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Zvezda Module Is Go For Launch
Dr. DSP writes: "One of the primary Russian components of the International Space Station, the Zvezda module, is being scheduled for launch on July 12, and rendevous with the station on the 26th. The Zvezda module will serve as early living quarters for astro/cosmonauts. It contains the life support, electrical power distribution, data processing, flight control, and propulsion systems. The fact that the Russians have been late to launch this module is one of the largest problems NASA, and the space agencies of the other partner nations, has had to deal with since the project started. The fact that Zvezda is launching will be a sigh of relief for the international aerospace community. Read the press release at NASA's website."
And if the space station is run by castronauts, how long until we have a custody battle over little Alien Gonzalez who came 53,000 light years to live in america?
/. at 5:30 am...
Boy, i gotta stop reading
Dreamweaver
"If a man hasn't discovered something he will die for, he isn't fit to live" -- MLK, Jr.
And it means Zee Vehicle Eventually Dives Apocolyptically in English.
-- iCEBaLM
Blah, thats Zee Vehicle Eventually Zoom Dives Apocolyptically
-- iCEBaLM
The External Tank is made of spacecraft craft aluminum and lithium, and certified for pressures much higher than an earth normal atmosphere (because of the nature of the cryogenic fuel it carries).
The walls are thicker then the walls on Skylab, and stronger too, and Skylab kicked ass as a space station (until it personally kicked the ass of some shepherders when it came down over Australia).
Also, there are 10-15 tons of liquid oxygen and hydrogen leftover after MECO, and that stuff could be drained and used for life support and propellent, and to make water.
Interestingly, the Zvezda module was originally built for Mir-2, the intended followup to Mir. So in effect, that's exactly what they did.
As for the Science Power Platform (SPP), NASA is still bookkeeping it in their plans but no one really expects it to be there in real life.
You're thinking of the Atlas, Deltas and other boosters. Those structures require pressurization to keep integrity, but the shuttle external tank doesn't. It doesn't even have a helium re-pressurization system like other boosters.
Plus, if it's in orbit and pressurized to an atmosphere, that would more then take care of the pressurization problem right there. If there was one.
eellis speculates wildly:
On reading the press release, it seems that the Russians still haven't got a clue about generating the power required for a space station. [...] One of the designers of the solar array [told] me that the then planned array size of 60 feet was too small by a factor of 2. It seems that they've added some extra capacity, but nowhere near enough. So, this mission is doomed to fail. They'll run out of power.
What the bleep do you mean "doomed" and "fail"? Is it going to flicker on and off until something catches fire and the entire space station veers off course and crashes and burns spectacularly in Central Park? Or is it (worst case scenario) going to simply be chronically short of the expected power requirements, meaning the crews have to reroute the systems it supports, and perhaps give up some luxuries? I guess the second scenario isn't as ominous sounding.
Perhaps there is some truth to this -- there are always engineering disagreements on projects this big -- but the Russians aren't doing this alone, and there has been ample consideration given to the ISS power requirements.
The Service Module is only responsible for a small percentage of station power. When complete, the entire ISS power system will consist of four US-built arrays connected to the US Node 1 via the Z1 Truss, each with four 112x39' wings, as well as the solar arrays on the Zarya and Zvezda modules, and possibly (if the Russians meet their commitments) a separate array to power the Russian science modules (which are themselves not guaranteed). The aggregate power systems will produce 110 kW, of which 98 kW will come from the US-built main arrays. (By comparison, all of Mir's solar panels, including the US-built-and-delivered MCSA, produce a mere 30 kW.)
The first of the main arrays will be installed by ISS Crew 1 around November, so they won't be dependent on the Zvezda arrays for very long at all. Each PANEL on the array has more power capacity than BOTH the Zvezda wings, and there will be four panels.
In short, for the completed ISS, Zvezda will be providing about 1.5% of the power requirements.
In any case, the Mir power problems weren't related directly to the power-generation abilities of the solar arrays; they were related to the lousy Russian batteries that couldn't keep the station running when Mir lost the ability to stay pointed at the sun. Fortunately, ISS has better batteries and more of them. We'll see how this goes.
For the "mission" (whatever you meant by that) to be "doomed", the American-built main arrays would have to be so badly designed that they generate less than half the expected power. Anywhere in between that, and they will simply have to modify the science expectations until they can supplement the power systems.
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lake effect weblog
{Network engineer in Chicago--looking for work!}
Frodo writes, incredibly:
... hardly the "early 40s".
Russians are dealing with lauching spacecrafts since early 40's at least (even earilier, but in 40's they had results). So they probably have couple of clues. I don't know how much spacecraft did you launch, but they did launch a couple successfully, didn't they?
While I certainly would agree that in fact the Russians probably know a little more about space stations than we do, you should check your facts once in a while.
The first Russian spacecraft was Sputnik, which was launched in 1957
Anyway, the question eellis asked was a little uninformed but it was a good question. The power requirements for a space station are a critical factor and should not be overlooked. The Russians do have some issues with the Proton launch vehicles. Despite the basic design being in use for four decades (though upgraded frequently), Proton vehicles have been blowing up or detonated by range safety at a disturbing rate the last couple of years.
Kazakhstan even required the Russians (whose Baikonur space complex ended up in another country after the USSR broke up) to halt launches until they could solve the safety problems. Meanwhile, the Zvezda -- which was much delayed in building -- was also delayed due to US concerns that launching it on a Proton was too risky.
The Proton got a hasty upgrade to a new propulsion system design and has launched successfully with that new design a couple of times now, which is why Zvezda is finally scheduled to go up.
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lake effect weblog
{Network engineer in Chicago--looking for work!}
Don't forget that one of the four main solar arrays will be installed on the Z-truss shortly after Zvesda is launched. Zvesda's power generation capability is similar to the FGB's - just there to keep the station running until the main truss is installed.i ghts/2000/4a.html
Check this:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/assembly/fl
I guess that NASA will have checked the specs as well. This mission is too important for them to fail. If this mission fails they will get less funding themselves.. besides.. Russia knows that they can, no MUST, not fail. If they do fail then the ISS project will be doomed.
Ok, we have the worlds most expensive meccano set gradually being built and bolted together.
Do we know what we're going to do with it once it's in place? Nope.
It's just a case of meccano envy. The Russians have a large meccano set in space (gradually falling apart but there) and the Americans want one too except they can't afford it and got the Russians and everyone else to help build it.
Government of the people, by corporate executives, for corporate profits.
Damn. I must have messed up my install somewhere.
/lib/modules/0.0.1/construct/left-bit.o /lib/modules/0.0.1/construct/right-bit.o /lib/modules/0.0.1/systems/life-sup.o /lib/modules/0.0.1/constants/gravity.o
[root@localhost]>modprobe zvezda
[root@localhost]>insmod zvezda
[root@localhost]>depmod zvezda
depmod: not an NASA file
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in
depmod: *** Unresolved symbols in
Any one got a clue? It looks like it still needs some work?
Cheers,
Toby Haynes
Anything I post is strictly my own thoughts and doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the opinions of IBM.
From the press release:
Last time I was in Moscow, as part of an international conference (1998), I had some interesting discussions with one of the designers of the solar array. He voiced his concerns to me that the then planned array size of 60 feet was too small by a factor of 2. It seems that they've added some extra capacity, but nowhere near enough.So, this mission is doomed to fail. They'll run out of power.
Wow, that's so wrong for so many reasons...
No. The external tanks are not made up of thousands of puzzle pieces that magically turn to dust the moment they aren't needed anymore.
It's two large metal tanks with a skirt around their juncture and a point in the front. That's all.
It's not Jenga. If you bother to visit the link in my first message, you can actually see pictures of the insides of the ET as well as lots of technical data.
The reason the ET is dropped in the pacific is because it is a huge single object. On disconnect from the shuttle, open valves make it start tumbling slowly so that it will break up faster and more completely.
In old days, maybe we send you to gulag. I have better idea for you comrade; we have you write control code for Zvezda module, yes? You work in Zvezda module, yes? Nothing but cosmonauts to look at, surely you have no problems concentrating. As for being fired; no fired, ejected!
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Canada is providing a 55-foot-long robotic arm to be used for assembly and maintenance tasks on the Space Station.
The European Space Agency is building a pressurized laboratory to be launched on the Space Shuttle and logistics transport vehicles to be launched on the Ariane 5 launch vehicle.
Japan is building a laboratory with an attached exposed exterior platform for experiments as well as logistics transport vehicles.
In addition, Brazil and Italy are contributing some equipment to the station through agreements with the United States.
I think Italy plans to launch one or two modules this year, and early next year.
krystal_blade
It will be easy to motivate our fellow man; there is hardly anything people treasure more than not being annihilated.
Mir is also testament to the fact that the Russians can build something that can still be used way beyond its originally planned lifespan.
I just love the "edge of technology agency NASA" who releases press releases on FTP - Way to go NASA .. Let me fire up the old FTP client and read some press releases :-)
NASA also has imposed restriction that Russia successfully launch 2 other Protons before they go ahead with the Service Module.
The 12 June date is not solid. If all goes well that is the earliest window for launch. Note that the listed window runs from July 8-14. If they can't get the SM up by the 14th of July, the next launch opportunity won't be until early August. Here's a breakdown of near term Russian launches:
June 23: Russian Proton K-DM with the Intersputnik Express-3A communications satellite from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. Launch Time 8:28 PM EDT (0028 GMT June 24).
No earlier than June: Ukranian Zenit-2 with a Russian Kosmos military spacecraft from Complex 45 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. Launch time TBA.
June 28: Russian Cosmos-3M with the Russian Nadezhda COSPAS-SARSAT military navigation satellite, the Tsinghua-1 satellite for China and the SNAP-1 nano-satellite for Great Britain from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia. Launch Time TBA.
June 30: International Launch Services Proton (Block DM) with first Sirius communications satellite (formerly known as CD Radio) from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. Launch time 6:08:47 PM EDT (2208:47 GMT).
No earlier than July 1: Russian Proton with a Geyser data relay satellite for the Russian Ministry of Defense from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. Launch Time TBA.
July 12: Starsem Soyuz-Fregat with two Cluster-2 satellites (FM6 and FM7) from Complex 31 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. Launch Time TBD.
July 12: Russian Proton on ISS flight 1R with the Zvezda Service Module for the International Space Station from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. Launch Time TBD. (Launch is scheduled between July 8 - 14).
>Mir is testament to the fact that Russians making something on a small budget does not work too well.
The fact that you could make a statement like this just exposes your complete ignorance. Mir was designed to run for only a few years, and it's now been up, what, 12 years? Do you know how much the Russians have learned from something like that?
Personally I think the Russians are the world experts at designing and maintaining space stations, not the US.
LL
"If you are falling, dive." -Joseph Campbell
Does anyone have something further on this? I'm sure some AC can respond, but for unfortunate reasons I've been reading this thread at threshold=1.
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If we end up with Castronaughts, does this mean the space station will become the world's most expensive cigar shop, or that our old friend Fidel will sue for trademark infringement?
It's a damn shame the ISS isn't based around using the space shuttle's external tanks instead. Each shuttle launch boosts the external tank 95% of the way to orbit. All they would need to do is hold onto the tank through the OMS 1 burn (with a minimal cargo impact), and it would be in orbit. Once it was in orbit, it could be outfitted as a space station.
To make it easier, it could have the wiring ducts and hatchways installed before launch and launch wet, like Skylab was originally supposed to do.
The only American space station so far, Skylab, was also built in a fuel tank, a S-IV stage, so it's not a new precedent. A station built out of shuttle external tanks would have more internal volume in one launch then the ISS will after 30-40 shuttle launches.
For more information on this, check out the following website:
http://www.orbit6.com/et/
What about flying 3000 Hamsters, in tredmills and hook em up to that sucker. ok and to the smarty who is going to say there is no gravity in space for a tread mill, bite me.