Ocular Health: One year crewmembers Kelly and Kornienko completed vision and tonometry tests and took blood pressure measurements as part of their Flight Day 270 Ocular Health testing. The Ocular Health protocol calls for a systematic gathering of physiological data to characterize the risks of microgravity-induced visual impairment and increased intracranial pressure in ISS crewmembers. Researchers believe that the measurement of visual, vascular and central nervous system changes over the course of this experiment and during the subsequent post-flight recovery will assist in the development of countermeasures, clinical monitoring strategies, and clinical practice guidelines.
Sleep Log: Kelly recorded a Sleep Log entry today. The Sleep ISS-12 experiment monitors ambient light exposure and crew member activity and collects subjective evaluations of sleep and alertness. The investigation examines the effects of space flight and ambient light exposure on sleep during a year-long mission on the ISS.
Veg-01 Anomaly: Kelly refilled the Veg-01 plant pillows with water today. He noted an unexpected growth on the plants and sent pictures for ground experts to evaluate. In coordination with those experts he subsequently removed affected plant areas and double bagged and inserted them into a Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI) for return to the ground. He also increased the Veggie facility fan speed to compensate for extra moisture observed in the pillows and on the plants. The Veg-01 investigation is used to assess on-orbit function and performance of the Veggie facility, focusing on the growth and development of seedlings in the spaceflight environment and the composition of microbial flora on the plants and the facility. For this run, Zinnias will be grown for 60 days and are expected to produce flowers.
Journals: Kelly completed a Journals entry today. The Journals investigation obtains information on behavioral and human issues that are relevant to the design of equipment and procedures used by astronauts during extended-duration missions. Study results provide information used in preparations for future missions to low-Earth orbit and beyond.
Cardio Ox: Peake, with assistance from Kelly, collected blood pressure and ultrasound measurements of his carotid and brachial arteries for this Flight Day 15 Cardio Ox session. The objective of Cardio Ox is to determine whether biological markers of oxidative and inflammatory stress are elevated during and after space flight and whether this results in an increased, long-term risk of atherosclerosis in astronauts. Twelve crewmembers will provide blood and urine samples to assess biomarkers before launch, 15 and 60 days after launch, 15 days before returning to Earth, and within days after landing. Ultrasound scans are obtained at the same time points and through 5 years after landing.
Habitability Video and Observations: Kopra set up his iPad and recorded the first 10 minutes of his exercise session on Treadmill 2 (T2). He narrated details such as hardware interface issues, volume needed to perform exercise, or other human factors concerns for set-up and task performance. He documented additional observations on human factors and habitability from his last 3 to 4 days on the ISS. Topics may include any significant habitability related changes or improvements to the ISS Kopra has noticed since his previous time onboard the ISS. Habitability assesses the relationship between crew members and their environment in order to better prepare for future long-duration spaceflights to destinations, such as near earth asteroids and Mars. Observations recorded during 6 month and 1 year missions can help spacecraft designers determine how much habitable volume is required, and whether a mission’s duration impacts how much space crew members need.
Dose Tracker: Kopra and Peake were unable to complete entries for medication tracking because both experienced issues with logging on to the Dose Tracker application that runs on an iPad. Ground experts are working on troubleshooting procedures that are scheduled to be performed on Thursday. This investigation documents the medication usage of crew members before and during their missions by capturing data regarding medication use during spaceflight, including side effect qualities, frequencies and severities. The data are expected to either support or counter anecdotal evidence of medication ineffectiveness during flight and unusual side effects experienced during flight. It is also expected that specific, near-real-time questioning about symptom relief and side effects will provide the data required to establish whether spaceflight-associated alterations in pharmacokinetics (PK) or pharmacodynamics (PD) is occurring during missions.
Human Research Facility (HRF)-2 Resupply: Kopra restocked the HRF supply kits in the HRF2 rack in the Columbus module and remove expired limited life items. He then took photographs of the kits for downlink.
Circadian Rhythms: Peake configured and donned the Armband Monitor and Thermolab sensors and belt for his Flight Day 15 Circadian Rhythm session. He will wear the monitors for 36 hours and then doff and download the data on Thursday. Circadian Rhythms investigates the role of synchronized circadian rhythms, or the “biological clock,” and how it changes during long-duration spaceflight. Researchers hypothesize that a non-24-hour cycle of light and dark affects crewmembers’ circadian clocks. The investigation also addresses the effects of reduced physical activity, microgravity and an artificially controlled environment. Changes in body composition and body temperature, which also occur in microgravity, can affect crewmembers’ circadian rhythms as well. Understanding how these phenomena affect the biological clock will improve performance and health for future crewmembers.
Post-Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Activities: Today, USOS crewmembers participated in an EVA #34 debrief with ground specialists to discuss details of yesterday’s EVA. In addition, Kelly and Kopra deconfigured the US Airlock following EVA operations and prepared Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMU) and equipment for stowage.
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
- Morning Inspection, Laptop RS1(2) Reboot
- RSS1,2 Reboot
- SLEEP – Filling in Questionnaire
- Morning Inspection, SM ПСС (Caution & Warning Panel) Test
- МО-8. HW Setup
- Body Mass Measurement
- CARDOX
- МО-8. Closeout ops
- Antivirus Scan Results Checkout on SSC Laptops and Report
- Daily Planning Conference (S-band)
- WRS – recirculation system tank fill
- On MCC Go Regeneration of absorption cartridge Ф2 of TCPU [БМП]
- Recharge of Samsung Tablet Computer of Soyuz 719
- Post-EVA health status check
- Consultations on Specifics of Docking with Progress 431 Tagup with specialists
- VEG-01- water fill for pant watering
- Eye sight check – questionnaire
- Crew time for ISS adaptation and familiarization
- Ocular Health
- USND2
- Ocular Health
- Eye sight check – questionnaire
- UDOD. Experiment ops with DYUKHANIE-1 unit and SPRUT-2 set Tagup with specialist
- SEYSMOPROGNOZ. Data Downlink from [МКСД] HD Tagup with specialist
- JRNL- journal entry
- Recharge of Samsung Tablet Computer of Soyuz 718
- БВН grill cleaning in Soyuz #718
- Items transfer from Soyuz 719, IMS update
- WRS maintenance
- Comm config for conference from МRМ2
- HABIT
- COULOMB CRYSTAL
- Post-EVA tagup
- Thermolab – Circadian Rhythm unit ops
- COULOMB CRYSTAL
- Post-EVA Pille dosimeter reading
- COULOMB CRYSTAL. Photography during experiment
- EDV (КОV) fill (separation) for ELECTRON or EDV-SV
- NAPOR-mini РСА – Cleaning БЗУ-М vent grids
- DOSETRK [Aborted]
- MAGVEC
- СОЖ maintenance
- HRF2. Replacement of expired life-support elements
- VZAIMODEISTVIE-2
- Familiarization with ВКС Auxiliary Computer Network Tagup with specialist if needed
- Post-EVA Airlock reconfig
- COULOMB CRYSTAL
- ИП-1 sensor placement check
- EMU cartridge regen start
- Fundoscope
- БМП Ф2 absorption cartridge regen
- ISS HAM- deactivation
- IMS ops
- Installation of inserts to ease opening of SM interior panel locks
- ECON-M. Observation and Photography
- Video Recording for All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company (ВГТРК)
Completed Task List Items
- None
Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.
- Nominal system commanding
Three-Day Look Ahead:
Wednesday, 12/23: 62P Docking, OCT Exams, EMU Loop Scrubs, SSU test Setup
Thursday, 12/24: Ocular Health, Ultrasound 2 Scan, Circadian Rhythms, NeuroMapping
Friday, 12/25: Crew Holiday
QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
| Component | Status |
| Elektron | Off |
| Vozdukh | Manual |
| [СКВ] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) | On |
| [СКВ] 2 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV2”) | Off |
| Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab | Standby |
| Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Node 3 | Operate |
| Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Lab | Idle |
| Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3 | Operate |
| Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) | Process |
| Urine Processing Assembly (UPA) | Standby |
| Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab | Full Up |
| Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 | Off |