October 2015 – Page 2 – Space Station

Crew Readying Spacewalk Gear and Studying Life Science

Expedition 45 crew members Kimiya Yui, Kjell Lindgren and Sergey Volkov work inside the Quest airlock to get a pair of spacesuits ready for upcoming spacewalks. Credit: NASA TV

The International Space Station crew is gearing up for a couple of spacewalks to service and upgrade the orbital laboratory. Meanwhile, the crew is also working long-term life science to improve life on Earth and in future space crews.

The U.S. Quest airlock is getting busy as NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren get their spacesuits and tools ready for a pair of spacewalks set for Oct. 28 and Nov. 26. They are checking their suit electronics and safety systems and also building custom tools.

The first spacewalk is set to last six-hours and 30-minutes after Kelly and Lindgren set their spacesuits to battery power. The duo will exit Quest to place a thermal cover over a dark matter detection experiment, lubricate the 57.7 foot Canadarm2 robotic and route power cables for a future docking port.

The entire crew still continued the work of on-orbit science, the primary purpose of the space station. Cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, along with Kelly and Lindgren performed cardiac scans with an ultrasound for the Ocular Health study. Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui set up a mouse habitat inside the Cell Biology Experiment Facility.

Crew Works Spacesuit and Tool Preps and Life Science Experiments

Scott Kelly, Sergey Volkov and Mikhail Kornienko — ISS045E020492 (09/22/2015) — NASA astronaut Scott Kelly (left) and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Volkov (center) and Mikhail Kornienko (right) review procedures aboard the International Space Station.

The deployment of two Cubesats is on hold after they failed to eject a couple of weeks ago. Also, more spacesuit servicing and biomedical investigations took place today.

The deployer mechanism that ejected 14 of 16 Cubesats is back inside the Kibo laboratory module’s airlock. Two of the Cubesats did not deploy due to a secondary latch mechanism that hung up inside a deployer slot.

Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui scrubbed cooling loops inside the spacesuits that NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren will wear on two upcoming spacewalks. Lindgren also collected and organized spacewalk tools he and Kelly will use during the Oct. 28 and Nov. 6 spacewalks. The duo will exit the U.S. Quest airlock to service and upgrade hardware outside the International Space Station.

Cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko joined Kelly, his One-Year crewmate, and Lindgren for Ocular Health eye exams in the afternoon. Veteran cosmonauts Sergey Volkov and Oleg Kononenko partnered up for two different experiments. They first studied heart and lung activity in microgravity then moved on to exploring using sound waves to determine the location of micrometeoroid impacts.

Biomedical Studies and Spacewalk Review Start the Crew Week

NASA Astronauts Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren — NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren will conduct two spacewalks on Oct. 28 and Nov. 6. Credit: NASA TV

The crew continued more biomedical studies today so scientists can learn how long-term missions affect humans in space. The International Space Station residents also reviewed procedures for a pair of upcoming spacewalks and conducted an emergency training session.

Commander Scott Kelly joined his fellow One-Year crew member Mikhail Kornienko and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui for vision tests and blood pressure checks as part of the Ocular Health study. That study, which has been ongoing since March 2013, observes the visual changes, vascular changes, and central nervous system changes that occur in crew members while living in space.

Kornienko also joined his fellow cosmonauts Sergey Volkov and Oleg Kononenko for heart evaluations while riding an exercise bicycle. They also explored crew motion disturbances in space and remote control of a robot from a spacecraft to the ground.

Kelly and Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren are gearing up for a pair of spacewalks on Oct. 28 and Nov. 6. The duo joined Yui, who will choreograph the spacewalks from inside the station, for procedure reviews and a conference with specialists on the ground.

On the first spacewalk, Kelly and Lindgren will service the Canadarm2, route power cables and place a thermal shroud over the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer. During the second spacewalk, the pair will return the port truss cooling system back to its original configuration after repair work completed back in 2012.

Commander Scott Kelly Breaks Time-in-Space Record

Just before the 15th anniversary of continuous human presence on the International Space Station, NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly, is breaking spaceflight records. Today, Kelly begins his 383rd day living in space, surpassing U.S. astronaut Mike Fincke’s record of 382 cumulative days. Read more... http://go.nasa.gov/1LxDrvd — Just before the 15th anniversary of continuous human presence on the International Space Station, NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly, is breaking spaceflight records. Today, Kelly begins his 383rd day living in space, surpassing U.S. astronaut Mike Fincke’s record of 382 cumulative days. Read more… http://go.nasa.gov/1LxDrvd

International Space Station Commander Scott Kelly set a new record today becoming the NASA astronaut with the most cumulative days in space, 383 days and counting. Mike Fincke, a two-time space station resident, was the previous record holder at 382 days. Kelly is scheduled to return to Earth on March 2, 2016, for a total of 522 days in space.

Meanwhile, the six-member Expedition 45 crew was working station maintenance, biomedical science and emergency training on Friday.

Kelly, was inside the Kibo laboratory module retrieving two CubeSat nanosatellites from the laboratory’s porch, using the Kibo airlock. His fellow NASA astronaut, Kjell Lindgren, joined Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui for eye scans with an ultrasound and heart exams with an echocardiogram. Kelly then partnered with Lindgren practicing spacewalk rescue techniques using virtual reality goggles.

Cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko got together with Kelly for more eye checks using a Fundoscope. Flight Engineer Sergey Volkov installed a storage unit then serviced a video camera. Kelly’s fellow One-Year crew member, Mikhail Kornienko, worked on a radiation detection experiment before moving on to routine maintenance in the station’s Russian segment.

NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren and Scott Kelly — NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren (left) and Scott Kelly talk about two upcoming spacewalks the duo will be conducting Oct. 28 and Nov. 6. Credit: NASA TV

Eye and Heart Checks as Spacewalkers Check Suits

Kjell Lindgren and Sergey Volkov — NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren of Expedition 45 (left) provides a haircut to Russian cosmonaut Sergey Volkov (right) aboard the International Space Station. Not having a convienent barbershop 250 miles above the Earth, the crew helps each other out with a trimming of the locks from time to time.

The Expedition 45 residents worked on biomedical experiments Thursday observing how humans adapt to long-term missions in space. A pair of NASA astronauts is also getting ready for two upcoming spacewalks outside the International Space Station.

Commander Scott Kelly joined Flight Engineers Kjell Lindgren, Kimiya Yui and Oleg Kononenko for eye exams throughout the day as part of the ongoing Ocular Health study. Doctors on the ground assisted the crew with remote guidance. Cosmonauts Sergey Volkov and Mikhail Kornienko attached sensors to themselves and monitored their hearts while they exercised on a cycle device.

Meanwhile, Kelly and Lindgren are counting down to a pair of spacewalks, now targeted for Oct. 28 and Nov. 6. The duo serviced their spacesuits today replacing lithium batteries, checking their gloves and verifying power to video cameras.

On the first spacewalk, the spacewalkers will lubricate the tip of the robotic arm Canadarm2, route power cables and place a thermal shroud over the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer. During the second spacewalk, Kelly and Lindgren will refill coolant reservoirs and configure the port truss cooling system back to its original configuration after repair work completed back in 2012.

Crew Prepares for Spacewalks and December Cygnus Mission

NASA Astronaut Scott Kelly — NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, wearing an Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) spacesuit. Photo credit: NASA/Robert Markowitz

In two weeks, NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren will step outside the U.S. Quest airlock for the first of two maintenance spacewalks. The International Space Station is also being readied to host the next Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo mission set for early December.

Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui has been servicing the two spacesuits Kelly and Lindgren will wear on the two six-hour spacewalks scheduled for Oct. 28 and Nov. 6. The spacewalkers will lubricate the tip of the International Space Station’s robotic arm, Canadarm2. He and Lindgren started their day, though, with eye checks for the ongoing Ocular Health study.

Kelly and Lindgren have also been preparing the Unity module where the Cygnus commercial cargo craft will be attached when it arrives in December after a 14-month hiatus. Kelly installed a Unity power adapter in the Destiny lab module then joined Lindgren to adjust power connectors inside Unity.

The three cosmonauts continued their routine maintenance tasks and science experiments in the station’s Russian segment. Flight Engineer Sergey Volkov explored crystal magnetism, while Oleg Kononenko and Mikhail Kornienko studied how a crew member adapts to motion during a spaceflight.

Biomedical and Physics Research for Crew Including Spacesuit Work

NASA Astronaut Kjell Lindgren — NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren prepares a fresh coffee using one of the specially designed cups used in the Capillary Beverage study.

The six-member Expedition 45 crew focused on human research and physics Tuesday as NASA prepares for deep space missions and learns how to live in space for longer periods. Two astronauts are also getting ready for a pair of maintenance spacewalks beginning at the end of the month.

Commander Scott Kelly and Flight Engineer Kjell Lindgren teamed up in the morning for the Body Measures experiment, a study that explores how microgravity affects a crew member’s body measurements over time. Lindgren then moved on to researching smart materials under magnetic conditions, potentially improving the design and strength of buildings and bridges on Earth. Kelly also explored how a long-term spaceflight influences spacecraft piloting abilities.

Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui sampled the station’s water quality, worked on life support maintenance and replaced cable ropes on an exercise device. Yui also swapped out gear on a pair of U.S. spacesuits that Kelly and Lindgren will wear on two upcoming spacewalks, the first on Oct. 28 and the second on Nov. 6.

Veteran cosmonauts Sergey Volkov and Oleg Kononenko worked on two different crystal experiments, one of which studies liquid crystals and another that explores crystal magnetism. One-Year crew member Mikhail Kornienko worked on Russian maintenance tasks and monitored his blood pressure and heartbeat. He also took his turn, along with Kononenko, on the same Pilot experiment Kelly participated in Tuesday.

Cubesat Checks, Cable Work and Human Research Onboard Station Today

Moscow, Russia Underneath an Aurora — The city of Moscow, Russia sparkles in the night with spoke streets streaming out across the land while an aurora of blue, white and purple contrast the star filled sky.

Payload controllers are exploring why two Cubesats were unable to deploy this week from the Kibo lab module so they can be released later. Meanwhile, the six-member Expedition 45 crew is finalizing cable work for the next Cygnus cargo mission, unloading cargo from a new Progress 61 (61P) resupply ship and conducting human research.

NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren is completing cable connections and routing today in the Unity module, the first U.S. module delivered to space and installed in 1998. The Unity’s Earth-facing port, which will be powered by the cables, will host the Orbital ATK Cygnus commercial space freighter due to arrive in early December.

Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui assisted Lindgren with the Unity cable work before reviewing procedures for the SPHERES Vertigo experiment that uses a pair of bowling ball-sized satellites. Commander Scott Kelly replaced electronic gear inside a science freezer before attaching instruments and sensors to himself for the Sprint exercise study.

Cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Mikhail Kornienko continued cargo transfers from the 61P. Kononenko also worked on science hardware that monitors chemical reactions in Earth’s upper atmosphere. Kornienko joined veteran cosmonaut Sergey Volkov to process blood samples for the Neiroimmunitet study before working on the Algometriya medical monitoring experiment. Volkov then moved on to more science including the ongoing crystal magnetism experiment, the Calcium bone loss study and the Seismoprognoz earthquake study.

One-Year Crew members Mikhail Kornienko and Scott Kelly are inside the Destiny lab module answering questions from media on the ground. Credit: NASA TV

Cubesat Pair Deployment on Hold as Spacewalks Preps Underway

Japanese Astronaut Kimiya Yui — Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui works on spacesuits in the U.S. Quest airlock. Credit: NASA TV

The deployment of this week’s final two Cubesats from the Kibo lab module is on hold today. Also, the crew is preparing a pair of spacesuits for an Oct. 28 maintenance spacewalk.

More Cubesats were released overnight and this morning from a deployer mechanism attached to the Kibo lab module. However, the final pair of Cubesats failed to deploy today due to interference with a latch on the deployer. Payload controllers are investigating the issue to determine a future release date of the Cubesats. This week’s Cubesats due for release included 14 Dove sats from Planet Labs and two European Cubesats.

NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Kjell Lindgren are scheduled for a pair of spacewalks in late October and early November to upgrade systems on the outside of the International Space Station. The duo resized their spacesuits and unpacked gear from the U.S. Quest airlock. Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui assisted the duo as he scrubbed suit cooling loops and dried out suit fans and vent loops.

The three cosmonauts — Flight Engineers Sergey Volkov, Oleg Kononenko and Mikhail Kornienko — worked on science, maintenance and cargo transfers. Volkov studied micrometeoroid impacts, Earth observation techniques and crystal magnetism. Kononenko unloaded gear from the new Progress 61 resupply ship. Kornienko assisted with the Progress unpacking and worked on Russian maintenance tasks.

U.S. Cable Work, Russian Science and Cubesat Deployments Today

The astronauts in the U.S. segment of the International Space Station continued more cable work and life support maintenance. The cosmonauts conducted a wide array of Russian science experiments studying human research and physics.

More Cubesats were deployed today from a deployer mechanism attached to Japan’s Kibo lab module. Wednesday will be the last day for this series of Cubesat deployments. In all, 16 Cubesats will be deployed this week researching a variety subjects including navigation, communications and Earth observations.

Expedition 45 Commander Scott Kelly teamed up with Flight Engineers Kjell Lindgren and Kimiya Yui today to reroute cables from the Tranquility and Harmony modules to the Unity module. The cable work will set up Unity, the first U.S. station module, to receive the Orbital ATK Cygnus cargo craft due in early December.

Cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Oleg Kononenko spent Tuesday morning working on a Russian treadmill in the Zvezda service module. Kornienko then moved on to the Interactions study of crews working with ground support while Kononenko studied chemical reactions in Earth’s upper atmosphere.

Flight Engineer Sergey Volkov participated in a pair of experiments, Cardiovector and Cosmocard, researching the adaptation of the human blood circulation system to microgravity. After some life support maintenance work, he moved on to more science exploring magnetics.