ISS Daily Summary Report – 7/03/2019

Fluids Integrated Rack (FIR)/Light Microscopy Module (LMM):  The crew replaced the confocal camera which stopped responding on June 22.  The confocal system allows observation of very narrow depths-of-field in 3 dimensional samples, essentially allowing many different layers of the sample to be observed and later reconstructed as a 3 dimensional image.  Recovery of this system will allow the currently installed ACE-T10 primary science to continue.

ISS HAM Pass:  The crew participated in a HAM pass with Santa Barbara Public Library, Santa Barbara, CA.  Every summer, the Santa Barbara Public Library holds a Summer Reading and Learning Program for readers of all ages, which especially targets school age children.  The students’ questions involved how the crew takes a shower, if the ISS has ever been hit by space debris, and the difference in the speed of radio waves in space.  ISS Ham Radio provides opportunities to engage and educate students, teachers, parents and other members of the community in science, technology, engineering and math by providing a means to communicate between astronauts and the ground HAM radio units.

Nano Rack CubeSat Deployer (NRCSD)-16: Seven satellites were successfully launched in 4 separate deployments today.

  1. The IOD-1 GEMS satellite demonstrates a commercial microwave weather observation satellite service developed by Orbital Micro Systems. This technology could provide more accurate and timely weather data and help reduce the cost of weather observation infrastructure.
  2. The KRAKsat tests the concept of using a ferrofluid reaction wheel device to stabilize a nanosatellite. Swiatowid studies miniaturization technology in space within the CubeSat.
  3. EntrySat measures its trajectory, orientation and heating processes during re-entry phase which will assist with atmosphere and debris re-entry understanding.
  4. The 3 Virginia CubeSat Constellation CubeSats obtain measurements of the orbital decay of multiple satellites to obtain in situ quantification of atmospheric drag and the variability of atmospheric properties.

The NRCSD is a self-contained CubeSat deployer system for small satellites staged from the ISS. It is transported to orbit inside cargo resupply vehicles and utilizes the ISS Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) as a staging facility for operation.

Photobioreactor (PBR) Troubleshooting: As a continuation of the troubleshooting efforts, the crew replaced the power cable for the PBR.  Although the PBR has been non-responsive for more than a week, ground team believes the algae contained in the system may still be viable. Currently, life support systems that sustain astronauts in space are based on physicochemical processes. The PhotoBioreactor investigation aims at demonstrating that microalgae (i.e. biological processes) can be used together with existing systems to improve recycling of resources, creating a hybrid life support system. This hybrid approach could be helpful in future long-duration exploration missions, as it could reduce the amount of consumables required from Earth and will first be tested in space on the ISS.

Radi-N2 deploy:  The crew deployed the 8 bubble detectors at the Node1O3 Rack Front location.  The objective of this Canadian Space Agency investigation is to better characterize the ISS neutron environment, define the risk posed to the crew members’ health, and provide the data necessary to develop advanced protective measures for future spaceflight.  It’s been recognized that neutrons make up a significant fraction (10-30%) of the biologically effective radiation exposure in low-Earth orbit.  The bubble detectors used in the investigation are designed detect neutrons and ignore all other radiation. 

The ISS Experience: The crew set up the ISS Experience hardware and recorded the insertion of Icebricks into a MELFI (Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS) and crew social interaction.  The ISS Experience creates a virtual reality film documenting daily life aboard the ISS. The 8 to 10 minute videos created from footage taken during the six-month investigation cover different aspects of crew life, execution of science aboard the station, and the international partnerships involved. The ISS Experience uses a Z-CAM V1 Pro Cinematic Virtual Reality (VR) 360-degree camera with nine 190° fisheye lenses.

Veg-04A:  The crew performed a routine plant check, watered the plants, and weighed broken leaves using the Mass Measurement Device. A healthy, nutritious diet is essential for long-duration exploration missions, which means that the typical pre-packaged astronaut diet needs to be supplemented by fresh foods during flight; the Veggie Vegetable Production System (Veggie) has begun testing aboard the space station to help meet this need, and validation tests have demonstrated that leafy greens can be grown in spaceflight. The research of Veg-04A focuses on the impact of light quality and fertilizer on leafy crop growth for a 28-day grow-out, microbial food safety, nutritional value, taste acceptability by the crew, and the overall behavioral health benefits of having plants and fresh food in space. 

Remote Power Controller Module (RPCM) LAD62B_A Remove & Replace (R&R): On June 30, this RPCM tripped and could not be reclosed. The signature indicated a Field Effect Transistor (FET) Controller Hybrid failure, which requires the RPCM to be R&Rd to restore functionality. The crew performed the R&R today and stowed the degraded RPCM. Ground teams subsequently performed a successful activation and restored power to the affected smoke detector within the Lab.

Water Storage System (WSS) Leak Inspection: The crew opened the WSS resupply tank top and bottom covers, removed the potable tank soft cover and checked the Water Storage System QDs and confirmed the manifold had no leaks. The crew also removed the air vent insert on the rear of air manifold on the controller panel to increase vent capability. 

Treadmill 2 (T2) Quarterly Maintenance: The crew performed regularly scheduled maintenance to inspect isolators, bottom corner hardware witness marks, and bottom snubbers for signs of free play.

Completed Task List Activities:

  • WRS restow
  • SPHERES beacon stow
  • EEGS IP install
  • ARED slide cover fix
  • AQM power cycle

Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

  • CubeSat deploy
  • LMM confocal camera R&R

Look Ahead:

Thursday, 7/4 (GMT 185)
Payloads:

  • VEG-04 check and MMD

Systems:

  • Crew holiday

Friday, 7/5 (GMT 186)
Payloads:

  • CBEF water bag photo
  • ECHO maintenance
  • ELF
  • ER1 Zbook setup
  • Food Acceptability
  • FROST condensate cleaning
  • GLACIER sample transfer
  • MVP door replacement
  • VEG-04 check and MMD

Systems:

  • ER1 ZBook setup
  • T2 quarterly maintenance
  • EMU swap 

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

  • Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Collect
  • XF305 Camcorder Setup
  • Two-Phase Flow Experiment Equipment Valves Setting
  • Water Storage System (WSS) Acoustic Test Setup
  • AMPROBE 38XR-A Multimeter R&R
  • TOCA Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Analysis
  • RPCM LAB1D6 Remove and Replace
  • Connect SSC4 to alternate power source.
  • ISS Experience Lab Setup
  • MATRYOSHKA-R. Prep and Initialization of Bubble-Dosimeter Detectors
  • Radiation Dosimetry Inside ISS-Neutrons Hardware Handover
  • MATRYOSHKA-R. Handover of BUBBLE-dosimeter detectors to USOS
  • Radiation Dosimetry Inside ISS-Neutrons
  • MATRYOSHKA-R. BUBBLE-dosimeter initialization and deployment for exposure
  • NanoRacks CubeSat Deployment Photos
  • TOCA Sample Data Record
  • Environmental Health System (EHS) Coliform Water Processing
  • [СТТС] Configuration for MRM1 comm
  • SEPARATION. Activation of [СРВ-У-РС] system Starting Distillation Cycle 1
  • ISS Experience Recording Preparation
  • MELFI 1 Ice Brick Insert 3
  • Updating Auxiliary Computer System laptop settings to provide access to USOS servers
  • MELFI 2 Ice Brick Insert 4
  • MELFI 3 Ice Brick Insert 3
  • ISS Experience Social Moments Recording
  • ISS Experience Hardware Relocate
  • Team Task Switching Experiment Survey
  • NanoRacks CubeSat Deployment Photos
  • Photobioreactor Cable Swap
  • Fluids Integrated Rack Doors Open
  • Remove and Replace LMM Confocal Camera
  • VEG-04 Water Check and Mass Measurement Device Operations
  • Fluids Integrated Rack Doors Close
  • SEPARATION. Distillation Cycle 2 Auto Start
  • Water Storage System (WSS) Leak Inspection
  • Team Task Switching Experiment Survey
  • Countermeasures System (CMS) Treadmill 2 (T2) Quarterly Maintenance
  • Countermeasures System (CMS) Treadmill 2 System (T2) Monthly Inspection
  • Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Food Intake Tracker
  • ISS HAM Service Module Pass
  • SEPARATION. Deactivation of [СРВ-У-РС] system. Log-file downlink
  • ISS Experience Hardware Stow
  • Comm reconfig for nominal ops
  • INTERACTION-2. Experiment Ops
  • Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Food Intake Tracker
  • Water Storage System (WSS) Acoustic Test Data Transfer/Stow