Space Team Online QuestChat

Date: May 20, 1998

Featuring: Sherri Carlson
Electrical Engineer
NASA Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, FL

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 5 - 10:00:07 ]
Hello and welcome to today's Space Team Online chat with Sherri Carlson from NASA Kennedy Space Center! Sherri works with 46 computers and almost 500 other electrical systems that will control all the subsystems on the International Space Station. She is responsible for checking the designs of the systems and making sure they will work together with the equipment they control.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 6 - 10:00:29 ]
And now, here is Sherri Carlson to answer your questions.

[ SherriCarlson/KSC - 12 - 10:09:04 ]
RE: [Mudassir/IDS] Hi, I am from Pakistan, an Electronics engineer working in a data communications company ... I see that you work on control systems for the space station ... I have worked on PLC's and DCS in industrial environments and recently on a telemetry system over UHF links ... I guess the control systems onboard the space station are of similar nature ... what is the complexity of such a system abord the space station as compared to an industrial control system ?
Probably what you have been working on is far more complex than what the Space Station has to offer. We are working with 80386 machines at 12 MIPS. This is because the International Space Station was once Space Station Freedom, and was originally designed in the 1980s. Since we can get by with less robust computers, we did not feel it justified to add more tax dollars to our program.

[ SherriCarlson/KSC - 13 - 10:11:02 ]
RE: [SherriCarlson/KSC] Probably what you have been working on is far more complex than what the Space Station has to offer. We are working with 80386 machines at 12 MIPS. This is because the International Space Station was once Space Station Freedom, and was originally designed in the 1980s. Since we can get by with less robust computers, we did not feel it justified to add more tax dollars to our program.
By the way, we are planning to test a portion of the Station UHF system later this year or early next year. The system is used to link the Station, the Shuttle orbiter and the astronauts in their Extravehicular Activity (EVA).

[ SherriCarlson/KSC - 15 - 10:12:12 ]
RE: [pentuna/UST] Hello there, I saw that you're an electrical engineering and yet you managed to enter NASA and work there...one of my frustrations is to take up a course which maybe related to any work environment possible for me to enter NASA, and now i'm taking up ECE aka Electronics and Communications Engineering...well, is there in anyway that I can apply there?
Yes you certainly can apply here! There is a fantastic program I was privledged to be part of called the Co-Op program. Typically you work a semester at NASA while you are in school. Your high school or college Co-op program can help you get the info you need to make this work for you. By the way, the class sounds like a good start.

[ SherriCarlson/KSC - 16 - 10:14:11 ]
RE: [Mudassir/IDS] yes but I suppose that it has to be much more reliable ?
yes, we have very high reliability requirements. Nearly all of the avionics are designed with both internal and external (architecture) redundancy. This means both the hardware and the software are typically designed with several layers of 'safety', especially where critical systems are concerned.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 20 - 10:20:20 ]
RE: [Mudassir/IDS-Mudassir/IDS] just a suggestion ... why don't you people use IRC for the chats instead ? it would be much better I suppose
We use chat software developed specifically to our specifications.

[ SherriCarlson/KSC - 22 - 10:22:22 ]
RE: [Mudassir/IDS-Mudassir/IDS] By the way, is there any possibility for a civilian like me who is from Pakistan to visit and see any of this ? I guess its not possible, but just thought I could ask ...
Yes, there are tours and such available. There is a visitor's center here locally that shows many of the Kennedy Space Center facilities, such as the launch pads and the Vehicle Assembly Building. As far as sneaking a peek at the Space Station Hardware, that's more difficult. There are access (security) clearances and hazardous work area training constraints. Currently only a very small subset of the Space Station hardware at the Kennedy Space Center right now. Most of it is still in the completion stages at the factories around this country and the world. Examples: The US Laboratory module is being assembled and tested in Huntsville, AL, and the logistics module in Turin, Italy.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 25 - 10:24:48 ]
RE: [Mudassir/IDS-Mudassir/IDS] but is there a possibility ? and if yes ? how ?
Contact the Public Affairs Office via the Internet at http://www.ksc.nasa.gov for more information regarding visiting the center.

[ SherriCarlson/KSC - 27 - 10:27:06 ]
RE: [Mudassir/IDS-Mudassir/IDS] ok thanks ... nice to chat with you Sherri.
You too.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 29 - 10:27:56 ]
RE: [Mudassir/IDS-Mudassir/IDS] I guess I am only one asking questions and holding you guys from important work :-(
You may ask any questions you have for another 30 minutes if you like.

[ SherriCarlson/KSC - 32 - 10:32:01 ]
RE: [Mudassir/IDS-Mudassir/IDS] ok ... I wanted to tell you people about a group I am volunteering with ... Technology@Work ... its based in USA and we are helping kids learn about technology via the Internet ... basically its in initial stage at this time ... I noticed in your bio, that you may be interested to hear about this ...
Yes, actually, I am interested in knowing more. What age groups are involved, and what technologies are addressed?

[ Mudassir/IDS-Mudassir/IDS - 34 - 10:34:31 ]
all age groups are welcome ... initially we have a small group like 4 or 5 kids, but we plan to take this to schools and offline too ...

[ SherriCarlson/KSC - 39 - 10:39:54 ]
RE: [Sarah/Greenmeadow] When will the Space Station launch? will you go?
The first American Space Staiton launch is planned for later this year (July). This is called the Node-1. It will be used as a point to assemble other Station modules later. A little like a hall-way or corridor. But I won't be going. Too bad! Only career astronaunts get to go work on the Space Station in Space. There are only a few very special prople that get to be astronauts. They train for a long time and will know just how to put all the Station pieces together.

[ SherriCarlson/KSC - 40 - 10:41:40 ]
RE: [Sarah/Greenmeadow] Would you like to live on the Space Station yourself?
Oh I certainly would!! It would be a little cramped because it is a little small inside. I would miss the nice days outside, but I would go if I had the chance. Do you think you would like to go?

[ SherriCarlson/KSC - 36 - 10:36:19 ]
RE: [Mudassir/IDS-Mudassir/IDS] we use IRC to teach the kids about programming and such ... but at this time, we are out of server :-(
You provide on-line instruction? Do you respond to polls from kids or is there a program / curriculum you use?

[ Mudassir/IDS-Mudassir/IDS - 42 - 10:43:20 ]
yes we provide interactive online instruction ... and also respond to their questions ... it is basically more one to one instruction using chat at this time since it is a very small group, but we hope that we will grow fast

[ SherriCarlson/KSC - 45 - 10:45:35 ]
RE: [Mudassir/IDS-Mudassir/IDS] as I said that its in the initial stage, but we are progressing ... ok what I had thought earlier was, that maybe since NASA is interested in conducting these public chats, we can maybe get the kids to work on this somehow ... I do not know how at this time, but sure would like to discuss any possibilities here
I am just getting introducted to the Space team online activities. There is a project where we get involved in the classroom on any variety of subjects. We are interactive in that we have cameras and can actually 'teach' fromour worksite. I will be joining this activity in the fall, and it sounds like what you are involved in may be applicable. Send me a web address!

[ SherriCarlson/KSC - 47 - 10:47:20 ]
RE: [Oran/NASAChatHost] Sherri, as someone involved in the ISS effort, in what direction would you like to see space exploration take in the future?
I think we need to be very focused on science exploration. NASA is best known for our manned space exploration efforts, the Space Shuttle and the Space Station. But I think we can learn a lot more much faster if we were to develop smaller, unmanned science missions. I hope to work on some of these in the future.

[ SherriCarlson/KSC - 48 - 10:48:22 ]
RE: [Sarah/Greenmeadow] Have you ever watched a launch?
I watch every one. The night launches are especially beautiful. Have you ever seen one? Maybe on TV?

[ Sarah/Greenmeadow - 51 - 10:50:46 ]
I did see them I like to look at them on the web.

[ SherriCarlson/KSC - 53 - 10:51:19 ]
RE: [Sarah/Greenmeadow] I am a little scared I hope it wouldn't have problems like Shuttle Mir
We are working very hard to be sure the International Space Station does not have problems like MIR. Remember, though, MIR has been in space a long time, and needs some repairs like a car! The Russians are part of the International Space Station, too. They are building an 'energy block' which will help leep the Station in the right place in space. Also, they are building a module that the astronauts can use to fly home in an emergency like the Soyuz.

[ SherriCarlson/KSC - 54 - 10:51:57 ]
RE: [Mudassir/IDS-Mudassir/IDS] http://www.taw.org Ms. Carlson, I would really appreciate if you could take a look at it ... its not complete yet ... if you go to the volunteer section and click on online information, you will get a policy page, that will give you an idea what this is about.
I will check it out. Thanks!

[ Sarah/Greenmeadow - 55 - 10:52:48 ]
Thanks for answering my questions good luck too you!

[ SherriCarlson/KSC - 56 - 10:54:30 ]
RE: [Sarah/Greenmeadow] Woops, Are you working more with computers or wiring on the station
I work with both. The computers are all wired together with what are called data buses. Data buses are the cords that connect the computers together. I have to look at what computers 'talk' on what buses to determine how to test them before they launch.

[ Mudassir/IDS-Mudassir/IDS - 57 - 10:54:50 ]
Thanks for the time, and best of luck with the space station and your work on it!

[ SherriCarlson/KSC - 58 - 10:54:50 ]
RE: [Sarah/Greenmeadow] Thanks for answering my questions good luck too you!
Nice chatting. Good luck to you, too.

[ SherriCarlson/KSC - 59 - 10:55:18 ]
RE: [Mudassir/IDS-Mudassir/IDS] Thanks for the time, and best of luck with the space station and your work on it!
And thanks for your interest. Good luck to you as well.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 60 - 10:55:39 ]
Thank you to Sherri Carlson from NASA Kennedy Space Center for joining us online for today's Space Team Online chat!