Binary Colloidal Alloy Test – Cohesive Sediment (BCAT-CS): The crew checked the camera alignment and focus by viewing the latest BCAT images on a laptop. BCAT-CS focuses on the study of forces between particles that cluster together by using sediments of quartz and clay particles. Conducting the research in the microgravity environment of the ISS makes it possible to separate the forces acting on the particles over a short range (adhesive forces) versus those acting over a long range (cohesive forces). The quartz/clay system is commonly found in a wide variety of environmental settings (such as rivers, lakes, and oceans) and plays an important role in technological efforts related to deep-sea hydrocarbon drilling and carbon dioxide sequestration.

BioServe Protein Crystallography (BPC)-1: Crew performed viscosity solutions into Crystallization plates mixing. Plate samples were stowed in the SABL unit. BPC-1 seeks to demonstrate the feasibility of conducting protein crystal growth in real time onboard the ISS. Crewmembers add solutions to the hardware, observe the crystals that form and adjust for follow-on experiments. This approach gives scientists the ability to optimize crystal growth in microgravity instead of waiting for samples to return and then launching them again.

JAXA Low Temperature Protein Crystal Growth (LT PCG): Ice packs were placed into the Freezer-Refrigerator Of STirling cycle (FROST)-2 unit in preparation for LT PCG4 samples that will eventually be transferred to the HTV Small Return Capsule (HSRC). The goal of the JAXA LT PCG experiment is to produce high quality protein crystals in a microgravity environment at a low temperature.

Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Pre-Treat Tank Remove and Replace (R&R): Today the crew R&R’d the Pre-Treat Tank as part of nominal WHC preventative maintenance. During the activity, the crew discovered pretreat liquid that had leaked into the containment hose connected to the vent caps on the new tank. The leaking tank was bagged and stowed and an alternate tank was subsequently used to complete the R&R. Each tank contains five liters of pre-treat solution, a mix of acid, chromium oxide, and water, used for toilet flushing and required for nominal WHC operation.

LAB 1 Port 1 (LAB1P1) Pivot Fitting Swap: During installation of the Life Support Rack (LSR) on October 1, the Active Rack Isolation System (ARIS) pivot brackets were removed from LAB1P1 and replaced with Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries [IHI] style pivot brackets. However, when the crew attempted to re-reinstall an area smoke detector, a 1 cm interference between the smoke detector mounting plate and the new IHI pivot bracket was reported. Today, the crew removed the IHI pivot bracket and replaced it with outside-style ARIS pivot fittings. This eliminated interference between the pivot fitting and the smoke detector bracket.

System Operations Data File (SODF) Warning Book Updates: The crew printed and incorporated updates to Warning procedure books today. The changes are required in support of Life Support Rack activation, expected early November.

Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) Quarterly Maintenance: The crew completed ARED quarterly maintenance, which includes steps to inspect the x-rotation dashpots, cycle the main arm through the full range of motion and grease ARED Vibration Isolation System (VIS) rails and rollers.

Completed Task List Activities:

None

Ground Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.



Nominal System Commanding

Two-Day Look Ahead:

Thursday, 10/18:



Payloads:

Food Acceptability (NASA)

CIR Manifold Bottle Change (Joint Ops)

SPHERES Tether Slosh (NASA)

ISS HAM (NASA)

Systems:

Water Recovery Management (WRM) Condensate Pumping

Friday, 10/19:

Payloads:



NanoRacks Platform 1&2 Relocate (NASA)

Atomization-MSPR activation (JAXA)

METEOR Inverter R&R (NASA)

Microscope H/W Setup (NASA)

Plant Habitat Harvesting (NASA)

Systems:

LSR Umbilical Mate

EMU LLB Auto cycle Initiate

Today’s Planned Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

