Space Team Online QuestChat

Date: February 23, 2001

Featuring William Stinson

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 0 - 15:51:27 ]
This is the place for the follow-up chat to our webcast about living on the International Space Station. Our guest experts will be William Stinson, a NASA Technical Integration Engineer and Harry Johnson, a NASA Environmental Control Engineer. Read William's profile at: http://quest.nasa.gov/space/team/stinson and Harry's profile at: http://quest.nasa.gov/space/team/johnsonh.html before joining the chat.

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 6 - 09:59:03 ]
Good Morning, We're about to begin and would welcome your questions.

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 10 - 10:02:40 ]
RE: [MarciDaveMains] 1)Do you feel, after dealing with the restrictions of micro-gravity, that Space Station Beta should be designed as a giant wheel which would provide minimum gravity conditions throughout the station, as opposed to NASA's "scaled-back" design of a single rotating room?
With an unlimited budget I think the giant wheel design would be optimal, but operating within our current confines I believe we are doing our best with what we have available

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 14 - 10:05:44 ]
RE: [Maryllyn] How do you put the space station together and how long will it take?
We have different companies from around the nation and the world constructing the different elements of the station - NASA then tests them together and launches them - station complete around 2005

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 16 - 10:07:56 ]
RE: [KeithAndrews] As you are constructing the ISS what experiments, if any, are being done to create gravity in a space station?
None during the construction phase, however the CAM module will be a centrifuge for experiments ready near station complete

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 17 - 10:09:22 ]
RE: [Margie] How do astronauts resolve disagreements if they can't get away from each other?
They are trained to handle people situations - it's also part of the testing for astronaut appointments

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 18 - 10:10:13 ]
RE: [MrFerrerosClass] How does the food taste in space?
Food should taste much the same as on Earth - gravity shouldn't affect your tastebuds

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 21 - 10:12:22 ]
RE: [Aaron] I am a freshman in highschool this next school year. My dream job would be as an aerodynamics or aerospace engineer. I love math and science and would also love to fly planes. What would be your advice on how to follow this career path? What is the best education possible in this field? How much education do I need? and What are some electives I could take that would make me more valuable in this career?
Just take one step at a time - things you can do now include take the hardest classes your school offers in math and science and start scouting colleges you would like to attend.

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 24 - 10:14:15 ]
RE: [Michelle] Hi! William I«m from MŽxico and I want to become an astronaut, anyway I just wanted to ask you: how is beautiful is up there?
I don't actually have first hand experience, but the astronauts I interface with say it's the most beautiful experience they've seen.

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 25 - 10:16:21 ]
RE: [Rhiannon] I want to know how you pick who goes to space?
Good question - there are many requirements such as people-skills as mentioned earlier in this chat. Other tests are for physical aptitude and ofcourse intellegence

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 27 - 10:19:29 ]
RE: [Nicole] When you're in the space shuttle, is all of your food solid or do you have liquid drinks? If so, what would happen if you spilt it?
Good thinking - that's why we try to minimize spilling liquids in space by having sealed straws to provide drinking liquids and an enclosed shower area to bathe, because liquid floating in spacecraft can cause serious damage to elecronic components

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 29 - 10:20:49 ]
RE: [SergioMcmillan] How diffrent does it feel sleeping in space then here on earth ?
Much different than on Earth since you can't sink into your bed like you can on Earth - this makes it hard for some Astronauts to sleep

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 31 - 10:23:05 ]
RE: [ManlioMcmillan] How many G's are sustained in microspace
In orbit you exerience microgravity or just a small fraction of Earth's gravity because you are always falling - similar to the feeling you get when you jump off a diving board

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 33 - 10:25:29 ]
RE: [Margie] I understand astronauts from different countries will be working together. What sort of training do they get to relate to people of different cultures and languages?
Lots of training directly with the other countries that they will be interfacing. Many years of planning and training go into each mission

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 35 - 10:27:34 ]
RE: [ManlioMcmillian] How do you train the cosmonauts and astronauts to eat the foods and sleep in space since we do have gravity here on Earth?
Very carefully - in order to be an astronaut they have to pass tests which place different physical demand upon them to see if they can handle the microgravity environment

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 37 - 10:29:03 ]
RE: [PAUL] Have they considered a robo video camera that is released just prior to docking with the Iss to get a much greater view of the docking and also watch as they construct the space station.
Yes and they do have a version of that called the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) or arm

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 40 - 10:33:32 ]
RE: [Blake/USSpaceCamp] Greetings from US Space Camp, Huntsville Alabama. Currently, what is the projected date of total completion of the ISS if there is a date like that? That you know of, have there been any serious problems since Expedition 1 has been aboard?
It depends on what you consider totally complete - we'll have capability for a full crew (7) when the Crew Return Vehicle is attached (currently scheduled for 12/2004). The last module to be attached is currently scheduled to be the Centrifuge Accommodation Module (CAM - mentioned earlier) which is scheduled for 2/2006.

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 42 - 10:36:09 ]
RE: [KeithAndrews] As you construct the ISS, are there any interactive projects that we can participate with over the internet? I heard that some of the Mars research was done by people over the internet.
The internet has various interactive space related events which you can participate - search some of the space sites for details.

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 44 - 10:37:26 ]
RE: [Margie] What items are astronauts allowed to take into space for entertainmant or as family momentoes?
They have a certain weight allotment for personal items which varies with different people

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 45 - 10:39:30 ]
RE: [Blake/USSpaceCamp] Do you know if any of the ISS crew members will get to fly on it more than once? Does the ISS have fuel cells that produce a byproduct of water like the orbiter and if so, how much is produced?
Fuel Cells are just for the Shuttles power production currently - the ISS gets it's power from solar arrays - water is a precious comsumable that must be recycled

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 48 - 10:41:35 ]
RE: [Lindsay] Does it get trieing when you have so much heavy equipment on your body, when you are up in space for maybe a week.
On orbit you don't really feel the weight of the equipment - the hard part is the stress of the new environment

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 50 - 10:46:30 ]
RE: [Troy] Mr. Stinson & Mr. Johnson, If people are to live on the moon at the International Space Station, how important is finding water or ice on the moon? What do you think about ice on the moon? Do you think there is or do you think not? Thank you, Troy
Very important to have ice/water available on the moon and/or Mars in order to have O2/H2 available as an in-situ resource (available along our travel path thru space) - I believe from recent photos that Mars does have subterrainean water

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 53 - 10:48:59 ]
RE: [Blake/USSpaceCamp] How many pieces are at KSC currently awaiting a ride to the ISS? Does NASA have backups for every piece and if so, where are they stored?
About a dozen or so missions at KSC are in process - which means we are still getting them ready to launch - lots of testing involved. These elements are one of a kind items - no backups

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 54 - 10:50:06 ]
RE: [KeithAndrews] On the Space Station what messures are taken to accomodate the religious needs of the astronauts?
They have personal time that they can use as they wish

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 55 - 10:51:09 ]
RE: [MariaMcMillan] When not working on an experiment, what do astronauts do for entertainment?
Most like books or music or looking at the view

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 58 - 10:52:00 ]
RE: [lorenamcmillan] how do you get rid of the waste when going to the bathroom if there is no gravity?
They have air flow move the waste - like a vacuum cleaner

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 61 - 10:55:06 ]
RE: [Margie] When it comes to emergencies, how are astronauts trained to respond? Is there one emergency officer who takes control or is this task shared?
There is a commander who is trained to lead certain tasks, but depending on the emergency everyone gets involved

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 62 - 10:57:12 ]
RE: [lakewoodprep] how many years of training and prepeation does it take to get to go up to space
Many years but it depends on the complexity of the mission for the exact amount of time

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 64 - 10:57:58 ]
RE: [KevinMcMillan] About how many hours of sleep do you get daily?
About 8 hours - same as on Earth

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 65 - 11:00:58 ]
RE: [WashingtonCountyLibrary] How does the space station stay in orbit?
It goes so fast around the Earth that it continually falls but never hits the ground - like a sky diver that is moving so quickly around the Earth that he always misses the ground

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 66 - 11:01:52 ]
RE: [Margie] Are the books read by astronauts hard copies or electronic books?
They like hard copies to relax they read enough telemetry off the computer screens for work

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 67 - 11:01:55 ]
I want to thank William for joining us today. I thank him for fielding such a variety of questions! We'll wrap up with the last few questions that are in the room. This has been a very infomative chat for me. Thank our participants for joining as well.

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 69 - 11:04:37 ]
RE: [Jami] How big is the Iss?
Currently the interior is about the same volume as the interior of a couple of school buses but will eventually be the like the interior of a 747 plane

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 70 - 11:05:55 ]
The archive for this chat will be online soon. Please leave any comments about the chat and this experience in the room. We'll see them in the moderation area. Thanks again for joining us!

[ WilliamStinson/KSC - 71 - 11:06:06 ]
RE: [KeithAndrews] Thank You for Your Time Today... Thank You Quest for Scheduling the Chat!!
Thank You everyone for all the interest - let's make "space" for everyone