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NASA ISS Expedition Lead Scientist: Highlights: Week of March 24, 2014

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Aboard the International Space Station, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata installed the canisters that arrived on the Soyuz spacecraft into the Protein Crystallization Research Facility for the JAXA Protein Crystal Growth (PCG) study. The main scientific objective of the investigation is to make fine quality protein crystals in space, and it will show how effective the space station is for investigations of this type. This experiment contributes to society by helping to design new drugs to fight diseases, and new catalysts for the environmental and energy industries.

NASA astronaut Steven Swanson set up blood and saliva collections for theSalivary Markersstudy. The investigationinvolves thecollection ofblood, saliva, urine and a health assessment on six subjects pre-, in- and post-flight to determine if spaceflight-induced immune systemdysregulationincreases infection susceptibility or poses a health risk to crews aboard the space station. The data collected during this study may lead to an understanding of how the immune system is affected by different factors from stress to the environment. The information could be used to help develop new treatments and preventative measures for immune dysfunctions.

The crew installed the 17 dosimeters -- a device for measuring doses of radiation -- that arrived on the Soyuz for the Area Passive Dosimeter for Life-Science Experiments in Space (Area PADLES) study. This investigation uses dosimeters to continuously monitor the radiation dose aboard the space station. Radiation exposure can have significant biological effects on living organisms, and on the biological investigations being done on the station and on the Japanese Experiment Module, known as Kibo.By installing dosimeters at 17 fixed locations inside the Kibo, continuous area radiation monitoring can be provided. The dosimetry technique is already used for dose management of radiation workers in high-energy accelelators. The high-speed microscope scanning image techniques are used in the diagnosis of cancer cells.

Wakata installed the passive dosimeters that arrived on the Soyuz for theDOSIS-3Dstudy. DOSIS-3D is short for Dose Distribution Inside the International Space Station-D. DOSIS-3D measures radiation field parameters such as absorbed dose and dose equivalent at different locations inside the space station, using active and passive radiation detector devices. The aim is to produce a three-dimensional dose distribution map of all segments of the station. This study further enlightens scientists of the use of devices for data collection and how to monitor real-time data. This could prove beneficial to radiation monitoring of commercial airline crews and military flight crews.

Operations were completed for the Superconducting Submillimeter-Wave Limb-Emission Sounder (SMILES) study. It was deactivated and will be disposed of on H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV)-5. The main scientific objective of the SMILES mission is to study the recovery and stability of the stratospheric ozone, also known as the ozone layer. SMILES is the first aboard mechanically cooled superconducting mixer and high-resolution system for measuring atmospheric minor constituents related to stratospheric and mesospheric chemistry. It was launched on HTV-1 in 2009 and operated for over four years.

Other human research investigations continued for various crew members includingJournals,Reaction Self Test,Space Headachesand Space Linear Acceleration Mass Measurement Device (SLAMMD).

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NASA ISS Expedition Lead Scientist: Highlights: Week of March 24, 2014

Space Station Live: Protein Crystal Growth for Treatment of Immunological Disorders – Video

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Space Station Live: Protein Crystal Growth for Treatment of Immunological Disorders
NASA Public Affairs Officer Brandi Dean talks with Paul Reichert of Merck Research Laboratories in N.J. about the Merck PCG study, which looks at the crystal...

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Space Station Live: Protein Crystal Growth for Treatment of Immunological Disorders - Video

Soyuz docks with International Space Station

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A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying two cosmonauts and a NASA astronaut glided to a smooth linkup with the International Space Station Thursday, two days after a technical snag blocked a fast-track rendezvous and docking shortly after launch Tuesday.

Astronaut Rick Mastracchio posted this view of the approaching Soyuz from the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Rick Mastracchio With commander Alexander Skvortsov monitoring the automated approach from the Soyuz's center seat, the docking mechanism in the nose of the Soyuz TMA-12M ferry craft engaged its counterpart at the end of the upper Poisk module at 7:53 p.m. EDT (GMT-4) as the two spacecraft sailed 252 miles above southern Brazil.

"Sasha, congratulations to you and your crew on having successfully completed the first part of your mission," radioed Oleg Ostapenko, director of Roscosmos, the Russian federal space agency. "Congratulations to everyone."

"Thank you, sir." Skvortsov replied.

A few moments later, latches engaged to firmly lock the Soyuz in place. After extensive leak checks, Skvortsov, flight engineer Oleg Artemyev and NASA astronaut Steven Swanson were expected to float into the station, welcomed aboard by Expedition 39 commander Koichi Wakata, Mikhail Tyurin and Rick Mastracchio.

All six crew members planned to gather in the Zvezda command module for a traditional post-docking radio chat with space agency managers, friends and family members gathered at the Russian flight control center near Moscow.

After a safety briefing, Skvortsov, Artemyev and Swanson planned to settle in, looking forward to a bit of time off after a busy, unexpected two-day rendezvous. U.S. flight controllers, meanwhile, planned to press ahead with work to load new software into the station's computer system.

The station crew originally expected to take delivery of a commercial SpaceX cargo ship next Wednesday, but the launching, planned for Sunday, was put on hold because of presumed problems with U.S. Air Force tracking equipment. A new launch date has not yet been announced.

Skvortsov, Artemyev and Swanson blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Tuesday. Shortly after reaching orbit, the spacecraft's computer began executing a planned six-hour, four-orbit rendezvous, a procedure requiring a series of carefully timed rocket firings to home in on the space station.

The first two rocket firings went smoothly, but the spacecraft was slightly out of attitude, or orientation, for the third "burn" and the rendezvous procedure was aborted.

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Soyuz docks with International Space Station


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