ISS Daily Summary Report – 11/29/2018

JEM Airlock (JEMAL) Depressurization: The JEM Airlock was depressurized in preparation for the transfer of the NanoRacks External Platform Inserts (NREP) back to the Exposed Facility Unit (EFU) 4 location. The NREP was brought inside ISS earlier this week so the crew could exchange the sortie 3 payload for the sortie 4 payload. Each NREP sortie on the JEM Exposed Facility is approximately 6 months in duration. The NREP represents the first external commercial research capability for testing in support of scientific investigations, sensors, and electronic components in space. 

Muscle Tone in Space (Myotones): A crewmember performed blood collection, skin marking, Myotones device measurements, and ultrasound measurements in support of the Myotones investigation.  The Myotones investigation observes the biochemical properties of muscles during long-term exposure to the spaceflight environment. Results from this investigation are expected to provide insight into principles of human resting muscle tone, which could lead to the development of new strategies for alternative treatments for rehabilitation both on Earth and for future space missions. 

Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI2): Late in the day on Wednesday, MELFI2 stopped sending health and status and was not recoverable via a power cycle, and was subsequently powered down. Science samples were successfully transferred to another MELFI with no issues reported. During the initial troubleshooting today, MELFI2 powered back into a nominal state. The team will continue to monitor MELFI2 and it’s unlikely we’ll consider putting any science samples into this unit until sometime after SpaceX-16 arrival. MELFI is a cold storage unit that maintains experiment samples at temperatures as low as -95°C throughout a mission. There are three MELFI units on ISS.

Sokol Suit Leak Checks:  In preparation for their return to earth on December 20, all three crew members donned their Russian Sokol launch and entry suits in order to perform standard leak checks.  All leak checks were completed successfully.

Completed Task List Activities:

  • 71P USOS Unpack

Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

  • LSR Checkout
  • SPDM Direct Drive Tests

Two-Day Look Ahead:

Friday, 11/30:
Payloads

  • Cemsica Sample exchange
  • PCG-16 microscope observations
  • MVP module remove (Cell-05)
  • Veg-03 h/w deactivation
  • WICO SD card delete

Systems:

  • Russian EVA Tool Gather
  • Dragon On Board Training
  • CUCU Checkout

Saturday, 12/01:

Payloads:

  • JAXA/Probiotics

Systems:

  • None

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

  • Columbus cabin restore after Myotones experiment
  • Data Preparation for Return
  • Environmental Health System (EHS) – Surface Sampler Kit (SSK) and Microbial Air Sampler (MAS) Analysis T + 5
  • EVA Procedure Review for Suit IV
  • Extravehicular Activity (EVA)  Training Review
  • IMS Update
  • iPad Wireless Troubleshooting
  • International Procedure Viewer Tablet Questionnaire
  • JEM Airlock Depressurization
  • JEM Airlock Vent
  • MELFI2 Transfer
  • Myotones Operations
  • ECHO Unit Setup for Myotones experiment
  • ECHO Unit Stowage
  • Preparation of Reports for Roscosmos Web Site and Social Media
  • Reminder #2 for Myotones experiment
  • Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain
  • Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain Part 2
  • Russian EVA Tool Gather
  • Veggie Hardware Stow
  • PHOTOBIOREACTOR. Visual monitoring and photography
  • Locating EVA hardware and tools.
  • Hand Ergometry Assessment.
  • СОЖ Maintenance
  • Visual inspection and leak monitoring using US ULD Leak Detector in Soyuz 739 БО. Re
  • Post-drying spacesuits and gloves stowage
  • Soyuz 739 Sokol Suit Leak Check
  • Sokol space suits and gloves drying