UPDATE # 30 - November 21, 1997

PART 1: No update next week
PART 2: Our name is changing to Space Team Online
PART 3: Discuss list connects teachers with each other
PART 4: Running test procedures on a computer network
PART 5: Flying my experiment on the space shuttle
PART 6: Status of Columbia's processing
PART 7: Subscribing/unsubscribing: how to do it

NO UPDATE NEXT WEEK

Next week we celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States. As a
result of the shortened work week, there will not be an updates-sto
message sent next week.

OUR NAME IS CHANGING TO SPACE TEAM ONLINE

We are in the process of changing our name from Shuttle Team
Online to Space Team Online. This school year we have broadened
our coverage to include information on the International Space
Station as well as microgravity experiments. Since we are no longer
limited to just the shuttle, our old name was a bit misleading. So
over the next few weeks, we'll be updating the web site with the
new name to reflect our expanded scope.

DISCUSS LIST CONNECTS TEACHERS WITH EACH OTHER

One of the nice things I like about these online projects is the
terrific (and brave) teachers who are involved. It isn't always easy
to figure out how to use a resource like Shuttle Team Online
effectively in the classroom, all while an administrator is saying "are
you covering our curriculum." But your fellow teachers can help.

A relatively new maillist called "discuss" is available from Quest.
The list will provide a forum for teachers to discuss a wide variety
of issues, concerns, teaching strategies, useful resources, and
suggestions for all of the online projects available on Quest.

The goals are similar to weekly Thursday web chats
(http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/ltc/chats.html) but the email format
will allow for more thoughtful discussion. Whereas Web chat
demands an immediate response limited to a few sentences,
the discuss list is not so constrained.

The messages from discuss can be sent directly to your mail box.
This is the most common way to participate in the discussion. For
this option, every time a colleague shares a message, you'll receive
it in your mailbox.
To join the list this way, send an email message to:
   listmanager@quest.arc.nasa.gov
In the message body, write only these words:
   subscribe discuss

For those feeling like they already receive too much email, a digest
of the discuss list is available. For this option, all the messages
from a day are compiled into one bigger message which is forwarded
to your email account. In this way, you'll receive all of the
information, but the traffic will come only once per day.
To join the list this way, send an email message to:
   listmanager@quest.arc.nasa.gov as above
In the message body, write these two lines:
   subscribe discuss
   set discuss mail digest

And for those that really don't want any more email, you may
keep up with this list via the Web at:
http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/ltc/discussion.html

No matter how you participate, please do consider joining us in this
discussion. Together we can help one another make the best use of
the Internet for K-12 applications.

Kathleen Potter
http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/team/potter.html

RUNNING TEST PROCEDURES ON A COMPUTER NETWORK

November 13, l997
The control software for one of our video switches is written in
a programming language called "C++". While looking into a
problem with this switch, I decided it would be a good idea to
be able to read "C++" so I signed up for a "C" programming
class. During the class, I remembered how much I used to like
programming when I was in college. Unfortunately, my job at
the time (in communications) didn't involve much
programming, so I put that on the back burner. Then,
opportunity knocked and I answered the door.

The Computer Systems Integration Division in the Payload
Processing Directorate, which searches for new computer-based
technology, applications, and tools that can help us be more
efficient in our work (let us do more with less, save time and
money, and work smarter), was looking for people to work on
various projects, some of which involved programming. One
project in particular caught my attention, so I transferred into
this group to work on it. The project involved creating a
computer application that would let test procedures be run over
our computer network.

Currently, test procedures are written using a word processor,
reviewed by the team of people responsible for the test, and
then released as an official document in electronic and paper
form. Before the test procedure is performed, paper copies of
the official released document are printed for the people
participating in the test. Since the people involved are usually
in different locations, everyone is also using a voice
communication system that lets them hear and talk to everyone
else. (They are also watching the payload being tested on
monitors which get video from the video switches mentioned
above).

 The test is performed step by step, with everyone
following along on their paper copy. As steps are performed,
various people such as technicians and quality monitors will
"stamp" certain steps on their paper copy with an ink stamp to
show that the steps have been performed. Data (such as
temperatures, pressure readings, etc.) is also written onto the
paper copy. If a situation arises whereby more steps need to be
added to the procedure during the test, a form called a deviation
is written which contains all the new steps. Before these new
steps can be performed, the deviation must be signed by various
people. It is taken to all the people that need to sign it to show
their approval, and then copies are made and handed out to all the
people needing one. In the meantime, that part of the test has stopped.

With this new computer application, the procedures are run and
viewed on computers hooked into the computer network at the
various locations involved in testing. So, everyone is looking at
the procedure on their monitor instead of at a paper copy. Some
computers are "wireless" (connected to the network using radio
fequency (RF) signals instead of cables) and small (laptop,
handheld, or wearable), so that the technicians using them can
move about freely without worrying about getting tangled up in
cables. 

The stamps are electronic instead of ink, they have
memory chips in them where information about the stamp is
stored electronically and transferred to the computer when a step
is "stamped." Data are entered into the computer and appear on
the screen instead of being hand written onto a paper copy.
Deviations are entered into the computer also, so everyone sees
them on their monitors as they are typed in, and the people
needing to sign the deviation can do so electronically at their
computer. With this new process, everyone will see data inputs,
stamps, deviations, and any other information added to the
procedure as it occurs, letting the test be performed more
efficiently and saving a lot of time and paper.

One of my tasks in this project is to take the electronic form of
the released document and write the software program that
would take the information and individual steps out of the
procedure and put them into a database. The computer
application that is running the test procedure then pulls these data
out of the database to recreate the test procedure step by step, so
that it can be looked at by everyone on-line.

 In order to do this,
I first had to learn all about the word processor used to create
the procedures. It also had its own programming language,
which I had to learn in order to be able to break down the
document into individual bits of information and steps. I also
had to learn the programming language that I'm using to write
the overall program. And I had to learn something about the
database that I was putting the information in so that I would
know how to put the data in. And all from scratch!

So, the first thing I did was search for manuals that would
tell me about the word processor, the different programming
languages I would be using, and the database. Reading these
and getting familiar with the different programs and languages
that I would be using, I learned enough to start programming.
The second step was to learn how the procedures are put
together by the people that write them, so that I could figure out
how to take them apart without having to know the exact words
that were in them. Since each procedure has a common format
but different information and steps, once I knew in general what
the procedure should look like, I could figure out how to write a
program that could search through the procedure (in electronic
form) and find the information and steps that I needed to put
into the database. To make it more manageable, I divided the
program into smaller, manageable pieces that I could work on
one at a time. And it sure is fun when you finish a piece and see
that it works the way you wanted it to!

FLYING MY EXPERIMENT ON THE SPACE SHUTTLE

Gwyn Smith
http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/team/smith.html

June 9: I have just become the mission manager for an experiment
called RME-III (Radiation Monitoring Equipment). This experiment has
flown on Shuttle by the Air Force about 26 times and was operated
on the Russian Mir Space Station during the STS-84 missions. This is
the first time I am in charge of the experiment and I am very excited.

RME-III measures radiation as a function of time. We have computer
models which help us predict the amount of radiation that
astronauts will receive during a mission. We use RME-III data to
make these models better and also to do research.

The RME-III will also fly on STS-91 next year.

July 2: There were many things to do to prepare the RME-III for
flight on STS-86 and Mir. Since my experiment was operated on the
Mir Space Station, I have to get permission from both the Shuttle
Program (to take it to Mir) and the Russian Program (to operate the
experiment on Mir).

The RME-III is currently in California with the vendor who built it.
They are making sure that the hardware still works. I don't want it
to break when we fly it in September on STS-86.

August 7: The hardware is back from California and in pretty good
shape. I trained French astronaut Jean Loup Chretien today. He will
operate the RME-III on the Mir Space Station while the Shuttle
Atlantis is docked during the STS-86 mission.

August 13: I just completed all steps required to fly my experiment
and briefed the results at a Mission Readiness Review. RME-III is
ready to go . . . YEAH! I will send the hardware to KSC in Florida next
week. That's where the Shuttles are launched.

September 22: I'm in Florida. I have to install 118 batteries in the
RME-III! These batteries power the units when they are collecting
data and maintain the memory when the units are not powered. I have
to do this a few days before launch to ensure that the batteries will
operate for the entire mission.

September 24: I got to see Mickey today! Since I was already in
Florida, I decided to take a little vacation and go to Disney World.
A friend and I rode Space Mountain three times!

September 25: I just saw the Shuttle launch. What a spectacular
sight! Atlantis launched at about 10:30 PM EST, so it was dark, but
not for long! When the solid rocket boosters lit . . . it was daylight
again. I was about five miles from the launch pad, so even though I
saw the light immediately it took quite some time for the sound to
get to me. (Remember that sound travels slower than light.)

September 28: After launch, I had to hurry back to JSC to support my
experiment operations. I have to be available each time Jean Loup
does something with the experiment so I can answer any questions
that he might have. I don't talk directly to Jean Loup; only the
CAPCOM, another astronaut, talks directly to the astronauts who
are in space. I talk to the payloads officer and she talks to the flight
director and he talks to the CAPCOM who relays the message to the
astronauts. Jean Loup had a few questions, but everything was
answered and the RME-III is operating fine.

October 2: Jean Loup has finished operations and brought the RME-III
back to the Shuttle. RME-III collected data for about five days, so
Jean Loup had to perform operations on the experiment five times
during the mission while the Shuttle was docked to Mir. Everything
went well and I should have the RME-III back in a few days.

October 5: Landing has been delayed because the weather was bad
in Florida. So it will be another day before I get my experiment back.
When I get it, I will download all the data that was collected.

With the data that was collected on STS-84 (by Ed Lu), STS-86 (by
Jean Loup) and will be collected on STS-91, I will measure the
amount of radiation that impacts the Shuttle/Mir from the east and
from the west. The amount that arrives from the west is two to four
times greater than the amount arriving from the east.

With this information I will be able to determine the places where
future astronauts will receive less radiation on the International
Space Station.

I will keep you updated on my research and provide more journals
for the STS-91 mission.

STATUS OF COLUMBIA PROCESSING

Below, we'll provide some details about the post flight work
being done after STS-94 and the subsequent processing of
Columbia as it prepared and then launched 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, the launch countdown for
STS-87 began on time last Sunday at 3 p.m.

Loading of cryogenic reactants into the power reactant storage and
distribution system was planned for 1 p.m. Monday. However, it
was delayed by about four hours due to lower than acceptable helium
readings in the orbiter midbody umbilical unit cavity. Helium is used
to purge the tanks before reactant loading. Workers were sent out to
Pad 39B to inspect the purge line interfaces and tightened the
fittings. Following those troubleshooting activities, consoles in
the firing room indicated an acceptable helium concentration and
reactant loading began at about 4:30 p.m.

The STS-87 flight crew arrived at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility
(SLF) at about 3:15 p.m. Sunday and underwent routine pre-flight
medical exams and final mission familiarization briefings in the
days leading up to launch. Commander Kevin Kregel and Pilot Steven
Lindsey practiced SLF approaches in the Shuttle Training Aircraft.

On Tuesday night, the Rotating Service Structure was moved into
launch position at about 9 p.m., paving the way for loading of the
external tank with about 500,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen and
liquid oxygen. This fueling went smoothly.

On Wednesday, November 19 at 2:46 p.m. EST, the Space Shuttle
Columbia launched on time from Kennedy Space Center's Pad 39B on
mission STS-87. The eighth and final Space Shuttle launch of 1997,
Columbia's timely liftoff punctuated a year of successful, on-time
Shuttle launches. KSC launch managers worked no major technical
issues throughout the day's countdown activities.

Columbia's crew of six plan the following activities in flight:
* carryout the United States Microgravity Payload objectives
* deploy and retrieve the Spartan satellite
* complete the goals of the Collaborative Ukrainian Experiment
* conduct a six-hour spacewalk to demonstrate assembly
  techniques to be used on the International Space Station.

As of Friday, November 21, Columbia continues to provide a stable
platform for microgravity, life science and other secondary
experiments. Flight controllers are pleased with the orbiterÕs
performance and are not working any major problems.

The solid rocket booster (SRB) recovery ships returned to
Cape Canaveral Air StationÕs Hangar AF at 8 a.m. and 9:30
a.m. today. Initial reports reveal no significant damage to the
boosters and more detailed inspections begin on Monday.

Preliminary inspection of launch pad 39B revealed only minimal
damage and post-launch securing work is under way.

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