ISS Daily Summary Report – 6/28/2021

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.

ELaboratore Immagini TElevisive – Space 2 (ELITE-S2): The crew removed the ELITE-S2 hardware from its location in Expedite the Processing of Experiments to the Space Station (EXPRESS) rack 4 and prepared it for return to the ground. ELITE-S2 investigated the connection between brain, visualization and motion in the absence of gravity. By recording and analyzing the three-dimensional motion of crewmembers, this study helps engineers apply ergonomics into future spacecraft designs and determines the effects of weightlessness on breathing mechanisms for long-duration missions. This experiment is a cooperative effort with the Italian Space Agency, ASI.

ElectroMagnetic Levitator (EML) Valve Configuration: In support of science operations, the crew closed the Helium valve, opened the Argon valves, and opened the sample chamber valve. EML is a multi-user facility that provides containerless melting and solidification of electrically conductive, spherical samples, under ultra-high vacuum and/or high gas-purity conditions. Heating and positioning of the sample is achieved by electromagnetic fields generated by a coil system. The EML supports research in the field of meta-stable states and phases and in the field of measurement of high-accurate thermophysical properties of liquid metallic alloys in the stable and undercooled state.

Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Ellipsoids (InSPACE-4): The crew gathered the appropriate items and set up the InSPACE-4 hardware in the Microgravity Sciences Glovebox (MSG). Unfortunately, the ground was not able to successfully checkout the camera systems needed for the experiment. It’s currently believed alternate video cables will resolve the issue and the ground teams will discuss a forward plan. 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 participated in a conference with the MT-3 payload developer, and then performed surface sample collections per plan. 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 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.

Phase II Real-time Protein Crystal Growth on Board the ISS (RTPCG-2) Plate Load 2C1: The crew pipetted and mixed solutions of varying viscosities onto the crystallization plate, and sealed the wells, and transferred the completed plate into Space Automated Bioproduct Laboratory (SABL) for incubation. RTPCG-2 demonstrates new methods for producing high-quality protein crystals in microgravity. Previous work has shown that 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.

SlingShot Bracket and Deployer Install: In preparation for the Cygnus departure from ISS, the crew installed and connected the SlingShot hardware to the Cygnus vehicle. SlingShot is a small satellite deployment system that fits inside the Cygnus spacecraft’s Passive Common Berthing Mechanism (PCBM). SlingShot can accommodate up to 18 satellites that are deployed post Cygnus unberth.

Systems

Cygnus Departure Preparations: The crew performed several activities in order to prepare Cygnus Northrup Grumman-15 (NG-15) for departure. The crew de-routed the Intermodular Ventilation (IMV) supply duct from Cygnus, closed the Cygnus hatch, reconfigured Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) Controller Panel Assemblies (CPAs), and demated power and data connections in the Cygnus/Node 1 vestibule. Finally, the crew closed the Node 1 Nadir hatch and began depressurization of the Cygnus/Node 1 vestibule. NG-15 release is scheduled for Tuesday, June 29th at 11:15 AM CT. 

Cargo Dragon Cargo Operations: The crew performed cargo transfer operations for Cargo Dragon SpaceX-22 (SpX-22). There are approximately 11 hours of SpX-22 cargo operations remaining to complete prior to departure. SpX-22 undock is scheduled for July 6th to return cargo and payloads to the ground.

Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Loop Scrubs and Iodinates: The crew degassed a newly flown water processing jumper and then initiated water loop scrubs on EMUs 3009 and 3015. Following the water loop scrubs, the crew acquired and tested water samples for conductivity for both units. Finally, the crew performed an Iodination of the EMU cooling loops. EMU loop scrubs and Iodinates are required preventative maintenance needed to remove any chemical and biological contaminants from the EMU transport loop. 

Alternating Current (AC) Inverter R&R: Today, the Node 2 Wireless Access Point (WAP) went offline prompting the crew to inspect the power configuration. Upon inspection, the crew noted that upstream Node 2 120 Volts Direct Current (VDC) to 120 Volts AC (VAC) Inverter S/N 1001 was receiving power in but not supplying power out through any of its ports. The crew performed an R&R of the suspect AC Inverter S/N 1001 and the downstream loads returned nominally.

Completed Task List Activities:

  • None

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

  • Cygnus Departure Preparation Commanding
  • Cygnus-SSRMS Power Apply
  • EMU Loop Scrub Support
  • SDMS Activation

Look Ahead Plan

Tuesday, June 29 (GMT 180)
Payloads:

  • AC Touch
  • BCM test
  • DREAMS
  • ICF Troubleshooting
  • InSPACE-4 Experiment Run Operations 1-2
  • Microbial Tracking 3
  • OBiS Bag 1 (21-25) Initiation
  • Phospho-Aging
  • Repository

Systems:

  • NG-15 Unberth and Release
  • SpX-22 Cargo Operations
  • EVA Tool Stow and Battery Operations
  • EVA A/L Restow

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
  • OBiS Bag 2 (21-25) Initiation
  • Repository Urine and Blood Collect
  • SideKick Initiation Configuration and Remote C/O
  • Tangolab2 and 4 Cardcube Replace
  • VEG Monitor Analysis Photo

Systems:

  • SpX-22 Cargo Operations
  • ROBoT OBT

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 2C17

Systems:

  • 78P Dock
  • SpX-22 Cargo Operations
  • IMV Flow Measure

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

  • Body Mass Measurement – BMMD
  • Gather Vestibule Outfitting Kit (VOK)
  • Dragon Cargo Transfer
  • MSG Activation
  • SlingShot BPW and Procedure Review
  • Cygnus Cargo Closeout
  • InSPACE-4 Hardware Setup
  • RTPCG-2 Recipe Card Print
  • RTPCG-2 MELFI Vial Retrieve
  • Cygnus Egress
  • Real-time Protein Crystal Growth Maintenance Work Area Preparation
  • EVA Water Processing Jumper Degas
  • EMU Cooling Loop Maintenance Scrub Initiation
  • CBM CPA Rotation and Closeout
  • Remove CBM CPAs
  • InSPACE-4 Hardware Historical Photo
  • Cygnus/Node 1 Vestibule Configuration for Demate – Part 1
  • SlingShot Hardware Gather
  • Polar Desiccant Swap
  • Microbial Tracking-3 Crew Conference
  • EMU Cooling Loop Maintenance Iodination
  • MT-3 Environmental Sample Collection
  • SlingShot Bracket Installation Assist
  • SlingShot Bracket Installation
  • Glacier Desiccant Swap
  • SlingShot Deployer Install
  • RTPCG-2 Production Plate Load S/N 2C1
  • MT-3 Sample POLAR Insert
  • Discharge PBA with low pressure
  • USOS Window Shutter Close
  • Node 1 Nadir CBM CPA Installation
  • Relocate Station Support Computer (SSC) 23 in Node 1 support Pressure Management Device (PMD)
  • Cygnus/Node 1 Vestibule Configuration for Demate – Part 2
  • EMU Cooling Loop Scrub Deconfiguration
  • PMD Equipment Setup and Power and Data connections
  • Behavioral Core Measures ROBoT-r Test
  • ELITE-S2 IMU (Interface Management Unit) Removal and Return
  • N1 Deck hatch MPEV open