International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

JoshNH4H · 2014-06-08 19:29:48

That's a relatively small amount of things to replace compared to a $100 billion dollar space station, and with what we already know I could only imagine that it would cost less to develop them a second time. I'd bet we have most of the specs anyway.

SpaceNut · 2014-09-23 19:03:21

Inspectors find risks in NASA's plan to keep International Space Station in orbit until 2024

Here are three of them:
1. Insufficient power to keep running. NASA relies on solar arrays to power the station and motors to keep those arrays pointed at the sun. Perhaps because of a surprising amount of space debris, those arrays and motors are degrading "faster than expected."
2.A limited capacity to get big new parts – such as solar arrays – to the station. NASA has solved its small cargo and re-supply problems with new commercial carriers. It has not replaced the space shuttle as a way to haul big things into orbit
3. A station operating budget NASA says will grow from $3 billion a year to $4 billion by fiscal year 2020. Based on past spending, the IG says that is "overly optimistic" and not enough money.
These examples don't include what the Inspector General calls "the inherent risks" of space travel. For example, NASA puts the odds at 1-in-42 of the station being hit in any six-month period by space debris big enough to penetrate and cause loss of pressure. Extending the station's life cuts those odds to 1-in-4.

1. Future designs should look at another method to realign the panels towards the sun to mitigate the risk.
2. Problem particially solved by Ares V 70mT version, just needs a cargo pod to make deliveries.
3. Nothing that can be done about inflation.

Unofficial 4th is about risk mitigation by lifting up more shielding to protect against such strikes.

RobertDyck · 2014-09-24 01:02:53

Russia cancelled their Buran space shuttle in 1987. But they didn't scrap it, they moth-balled it. It wasn't until the roof collapsed on it, destroying the orbiter in 2002. Orbiters 3, 4, and 5 were scrapped, but they still have the second orbiter, designation OV-102 and unofficially named Ptichka. Fuel tanks for the core module were manufactured in the same factory that makes Soyuz launch vehicles. In 2002 (before the accident) the factory that makes RD-0120 engines said they still have the designs and jigs, although they would have to buy a new CNC milling machine. And strap-on boosters are the first stage of the Zenit rocket, which was used by Boeing for Sea Launch. So it could have been revived. Although Zenit was manufactured in the Yuzmach factory in the city of Dnipropetrovsk, east Ukraine. Obviously that's an issue considering everything that's going on in Ukraine.

My point is they didn't just scrap their shuttle. America did. Considering a Shuttle is required to transport large heavy components, that was stupid. NASA could have replaced Shuttle with VentureStar, but that didn't happen. Dragon and Cygnus, as well as Russia's Progress cargo ship, can transport small components and supplies. Proton can transport self-docking modules. But there is no way to transport large components like solar arrays.

::Edit:: Several of us on this forum, have argued that cancelling Shuttle would free funds to send humans to Mars. That was done, but it didn't free funds. Much of the cost of Shuttle was the NASA centers to support it. Congress didn't want to lay-off those people. So Ares V (now SLS) and Orion/MPCV/CST-100 is an excuse to keep those centers open and those people employed. So no funds have been freed at all. This has dramatically raised the cost of Orion, but some of those costs are actually the NASA centers.

Last edited by RobertDyck (2014-09-24 01:23:18)

SpaceNut · 2014-10-30 18:44:20

While the news on the Antares rocket explosion at the launchpad, which occurred in Virginia Tuesday would seem devistating to the ISS as for its cargo for the crew. The Antares rocket with the Cygnus spacecraft was supposed to deliver more than 2 tons of cargo to the ISS.

ISS Crew Has Enough Supplies Until March 2015 which is 4 to 6 month in case a logistic vehicle cannot make it to the ISS.

A commentors post on the page indicates

There's a couple of Dragons, one Progress and an HTV due up before March

SpaceNut · 2014-12-09 22:13:00

Atlas V Launch: Orbital has contracted with United Launch Alliance for an Atlas V launch of a Cygnus cargo spacecraft from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in the fourth quarter of 2015, with an option for a second Atlas V launch in 2016 if needed. The Atlas rocket’s greater lift capacity will allow Cygnus to carry nearly 35% more cargo to the ISS than previously planned for CRS missions in 2015

SpaceNut · 2014-12-30 22:59:12

I was reminded of a Bigelow Inflateable when I was searching for data for another topic...

Inside NASA's Deal for an Inflatable Space Station Room posted back in January 16, 2013....

NASA will pay $17.8 million to Bigelow Aerospace of North Las Vegas to build an inflatable module, test it and prep it for flight. The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module (BEAM) is to be launched around the summer of 2015, launched to the International Space Station by a Falcon 9 rocket built by another private spaceflight company, California-based SpaceX.
The module is cylindrical, weighs roughly 3,000 pounds (1,360 kilograms) and is about 13 feet (4 meters) long and 10.5 feet (3.2 m) wide

So when is there going to be an update?

SpaceNut · 2015-01-13 23:24:13

[url=http://nasawatch.com/archives/2015/01/casis-is-doing.html]CASIS Is Doing a Reality TV Show in Space
[/url]

Its only a huge facility we all paid $60-100 billion to build. I wonder if the "reality" aspect of this show will portray the dysfunctional relationship that CASIS, NASA HQ, JSC, and other parts of the agency endure as they stumble to use this amazing on-orbit facility.

SpaceNut · 2015-01-24 18:59:31

With the most recent show of strength I question how sincere this is
Rogozin Says Russia Must Continue International Space Cooperation

Introducing the new head of Russia's Federal Space Agency Roscosmos, Rogozin, who oversees Russia's defense and space industries, said that the creation of the Roscosmos state corporation would help developing this cooperation.
Igor Komarov was appointed Wednesday the head of Roscosmos until the establishment of the corporation on the basis of the current federal agency and the United Rocket and Space Corporation.
The new reforms are being introduced in response to Russian launch vehicle failures, as well as to streamline joint state-business efforts to fight alleged widespread corruption that reportedly has affected a number of key space programs.

Roscosmos, NASA Still Planning on Sending Men Into Space

Piloted space flight programs will be the focus of cooperation between the Russian and US space agencies, new Roscosmos head, Igor Komarov, said Thursday. According to Komarov, NASA is interested in continuing cooperation with Russia in manned space exploration despite the difficult geopolitical situation.
"It will be the key area of our cooperation with NASA," Komarov said.
"I believe that [joint] exploration of deep space, Earth's protection from the asteroids and piloted space flights should not be affected by political factors," he added.

Last edited by SpaceNut (2015-01-24 19:05:37)

SpaceNut · 2015-01-31 01:23:43

Something I noted in this article is the requirement of another piece of hardware to use the new capsules....
Boeing’s CST-100 part of NASA’s intertwined forward path

“The International Docking Adaptor (IDA) was turned over (to NASA) last week,” Mr. Elbon added. “It will fly on Gwynne’s spaceship (referring to SpaceX President Ms. Shotwell and the CRS Dragon) later this year.

2015-01-30-08_52_28-The-Plan-to-Launch-America-YouTube-350x231.jpg

2015-01-30-11_12_56-Boeing-CST-100-HR-Updates-and-Images-350x239.jpg

SpaceNut · 2015-02-21 18:17:54

Astronauts turn cable guys in 1st of 3 spacewalks

During the 6 1/2-hour spacewalk high above Earth, the astronauts were tasked with laying cables that will provide power and data for a new docking adapter to be installed later in 2015. That adaptor will allow Americans on SpaceX and Boeing's commercials vehicles to connect to the space station.
Saturday's spacewalk was the first of three scheduled in a span of nine days, and that's just the beginning of spacewalks scheduled this year to get the ISS ready for commercial crew vehicles.
Altogether, Wilmore and Virts have 764 feet of cable to run outside the space station. The longest single stretch, for installation Saturday, was 43 feet.
NASA considers this the most complicated cable-routing job in the 16-year history of the space station. Equally difficult will be running cable on the inside of the complex.
There were so many cables — up to 10 on Saturday to deal with — that NASA color-coded them. That helped the spacewalkers only so much; they expected a lighter blue for one of the lines.

SpaceNut · 2015-03-08 00:18:09

NASA orders missions to resupply space station in 2017

NASA has ordered four additional launches to deliver cargo to the International Space Station in 2017 — three from SpaceX and one from Orbital ATK — to cover the research lab’s logistics needs until a new set of resupply contracts take effect.
The extra missions for SpaceX and Orbital ATK will serve as a bridge between the contractors’ current contracts and new commercial cargo deals that will cover resupply missions launching from 2018 through at least 2020.
This is based on the projected needs of the ISS program for cargo upmass, return and disposal and the unique capabilities of each contractor.”
Orbital ATK lost a Cygnus supply ship during an explosive launch mishap moments after liftoff from Virginia in October, forcing the company to redesign its Antares rocket for a new engine. The next Cygnus cargo carrier is due for launch from Cape Canaveral in October on a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, then Orbital ATK plans to resume launches on the Antares booster in March 2016.
The Atlas 5 rocket can lift more cargo into orbit than the Antares launcher — allowing officials to use more of the Cygnus spaceship’s expansive internal volume — and Orbital ATK says it can now meet its contractual obligations to NASA with seven flights.
NASA required each contractor to deliver at least 20 metric tons, or about 44,000 pounds, of cargo to the space station.

SpaceNut · 2015-03-08 19:44:55

Astronauts to Nasa, its about time you sent up the other player's robot, now its game on for Rockem Sockem Robots....

"The Canadian Dextre robot-manipulator

proved itself perfectly at the ISS. However, a machine will never completely replace man. It has a tendency to break, while a human can fulfill tasks that are even outside their own capabilities, in both regular and emergency operations. But uniting the abilities of a robot and a human can give simply fantastic results," Lonchakov concluded.

Russian SAR-401 Space Robot Ready for the ISS

All kidding aside having robots that could do the work without putting the station or crew in danger is a plus....

GW Johnson · 2015-03-09 09:09:30

Rock Em Sock Em Robots! I love it! Could help crews stay sane, doing that!

We ought to do that down here, too, to settle disputes! Get it out of your system sort of thing.

GW

SpaceNut · 2015-03-09 20:18:14

A new space race emerges as NASA prepares to award contract to ferry supplies to space station

cargo-composite-2500w.jpg&w=1484

Clockwise from top left: SpaceX’s Dragon V2 capsule (Robyn Beck/AFP, Getty), Sierra Nevada Corporation’s DreamChaser (NASA), Oribtal ATK's Cygnus cargo ship (NASA) and Boeing’s CST-100 capsule (Boeing via AP).

Lugging groceries and supplies to the astronauts on the International Space Station may not be as cool as ferrying the astronauts themselves into orbit. But the NASA contract to fly cargo to the station in unmanned rocket ships has attracted bids from high-profile companies in what analysts say is another indication of commercial spaceflight’s recent renaissance.
Some members of Congress and others criticized the decision, saying that private industry could not be trusted with such high-stakes work and that the business of spaceflight should be left to NASA. But in the years since, NASA’s decision to rely on commercial companies helped ignite the commercial space industry, which, backed by new infusions of cash and with more launches to its credit, has grown more robust.

SpaceNut · 2015-03-12 18:52:41

Boeing Would Pull Seats, Life Support, Engines For Cargo-carrying CST-100

for the second round of NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-2) space station cargo contract, proposing a largely reusable vehicle that swaps seats and other crew hardware for station supplies.
The cargo CST-100 also would offer unpressurized "upmass" to the International Space Station (ISS) in its throwaway service module, using space freed up by the removal of launch-abort engines and other hardware that would be unnecessary in the absence of a crew. A win in the CRS-2 bidding would lower the cost of both the crew and cargo versions of the commercial space capsule, Boeing says. The cargo craft will have the same outer mold line, expendable service module and solar arrays for power. Inside the crew cabin, though, the displays, seats and life support system will be removed and replaced with a cargo pallet able to handle at least 2,500 kg (5,500 lb.) of food, clothing and hardware for the orbiting outpost.

SpaceNut · 2015-03-12 19:00:05

‘Jupiter’ Space Tug Could Deliver Cargo To The Moon; Lockheed, MDA, Thales Alenia team on ISS and deep-space cargo carrier

Lockheed Martin hopes to parlay a modular “general-purpose space utility vehicle” it has proposed for NASA’s second-round commercial-cargo competition into a human-spaceflight services business ranging from low Earth orbit (LEO) to Mars.
Dubbed “Jupiter” for one of the locomotives that met in the Utah desert to complete the U.S. transcontinental railroad,

At least four other companies have entered the CRS-2 competition, which calls for delivery of 15,000 kg (33,000 lb.) of pressurized cargo and 2,000 kg of unpressurized “upmass” from the expiration of the initial CRS contracts after 2016. Incumbents Orbital ATK and SpaceX are in the running.

kbd512 · 2015-03-13 18:33:31

If that thing was man rated and paired with a SEP propulsion unit, I can see it being useful for repair and retrieval of satellites and upper stages. We still need repair and manufacturing modules for ISS and a propellant depot. If service providers and/or the DoD were ever able to design "general purpose" satellites that could be reconfigured or upgraded on-orbit, their costs for launch services would eventually drop.

RobertDyck · 2015-03-13 19:40:17

The military did work on technology to refuel spy satellites on-orbit. The idea was new satellites would have a fuel coupler to receive fuel. And they worked on a spike that could puncture the propellant tank of older satellites that don't have a fuel coupler, creating a seal, refilling the tank, and providing that couple for future use. Don't know if it ever went past study stage. But that was not to reconfigure satellites, just refuel. Satellites in low orbit require more propellant for reboost. And the military often moves satellites for optimum view of their target.

As for man rating, there will be the danger that someone will claim it must be a re-entry vehicle to be man rated. That would leave only Dragon, CST-100, or Orion. If you want something light-weight like this, then man rating would require only pressure module and life support. The pressurized cargo container of Europe's ATV is already rated for crew to enter without a spacesuit. So add life support from Dragon, CST-100, or Orion, and you're golden.

But retrieval wouldn't need a human presence. You should be able to retrieve by having a tug that is nothing but the ATV service module with a CanadArm end effector. You don't need a whole arm, just the part that grabs the grapple post, so just the end effector. Have the service module grapple the satellite, then bring it back to ISS. Astronauts can work on it there. Then the same tug can return the satellite to its orbit.

If you want something for a human to do work, then something smaller. Inspiration from science fiction. Star Trek "The Motion Picture" travel pod. The real one would have an APAS hatch on the back, or the modified one for Dragon v2 and CST-100.

But the real one would be even smaller than that. More like a Star Trek "The Motion Picture" work bee, with a pair of smaller robot arms.

The movie "2001 A Space Odyssey" had something similar, but a sphere with large propulsion system on the sides. And strange arms with two claws each.
top-5-small-futuristic-vehicles-futuredude-eva-pod-from-the-film-2001-a-space-odyssey.jpg

Or would you reverse that? Build a spacecraft with the APAS hatch in front, but with a transparent APAS door? Use the door as the working window? With two robot arms, one on each side? Using the door as the window allows a full size ATV-based service module behind. Now imagine a one person cabin, built the same way as the ATV pressurized cargo container or Cygnus pressurized cargo container. With Dragon/CST-100/Orion life support, but sized for one person.

A single seat with enough room for a Russian Sokol spacesuit. NASA used to have a light-weight suit designed for use inside a vehicle, but not any more. Shuttle LES and ACES suits were partial pressure only, intended only to survive launch abort. The last American light-weight full pressure intra-vehicle suit was Gemini G5C.

Last edited by RobertDyck (2015-03-15 10:52:37)

RobertDyck · 2015-03-13 20:04:46

Arms: one fixed mount end effector on the front to grab a satellite and move it. Two arms based on Dextre: Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator. Built by Canadian company MDA.
NASA website: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stati … extre.html
Canadian Space Agency website: http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/iss/dextre/

But for life support, since this will be a space station vehicle, make the CO2 sorbent regenerable. An upgrade to the PLSS of EMU suits for station was to replace lithium-hydroxide with silver oxide sheet metal. The station has an electro-resistive oven (electric oven) to bake out CO2. I would like to recommend silver oxide granuals, compatible with a microwave regeneration system. The NASA paper on microwave regeneration is here: Microwave Regenerable Air Purification Device

Then again, Dextre was originally design to be operated by astronauts on ISS, but can be operated from mission control: either JSC or CSA's headquarters in Saint-Hubert. So again, do you need a crew cabin at all?

kbd512 · 2015-03-13 22:04:28

Rob,

There are applications that robotic or remotely operated systems are more suitable for than humans, but I would also say that there are certain tasks that are most easily performed by humans or human operators in close proximity to the work site. Obviously design requirements for human rated systems increase, but I think we need to let go of the idea that any particular spacecraft has to be capable of re-entry for it to be man rated. For emergency re-entry, I think the t/Space CXV was the right idea, but it needs to be scaled down to seat one or perhaps two astronauts.

RobertDyck · 2015-03-13 22:32:15

kbd512 wrote:

I think we need to let go of the idea that any particular spacecraft has to be capable of re-entry for it to be man rated.

Of course. Notice I suggested a cabin for one crew member, made with the same hull as ATV or Cygnus pressurized cargo container. The issue is whether bureaucrats with authority to certify as "man rated" will agree. And lobbyists from manufacturers of CST-100 & Orion will most likely try to sabotage competition.

RobertDyck · 2015-03-13 22:55:27

Do we have an artist in the group capable of drawing what I described? Note this would include a full-size ATV-based service module. The same service module that Orion currently uses. With a light-weight crew cabin, plus two arms from Dextre, but none of the central body of Dextre. And Dextre's entire kit of interchangeable tools. Should the door/window be made of polycarbonate line a spacesuit visor, or Alon? I like Alon. It's strong, durable, immune to scratches and micrometeoroids, but expensive. But this means the cabin will look small compared to service module. Perhaps 3 more large windows: above, left, and right of the seat. To give the operator great view. Not closed off like the 2001 Space Odyssey pod. Front entry something like the Star Trek work bee. That reminds me of a real construction vehicle: Bobcat skid-steer loader.
S100_galllery2.JPG_Interflow%20-%20JPG%20-%20Fit%20to%20Box_600_500_true.jpg

kbd512 · 2015-03-14 18:00:49

At some point, we need to start developing that "portfolio of technologies" that NASA keeps talking about.

As far as sabotage from the defense contractors is concerned, they're not actively developing anything like what is actually required for sustainable space exploration. I'm not aware of any major defense contractor capable of producing a simple, cost-efficient emergency return capsule. SpaceX, t/Space, or some other company will have to develop the technology because the defense contractors won't.

I like the potential utility that Lockheed's proposal could provide, but I can't recall a single program that they've completed on time and within budget in living memory. If NASA gives them a dime for their proposal, it needs to be with the understanding that there's a fixed budget with time constraints applied and that they will either produce or receive nothing.

SpaceNut · 2015-03-14 19:47:19

RobertDyck · 2015-03-14 21:24:55

Actually, the Ripley's suit has been built.
Video: Raytheon XOS 2 exoskeleton

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#251 2014-06-08 19:29:48

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#252 2014-09-23 19:03:21

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#253 2014-09-24 01:02:53

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#254 2014-10-30 18:44:20

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#255 2014-12-09 22:13:00

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#256 2014-12-30 22:59:12

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#257 2015-01-13 23:24:13

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#258 2015-01-24 18:59:31

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#259 2015-01-31 01:23:43

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#260 2015-02-21 18:17:54

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#261 2015-03-08 00:18:09

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#262 2015-03-08 19:44:55

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#263 2015-03-09 09:09:30

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#264 2015-03-09 20:18:14

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#265 2015-03-12 18:52:41

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#266 2015-03-12 19:00:05

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#267 2015-03-13 18:33:31

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#268 2015-03-13 19:40:17

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#269 2015-03-13 20:04:46

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#270 2015-03-13 22:04:28

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#271 2015-03-13 22:32:15

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#272 2015-03-13 22:55:27

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#273 2015-03-14 18:00:49

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#274 2015-03-14 19:47:19

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#275 2015-03-14 21:24:55

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

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