Electro-static Levitation Furnace (ELF): The crew removed and cleaned sample cartridge #3 from the ELF and installed a new sample cartridge. The ground then initiated an experiment run. 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.

Confined Combustion: The crew continued the experiment using an acrylic sample with a combination of black and transparent baffles to ignite and observe combustion results. This project aims to study flame spread in confined spaces—specifically the interactions between spreading flames and surrounding walls. Flame spread in confined spaces (such as buildings and vehicles) may pose a more serious fire hazard than flame spread in open spaces because of acceleration caused by radiative heat feedback from the surrounding walls and a tunnel flow acceleration effect. However, several aspects of flame spread are difficult to study in normal gravity conditions. Gravity-driven buoyancy flow complicates the fire growth process and prohibits a fundamental understanding of the underlying physics. However, in microgravity, buoyancy is eliminated, allowing scientists to better study the physics of flame spread.

SlingShot: The crew completed the installation of the SlingShot Deployer onto the closed Cygnus hatch prior to Cygnus release. The Satellites will be deployed after the Cygnus is released from the ISS. Deployment is scheduled for GMT 032. SEOPS’ SlingShot is a small satellite deployment system that fits inside the Cygnus spacecraft’s Passive Common Berthing Mechanism (PCBM). SlingShot can accommodate up to 18 satellites that are deployed post Cygnus unberth.

Hourglass: The crew installed the Hourglass box into the CBEF 1g Centrifuge and the ground initiated an experiment run. The Hourglass investigation examines the relationship between gravity and the behavior of granular materials such as regolith that covers the surface of planets and planetary-like bodies. Researchers observe various granular materials inside an hourglass and a measuring cylinder under different gravity conditions. Better understanding of the behavior of these materials supports the design of spacecraft for future missions landing on the surfaces of planets and other celestial bodies.

Vascular Aging: The crew completed right leg femoral artery ultrasound scans and Blood Pressure measurements in support of the Vascular Aging Experiment. Emerging data point towards linkages among cardiovascular health risk, carotid artery aging, bone metabolism and blood biomarkers, insulin resistance, and radiation. Data indicate that aging-like changes are accelerated in many ISS crew members, particularly with respect to their arteries. As part of the Space Environment Causes Acceleration of Vascular Aging: Roles of Hypogravity, Nutrition, and Radiation (Vascular Aging) investigation, ultrasounds of the arteries, blood samples, oral glucose tolerance, and wearable sensors from ISS crew members are analyzed.

Systems:

Northrop Grumman 12 (NG-12) Departure Preparation: Today, the crew closed the Cygnus hatch, installed the starboard and port Controller Panel Assemblies (CPAs), re-installed the Node 1 Nadir thermal cover and closed the Node 1 Nadir hatch. The crew then completed the Pressure Management Device (PMD) setup for the N1n vestibule depress tomorrow morning. Cygnus unberth is scheduled for tomorrow morning with release at 14:35 GMT (8:35 AM CT).

Completed Task List Activities:

OPTIMIS Tablet Troubleshooting

Cygnus Cargo Ops

Ground Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.



Payload operations support

Cygnus departure support

Friday, 1/31 (GMT 031)

Payloads:



Vascular Echo Leg Doppler scan (CSA)

DOSIS-3D passive detectors de-install (10 PDP and 1 TDP) (ESA)

HOURGLASS removal from CBEF (JAXA)

LSG Work Volume Illumination Trouble shoot (NASA)

CYCLOPS hardware JEM table retract and stow (NASA)

CBEF Disinfect prep and Humidifier 2 installation (JAXA)

JEMAL Slide Table retract and Cyclops hardware stow (NASA-JAXA)

Food Acceptability Survey (NASA)

VEGGIE Monitoring Review and surface Sample collect Photo (NASA)

MIS-RECYCLER Trouble Shooting (NASA)

CAL Fiber Inspection closeout (NASA)

Systems:

59S Crew Departure Preparations

Cygnus Command Link Verification

Cygnus Release Command and Monitoring

N1 Nadir VOK Stow

PMD Teardown

Saturday, 2/1 (GMT 032) Crew Off-Duty

Payloads:



CIMON procedure review, unstow, battery charge and soundcam chk (ESA)

Probiotics Fecal collect (JAXA)

HRF Saliva setup (NASA)

Systems:

59S Crew Departure Preparations

Portable Computer System (PCS) Connect

ISS Housekeeping

Sunday, 2/2 (GMT 033) Crew Off-Duty

Payloads:



CIMON commissioning and Mood detect (ESA)

HRF Saliva collect (NASA

Vascular Aging Bio Monitor review (CSA)

LIDAL Orientation chk (NASA)

BioMonitor H/W setup (ESA)

Systems:

59S Hero-3 charging start/end

Today’s Planned Activities:

All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

