H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV)8 Launch: HTV8 launched successfully today from Tanegashima Space Center, Japan at 11:05 AM CT. Capture and berthing are scheduled for Saturday, September 28. The vehicle will deliver approximately four tons of supplies, space parts, and experiment hardware.

Electrostatic Levitation Furnace (ELF): In preparation for the next set of ELF experiment runs, the crew removed, cleaned and reinstalled the sample cartridge. JAXA’s ELF is an experimental facility designed to levitate, melt and solidify materials by containerless processing techniques using the electrostatic levitation method. With this facility thermophysical properties of high temperature melts can be measured and solidification from deeply undercooled melts can be achieved. ELF typically processes oxide samples, but is also capable of processing semiconductors, alloys, and metals.

FIR/LMM/ACE-M2R: The crew removed the completed ACE-T10 module and installed the ACE-M2R, which is next to be processed. M2R has been on board ISS since 2015 and this science session will allow investigators to observe the long-term microgravity effects on the module’s sample evolution. Advanced Colloids Experiment-Microscopy-2 (ACE-M-2) observes the microscopic behavior of liquids and gases separating from each other. The investigation examines the behavior of model (colloid rich) liquids and model (colloid poor) gases near the critical point, or the point at which there is no distinct boundary between the two phases. Liquids and gases of the same material usually have different densities, so they would behave differently under the influence of gravity, making the microgravity environment of the ISS ideal for these experiments.

ISS HAM Radio Pass: Tuesday’s ISS HAM pass is with Northridge Elementary School, Longmont, CO. Northridge Elementary is a STEM focus school within the St. Vrain Valley School District in Longmont, Colorado. The school currently has 320 students. Some of the questions involved how astronauts return safely to Earth, how close the ISS gets to the sun, and how gravity affects solids and liquids. 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.

Microgravity Crystals Plate Set C: The crew removed the Microgravity Crystals samples from Space Automated Bioproduct Laboratory (SABL), observed and photographed the sample wells using the microscope, then returned the samples to SABL. This set of Microgravity Crystals samples were initiated on Friday (20 September) and is expected to run for 28 days. The Microgravity Crystals investigation crystallizes a membrane protein that is integral to tumor growth and cancer survival. Although crystallization of this protein has yielded unsatisfactory results on Earth, this investigation leverages extensive protein crystallization work on the space station, significantly increasing the likelihood of successful crystal growth. Results may support development of cancer treatments that target the protein more effectively and with fewer side effects.

MVP-Cell-02: The cassettes were removed from the Everroad Modules and inserted into MELFI to be frozen. MVP experienced several issues during the Cell-02 experiment run, including difficulty obtaining images, a false fire event, and loss of a hard drive. The experiment was eventually terminated based on the progress of the ground control samples and is now being frozen to preserve the samples for return. The investigation seeks to understand how organisms adapt to the space environment, an important component of future space exploration. Microbes may play fundamental roles in the development of biologically-based closed-loop regenerative life support, in-situ resource utilization, and will have extensive interactions with human and plant hosts. Further, microbes may pose challenges through virulence and contamination, and as nuisance factors such as biofilms in water supply and ventilation systems.

Time Perception: Using a head-mounted Oculus Rift display/headphones, a finger trackball, and support computer, several crewmembers performed the Time Perception experiment sessions. In this experiment, a program on the laptop induces visual and audio stimuli to measure a subject’s response to spatial and time perception in a microgravity environment. The accurate perception of objects in the environment is a prerequisite for spatial orientation and reliable performance of motor tasks. Time is fundamental to motion perception, sound localization, speech, and fine motor coordination.

Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Loop Scrub: In preparation for planned P6 Battery EVAs, the crew completed ionic and particulate filtration and biocidal maintenance of Airlock and EMUs 3004 and 3006 cooling water loops. Conductivity readings and water samples were taken from the loops following a 70 minute scrub.

Crew Quarters (CQ) Deck Cleaning: In preparation for the arrival of the 61S crew tomorrow, the on orbit crew cleaned the deck CQ air flow paths. Pre and post cleaning photos were taken throughout the procedure for ground evaluation.

Completed Task List Activities:

Crew departure prep

Ground Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.



EMU loop scrub assist

Payloads ground support

Look Ahead:

Wednesday, 9/25 (GMT 268)

Payloads:



Actiwatch plus

EarthKAM 85mm lens change

Food Acceptability

Functional Immune

ISS Experience

JEMAL ops

MatISS

Slime in Space prep

Standard Measures

Team Task Switching

Systems:

61S launch/dock

ISS safety briefing

JEMEF HD TV control equipment R&R

Thursday, 9/26 (GMT 269)

Payloads:



Functional Immune

NanoRacks Module-86 Experiment Activation

Slime in Space prep

Standard Measures

Systems:

Crew off duty

Today’s Planned Activities:

All Electrostatic Levitation Furnace(ELF) sample Cartridge Retrieval