IMPORTANT NOTES
All information added or updated since this page first went up on February 9, 2017 is in GREEN TEXT below.
Information still to be determined (if any) is in RED TEXT below.
Dates and times that are subject to change at NASA’s discretion are in PURPLE TEXT below.
Last update of this page: March 29, 2017, 11:53 am ET
Quick Jump:
1. Introduction and Nomenclature for the Log
2. Pre-Launch Activities
3. Launch and Berthing
4. Flight Experiment Log, On-Orbit Operations: Mission 9 Endeavor Payload
5. Undocking and Landing
6. Return of Experiments to Student Teams
1. Introduction and Nomenclature for the Log
This page provides student flight experiment teams a log of all activities associated with the 22 flight experiments comprising the SSEP Mission 9 Endeavor payload (1 Mission 7 experiment is re-flying with the 21 Mission 9 experiments) from the time the mini-laboratories are received in Houston before the flight of SpaceX CRS-10 to the point when the mini-labs are shipped back to the flight teams after return to Earth. While this page will feature general progress reports on the status of the SSEP M9 Endeavor payload, its main purpose is to provide updates to the student flight experiment teams as quickly as possible regarding the handling of their mini-labs on station, so that they can effectively conduct their ground truth experiments. Teams are advised to bookmark this page and check it for updates throughout the mission.
As per the SSEP Mission 9 to ISS: Flight Operations page:
Updates to Student Teams on the Progress of Their Experiment
Astronauts will work with the SSEP payload at times of the day that fit best in their overall work schedule. Even though crew interactions with the experiments are to take place on pre-specified Crew Interaction Days, the time of interaction can vary from one Crew Interaction day to the next. While the SSEP program team may know the astronauts’ planned work schedule a few days in advance, we’ll not know exactly when the payload is handled until the task is complete. After the astronauts have completed handling of the SSEP payload, NanoRacks will forward a report on the activity to the SSEP program team at NCESSE, and we will then post the details – including the time at which the payload was handled – on this page to make the information available to all student teams as quickly as possible. The report will be posted as soon as it is received, but it may take up to 24 hours for the information from the International Space Station to make its way to the Log. That means, for example, that the details of an activity conducted by the astronauts on the afternoon of a specified Crew Interaction Day will be posted on the Experiment Log no later than the afternoon of the following day (and likely far sooner than that).
Conducting Your Ground Truth Experiments
Ground truth experiments – the control versions of the experiment conducted on Earth while the microgravity experiment is being conducted in orbit – are an essential part of analyzing the results of the flight experiment. Once the flight experiment returns to Earth, simultaneous harvesting and analysis of both the flight experiment and the ground truth experiments allows the research team to assess the role of gravity in the physical, chemical, or biological system under study. It is hard to imagine how the role of gravity can be determined without ground truth experiments conducted at the same time as the flight experiment.
However, given that it may take up to a day to receive a report on exactly what time of day a specific activity was conducted with an experiment aboard the ISS, student teams are encouraged to shift activities with their ground truth experiments by 1 day (24 hours). That will allow teams to ensure that the timing of activities they carry out on their ground truth experiments accurately reflects the timing of activities with their experiment aboard the station. This is especially important for experiments that are sensitive to exact timing. For example, if a microbiological experiment is likely to produce different results depending on whether it is active for 40 or 50 hours, the teams will want to match the exact timing of the experiment aboard the station with their ground truth experiment.
Nomenclature: The purpose of this log is to provide the student flight experiment teams information on the handling of their experiment, as well as providing updates on the progress of the Mission. For this log, the individual experiments are assigned a flight Designation such as “NRP-10009-4, S/N 1025” together with the Community and Experiment names (see Section 4 below).
Originally Projected Launch Date: August 1, 2016
SSEP Mission 9 to ISS Endeavor Payload
Ferry Vehicle: SpaceX CRS-10 (SpaceX Falcon rocket with Dragon spacecraft)
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Rescheduled: to November 21, 2016
Rescheduled: to November 11, 2016
Rescheduled: to mid-January 2017
Rescheduled: to January 22, 2017
Rescheduled: to January 28, 2017
Rescheduled: to NET February 8, 2017
Rescheduled: to NET February 15, 2017
Rescheduled: to February 15, 2017
Rescheduled: to NET February 14, 2017 at 11:34 am
Rescheduled: to February 18, 2017 at 10:01 am
Rescheduled: to February 19, 2017 at 9:38 am
February 18, 2017, 10:00 am ET: launch was aborted 13 seconds before lift-off due to concerns with a thrust vector control issue. The launch was scrubbed for 24 hours with the next attempt scheduled for 9:38 am ET, February 19, 2017.
February 19, 2017, 9:38 am ET: SpaceX CRS-10 launched from the historic Space Launch Complex 39 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, the first from the pad since the Shuttle retired in July 2011. Following launch, the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket returned to Earth without issue.
February 22, 2017, 3:25 am ET: Dragon cargo rendezvous with the International Space Station was aborted. Onboard computers triggered the abort after recognizing an incorrect value in data about the location of the space station. Per the re-rendezvous plan built into every mission, the spacecraft automatically reset for another rendezvous and docking attempt in 24 hours. The spacecraft is in excellent shape with no issues, and the crew aboard the space station is safe. The next rendezvous attempt is targeted for Thursday morning. NASA TV coverage will begin at 4 a.m. with grapple expected around 6 a.m. Installation coverage will begin at 8 a.m.Watch live on NASA TV and online at: http://www.nasa.gov/live.
February 23, 2017, 5:44 am ET: Dragon vehicle was captured using the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) at 5:44 am ET. Robotics Ground Controllers then used the SSRMS to maneuver the Dragon to and install it on the Node-2 Nadir Active Common Berthing Mechanism (CBM).
4. Flight Experiment Log, On-Orbit Operations: Mission 9 Endeavor Payload
Interactions Scheduled Prior to Flight (subject to change) CLICK ON TABLE TO ZOOM
Record of Reported On-Orbit Interactions
NRP-10009-1, S/N 1025: Buffalo-Niagara, New York, Tuber Transport and Subsequent Terrestrial Growth
No crew interactions requested
NRP-10009-2, S/N 1025: East Lyme, Connecticut, Will a biofilm form on a rat artery catheter in microgravity differently than in gravity?
(U-14) Action: Activated (Green Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 6:56 AM ET, 03/08/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 6:13 PM ET, 03/08/17
(U-2) Action: Deactivated (Blue Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 11:25 AM – 12:05 PM ET, 03/17/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 5:31 PM ET, 03/17/17
NRP-10009-3, S/N 1025: Houston, Texas, pGLO Plasmid Transfer in Escherichia coli as a Means to Track Antibiotic Resistance in Microgravity
No crew interactions requested
NRP-10009-4, S/N 1025: Jersey City, New Jersey, The Effects of Microgravity on Muscle Tissue Regeneration
(A=0) Action: Activated (Green Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 3:08 PM ET, 02/23/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 5:04 PM ET, 02/23/17
(U-14) Action: Deactivated (Blue Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 6:56 AM ET, 03/08/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 6:13 PM ET, 03/08/17
NRP-10009-5, S/N 1025: Potomac, Maryland, Shewanella oneidensis and Iron Ions in Microgravity
(A=0) Action: Activated (Green Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 3:08 PM ET, 02/23/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 5:04 PM ET, 02/23/17
(A+2) Action: Deactivated (Blue Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 8:00 AM ET, 02/25/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 6:16 PM ET, 02/25/17
NRP-10009-6, S/N 1025: Santa Monica, California, The Effect of Microgravity on Preservation of Spam Using Lemon Juice
(A=0) Action: Activated (Blue Clamp Opened, Green Clamp will Remain Closed)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 3:08 PM ET, 02/23/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 5:04 PM ET, 02/23/17
NRP-10009-1, S/N 1026: Bellevue, Washington, Arabidopsis germination in Martian soil simulant
(U-14) Action: Activated (Green Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 6:56 AM ET, 03/08/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 6:13 PM ET, 03/08/17
(U-5) Action: Rescheduled to U-2
(U-2 rescheduled from U-5) Action: Deactivated (Blue Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 11:25 AM – 12:05 PM ET, 03/17/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 5:31 PM ET, 03/17/17
NRP-10009-2, S/N 1026: Boise, Idaho, Living Water Filters: Triops in Microgravity
(U-14) Action: Activated (Green Clamp Opened)/Shaken/Held in Ambient Light; When Action Occurred on ISS: 6:56 AM ET, 03/08/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 6:13 PM ET, 03/08/17
(U-5) Action: Deactivated (Blue Clamp Opened)/Shaken/Held in Ambient Light; When Action Occurred on ISS: 10:00 AM ET, 03/15/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 4:29 PM ET, 03/15/17
(U-2) Action: Hold in Ambient Light; When Action Occurred on ISS: 11:25 AM – 12:05 PM ET, 03/17/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 5:31 PM ET, 03/17/17
NRP-10009-4, S/N 1026: Burleson, Texas, Kidney Stone Conundrum
(A=0) Action: Activated (Green Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 3:08 PM ET, 02/23/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 5:04 PM ET, 02/23/17
(U-2) Action: Deactivated (Blue Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 11:25 AM – 12:05 PM ET, 03/17/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 5:31 PM ET, 03/17/17
NRP-10009-5, S/N 1026: Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Arabic Gum capsules reacting with water
(U-5) Action: Activated (Green Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 10:00 AM ET, 03/15/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 4:29 PM ET, 03/15/17
(U-2) Action: Deactivated (Blue Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 11:25 AM – 12:05 PM ET, 03/17/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 5:31 PM ET, 03/17/17
NRP-10009-6, S/N 1026: Columbia, South Carolina, The Effects of Microgravity on the Turbidity of a Non-Newtonian Fluid Mixture of Cornstarch and Water
(A=0) Action: Activated (Green and Blue Clamps Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 3:08 PM ET, 02/23/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 5:04 PM ET, 02/23/17
(U-2) Action: Green and Blue Clamps Closed; When Action Occurred on ISS: 11:25 AM – 12:05 PM ET, 03/17/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 5:31 PM ET, 03/17/17
NRP-10009-7, S/N 1026: Eugene, Oregon, SLIPS in Microgravity
(U-14) Action: Activated (Green Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 6:56 AM ET, 03/08/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 6:13 PM ET, 03/08/17
(U-5) Action: Deactivated (Blue Clamp Opened)/Shaken/Green and Blue Clamps Closed; When Action Occurred on ISS: 10:00 AM ET, 03/15/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 4:29 PM ET, 03/15/17
NRP-10009-8, S/N 1026: Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Streptococcus mutans Production of Lactic Acid in Microgravity
(U-5) Action: Activated (Green Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 10:00 AM ET, 03/15/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 4:29 PM ET, 03/15/17
(U-2) Action: Deactivated (Blue Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 11:25 AM – 12:05 PM ET, 03/17/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 5:31 PM ET, 03/17/17
NRP-10009-9, S/N 1026: Hillsborough County, Florida, Germination of Quinoa in Space
(U-5) Action: Activated (Green Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 10:00 AM ET, 03/15/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 4:29 PM ET, 03/15/17
NRP-10009-1, S/N 1027: Knox County, Tennessee, Testing the Effectiveness of Tobramycin and Loteprednol Etabonate (Zylet) on Staphylococcus Epidermidis Type of Bacterial Conjunctivitis in Microgravity
(U-5) Action: Activated (Green Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 10:00 AM ET, 03/15/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 4:29 PM ET, 03/15/17
(U-2) Action: Deactivated (Blue Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 11:25 AM – 12:05 PM ET, 03/17/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 5:31 PM ET, 03/17/17
NRP-10009-2, S/N 1027: McAllen, Texas, The Effects of the Perchlorate Ion in Simulated Martian Soil on Solanum lycopersicum Seed Germination in Microgravity
(U-14) Action: Activated (Green Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 6:56 AM ET, 03/08/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 6:13 PM ET, 03/08/17
(U-2) Action: Deactivated (Blue Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 11:25 AM – 12:05 PM ET, 03/17/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 5:31 PM ET, 03/17/17
NRP-10009-3, S/N 1027: North Charleston, South Carolina, How does spaceflight affect the detachment of zinc whiskers?
No crew interactions requested
NRP-10009-4, S/N 1027: Springfield, New Jersey, The Effects of Microgravity on the Growth of Ryegrass Seeds
(U-14) Action: Activated (Green Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 6:56 AM ET, 03/08/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 6:13 PM ET, 03/08/17
(U-5) Action: Deactivated (Blue Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 10:00 AM ET, 03/15/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 4:29 PM ET, 03/15/17
NRP-10009-5, S/N 1027: Traverse City, Michigan, Growth of Chlorella sorokiniana Algae in Space
(U-2) Action: Activated (Green Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 11:25 AM – 12:05 PM ET, 03/17/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 5:31 PM ET, 03/17/17
NRP-10009-6, S/N 1027: West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Red Worm Composting In Microgravity
(A+2) Action: Activated (Green Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 8:00 AM ET, 02/25/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 6:16 PM ET, 02/25/17
(U-2) Action: Deactivated (Blue Clamp Opened)/Shaken; When Action Occurred on ISS: 11:25 AM – 12:05 PM ET, 03/17/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 5:31 PM ET, 03/17/17
NRP-10009-7, S/N 1027: Santa Monica, California, The Effect of Microgravity on Paper Chromatography
(U-2) Action: Activated (Green Clamp Opened)/Alternate Crew Interaction (Hold Green end of tube, Swing in arc)/Wait/Deactivated (Blue Clamp Closed); When Action Occurred on ISS: 11:25 AM – 12:05 PM ET, 03/17/17; Time NanoRacks Notified NCESSE: 5:31 PM ET, 03/17/17
March 19, 2017, 10:48 am ET: SpaceX representatives reported a successful splashdown of Dragon off the coast of Baja California. The space capsule left the station early Sunday after being released by astronauts Thomas Pesquet (of France) and Shane Kimbrough (of NASA) using a robotic arm.
6. Return of Experiments to Student Teams
March 23, 2017: NanoRacks initiated return shipping of flight mini-labs to communities.
March 28, 2017: After correction of issues with FedEx return air bills, today the final flight mini-labs are confirmed shipped to communities.
The Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) is a program of the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE) in the U.S., and the Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Space Education internationally. It is enabled through a strategic partnership with NanoRacks LLC, working with NASA under a Space Act Agreement as part of the utilization of the International Space Station as a National Laboratory. SSEP is the first pre-college STEM education program that is both a U.S. national initiative and implemented as an on-orbit commercial space venture.
The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS), and Subaru of America, Inc., are National Partners on the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program.