07/23/2021 | News release | Distributed by Public on 07/23/2021 18:01
Payloads
Cell Biology Experiment Facility-L (CBEF-L): The crew reconfigured the Low Temperature Loop (LTL) flow into CBEF facilities. CBEF-L is a new JAXA sub-rack facility, which is an upgraded facility of the CBEF currently aboard the ISS. CBEF-L provides new capabilities with additional new resources such as full high definition video interface, ethernet, 24 VDC power supply, and a larger diameter centrifugal test environment. By using the original CBEF and CBEF-L as one facility for the same experiment, the payload user is provided with an upgraded experimental environment capable of processing more experimental samples for a wider array of experiments.
Exploration Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) - Toilet: The crew inspected the Toilet for any potential leaks. The Toilet System is an Exploration Technology Demonstration that has evolved into a permanent United States On-orbit Segment (USOS) system. The Toilet has the same basic design as the Orion Universal Waste Management System (UWMS). The Toilet System will be the primary WMS for USOS for up to 90 crew days and interfaces with the Urine Transfer System (UTS) to allow concurrent Waste & Hygiene Compartment (WHC)/Toilet operations.
GRIP: The crew performed the third of three GRIP tasks in the supine position. The GRIP experiment studies the long-duration spaceflight effects on the abilities of human subjects to regulate grip force and upper limbs trajectories when manipulating objects during different kind of movements: oscillatory movements, rapid discrete movements, and tapping gestures.
Investigating the Structure of Paramagnetic Aggregates from Colloidal Ellipsoids (InSPACE-4): The crew distributed particles within the sample vial and initiated three experiment runs. InSPACE-4 studies the assembly of tiny structures from colloids using magnetic fields. These structures change the properties of the assembled material, such as its mechanical response to or interaction with light and heat. Microgravity allows observation of these assembly processes free of confining sample walls and sedimentation and during timescales not possible using simulated microgravity. Results could provide insight into how to harness nanoparticles to fabricate and manufacture new materials.
Light Ions Detector for ALTEA (LIDAL) Facility: The crew returned the LIDAL facility to the COL1D1 rack front location. The LIDAL facility was used in support of the GRIP experiments. The LIDAL Facility utilizes a trigger based on fast scintillators to increase the window of acceptance of the Anomalous Long Term Effects in Astronauts (ALTEA) system to low Z ions (protons and helium ions) and to provide Time of Flight (TOF) measurements. LIDAL is an addition to the existing ALTEA facility, upgrading ALTEA's ability to take measurements that can be converted by dedicated software in real-time into radiation risk coefficients, effectively enabling ALTEA to become a dosimetric 'risk meter' aboard the ISS.
Systems
Avionics Air Assembly (AAA) Fan Checkouts: The crew performed checkouts of the two suspect AAAs (removed from the Water Processor Assembly (WPA) rack and Expedite the Processing of Experiments to Space Station (EXPRESS) 1 rack in May) in the LAB Atmospheric Revitalization rack. Following checkouts, both AAA fans were declared as failed. Additional AAA fans have been manifested on an upcoming flight to provide on-orbit spares. AAAs are high speed fans that provide cooling and smoke detection to racks in the ISS.
Eye Exams: The crew completed routine Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) eye exams and an ultrasound eye exam. OCT is an imaging technique analogous to ultrasound imaging that uses light instead of sound to capture micrometer-resolution, two- and three-dimensional images of tissue; In this case, the objects of interest are the crewmember's eyes. Eye exams are performed regularly on-board in order to monitor crewmembers eye health. Eyesight is one of the many aspects of the human body affected by long-duration stays in a microgravity environment.
Completed Task List Activities:
Today's Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.
Look Ahead Plan
Saturday, July 24 (GMT 205)
Payloads:
Systems:
Sunday, July 25 (GMT 206)
Payloads:
Monday, July 26 (GMT 207)
Payloads:
Systems:
Today's Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.