ISS Daily Summary Report – 1/25/2021

Payloads

CBEF-L (Cell Biology Experiment Facility-L): The crew greased the Front bolts and then replaced the Control Equipment within the CBEF which was then connected to the Drawer Interface Panel and cables. CBEF-L is a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) new subrack facility, which is an upgraded facility of the original Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS). CBEF-L provides new capabilities with additional new resources such as Full High Definition video interface, Ethernet, 24 VDC power supply, and a larger diameter centrifugal test environment. By using the original CBEF and CBEF-L as one facility for the same experiment, the payload user is provided with an upgraded experimental environment that can handle the processing of more experimental samples for a wider array of experiments.

BioNutrients: The crew performed hydration, incubation, and agitation of BioNutrients-1 Production Packs. BioNutrients demonstrates a technology that enables on-demand production of human nutrients during long-duration space missions. The process uses engineered microbes, like yeast, to generate carotenoids from an edible media to supplement potential vitamin losses from food that is stored for very long periods. Specially designed storage/growth packets are intermittently activated by astronauts over a five-year period, then frozen and returned to Earth for examination.

Antimicrobial Coatings (Boeing Environment Responding Antimicrobial Coatings): The crew touched coupons A-G (uncoated), then touched H-N (coated), then took photos of each of the coupons. The experiment was set up in early January and is planned to remain deployed for a period of 6 months. Boeing Environment Responding Antimicrobial Coatings tests an antimicrobial coating on several different materials that represent high-touch surfaces. Some microbes change characteristics in microgravity, which could create new risks to crew health and spacecraft systems as well as creating the possibility of contaminating other planetary bodies. The samples remain in space approximately six months then return to Earth for analysis.

Story Time From Space: The crew reviewed procedures for the up-coming live Story Time From Space event. Story Time From Space combines science literacy outreach with simple demonstrations recorded aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Crew members read five science, technology, engineering and mathematics-related children’s books in orbit, and complete simple science concept experiments. Crew members videotape themselves reading the books and completing demonstrations. Video and data collected during the demonstrations are downlinked to the ground and posted in a video library with accompanying educational materials.

AstroPi: The crew performed a status check of the communications connection for the AstroPi hardware. Two augmented Raspberry Pi computers (called AstroPis) flown to the International Space Station as part of British ESA Astronaut Tim Peake’s mission are available for use during French ESA Astronaut Thomas Pesquet’s Proxima mission. The computers are both equipped with the mighty Sense HAT (Hardware Attached on Top) that measures the environment inside the space station, detect how the station moves through space, and pick up the Earth’s magnetic field. Each AstroPi is also equipped with different kinds of cameras: one has an infrared camera, and the other has a standard visible spectrum camera.

Burning Rate Emulator (BRE): The crew configured the ACME Chamber Insert for the 9th day of BRE-2 test points. This involved lubrication of the water Quick Disconnect interfaces and a replacement of the Heat Flux burner. The Burning Rate Emulator (BRE) investigation is conducted in the Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR) on the International Space Station (ISS), as part of the Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments (ACME) project. In this fire safety study, the flammability of solid and liquid materials is simulated by burning gaseous fuels under key conditions corresponding to the solid and liquid materials. This technique has been demonstrated for a wide variety of materials in normal-gravity and could provide an efficient way to screen and select fire-resistant materials for use in spacecraft, if the technique is similarly effective in microgravity.

Systems

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Preparations: The crew continued preparations for this week’s Columbus Upgrades EVA on Wednesday, January 27th. The crew performed an EVA procedure review, printed and incorporated EVA- specific cuff pages and configured the EVA External Television Camera Group (ETVCG). On this EVA, two crewmembers will install the Columbus Ka-Band Antenna onto the Columbus Module and route the cables for Bartolomeo PAPOS.

Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Waste Water Bag (WWB) Changeout: The crew replaced the TOCA Waste Water Bag (WWB) to preclude overfill. The TOCA unit oxidizes organic carbon species present in the water to carbon dioxide gas and measures the concentration using nondispersive infrared spectroscopy.

Completed Task List Activities:

• Photo TV EVA Go Pro Battery Charging
• Photo TV GoPro Setup

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

• Transition the Life Support Rack (ACLS) from Powerless to Subsystem OFF
• TM check and if required pressure equalization of OGA O2 and H2 compartments
• Robotics On-Board Trainer (ROBoT) Simulation Setup
• Atmosphere Revitalization System (ARS) Lab Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Commanded to Full Calibration

Look Ahead Plan

Tuesday, January 26 (GMT 026)
Payloads:

• Story Time – Willow-Live (FE-13) and photo (NASA)
• FSL Rubi Deinstall, SMD install (ESA)
• VEG-03X plant chk (NASA)
• HUNCH Tape LAB ops and photo (NASA)
• COL HAM antenna demate/remate (NASA)
• CIR Hardware return (NASA)

Systems:

• Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tool Configuring
• Equipment Lock (E-LK) Preparation
• Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tool Audit

Wednesday, January 27 (GMT 027)
Payloads:

• Astrobee batt charge (NASA)
• BioNutrient-1 MELFI insert and Crew Survey (NASA)
• Capillary Structures Assembly (NASA)
• HRF PFS Gas Cylinder Photos (NASA)
• AC Touch (NASA)
• MSG CTB Audit (NASA)

Systems:

• SSRMS EVA Support
• Columbus Upgrades EVA
• COLKA IVA Cabling Connection

Thursday, January 28 (GMT 028)
Payloads:

• Capillary Structures Sorbent Contactor Demo ops (NASA)
• COL HAM antenna demate/remate (NASA)
• AWP Data downlink and charge (NASA)

Systems:

• Water Recovery Management (WRM) Water Balance
• Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Debrief for US EVA
• Portable Onboard Computers (POC) Dynamic Onboard Ubiquitous Graphics (DOUG) Software Review
• Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Long Life Battery (LLB) Initiate

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

• BioNutrients-1 OBT Review
• Photo TV Battery Charge
• JEM Cell Biology Experiment Facility Alternative Grease
• JEM Cell Biology Experiment Facility Alternative Reconfiguration
• Antimicrobial Coatings Touch
• Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Cuff Checklist Print
• Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Waste Water Bag (WWB) Changeout
• Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Procedure Review
• In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Camera Port-13 External Hi Def Camera (EHDC) Prep
• AstroPi IR check and reboot
• Plug-In Plan (PiP) AC Inverter Secure
• ARED USB Test
• EDV Fill from Toilet connection Setup
• ACME MWA Prep
• In Flight Maintenance (IFM) External TV Camera Group (ETVCG) Assembly
• BioNutrients-1 Incubation Agitation
• Cold Stowage Asset Label
• EDV Fill Swap to a 2nd EDV
• Multi-use Variable-g Platform Desiccant Replace
• Combustion Integrated Rack Chamber Open
• Astrobee Off
• ACME Chamber Insert Configuration
• Story Time Willow Review
• WebLab-2 Hardware Locate
• Teardown the EDV Fill Transfer configuration
• ISS HAM Hardware Consolidate
• IMS Delta File Prep
• Extravehicular Activity (EVA) External Television Camera Group (ETVCG) Conference
• Stowage Cleanup
• On Board Training (OBT) ROBoT T&C Self Study