Plant Gravity Perception (PGP): The final Plant Gravity Perception experiment completed today with three of the Experiment Containers (ECs) maintaining power in the European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS). The crew removed seed cassettes from the ECs and placed them in a Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI). For this investigation, normal and mutated forms of thale cress, a model research plant, were germinated to support the study of the plants’ gravity and light perception. Results provide insight into the plants’ adaptation to a microgravity environment and supports efforts to grow plants for food on future space missions.
Metabolic Tracking (MT): The crew set up MT hardware and materials for thawing and inoculation. They injected the thawed inoculum into multiwell BioCells, which were then inserted into the NanoRacks Plate Reader-2. The Metabolic Tracking investigation evaluates a rapid, low-cost method for assessing the effects of therapeutic compounds in microgravity. The method contributes to development of custom plans for emergency medical treatment for crew members, using primary tissue samples. This investigation also determines the feasibility of developing improved pharmaceuticals in microgravity using a new method to test the metabolic impacts of drug compounds. This could lead to more effective, less expensive drugs.
Using Brachypodium distachyon to Investigate Monocot Plant Adaptation to Spaceflight (APEX-06): The crew configured the Veggie facility today for the initial APEX-06 operations and installed twenty APEX-06 petri plates into the Veggie facility to begin the growth process of the plants. The APEX-06 experiment investigates the growth of the common grass species Brachypodium distachyon in the microgravity environment of space. The grasses grow from seedlings aboard the ISS, and are returned as frozen samples to Earth-based labs for detailed analysis and comparison with Earth-based control groups. APEX-06 aims to compare the growth and gene-expression patterns of Brachypodium distachyon with those of the dicotyledonous model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, which has been extensively studied in space and whose behavior in microgravity is better understood.
MetOx Regeneration Initiation: Today the crew initiated a MetOx regeneration cycle on two MetOx canisters. This process is expected to take 14 hours and the crew is scheduled to terminate the regeneration cycle and remove the canisters from the MetOx Regenerator on Friday. These two canisters will be used for an upcoming EVA.
Public Affairs Office (PAO) Events: Today Fuestel participated in a PAO event with actor Will Smith and sponsored by National Geographic.
Dragon Cargo Operations: Today the crew resumed Dragon cargo operations. Over the next several days, the crew will remove the final ascent items still stowed in the Dragon capsule and begin loading items identified for return on SpaceX-14.
Dragon Robotic Operations: Last night, the failed Pump Flow Control Subsystem (PFCS) (commonly referred to as ‘Trippy’ by the flight control team) was bolted in Flight Support Equipment (FSE) and the FSE lid was closed and locked. Tonight ground controllers will perform a Mobile Transporter (MT) translation from Worksite (WS)8 to WS6 and Walk Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) off the MT to Node 2 Power Data Grapple Fixture (PDGF).
Today’s Planned Activities
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
- APEX-06 Hardware Gather #1
- APEX-06 MELFI Retrieval #1
- Setup and Activation of Crew Onboard Support Kit (КСПЭ) Equipment for MPEG2 TV coverage from SM
- TV Conference Dedicated to the Cosmonautics Day (S + Ku-band)
- TV Conference with Artek International Children Center (S + Ku-band)
- TV Conference Dedicated to the Cosmonautics Day (S + Ku-band)
- Metabolic Tracking Inoculation Preparation
- Metabolic Tracking MELFI Metabolic Tracking Group Retrieve
- Metabolic Tracking Biocells Inoculation
- Metabolic Tracking MELFI Inoculation Bag Retrieve
- Metabolic Tracking Plate Reader Insertion/Removal
- Metabolic Tracking Session Cleanup
- Live TV Conference with VKontakte Hostess (S + Ku-band)
- Coliform Water Sample Analysis 44 +/- 4 hours post processing
- Deactivation of camcorder, TV System monitoring equipment and closing applications on Central Post SSC
- Plant Gravity Perception/European Modular Cultivation System Experiment Container Removal
- Plant Gravity Perception/European Modular Cultivation System Sample Processing
- Plant Gravity Perception/European Modular Cultivation System MELFI Sample Insertion
- Plant Gravity Perception/European Modular Cultivation System Cleanup
- СОЖ maintenance
- APEX-06 Science Insertion
- Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Inspection
- Station Support Computer (SSC) Network Attached Storage Hard Drive (HDD) Reseat
- Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) – JEM
- Cargo Transfer to Dragon
- Plant Gravity Perception/European Modular Cultivation System Maintenance Work Area Deconfigure
- APEX-06 MELFI Insertion #1
- European Modular Cultivation System Gas Valve Close
- MERLIN 3 Desiccant Insert
- Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Food Intake Tracker (ISS FIT)
- MERLIN3 Ice Brick Insert
- Photo/TV, Checking Camcorder Settings
- Microbial Tracking-2 Operations Review
- Metal Oxide (METOX) Regeneration Initiation
- Microbial Tracking-2 Crew Conference
- Dragon Cargo Operations Conference
- Photo T/V (P/TV) Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Exercise Video Stow
Completed Task List Activities
- WHC-KTO-Replacement
Ground Activities
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
- GSFC Router Software Update
- N3 MCA ORU-2 Troubleshooting
- SpaceX Robotics Cargo Operations
Three-Day Look Ahead:
- Friday, 04/13: MISSE-FF Transfer Tray Install, GIS Ops, Eye Exams, Mouse Stress Defense Ops, Microbial Tracking 2 Ops, Metabolic Tracking Ops
- Saturday, 04/14: House Keeping, Crew Off-Duty
- Sunday, 05/15: Crew Off-Duty
QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group:
|
Component |
Status |
|
Elektron |
On |
|
Vozdukh |
Manual |
|
[СКВ] 1 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV1”) |
Off |
|
[СКВ] 2 – SM Air Conditioner System (“SKV2”) |
Off |
|
Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA) Lab |
Operate |
|
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 |
Full Up |
|
Trace Contaminant Control System (TCCS) Node 3 |
Off |