International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

cIclops · 2007-11-08 08:07:05

The most important research area for Mars missions is investigating the health effects of micro gravity on people.

Perhaps it's because there has been no major scientific discovery so far in any micro gravity field and the high cost of ISS that so much criticism has been made. This criticism is unfair because the science has barely started, it's not possible to make major discoveries on a schedule. The greatest benefit so far has come from developing engineering, technology, management and operational skills. All these skills are essential for designing, building and flying Mars missions in the future.

SpaceNut · 2007-11-08 21:48:33

Here is an article with astronaut comments on return to earth after extended stays in orbit on the ISS.
Readjusting to gravity anti-fun for astronauts

For the astronauts, coming home will be no joy ride. Among space-shuttle crews, common reactions upon return include dizziness and nausea. Studies show the ability of shuttle commanders to land the spacecraft also suffers because of the effects of re-entering gravity.
The longer a person has been in orbit, the more incapacitating the symptoms. So Anderson is in for a rough return.
"Coming back to Earth was a little bit painful," concedes Sunita Williams, who returned in June from six months on the station. "If I moved my head too fast, I wasn't feeling so good."
When astronaut Peggy Whitson was coming home from the station in 2002, she thought a crewmate had erred in saying they were incurring 1½ "g's," or gravitational forces. "I was sure he was misreading the dial. It just felt like a lot more than that," says Whitson, who is now on the station again.
Once back in the grip of gravity, blood puddles in the legs and feet. Because of the lack of blood flow to the head, some faint. Even shuttle astronauts may pass out.
"Things just start closing in on you," says astronaut Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper, who fainted twice in a hot room two days after landing in the shuttle in 2006.
Complicating the effort to stand after landing is the disorder of the inner ear, which helps humans balance and orient themselves. After returning from space, a slight head motion can induce vertigo and nausea. Some astronauts have illusions about which way they're moving and how much.
That can create problems for commanders, whose job it is to land the shuttle. The side effects of re-exposure to gravity cause delayed reactions and a decrease in the ability to track moving objects, says NASA flight surgeon Terrance Taddeo. As a result, commanders don't perform as well landing the spacecraft as they do in landing simulators.
Once on the ground, astronauts often complain of sore calf muscles and feeling so heavy that even taking a step is an effort. During his first night sleeping on Earth after six months on the station, former astronaut Ed Lu said he "felt glued to the bed."

Another testimonial of the effects.

Nebraska astronaut recovering after 5 months in space

Anderson will spend considerable time in the next few days resting and taking it easy, he said.
"All reports are that Clay is in great spirits, and he's going through the normal re-adaptation process for astronauts who have been in outer space as long as he has," Humphries said.
Astronauts undergo changes to their bodies after spending several months in space, NASA said. Fluids shift, and they have difficulty adjusting to balance.
"The astronauts experience changes to their muscle and bone density," Humphries said. "It's almost like a mild form of osteoporosis. There have been a lot of astronauts who have lived on a space station for six months at a time. There has been no serious detrimental health effects for any of these folks."

cIclops · 2007-11-09 08:27:42

Peggy Whitson (lower) and Yuri Malenchenko working together on Harmony - 9 Nov 2007

Having prepared the PMA 2 for disconnection from Destiny, the cover from the Active Berthing Mechanism
is being removed to allow the PMA 2 to be relocated.

SpaceNut · 2007-11-09 20:53:31

Russia to add three new modules to ISS by 2011

"Russia will add three new modules, including a lab module, to its segment of the ISS," Anatoly Perminov said, adding that each module would have at least five-year service life.
He also said new energy modules would be added to the station after 2011.

Looks like they plan on using the station long after the US commitment is done....

cIclops · 2007-11-12 05:13:45

PMA-2 being mated to Harmony with the SSRMS - imaged 12 Nov 2007

PMA-2 was robotically relocated from Destiny and successfully joined to Harmony with 16 bolts. The relocation took about two hours. Harmony with PMA-2 attached will be relocated back onto Destiny on 14 Nov 2007.

cIclops · 2007-11-14 04:50:56

Harmony and PMA-2 being relocated to the Destiny module by SSRMS - imaged 14 Nov 2007

Harmony with the PMA-2 adapter attached was successfully relocated by the SSRMS to the forward end of the Destiny laboratory.

RedStreak · 2007-11-14 11:58:01

Harmony and Destiny mated successfully http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21787565/

Great job with the last image cyclops. 8)

cIclops · 2007-11-15 07:14:02

On-Orbit Daily Status Reports - full details about activities onboard for each day

For example report from yesterday:

ISS On-Orbit Status 11/14/07
All ISS systems continue to function nominally, except those noted previously or below. “…and I’m sooo happy it was all nominal!” (CDR Whitson, early this morning).
Station sleep cycle: 1:00am – 4:30pm EST.
Node-2 “Harmony”/PMA-2 (Pressurized Mating Adapter 2) relocation has been completed nominally, and the crew has ingressed Node-2 way ahead of schedule.
With CDR Peggy Whitson operating CBMs (Common Berthing Mechanisms) and FE-2 Dan Tani controlling the SSRMS (Space Station Remote Manipulator System), the 17-ton Node-2/PMA-2 stack was unberthed at ~4:21am EST and transferred to the front of the station (first motion ~4:27am).. After reaching pre-mate position at the Lab Forward port at ~5:10am, full capture, with all 16 motorized bolts driven home OK, was achieved at ~5:45am -- about 2 hrs ahead of schedule.
Early after breakfast, before the transfer, Whitson terminated Node-1/Node-2 Vestibule depressurization, while Tani activated the CBCS (Centerline Berthing Camera System) and started the laptop-based DOUG (Dynamic Onboard Ubiquitous Graphics) software to support his SSRMS ops. For the relocation, Russian thrusters were temporarily inhibited.
<big snip>

cIclops · 2007-11-15 16:51:09

Harmony open for business - YouTube video 6:07 mins - 14 Nov 2007

cIclops · 2007-11-18 13:31:31

Another Data Point

Posted by Frank Morring, Jr. at 11/16/2007 9:36 AM
A quick metallurgical analysis of samples from the fouled solar-array rotary joint that is hampering power production on the International Space Station (ISS) shows the ferrous debris came from the 10-foot-diameter race ring that carries the entire starboard end of the station truss as it windmills 360 degrees to follow the sun.
That complicates planning for getting the mechanism - formally known as the Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ) - turning again in time to generate electricity for Japan's big Kibo laboratory module if it arrives on schedule in April. If the problem requires a shift to the backup race ring in the joint, it will take "multiple" spacewalks to make the shift, according to Denny Todd, ISS integration and operations manager.
The latest analysis of power levels on the station without the starboard SARJ indicates the port-side solar arrays can generate enough electricity to support planned activities until the Kibo delivery mission next April. That includes two shuttle flights to deliver Europe's Columbus laboratory, the logistics module for Kibo and the multipurpose dextrous manipulator (Dextre) for the Canadian-built ISS robotic arm.
But without a clear understanding of just what is going on inside the SARJ, Todd says, more inspections will have to be done before a repair plan can be drafted. Early betting is on a full inspection of the starboard SARJ by the station crew early next year, followed by repairs during and after the mission that delivers the Kibo logistics module and Dextre in February. If that doesn't work, there may not be enough power to support the Kibo systems following an April delivery.
Station engineers had hoped the samples collected by astronaut Dan Tani from the fouled SARJ would pinpoint the problem and allow repair-planning to begin. But Todd said today the material does not appear to be from the trundle bearings that hold the two halves of the joint together, or from the drive lock assembly (DLA) that turns the geared mechanism.
Even without knowing just what the problem is, mission managers have repacked the space shuttle Atlantis to preposition a spare DLA and some more trundle bearing assemblies on the station to gain flexibility for a repair next year. Atlantis is scheduled to lift off Dec. 6 with Columbus, and Todd said the Expedition 16 crew is making such good progress getting the ISS ready for another docked mission that the timeline currently would support an on-time launch of the STS-122/1E assembly mission.
However, Tani and Expedition 16 Commander Peggy Whitson must perform two very difficult spacewalks on Nov. 20 and 24 to connect the plumbing that cools the new Harmony node where Columbus will be attached, and Todd stressed that station readiness for a launch could slip a little if problems arise.

cIclops · 2007-11-20 10:33:04

Peggy Whitson and Dan Tani installing the Loop A Fluid Tray (long white tube) from the S0 truss (at top)
along the Destiny lab (lefthand side) and onto Harmony, the fluid line will provide cooling for Columbus - imaged 20 Nov 2007

Spacewalkers Harmonize on Node Hookup Tasks (groan)

International Space Station Commander Peggy Whitson and Flight Engineer Dan Tani wound up a 7-hour, 16-minute spacewalk to outfit the Harmony node in its new position in front of the U.S laboratory Destiny at 12:26 p.m. EST Tuesday.
They completed scheduled tasks and did three get-ahead jobs in the spacewalk, which began about 50 minutes early.
After leaving the Quest airlock and setting up tools and equipment, Whitson removed, vented and stowed an ammonia jumper, part of a temporary cooling loop. Removing it allowed the hookup of the permanent ammonia cooling loop on a fluid tray on the station's exterior.
Tani meanwhile retrieved a bag of tools left outside on the station during the Nov. 9 spacewalk by Whitson and Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko. Then he removed two fluid caps to prepare for connection of that permanent cooling loop.
Next he moved on to reconfigure a circuit that was used for a Squib firing unit, a small pyrotechnical device that freed a radiator on the Port 1 truss for its deployment last Thursday.
Much of the spacewalk was devoted to work with the Loop A fluid tray. That 300-pound, 18.5-foot tray was moved from its temporary position on the S0 truss, at the center of the station's main truss, to the Destiny Lab, atop the starboard avionics tray.
Tani joined Whitson at S0. They released the fluid tray and then moved it to Harmony. They used a kind of relay technique, one moving ahead and attaching tethers to be ready to receive the tray, then the other moving farther forward to take the next handoff.
Once they reached the installation point they bolted down the tray, then hooked up its six fluid line connections, two at S0, two at the tray and two in between.
Tani moved to his final task, on the port side of Harmony. There he mated 11 avionics lines. Whitson, meanwhile, configured heater cables, then mated electrical umbilicals by hooking up four electrical harnesses linking Pressurized Mating Adapter-2 at the outboard end of Harmony to station power.
As the spacewalk wound down, Tani completed the first get-ahead task, connecting five starboard avionics umbilicals to Harmony. He then joined Whitson for two other get-ahead jobs, connection of redundant umbilicals to PMA-2. Subsequently, both worked on connection of Station to Shuttle Power Transfer System cables to PMA-2.
The two spacewalkers did the standard cleanup process, then entered the airlock. The beginning of its repressurization marked the official end of the spacewalk. In the airlock, they did precautionary decontamination procedures after working around ammonia lines.
Another spacewalk by Whitson and Tani to complete the exterior hookup of Harmony is scheduled for Nov. 24.

cIclops · 2007-11-24 09:22:49

Helmet cam images showing the "mottled" damage on the outside race ring of the starboard SARJ - imaged 24 Nov 2007

Dan Tani and Peggy Whitson successfully completed the installation of the Harmony node during an EVA. Harmony was activated soon afterwards and is now ready for the Columbus module.

RedStreak · 2007-11-24 10:46:07

Where is that damage located? I'm guessing space junk strike since it looks like shotgun holes.

cIclops · 2007-11-24 11:33:49

The damage is spread all around one face of the SARJ race ring, a large steel circular track about 3 meters across that has gear teeth on one side. The SARJ has metal covers all around it for micro meteorite protection and is covered with thermal blankets. The damage is only on one ring of the starboard truss SARJ.

cIclops · 2007-11-28 00:14:10

Peggy Whitson outfitting Harmony now located on front of Destiny - imaged 24 Nov 2007

RedStreak · 2007-11-28 03:53:32

Great view - hopefully Columbus' hook-up with go as smoothly.

cIclops · 2007-12-07 08:17:34

Closeup of surface damage on the starboard SARJ race ring (courtesy collectSPACE)

Interesting process at work, appears to be mostly localized to a ribbon around the whole ring. Maybe electrochemical? Note how the debris is magnetically attached to the bracket.

cIclops · 2007-12-13 03:59:04

From NASA ISS news 12 Dec 2007:

A spacewalk early next Tuesday from the International Space Station will focus on the starboard solar arrays, managers said Wednesday. Expedition 16 Commander Peggy Whitson and Flight Engineer Dan Tani will examine the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ) and return its trundle assembly to the station's interior. The SARJ allows the paddlewheel-like rotation of the starboard arrays to follow the sun as the station orbits the Earth. It has been locked since vibration and increased current draw were noted.
Whitson and Tani also will examine the Beta Gimbal Assembly (BGA). It tilts solar wings for optimal power generation. The starboard BGA also has been locked since some power feeds to it were interrupted last Saturday.
Neither problem affects current station operations.

Now a new problem with the BGA?

cIclops · 2007-12-13 14:15:57

Dan Tani and Peggy Whitson will inspect the 1A BGA first then the SARJ during their EVA 13 spacewalk

During a media briefing today NASA said that 1A BGA may have micro meteoroid damage and is now the top priority task as it has caused a further reduction in power levels. More covers will be removed from the SARJ to enable extensive inspections and sampling of the debris on the race track. Trundle bearing #5 will be removed unless one with more visible damage is discovered.

Mission briefing - video 52:44 mins

Briefing materials

cIclops · 2007-12-17 04:49:08

Revised plan - note that 1E (122) is now 10 Jan 2008

Tour of the living facilities by Dan Tani - video 11:54 mins - 12 Dec 2007

cIclops · 2007-12-18 14:57:06

Spacewalkers Find No Solar Wing Smoking Gun - 18 Dec 2007

Expedition 16 astronauts Dan Tani and Peggy Whitson wrapped up a 6-hour, 56-minute spacewalk focused on International Space Station solar array issues at 11:46 a.m. EST Tuesday.
The spacewalkers looked for the cause of partial loss of electrical power to one of the station's two Beta Gimbal Assemblies (BGAs) for starboard solar wings. They also examined damage to the starboard Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ).
After leaving the U.S. airlock Quest and setting up equipment, Tani, EV1 or lead spacewalker, and Whitson moved to the station's main truss and then out to near the end of its starboard side. There they inspected BGA 1A without seeing apparent damage. They disconnected two cables to facilitate ground tests.
On Dec. 8 the BGA's primary power was lost after three circuit breakers tripped. A backup power source still functions, but because of the loss of redundancy, the device was latched with the wing in a position suitable for docking of the shuttle Atlantis on STS-122.
With the cables disconnected the circuits remained closed, apparently clearing the cables as suspects. Whitson reconnected them late in the spacewalk.
For the BGA inspection, the spacewalkers entered the truss from opposite sides, but remained together to be able to warn one another of obstructions in that confined area. That inspection took about 45 minutes.
Next the spacewalkers moved to the SARJ. Working together, they removed two large drive lock assembly covers and inspected the race rings and bearings beneath them. Then they removed and inspected beneath most of the 22 covers.
That SARJ was locked after vibrations were noted and increased power consumption was seen. Inspection findings Tuesday showed various degrees of contamination under the individual covers. Generally it was similar to what had been seen previously.
Tani and Whitson described what they saw, took photos and used tape and a scraper to collect samples of debris in the SARJ. That debris included metal shavings and "dusting" in the SARJ race ring.
Finally, they removed trundle bearing assembly No. 5, one of the 12 trundle bearing assemblies that move along the race ring, and returned it to the station's interior.

Post EVA news conference - video 32:34 mins - 18 Dec 2007

Note: This was the 100th EVA in support of ISS construction and Peggy Whitson now holds the record for cumulative spacewalk time by a woman at 32:36 hours.

SpaceNut · 2007-12-26 15:54:13

Predictable Russian ship resupplies space station

The Progress M-62 carrying 2 tons of supplies including holiday gifts, fruit and vegetables, drinking water, fuel, equipment, oxygen

Gifts are traditionally given in Russia on New Year's Day. Russians celebrate Orthodox Christmas on Jan. 7.

The gifts carried to the space station included birthday presents for Malenchenko, who turned 46 on Saturday, Lyndin said.

Tani was supposed to fly home aboard the shuttle Atlantis last week, but that flight was postponed until January due to a fuel gauge problem.

cIclops · 2008-01-09 17:57:08

Habitation Extension Modules (HEM) attached to Node 3 - UK proposal

HEM homepage

Together the two modules would add 100 m3 to the habitation volume of the ISS (doubling Node 3 volume) providing:
- a communal area for eating, meeting and socialising.
- 6 crewrooms with enhanced radiation protection (100 kg / m2).
- a habitation store for 82 ISS Cargo Transfer Bags – (around 2 tonnes)
The two HEMs would also deliver over 3 tonnes of supplies and experiments, which would support British science activity and be Britain’s contribution to the running of the ISS.

cIclops · 2008-01-17 06:42:52

BMRRM (Bearing Motor, Roll Ring Module)

The next EVA to fix this is now set for 30 Jan 2008 according the ISS status report for 16 Jan 2008.

01/30/08 -- EVA-14 (BMRRM R&R)

That's the Remove and Replace of the BMRRM in 1A BGA (Solar array 1A Beta Gimbal Assembly)

Acronym paradise!

cIclops · 2008-01-18 08:19:35

Cosmonaut Sergei Volkov will command Expedition 17

Expedition 17 homepage

Expedition 17 news conference - video 48:39 mins

See and hear the next five crew members and the new space participant, San Ko, the first South Korean astronaut.

Always good hearing crew dreaming about missions to Mars, see the stars in their eyes

Commander Sergei Volkov is 34 years old (youngest Commander?) and has never flown before, hey even kids are in space nowadays!

New Mars Forums

Announcement

#101 2007-11-08 08:07:05

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#102 2007-11-08 21:48:33

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#103 2007-11-09 08:27:42

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#104 2007-11-09 20:53:31

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#105 2007-11-12 05:13:45

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#106 2007-11-14 04:50:56

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#107 2007-11-14 11:58:01

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#108 2007-11-15 07:14:02

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#109 2007-11-15 16:51:09

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#110 2007-11-18 13:31:31

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#111 2007-11-20 10:33:04

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#112 2007-11-24 09:22:49

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#113 2007-11-24 10:46:07

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#114 2007-11-24 11:33:49

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#115 2007-11-28 00:14:10

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#116 2007-11-28 03:53:32

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#117 2007-12-07 08:17:34

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#118 2007-12-13 03:59:04

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#119 2007-12-13 14:15:57

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#120 2007-12-17 04:49:08

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#121 2007-12-18 14:57:06

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#122 2007-12-26 15:54:13

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#123 2008-01-09 17:57:08

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#124 2008-01-17 06:42:52

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#125 2008-01-18 08:19:35

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

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