NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 2 August 2009
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. Sunday — Crew rest day. Ahead: Week 10 of Increment 20.
FE-1 Mike Barratt began the third day of FD120 session with the NASA/JSC experiment NUTRITION w/Repository, focusing today on the blood draw. Tim Kopra assisted in the phlebotomy from an arm vein. Mike also finished the urine collection of the past 24 hours. His next Nutrition/Repository activity is the FD180 session. [After the phlebotomy, Mike’s samples were first allowed to coagulate in the Repository for 20-30 minutes, then spun in the HRF RC (Human Research Facility/Refrigerated Centrifuge) and finally placed in MELFI (Minus-Eighty Laboratory Freezer for ISS). No thruster activity was allowed during the blood drawing. The RC was later powered off after a temperature reset to limit wear on the compressor, and cleaned. The NUTRITION project is the most comprehensive in-flight study done by NASA to date of human physiologic changes during long-duration space flight. It includes measures of bone metabolism, oxidative damage, nutritional assessments, and hormonal changes, expanding the previous Clinical Nutritional Assessment profile (MR016L) testing in three ways: Addition of in-flight blood & urine collection (made possible by supercold MELFI dewars), normative markers of nutritional assessment, and a return session plus 30-day (R+30) session to allow evaluation of post-flight nutrition and implications for rehabilitation.]
For his VolSci (Voluntary Weekend Science) program today, Mike Barratt did another LOCAD-PTS (Lab-on-a-Chip Application Development-Portable Test System) Phase 1 sampling session using only the LAL (Limulus amebocyte lysate) cartridges. [LOCAD uses small, thumb-sized “microfluidic” cartridges that are read by the experiment reader. The handheld device tests a new analysis technology by sampling for the presence of gram negative bacteria in the sample in about 15 minutes. Lab-on-a-Chip technology has an ever-expanding range of applications in the biotech industry. Chips are available (or in development) which can also detect yeast, mold, and gram positive bacteria, identify environmental contaminants, and perform quick health diagnostics in medical clinics. The technology has been used to swab the MERs (Mars Exploration Rovers) for planetary protection. With expanded testing on ISS, this compact technology has broad potential applications in space exploration–from monitoring environmental conditions to monitoring crew health. After today, there are nine sessions remaining to complete the planned science requirements.]
FE-2 Tim Kopra had Day 2 of the CCISS (Cardiovascular & Cerebrovascular Control on Return from ISS) experiment for his VolSci choice of today, using the HRF PC1 (Human Research Facility Portable Computer 1. [After reaching the 24-hr mark indicated by the Holter Monitor 2 "Recording Complete" message, approximately at 11:00am EDT, the Holter Monitor 2 and Actiwatches could be doffed and the data downloaded to the HRF PC1. CCISS studies the effects of long-duration spaceflight on crewmembers’ heart functions and their blood vessels that supply the brain (= “cerebrovascular”). Learning more about the changes in cardiovascular & cerebrovascular systems in zero-G could lead to specific countermeasures that might better protect future space travelers and their ability to meet the challenge of return to an upright position on Earth. For the Baro study of CCIS, done yesterday by Tim, heart rate and blood pressure are being recorded for resting and timed breathing for 5 min, with no caffeine or food (water is acceptable) allowed two hours before the start of the Baro Study and no exercise prior to the Baro Study.]
FE-3 Roman Romanenko performed the routine daily servicing of the SOZh system (Environment Control & Life Support System, ECLSS) in the SM, including the weekly collection of the toilet flush (SP) counter and water supply (SVO) readings for calldown to TsUP-Moscow.
FE-2, FE-3, FE-4 & FE-5 had 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), Roman at ~7:45am, Frank at ~9:46am, Bob at ~10:55am, Tim at ~3:35pm EDT.
The crew completed their regular daily 2.5-hr. physical workout program on the CEVIS cycle ergometer (FE-1, FE-2, FE-4, FE-5), TVIS treadmill with vibration isolation (CDR, FE-3), ARED (FE-1, FE-2, FE-3, FE-4, FE-5), and VELO cycle ergometer with bungee cord load trainer (CDR).
A new addition to the US discretionary “job jar” task list is the downloading of SLEEP Actiwatch files, as all four crew Actiwatches are ready for their monthly data transfer after today’s CCISS activities..
Significant Events Ahead (all dates Eastern Time, some changes possible!):
08/07/09 — PMA-3 relocation to Node- 1 Port (~7:35am EDT)
08/25/09 — STS-128/Discovery/17A launch – MPLM (P), LMC (~1:36am EDT)
09/10/09 — H-IIB (JAXA HTV-1) launch (~1:00pm EDT)
09/16/09 — H-IIB (JAXA HTV-1) berth w/SSRMS
09/29/09 — Progress 34P undock
09/30/09 — Soyuz TMA-16/20S launch
10/02/09 — Soyuz TMA-16/20S docking (SM aft, until MRM-2 w/new port)
10/08/09 — H-IIB (JAXA HTV-1) unberth
10/11/09 — Soyuz TMA-14/18S undock
10/15/09 — Progress 35P launch
11/10/09 — 5R/MRM-2 (Russian Mini Research Module 2) on Soyuz-U
11/12/09 — STS-129/Atlantis/ULF3 – ELC1, ELC2
12/07/09 — Soyuz TMA-17/21S launch
12/26/09 — Progress 36P launch
02/03/10 — Progress 37P launch
02/04/10 — STS-130/Endeavour/20A – Node-3 + Cupola
03/18/10 — STS-131/Discovery/19A – MPLM(P), LMC
04/02/10 — Soyuz TMA-18/22S launch
04/27/10 — Progress 38P launch
05/14/10 — STS-132/Atlantis/ULF4 – ICC-VLD, MRM-1
05/29/10 — Soyuz TMA-19/23S launch
06/25/10 — Progress 39P launch
07/29/10 — STS-133/Endeavour/ULF5 – ELC4, MPLM
08/11/10 — Progress 40P launch
09/16/10 — STS-134/Discovery/ULF6 – ELC3, AMS
09/29/10 — Soyuz TMA-20/24S launch
10/19/10 — Progress 41P launch
11/??/10 — ATV2 – Ariane 5 (ESA)
12/??/11 — 3R Multipurpose Laboratory Module (MLM) w/ERA – on Proton
