60 Soyuz (60S) Undock/Landing Preparation: The 60S unmanned vehicle has been activated in preparation for tomorrow’s undocking at 1:14 PM CT and landing in Kazakhstan at 4:34 PM CT. The hatches between the Soyuz and ISS have been closed and successful leak checks performed. No US cargo is manifested for return on this unmanned flight. Therefore, no NASA personnel will be at the landing site.

Fluid Shifts: The crew performed several activities including Cerebral and Cochlear Fluid Pressure (CCFP), Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission (DPOAE) measurements, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), and ultrasound scans in support of the Fluid Shifts investigation. This is week 2 of the 3 week sequence and focuses on baseline imaging. Fluid Shifts is a NASA investigation, divided into Dilution Measurements, Baseline Imaging, and Imaging with Chibis and is typically spread over several weeks. The Chibis hardware is used to perform the Lower Body Negative Pressure (LBNP) part of the experiment. The Fluid Shifts experiment investigates the causes for severe and lasting physical changes to astronaut’s eyes. Because the headward fluid shift is a hypothesized contributor to these changes, reversing this fluid shift with a LBNP device is being evaluated as a possible intervention. Results from this study may help to develop preventative measures against lasting changes in vision and prevention of eye damage.

Fluid Science Laboratory/Reference mUltiscale Boiling Investigation (FSL/RUBI) Cable Exchange: As a corrective measure for a power cable with bend radius issues, the crew replaced the short power cable with a power cable previously used successfully for the Soft Matter Dynamics experiment. Nucleate boiling is a process that is used in many technical applications of heat transfer. Examples are power plants and reactor technology, air conditioning technology as well as chemical and process engineering. The design of new processes and evaporators is significantly hindered by the fact that general methods of calculation are not available yet. The development of such methods requires a better understanding of highly complex and dynamic transport phenomena.

Microgravity Crystals: In support of day 6 of the on-going experiment run, the crew set up a microscope, then took images of the solutions and any crystals in the wells of the crystal plates. 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.

Rodent Research-17 (RR-17) Maintenance: The crew restocked Habitats 2 and 3 and cleaned the access unit. RR-17 uses younger and older mice as model organisms to evaluate the physiological, cellular and molecular effects of the spaceflight environment. Some responses to spaceflight in humans and model organisms such as mice resemble accelerated aging. This investigation provides a better understanding of aging-related immune, bone, and muscle disease processes, which may lead to new therapies for use in space and on Earth.

Space Moss: The crew detached the plant experiment unit from the Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) micro-G incubator unit and set up the Space Moss Sample on the Microscope for observation. Space Moss grows mosses aboard the ISS and on Earth to determine how microgravity affects their growth, development, gene expression, photosynthetic activity, and other features. Tiny plants without roots, mosses need only a small area for growth, an advantage for their potential use in space and future bases on the Moon or Mars.

Time Perception: Using a head-mounted Oculus Rift display/headphones, a finger trackball, and support computer, several crewmembers performed the Time Perception experiment sessions. Although some initial issues were encountered, they were resolved by using a backup headset. 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.

Main Bus Switching Unit (MBSU) Operations: To finalize this week’s MBSU operations, today the failed MBSU was removed from the Japanese Experiment Module Airlock (JEMAL) slide table and placed in a Cargo Transfer Bag (CTB). The MBSU-3 was declared hard failed on April 29, 2019. The MBSU will return to ground on SpaceX-19.

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Systems Briefing Package Review: In preparation for the planned P6 Battery EVAs, the crew reviewed the Intravehicular (IV) briefing package which provides reminders, emergency briefing, helpful tips and procedures used during EVA preparation.

Completed Task List Activities:

HTV-8 trash gather

COL photo audit

EVA tether inspect

Node 1 Aft reorg

Ground Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.



EPS max test

Payloads ops support

Repaired MBSU AFRAM robotically stowed at ESP-2 Site 4

Friday, 9/6 (GMT 249)

Payloads:



At Home in Space

Acoustic Diagnostics

Fluid Shifts

Food Acceptability

ISS Experience

Repository

Standard Measures

LSR filter replacement

Standard Measures

Space Moss

Systems:

HTV OBT

LST WWB filter change

Saturday, 9/7 (GMT 250)

Payloads:



Repository

Space Moss observation

Systems:

Crew off duty; housekeeping

Sunday, 9/8 (GMT 251)

Payloads:



Repository

Standard Measures

Microgravity Crystals day 9 observation

Systems:

Crew off duty

Today’s Planned Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

