Cygnus Northrup Grumman-15 (NG-15) Release: NG-15 (named the S.S. Katherine Johnson) was successfully released by the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) and departed the ISS today at 11:31 AM CT while the crew monitored from the Cupola. The completion of the NG-15 mission on ISS marks both the longest Cygnus mission duration to-date of 127-days and the highest Cygnus disposal mass to-date of approximately 3846 kg. NG-15 will complete several post-departure science objectives during free-flight prior to destructive re-entry planned for July 1st.
Payloads
Behavioral Core Measures (BCM): The crew set up the appropriate robotics hardware and performed the BCM testing. These sessions are nominally planned to be completed once per month, starting two weeks after a crewmember’s arrival on ISS. The Standardized Behavioral Measures for Detecting Behavioral Health Risks during Exploration Missions (Behavioral Core Measures, or simply BCM) experiment initially examined a suite of measurements to reliably assess the risk of adverse cognitive or behavioral conditions and psychiatric disorders during long-duration spaceflight, and evaluated the feasibility of those tests within the operational and time constraints of spaceflight for two crewmembers. Subsequent subjects perform a subset of the original activities to measure the performance capabilities of deconditioned crew members to complete either individual or crew telerobotic operations within the first 24 hours after landing. This information could help characterize what tasks a crewmember who has spent months in weightlessness can reasonably be expected to perform after landing on the surface of Mars.
Dreams: The crew charged up the Dreams Dry-Electroencephalography (EEG) headband and donned it prior to going to sleep. Sleep plays a major role in human health and well-being. Insufficient sleep, or sleep disorders can increase the risk of developing medical conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases, and can impair task performance. The Sleep Monitoring in Space with Dry-EEG Headband (Dreams) is a technology demonstration investigation that utilizes the Dry-EEG Headband: an effective, affordable, and comfortable solution to monitor astronaut sleep quality during long-duration spaceflight aboard the ISS.
Industrial Crystallization (ICF) Troubleshooting: To resolve suspected internal ICF computer issues, the crew set up a video camera, and connected peripherals to attempt a startup of the internal computer. Recovery will allow the ground team to continue the observation of the protein crystal chamber prior to its return to the ground. The ICF is a small chamber that allows crystals to grow over time into large crystals, appropriate for use in science labs on Earth. When grown in the microgravity environment of the ISS, the crystals are of much higher quality than those currently grown on Earth.
Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Ellipsoids (InSPACE-4): The crew performed steps to recover the video cameras, then installed the InSPACE-4 sample module. After working through some camera positioning issues, a science run for this experiment was started. Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Ellipsoids (InSPACE-4) studies the assembly of tiny structures from colloids using magnetic fields. These structures change the properties of the assembled material, such as its mechanical response to or interaction with light and heat. Microgravity allows observation of these assembly processes free of confining sample walls and sedimentation and during timescales not possible using simulated microgravity. Results could provide insight into how to harness nanoparticles to fabricate and manufacture new materials.
Microbial Tracking-3 (MT-3): The crew continued with the week-long sampling operations for MT-3. The Quantifying Selection for Pathogenicity and Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria and Fungi on the ISS – a Microbial Tracking Study (Microbial Tracking-3 or MT-3) investigation continues a series of investigations focused on ongoing monitoring of pathogenicity (ability to cause disease) and antibiotic resistance in potentially disease-causing bacteria and fungi present on the ISS. The investigation aims to identify, analyze, and characterize pathogenicity, antibiotic resistance, and genomics to augment the NASA GeneLab with the statistical confidence to characterize microbes associated with closed habitation and predict those that may pose a threat to crew health.
Oral Biofilms in Space (OBIS): The crew initiated the experiment operations for Session Packs (SP) 21-25. The connection to the waste bag in SP 24 was loose and could not be attached successfully, but due to a self-sealing feature in the system, the science was able to be started. Effect of Environmental Stressors on Oral Biofilm Growth and Treatment (Oral Biofilms in Space) studies the effect of gravity on the behavior of oral bacteria, including the structure of the bacterial community, and changes in bacterial response to common oral care agents. The findings could support development of novel treatments to fight oral diseases such as caries, gingivitis, and periodontitis. The investigation also could provide insights into how microgravity affects the microbiome of other mucosal surfaces in the body.
Systems
Cargo Dragon Cargo Operations: Today, crew performed cargo transfer operations for Cargo Dragon SpaceX-22 (SpX-22). SpX-22 undock is scheduled for July 6th to return cargo and payloads to the ground.
Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Recovery Activities: The crew completed several activities in order to recover from the ISS Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA) 2B and 4B Install EVA series and return equipment to a nominal configuration. The crew replaced expiring components from Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMUs) 3006 and 3009, performed a Remove & Replace (R&R) of the Umbilical Interface Assembly (UIA) Supply Biocide Filter, and installed Lithium-Ion Rechargeable EVA Battery Assemblies (LREBAs) and Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) batteries into the Battery Stowage Compartment to initiate a charging autocycle. Finally, the crew reconfigured stowage in the Airlock.
Space Station Computer (SSC) Shell Swap: The crew reported that SSC3 was unresponsive. The crew performed a field-strip of the SSC to attempt recovery of the hardware, but the signature persisted. Finally, the crew swapped the SSC shell with a spare, and the hardware recovered nominally.
Completed Task List Activities:
- Wanted Poster: Condensate Transfer Manifold
Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
- Cygnus Unberth and Release Commanding
- Node 1 Active Common Berthing Mechanism Inspection
- SSRMS Double-Walkoff and PMA-1 Survey (In Work)
Look Ahead Plan
Wednesday, June 30 (GMT 181)
Payloads:
- AC Touch
- APEX-07 Clean and Dry
- CAL Hololens C/O
- DREAMS
- EML Lens Switch
- InSPACE-4 Experiment Runs 3-4
- Oral Biofilms Bag 2 (21-25) Init
- Phospho Aging
- Plant Hab Procedure Review
- Plant Water Management 3 and 4 Hardware Locate
- Repository Urine and Blood Collect
- SABL3 CO2 Controller Remove
- SideKick Initiation Configuration and Remote Checkout
- Tangolab2 and 4 Cardcube Replace
- Veggie Monitor Photo
Systems:
- SpX-22 Cargo Operations
- ROBoT OBT
- Crew Dragon Tablet Sync
Thursday, July 1 (GMT 182)
Payloads:
- APEX-07 Deactivation
- CAL Science Module Pack For Return
- CBEF Measurement Experiment Unit
- DREAMS
- InSPACE-4 Run Operations 5-6
- Microbial Tracking-3
- NanoRacks Mod-9 Operations 4
- OBIS Bag 3 (21-25) Initiation
- Plant Habitat Facility Preparation
- Repository
- RTPCG-2 Plate 2C1/7 Observation
Systems:
- SpX-22 Cargo Operations
- IMV Flow Measure
Friday, July 2 (GMT 183)
Payloads:
- AC Stow
- CIR/ACME Reconfigure for CFI-G Part 2
- ELF
- Food Acceptability
- Food Physiology
- GLACIER Sample Transfer
- ICF
- InSPACE-4
- MT-3
- POLAR CS Transfers
- PWM 3 and 4 Preparation
- RTPCG-2
Systems:
- 78P Dock
- SpX-22 Cargo Operations
Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
- HRF Generic Urine Collections
- Phospho-Aging Generic MELFI Sample Insertion Operations
- HRF Generic HRF Centrifuge Frozen Blood Collection and MELFI Insertion
- EMU Swap
- Water Recovery and Management CWC-Iodine Transfer
- Cygnus PCS Command and PROX Link Verification
- Phospho-Aging Generic Sample MELFI Retrieval and Insertion
- USOS Window Shutter Close
- EMU Resize
- Dragon Cargo Transfer
- InSPACE-4 Cable Swap
- EVA UIA Biocide Filter Changeout
- Phospho-Aging Generic MELFI Sample Retrieval and Insertion Operations
- Microbial Tracking-3 Environmental Sample Collection and POLAR Insert
- EVA Battery Install
- EVA Battery Operations Terminal Autocycle Initiation
- Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis and Data Record
- OBiS Assembly Hydration
- InSPACE-4 Experiment Run Ops
- Behavioral Core Measures ROBoT-r Test
- N1 Deck hatch MPEV close
- Pressure Management Device (PMD) Teardown
- Antimicrobial Coatings Touch
- Robotic Workstation (RWS) High Definition (HD) Monitor Downlink
- Progress 77 USOS Cargo Trash Gather/Pre-gather
- Dreams Dry-EEG Headband charge and Setup
- SSRMS Cygnus Release and departure monitoring
- ICF Troubleshooting
- Progress 77 USOS Trash Handover
- Restow Vestibule Outfitting Kit (VOK)
- PMD SSC Return
- EVA Airlock Restow
- Artemis HERA Adlink Mini PC Reboot [Aborted]
- iPad Flight Group 9/10 Stow
- MERLIN OBiS Assemblies Insertion
- RWS Monitor Deactivation
- RWS Teardown
- Dreams Dry-EEG Headband doffing after recording