Payloads:
ADvanced Space Experiment Processor-2 Pharmaceutical In-space Laboratory-03 (ADSEP-PIL-03): The crew gained access to the ADSEP-2 facility and exchanged the experiment cassettes in Module C. The crew also took photos of these experiment activities being performed. ADSEP-PIL-03 grows crystals of several commercially relevant small molecules, each having various structures that may be altered by a microgravity environment. A better understanding of these effects may support commercial production of these compounds and provide a better understanding of their properties and functions.
BioFabrication Facility (BFF): The crew reviewed the procedures to prepare for a print tip replacement and syringe exchange later in the week. Using 3D biological printers to produce usable human organs has long been a dream of scientists and doctors around the globe. However, printing the tiny, complex structures found inside human organs, such as capillary structures, has proven difficult to accomplish in Earth’s gravity environment. To overcome this challenge, Techshot designed BFF to print organ-like tissues in microgravity, acting as a steppingstone in a long-term plan to manufacture whole human organs in space using refined biological 3D printing techniques.
Cerebral Autoregulation (CA): The crew set up the Portable Doppler (PDOP) and performed a CA science session. As the body’s most important organ, the brain needs a strong and reliable blood supply, so the brain is capable of self-regulating blood flow even when the heart and blood vessels cannot maintain an ideal blood pressure. The Cerebral Autoregulation investigation tests whether this self-regulation improves in the microgravity environment of space. Non-invasive tests measure blood flow in the brain before, during, and after a long-duration spaceflight, and provide new insights into how the brain safeguards its blood supply in a challenging environment.
Human Brain Organoid Models for Neurodegenerative Disease & Drug Discovery (HBOND): The crew performed sampling, media exchange, and growth factor injections for the HBOND habitats. HBOND studies the mechanisms behind neuroinflammation, a common feature of neurodegenerative disorders. The research creates organoid models of regions of the human brain that are affected by neurodegenerative diseases, using neurons and microglia derived from patient and control induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Results could improve understanding of the effects of spaceflight on the brain and help address the significant global health burden of neurodegenerative disease on Earth by providing a platform to study these diseases and possible treatments.
ISS Ham: The crew participated in a radio contact with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, FL. Some of the questions asked by the sixth to eighth grade students included how the crew resolves disagreements in space, how the crew handles a solar storm, and what inspired the crewmember to become an astronaut. Since the earliest space station expeditions, ISS Ham Radio has allowed groups of students in schools, camps, museums, and planetariums to hold a conversation with the people living in space. As the ISS passes overhead, students have about nine minutes to ask crew members 10 to 20 questions.
Thermal Amine Scrubber (TAS): The crew collected carbon dioxide (CO2) samples and a relative humidity sample from the TAS effluent stream. The TAS system tests a method to remove CO2 from air aboard the ISS, using actively heated and cooled amine beds. Controlling CO2 levels on the station reduces the likelihood of crew members experiencing symptoms of CO2 buildup, which include fatigue, headache, breathing difficulties, strained eyes, and itchy skin. The system includes elements that reduce loss of water vapor, and recover CO2 for use in electrolysis to produce oxygen.
Tomatosphere 8: The crew gathered the two Tomatosphere 8 seed bags and took images of them floating in the Cupola. Tomatosphere 8 consists of a shipment of 1.2 million tomato seeds to the ISS, where they visit for a short while aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft before returning to Earth. The seeds are then sent to classrooms across Canada and the United States, along with seeds that remained on Earth. Students grow both types in a blind study that teaches them how to think like scientists.
Systems:
Transfer Cargo Dragon Cargo Operations: Today, the crew continued transferring cargo from the SpaceX-30 cargo vehicle to the ISS. SpaceX-30 is scheduled to remain at the ISS until later this month before it undocks to return cargo and payloads to the ground.
Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) Water Container (EDV) Remove and Replace: Today, the crew removed and replaced the existing EDV in the WHC. The EDV is intended for short-term storage and manual water transportation between facilities.
Cupola Acrylic Scratch Pane Cleaning: The crew removed, cleaned, and reinstalled the Acrylic Scratch Panes on Cupola Windows 2 and 4. The Cupola consists of seven windows and provides an observation and work area for the ISS crew, giving visibility support the control of the ISS remote manipulator system and general viewing of Earth, celestial objects, and visiting vehicles.
Environmental Health System (EHS) – Compound Specific Analyzer-Combustion Products (CSA-CP) Extended Maintenance: Today, the crew replaced the battery packs in all CSA-CPs. All units were zero calibrated and deactivated. The CSA-CPs provide real-time readings following a combustion event and subsequent clean-up efforts. The CSA-CPs are also used for continuous monitoring of carbon monoxide levels in the ISS.
D5 Camera to Z9 Camera Transition: Today, the crew gathered and sorted the remaining items of the old D5 Camera system for stowage or future disposal. The Z9 Camera will be the primary NASA manifest Digital Still Camera. It will be used for both IVA and EVA operations.
Look Ahead Plan
Thursday, April 4 (GMT 095)
Payloads:
- BioFabrication Facility (BFF)
- Cerebral Autoregulation (CA) Science Session
- Human Brain Organoid Models for Neurodegenerative Disease & Drug Discovery (HBOND)
- ISS Ham Pass
- Manufacturing Device
- Standard Measures
- Exploration Potable Water Dispenser (xPWD)
Systems:
- Video Distribution Subsystem (VDS) External High Definition Camera (EHDC) Soyuz Undock Survey
- Transfer Cargo Dragon Cargo Operations
- ISS Crew Handover
- Crew Departure Preparations
- Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) Swap
- Health Maintenance System (HMS) OCT2 Test
- HMS Venous Thromboembolism Scan
- Urine Transfer System Offload EDV Swap
- JEM Common Gas Supply Equipment (CGSE) Upper CO2 Gas Supply Stop