Space Team Online QuestChat

Date: April 25, 2001

Featuring: Glenn Perez

Wed April 25, 2001  The expert's featured url: http://quest.nasa.gov/space/team/perez.html

[ Lori/NASAChatHost - 3 - 15:41:15 ]
You may go ahead and place questions in the chatroom now to be answered during the webchat. PLEASE don't post test messages or repeats -- though you may not see your question, it is in the chatroom.

[ Lori/NASAChatHost - 13 - 09:54:28 ]
Good afternoon everyone. We are about to begin our chat with Glenn Perez, from the Kennedy Space Center. You may submit your questions at any time.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 14 - 09:58:24 ]
Hello everyone. My name is Glenn Perez and I am the Lead Engineer for International Space Station Robotics and Video systems here at the Kennedy Space Center.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 19 - 10:01:26 ]
RE: [Thomas] How did they decide that Canada would make the robotic arm? Will it be the only arm?
Canada volunteered to make the SSRMS based on experience building the Shuttle Arm. The Russians and Japanese also will have robotic arms attached to their ISS modules.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 20 - 10:01:44 ]
RE: [Johnny] How many years have you worked at NASA?
Since 1988

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 21 - 10:03:07 ]
RE: [Carl] Where on the space station will the arm attach?
The SSRMS will remain attached to the US Lab element until April of 2001 when the Canadian built Mobile Base System arrives at the ISS.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 22 - 10:04:33 ]
RE: [Jim] Are there any plans for the Space Station Robotic arm to shake hands or hand off equipment from the Space Shuttle Robotic arm?
Yes, later today the SSRMS will pass the Shuttle Logistics pallet to the Shuttle Arm so it can be placed back in the Shuttle payload bay.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 25 - 10:07:06 ]
RE: [Nick] What exactly do you do as a robotics & avionics engineer?
Mostly integrated (connecting several elements together) testing of the ISS elements at KSC before they are launched.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 28 - 10:09:32 ]
RE: [Jack] How do you design a satellit system
Satellites are normally designed in 2 parts. There are the instruments that gather scientific data and the spacecraft or portion of the satellite that provides power, computer control, and data downlink.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 29 - 10:09:56 ]
RE: [Anna] How long is the robotic arm?
Approximately 58 feet.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 33 - 10:12:09 ]
RE: [Pamela] Does the arm do tasks itself or does it move the astronauts around to to do the tasks?
The SSRMS can not do tasks itself, it must be commanded. The SSRMS can be commanded by the astronauts on the ISS at either of the 2 Robotic Workstations (RWS. The SSRMS can also be commanded from Mission Control in Houston.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 34 - 10:13:05 ]
RE: [Michael] How is the robot arm controlled? Is it powered with anything?
The SSRMS is powered by the large solar arrays.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 35 - 10:14:05 ]
RE: [Shellie] What is the robotc arm made of?
The booms are constructed of a laminated carbon composite to save weight. The joints and Latching End Effectors are made of aluminum.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 36 - 10:15:32 ]
RE: [Britney] Why is this robotic arm sucha big deal?
It will allow the astronauts to perform many tasks without having to go outside. It also is capable of moving and installing ISS elements that will be launched in the future.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 40 - 10:17:00 ]
RE: [Michelle] Are there any canadian astronuats?
Yes. Canadian Astronaut Chris Hatfield is on the ISS right now as part of the STS-100 crew.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 41 - 10:19:08 ]
RE: [Claudio] Do you ever want to be a astronaut? Did you want to as a kid?
As a kid, no. But I did apply to become an astronaut in 1990. Unfortunately, my eyesight is not good enough.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 45 - 10:20:21 ]
RE: [Martha] How is the arm protected? Could it be hit by space junk or a meteorude?
The SSRMS is protected by cloth-like white covers. It could be hit but it's not likely.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 46 - 10:21:27 ]
RE: [Chip] Do you work at a desk all day?
No. I am frequently in meetings or working directly on the ISS flight elements.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 47 - 10:21:41 ]
RE: [Tina] How many years did you have to go to school to become a engineer?
4

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 51 - 10:24:49 ]
RE: [Laura] When you say robotic arm -- does it have joints like elbows, wrists, hands and fingers?
Good question. The SSRMS is designed much like a human arm. It has a shoulder (the base), an elbow (the middle joint), and a series of joints that recreate the human wrist. A 2nd robotic element the Special Purpose Dexterious Manipulator (SPDM) is currently under construction in Canada and will have finger-like abilities.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 52 - 10:25:26 ]
RE: [Doug] Are the astronauts able to use the arm now? If not, when?
The astronauts can use the SSRMS right now.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 53 - 10:26:15 ]
RE: [Lyla] Hi Mr. Perez! I read your bio & wondered what kind of shuttle stuff you used to work on?
I worked on Shuttle Launch ground support systems.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 54 - 10:28:49 ]
RE: [Jackie] How does the arm move? My teacher said like an inchworm. How does it do that?
The SSRMS has a base and tip end and is designed so that either end can be the base or tip. To inchworm across the ISS, the tip would grapple a fixture at the new location to become the new base, then the former base end would be released to become the new tip.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 57 - 10:31:58 ]
RE: [Ben] Does the robotic arm have a lot of freedom of movement?
7 degrees of freedom, actually more levels of movement than a human arm.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 61 - 10:33:55 ]
RE: [Chip] What do you mean by "working directly on the ISS flight elements"? Do you help build them, or just test them or what?
Mostly test, but sometimes design. I sometimes must work in or on the elements during testing to confirm the element is correctly designed and working per the design.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 63 - 10:36:10 ]
RE: [Lyla] Can you give more details about Shuttle Launch ground support systems? I am very curious about the shuttle!
Shuttle ground support systems include fueling, access arms, temperature measurements, equipments used to process the Shuttles, booster stacking aids, launch pad lightning protection systems, wind measurements, etc.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 64 - 10:38:04 ]
RE: [Martha] What is the cloth-like white covers that protect it made of? Not like our clothes we wear?
The material is a specially coated nylon/polyester blend.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 65 - 10:39:31 ]
RE: [Anna] What's the most important skill you use in your everyday duties?
The ability to look at design drawings, understand the system, and know how and what to test to determine the ISS element is ready to fly.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 69 - 10:42:51 ]
RE: [Britney] Do you work with NASA's international partners like the Russians or the Canadians or the Japanese?
I worked closely with the Canadians during SSRMS development and testing. I also worked with the Italians on the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM).

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 70 - 10:44:28 ]
RE: [Laura] Is it possible to be a engineer if you don't really like or aren't really good at science or math?
It's possible, but engineers take a lot of science (chemistry, physics) and math (algebra, geometry, calculus) in college.

[ Nick_Shellie_Claudio_Tina - 71 - 10:46:20 ]
We have to get ready to go to another class now. Thanks for chatting with us Mr. Perez!!

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 72 - 10:47:31 ]
RE: [Martha] Nylon & polyester is like the clothes we wear. What is the special coating to make it stronger than our clothes?
There are types of nylon and polyester that wouldn't make good clothes. They are thicker and more layered than clothing material to add strength. The material is dipped in the coating, I am not certain what, to make the material resistant to heat/cold and free floating chemicals that are present in space.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 73 - 10:48:11 ]
RE: [Nick_Shellie_Claudio_Tina] We have to get ready to go to another class now. Thanks for chatting with us Mr. Perez!!
Thanks for your great questions!

[ Lori/NASAChatHost - 74 - 10:48:23 ]
We will be finishing up our webchat with Glenn Perez in about 5 minutes or so. If you a question, hurry and get it in.

[ Laura - 75 - 10:49:48 ]
THANKS for chatting with us today. I had fun!

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 76 - 10:50:46 ]
RE: [Laura] THANKS for chatting with us today. I had fun!
Thanks. I enjoyed it too!

[ Ben - 77 - 10:51:53 ]
Good bye Mr. Perez -- thanks for the webchat.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 78 - 10:52:23 ]
RE: [Ben] Good bye Mr. Perez -- thanks for the webchat.
Goodbye and thank you.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 79 - 10:54:18 ]
Great chat. My thanks to everyone.

[ GlennPerez/KSC - 80 - 10:56:35 ]
Well back to work. Everyone have a great day!

[ Lori/NASAChatHost - 81 - 11:00:07 ]
Thanks everyone for joining us today for our webcast with Glenn Perez from the Kennedy Space Center. Don't forget to join us tomorrow for our full day of events with NASA Quest's Women of NASA Virtual Take Our Daughters to Work Day (and yes, sons are invited too!) The web address for tomorrow's events is: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/women/TODTWD01/index.html. Hope to see you then online. Have a great day :-)