Plant Gravity Perception (PGP): The final Plant Gravity Perception experiment completed today with three of the Experiment Containers (ECs) maintaining power in the European Modular Cultivation System (EMCS). The crew removed seed cassettes from the ECs and placed them in a Minus Eighty Degree Celsius Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI). For this investigation, normal and mutated forms of thale cress, a model research plant, were germinated to support the study of the plants’ gravity and light perception. Results provide insight into the plants’ adaptation to a microgravity environment and supports efforts to grow plants for food on future space missions.

Metabolic Tracking (MT): The crew set up MT hardware and materials for thawing and inoculation. They injected the thawed inoculum into multiwell BioCells, which were then inserted into the NanoRacks Plate Reader-2. The Metabolic Tracking investigation evaluates a rapid, low-cost method for assessing the effects of therapeutic compounds in microgravity. The method contributes to development of custom plans for emergency medical treatment for crew members, using primary tissue samples. This investigation also determines the feasibility of developing improved pharmaceuticals in microgravity using a new method to test the metabolic impacts of drug compounds. This could lead to more effective, less expensive drugs.

Using Brachypodium distachyon to Investigate Monocot Plant Adaptation to Spaceflight (APEX-06): The crew configured the Veggie facility today for the initial APEX-06 operations and installed twenty APEX-06 petri plates into the Veggie facility to begin the growth process of the plants. The APEX-06 experiment investigates the growth of the common grass species Brachypodium distachyon in the microgravity environment of space. The grasses grow from seedlings aboard the ISS, and are returned as frozen samples to Earth-based labs for detailed analysis and comparison with Earth-based control groups. APEX-06 aims to compare the growth and gene-expression patterns of Brachypodium distachyon with those of the dicotyledonous model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, which has been extensively studied in space and whose behavior in microgravity is better understood.

MetOx Regeneration Initiation: Today the crew initiated a MetOx regeneration cycle on two MetOx canisters. This process is expected to take 14 hours and the crew is scheduled to terminate the regeneration cycle and remove the canisters from the MetOx Regenerator on Friday. These two canisters will be used for an upcoming EVA.

Public Affairs Office (PAO) Events: Today Fuestel participated in a PAO event with actor Will Smith and sponsored by National Geographic.

Dragon Cargo Operations: Today the crew resumed Dragon cargo operations. Over the next several days, the crew will remove the final ascent items still stowed in the Dragon capsule and begin loading items identified for return on SpaceX-14.

Dragon Robotic Operations: Last night, the failed Pump Flow Control Subsystem (PFCS) (commonly referred to as ‘Trippy’ by the flight control team) was bolted in Flight Support Equipment (FSE) and the FSE lid was closed and locked. Tonight ground controllers will perform a Mobile Transporter (MT) translation from Worksite (WS)8 to WS6 and Walk Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) off the MT to Node 2 Power Data Grapple Fixture (PDGF).

Today’s Planned Activities

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.



APEX-06 Hardware Gather #1

APEX-06 MELFI Retrieval #1

Setup and Activation of Crew Onboard Support Kit (КСПЭ) Equipment for MPEG2 TV coverage from SM

TV Conference Dedicated to the Cosmonautics Day (S + Ku-band)

TV Conference with Artek International Children Center (S + Ku-band)

TV Conference Dedicated to the Cosmonautics Day (S + Ku-band)

Metabolic Tracking Inoculation Preparation

Metabolic Tracking MELFI Metabolic Tracking Group Retrieve

Metabolic Tracking Biocells Inoculation

Metabolic Tracking MELFI Inoculation Bag Retrieve

Metabolic Tracking Plate Reader Insertion/Removal

Metabolic Tracking Session Cleanup

Live TV Conference with VKontakte Hostess (S + Ku-band)

Coliform Water Sample Analysis 44 +/- 4 hours post processing

Deactivation of camcorder, TV System monitoring equipment and closing applications on Central Post SSC

Plant Gravity Perception/European Modular Cultivation System Experiment Container Removal

Plant Gravity Perception/European Modular Cultivation System Sample Processing

Plant Gravity Perception/European Modular Cultivation System MELFI Sample Insertion

Plant Gravity Perception/European Modular Cultivation System Cleanup

СОЖ maintenance

APEX-06 Science Insertion

Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Inspection

Station Support Computer (SSC) Network Attached Storage Hard Drive (HDD) Reseat

Public Affairs Office (PAO) Event in High Definition (HD) – JEM

Cargo Transfer to Dragon

Plant Gravity Perception/European Modular Cultivation System Maintenance Work Area Deconfigure

APEX-06 MELFI Insertion #1

European Modular Cultivation System Gas Valve Close

MERLIN 3 Desiccant Insert

Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS Food Intake Tracker (ISS FIT)

MERLIN3 Ice Brick Insert

Photo/TV, Checking Camcorder Settings

Microbial Tracking-2 Operations Review

Metal Oxide (METOX) Regeneration Initiation

Microbial Tracking-2 Crew Conference

Dragon Cargo Operations Conference

Photo T/V (P/TV) Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Exercise Video Stow

Completed Task List Activities

WHC-KTO-Replacement

Ground Activities

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.



GSFC Router Software Update

N3 MCA ORU-2 Troubleshooting

SpaceX Robotics Cargo Operations

Three-Day Look Ahead:

Friday, 04/13: MISSE-FF Transfer Tray Install, GIS Ops, Eye Exams, Mouse Stress Defense Ops, Microbial Tracking 2 Ops, Metabolic Tracking Ops

Saturday, 04/14: House Keeping, Crew Off-Duty

Sunday, 05/15: Crew Off-Duty

QUICK ISS Status – Environmental Control Group: