ISS Daily Summary Report – 2/14/2022

Payloads:

Combustion Integrated Rack (CIR): The crew performed more steps in support of the multi-part rack reconfiguration from the Advanced Combustion via Microgravity Experiments (ACME) experiment insert to the Solid Fuel Ignition and Extinction (SoFIE) experiment insert.   Specifically, the crew removed the ACME Camera Package, relocated the CIR Intensified Camera Package, installed the CIR Chamber Pumps, replaced the CIR Vent Manifold Mass Flow Controller, and installed an FCF Hard Drive.  SoFIE is a hardware insert for CIR that will enable a wide range of solid-material combustion and fire suppression studies, providing common infrastructure including sample holders, flow control, test sections, external radiant heaters, igniters, and diagnostics for multiple investigations. While SoFIE initially meets the requirements of five investigations, it is intended for use by any researchers who propose related solid combustion studies to NASA in the future.

EarthKAM (Sally Ride Earth Knowledge Acquired by Middle Schools):  The EarthKAM hardware components were set up in Node 2 for a week-long imaging session.  EarthKAM allows thousands of students to photograph and examine Earth from a space crew’s perspective. Using the Internet, the students control a special digital camera mounted on-board the ISS. This enables them to photograph the Earth’s coastlines, mountain ranges and other geographic items of interest from the unique vantage point of space. The EarthKAM team then posts these photographs on the Internet for viewing by the public and participating classrooms around the world.

EasyMotion: The crew donned the EasyMotion suit and then performed an Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) exercise session.  The EasyMotion investigation uses whole body Electro-Myo-Stimulation (EMS) with a wearable body skin suit for an ISS crew member to perform pre- and postflight EMS-assisted exercises. EMS technology initiates spontaneous (involuntary) activation of global musculature (muscle, tendon, fascia) to be monitored (muscle tone/tension and stiffness) inflight using the non-invasive Myoton technology that is currently aboard the space station for the Myotones investigation.

Hicari-2: Following a review of the procedures, the Hicari-2 sample cartridges were loaded into the Gradient Heating Furnace (GHF) sample holder. Hicari-2 seeks to produce high-quality crystals of Silicon-Germanium (SiGe) semiconductor material.  The GHF facility is a vacuum furnace that contains three heating blocks. Their positions and temperatures can be independently controlled, and various temperature profiles (up to about 1600 deg C) can be realized. 

ISS Ham Pass: The crew participated in an ISS Ham pass with FH Aachen, University of Applied Sciences, Aachen, Germany.  Questions asked by the students included what the most difficult activity performed in microgravity is, if Thomas Pesquet’s slime mold experiment is still on ISS, and what training helped the crew the most with respect to life on the ISS.  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.

Space Automated Bioproduct Lab-4 (SABL4):  As a check for future experiment readiness, a scopemeter was used to monitor the interior temperature of SABL4.  The data will be used to verify the accuracy of SABL4’s temperature settings.  SABL supports a wide variety of investigations in the life, physical and material sciences with a focus on supporting research of biological systems and processes. It has over 23 liters of temperature-controlled volume with LED lighting for scientific hardware and investigations. It can be fitted to provide 5% CO2 (or any required concentration of CO2) for cell cultures or other types of investigations and has two USB 2.0 ports and two Ethernet LAN connections. It also has switchable 28V D/C and 5V D/C power supplies for investigation use.

Sampling Quadrangle Assemblages Research Experiment (SQuARE):  The crew took photos of the SQuARE experiment sites located in the Node 1 Galley, JEM, Columbus, Node 2, Node 3, and the US Lab.  SQuARE is an investigation that aims to document items within six defined locations around the ISS over time. The idea is to look at the ISS as an archaeological site, and each of the Squares as a “test pit”.

Veggie Passive Orbital Nutrient Delivery System (PONDS): Water was added to the PONDS modules with plant growth.  The crew also took photos of the plants growing in the modules.  As of this report, three of the original 12 modules have growing plants.  This is not unexpected since the experiment uses several designs of the PONDS modules to determine which is best for sustaining plant growth.  Organisms grow differently in space, from single-celled bacteria to plants and humans.  Future long-duration space missions will require crew members to grow their own food.  Therefore, understanding how plants respond to microgravity and demonstrating the reliable vegetable production on orbit are important steps toward that goal.  Veggie PONDS uses a newly developed passive nutrient delivery system and the Veggie plant growth facility aboard the ISS to cultivate Romaine lettuce and Mizuna mustard greens which are to be harvested on-orbit, and consumed, with samples returned to Earth for analysis.

Systems:

Treadmill 2 (T2) Moderate Temperature Loop (MTL) Return Line Repair: As part of the Internal Thermal Control System (ITCS), the MTL provides most of the cooling for systems equipment (i.e. avionics) and payload experiments and contains approximately 52.83 gallons (200 liters) of fluid. To prepare for repairs to the return line tomorrow, the crew rotated the T2 rack to gain access to the line.  This procedure can take a lot of crew time, since there are many steps involved whenever a rack needs to be rotated. The crew also prepared T2 for overnight stowage and gathered tools for tomorrow’s repairs. On Wednesday, the rack will be rotated back to its nominal position, and T2 will be available for crew exercise.

On-board Training (OBT) Cygnus Robotics Onboard Trainer (ROBoT) Session 1: The NG-17 Cygnus vehicle is scheduled to berth with the station at the Node 1 Nadir Port on February 21st. Unlike docking, berthing requires the use of the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS), or the robotic arm, to capture the vehicle and bring it to the space station port. Both on the ground and aboard the station, the crew trains to command the robotic arm. On the station, the Cupola provides visibility during these operations. NG-17 will deliver important science experiments, crew provisions, equipment and other important items. Once NG-17 is unloaded, the crew will reload the vehicle with trash and other items for disposal.

Health Maintenance System (HMS) Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows (WinSCAT) Test: Today, the crew performed their monthly WinSCAT test. This test is a screening tool developed by NASA to monitor astronauts and their neuro-cognitive status while in space and alert NASA flight surgeons to any accuracy or reaction time changes in an astronaut’s performance. WinSCAT tests working memory, computational skills, attention, visual tracking, and spatial processing.

Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Analysis & Data Record: The TOCA primarily serves as a 3rd level of redundancy safety control for the Regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Water Processor Assembly (WPA) for potable water by monitoring total organic carbon (TOC) concentration levels, a general indication of overall water quality. The crew used the TOCA Water Sample Hose to perform the water analysis and record data, while minimizing the possibility of contamination.  This sample analysis is performed on a weekly basis.

Joint Station LAN (JSL) Network Audit: Today the crew performed JSL audits in Node 2, Columbus and JEM.  The JSL is the main internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) that combines the ISS United States On-Orbit Segment (USOS) networks into one integrated LAN.  Development responsibilities and management obligations are shared among many NASA and Russian organizations. This auditing will address any discrepancies noted by the ground and assist with ground tracking tools updates.

Stowage Management: Today, the crew worked together to organize the JPM and JLP modules by checking deployed and temporarily stowed items in use, disposing of unneeded common trash, and relocating items as needed. The crew reported stowage deltas and any items in need of ground disposition and photographed problem-areas or unknown items as needed to aid in ground tracking and forward planning for further clean-up activities. This is part of a general effort to improve habitability and organization on the space station.

Completed Task List Activities:

  • None

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

  • Treadmill 2 (T2) Ground Deactivation, Electrical Power System (EPS) Safing for T2 Rack Rotation
  • Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Survey of Crew Dragon
  • Video Distribution System High-Definition Video Dump

Look Ahead Plan

Tuesday, February 15 (GMT 39)
Payloads:

  • Ax-1 iPad Gather
  • Biosentinel
  • CIR Hardware Return
  • EasyMotion
  • EXPRESS 11B RS232 Remove
  • HRF Centrifuge Tube Corrective
  • IPU-2 Video Cable
  • J-SSOD-20 Hardware Remove
  • SABL1 CO2 Swap
  • Standard Measures
  • SQuARE

Systems:

  • Treadmill 2 (T2) Rack Rotate
  • Iodine Compatible Water Container (CWC-I) Drain and Fill
  • Health Maintenance System (HMS) Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Scans
  • Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Half Water Tank Dump and Fill
  • Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Swap

Wednesday, February 16 (GMT 40)
Payloads:

  • Astrobee/SVGS
  • EasyMotion
  • EXPRESS Bulb Replace
  • Food Acceptability
  • HRF1 PC Software
  • HRF1 Supply Resupply
  • IPU2 Cable Connect
  • LIDAL Return
  • Lumina Data Transfer
  • MUSES Server Vent Clean
  • MVP-Plant-01 Bonus Science
  • RR-18
  • SABL2
  • SQuARE
  • Wireless Compose-2

Systems:

  • EVA #1 Procedure Review and Conference
  • Water Separator Resistance Measurement and Visual Leak Inspection
  • HRF Rack 1 Supply Kit Resupply

Thursday, February 17 (GMT 41)
Payloads:

  • Astrobee Stow Replace
  • AWP
  • EarthKAM Lens Change
  • IPU2
  • MSG Facility Act
  • RR-18
  • SQuARE
  • Touching Surfaces
  • Veggie PONDS Hardware Display and OBT

Systems:

  • 80P Berthing
  • Cygnus Onboard Training (OBT) Attached Phase Operations
  • Health Maintenance System (HMS) Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT2) Exams
  • Health Maintenance System (HMS) Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Scans

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

  • Environmental Health System (EHS) Total Organic Carbon Analyzer (TOCA) Water Recovery System (WRS) Sample Data Record and Analysis
  • Gradient Heating Furnace (GHF) HICARI2 Cartridge Tasks Procedure Review, Assembling, and Installation
  • PL Cntl Box Setup for IPU2 Extra Checkout
  • Cold Atom Lab MTL Jumper Check
  • JSL Network Audit
  • USB Pantry Audit
  • Fire Cartridge Deploy
  • Health Maintenance System (HMS) Spaceflight Cognitive Assessment Tool for Windows (WinSCAT) Test
  • Space Automated Bioproduct Lab 4, Temperature Setup and Check
  • ISS HAM Columbus Pass Kenwood
  • CAL MTL Jumper Leak Check
  • Veggie Ponds Reservoir Fill & Photos
  • Health Maintenance System (HMS) Vision Test and Questionnaire
  • SQuARE Fixed Daily Imagery
  • Airlock Nitrogen Troubleshooting
  • CIR Optics Bench Configuration #2 for SoFIE, Hardware Gather, Rack Doors Close
  • Treadmill 2 (T2) Tool Gather, Rack Rotate Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
  • Countermeasures System (CMS) Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Exercise Session with EasyMotion Electro-Myo-Stimulation (EMS)
  • On-board Training (OBT) Cygnus Robotics Onboard Trainer (ROBoT) Session 1
  • In Flight Maintenance (IFM) Battery Survey (SRVY) Part (PT) 2
  • Stowage Management
  • Standard Measures Pre-Sleep Questionnaire