Preparation Status of Payload Operations for the First Experiment in JEM

Trans. JSASS Space Tech. Japan Vol. 7, No. ists26, pp. Th_15-Th_20, 2009

Takao Wakatsuki, Waka Nishikawa and Ryoji Kobayashi

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Japan (Received April 25th, 2008) Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is now preparing the first utilization activities in “KIBO”. JAXA already completed the hardware productions of the first experiment facilities and succeeded their launch to the International Space Station in March 2008. JAXA plans the fluid physics and material science experiments, several lifescience experiments, measurement of the radiation environment in “KIBO”, demonstration of high definition television system, some educational and commercial programs in 2008. Most of the preparation works of making the operational products for the execution of each activity have already done. The setup of the ground operation system in JAXA Tsukuba Space Center for KIBO operation was completed and the end to end communication data flow was validated. The establishment of a JAXA payload flight controller team are also undergoing right now and the general training of the team has completed.

Keywords: JEM, Payload Operations, First Experiment

1. Introduction 2. The First Experiment Facilities in “KIBO”. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is now Figure 1 shows the schematic drawing inside the JEM preparing for the first Japanese experiments in “KIBO” the Pressurized Module (JPM). Devices on board JPM can be Japanese Experiment Module. Our first experiment facilities, categorized into two types, system equipments, which are vital Saibo Rack, Ryutai Rack and some support equipments, were to maintain the KIBO facility itself and experiment docked to the International Space Station (ISS) with the JEM equipments. System equipments are required to maintain Logistics Module Pressurized Section (JLP) in March 2008. KIBO’s function or to support astronauts’ activities. Power As the first Japanese utilization activities in the first half of supply, communications, air conditioning, devices cooling 2008, JAXA plans marangoni experiment in space water control or devices with space experiment support (Marangoni Exp), measurement of the radiation environment functions are included. Experiment equipments can perform in JEM (Area PADLES), demonstration of high definition their functions in cooperation with the system equipments television system (HDTV), some educational programs (EPO) stated above. The JPM contains a total of ten experiment and the commercial program. racks equipped with mainly biological and material Currently we are working on the development of specific experiment functions. Five of ten experiment racks are operational products including procedure, constraints, allocated to Japan and we have been developing them from timelines and so on. The development of ground operations 1990s. systems and establishment of a JAXA payload flight controller Two payload racks were selected for the first KIBO team are also undergoing right now. In this report, we show flight with JLP. The names of the first payload racks are the preparation status of hardware, operational materials, Saibo Rack (Fig. 2) and Ryutai Rack (Fig. 3). Saibo and ground operation system and payload flight controller team Ryutai Rack are located at the Aft side in JPM, and lie next to for the first experiment in “KIBO”. each other, shown in Fig. 1. Saibo Rack is a JAXA payload rack to support various kinds of life science experiments, and Ryutai Rack is to support various kinds of materials science & fluid physics experiments.

Aft Port Forward

Ryutai Rack Starboard JPM1A3 Saibo Rack JPM1A2

Fig. 1. Schematic drawing inside the JPM (View from US module)

Fig. 2. Saibo Rack Fig. 3. Ryutai Rack

Development of these payload racks was completed in Nov. gas to each facility. Following are the overview of each 2006, then they were transferred to Kennedy Space Center facility on the Saibo Rack. (KSC), NASA. In KSC, we conducted the final function tests and packed them for the launch. (1) Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) CBEF is used for various life science experiments such as Saibo and Ryutai Racks were launched to the ISS by the cultivating cells, plants, and so on. CBEF consists of an Space Shuttle (STS-123) with Japanese astronaut Takao Doi in incubator and control equipment for CBEF control and March 2008. They are installed in JLP and waiting for the communication. The incubator unit consists of a µG docking of JPM that will be launched by the next Shuttle compartment and a 1G compartment. 1G compartment has a (STS-124). They are going to be transferred to JPM from centrifuge that can control gravity from 0.1 to 2.0 G for JLP and used for the experiments after the initial checkout of gravity contrast experiment with the µG compartment. The functions currently scheduled in July 2008. incubator can control temperature, humidity and CO2 concentration for cultivation. Experiment unit are set in Following are the primary experiment apparatus in Saibo containment canister and installed in the CBEF. The and Ryutai Racks. standard canister can receive power through a connector from CBEF and also transfer analog signal and video signal to the ・Saibo Rack CBEF through this connector. Cell Biology Experiment Facility (CBEF) Clean Bench (CB) ・ Temperaure control : 15 deg. C to 40 deg. C ・ Humidity control : 20 % RH to 80 % RH

・Ryutai Rack ・ CO2 concentration : 0 vol % to 10 vol Fluid Physics Experiment Facility (FPEF) Solution Protein Crystal growth Facility (SPCF) (2) Clean Bench (CB) Solution Crystallization Observation Facility (SCOF) CB consists of two compartments; the Disinfection Protein Crystallization Research Facility (PCRF) Chamber (DC) and the Operation Chamber (OC). Air Image Processing Unit (IPU) circulated inside is kept clean by HEPA filters. Crew members operate the experiment materials with gloves from 2.1 Saibo Rack outside to prevent the ambient air from contaminating. CB Saibo Rack consists of two experiment facilities and has a specially designed microscope in the OC. Bright-Field, support equipments. These facilities are CBEF and CB. Phase-Contrast and Fluorescence Microscope modes are all Rack provides resources of power, avionics air and cooling available. Objective lens can be switched among four water that consists of two different temperature range and CO2 magnification levels such as x4, x10, x20, x40. The

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microscope image and operation scene in the OC can be monitored on the ground. The microscope X,Y stage, (2) Avionics Air Assembly (AAA) microscope focus and microscope mode (for example, from AAA circulates cooling air (avionics air) through the Phase Contrast to Fluorescence) can be controlled from the experiment facilities and experiment support equipments ground by telemetry command and also fluorescence filter is within the rack. AAA also monitors the collected air with able to be altered from the ground. a smoke sensor to detect any fires that might occur.

2.2 Ryutai Rack (3) Microgravity Measurement Apparatus (MMA) Ryutai Rack consists of three experiment facilities and MMA measures three axis accelerations on orbit. MMA support equipments. These facilities are FPEF, SPCF and will be installed on the baseplate on the surface of the rack’s IPU. Rack provides some resources of power, avionics air front panel or inside the experiment facilities in PCRF and and cooling water and nitrogen/argon gases to each facility. SCOF of Ryutai Rack to measure the microgravity Following are the overview of each facility on the Ryutai environment. The measurement results will be downlinked Rack. to the ground via Ethernet or a high-speed downlink path.

(1) Fluid Physics Experiment Facility (FPEF) (4) Utility DC/DC Converter (UDC) FPEF consists of a core section and a mission section. The UDC provides 28 VDC of power to MMA and other user core section includes observation capability, control apparatus. equipment, and systems to support experiments. The mission section, also known as the "experiment cell," can be 3. The First Utilization Activities in “KIBO”. reconfigured according to the purpose of the experiment. As the first Japanese utilization activites, we plan the Marangoni convection research, a fluid physics experiment, is following themes in Increment 17 which is the ISS mission currently planned, and suitable experiment cells were timeframe indicating the period from April to October 2008 developed for that purpose. (Increment is defined according to the soyuz mission, in detail). (2) Solution Protein Crystal growth Facility (SPCF) SPCF consists of SCOF and PCRF. SCOF has a cell ・ Marangoni Experiment in Space (Marangoni Exp) cartridge for growing a crystal in solution. This facility ・ Passive Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiments in Space grows crystals by controlling the temperature and pressure and (Area PADLES) is used to conduct real-time observations. SCOF has an ・ Demonstration of High Definition Television System amplitude-modulation microscope and is equipped with a (HDTV) two-wavelength interface microscope to simultaneously ・ Education Payload Observation (EPO). measure changes in morphology and growth conditions ・ Commercial (Detail is not reported in this paper) (temperature and concentration). PCRF has six cell cartridges. The activation and termination timing as well as (1) Marangoni experiment in space (Marangoni Exp) the temperature profiles can be designed without restraint The Marangoni convection is a hydrodynamic phenomena since each cell cartridge can possess a motor drive and Peltier which is prominent in the material production under the elements. An experiment profile appropriate for each protein reduced gravity. The material production under the reduced can be established. A CCD camera enables real-time gravity is influenced by the Marangoni convection monitoring of crystal growth. significantly. In this experiment, a liquid bridge is formed into a pair of disks in FPEF in Ryutai Rack and a temperature (3) Image Processing Unit (IPU) difference is imposed between the both end surfaces. The IPU receives analog video from various experiment resultant Marangoni convection is measured with use of the equipments, encodes, and then transfers the encoded data to three-dimensional particle-tracking velocimetry, also the ISS/Ground. IPU also records experimental video data on surface temperature field and surface liquid velocity is the HDD recorders when a real-time data downlink is not mesured by FPEF. Fig. 4 shows the schematic image of the available. observation system of FPEF.

2.3 Other support equipments Saibo and Ryutai racks contain various experiment support equipments, as specified below.

(1) Payload- Power Distribution Box (P-PDB) P-PDB provides electricity (120 VDC) from the system to the experiment facilities and experiment support equipment. It also shuts down the power when it detects an anomaly. P-PDB of Saibo and Ryutai rack can provide up to 3kw of power to the experiment facilities.

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converting the Ethernet data to high rate downlink data at the same time with high definition video from HDV camera. Prior to utilization operations for EPO, Commercial and so on, the hardwares is going to be tested in order to check their function and to verify procedures of downlink. Fig. 6 shows Photochromic 3-D Camera Camera the JAXA HDTV system. High Definition video camera HDV DC Power Supply 2-D Camera

IR imager Liquid GN2 Bridge Laser Fig. 4. Schematic image of the observation system of FPEF

(2) Passive Dosimeter for Lifescience Experiments in Space (Area PADLES) Passive dosimeter packages (Fig. 5) and an analysis system are developed by JAXA for supporting life science and Multi-Protocol Converter medical experiments. 12 dosimeters are going to be installed Fig. 6. JAXA HDTV system on the JPM wall to survey the radiational environmental on board the KIBO. They are to be replaced about every 6 (4) Education Payload Observation (EPO) months. JAXA is now planning to execute some educational and cultural activities on board the KIBO. Using the ISS by an educational and cultural viewpoint contributes to cultivate creative human resources as the citizens of the Earth and to enhance their knowledge of science, technology, and other fields. As the first EPO missions, the following themes are prepared by using the many EPO items shown in Fig. 7.

・ Artistic experiments using a water sphere Fig. 5. The photo of Area PADLES. ・ Marbling painting on a water ball ・ (3) Demonstration of High Definition Television System Modeling clay in space ・ (HDTV) Sparkling neurons ・ JAXA high definition television (HDTV) system transmits ‘Moon’ score the high definition video to the ground using Multi-Protocol Converter (MPC) JAXA developed. MPC has capability of

11 X 11 Perforated Microgravity Clay Exp Space Poem

Space Life Exp (Plant seeds & animal eggs)

Space Clothes Exp 1 Bag

Water Ball JAXA EPO Velcro

Fig. 7. EPO items launched to the ISS with JLP

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4. Operational Products Preparation Status FCT / EXPop). JFCT consists of JAXA Flight Director In order to execute the real time operations, several called J-Flight and more than 50 flight controllers assigned to operational products are needed such as the Operations Data ten technical disciplines required to support KIBO flight File (ODF) that is procedure for both crew and the ground operations. The team monitors and control KIBO around the flight controllers, the operational scenarios, handbooks, many clock in a three-shift per day schedule. JEM Payload Officer kinds of rules and constraints books and so on. Most of the called JEM PAYLOADS is one of the JFCT and leads the preparation works of making the operational products for the EXPop. JEM PAYLOADS is responsible for the experiment first utilization activities have already done. Currently we payload operations in KIBO, and will coordinate payload are working on the operational timeline coordination activities with the Primary Investigators of each respective internationally. experiment.

5. Ground Operation System and Flight Control Team EXPop consists of the following flight controller teams that Preparation Status possess specialized expertise on the payload operations.

The JAXA utilization activities are going to be controlled in ・ JPOC(JAXA Payload Ops Conductor) the Mission Control Room (MCR) and User Operations Area ・ BIO(Saibo Rack Officer/Operator) (UOA) in JAXA Tsukuba Space Center. The photos of ・ FISICS(Ryutai Rack Officer/Operator) MCR and UOA are shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The ground operation system has the capability of handling telemetry data EXPop sends the command to control the JAXA and command. JAXA conducted the end to end experiment facilities in JPM and monitors the status of data communication interface tests and the data flow was validated. downlinks in the UOA. They have the capability of making In the MCR and UOA, the common tools as the international real-time operations planning changes and can troubleshoot partners such as ODF and timeline viewer, configuration problems or anomalies that may occur aboard the KIBO management tool, anomaly tracking tool are used for the real during flight operations. The roles and responsibilities of time operation. The UOA ground operation system is able to each team is shown in Table. 1. Currently JAXA has distribute the science data, downlinked and decoded video completed the training of 5 JEM PAYLOADS and EXPop image, µG data and so on to the user and investigator teams. teams for the initial utilization activities in “KIBO”. KIBO is operated by the JAXA Flight Control Team (JFCT) and JAXA Payload Flight Control Team (Payload

Fig. 8. The photo of the Mission Control Room. Fig. 9. The photo of the User Operations Area.

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Table. 1. The roles and responsibilites of each flight control team for the JAXA payload operations. Console Position (Call Sign) Roles and Responsibilities Location

JEM PAYLOADS is responsible for the overall JAXA payload complement, real-time MCR operations, health and safety, and planning in cooperation with the EXPop. JEM Payload Officer (Mission JFCT JEM PAYLOADS has overall authority for operations of NASA payloads located in (JEM PAYLOADS) Control JEM and operated by the POIC. (SSP-50643-Generic) Room)

JPOC supports JEM PAYLOADS and coordinates JAXA payload operations and JAXA Payload Ops anomaly resolution process. Conductor JPOC is also responsible for executing/coordinateing timeline activities for JAXA (JPOC) Payloads. UOA Rack Officer (User EXPop ROs conduct JAXA single payload rack (Saibo or Ryutai) operations in coordination (BIO RO, Operations with JFCT, and cope with troubles in the early phase. Area) FISICS RO) Operator OPs operate the JAXA payloads by ground commanding and telemetry monitoring, (BIO OP, following the instructions of ROs. FISICS OP)

6. Conclusion It is shown in this report that the preparation status of The setup of the ground operation system in JAXA Tsukuba hardwares, operational products, ground operation system and Space Center was completed and the end to end the payload flight controller team for the first experiment in communication data flow was validated. The establishment KIBO. The summary of the first experiment facilities and of a JAXA payload flight controller team are undergoing right also the planned utilization activities are introduced. JAXA now and the general training of 5 teams for the initial payload have already completed the hardware productions of the first operations in KIBO has completed. experiment facilities, Saibo Rack and Ryutai Rack with some The utilization activities after the initial checkout of support equipments, and succeeded their launch to the functions of the experiment facilities is currently scheduled in International Space Station in March 2008. As for the July 2008. Now it is time for putting out a last spurt to operational products, most of the preparation works of making accomplish the success of JAXA paylaod operations. them for the execution of each activity have already done.

References 1) K. Murakami:”Multiuser Experiment Facilities in International Space Station –For the Help of Utilization”, Journal of the Japan Society of Microgravity Application, 19 (2002), 164.

2) Latest experiment status in KIBO on JAXA formal HP. ( http://kibo.jaxa.jp/experiment/ )

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