International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

cIclops · 2007-03-16 03:20:11

Current configuration (image from STS-116)

The International Space Station is the closest we've got to building a Mars Vessel. Why? Because:

o It's the largest and most complex human spacecraft ever built
o It supports long duration spaceflight of six months, approximately the transit time between Earth and Mars
o It operates with an international crew, currently three but soon six - typical size of a Mars mission
o When finished it will mass about 400 mT - about the same needed for a Mars ship

Furthermore:

It's a unique laboratory for:

o long duration physiological and psychological spaceflight research
o in situ testing, operation and maintenance of flight equipment
o complex multi vessel space operations
o manual and robotic in space assembly techniques
o micro gravity research

Also it will soon have:

o an almost closed Oxygen Generation System
o the most powerful space based power generation system (80kW)
o full research capability with the addition of three research laboratory modules

Currently:

o It's the only significant human presence in space
o It's been continuously crewed for seven years
o largest continuously rotating space structure (SARJ)

It's there, it works and it's all we've got right now!

animation of the full construction sequence - next step is 13A (S3/4 truss) planned for late April using STS-117

SpaceNut · 2007-03-16 05:14:38

Just the ISS and the science that it should yield....

International Space Station (ISS) Research - from the ISS Program Scientist

Welcome to the NASA Web site section dedicated to ISS Research. Research performed onboard ISS is tracked by the ISS Program Scientist and presented in this website. This section contains the latest detail about past, ongoing and future research on the ISS. The Experiments are listed alphabetically and by ISS Expedition. In addition, a complete list of all publications of results from ISS research projects is available.

I understand it being the closest in space habitable area that we've built with very general characteristics to that of a Mars Vessel. That much of how we utilize the volume of the craft is of great importance in a long term flight to mars.

Science of insitu could be done now with the creation of methane but is not high on the activiry pole. If methane was made it would lessen the need for fuel to be brought to the station that is used to keep it in the safe zone of operation.

SpaceNut · 2007-03-16 19:33:33

Ok no takers on what Iss is working on as it applies to going to mars.
Research as carried out for dates 2/12/07 though 2/25/07

Williams completed periodic collection of blood and urine samples for the Nutrition Status Assessment (Nutrition) investigation (at approximately the 60-day point). This experiment is the most comprehensive in-flight study done by NASA to date of human physiologic changes during long-duration space flight; this includes measures of bone metabolism, oxidative damage, nutritional assessments, and hormonal changes. The samples were frozen in the MELFI -80 degree C freezer.

Important since the journey to mars will be a long one with no chance of resupply, so we must understand and know that we will not go hungry, that we will be happy with what we have to eat and that the crew will remain healthy.

As part of the Sleep-Long investigation, Williams and Lopez-Alegria continued wearing Actiwatches which automatically record their sleep patterns and light exposure throughout their stay on ISS. They also downlinked the data from the Actiwatches during this period. The data from this period of sleep shifting followed by high-intensity EVA provides important insights into the best way to plan for mission critical activities.

When we sleep, less of everything is used and making use of a longer sleep period would mean less needs to be packed for the journey.

Passive experiments (ongoing without crew efforts):
Seed germination experiments were initiated on February 16th inside the CGBA (Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus) incubator for the CGBA Science Insert-01 (CSI-01) activities. The incubator is controlled from the ground with automatic video downlinked to Earth. Thousands of 3rd-grade students around the U.S. and in Malaysia are completing parallel activities in their classrooms using the "Agronauts (non-NASA link)" curriculum. The incubator also contains nematode worms being studied by middle school students through "Orion’s Quest (non-NASA link)". Overall, 7,000 Students in the U.S. and Malaysia are participating in educational activities in their classrooms while monitoring the growth of the worms and seeds in orbit.

Knowing how to make plants grow along the trip, is not just for eating but can also lessen the need of oxygen to be a supply quantity uping the payload to be used by crew of other items.

Three identical packages of pharmaceuticals and foods are also passively experiencing the internal ISS environment as part of the Stability investigation. One of the packages will be returned after approximately 6 months exposure on shuttle flight 13A in March, while the others will return at 9 and greater than 12-months of exposure. This experiment is quantifying the breakdown of key drugs and vitamins that has been observed anecdotally on previous ISS missions.

We definitely need to know how our med's will survive the journey and to whether they will be effect for there intended purpose.

cIclops · 2007-03-19 09:54:48

Expedition 14 crew - currently on board

These people are the main research project right now.

cIclops · 2007-03-27 15:53:41

172453main_Brand_8_15%20increment%20chart%20a.jpg
Upcoming events during Expedition 15

SpaceNut · 2007-03-27 19:31:26

Just under 2 weeks for a launch on April 7, 2007 like clock work.

So according to the chart this is a construction crew by virtu of activity at least for a little while. Plenty of stuff by the current crew still active to turn over to this next one.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stati … rview.html

Had to look at the page and the post before this one to figure out who was going up on this flight and who is actually already there on the station.

Seems that everyone but the tourist is a Flight Engineer...

The current crew will have only Sunita (Suni) Williams remain behind when Simonyi’s mission which will span 12 days comes to an end.

They are labeling this mission as an expanding for science.

The press kit for expedition 15 page 55 starts the science that they will be carrying forward after a week of exchange while both crews are present.

First up for space walks will be to install the micro meteor shield that were delivered by shuttle and Next will be the removal of an

Russian Research Objectives activity starts on page 69.
U.S Experiments start on page 77.

Something that caught my eye page 85 was the International Polar Year (IPY) from the International Space Station image of an Aurora at sunset over the south Indian Ocean taken back in 2003.

While the ESA ATV is schedueled to get to the station on this crews watch, it may not from other news sources that I have seen.

SpaceNut · 2007-03-29 06:48:02

The science as it happens is along the critical path as we look to make our First Steps to Mars

SpaceNut · 2007-03-30 10:12:26

There happens to be many issues that are ariasing from the storms damage. One possibility is which shuttle will fly with what number tank and other logistic juggling.

Also Williams will be staying rather than coming back on the next Soyuz since the seat is paid for by a tourist.

While not many of us in our current health conditions would be able to run the Boston Marathon, Williams is registered for next month's 26.2 miles. However she'll be stuck on the international space station when the rest of the field lines up for the 111th edition of the race. Williams qualified for the Boston race by finishing last January's Houston Marathon in 3 hours, 29 minutes, 57 seconds.

So the U.S. Navy commander will run the equivalent distance on a treadmill _ 210 miles above Earth, and tethered to her track by bungee cords so she doesn't float away.

While she will not experience Heartbreak Hill the harness effects on her back, shoulders and hips may be felt in her feet going numb.

A ''vibration isolation system'' built by a NASA engineer will keep her from shaking the entire space station as she runs, but the machinery puts a strain on the runner's hips and shoulders. She also has to be ready to abort her mission as running a marathon is a strain under normal conditions.

There will be no thousands of runners, on-course aid stations and finish line medical tents to allow for hypothermia or dehydration or blister treatment that normal course runners would make use of.

Williams won't get so much as a mylar blanket when she's done.

She will have the feeling of a task well done and admiration of her crew members as she steps up to the challenge.

NASA Astronaut to Run Boston Marathon in Space

cIclops · 2007-04-04 07:12:04

Expedition 15 crew Oleg Kotov (center) and Fyodor Yurchikhin (right),
and spaceflight participant Charles Simonyi (left)

Expedition 15 Crew to Launch from Baikonur

Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and cosmonaut Oleg Kotov of the 15th International Space Station crew are scheduled to launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at about 1:30 p.m. EDT on April 7 to begin a six-month stay in space.

The launch will be webcast live on NASA TV

Josh Cryer · 2007-04-04 23:10:58

See you in #space for the launch cIclops.

cIclops · 2007-04-09 14:44:07

Expedition 15 Arrives at Station

Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and cosmonaut Oleg Kotov of the 15th International Space Station crew docked with the orbiting laboratory at 3:10 p.m. EDT Monday to begin a six-month stay aboard.
With them is Spaceflight Participant Charles Simonyi. He is an American flying under contract with the Russian Federal Space Agency.

cIclops · 2007-04-14 06:15:55

International Space Station Assembly - 2007 - 17MB wmv (7:44 mins)

New NASA video describing the future development of ISS; covering enhanced power, Harmony (Node 2), Columbus, Kibo, Dextre (Robot hand), ATV, HTV, Node3 and the International Mission Control Centers.

cIclops · 2007-04-17 01:26:42

Latest Official Shuttle Manifest - 16 Apr 2007

June 8, 2007 13A Atlantis STS-117
* Second starboard truss segment (ITS S3/S4) with Photovoltaic Radiator (PVR)
* Third set of solar arrays and batteries
Aug. 9, 2007 13A.1 Endeavour STS-118
* SPACEHAB Single Cargo Module
* Third starboard truss segment (ITS S5)
* External Stowage Platform 3 (ESP3)
Oct. 20, 2007 10A Discovery STS-120
* Node 2
* Sidewall - Power and Data Grapple Fixture (PDGF)

cIclops · 2007-04-18 08:51:20

Expedition 15 Takes Charge After Ceremony

Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin is now in charge of the International Space Station. Staying with him after Expedition 14 leaves are flight engineers Oleg Kotov and Suni Williams. The change-of-command ceremony took place in the Destiny laboratory at 4:40 p.m. EDT Tuesday.
Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria, Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin and Spaceflight Participant Charles Simonyi leave the station April 21 in a Soyuz TMA-9 spacecraft. They will land northeast of Arkalyk which is southeast of the usual landing site in Kazakhstan.

cIclops · 2007-04-21 10:27:59

Expedition 14 return safely after 215 days

HOUSTON - The 14th crew of the International Space Station, Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin, along with spaceflight participant Charles Simonyi landed their Soyuz spacecraft in the steppes of Kazakhstan at 7:31 a.m CDT Saturday.
The Expedition 14 mission included many highlights during its seven-month duration, including the setting of several records. Lopez-Alegria completed five spacewalks, which gave him a total of 10 for his career. This set a U.S. record for not only number of spacewalks, but also cumulative spacewalk time, 57 hours, 40 minutes. He also set a U.S. record for a single spaceflight's duration with more than 215 days. This tops the 196-day mark, previously set by station crew members Dan Bursch and Carl Walz in 2001 and 2002.
During the mission Flight Engineer Sunita Williams set the record for number of space walks and total time spent on spacewalks by a woman. She participated in four space walks for a total of 29 hours and 17 minutes. Williams will remain on the station for the first part of the new mission.
Three of the crew's spacewalks were conducted over the course of nine days, an unprecedented schedule for a station crew. Starting from scratch, it takes about 100 crew-member hours to prepare for a spacewalk. By doing them a few days apart, considerable crew time can be saved by not having to repeat some of those preparatory steps.
Before closing the Soyuz-station hatches at 1:03 a.m. Saturday, Lopez-Alegria and Tyurin said farewell to the Expedition 15 crew, Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin, flight engineers Oleg Kotov and Williams. The new crew and Simonyi launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on April 7 and arrived at the station on April 9. Simonyi, a U.S. businessman, spent 12 days aboard the station under a contract with the Russian Federal Space Agency.
Lopez-Alegria and Tyurin will now spend several weeks in Star City, near Moscow, for debriefing and medical examinations. Their return to Earth was originally scheduled for Friday, April 20, but was delayed due to wet ground conditions, which could have precluded helicopter operations. The one-day change allowed for touchdown in a landing zone farther to the south.

Yang Liwei Rocket · 2007-04-21 10:45:39

So Mike Lopez now holding the record for 'Most spacewalks' and longest spaceflight by an American astronauts

cIclops · 2007-04-21 13:30:57

Yes and Sunita Williams has done more spacewalks and spent longer spacewalking than any other woman.

cIclops · 2007-04-22 04:05:18

Interview with Mike Lopez-Alegria enroute to Star City and video of Mikhail Tyurin and Charles Simonyi walking - 21 April 2007

See his physical condition after 215 days in 0g - about the time it will take to reach Mars.

cIclops · 2007-05-05 04:09:46

On board right now: Expedition 15

Commander Fyodor N. Yurchikhin (center), Flight Engineer Oleg V. Kotov (right)
and Flight Engineer Sunita L. Williams (to be replaced by Clayton Anderson)

Expedition 15 press kit (PDF 4mB)

cIclops · 2007-05-15 03:05:12

Progress 25 spacecraft about to dock with the Zvezda service module

Progress Docks to Space Station - 15 May 2005

A Progress freighter with more than 2.5 tons of fuel, air, water and other supplies and equipment aboard docked with the International Space Station at 1:10 a.m. EDT Tuesday.
The station's 25th Progress unpiloted cargo carrier brings to the orbiting laboratory more than 1,050 pounds of propellant, almost 100 pounds of air, more than 925 pounds of water and 3,042 pounds of dry cargo – a total of 5,125 pounds.
P25 launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 11:25 p.m. Friday.
The spacecraft used the automated Kurs system to dock at the aft port of the Zvezda Service Module. Expedition 15 Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin stood by at the manual Toru docking system controls, had his intervention become necessary.

cIclops · 2007-05-22 13:00:51

Sunita Williams gives a detailed tour of the US segment (video 21:22 mins)

OMG it's full of acronyms

cIclops · 2007-05-31 16:00:03

Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov (left) rides on the end of the Strela crane
with a bundle of debris panels as Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin
operates the controls.

Spacewalk Complete, Debris Panels Installed - 30 May 2007

Two International Space Station cosmonauts successfully completed a 5-hour, 25-minute spacewalk from the Pirs docking compartment airlock Wednesday, installing Service Module Debris Protection (SMDP) panels and rerouting a Global Positioning System antenna cable.

cIclops · 2007-06-06 14:12:27

Cosmonauts Wrap Up Debris-Panel Spacewalk - 6 Jun 2007

Two International Space Station cosmonauts wound up a spacewalk of 5 hours, 37 minutes from the Pirs docking compartment airlock at 3 p.m. EDT Wednesday. They installed a section of Ethernet cable on the Zarya module, installed additional Service Module Debris Protection (SMDP) panels on Zvezda, and deployed a Russian scientific experiment.

SpaceNut · 2007-06-11 06:30:25

Well if all men are to expore the heavens then this is just the start that Nasa needs to assist with. NASA Open to ISS Use by Industry, U.S.

A 14-page report sent to Congress in late May outlined a plan for operating the U.S. segment of ISS as a "national laboratory". While NASA has no clear commitment to the space station beyond 2016, you have to wonder why the US went to such great expense to build the station in the first place.

Report highlights:

NASA's pledge to establish" a small project office within the Space Operations Mission Directorate to work with other U.S. government agencies and the private sector" interested in using ISS.
NASA's willingness to make available ISS flight hardware that s either already on orbit or has been built and is either awaiting flight or not expected to fly due to budget cut backs.
Using the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program as a model, "NASA hopes to pursue an analogous opportunity for commercial water production services on the ISS utilizing" a close-loop life support system. NASA issued a "sources sought" announcement for such a system in January

Some documents that are part of the ongoing build.
http://images.spaceref.com/news/2007/id … ent.15.pdf
http://images.spaceref.com/news/2007/id … ent.16.pdf

cIclops · 2007-06-11 10:06:59

The new S3/S4 element being attached to the starboard truss by the ISS arm
- image from NASA TV ripped by cIclops 11 Jun 2007

New Mars Forums

Announcement

#1 2007-03-16 03:20:11

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#2 2007-03-16 05:14:38

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#3 2007-03-16 19:33:33

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#4 2007-03-19 09:54:48

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#5 2007-03-27 15:53:41

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#6 2007-03-27 19:31:26

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#7 2007-03-29 06:48:02

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#8 2007-03-30 10:12:26

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#9 2007-04-04 07:12:04

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#10 2007-04-04 23:10:58

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#11 2007-04-09 14:44:07

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#12 2007-04-14 06:15:55

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#13 2007-04-17 01:26:42

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#14 2007-04-18 08:51:20

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#15 2007-04-21 10:27:59

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#16 2007-04-21 10:45:39

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#17 2007-04-21 13:30:57

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#18 2007-04-22 04:05:18

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#19 2007-05-05 04:09:46

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#20 2007-05-15 03:05:12

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#21 2007-05-22 13:00:51

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#22 2007-05-31 16:00:03

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#23 2007-06-06 14:12:27

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#24 2007-06-11 06:30:25

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

#25 2007-06-11 10:06:59

Re: International Space Station (ISS / Alpha)

Board footer