Question General Spaceflight Q&A

[Urwumpe]

The aft thrusters should be a bit more silent, but generally, they are rather too silent in Orbiter, than too loud.

 

[Linguofreak]

Here's a question:

Why is the LON mission for STS 134 listed as STS 135 instead of as a 3xx mission like the other LON's?

The LON for 126 was 119 because it just involved a modification of the 119 flight plan, and the LON for 125 will be 400, because it's a different mission type than the others, but what's so special about 134/135? Does it have something to do with 134 being the last planned mission?

 

[tblaxland]

Does it have something to do with 134 being the last planned mission?

Yes, LON duties are STS-135's only mission. It looks like the STS-3xx series are only used if their is a corresponding primary mission.

 

[Suzy]

1. How much privacy do they get on the ISS? Do the crew members have any area which they can go to for privacy?
2. The crew do get days off don't they? I know they spend most of their time performing experiments etc, but when they have time off, what can they do? What is there for them to do aboard the ISS?

1. There are 2 small enclosed cabins in Zvezda Service Module (example photo), plus a "Temporary" Sleep Station in Destiny (at least, there was - photo), so these provide a retreat. I don't know where the extra 3 crew will sleep!
2. The crew get some time off each day (evenings, from what I can ascertain), but they still have to do basic chores everyday (exercise, maintenance). The NASA crew timelines give an idea of each day's schedule. They have on-board movies and books.

 

[tblaxland]

1. There are 2 small enclosed cabins in Zvezda Service Module (example photo), plus a "Temporary" Sleep Station in Destiny (at least, there was - photo), so these provide a retreat. I don't know where the extra 3 crew will sleep!

They brought up two new ones on STS-126. They were put in Hamony IIRC. I don't know about the third one.

2. The crew get some time off each day (evenings, from what I can ascertain), but they still have to do basic chores everyday (exercise, maintenance). The NASA crew timelines give an idea of each day's schedule. They have on-board movies and books.

Yeah, some days are busier than others but there is always something to do. Just like on the ground really, even on my days "off" I have things to do: wash the car, kids sport, etc. The astronauts also have access to email and some web browsing too (news and the like), IIRC. Sometimes they are able to receive live TV (I remember Mike Fincke talking about it). Looking out the window is a pretty awesome past-time too - so I hear.

 

[Suzy]

... The astronauts also have access to email and some web browsing too (news and the like), IIRC. Sometimes they are able to receive live TV (I remember Mike Fincke talking about it). Looking out the window is a pretty awesome past-time too - so I hear.

I have asked about ISS Internet access in forums and the replies are adamant that there isn't any, not in the way we know it - extract from a page on my site:

There is no regular Internet access on the ISS as it would require high bandwidth. (Bad news for Internet addicts!) The Ku-band is the the high-bandwidth channel, but priority is reserved for data transfers such as from scientific experiments and general housekeeping (such as software upgrades from Mission Control). The crew can use email; emails are stored and forwarded to a NASA server on Earth, and vice-versa. The two servers exchange the emails in batches three times a day. Before a crewperson launches, they have to give NASA a list of the email addresses they want to receive mail from, and thus they can only receive mail from the people on this list. Anousheh Ansari updated her online blog by this method (sending entries via email).

Crews can also use Internet Phone (Voice over IP) to hold teleconferences; the secure link is via the NASA TDRSS satellites.
​

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

They brought up two new ones on STS-126. They were put in Hamony IIRC. I don't know about the third one.

Correct.

Two are in Harmony, in the Port & Starboard rack locations. There is also the Temporary Sleep Station (TeSS) in Destiny, plus the two in Zvezda.

The sixth crew member is currently planned to sleep in Columbus, I think. Although, the Z1 dome is also being considered as a temporary sleep area until STS-128 arrives in Aug 09.

Two more crew quarter racks will be brought up on STS-128, and will be put in the Nadir & Zenith rack loactions on Harmony. This means that the crew quarter racks will be arranged 360° around Harmony, which is better, as together the racks minimise crew exposure to radiation. The TeSS will be returned to Earth in the MPLM on STS-128.

 

[tblaxland]

The sixth crew member is currently planned to sleep in Columbus, I think. Although, the Z1 dome is also being considered as a temporary sleep area until STS-128 arrives in Aug 09.

Thanks for the additional info. I just watched the Exp 20 preflight briefing and they mentioned that a temporary sleep station was being setup in Kibo.

 

[Oceanic]

Thanks for the additional info. I just watched the Exp 20 preflight briefing and they mentioned that a temporary sleep station was being setup in Kibo.

now that will be the 1st class sleep station, it is the most quiet place in the ISS

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Thanks for the additional info. I just watched the Exp 20 preflight briefing and they mentioned that a temporary sleep station was being setup in Kibo.

Conveniently, this picture has just been released!

Hi-res: http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-19/hires/iss019e014672.jpg

now that will be the 1st class sleep station, it is the most quiet place in the ISS

Don't forget the view out those windows!

 

[Donamy]

Imagine the look on his face, if the other crew members put him in the airlock, while he was sleeping.

 

[TMac3000]

I have a very stupid question, but it's really been bothering since I started reading this thread (about twenty minutes ago). What exactly do they do up there on the ISS? Experimentation? Research? Reconaissance, maybe?

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

Imagine the look on his face, if the other crew members put him in the airlock, while he was sleeping.

Yeah, and they could put one of those alarm clocks in there where you can record a custom wake up noise.

So he could awake to the sound of

"ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss"

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I have a very stupid question, but it's really been bothering since I started reading this thread (about twenty minutes ago). What exactly do they do up there on the ISS? Experimentation? Research? Reconaissance, maybe?

Yep. They conduct experiments on things like the body, and the behavior of liquids in microgravity. They do Earth observation. And they just generally maintain the station by cleaning it, checking the systems, and storing items in the correct place, etc.

 

[TMac3000]

So he could awake to the sound of

"ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss"

Dude, that's just cruel. I love it! :lol:

 

[tblaxland]

Yep. They conduct experiments on things like the body, and the behavior of liquids on microgravity. They do Earth observation. And they just generally maintain the station by cleaning it, checking the systems, and storing items in the correct place, etc.

The ISS Daily Reports provide a very good detailed look at what the astronauts are up to: http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/somd/reports/iss_reports/index.html. They also provide a weekly science update, here is an example from last week: http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/somd/reports/iss_reports/2009/05102009.html

 

[ar81]

I found this nice info on ISS
http://www98.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=International+Space+Station+4%2F6%2F09+at+7%3A45pm

 

[clickypens]

What is the orientation of the ISS? Are there specific modules that are always prograde? Or does Zvedza and Zarya and the other in-line modules face perpendicular to earth? Or do they try to keep rotation to a minimum?

 

[Urwumpe]

The ISS has some standard attitudes, one of which is gravity gradient stabilized, so it keeps the orientation without requiring attitude control. The other standard is the docking attitude, in which the ISS flies so, that the main docking ports are parallel to the velocity vector.

Both attitudes define the coordinate system: Forward is where the US segment is, aft where the Russian modules are. Starboard is towards Columbus, Port is to Kibo. Up and Down are equally defined.

 

[clickypens]

Okay, so when it's in normal flight, the main modules are facing the velocity vector, and when it's docking these same modules are perpendicular to the VV?
After the craft are docked, does the ISS turn back around to normal orientation? Or does it stay the same as when it's docked?

 

[tblaxland]

Okay, so when it's in normal flight, the main modules are facing the velocity vector, and when it's docking these same modules are perpendicular to the VV?

No. Normally it flies with the US modules at the front and the Russian modules at the back. For docking, the long axis is parallel to the velocity vector. For torque equilibrium attitude (the gravity gradient stabilised attitude Urwumpe mentioned) it is pitched down slightly (about 15deg IIRC - may be wrong on the amount).

After the craft are docked, does the ISS turn back around to normal orientation? Or does it stay the same as when it's docked?

Depends. It will go from docking attitude to free drift (ie no attitude control) whilst the relative motion is damped out. After hard dock, it will go back to TEA for Soyuz & Progress dockings. For the shuttle, it yaws around so that the US segment is at the back. That attitude has less atmospheric drag and less micro-meteoroid/debris risk for the Shuttle.