The crew will work late into the nominal crew work day today to prepare Dragon for unberth and release tomorrow morning. The next daily report will resume on Wednesday, April 8th.

Payloads

Over the weekend:



CASIS PCG 10: The crew transferred five sample cards into MELFI to freeze in preparation for a return on SpX-20. Microgravity Crystallization of Glycogen Synthase-Glycogenin (CASIS PCG 10) uses the microgravity environment aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to grow larger, higher resolution versions of two proteins, glycogen synthase 1 and glycogen synthase 2. Understanding the structure of the human glycogen synthase protein will expedite the discovery of treatments for obesity, rare glycogen storage disorders, and potentially cancer.

Multi-use Variable-g Platform (MVP2 Cell-03): The crew removed 5 Emory Modules and associated hardware from the MVP2 and prepped the contents for SpX-20 return. This project studied the generation of cardiomyocytes, specialized heart muscle cells, for use in research and clinical applications. Specifically, the team is studying the differentiation of these heart cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), adult cells that have been altered to reinstate characteristics of natural stem cells. Simulated microgravity studies have allowed the team to increase the yield, purity, and survival of cardiomyocytes derived from iPSCs, and true spaceflight conditions are expected to further enhance these effects. Understanding how microgravity improves cardiomyocyte differentiation will enable the team to create clinically relevant heart tissue for use in regenerative medicine, disease modeling, and drug discovery.

NanoRacks Module-9: The crew opened the blue clamps and shook tubes 4 and 5 to deactivate them. Tubes 4 and 5 contain experiments which study the effect of microgravity on the growth of Trametes versicolor mycelium, and the effect of microgravity on the growth of Pyropia respectively. Module-09, which contains several mixture tube experiments, was then restowed for return on SpX-20. The experiments use NanoRacks MixStix, miniature laboratories activated by space station crew and eventually returned to the student teams on Earth for analysis.

NanoRacks Science Box (aka NanoRacks Black Box): The crew un-cabled and removed the NanoRacks Science Box from EXPRESS Rack and prepped it for SpX-20 return. NanoRacks-Black Box is a key part of NanoRacks’ next generation International Space Station platforms. This new platform is specially designed to provide near-launch payload turnover of autonomous payloads while providing advanced science capabilities for customers, including use of robotics, new automated MixStix and NanoLab-style research. Black Box is a locker-sized platform that accommodates up to 18U of payloads.

Space Tango MultiLab Locker (TangoLab-2): The crew removed card 012 and Cube BOST_FLW01 from the TangoLab-2 facility and prepared them for SpX-20 return. TangoLab-2 is a reconfigurable general research facilities designed for microgravity research and development and pilot manufacturing in the ISS.

Veggie PONDS: The crew took photos of plant growth areas and front of the PONDS units with covers off. Although moisture was observed in the wick and felt area, no plant growth was seen. The ground team is assessing their delayed ground control version of the experiment to determine possible causes or the lack of seed germination. Organisms grow differently in space, from single-celled bacteria to plants and humans. Future long-duration space missions will require crew members to grow their own food. Therefore, understanding how plants respond to microgravity and demonstrating the reliable vegetable production on orbit are important steps toward that goal. Veggie PONDS uses a newly developed passive nutrient delivery system and the Veggie plant growth facility aboard the ISS to cultivate lettuce and mizuna greens which are to be harvested on-orbit, and consumed, with samples returned to Earth for analysis.

Today’s activities:

Mouse Mission-5 (MM-5): The crew performed the activities necessary to transfer the JAXA MM-5 mice to SpX-20 for return to the ground. The purpose of this mission is to analyze any alterations of the gene expression patterns and the effects on the germ-cell development of mice exposed to a long-term space environment.

OsteoOmics-2: The crew removed the samples for their locations in the GLACIER and MELFI freezers/refrigerators and prepared them for return on SpX-20. Millions of Americans experience bone loss, which results from disease or the reduced effects of gravity that can occur in bed-ridden patients. OsteoOmics tests whether magnetic levitation accurately simulates the free-fall conditions of microgravity by comparing genetic expression osteoblastic cells, a type of bone cell, levitated in a high-field superconducting magnet with cells flown in low-Earth orbit. This information helps scientists determine the molecular and metabolic changes that take place in magnetic levitation and real microgravity.

Space Cells-01: The crew retrieved Space Cells-01 samples (4) from the CGBA (Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus) and stowed them for SpX-20 return. Space Cells-01 examines gene expression changes and genetic mutations in hemp and coffee plant cells in microgravity. Cell cultures spend approximately one month on the space station then return to Earth for analysis of their physical structure and gene expression and are compared to preflight parameters. Results could help identify new varieties or chemical expressions in the plants and improve understanding of how plants manage the stress of space travel.

Systems

SpX-20 Cargo Operations: Today the crew will complete the final SpaceX-20 mission cargo transfers; including the packing of Double Cold Bags (DCB) that are used to preserve time critical science. Following the final cargo loading, the crew will egress the Dragon vehicle, close the hatch, rotate the Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM) Controller Panel Assemblies (CPAs), and will close out the Node 2 nadir vestibule. Dragon is scheduled to depart the ISS on Tuesday, April 7th at 8:05am CT.

Completed Task List Activities:

None

Today’s Ground Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.



Dragon Unberth

Look Ahead Plan

Tuesday, 4/7 (GMT 098)

Payloads:



No utilization activities

Systems:

Dragon Release

Wednesday, 4/8 (GMT 099)

Payloads:



AMOS overview

AstroPi

CBEF

MHU-5 cleanup

Systems:

Crew Arrival Prep

Potable Water Dispenser (PWD) Sample Collect

SSC1 Relocate

Acoustic Monitor Setup for Crew Worn Measurements

Thursday, 4/9 (GMT 100)

Payloads:



AMOS

Food Acceptability

Veggie PONDS

Systems:

62S Soyuz arrival activities

Environmental Health System (EHS) Acoustic Monitor Setup

ISS Safety Briefing

Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Full Fill

Today’s Planned Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

