ISS Reboost: Last night, the ISS performed a reboost using the Aft Progress 85P Rendezvous and Docking (R&D) thrusters. This was the second of four reboosts to set up proper phasing conditions for the upcoming Progress 86P launch on Friday, December 1^st. The burn duration was 18 minutes 18 seconds and provided a delta-V of 1.6 m/s.

Payloads:

Complement of Integrated Protocols for Human Exploration Research on Varying Mission Durations (CIPHER): The crew donned the Bio-Monitor garment and performed a breathing calibration in support of a combined Space Health and CIPHER session. CIPHER consists of 14 studies designed to improve our understanding of physiological and psychological changes in humans on missions that range from weeks to one year in duration. Conducting the same research over missions of different durations allows scientists to extrapolate to multi-year missions, such as a three-year round-trip to Mars. This data could provide deeper knowledge about changes that may occur on such missions and support development of countermeasures to promote astronaut health and well-being.

Exploration Environmental Health System (EHS) BioMole Facility: Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was sequenced for the water sample that was collected and prepared on Wednesday. EHS BioMole Facility demonstrates technology for monitoring the microbial environment onboard a spacecraft. As part of a Crew Health Care System (CHeCS), this technology could support missions such as Gateway and Mars transit that do not have the capability to return samples to Earth for analysis. The investigation evaluates the ability of the EHS BioMole Facility to accurately analyze potable water samples on the space station.

Minus Eighty-Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI): A routine cold box inspection was performed on MELFI 3. This inspection looks for evidence of condensation and/or corrosion in the area. The MELFI is a cold storage unit capable of maintaining experiment samples at ultra-cold temperatures throughout a mission. The MELFI units use nitrogen as a working fluid and have standard set points of -95°C, -35°C and 2°C.

Materials Science Research Rack/Materials Science Laboratory (MSRR/MSL): The crew removed the processed Growth of Ternary Compound Semiconductor-C5 (GTCS-C5) Sample Cartridge Assembly (SCA), and installed the GTCS-C6 SCA. GTCS grows semiconductor crystals based on zinc selenide (ZnSe) compounds in microgravity. ZnSe-based crystals have potential applications for high-power lasers operating in infrared wavelengths. The investigation compares structural quality of crystals grown on Earth and in microgravity to establish how gravity-driven fluid flows contribute to formation of various types of crystalline defects.

Thor-Davis: The Thor-Davis camera system was used to capture thunderstorm phenomena in areas around Panama, Mexico, New Zealand and Indonesia/New Guinea. The Thor-Davis investigation aims to provide a better understanding about the impact of thunderstorms on the Earth‘s atmosphere and climate by observing them at stratospheric altitudes from the ISS. Thor-Davis evaluates a neuromorphic camera (or event camera) that can observe thunderstorms and their electrical activity at up to 100,000 frames per second. The overall goal is to better understand, under realistic conditions, the use of such a camera for future use in space for observing processes in severe electrical storms and other applications.

Nanoracks- Low Earth Orbit NanoRacks External Platform ISS Demonstration Advanced Sensor (LEONIDAS): The crew and ground teams performed a test between the Nanoracks-LEONIDAS on-orbit payload and a ground-based Light Emitting Diode (LED) emitter. Data from this test will help understand effectiveness of capturing LEDs by the on-board imagery hardware. Nanoracks-LEONIDAS explores design of low-Earth orbit satellites to perform portions of the Department of Energy mission. The investigation collects data on various backgrounds (local time of day, glint, clouds, etc.) to support development of a machine learning algorithm. NanoRacks External Platform (NREP) offers a more reliable, higher fidelity, and less expensive testing and development platform than attempting to model the sensor using software.

Systems:

Transfer Cygnus Cargo Operations: Today, the crew continued cargo transfer operations between the ISS and the NG-19 cargo vehicle. NG-19 is scheduled to remain on ISS until December where it will unberth from ISS for an eventual destructive re-entry in the Earth’s atmosphere. Due to its destructive re-entry, Cygnus provides an opportunity to offload some of the unwanted mass onboard the ISS. 

Health Maintenance System (HMS) ISS EveryWear (EVW) Medication and Nutrition Tracking: The crew recorded daily nutrition and medication intake. EVW is an application on the crew’s personal tablets which connects to remote “wearable” sensors built into intelligent clothing. The program allows for extensive physiology data collection for both science research and medical follow-up purposes. This data will used for current ISS crew provision and exercise planning, as well as providing a better understanding of Human Spaceflight in general. 

Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Swap: As a follow-up to the EMU arm and leg restraint activity yesterday, the crew deconfigured two EMUs and restowed them. This included unstowing the Lower Torso Assembly (LTA) Stowage Bags and LTA Restraint Straps, removing the EMUs from the EMU Don-Doff Assembly (EDDA), stowing the LTA and suit arms in the LTA Stowage Bag, and stowing the bundled EMUs per the procedure.

Emergency Hardware Photo Documentation: The crew documented current emergency hardware status by capturing and downlinking photos. The objective of this activity was to verify that all hardware is free of damage to ensure functionality. Hardware inspected includes the Portable Fire Extinguisher (PFE), Extension Hose Tee Kit, and Portable Breathing Apparatus (PBA). Pre-Breathe Masks, which have similar maintenance requirements were also inspected but are not emergency equipment.

Completed Task List Activities:

Today’s Ground Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

• ISS Reboost
• ITCS LTL Flow Initiation
• SDMS Data Dump
• LEONIDAS LED Test

Look Ahead Plan

Friday, October 20 (GMT 293)
Payloads:

• CIPHER
• ESA EPO Flyby
• GLACIER/Iceberg/POLAR Desiccant Swaps
• HRF Drawer Inspect and Centrifuge Repair
• Transparent Alloys
• PLDR Activation
• Vascular Aging/Space Health Combined Session

Systems:

• SpX-29 Prepack
• RS EVA Tool Gather
• Swap SSC 9 and 12
• EVA Trundle Bearing Assembly Preparation
• EVA Tool Configuring

Saturday, October 21 (GMT 294)
Payloads:

• Bio-Monitor
• EHS BioMole Stow
• Payload NAS Deep Clean
• Space Health
• Thor-Davis

Systems:

Sunday, October 22 (GMT 295)
Payloads:

• No Utilization Activities

Systems:

Today’s Planned Activities:
All activities are complete unless otherwise noted.

• CIPHER Bio-Monitor Operations
• CIPHER 13-Hour Blood Pressure Monitoring
• Emergency Hardware Photo Documentation
• Thor-Davis Thunderstorm Observation and Photo Shoot from Cupola
• EXPRESS Rack ZBook Setup
• Transfer Cygnus Cargo Operations
• Vascular Aging and Space Health Bio-Monitor Operations
• LSG Rear-Wall Filter Exchange
• CIPHER Bio-Monitor Breathing Volume Calibration
• HMS EVW Medication and Nutrition Tracking
• Axiom Cosmic Multishield LED Check
• EMU Swap and Deconfiguring
• MELFI 3 Cold Box Inspection
• MSL SCA Exchange
• MELFI 3 Electronic Unit Removal
• BioMole Operations
• USB Cable Connect Post W10 1809 Transition