ISS Daily Summary Report – 2/17/2017

NanoRack Cubesat Deployer (NRCSD) #10 Installation: This morning the crew installed two Quad deployers on the attachment mechanisms on the JEM Airlock (JEMAL) Slide Table. Only one Quad has satellites loaded, the second Quad is required for proper fit of the Multi-Layered Insulation (MLI) protective cover.  The deployment is scheduled for after the berthing and dockings of SpX-10 and 66P.  The five satellites loaded include four 3U sized (1U = 10 x 10 x 10 cm cube) LEMUR-2 and one 3U TechEdSat and one 3U spacer.  The LEMUR-2 satellites are equipped to provide AIS Data (Maritime Domain Awareness) and GPS-RO Data (Weather). The TechEdSat investigation studies a new system called the Exo-Brake, which uses a spacecraft’s own atmospheric drag to change its velocity and adjust its approach. This investigation tests the controls, avionics and methods that may be used on future spacecraft using the Exo-Brake system, including small payloads returning to Earth or landing on Mars.

Veg-03 Harvest and Cleaning:  The crew is scheduled to harvest the Chinese cabbage from the Veggie facility. The crew has been given approval to consume some of the harvest and the remainder of the harvest will be stowed in Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI).  Following the harvest, the Veggie facility will be cleaned and sanitized prior to the use of Veggie for the APEX-4 payload being delivered by SpaceX-10.  Future long-duration missions into the solar system, finally culminating on Mars, will require a fresh food supply to supplement crew diets, which means growing crops in space. Previous investigations focused on improving productivity in controlled environments, but the limited quarters of the Space Shuttle and ISS made it difficult to conduct large-scale crop production tests. Veg-03 expands on previous validation tests of the new Veggie hardware, which crew members have used to successfully grow flowers and lettuce in space. Tests determine which types of microorganisms are present in space-grown cabbage, providing baseline data for future crop-growing efforts. Behavioral health surveys assess the impact of growing plants on crew morale and mood.

Strata-1 Card Changeout: The crew replaced four Strata Secure Digital (SD) data cards and transferred the files from the removed SD cards to a Station Support Computer (SSC) for ground teams to downlink and distribute. Strata-1 investigates the properties and behavior of regolith on small, airless bodies. Regolith is the impact-shattered “soil” found on asteroids, comets, the Moon, and other airless worlds, but it is different from soil here on Earth in that it contains no living material. Strata-1’s goal is to give us answers about how regolith behaves and moves in microgravity, how easy or difficult it is to anchor a spacecraft in regolith, how it interacts with spacecraft and spacesuit materials, and other important properties. It is important to NASA to know how to set anchors in regolith, how to safely move and process large volumes of regolith, and predict and prevent risk to spacecraft and astronauts visiting these small bodies. Also, understanding the whole-body context of material returned to Earth from small asteroids, such as by the NASA OSIRIS-REx mission, the JAXA Hayabusa 1 and 2 missions, and the proposed NASA Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) is scientifically beneficial. 

Intravehicular Activity (IVA) Imagery of Radiator Beam Valve Module (RBVM) P1-3-2:  External Active Thermal Control System (EATCS) Loop B has had a chronic leak for multiple years, however telemetry indicates that the leak rate has been increasing.  During the Robotic External Leak Locator (RELL) operations last weekend, an increased magnitude of vapor ammonia was detected in the vicinity of RBVM P1-3-2.  To assist in the investigation into the source of the leak, earlier today ground flight controllers positioned the Port Thermal Radiator Rotary Joint (TRRJ) to allow the crew to perform a high resolution still and video imagery inspection of RBVM P1-3-2 from Cupola Window 1. 

Space-X 10 (SpX-10) Preparation:  Today the crew is scheduled to perform a second session of Robotics Onboard Trainer (ROBoT) in preparation for SpX-10 capture.  This training session includes material for the crew to perform Self Study before performing the ROBoT session, which includes a 30m approach, two Capture Point (CP)-hold runs, and 2m runs.  The crew also gathered Node 2 vestibule outfitting equipment in preparation for Dragon install.  

United States On-orbit Segment (USOS) Hatch Seal Inspection:  The crew cleaned and inspected all USOS Common Hatches (including Node 2, Node 3, PMM, Columbus, and JEM Hatches), Hatch Plate Sealing Surface, and Hatch Handle Mechanism for Foreign Object Debris (FOD) or damage.  This is a routine maintenance task performed every six-months.

Today’s Planned Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

  • In Flight Maintenance Cupola Shutter Close
  • NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer Procedure Review
  • Ultrasound 2 HRF Rack 1 Power On
  • Inventory Management System (IMS) conference
  • Ultrasound 2 Scan Prep
  • Ultrasound 2 Scan
  • RS1 Laptop Activation
  • In Flight Maintenance Cupola Window 1 Scratch Pane Remove
  • RS1 Laptop Log-File Dump (5 day period)
  • JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Extension to JPM Side
  • RS2 Laptop Deactivation
  • NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer Installation on the MPEP
  • Photo/TV Loop B Camcorder setup
  • UDOD. Experiment ops using DYKNANIYE-1 and SPRUT-2 sets
  • Ultrasound 2 Guided Data Export
  • Ultrasound 2 Post Exam
  • Photo/TV Loop B Photography
  • Audit of Crew Onboard Support Kit (КСПЭ) Equipment
  • Strata Card Changeout
  • JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Retraction from JPM Side
  • Multi-purpose Small Payload Rack (MSPR) /Group Combustion Module (GCM) Component Deactivation
  • Hatch Seal Inspection Part 2
  • On-board Training (OBT) Dragon Attached Phase Operations Review
  • Vacuum cleaning ventilation grille on FGB interior panels (201, 301, 401)
  • On-board Training (OBT) Dragon Robotics Onboard Trainer (ROBoT) Session 2
  • Audit of Crew Onboard Support Kit (КСПЭ) Equipment
  • Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Full Fill
  • In Flight Maintenance Cupola Shutter Close
  • Video Footage for Russia Today TV Channel
  • Node 2 Nadir Vestibule Outfitting Kit (VOK) Gather
  • MOTOCARD. Operator Assistance with the Experiment
  • VEG-03 MWA Preparation
  • Photo/TV Loop B Camcorder Deactivation
  • In-Flight Maintenance Cupola Window 1 Scratch Pane Replace
  • VEG-03B Harvest
  • On-board Training (OBT) Dragon Attached Phase Operations Review
  • VEG-03 MELFI Insertion #3
  • СОЖ maintenance
  • Delta file prep
  • Public Affairs Office (PAO) High Definition (HD) Config LAB Setup
  • Inventory Management System (IMS) Conference
  • Long Duration Sorbent Testbed Status Check.
  • Ghost camera setup in Cupola
  • Rodent Research Habitat Fan Install
  • PAO Preparation
  • Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) – Lab

Completed Task List Items

  • Manufacturing Device Print Removal, Clean and Stow
  • Rendezvous and Prox Ops Program (RPOP) Setup
  • EVA SCU Package for Return
  • ISS HAM Radio Program
  • Hatch Seal Inspection Part 1
  • ESA PAO Telescope Interieur
  • ESA PAO Space Debris

Ground Activities
All activities were completed unless otherwise noted.

  • Nominal Ground Commanding 

Three-Day Look Ahead:

  • Saturday, 02/18: Housekeeping, Crew Off Duty, Dragon (SpaceX-10) Launch
  • Sunday, 02/19: Crew Off Duty
  • Monday, 02/20: Dragon (SpaceX-10) Capture/Berth, Node2 Vestibule Press/Outfitting, PMA-3 Hardware Gather, Dragon Transfer Conference, EML, Lighting Effects, Microscope Setup

QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:

    Component

Status

Elektron

On

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

Operate

Major Constituent Analyzer (MCA) Node 3

Standby

Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA)

Process

Urine Processing Assembly (UPA)

Standby

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Lab

Off

Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3

Full Up