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S P A C E T E A M O N L I N EUPDATE # 67 - January 15, 1999 PART 1: Delays, but STO continues as planned DELAYS, BUT STO CONTINUES AS PLANNED
Last Wednesday, NASA announced a delay in the planned shipment of the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which is to ride aboard STS-93. The press release describes a one-week delay in shipping to Kennedy Space Center from California and approximately a five-week slip in the observatory's launch readiness date. The last word I've heard is an anticipated June launch date now for STS-93. You can read the whole press release at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/news/01-20-99.txt Our ongoing Challenge Puzzle is rolling to completion. We've been featuring some challenge questions that, when answered accurately, would reveal the challenge picture. If you can answer the last question (deadline January 30) you will still get to see the picture and have the chance to attempt the description. Join the competition for best write-up about the picture at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/events/puzzle The Female Frontiers chats schedule for February and March are located at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/frontiers/schedule.html You are invited to participate in these exciting exchanges that offer students the opportunity to interact with women mentors whose talent, skill and determination distinguish them as leaders of our nation. A series of webchats and webcasts will culminate in an exciting launch event as Eileen Collins becomes the first woman to command a Space Shuttle. Our young women ambassadors will be there, sharing a kids-eye view of this historic liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center! Projects from Space offers students the chance to join the men and women of NASA who are working to make survival in space a reality. Through research and collaboration with other classrooms, students will be learning and creating an understanding of space survival. The deadline for participation in this go-around is this Thursday, January 28. See the link at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/events The CASE project takes a student-eye look at the preparation of a specific experiment (Cell Adhesion Space Experiment) to fly on STS-93. This project is being managed via the CASE mail list. To be aware of the activities, register for the CASE project at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/events/case During the month of February the Quest Project will celebrate Black History Month. Most of the Sharing NASA projects will feature a chat with African American scientists and engineers who contribute their work to the missions and goals of NASA. For a schedule of these events see: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/ltc/special/mlk99/ So you can see by these and the new series described below, our plate is full. We hope you join us for this smorgasbord of space sensations! As usual, write to me directly if you have any questions or comments. Linda Conrad UPCOMING LIVE EVENTS QuestChats require pre-registration. Unless otherwise noted, registration is at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/chats A linking situation has caused some of you problems in registering for either the Space Team Online Mark Weller chat or the Female Frontiers Libby Riddles chat (See January 28 below). The links have been fixed. Please try again! ->Thursday, January 28, 1999, 10 AM PST (1 PM EST): Mark Weller, (see journal below) facility systems electrical engineer, is involved in nearly all launch pad related operations. He works with electronic technicians and electricians to repair launch damage, make system upgrades and provide support for special tests. Mark Weller's profile describes his multifaceted job. It's at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/team/weller.html ->Thursday, January 28, 1999, 11 AM PST (2 PM EST) Female Frontiers chat with Libby Riddles, First female to win Iditerod race. See her profile at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/frontiers/riddles.html Registration for February chats will begin on January 26. ->Tuesday, February 9, 1999, 9:30 AM PST (12:30 PM EST) Janis Davis-Street is a nutritionist and works in the life sciences. She is part of a team whose job is determining the nutritional requirements for space flight. This chat is a part of the special Black History Month Chats series. See Janis' profile at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/team/davis.html ->Tuesday, February 9, 1999, 11 AM PST (2 PM EST) Dian Hardison is the first female admitted to the Navy Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD). She works with explosive, corrosive, toxic and flammable materials, like space shuttle propellants, and is responsible for deciding what kinds of metals or plastics can be used for different jobs. See Dian Hardison's Female Frontiers profile at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/frontiers/hardison.html ->Thursday, February 11, 1999, Noon PST (3 PM EST) Tony Bruins supports flight controllers in the Mission Control Center (MCC). His job is to generate new ideas and develop new systems to support mission operations. This chat is a part of the special Black History Month Chats series. Read Tony Bruins' profile at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/team/bruins.html
As you know, Quest's primary focus is the K-12 educational environment though we have always welcomed anyone who is interested in the people and science of NASA. On February 3, in coordination with the Kennedy Space Center's University Programs, we will be initiating a series of webcasts. It is our goal to complement our current STO focus on the International Space Station and also devote some of the interactive time specifically to a more technical, university level. The introduction hosted by KSC's University Programs Manager, Gregg Buckingham, will initiate and set the stage for this exciting series from the University standpoint. Below is a brief description of the event. For more details see: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/ltc/sto/iss/series.html ->February 3 at 10 AM PST (1 PM EST) Title: Managing a Technical Organization in a Changing Environment Gregg's guests: James L. Jennings, Kennedy Space Center Deputy Director for Business Operations, and Joe Gordon, Kennedy Space Center Director of Public Affairs, will join you live to discuss the changing nature of the aerospace business and its impact on the Nation's Space program. Students will have the opportunity to pose questions during the presentation. It is anticipated that questions will be of a technical, university level. [Editor's note: Elizabeth works as a flight controller for the space shuttle. Her group is in charge of the payloads (the experiments and satellites) that the shuttle carries into space. Her journal was written prior to the announcement of the most recent delay of STS-93.] BUSY WITH STS-93 AND A WORRISOME LITTLE SATELLITE http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/team/bloomer.html January 19, l999 Happy New Year Well, it is now 1999. Wow! Things are happening quickly for me. STS-93 is keeping me busy. We just had another STS-93 joint simulation between the Mission Control Center in Houston, the AXAF Control Center in Boston, and the Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) Control Center in California. We need these simulations to practice. The instructors make things break, and we have to figure out how to fix it. It can be very intensive sometimes. I just received word that STS-93 has a new official launch date - April 15, 1999. Let's hope it doesn't slip any more! Besides working on STS-93, I am also working on a payload called Spartan 251/Microsat. Spartan is a platform that can be used to carry a payload up into space. The Shuttle robotic arm can grab the Spartan and take it out of the cargo bay so that the Spartan can fly in space by itself. Microsat is a small satellite (weighing about 40 pounds) which will be riding on the Spartan. There are a lot of things to worry about with this payload. The satellite will separate from Spartan, and it can fly very quickly (over 600 mph relative to the Spartan)! So we have to make sure the Space Shuttle isn't anywhere near where this satellite will be. We are afraid that if something goes wrong with the satellite it might aim straight for the Shuttle, and it would a bad day if a 40-pound satellite hit the Space Shuttle going 600 mph! I should get back to work now....I'll write more later! [Editor's note: Joe works in the Space Station Hardware Integration Office (SSHIO) where he's currently assigned to flight 3A, or the third American (United States) ISS flight. He works directly with the contractors on design, manufacturing testing and implementation of hardware for the International Space Station. To see the pictures referred to in the journal, go to: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/team/journals/delai/01-14-99.html ] TESTING THE ACTUAL COMPONENTS OF THE ISS http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/team/delai.html Interviewer: Brandt Secosh January 14, l999 Due to the hard work and support of many people, nationally and internationally, the International Space Station (ISS) is becoming a reality right before our very eyes! It is a truly rewarding time for all of us and promises to be an accomplishment that will be held in awe for a long time to come! STS-88 roared into space December 4 from Launch Pad 39A and delivered the Unity module for a successful mate with the Russian Zarya module. As satisfying as that may be, there is still much work ahead. The Space Shuttle and two types of Russian rockets will conduct 45 missions to launch and assemble the more than 100 elements which will comprise the completed International Space Station. In all, 460 tons of structures, modules, equipment and supplies will be placed in orbit by the year 2004. Wouldn't it be great to be able to get a glimpse of how all of this will come together before it happens? It can, and it is happening right here at Kennedy Space Center! A program known as Multi Element Integration Testing (MEIT) program is underway and testing the actual components of the ISS. I met with Joe Delai, a member of the Space Station Hardware Integration Office (SSHIO), in the MEIT control room to observe how the system works. Joe explained that each component of the ISS is connected in the high-bay area of the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) by electrical cables and fluid connections. All system requirements to support hardware, such as electricity, pneumatics and cooling are connected and powered up. In the MEIT control room, the systems and components are monitored for proper operation and evaluation. Joe Delai from KSC and Dana Romero of Boeing are shown monitoring the Ammonia Factory Equipment (AFE). The AFE simulates the radiators that are used to maintain system temperatures throughout the station. What is really interesting is that scenarios can be applied to the simulation to test for proper responses. As I was conducted this interview, Dana explained that a simulation was taking place that placed the ISS in a situation where no solar power was available to the solar arrays in orbit. The expected response for the system was for the mass flow of ammonia to increase. This should occur because battery power was now required to provide heat. Because the batteries were required, they produced more heat and the mass flow of ammonia increased to cool them. On the computer screens we could actually see the flow rates increase and all the responses occurring in the system. Very cool - no pun intended! This is just one of the many systems that are monitored in the process. In this photograph, Casey Adams, Richard Milton and Gus Quiroga of the Boeing Company monitor the electrical systems during the same scenario. All of the systems must work together and function properly for the given situation. Needless to say, there are many other members that participate in the MEIT. They all work together as a team with the common goal of ensuring that the hardware components are flight worthy before delivering them into space. There are additional benefits to the program. Procedure is evaluated during the MEIT, and crews are able to gain experience with the hardware characteristics and the procedures that are used to operate the hardware. Astronauts participate in the MEIT using laptop computers. They will make decisions to operate the systems based on an existing condition. This allows emergency procedures to be tested and refined. The components that are presently being tested are the components that are scheduled to be on flights 3A and 4A. As components are delivered to Kennedy Space Center for future flights, they will undergo the same rigorous testing that the components of flights 3A and 4A have. To learn more about the International Space Station Assembly flight schedule and space station hardware please visit the following site: http://station.nasa.gov/station/assembly/index.html It was very impressive to see the actual components of the space station being tested during this visit. Most impressive was the degree of teamwork involved between individuals, teams and even countries! STATUS OF COLUMBIA PROCESSING
Below, we provide reports on the processing of Shuttle Columbia taken from the detailed daily reports found at the NASA Shuttle Status web site at http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/status/status.htm At times 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. KSC managers are reviewing Columbia's STS-93 processing schedule to accommodate a delay of at least one week in the Chandra payload KSC delivery date, previously slated for January 28. NASA and Chandra spacecraft managers expect circuit board problems onboard Chandra to delay the STS-93 launch at least five weeks. Further spacecraft tests and inspections this week in Redondo Beach, California will allow Chandra managers to more accurately determine the schedule impact. That information will help NASA Shuttle managers address possible impacts to planned, downstream Shuttle flights. Last Wednesday, workers completed payload bay cleaning efforts and closed Columbia's payload bay doors. Orbiter forward and aft compartment closeouts continue, and potable water servicing is underway.
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