ISS Daily Summary Report – 5/13/2019

Kidney Cells: On Sunday, the crew performed the Kidney Cell fixation inside the Life Science Glovebox (LSG). Following this, the Kidney Cells hardware was removed from the LSG and prepared for return. Fixation is a group of techniques used in biological science to preserve samples and terminate ongoing biochemical reactions in preparation for later analysis. Effects of Microgravity on the Structure and Function of Proximal and Distal Tubule Microphysiological System (MPS), or Kidney Cells, examines how kidney health is affected by microgravity and other factors of space travel, including increased chemical exposure, water conservation and recycling, and altered dietary intake. Serious medical conditions caused by poor kidney health, including protein in the urine (proteinuria), osteoporosis, and kidney stones, occur more often and more quickly in space. Knowledge gained can help protect the health of astronauts as well as contribute to better treatments for kidney related conditions on Earth.

MVP Cell-01 nutrient replace: Over the weekend, the crew removed Experiment Modules from the Multi-use Variable-g Platform, exchanged the nutrients, and reinstalled the Experiment Modules back into the Multi-use Variable-g Platform. The investigation studies a disease called Post-traumatic Osteoarthritis, in which a traumatic joint injury may lead to arthritis after loss of cartilage and bone. The ability of potential drugs to prevent the progression of this disease is tested on Earth and in space. The MVP facility is used to conduct research in space with a wide variety of sample types, such as fruit flies, flatworms, plants, fish, cells, protein crystals and many others. It includes internal carousels that simultaneously can produce up to 2 g of artificial gravity.

Astrobee mapping: The crew manually translated the Astrobee Free Flyer in various attitudes in the JEM and Node 2. The goal is to collect visual data to create a map of the JPM, and to calibrate Astrobee. The activities went very smoothly and the ground team was happy with the results. Astrobee is a series of three free-flying, cube-shaped robots which are designed to help scientists and engineers develop and test technologies for use in microgravity to assist astronauts with routine chores. The autonomous robots, powered by fans and vision-based navigation, perform crew-monitoring, sampling, logistics management, and accommodate up to three investigations.

ISS Experience: The crew set up the ISS Experience hardware to document the Veggie PONDS photo activities today. Talking points involved discussion of the importance of plant growth systems to Moon and Mars missions, discussion on the PONDS growth system itself, and the reason for the pink growth light in the Veggie system. The ISS Experience creates a virtual reality film documenting daily life aboard the ISS. The 8 to 10 minute videos created from footage taken during the six-month investigation cover different aspects of crew life, execution of science aboard the ISS, and the international partnerships involved. The ISS Experience uses a Z-CAM V1 Pro Cinematic Virtual Reality (VR) 360-degree camera with nine 190° fisheye lenses.

Micro-14: Using the MSG, the crew inoculated the culture bag with yeast. The Micro-14 (Characterizing the Effects of Spaceflight on theCandida albicans Adaptation Responses) life science research mission investigates and evaluates the responses of the C. albicans, a type of yeast, to microgravity conditions and, in particular, to assess changes at the physiological, cellular, and molecular level and to characterize virulence factors.

Nano Antioxidants: The crew removed the twelve experiment containers from Kubik after the completion of the automated run. The aim of the Nano Antioxidants investigation is to research innovative approaches for cellular stimulation to counteract the negative effects of long-term microgravity on the musculoskeletal system. There are numerous possible applications of this research project in other crucial social domains, such as healthcare of the elderly and of people with muscle atrophy disorders, through the implementation of new therapeutic strategies in the treatment of diseases involving oxidative stress as causing factor.

Photobioreactor (PBR): The crew removed the vent closeout panels from the Expedite the Processing of Experiments to Space Station (EXPRESS) Rack and installed PBR into the appropriate locker location. However, when the PBR was subsequently powered on, an off-nominal screen display was observed. A power-cycle was attempted and gave a nominal display momentarily, but it quickly transitioned to the off-nominal condition again. Ground teams are reviewing the log files to determine a forward plan and PBR was deactivated. The life support systems that sustain astronauts in space are based on physicochemical processes. The Photobioreactor investigation aims to demonstrate that microalgae (i.e. biological processes) can be used together with existing systems to improve recycling of resources, creating a hybrid life support system. This hybrid approach could be helpful in future long-duration exploration missions, as it could reduce the amount of consumables required from Earth, and will first be tested in space on the International Space Station (ISS).

Veggie PONDS (Passive Orbital Nutrient Delivery System): The crew took photos of the PONDS modules in both Veggie facilities from overhead and oblique angles. Today’s operations were to study the water distribution in the PONDS units in an attempt to better understand why the plants do not appear to be growing as expected. Organisms grow differently in space, from single-celled bacteria to plants and humans. Future long-duration space missions will require crew members to grow their own food. Therefore, understanding how plants respond to microgravity and demonstrating the reliable vegetable production on orbit are important steps toward that goal. Veggie PONDS uses a newly developed passive nutrient delivery system and the Veggie plant growth facility aboard the ISS to cultivate lettuce and mizuna greens which are to be harvested on-orbit, and consumed, with samples returned to Earth for analysis.

Airflow Measurement Survey: In support of monitoring the health of the ISS InterModule Ventilation (IMV) system, the crew used the Velocicalc device and set of measurement aids to measure the air flow exiting outlets and entering inlets throughout the USOS modules.

Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Operations: Friday night, Robotics Ground Controllers powered up the MSS and positioned it over the Dragon trunk. They then maneuvered the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) Arm 2 to stow the SCAN Testbed payload in the Dragon trunk for return.

Completed Task List Activities:

• Friday
  • Ghost camera charge
  • Lab RFID photo audit
  • Node 1 RFID photo audit
  • EVA wobble socket locate
  • Mouse habitat water gel insertion/removal
  • Dragon cargo ops
  • Thermal Amine labeling
  • CEVIS belt inspection
• Saturday
  • ARED cylinder evac
  • HAM radio troubleshooting
  • JEM WIS environmental monitor RSU battery R&R
  • PBA stow
  • ARED load adjustment unit wanted poster
  • Mouse habitat water gel insertion/removal
  • Dragon cargo ops
• Sunday
  • Mouse habitat water gel insertion/removal
  • Dragon cargo ops
  • CEVIS belt inspection

Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

• Kidney LSG teardown
• PONDS module photos
• MSS ops – CATS install in Dragon trunk

Look Ahead:

Tuesday, 05/14 (GMT 134):
Payloads:

• Micro-14 FEP
• Food Acceptability
• Genes in Space-6
• ISS Experience stow
• JAXA Mouse Mission maintenance and gather
• Kakuda imagery
• MicroAlgae
• Mass Measurement Device setup
• Rodent Research-12 maintenance and gather
• Nano antioxidants Kubik closeout

Systems:

• Acoustic Monitor removal
• DCB icebrick stow

Wednesday, 05/15 (GMT 135):
Payloads:

• Rodent Research-12 sample gathering
• Food Acceptability
• MicroAlgae
• Micro-14
• LMM/Biophysics-6 plate removal
• Micro-14

Systems:

• RS EVA tether inspect

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

• Acoustic Monitors Setup Reminder
• Reminder Behavorial Core Measures ROBoT-r Testing
• МО-8. Configuration Setup
• Reminder Behavorial Core Measures Cognition Testing
• МО-8. Body Mass Measurement
• Photo T/V (P/TV) Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Exercise Video Setup
• Body Mass Measurement – BMMD
• HRF Generic HRF Centrifuge Frozen Blood Collection 25 Minutes Subject
• Body Mass Measurement – BMMD
• HRF Generic HRF Centrifuge Frozen Blood Collection Operator
• МО-8. Body Mass Measurement
• Body Mass Measurement – BMMD
• HRF Generic HRF Centrifuge Frozen Blood Collection Configuration
• Acoustic Monitor Setup for Crew Worn Measurements
• HRF Generic HRF Centrifuge Frozen Blood Collection Spin Conclude
• Japan Aerospace eXploration Agency Sample MELFI Retrieval and Insertion
• Astrobee Procedure Review
• HRF Generic Sample MELFI Insertion
• HRF Generic HRF Centrifuge Frozen Blood Collection Conclude And Stow
• MICRO ALGAE Culture Bag Daily Deploy
• Intermodule Ventilation (IMV) Flow Measurement Survey
• МО-8. Closeout Ops
• FEP MELFI Retrieve 1
• EML Gas Valves Opening
• Micro-14 Yeast Inoculation in MSG
• JAXA Mouse Mission Item Gathering
• Weekly monitoring of video recording equipment performance on the ISS RS
• DAN. Experiment Session
• DAN. Operator Assistance with Experiment Operations
• XF305 Camcorder Setup
• JAXA Mouse Mission Preparation for Watering
• Water Refill Kit Battery Charge
• JAXA Mouse Mission Cage Watering for 1G
• Photobioreactor
• JAXA Mouse Mission Watering Closeout.
• Astrobee Crew Conference
• Auxiliary Laptop Computer System Virus Definition File Update
• Astrobee JEM Mapping Operations
• Review preliminary EVA timeline and ODF, view EVA-46 video
• Micro Algae Clump Check
• Photo/TV Camcorder Setup Verification
• Polar Hardware Install into Express Rack
• Water Recovery and Management (WRM) Waste Water Bus (WWB) Combine
• MRM1-FGB Screw Clamp Tightening
• Physical fitness evaluation (on the treadmill)
• Crew Prep for PAO
• PAO hardware setup. Video/Audio check
• Water Refill Kit Review
• TV Conference with the participants of the project The ISS is on Line
• Rodent Research 12 Dissection Review and Conference
• Kakuda Space Rice Seed Stowage Location Confirmation
• LSG Work Volume Deploy
• Food Acceptability Questionnaire
• ISS Experience Columbus Setup
• PAO Preparation
• Public Affairs Office (PAO) High Definition (HD) Config JEM Setup
• Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) – JEM
• Kidney Cells LSG Ancillary Hardware Teardown
• Nano Antioxidants Experiment Container Deinstallation
• Actiwatch Plus HRF Rack 1 Setup
• Insertion of Nano Antioxidants Experiment Containers into MELFI at -80°C
• On MCC GO Purging Elektron-VM Liquid Unit (БЖ) after Shutdown
• ISS Experience Recording Preparation
• TangoLab-2 Card Cube Remove
• PAO hardware setup. Video/Audio check
• ISS Experience Introduction Recording
• Crew Prep for PAO
• Glovebox Freezer – Life Science Glovebox – Setup
• Veggie Ponds Module Photos
• TangoLab-2 Polar Sample Insertion
• TV Conference with the participants of the project The ISS is on Line
• Lighting Effects Light Meter Setup
• ISS Experience Hardware Relocate
• Photo/TV, Checking Camcorder Settings
• Polar Desiccant Swap
• Exercise Data Downlink via OCA
• Actiwatch Plus HRF Rack 1 Stow
• MICRO ALGAE Culture Bag Daily Stow
• Lighting Effects Light Meter Ambient Readings
• Glovebox Freezer Leak Check
• Acoustic Monitor Battery Swap
• LSG Work Volume Stow
• Photo T/V (P/TV) Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Exercise Video Stow
• Lighting Effects Light Meter Stow
• Behavioral Core Measures ROBoT-r Testing