ISS Daily Summary Report – 3/21/2024

Soyuz 71S Launch: 71S launch was planned for today at 8:21 AM CDT from the Baikonur Cosmodrome but was scrubbed on the pad. NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, and spaceflight participant Marina Vasilevskaya are safe, along with the 71S Soyuz spacecraft.

SpX-30 Cargo Dragon Launch: The SpX-30 Dragon spacecraft successfully launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 40A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 21st at 3:55 PM CDT. Phasing burns will occur over the next day before the vehicle docks to the ISS on March 23rd at approximately 6:30 AM CDT. The spacecraft will deliver new science investigations, food, and hardware to the ISS.

Payloads:

Complement of Integrated Protocols for Human Exploration Research on Varying Mission Durations (CIPHER): A Node 3 Camcorder was setup, and Isometric Mid-Thigh Pull (IMTP) operations were performed on ARED for CIPHER. The CIPHER investigation aims to improve our understanding of physiological and psychological changes in humans on missions that range from weeks, to one year in duration. Conducting the same research over missions of different durations allows scientists to extrapolate the data to multi-year missions, such as a potential three-year round-trip to Mars. This data could provide deeper knowledge about the changes that may occur on such missions, and support the development of countermeasures to promote astronaut health and well-being.

EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments for Space Station Racks (EXPRESS Rack): An EXPRESS Rack-8 (ER8) software update was performed on the EXPRESS Laptop Computer- 8 (ELC-8). The EXPRESS Racks support science experiments in any discipline by providing structural interfaces, power, data, cooling, water, and other items needed to operate science experiments in space.

Immunity Assay: The post-incubation centrifugation of eight purple and black-framed and labelled Reaction Tubes was performed in the Human Resource Facility (HRF) Centrifuge before being  prepared for cold stowage. The Monitoring the Cellular Immunity by In Vitro Delayed Type Hypersensitivity (DTH) Assay on the ISS (Immunity Assay) investigation aims to monitor the impact of spaceflight stressors on cellular immune functions in blood samples, with the help of a functional immune test.

RadMap Telescope: The Ethernet Cable was connected, and the LAB 20-Port Network Switch was power cycled for RadMap Telescope in an attempt to re-establish telemetry with the unit. Understanding and overcoming the human risks from space radiation is one of the major challenges facing future space exploration. The Validating New Radiation-Sensing Technologies (RadMap Telescope) demonstrates new radiation-sensing technologies for applications in autonomous and crewed spacecraft. These technologies, which have just become sufficiently mature for large-scale applications, enable the creation of compact yet highly capable radiation monitors, allowing future spacecrafts to benefit from increased measurement capabilities with fewer sensors.

Space Automated Bioproduct Laboratory (SABL): The CO2 Incubator Controller valve was opened inside SABL-1. The SABL unit supports a wide variety of investigations in the life, physical, and material sciences with a focus on supporting research into biological systems and processes. SABL 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. The SABL unit also has switchable 28V DC and 5V DC power supplies for investigation use.

Sleep in Orbit: The Sleep in Orbit data recording was terminated, hardware was restowed, an EveryWear questionnaire was filled out, and data was downlinked. The Long-term Sleep Monitoring Before, During and After Extended Spaceflight (Sleep In Orbit) investigation studies the physiological differences between sleep on Earth and in space using ear-EEG based sleep monitoring.

Systems:

Hatch Seal Inspection & Cleaning: The crew cleaned and inspected the Node 3 (Forward, Nadir, and Starboard), PMM, Airlock (Port and Starboard), JPM (Zenith), and JLP hatch seals, hatch plate sealing surfaces, crank handle mechanisms, and hatch seal interlocking joints. When closed, hatches are used to provide a pressure seal between modules or between the ISS and the space environment. When open, they provide a translation path between modules.

Max Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation & Stabilization (CEVIS): Today, the crew completed a Max CEVIS session, which is used by the medical community to evaluate astronauts’ aerobic fitness. Max CEVIS activities satisfies ISS medical requirements to measure crew heart rate, electrocardiogram, and oxygen consumption.

Health Maintenance System (HMS) On-Orbit Hearing Assessment (OOHA): The crew performed a hearing test using an OOHA Headset and KUDUwave software. The assessment measures hearing function while crewmembers are exposed to noise and microgravity during long-duration spaceflight.

Look Ahead Plan

Friday, March 22 (GMT 082)
Payloads:

  • AC-2 Touch
  • Astrobee Off
  • CIPHER Falcon-Goggle Setup and VSTB Exam
  • ELF Holder Change
  • EML Reprogramming Cable Install
  • Standard Measures Collections
  • TREK Move

Systems:

  • Dragon Cargo Operations Conference
  • Transfer Cygnus Cargo Operations
  • Dragon Zenith – SSC Relocate
  • IFM Hatch Seal Inspections