolutely excellent job”; “Everyone was very thrilled after the contact and it was very loud in the room for a few minutes afterwards.” ISS Ham Stats to date: 42 – Inc 29-30 Count; 14 – Exp 29 Crew Count; 12 – Burbank Count; – Shkaplerov Count; 1 – Exp 30 Crew Count; 4 – Kuipers Count; 6 – Pettit Count; 1 – Kononenko Count; 21 – Event Count for 2012; 710 – Event Count for Program” ISSAC (ISS Agricultural Camera, NASA): No report. IV Gen (Intravenous Fluids Generation): No report. JOURNALS (Behavioral Issues Associated with Isolation and Confinement, NASA): No report. [Studies conducted on Earth have shown that analyzing the content of journals and diaries is an effective method for identifying the issues that are most important to a person. The method is based on the reasonable assumption that the frequency that an issue or category of issues is mentioned in a journal reflects the importance of that issue or category to the writer. The tone of each entry (positive, negative, or neutral) and phase of the expedition also are variables of interest. Study results will lead to recommendations for the design of equipment, facilities, procedures, and training to help sustain behavioral adjustment and performance during long-duration space expeditions to the ISS, asteroids, the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Results from this study could help to improve the behavioral performance of people living and working under a variety of conditions here on Earth.] KID/KUBIK6: No report. KUBIK 3 (ESA): No report. LMM/PACE-2 (Light Microscopy Module / Preliminary Advanced Colloids Experiment): No report. LOCAD-PTS (Lab-on-a-Chip Application Development-Portable Test System): No report. Marangoni Exp. (JAXA): “André, thank you for your work on a big task! You removed the Marangoni Surface from the FPEF and returned it to the non-operational configuration. In addition to this, you checked for the cause of dark spots on images of the FPEF IR Imager. We will check the images downlinked and will plan the next step for the trouble shooting. Thank you!” Marangoni DSD – Dynamic Surf (JAXA): Payload name was change from Marangoni DSD to Dynamic Surf. Marangoni UVP (JAXA): No report. MARES (Muscle Atrophy Research & Exercise System, ESA/NASA): No report. Matryoshka-2 (RSA): No report. MAXI (Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image, JAXA): Continuing telemetry monitoring. MDCA/Flex-2: “Dan, Thank you for your hard work to replace the MDCA Fuel Reservoirs on 3/12. The MDCA Fuel Reservoirs you installed contain fuels for more FLEX-2 Fuel Surrogate test points. We are continuing to troubleshoot the communications issue between an FCF IPSU and an FCF DCM (the software controller of a CIR HiBMS Imaging Package).” MEIS (Marangoni Experiment for ISS) in JAXA FPEF (Fluid Physics Experiment Facility): No report. Microbe-2 (JAXA): Sample returned by ULF6. Micro-G Clay (JAXA EPO): Complete. MISSE-8 (Materials ISS Experiment 8): All MISSE-8 experiments are nominal and the CIB has not reset this week. PASCAL is performing nominal commanding of its solar cells including induced discharge experiments and IV curves. IV curves are plots of the current versus voltage for solar cells and tell a lot about how these are performing. The SpaceCube experiment is running code for new radiation hardening by software. MMA (JAXA/Microgravity Measurement Apparatus): No report. MPAC/SEED (JAXA): No report. MSG-SAME (Microgravity Science Glovebox-Smoke Aerosol Measurement Experiment): No report. MSPR (Multi Purpose Small Payload Rack, JAXA): No report. MSL (Materials Science Laboratory, ESA): No report. MTR-2 (Russian radiation measurements): Passive dosimeters measurements in DC-1 “Pirs”. MULTIGEN-1: Completed. MYCO 3 (JAXA): On 9/22, Mike and Satoshi completed sample collection. MyoLab (JAXA): Completed on 4/20. NANOSKELETON (Production of High Performance Nanomaterials in Microgravity, JAXA): No report. NEURORAD (JAXA): No report. NEUROSPAT (ESA/Study of Spatial Cognition, Novelty Processing and Sensorimotor Integration): No report. [During microgravity stay, the human body goes through multitude of physiological changes in order to accommodate to the new environment. As the brain is a master organ where major crucial processes take place, it is fundamental to understand how it manages adaptation for living in Space. One of the main purposes of Neurospat (NES) experiment is to focus on how microgravity environment influences cerebral activity of astronauts aboard ISS. For this, the global electrical activity of the brain of the astronaut is measured thanks to electroencephalogram (EEG) technique, while he or she is executing specific tasks through a computer as if it was a kind of videogame. In practice, the astronaut is wearing a specially equipped cap with passive, gel filled electrodes that are in contact with his/her scalp while he or she is performing the specific tasks that we have designed. These are visual-orientation perception and visuo-motor tracking tasks that may be encountered on a daily basis. The tasks allow the study of 5 cognitive processes: Perception, Attention, Memorization, Decision and Action. Besides there are also task-irrelevant images that are showed to the astronaut in order to assess how well he or she processes novel visual stimuli. The electrodes all over the scalp are linked to sensitive amplifiers that allow us to measure small variations of electrical potential between different regions of the scalp. These signals are in turn used to estimate activity in the cerebral cortex related to the task being performed. Also, they serve to identify the mental processes associated with these tasks and to localize in the brain the sources of the underlying neural activity. After analysis of the data we can better understand whether the novel environment of microgravity accompanied by a multitude of stressors may place an increased load on the cognitive capacity of the human brain and whether the sensory signals and motor responses of astronauts are processed and interpreted differently because a new reference frame.] NightPod (ESA): No report. NOA-1/-2 (Nitric Oxide Analyzer, ESA): Complete. NUTRITION w/REPOSITORY/ProK: No report. ODK (Onboard Diagnostic Kit, JAXA): No report. PACE-2 (Preliminary Advanced Colloids Experiment 2, NASA): (please see under FIR and LMM/PACE-2. PADIAC (Pathway Different Activators, ESA): No report. PADLES (JAXA, Area PADLES 6/7; Passive Area Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiment in Space): No report. PASSAGES (JAXA): “Dan, big thanks for successfully completing your second and last PASSAGES session! All went smoothly, the science data was downlinked and the science team has already confirmed good quality for all the measurements. Your PASSAGES activities mark the completion of the in-flight part of this scientific project. Two more post-flight BDC sessions after your return with 28S, and the science team will concentrate on publishing the results, so a nice milestone for ESA Neuroscience studies this week!” [PASSAGES is an experiment about the strategies involved in the perception of the world around us. Seeing correctly the world is necessary to success our gestures, our actions, such as catching a ball, stepping an obstacle on the ground or passing through an opened door. In this experiment, we want to know if the strategies involved on Earth continue to be used when the astronaut is in a weightlessness environment for a long period. To investigate this question, the participant sees 3D scenes on the screen of a laptop such as a video game. The scene is a room with an opening which can vary in width. The task of the participant is to decide if yes or no he or she could pass through the aperture without rotating or scrunching the shoulders. The science team uses typical methods from psychophysics and manipulates several factors to highlight the strategies used by the participant. Then, the science team will compare the performances obtained on ground with those obtained onboard.] PCDF-PU (Protein Crystallization Diagnostic Facility – Process Unit): No report. PCG (JAXA, Protein Crystal Growth): Since 1/28, we are monitoring temperature until the day of the return of 28S. PCRF (Protein Crystallization Research Facility) Reconfiguration (JAXA): See PCG. PLSG (Plant Signaling, NASA/ESA): No report. PMDIS (Perceptual Motor Deficits in Space): Complete. POLCA/GRAVIGEN (ESA): Complete. Portable PFS: Used for the VO2max/THERMOLAB sessions for Dan, André and Don in week #24 (3/1) and #25 (3/6 & 3/7). Refer to THERMOLAB. Pro K: No report. RadGene & LOH (JAXA): Complete. RadSilk (JAXA): No report. Reaction Self Test (RST/Psychomotor Vigilance Self Test on the ISS): “Dan, Don and André, Thank you for your participation in Reaction Self Test!” ROALD-2 (Role of Apoptosis in Lymphocyte Depression 2, ESA): No report. [Background: The ROALD-2 experiment studies how the function of T-cells from the immune system are affected by microgravity and spaceflight. T-cells play an important role in controlling the immune systems response to infection. It has previously been shown that the immune response of astronauts can be reduced following spaceflight and it has also been shown that the activation of T-cells in culture is reduced in microgravity. A series of experiments on T-cells and other immune system cells have been previously performed by different scientific teams on Space Shuttle and the ISS over the last 30 years. The data from these individual experiments provides information which together can be used to understand the mechanisms by which gravity or the absence of gravity can affect T-cell function.] Robonaut (NASA): “Don and Dan, thank you for all your help completing Robonaut operations this week. 3/13, the motion stop connector and heat sink install activities were very successful. We ran into some faults during the functional checkout, but all indications show that the fixes you put in place are working very well. Operations on 3/14 for VelociCalc were also very successful and we gathered a lot of good data and lessons learned to apply to the next time we use VelociCalc. The flight control and engineering teams were very excited to get good readings on the IMV and look forward to gathering more data in the future. We are working on a solution to tune the waist joint in order to avoid needing you to manually rotate the joint and hope to have the solution in place shortly. Thanks again for the help and all of the hard work.” RYUTAI Rack (JAXA): No report. SAIBO Rack (JAXA): CBEF Cable was installed to use MSPR/VSCU for Saibo/CBEF maintenance. The actual maintenance is planned early next week. SAMS/MAMS (Space & Microgravity Acceleration Measurement Systems): No report. SAMPLE: Complete. SCOF (Solution Crystallization Observation Facility, JAXA): No report. SEDA-AP (Space Environment Data Acquisition Equipment-Attached Payload, JAXA): Continuing telemetry monitoring. SHD (Space Headaches, ESA): “You completed your 11th weekly questionnaire on 2/9, thanks a lot for your continuous support every week André! Currently the questionnaires are not downlinked, so they need to be kept on-orbit and will be downlinked at a later time. ” [Background: The neurologists from Leiden University want to study the question whether the astronauts, while in space, suffer from the headaches. With the help of simple questionnaires the astronauts will register the headache episodes and the eventual accompanying symptoms. The results will hopefully help to characterize the frequency and characteristics of space headache and to develop countermeasure to prevent/minimize headache occurrence during the space flight.] SHERE II (Shear History Extensional Rheology Experiment II): No report. SLAMMD (Space Linear Acceleration Mass Measurement Device): No report. SLEEP (Sleep-Wake Actigraphy & Light Exposure during Spaceflight): No report. SLICE (Structure & Liftoff In Combustion Experiment): SLICE – including the SPICE smoke point tests – is roughly 90% complete. Of the twelve fuel bottles, one is full, two are partially full, and nine are empty. This week’s testing included both lifted and smoke-emitting flames, where it was interesting to see the smoke point for 100% methane flames (on Monday) as that had not been observed in previous testing, e.g., in the 2009 SPICE ops which didn’t have the 3.2 and 2.1-mm burners. We were also pleased to again achieve the desired condition of stable lifted flames with the 20% ethylene on Thursday. This week, we conducted 17 tests (i.e., flames) not counting a couple that blew out at ignition, and took approx. 134 sets of photographs, i.e., for different flow conditions, making it a very productive week. Thus far, about 100 tests have been conducted (i.e., flames have been ignited) and over 3,000 high-resolution still photos have been taken of roughly 600 conditions. Next week’s sessions include the remaining 70% methane and 100% propane (where both are partial bottles) and finally the 100% ethylene which is the most sooty and has therefore been left to last. Most of the remaining tests will be for smoke point determination. The testing will include another pyrometry calibration where some earlier results were not as self-consistent between the bracketed photos as desired. SMILES (JAXA): Continuing telemetry monitoring. SODI/IVIDIL (Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument/Influence of Vibration on Diffusion in Liquids, ESA): No report. SODI/COLLOID (Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument/Colloid): No report. SODI-DSC (Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument/Diffusion & Soret Coefficient, ESA): No report. [Background: Fluids and gases are never at rest. This statement is in apparent contradiction with our experience: when we pour water in a glass and wait until all flows have disappeared and the temperature of the liquid is in equilibrium with that of the room, we see that water appears to be completely at rest. However, if we were able to see the individual molecules of water with a very powerful microscope, we would discover that they are incessantly moving and collide with each other following frantic, random paths even if the liquid appears to be quiescent at naked eye. Scientists are interested in observing and measuring such movements because they reveal important, practical information: how fast does heat propagates in a fluid? How fast do liquid mixtures mix? Such phenomena occur in absence of a macroscopic flow, that is when the fluid appears to be at rest, and are called heat and mass diffusion respectively. While the theoretical prediction of heat and mass diffusion is still quite challenging, its measurement is a standard laboratory practice, but may become extremely difficult or impossible when dealing with mixtures of many liquids, due to the fact that such measurement needs to be carried out when the fluid is quiescent, a condition sometimes impossible to achieve on ground. This is precisely the objective of the SODI DSC experiment carried out on board the International Space Station: the measurement of diffusion in mixtures of liquids. By using very sensitive optical techniques, it will be possible to measure mass diffusion, compare with current theories, and improve our present understanding of how molecules move in liquid mixtures. The results will be used by the large team of scientists involved in the project to try to understand which of the many existing theories for mass diffusion is correctly predicting the experimental behavior.] SOLAR (Solar Monitoring Observatory, ESA): SOLAR instruments are out of Sun Visibility Window (SVW). SOLACES stayed in heating mode from 2/28 to 3/2 in order to mitigate potential contamination of its sensitive optics. Weekly SOLSPEC calibration was completed nominally. The next SVW (#51) is expected to start on 3/19. SOLO (Sodium Loading in Microgravity): No report. Space-DRUMS (Space Dynamically Responding Ultrasonic Matrix System): No report. Space Food (JAXA): No report. SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellite): No report. SPHINX (SPaceflight of Huvec: an Integrated eXperiment, ESA): No report. SPICE (Smoke Point In Co-flow Experiment): No report. SPINAL (Spinal Elongation): No report. SPRINT: No report. SS-HDTV (Super Sensitivity High Definition Camera, JAXA): No report. STP-H3 (Space Test Program – Houston 3): The MHTEX Capillary Pumped Loop evaporators are currently repriming in preparation for further tests and steady state operations. VADER continues to characterize the performance of the Aerogel blanket attached to the backside of the experiment. Canary is analyzing data from previous data takes. DISC has taken more imagery this week and is processing images that were taken in previous weeks. SWAB (Characterization of Microorganisms & Allergens in Spacecraft): No report. TASTE IN SPACE (ESA): No report. THERMOLAB (ESA): “”Dan, André and Don, no in-flight activities for you this week, but ESA received the confirmation by the science team that all the 3 sessions performed during week #24 and week #25 are confirmed as fully valid. Thanks for this achievement!” TRAC (Test of Reaction & Adaptation Capabilities): Planned. TREADMILL KINEMATICS: “Thanks, Dan, for another great session! Thanks, André, for your 3rd session! Thanks, Don, for your 3rd session!” TRIPLELUX-B (ESA): No report. ULTRASOUND: Planned. UMS (Urine Monitoring System (NASA): No report. VASCULAR (CSA): “No report. VCAM (Vehicle Cabin Atmosphere Module, NASA): No report. VESSEL ID System (ESA): Nominal data acquisition with the NorAIS receiver. VESSEL IMAGING (ESA): No report. [Background: It is known that the ability of blood vessels to vasoconstrict – the ability of the muscular vessel wall to narrow the diameter of the blood vessel – is impaired during and after a human has been in space. “Vessel Imaging” is using the Ultrasound scanner on board the ISS to take images of the five different blood vessels in the lower abdomen and in the legs to study what changes occur to cause the blood vessels to be less able to vasoconstrict. For each vessel, a 5 second scan is performed to observe the blood vessel during several heart beats, followed by a scan where the ultrasound scan-head is tilted to allow a “cut through the blood vessel wall”. The same scans are also performed before flight, and these pre-flight images are used as the baseline to which the in-flight data is compared with. The images are analyzed to detect any changes in the blood vessel wall properties, such as wall thickness, elasticity or structure, changes in the size of the blood vessel or blood flow (volume) while the crewmember is in orbit.] VIABLE (eValuatIon And monitoring of microBiofiLms insidE the ISS Payload Touch, NASA): No report. VO2max (NASA): “The VO2max PI has completed all of the data analysis from the sessions over the last 2 weeks and forwarded on the information to your crew surgeons. Thank you all again for all of your diligent work in collecting this very complex data set!” VLE (Video Lessons ESA): No report. WAICO #1/#2 (Waving and Coiling of Arabidopsis Roots at Different g-levels; ESA): No report. YEAST B (ESA): No report. YOUTUBE SpaceLab: No report. CEO (Crew Earth Observation): Through 3/13 the ground has received 115,642 of ISS CEO frames for review and cataloguing. “We are pleased to report that we have received imagery with times corresponding to our CEO target request times as follows: Dakar, Senegal – 3 frames – target acquired – lens requirement not met; Rome, Italy – 1 frame – target not acquired; Budapest, Hungary – 4 frames – target acquired – lens requirement not met; Aurora Australis – 25 frames – target acquired – under evaluation; Kiev, Ukraine – 8 frames – target acquired – lens requirement not met. Your beautiful nighttime view of the City Lights of Dubai, United Arab Emirates was published on the NASA/GSFC Earth Observatory website this past weekend (attached in the CEO tab, linked below). Dubai has been a favorite target of Astronaut photography, day and night, for several years now, due particularly to its interesting man-made archipelagos just off shore in the Persian Gulf. Yours is the most crisp and stunning nighttime view acquired to date. Congratulations!” CEO (Crew Earth Observation) targets uplinked for today were Ganges River Sand Bars East, India (IR-Photography Collection Site: The sand bars around the Ganges River have a tendency to erode and rebuild periodically depending on the time of year. Currently this area is in the dry season, which is ideal for observing the eroded river sand bar. As ISS tracked SE over the Himalayas, the crew was to look just left of track for this river, using a long lens to capture the river beds along the Ganges. If possible, CEO staff wanted the crew to acquire these sand bars with both a visible and IR camera), Ganges River Delta (IR-Photography Collection Site: ISS had a morning pass in cloud-free weather with some haze likely over this target. As the crew approached the coast of the Bay of Bengal from the NW, they were to look just left of track. Of particular interest with IR is the distinct, dark forest region of mangroves known as the Sunderbans. In January, the crew took fantastic mapping imagery with the IR camera. Now, CEO staff wanted to acquire imagery in both visible and IR to compare. Trying for overlapping mapping views of this feature), Tirane, Albania (Capital Cities Collection: ISS had a midday pass over the Adriatic Sea to the capital city of Albania. As it tracked SE, the crew was to look just left of track over the coast in clear weather. Tirane, with a population of over 600,000, is located near the center of the country and about 20 miles inland from the Adriatic Sea), and Athens, Greece (Capital Cities Collection: The capital of Greece is an ancient city that dominates the south coast of region known as Attica in the southeastern part of the mainland. As ISS approached the coast from the NW, the crew was to look nadir for this target. ISS had a midday pass in fair weather over this sprawling urban area of more than 3 million). ISS Orbit (as of this morning, 9:56am EDT [= epoch])
Mean altitude – 389.6 km
Apogee height – 401.0 km
Perigee height – 378.3 km
Period — 92.35 min.
Inclination (to Equator) — 51.64 deg
Eccentricity — 0.0016799
Solar Beta Angle — -38.3 deg (magnitude decreasing)
Orbits per 24-hr. day — 15.59
Mean altitude loss in the last 24 hours — 129 m
Revolutions since FGB/Zarya launch (Nov. 98) — 76,373
Time in orbit (station) — 4866 days
Time in orbit (crews, cum.) — 4153 days

Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time and subject to change):
————–Six-crew operations—————-
03/23/12 — ATV3 launch (12:34am EDT)
03/28/12 — ATV3 docking (~6:34pm EDT)
04/19/12 — Progress M-14M/46P undock
04/20/12 — Progress M-15M/47P launch
04/22/12 — Progress M-15M/47P docking
04/30/12 — SpaceX Dragon launch (12:22pm EDT; target date)
04/30/12 — Soyuz TMA-22/28S undock/landing (End of Increment 30)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/15/12 — Soyuz TMA-04M/30S launch – G.Padalka (CDR-32)/J.Acaba/S.Revin
05/17/12 — Soyuz TMA-04M/30S docking (MRM2)
————–Six-crew operations—————-
07/01/12 — Soyuz TMA-03M/29S undock/landing (End of Increment 31)
————–Three-crew operations————-
07/15/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/31S launch – S.Williams (CDR-33)/Y.Malenchenko/A.Hoshide
07/17/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/31S docking
07/31/12 — Progress M16M/48P launch
08/02/12 — Progress M16M/48P docking
————–Six-crew operations—————-
09/17/12 — Soyuz TMA-04M/30S undock/landing (End of Increment 32)
————–Three-crew operations————-
10/15/12 — Soyuz TMA-06M/32S launch – K.Ford (CDR-34)/O.Novitskiy/E.Tarelkin
10/17/12 — Soyuz TMA-06M/32S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/01/12 — Progress M-17M/49P launch
11/03/12 — Progress M-17M/49P docking
11/12/12 — Soyuz TMA-05M/31S undock/landing (End of Increment 33)
————–Three-crew operations————-
12/05/12 — Soyuz TMA-07M/33S launch – C.Hadfield (CDR-35)/T.Mashburn/R.Romanenko
12/07/12 — Soyuz TMA-07M/33S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
12/26/12 — Progress M-18M/50P launch
12/28/12 — Progress M-18M/50P docking
03/19/13 — Soyuz TMA-06M/32S undock/landing (End of Increment 34)
————–Three-crew operations————-
04/02/13 — Soyuz TMA-08M/34S launch – P.Vinogradov (CDR-36)/C.Cassidy/A.Misurkin
04/04/13 — Soyuz TMA-08M/34S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
05/16/13 — Soyuz TMA-07M/33S undock/landing (End of Increment 35)
————–Three-crew operations————-
05/29/13 — Soyuz TMA-09M/35S launch – M.Suraev (CDR-37)/K.Nyberg/L.Parmitano
05/31/13 — Soyuz TMA-09M/35S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
09/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-08M/34S undock/landing (End of Increment 36)
————–Three-crew operations————-
09/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-10M/36S launch – M.Hopkins/TBD (CDR-38)/TBD
09/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-10M/36S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
11/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-09M/35S undock/landing (End of Increment 37)
————–Three-crew operations————-
11/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-11M/37S launch – K.Wakata (CDR-39)/R.Mastracchio/TBD
11/xx/13 — Soyuz TMA-11M/37S docking
————–Six-crew operations————-
03/xx/14 — Soyuz TMA-10M/36S undock/landing (End of Increment 38)
————–Three-crew operations————-