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S P A C E T E A M O N L I N EUPDATE # 79 - April 20, 1999 PART 1: Join me this week at KSC JOIN ME THIS WEEK AT KSC
I came to the Kennedy Space Center to make preparations for the launch events for the Female Frontiers project. As timing would have it, I'm going to be able to help out with the Thursday broadcast of the "ISS Behind the Scenes." Let me give you some hints about what's in store: Mike Ciannilli takes us inside one of the largest buildings in the world, the Vehicle Assembly Building. We will get up close and comfortable with the huge solid rocket boosters and the main engine that will propel the Shuttle into space next month for the first flight to dock to the International Space Station. Join us for this exciting event. If you've not joined a live webcast before, be sure to prepare ahead of time and then join us at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/ltc/sto/iss Another quick reminder: Don't forget to send your questions to Commander Eileen Collins. The best questions submitted have a chance of being answered during the STS-93 mission. The opportunity will be there for just a couple more weeks. Go to: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/frontiers/interview/questions.html I'll be watching for you Thursday, Linda
QuestChats require pre-registration. ->Wednesday, April 21, 1999, 11 a.m. PDT ( 2 p.m. EST) Joe Delai works in the Space Station Hardware Integration Office in the Space Lab Pallet. He works with other engineers on the development of the International Space Station. Joe wears many hats in his job. Read Joe's profile at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/team/petro.html Register at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/chats ->Thursday, April 22, 10:00 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EST) ISS-Behind the Scenes: Join us for the continuing series of broadcasts from the Kennedy Space Center ISS program. This month Mike Ciannilli takes us inside the Vehicle Assembly Building where Discovery is being prepared for the STS-96 flight scheduled for May 20. See: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/ltc/sto/iss Thursday, April 22, 1999 is Take Your Daughter to Work Day 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. PDT (11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. EST ) Virtual Take Our Daughters to Work Day Forum Includes Female Frontiers: Dian Hardison, First female admitted to the Navy EOD and many more. A full list, including additional chats for this day, may be found at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/women/TODTWD99/schedule.html -> Thursday, April 22, 1999, 10:00 a.m. PDT (1:00 p.m. EST) Chat with Julie Mikula, First woman manager of NASA's Simulation Laboratories (SimLab). Read her profile at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/frontiers/mikula.html Join the chat from the Female Frontiers Schedule page: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/frotiers/schedule.html ->Thursday April 22, 1999, 11:00 a.m. (2:00 p.m. EST) Chat with Pat Cowings, First female scientist trained to be an astronaut. Read her profile at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/frontiers/cowings.html Join the chat from the Female Frontiers Schedule page: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/frotiers/schedule.html ->Thursday, April 22, 1999, 2:00 p.m. PDT ( 5:00 p.m. EST) Chat with Nancy Roman, First Chief of Astronomy and first female to hold executive position at NASA. Read her profile at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/frontiers/roman.html Join the chat from the Female Frontiers Schedule page: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/frotiers/schedule.html For more April 22 chats see the full WON Virtual Take Our Daughters to Work Day schedule at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/women/TODTWD99/schedule.html ->Tuesday, April 27, 1999, 8:30 AM Pacific Daylight Time: Diane McMahon communicates science information between scientists who have experiments flying on space shuttle missions and NASA. She works with a group that makes sure that all requirements are met for flying experiments on a space shuttle. See her profile at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/team/mcmahon.html Register at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/chats/index.html#chatting ->Tuesday, April 27, 1999, 10 a.m. PDT (1 p.m. EST) Dale Lueck, design engineering lead For the past 25 years, Dale has been involved with designing instruments for chemical analysis and process control. Recently, he was assigned as the design engineering lead for the Analytical Instrumentation Control Group at Kennedy Space Center. See his profile at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/team/lueck.html Register at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/chats/index.html#chatting ->Thursday, April 29, 1999, 10 AM Pacific Daylight Time: Dionne Jackson is responsible for testing and identifying metal alloys that are used as flight hardware and in supporting equipment and structures. Read her profile at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/team/jackson.html Register at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/chats/index.html#chatting -Thursday, May 6, 1999: Space Day: ->8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. PDT Laura Hoppe, First female INCO Flight Controller. See her online profile at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/frontiers/hoppe.html or To register, see Female Frontiers schedule: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/frontiers/schedule.html ->Tuesday, May 11, 1999,10:00 a.m. PDT (1:00 p.m. EST) Meet your Student Ambassadors who will represent you at the launch of STS-93. This Webcast will also serve as an optimum time to test your technologies so you are ready for the live events from Kennedy Space Center in July! Event Page is located at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/ltc/sto/frontiers/ambass.html ->Wednesday, May 19, 1999, 10:00 a.m. PDT (1:00 p.m. EST) Tour of the ISS Mockup and Training Facility at JSC Join us for our regularly scheduled guided tour of the International Space Station mockup and training facility at Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, Texas. Information on this event may be found at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/ltc/sto/tours For continuing Female Frontiers schedule see: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/frontiers/schedule.html For April Space Team Online chats see: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/chats FEMALE FRONTIERS PUZZLE
The online version is at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/events/ffpuzzle Question #6: Answers due by Wednesday, May 5, 1999 Which little satellite is Elizabeth Bloomer (STO expert) worried about because if something goes wrong, it might be in the shuttle's path? How heavy is it? Question #5: Answers due by Wednesday, April 28, 1999 What do the symbols on the STS-93 mission patch mean? Question #4: Answers due by Wednesday, April 21, 1999 Astronaut Catherine Coleman is the other woman astronaut on STS-93. What is her nickname? Which previous mission(s) was she on and what "team" was she in? Send your answers to Student Ambassador, Stephanie Wong: wongtong@connect.ab.ca Check your personal score at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/events/ffpuzzle/scoring.html Answer to Question #3: Answers due by Wednesday, April 14, 1999 Fill in the blanks: Chandra will try to "target the age of the universe". By combining Chandra's data and Drs. John Carlstrom and Marshall Joy's radio interferometers, they will try "to probe tiny fluctuations in the _ Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation_." (also can be put as this 4 letter acronym __ CMBR___) RESPONDING TO YOUR NEEDS
Continuing to respond to our latest survey requests and suggestions for improvement: *Follow-up data on research. I was especially interested in Glenn's flight test results, especially the cognitive testing done pre-flight and during flight. If your question involves getting result of experiments conducted on orbit, what great timing to respond to this request! About this time last year I was here at Kennedy celebrating the launch of STS-90, the Neurolab shuttle flight. We had studied in the NeurOn project the many scientific experiments that went on board. It's a year later and did you read the NASA news report last week? April 13, 1999: Neurolab Team to Discuss Results, Potential Health Benefits You can read it at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/news/04-13-99.txt My understanding is that typically scientist who develop experiments are given a year to "own" the results so that they may publish them in professional journals, after which the information becomes public. Naturally, to protect the personal rights of the "human subjects", specific statistics and rest results on the astronauts are protected. *Easier site navigation and improved searching I am with you on this and am hoping to work on some new approaches this summer. If you have any great suggestions, I'm very open and anxious to improve the usability of our Space Team Online site. *Availability of printed teacher resources We are continually adding new resources to the Teacher's Lounge. We've been working most recently on new materials for the Female Frontiers project. You can find those - and there will be more soon - at: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/frontiers/activities [Editor's note: Stuart's team at Johnson Space Center writes a variety of applications for the astronauts to use on-orbit on the PGSCs (Payload and General Support Computers). They also train the astronauts on the major applications they write.] SHUTTLE GRAPHIC DISPLAYS KEEPING ME BUSY By: Stuart Engelhardt http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/team/engelhardt.html Interviewer: Lori Keith March 19, 1999 A lot of time has passed since my last journal. Three flights have gone up using our application, Robotics Situational Awareness Display (RSAD), STS-91, STS-95 and STS-88. STS-91 and STS-95 were in preparation for flight STS-88. STS-88 was the big focus for us, as this was the first assembly of two components of the International Space Station (ISS), the Zarya and Unity. We had everything developed -- the hand controller display (HCD), the joint information display (JID), the RMS (Remote Manipulator System) checkout display (RCD), and the initial version of the SJD (Single Joint Display). The RMS display is used to check out the system beforehand. Each joint is tested to ensure that nothing is messed up, hindered, or broken since launch. Each joint is powered up for 12 seconds in one direction, then back in the other direction for 12 seconds, then the performance rates are evaluated for the arm. We are always working to make the data the astronauts need to evaluate situations more easily and quickly readable. One of the latest things we have worked on is to enhance the graphical display of the SJD. Single joint movement is used in tight spots, and when there is a problem with the movement of the robotic arm in a fluid motion, using all joints at once. We have worked to include enhanced table data in the graphical displays to help the astronauts get a better idea of the movement limits of the RMS, or robotic arm. The table version (with numeric values) of the SJD flew on flight STS-88, and the enhanced version (with colored graphics) will fly on subsequent flights. We have worked to include a lot of data in one place instead of hunting for it on many different screens. For instance, on our display, pitch yaw roll information can be seen at the same time as XYZ coordinate information. We are now training on this new display system. It takes a lot of math and transforming from one coordinate system to another to make this work. This is why a team of us works on this together, all of us working on what we specialize in. Michel works on mathematics computation, matrix transformations, and using different coordinate systems; Victor works with the telemetry (data) from the Shuttle; I create numeric and graphical displays with the information Victor collects and Michel computes. We do have interaction with those using our products (crewmembers) so we have some idea what they want before and during the development of new products. Sometimes we train the trainers on how to use our product so they can train the crew. The crews practice using our program and the robotic arm during their many simulations. They practice so much and work through every conceivable failure on the ground, so that even an unexpected failure in space is unexpected. In the future, we will be working on a new single joint display. We may also work on some enhancements for the existing displays, like path planning and collision avoidance. My group, Victor Tang, Michel Izygon, and I, recently received the Group Achievement Award for our efforts on STS-88 and our contribution to ease of tasks that made the mission a success. During STS-88, EVA (extra-vehicular activities) operations were able to anticipate hitting a limit. We in turn, with RSAD, helped make EVA tasks a little easier. We went to a dinner where we watched some raw IMAX footage of the mission. Astronaut Jim Newman invited my group to the STS-88 launch in Florida. I didn't get the opportunity to go though. The next big mission for my group is STS-92. During this mission, the astronauts will be assembling things with very narrow corridors. Though the new enhanced graphical display will be tested on STS-96, it will be really important on STS-92, during this construction. During STS-92, the crew will be attaching PMA-3 and truss segment Z-1 to the ISS. There is concern about RMS failures and having to depend on single joint ops (operation/movement) for some of the activities that are planned. The astronauts must have a good feed back tool, our display, because they also may not have a lot of visual as the payload bay cameras may be blocked. Sometimes the robotic arm's cameras are not a lot of help either. STS-96 will be when the RSAD tools are tested at the same time the arm is being tested and evaluated. There are four different robotic arms that can fly on the Shuttle. They are called 201, 202, 301, and 303. Each has its own little bias, or counter offset, as each different arm is unique and has different calibrations. The shuttle was originally designed to work two different arms, a port attachment and a starboard attachment. They have never used both, to my knowledge, and probably never will. Maybe the Ku-band and S-band antennas are in the way on that side where they are located. I'm not sure. Enough about work, last August I got married. My wife, Kimberly, is finishing her last year towards her accounting degree. We had a nice little family wedding, in the courtyard, at my church. Considering the reputation Houston has for hot, sticky Augusts, it was really rather pleasant that day, with a nice little breeze. It was wonderful! We went on a cruise for our honeymoon. It was really nice. We got back from the cruise the day before she started school, in the fall semester. We live in Clear Lake, in an area where there are lots of trees. [Editor's note: Laura an INCO flight controller, which means she is responsible for the orbiter's communications, and, when she's sitting console, the astronauts depend on her to maintain their communication with Mission Control. Laura is participating in our Female Frontiers project because she is the first female INCO Flight Controller] BEING AN INCO KEEPS ME HOPPING http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/team/hoppe.html Interviewed by: Lori Keith March 26, l999 There are four positions in the INCO, or Instrumentation and Communications Officer, group. They are data communication officer, instrumentation officer, RF (radio frequency) communications officer and INCO. Each position requires certification, and certification is usually done in the order stated. As I already had my certification as a datacomm, I was able to get in the training flow for the INCO group. I re-certified for datacomm, and then got in the training flow for RF comm flow, then instrumentation, then INCO. It takes about four years to get through the entire INCO loop. These positions also must certify for different phases of flight: ascent, entry, and orbit. I am orbit certified in all the above positions. I have worked a few simulations as an INCO for the entry phase, but still have yet to be certified for ascent/entry INCO and ascent/entry Instrumentation. I just finished working my first mission, STS-88, as a fully certified INCO. It was my first flight to sit alone, and also the first ISS flight. It was so exciting! I worked the planning team, which comes on at midnight (or later!). The planning team goes through the "execute package" for the next day, to input re-planned timelines, before sending the information up to the shuttle. The crew is usually asleep during this time. The next mission I am scheduled to work is STS-96. I support all mission-specific simulations and assist in getting all the products for the mission together. When I'm off mission, I usually keep busy taking part in the many simulations (sims) NASA uses to train its people. I am also preparing for Missions STS-99 and STS-100 and must be in attendance for all the meetings involving these upcoming missions. This month, I am working on the assembly of the INCO workstation user application package for STS-96. It takes a lot of work to pull it all together. Thirty days before launch, flight software must be locked down - which means it is tested, certified and ready to fly. I am hoping to do a journal on the L-30 day cert experience for STS-96. Stay tuned . . . 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. Shortly after noon the 15th, Columbia arrived at OPF (Orbiter Processing Facility) bay 1 having completed its temporary storage period in the VAB (Vehicle Assembly Building) high bay 2. Columbia is powered up in OPF bay 1. Orbiter mass memory unit loading is complete and workers opened the payload bay doors last night. Orbiter processing for mission STS-93 resumes following routine OPF receiving inspections. SUBSCRIBING & UNSUBSCRIBING: HOW TO DO IT!
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