ISS Daily Summary Report – 6/10/2021

Payloads:

Bioculture system: The crew removed the Bioculture system from Dragon, installed it into EXPRESS rack 4, and successfully powered it up.  This facility will be used to support the Cell Science-04 investigation in mid-July.  The tardigrade (water bear) is the model organism for studying biological survival under the most extreme environmental stress conditions on Earth and in space. The objective of the Using Water Bears to Identify Biological Countermeasures to Stress during Multigenerational (Cell Science-04) investigation is to characterize the molecular biology of short term and multigenerational survival in the space environment by identifying genes that are required for adaptation and survival in high stress environments. The findings from this study can be applied to understanding the stress factors of humans in the space environment and identification of countermeasures.

Lyophillization-2:  The crew installed one sample tray into the sample chamber.  Although originally intended to accommodate two samples at a time, the crew was only able to fit the one sample and still reliably seal the chamber door.  This frozen sample will be exposed to vacuum to allow it to freeze dry.  Lyophilization-2 in Microgravity (Lyophilization-2) examines gravity’s effects on freeze-dried materials. Lyophilization, or freeze-drying, is a common method for formulating pharmaceuticals with improved chemical and physical stability. On Earth, the process leads to formation of layers with structural differences, but if such stratification is due to gravity, it may not occur in microgravity. This investigation, which follows up on previous work, could result in improved freeze-drying processes for the pharmaceutical and other industries.

NRCSD-20: The crew gathered the appropriate items and installed the Nanoracks Cubesat Deployer-20 (NRCSD-20) onto the JEM Airlock (JEMAL) slide table.  NRCSD-20 will be used to launch two satellites:  RamSat and SOAR.  RamSat is a 20x10x10 cm satellite equipped with multispectral and near-infrared cameras to study large-scale disturbances to forests.  SOAR is a 30x10x10 cm satellite which looks at the effects various materials have on aerodynamic drag and performance, measures thermospheric winds, and demonstrates various maneuver capabilities.  NRCSD is a stackable, modular, ground loaded launch case. Each NRCSD accommodates up to six launch cases.  NRCSD is passed through the JEM Airlock, and manipulated robotically to the satellite deployment position.

RTPCG-2:  The crew set up the appropriate microscope hardware, observed and took photos of the crystal growth screening plate.  The protein crystals in the plate have been growing for seven days under varying conditions. Phase II Real-time Protein Crystal Growth on Board the International Space Station (RTPCG-2) demonstrates new methods for producing high-quality protein crystals in microgravity. Previous work has shown microgravity can sometimes produce high-quality protein crystals that can be analyzed to identify possible targets for drugs to treat disease. RTPCG-2 tests high-quality proteins crystals for detailed analysis back on Earth.

Tangolab:  The crew completed the Tangolab-2 card cube install and Tangolab-4 card cube replace activities.  Space Tango’s TangoLab locker is a reconfigurable general research facility designed for microgravity research and development (R&D) and pilot manufacturing aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

TICTOC: As a continuation of the experiment which started this past weekend, the crew set up the appropriate hardware and took photos of the 12 plant growth chambers for science day 5.  They also reviewed the procedure for the harvest, currently scheduled for Friday.  The ground teams will use the images to evaluate the status of the growing plants.  Target, the retail store, is funding the investigation Targeting Improved Cotton Through On-orbit Cultivation (TICTOC) that studies how root system architecture affects plant resilience to stress, water-use efficiency, and carbon sequestration during the critical phase of seedling establishment. Roots play a central role in plant stress resistance and survival, but their growth patterns depend upon gravity. This investigation examines how environmental factors and genes control development of roots in the absence of gravity.

Time Perception: The crew set up the appropriate hardware and participated in a Time Perception science session.  The accurate perception of objects in the environment is a prerequisite for spatial orientation and reliable performance of motor tasks. Time perception in microgravity is also fundamental to motion perception, sound localization, speech, and fine motor coordination. The Time Perception in Microgravity experiment quantifies the subjective changes in time perception in humans during and after long-duration exposure to microgravity.

Systems:

Treadmill-2 (T2) Status: This morning the crew completed the re-alignment of the right bottom snubber pin and verified the rack was centered. Review of the photos indicated the T2 rack was back to its nominal configuration and crew is now able to exercise on T2.

Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Imbalance: On Tuesday June 8th, Engineering teams reported an imbalance occurrence in ARED since completing a tensioning adjustment back on May 25th. The load was concerning enough that the team had requested crew limit loads to under 60lbs. Today crew performed an inspection of the detents and performed additional un-tensioning and re-tensioning of the cable arm rope. Ground teams reviewed photos and three subsequent exercise sessions deemed ARED was back in a nominal configuration. ARED is again GO for nominal use with the load restriction lifted.

Crew Quarters (CQ) Exhaust Airflow Sensor Remove and Replace (R&R): This morning the crew replaced the failed exhaust airflow sensor in the deck crew quarters.  This sensor was deemed failed back on May 18th.

Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) 3009 Dump and Fill: This morning an additional dump and fill was performed on EMU 3009.  This was to verify nominal water sensor pressure after it was reading slightly higher than expected during suit operations back on June 3rd.  Pressure readings looked nominal with no discrepancies.

Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) Node 3 Maintenance Canister removal: After being installed for 28 hours to allow for dispersal of Ortho-Phthalaldehyde (OPA) into the Node 3 Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) and thermal equalization of the ITCS Maintenance Canister, the ITCS Maintenance Canister was removed from the Cupola quick disconnects (QDs). The gas trap plug was then replaced on the Node 3 Moderate Temperature Loop (MTL) Pump Package Assembly (PPA).

Completed Task List Activities:

  • None

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

  • PRO Bioculture System Activation Commanding
  • JEM Airlock and ACDU-RC Activation
  • SSRMS Extraction of IROSA solar arrays [ACTIVE]
  • MSS maneuver to inspect magnetic elements with P1UPOB EHDC. [PLANNED]

Look Ahead Plan:

Friday, June 11 (GMT 162)
Payloads:

  • AC Touch, BCM, Food Acceptability, FSL/Board exchange, FSL/Soft Matter Dynamics, GLACIER logistics, Kidney Cells-02, Lyophillization-2, Molecular Muscle Experiment-2, NanoRacks Module 93 photo, TICTOC harvest

Systems:

  • Atmosphere Revitalization System (ARS) Thermal Amine Scrubber (TAS)
  • Accessing and sampling ITCS fluid from the Node 3 Sampling Adapter
  • Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Recycle Tank Drain

Saturday, June 12 (GMT 163)
Payloads:

  • BPA housekeeping, TICTOC closeout

Systems:

  • Crew off-duty day

Sunday, June 13 (GMT 164)
Payloads:

  • No utilization activities

Systems:

  • Crew off-duty day

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

  • HRF Generic HRF Centrifuge Frozen Blood Collection
  • CABLE ARM ROPES TENSIONING AND DETENT INSPECTION
  • HRF Generic MELFI Sample Insertion
  • Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Tool Configuring
  • Deck 1 cleanup from cargo
  • Phospho-Aging Generic MELFI Sample Retrieval And Insertion Operations
  • Lyophilization MELFI Sample Retrieve
  • Time experiment science
  • TICTOC MWA Preparation
  • Bioculture System Hardware Transfer and Install Ops
  • ISS HAM Columbus Pass Kenwood
  • Treadmill 2 (T2) Right Bottom Snubber Fix
  • SpX Cargo Dragon Payload Unpack
  • Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) – JEM
  • Deck Crew Quarters Powerdown Prep
  • Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) Node 3 Maintenance Canister Removal
  • Deck Crew Quarters Exhaust Airflow Sensor Remove and Replace
  • Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS) Node 3 Gas Trap Plug Replace
  • HRF Rack 1 Supply Kit Inventory
  • JEM Airlock Slide Table (ST) Extension to JPM Side
  • NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer Installation on the MPEP
  • Microscope Reposition Preparation
  • TangoLab-2 Card Cube Install
  • Real-time Protein Crystal Growth Microscopy Plate S/N C1 Row B, Day 7
  • EVA Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Water Tank Dump and Fill
  • Inventory Management System (IMS) Conference
  • Microscope Reposition Post Ops
  • Robotics Procedure Review
  • On-board Training (OBT) EVA Robotics Onboard Trainer (ROBoT) Session
  • JEM Airlock Stowage Replace
  • Flight Director/ISS CREW CONFERENCE
  • LSG Work Volume Deploy