Suggested Searches

This content has been archived.

ISS On-Orbit Status Report

ISS Daily Summary Report – 5/07/2021

Payloads

AC Touch: Per standard procedure, the crew touched both the coated and uncoated coupons for this long-term investigation. Boeing Environment Responding Antimicrobial Coatings tests is 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 for approximately six months, and then return to Earth for analysis.

Celestial Immunity: The crew continued the Celestial Immunity investigation operations by gathering samples and inserting them into MELFI for preservation. This project seeks to gain a broad understanding of how gravity affects overall human immune function and potentially uncover novel pathways of immune function that can be exploited to develop better vaccines and immunobiologics for human use. The project will build on earlier studies that evaluated lymphocyte (a type of white blood cell) function in microgravity. The project will also evaluate whether gravity-regulated immune pathways are affected by age by examining cells from young adult and elderly donors in parallel.

CIR/ACME (Combustion Integrated Rack/Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments): The crew replaced the 40% O2/60% N2 manifold bottle with a new bottle of the same composition. They also replaced the 30% butane/70% N2 bottle with a new bottle of the same composition. This was performed in support of the CFI-G (Cool Flames Investigation with Gases) experiment. Cool diffusion flames were discovered during droplet combustion experiments aboard the ISS in 2012, and this initiated a rapidly growing field of combustion research. A cool flame is one that burns at about 600 degrees Celsius. A typical candle is about three-and-a-half times hotter, burning at around 1,400 degrees Celsius. Most internal combustion engines are designed using computer models that neglect cool flame chemistry, but ignition and flame propagation in engines depend on cool flame chemistry. Cool flame chemistry also has a significant impact on fuel octane and cetane numbers, whose understanding has large economic consequences.

ELF (Electrostatic Levitation Furnace): The crew performed the steps necessary to gain access to the experiment volume, removed any samples not attached to the sample holder, and exchanged the sample holder 2 within the sample cartridge. JAXA’s ELF is an experimental facility designed to levitate, melt and solidify materials by containerless processing techniques using the electrostatic levitation method. With this facility, thermophysical properties of high temperature melts can be measured and solidification from deeply undercooled melts can be achieved. ELF typically processes oxide samples, but is also capable of processing semiconductors, alloys, and metals.

ISS HAM pass: The crew participated in an ISS HAM pass with Green Bank Elementary Middle School, Green Bank, WV. Some of the questions asked included how often oxygen tanks from Earth are replenished, how trash is handled in space, and if it’s possible for an animal to be pregnant in space. ISS Ham Radio provides opportunities to engage and educate students, teachers, parents and other members of the community in science, technology, engineering and math by providing a means to communicate between astronauts and the ground HAM radio units.

HRF2 troubleshooting deconfiguration: Following the successful software load and recovery of HRF rack 2 last week, this week the crew removed the setup used for the troubleshooting. Human Research Facility-2 (HRF-2) provides an on-orbit laboratory that enables human life science researchers to study and evaluate the physiological, behavioral, and chemical changes induced by spaceflight. Research performed using HRF-2 provides data to help scientists understand how the human body adapts to long-duration spaceflight.

Skinsuit audit: The crew verified the status of the Stadiometer for broken parts, applied kapton tape on suspected broken ends, photo documented the hardware, and bubble wrapped it before restow. Floating in space, astronauts’ bodies adapt to weightlessness in ways that are not always wanted. Bone and muscle waste away as they have less work to do without gravity. The Skinsuit is a tailor-made overall with a bi-directional weave specially designed to counteract the lack of gravity by squeezing the body from the shoulders, to the feet, with a similar force to that felt on Earth.

Story Time From Space-8: The crew performed the first part of the STFS-8 using the white sphere to demonstrate heat flow. Next week, crew will continue the investigation with the black sphere installed so the differences in heat transfer can be compared. Story Time From Space (STFS) combines literacy and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects with basic science demonstrations. The Story Time From Space-8 Heat Transfer Demo uses a Sun-Earth-Space model to demonstrate concepts of radiative heat transfer. It is performed on the International Space Station by an astronaut and videotaped, along with a reading of the book Give Me Some Space, and the videos and educational materials are made available on the STFS website.

Systems

Node 3 Utility Outlet Panel (UOP) 5 Installation: The crew installed a new UOP in Node 3 at NOD3AD5 and routed the power to the new UOP unit from NOD3O4. UOPs are panels aboard ISS that are used to provide power and data connectivity to portable equipment. The UOP provides 120 VDC power and connections to the 1553 bus to a wide variety of payloads, systems hardware, and gadgets on ISS. They can be thought of as the ISS version of an electrical outlet.

Stall Mounting Bracket Remove & Replace (R&R): The crew performed R&Rs of the Stall Mounting Brackets for the top, middle, bottom middle, and bottom starboard Node 3 Stall Panels. The panel removal is based on crew preference for access to the Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) and Toilet.

Compound Specific Analyzer-Combustion Products (CSA-CP) Extended Maintenance: The crew replaced battery packs in all six deployed CSA-CPs and zero calibrated all units. The CSA-CPs provide real-time readings following a combustion event and subsequent clean-up efforts. The CSA-CP is also used for continuous monitoring of carbon monoxide levels in the ISS.

Node 3 Fluid Systems Servicer (FSS) Teardown: Crew tore down and stowed the Fluid System Servicer (FSS) that had been used throughout the week for the various operations that occurred inside of Node 3. This teardown also included teardown of the Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) and the Fluid Control and Pump Assembly (FCPA).

Completed Task List Activities:

  • None

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

  • Fluid System Servicer (FSS) Refill Support
  • Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Activation
  • Reconfiguration of ETHOS Systems after NODE 3-1 MDM Repower

Look Ahead Plan

Saturday, May 8 (GMT 128)
Payloads:

  • AWP Doff
  • Celestial Immunity
  • Standard Measures

Systems

  • Weekly Cleaning

Sunday, May 9 (GMT 129)
Payloads:

  • AWP Doff
  • HRF urine setup

Systems

  • Crew Off-Duty DayMonday, May 10 (GMT 130)
    Payloads:
  • Celestial Immunity
  • Repository (urine collection)

Systems:

  • Crew Off-Duty Day

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

  • Antimicrobial Coatings Touch
  • AstroPi transfer from Node 2 to Columbus
  • Caution and Warning (C&W) Hardware Panel Verification
  • Celestial Immunity MELFI Sample Insertion
  • Celestial Immunity Plate First Sampling
  • Combustion Integrated Rack Manifold #2 Bottle Replacement
  • Combustion Integrated Rack Manifold #4 Bottle Replacement
  • Combustion Integrated Rack Upper Rack Doors Close and Open
  • Comm reconfigure for nominal ops
  • Crew Dragon Tablet Stow
  • Crew Dragon Tablet Sync
  • Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF) Item Gathering
  • Electrostatic Levitation Furnace(ELF) sample Holder Change
  • Environmental Health System (EHS) – Compound Specific Analyzer-Combustion Products (CSA-CP) Extended Maintenance
  • EPO message recording [Aborted]
  • Fluid System Servicer (FSS) Restow
  • Food Physiology Crew Diet Briefing
  • Health Maintenance System (HMS) – ESA Nutritional Assessment
  • Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Food Intake Tracker (ISS FIT)
  • HRF Generic HRF Centrifuge Frozen Blood Collection Conclude And Stow
  • HRF Generic HRF Centrifuge Frozen Blood Collection Configuration
  • HRF Generic HRF Centrifuge Frozen Blood Collection Operator
  • HRF Generic HRF Centrifuge Frozen Blood Collection Spin Conclude
  • HRF Generic HRF Centrifuge Setup And Frozen Blood Collection Subject
  • HRF Generic MELFI Sample Insertion
  • HRF Generic MELFI Sample Retrieval And Insertion Operations
  • HRF Generic Saliva Collection 10 Minutes
  • HRF Generic Saliva Collection Stow
  • HRF Generic Urine Collection Male
  • HRF Generic Urine Collection Stow
  • HRF Rack 2 Troubleshooting Disconnect
  • IMS conference (S-band)
  • In-Flight Maintenance Starboard Stall Mounting Bracket Remove & Replace
  • Install Node 3 Utility Operations Panel (UOP) 5
  • ISS Crew Orientation
  • ISS HAM Columbus Pass Kenwood
  • Joint Station Local Area Network (LAN) (JSL) Network Information for JSL Administration (NINJA) Swap
  • LSG Primary Crew Restraint Fold
  • LSG Primary Crew Restraint Unfold
  • MRM1 comm config
  • NanoRacks Platform-2 Module Removal
  • Node 1 Camera Teardown from N3 view for UOP Install
  • Node 1 Camera View of Node 3 for UOP Install
  • Node 3 Fluid System Servicer (FSS) Teardown
  • Node Three Utility Outlet Panel Post Install
  • PLDR Sensor Tool Fit Check activity
  • Progress 445 (DC1) Cargo Transfers and IMS Ops
  • Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) in Columbus
  • Public Affairs Office (PAO) High Definition (HD) Config Columbus Setup
  • Questionnaire on Multi-use Bracket, Flexible Bracket, and Laptop Desks
  • REAL. Solidification Using Baffles in Sealed Ampoules (SUBSA) samples exchange
  • Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Oxygen Generation System (OGS) Activation QD Connection
  • Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain
  • Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain Part 2 [Aborted]
  • Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Fill Part 3 [Aborted]
  • Remove portions of the Stall in support of Node 3 CCAA Access
  • Replace Stall following Node 3 CCAA Maintenance
  • SkinSuit Stadiometer Audit
  • Station Support Computer (SSC) Power On
  • Story Time 8 Thermal Balance Power Shutdown
  • Story Time 8 Thermal Balance White Light On
  • Story Time 8 Thermal Balance White Sphere Setup
  • Systems Operations Data File (SODF) Update
  • XF305 Camcorder Setup