ISS Daily Summary Report – 8/06/2019

NG-11 Cygnus Departure:  Cygnus departed the ISS today at 11:16 AM CT, following a 109 day berthed duration. Destructive re-entry is planned for December 11, 2019.  Following hatch closure yesterday, the crew installed the SlingShot brackets and deployers over the hatch area of the vehicle. SlingShot is a small satellite deployment system that fits inside the Cygnus Passive Common Berthing Mechanism (PCBM). This is the second SlingShot mission and will deploy 4 satellites, but can accommodate up to 18 satellites:

  • Quantum Radar: Student-operated ground stations utilize a collimated laser telescope to illuminate and perform tracking of the satellite.
  • National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Sciences (NARSS): This is an Egyptian Space Agency civilian satellite.  The main objective is scientific research for civilian purposes, including imaging, reception of temperature values of different subsystems, magnetic field measurement, and power supply values during different orbital positions.
  • Radio Frequency Tag Satellite (RFTSat): This Northwest Nazarene University CubeSat demonstrates the application of radio frequency (RF) energy harvesting and backscatter communication to the problem of distributed sensing in space.
  • ORCA: Demonstrates radio frequency communication technology for communication between spacecraft and from space to ground.

In addition to the deployed satellites, one payload will remain attached to SlingShot (UbiquityLink-2) which has the objective of demonstrating radio frequency communication technology for communication between spacecraft and from space to ground.

BioFabrication Facility (BF):  On Monday night, ground teams performed troubleshooting to un-stick valves in the print volume which was unsuccessful.  Later, an overcurrent event was seen which is believed to be the cause of a false fire indication.  BFF will be allowed to power up long enough to retrieve log files, but otherwise BFF is powered off pending further discussion. Using 3D biological printers to produce usable human organs has long been a dream of scientists and doctors around the globe. However, printing the tiny, complex structures found inside human organs, such as capillary structures, has proven difficult to accomplish in Earth’s gravity environment. To overcome this challenge, Techshot designed their BFF to print organ-like tissues in microgravity, acting as a stepping stone in a long-term plan to manufacture whole human organs in space using refined biological 3D printing techniques.

Cell Science-02 (CS-02):  Following conclusion of the experiment, the crew removed the bioreactors, sample bags, runoff bags, and sump bags and stowed them appropriately.  The CS-02 investigation uses osteoblast progenitor cells isolated from mouse bones to investigate the effects of microgravity on osteoblast cellular processes at the molecular and biochemical level. CS-02 uses a computational biology omics approach to investigate how osteoblasts respond to treatment with two known osteo-inductive factors.

Fluid Science Laboratory/Soft Matter Dynamics (FSL/SMD):  The crew attempted to remove the SMD samples and experiment container from the FSL, but was not able to successfully remove the Thermal Control System water lines. Ground teams are working on a forward plan. The FSL is a multiuser facility designed by the European Space Agency for conducting fluid physics research in microgravity.  It can be operated as a fully automatic or semiautomatic facility and can be controlled onboard by the ISS crew or from the ground in telescience mode. 

Handhold Experiment Platform (HXP): In preparation for the Exposed Experiment Handrail Attachment Mechanism (EXHAM) sample exchange planned for Wednesday, the crew gathered and checked out the needed covers and desiccants. Taking advantage of Kibo’s unique function of having both an airlock and a robotic arm among modules on the ISS, the ExHAM facility enables space experiments to be performed in the exposed space environment, by attachment to the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo’s Exposed Facility (EF).

Repository: The crew collected samples in support of the repository investigation.  Repository supports scientific discovery that contributes to our fundamental knowledge in the area of human physiological changes and adaptation to a microgravity environment and provides unique opportunities to study longitudinal changes in human physiology spanning many missions.

International Docking Adapter (IDA)3 Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Preparations: The crew completed the following activities in preparation for the EVA planned no earlier than August 21:

  • EVA procedure review.
  • Configured 3 cable reel bags with EVA tools and tethers.
  • Resized Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) 3006 for Hague and EMU 3008 for Morgan.
  • EMU 3003 Data Recorder (EDAR) was removed and installed in EMU 3006.
  • EMU 3006 Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly (REBA) install and checkout following EDAR install.

Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Ops: Robotics Ground Controllers powered up the MSS and demated Cygnus from the Node 1 Nadir Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM). They then maneuvered the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) to the NG-11 release position. The Crew (Nick Hague as MSS Operator (MS)-1 and Christina Koch as MS-2) initiated the Cygnus release and backed the SSRMS away. Ground Controllers then completed the Node 1 Nadir CBM survey and powered down the MSS.

Completed Task List Activities:

  • None

Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

  • Cygnus release ops
  • EVA prep support
  • Payloads ops support

Look Ahead:

Wednesday, 8/7 (GMT 219)
Payloads:

  • Amyloid Aggregation
  • Biofabrication Facility
  • CS-02 crew survey
  • Food Acceptability
  • HXP1 item exchange
  • Lighting Effects
  • Repository
  • SPHERES Zero Robotics dry run

Systems:

  • EVA tool config

Thursday, 8/8 (GMT 220)
Payloads:

  • Amyloid Aggregation
  • GLACIER desiccant swap
  • ISS HAM pass
  • Lighting Effects
  • Nanoracks emulsion tube
  • Repository
  • RR-17 habitat restock
  • SCRAM
  • Standard Measures

Systems:

  • EVA SLE Rotation and Reconfig

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

  • Lighting Effects Sleep Log Entry
  • Check the Results of Antivirus Scanning on [BKC] Auxiliary Computer System Laptops and Report to MCC
  • Acoustic Monitor Setup for Crew Worn Measurements
  • Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Food Intake Tracker (ISS FIT)
  • Water Recovery System (WRS) Waste Tank Sample Gather
  • COSMOCARD. Closeout Operations
  • Water Recovery System (WRS) Waste Tank Sample
  • CARDIOVECTOR. Experiment Operations
  • Water Recovery System (WRS) Waste Tank Sample Restow
  • BioFabrication Facility Procedure Review3
  • Preventive Maintenance of the SM Ventilation System
  • Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Procedure Review
  • Cygnus PCS Command and PROX Link Verification
  • Robotic Workstation (RWS) High Definition (HD) Monitor Downlink
  • Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tool Configuring
  • Private Medical Conference (PMC)
  • Verify that SM Window Shutters ##6, 8, 9, 12, 13 and 14. Note 6
  • Preventive Maintenance of the SM Ventilation System
  • N1 Deck hatch MPEV close
  • Pressure Management Device (PMD) Equipment Teardown
  • Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Resize
  • Cargo Transfer to Dragon
  • ISS RS Video Recording Hardware Weekly Check
  • SM Kurs-P Switch from DC1 АФУ (antenna feeder unit) to MRM2 АФУ. Photograph the Connection
  • Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) Cygnus Release
  • CONTENT. Experiment Operations
  • PHOTOBIOREACTOR. Visual Inspection and Photography
  • Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tool Configuring
  • Extravehicular Activity (EVA) EMU Data Recorder (EDAR) Removal Preparation
  • Extravehicular Mobility Unit Data Recorder (EDAR) Removal
  • Extravehicular Mobility Unit Data Recorder (EDAR) Installation Part 1
  • Extravehicular Mobility Unit Data Recorder Install Part 2
  • Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly (REBA) Installation
  • Handhold Exp Platform #1 (HXP1) Item Checking and Pre-Gathering.
  • Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly (REBA) Powered Hardware Checkout
  • Acoustic Monitor Battery Swap
  • PCS Laptop Relocate
  • Restow Vestibule Outfitting Kit (VOK)
  • PCS Laptop Relocate
  • Robotic Workstation (RWS) High Definition (HD) Monitor Deactivation
  • Robotic Workstation (RWS) Teardown
  • Rechargeable EVA Battery Assembly (REBA) Powered Hardware Checkout
  • Dragon Cargo Operations Conference
  • Lighting Effects Sleep Log Entry