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PART 1: Shuttle simulation activity ready
for liftoff SHUTTLE SIMULATION ACTIVITY READY FOR LIFTOFF
"Shuttle Simulations" has students pretending they are conducting their own in-class space shuttle mission. Youngsters will first perform a launch simulation with a NASA-provided script. Next, while "on-orbit," an experiment will be conducted, collecting real data. To complete the mission, a landing simulation will occur. Classrooms will be then be teamed with others to share the numerical data gathered and draw conclusions. This will work best at the elementary/middle-school levels. Teachers have flexibility about when they schedule their mission. If now is good, a new series is about to get going. Whether you decide to get involved now or later, we hope you'll register your intent to participate as soon as possible. Please visit: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/events/simulations SPREADING THE WORD
NASA management demands that our projects reach large audiences. "Why should we fund you next fiscal year if you're only reaching a handful of people" is the notion. So Quest needs to find more ways to grow our audience. If we were Coca-Cola, we would spend billions to saturate media markets. But we are the United States government, by the people for the people. We're hoping that our grassroots fans will help us spread the word about Quest. Suggested activities are available to those who can take a little time to pitch in. Public Service Announcement Quest made a 30-second commercial for what we do. As commercials go, it is very cool. We need for people to contact their local TV stations to see about placing the Quest ad on air. In just one hour of work, you could help get Quest's name out to thousands. Please see http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/common/psa Photo Cards and one-page handouts We produced 12 different photo cards. Each has a colorful NASA picture, cutsie poem and the Quest URL. People like getting them. Also we have a one page handout on the Sharing NASA series. We'd be happy to send oodles of these to you if you can faithfully distribute them to other teachers. If you are speaking at a teacher conference or will otherwise be in a position to distribute the material, please send us a note with the specifics. Don't limit yourself to just these ideas. Besides teachers, we also want to inform the general public about Quest stuff. Consider writing a letter to the editor of your local town paper. Is a card- table in front of the grocery store for you? Or maybe you can think of other ways to help spread the word. If you do help, we'll be very grateful. And you can sleep knowing you've contributed to a real NASA mission. Also we'll want to reward your efforts with a NASA party pack. This is a fat envelope stuffed with pictures, posters, cards and other NASA doodads. You'll want to have one. So get busy spreading the word and then let us know. YOUR CHANCE TO SHINE
Over the next few months, NASA's Quest team will be rolling out a series of online courses , workshops and events. These live activities will demonstrate the Internet's capabilities while disseminating content in two broad areas: NASA-related (space/aero) and educational technology. This so-called "Learning Technologies Channel" will be making news in the upcoming months (see http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/ltc). Coming this autumn...on Quest. An early LTC series is about how teachers have really used Sharing NASA projects (like Shuttle Team Online) with students. These on-the-ground lessons learned will help newcomers best take advantage while avoiding dead ends. NASA is looking for volunteers to tell their story. You'll have 20 minutes to tell your tale. The sound of your voice, graphics and transcriptions will blast your wisdom around the world. Quest will handle all of the technical issues, leaving you to focus on sharing your experience. The following topics are all under consideration. Consider if you have 20 solid minutes on: * chats with NASA experts * student-student chats * email Q&A * teacher-to teacher lists like discuss-lfm * collaborative activity * publishing student work online * student stumpers: kids make up questions for other kids * background section * using updates list (email only), with no web in classroom * activities for photo section * accessing the teacher's guide * reading bios and field journals * acting as a smart filter * use of the material by college students * other categories we plum forgot Though we can't pay for this, we can let you shine in a visible environment. Please write me (marc@quest.arc.nasa.gov) if you have an interest in being part of this new Learning Technologies Channel adventure. Thanks, Marc [Editor's note: Mike's group is in charge of training the astronauts how to use their space suits and how to use all the tools and tasks involved in performing a space walk. After training, they monitor the space suit's systems and provide direction on the tasks during the EVA from the mission control center.] WE'RE GETTING READY FOR MORE SPACEWALKS
Mike Hembree http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/team/hembree.html August 26, l997 Many things that I've been working on during the past few months integrate with the International Space Station (ISS) project because I work in the Extravehicular Activities (EVA) section. We train crewmembers for EVA missions, develop timelines for the EVA, work in Mission Control during shuttle EVAs, and work with the space station missions. So we've been crossing boundaries a little bit. I've been assigned as the "Suit Lead" for STS-92 which is the ISS 3-A mission scheduled for a January 15, 1999, launch date. One of the big projects I have been working on lately is developing a logistics plan for using the space suits [Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMUs)] during ISS flights 2-A through 7-A (ISS 2-A, 2-A.1, 3-A, 4-A, 5-A, 6-A and 7-A). This project has entailed working with a logistics team consisting of astronaut Steve Smith, representatives from the suit development group, Hamilton Standard Corporation, representatives from Boeing Corporation who receive and process suits, along with each flight suit lead from our section representing the Mission Operation Directorate (MOD). Since the amount of EVA hours per year will quadruple during the building of the space station, the team has been forced to evaluate all the possible ways to launch the suit hardware and even leave some suits on the space station to be used for other shuttle/station flights. The flight that I am Suit Lead on is one example of this "new way of doing business." STS-92 will be taking up three suits and leaving one of them on the ISS. The suit will then be returned from the station on ISS 6-A (STS-99) and used as the prime suit in case of an emergency EVA after the shuttle undocks. The difficult task is to decide what particular suit hardware a crewmember of STS-92 needs to complete his/her EVAs, and can still be sized to fit a crewmember on STS-99 four months later. Another difficult issue that we are dealing with is the fact that since most of the Station flights are within a month of one another, it is difficult to process equipment that is flown on one flight and is needed on another flight one month later. The normal turnaround processing time for an EMU is 90 - 100 days. There is a big effort underway to certify the EMU for 25 EVAs with very little processing in between. This certification would enable a suit to be flown, cleaned up, and immediately launched within one month. All of these processes are on-going and change as crewmembers get a chance to do practice runs in their size suits and request adjustments. We have a lot of fun to look forward to in the next few years. [Editor's note: Mike is a Fuel Cells Engineer and he works for United Space Alliance which is the prime contractor of the shuttle program. Mike and his team are responsible for conducting the launch readiness testing of orbiter fuel cell flight systems, ground support systems, and launch pad systems. We also perform the testing and servicing of the orbiter's water system and waste management system.] SUMMER IN SPACE
Michael Ciannilli http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/team/ciannilli.html September 19, l997 Well, it has been quite an eventful summer in the space program. The Space Shuttle Program has been in full gear, and our unmanned space program has certainly gained international attention. The success of the Mars Pathfinder and Surveyor missions has produced a great deal of excitement and interest in space exploration. In late spring we successfully launched the Space Shuttle Atlantis to the Mir space station. Due to the problems we encountered with our fuel cell on the previous flight, STS - 83, there was a good deal of attention on our system for the flight. We, along with the manufacturer of the fuel cell, performed a very detailed analysis to ensure we completely understood the problem, and to do our best to prevent its reoccurrence. When we felt that our cells were once again ready to fly, we gave our "go" for the launch. Fortunately, our system performed great and the flight was very successful. Next up on July 1st was the Space Shuttle Columbia's return to space. This processing flow was particularly challenging. As you may remember, Columbia returned to Earth early in April, due to a concern about the performance of her fuel cell #2. Therefore, not only did we have to perform the usual processing operations for its next flight, but also resolve this fuel cell problem. To make it even more challenging, all this work had to be done in record time to fit this newly added mission into the summer launch schedule. Columbia had originally been scheduled to fly next in November, so flying 4 1/2 months early certainly sped things up. We pulled out the suspect fuel cell #2 and replaced it along with fuel cell #1 which was an "older cell." Then on July 1st, Columbia lifted off launch pad 39A on its way for a highly successful 16 days of on-orbit research. During this time, the Fuel Cell Group prepared for the launch of Discovery on Aug. 7th. A lot of our work on an orbiter is completed approximately one month before launch, about the time the orbiter is rolled out of the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF). Therefore, the addition of Columbia's STS - 94 flight in July kept us real busy during this time, as we performed the typical processing work on Discovery also. Again, a complete check of the fuel cell system was performed and validated for flight. Near the end of Discovery's flow (processing operations), we checked out the water system and filled the drinking water tanks onboard. Discovery completed a highly successful flight with an early morning landing in mid-August. At this time we continue to prepare Atlantis for its STS - 86 mission to help repair Mir. Post flight processing of Discovery is still underway with its waste system recently serviced. The upcoming flights of Columbia in November and Endeavour in January are also keeping us busy right now. As for me personally, I've had a great summer. I was fortunate to take two trips back home to Syracuse, New York. I enjoyed spending time with my family and friends. I also enjoyed doing a lot of boating, hiking and other outdoor activities. Syracuse sure is beautiful in the summertime! Now back here at the Cape, I am back to launching space shuttles. In my spare time though, I have been spending as much time as I can at the beach. I hope you also had a great summer! STATUS OF COLUMBIA PROCESSING
Below and in the future, we'll provide some details about the post flight work being done after STS-94 and the subsequent processing of Columbia as it gets ready to fly again as STS-87. These reports will contain jargon and unfamiliar terms; our intent is not to confuse you, but to provide a glimpse at all the steps involved. Detailed daily reports about Columbia's processing can be found at the NASA Shuttle Status web site at http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/status/status.htm Since the last updates-sto message, servicing of Columbia's water spray boilers and ammonia system was completed. Work on the orbiter's freon coolant loop began last week. Load testing of the external tank door drive mechanism was planned for last week. Solid rocket booster stacking operations are complete for STS-87. Work to mate the external tank to the SRBs concluded successfully; the job took two days of careful work in the Vehicle Assembly Building. Columbia's three main engines were installed and heat shield installation is in work. Main engine and main propulsion system integrated testing is also in work. Fuel cell monitoring system modifications continue. Workers installed gas beams in the Shuttle's cargo bay for installation of secondary. payloads into the orbiter's midbody. Payload premate tests pick up again next week. STS-87 SCHEDULED OPERATIONAL MILESTONES (dates are target only): - Crew Equipment Interface Test (Oct. 3) - Final payload bay door closure (Oct. 14) - Orbiter roll over to VAB (Oct. 20)
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