Author Topic: General ISS Q&A thread  (Read 879562 times)

Offline Nicolas PILLET

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1040 on: 06/27/2009 12:26 pm »
Hello,

For my website, I try to explain what is happening with the P6's batteries.
I have found an interesting paper here :
gltrs.grc.nasa.gov/reports/2004/TM-2004-213218.pdf

In this paper, they mention batteries 2B1, 2B2, 2B3, 4B1, 4B2 and 4B3.

But during STS-119 EVA2, they spoke about batteries 2B1-1, 2B1-2, 2B2-1 and 2B2-2.

So, my questions are :

-what is the actual configuration of the batteries ?
-why do they need change ? I suppose that is because they are the oldest of the station...
-what did they do durong STS-119 EVA2 ? I don't understand the usefulness of beaking torque of the bolts and retorquing them after...

Thank you very much for help !
Nicolas PILLET
Kosmonavtika : The French site on Russian Space

Offline errant_trajectory

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1041 on: 06/27/2009 07:39 pm »
Hey there!  Did a search on this but didn't find anything on the forums.

Anyways, I was watching NASA TV today and saw the tour of the pressurized section.  There was some talk of the Fire Ports.

I am curious as to the operation of these fire ports.  What do they do, how are they activated and so on.  Thanks!

Offline Jim

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1042 on: 06/27/2009 07:40 pm »
Hey there!  Did a search on this but didn't find anything on the forums.

Anyways, I was watching NASA TV today and saw the tour of the pressurized section.  There was some talk of the Fire Ports.

I am curious as to the operation of these fire ports.  What do they do, how are they activated and so on.  Thanks!

They are just holes in panel in which to place the nozzle of a fire extinguisher.

Offline Jorge

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1043 on: 06/27/2009 07:48 pm »
Please allow me to re-phrase my previous question.  Are both ACVS and RSAD still in use, and if so, in what capacity?  If not, what replaced them?  And was ACVS used during missions 2A-6A as planned?

ETA: Same questions re: OSVS (Orbiter Space Vision System)

I'm not familiar with ACVS (robotics is not my specialty). RSAD is still in use for shuttle robotics (SRMS). OSVS is no longer in use, and OSVS visual targets were never placed on the newer modules like Node 2, Columbus, and Kibo.
JRF

Offline errant_trajectory

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1044 on: 06/27/2009 07:51 pm »
Hey there!  Did a search on this but didn't find anything on the forums.

Anyways, I was watching NASA TV today and saw the tour of the pressurized section.  There was some talk of the Fire Ports.

I am curious as to the operation of these fire ports.  What do they do, how are they activated and so on.  Thanks!

They are just holes in panel in which to place the nozzle of a fire extinguisher.

How do you mean?  Is this for the purpose of suppressing a fire behind the bulkhead or equipment?

Is there an automated fire suppression system on ISS?

Offline Jim

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1045 on: 06/27/2009 07:54 pm »
1.  Is this for the purpose of suppressing a fire behind the bulkhead or equipment?

2.  Is there an automated fire suppression system on ISS?

1.  Yes

2.  The fire extinguishers are portable/handheld

« Last Edit: 06/27/2009 07:55 pm by Jim »

Offline hop

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1046 on: 06/27/2009 09:38 pm »
Has there ever been mention of a Expedition crew member to two staying on ISS for a year? 
I'm not entirely sure if this is what you are asking, but ISTR the Russians proposed year long stays in 2004 http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=14059

Offline brahmanknight

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1047 on: 06/28/2009 03:22 am »
Has there ever been mention of a Expedition crew member to two staying on ISS for a year? 
I'm not entirely sure if this is what you are asking, but ISTR the Russians proposed year long stays in 2004 http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=14059

That's exactly what I was looking for. 

Going by what was said in that blurb, maybe we will see in happen sometime in the next 5 years. 

Offline mr.columbus

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1048 on: 06/28/2009 01:29 pm »
Any plan yet to increase the crew size to 7 once a 4-crew Orion is operational and servicing the ISS?

Offline anik

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1049 on: 06/28/2009 05:27 pm »
what is the actual configuration of the batteries?

P6 truss has twelve batteries. Six of them (2B1A, 2B1B, 2B2A, 2B2B, 2B3A, 2B3B) are used for storage of power from solar array 2B, another six (4B1A, 4B1B, 4B2A, 4B2B, 4B3A, 4B3B) - from 4B.

why do they need change?

Batteries have a design life of 6.5 years, so six batteries of 2B channel will be replaced during STS-127 and six batteries of 4B channel - during STS-132.

what did they do during STS-119 EVA2?

They have broken torque and re-torqued H1 and H2 bolts of each of six batteries of 2B channel. It would be very bad if STS-127 crew could not do it, so STS-119 crew has checked torque of bolts beforehand. There is confidence now in successful loosening of bolts during STS-127 mission.

Offline Nicolas PILLET

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1050 on: 06/28/2009 05:32 pm »
Thank you VERY MUCH anik for these clear and accurate informations !
You're a living Wikipedia !
Nicolas PILLET
Kosmonavtika : The French site on Russian Space

Offline NavySpaceFan

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1051 on: 06/28/2009 05:33 pm »
Please allow me to re-phrase my previous question.  Are both ACVS and RSAD still in use, and if so, in what capacity?  If not, what replaced them?  And was ACVS used during missions 2A-6A as planned?

ETA: Same questions re: OSVS (Orbiter Space Vision System)

I'm not familiar with ACVS (robotics is not my specialty). RSAD is still in use for shuttle robotics (SRMS). OSVS is no longer in use, and OSVS visual targets were never placed on the newer modules like Node 2, Columbus, and Kibo.

Thanks Jorge!!!!
<----First launch of DISCOVERY, STS-41D!!!!

Offline C5C6

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1052 on: 06/29/2009 02:22 pm »
should we expect brighter ISS sights from earth as the beta angle rises??? I'm looking forward for the brightest-ever (-3.4) pass I've ever seen!!

Offline drbuzz0

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1053 on: 07/05/2009 04:16 am »
Hi-

Apparently the ISS now has a wifi system onboard, having been added with the Japanese research module with the Joint Station LAN now is avaliable via a series of Netgear access points.

Does anyone have any idea where I could find info as to whether the network is encrypted or not and what the SSID of it might be?   This might sound crazy to some, but I'm interested in experimenting with trying to see if I could pick up the signal on the ground.  I have a very large high gain dish with an S-band feedhorn and appropriate low noise preamp for wifi use.    There are a number of documented instances of wifi connections over hundreds of kilometers using large high gain antennas.

Let me just add:  I have no intention whatsoever of in any way accessing the network in an unauthorized manner.  If the signal could just be detected that would be great.  If it could actually get a solid network connection that would be amazing.   But I'm not going to try to mooch any internet access off of the ISS.




Offline hop

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1054 on: 07/05/2009 09:27 pm »
Apparently the ISS now has a wifi system onboard, having been added with the Japanese research module with the Joint Station LAN now is avaliable via a series of Netgear access points.
Keep in mind:
1) The ISS pressure vessels are aluminum, and most of it is covered with an additional metallic layers. This is a very effective wifi shield.
2) Although the minimum distance of an overhead pass is relatively is close to the very longest wifi distance records (which use high gain antennas and max power at both ends), it will spend very little time at that distance. You'd need very precise tracking to keep it in view of your antenna for more than a fraction of a second.
3) Direct overhead passes will be rare.

If you just want to pick up a signal from ISS, get into ham radio.

Offline drbuzz0

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1055 on: 07/06/2009 01:59 am »
Keep in mind:
1) The ISS pressure vessels are aluminum, and most of it is covered with an additional metallic layers. This is a very effective wifi shield.
2) Although the minimum distance of an overhead pass is relatively is close to the very longest wifi distance records (which use high gain antennas and max power at both ends), it will spend very little time at that distance. You'd need very precise tracking to keep it in view of your antenna for more than a fraction of a second.
3) Direct overhead passes will be rare.

I know all of this.   I'm not expecting a direct overhead pass but there will be several near overhead passes in the next couple of weeks and if it does not work on the near passes, I can drive to where I will get a direct overhead pass.

I know the structure is mostly aluminum.   That does not help things, but I'm still willing to give it a shot.  Yes, I know I need precise tracking. 

I also know there is going to be a lot of difficulty.

I have a very large dish that was previously used for industrial C-band satellite usage.  I'm not sure what the S-band gain on it would be, but it's definitely quite a lot.  I also have a smaller dish which I can disassemble to transport in my car. 

Also, low noise amplifiers, LMR-400 microwave coax and everything.  I'm not just hooking this up to a computer, I have a microwave spectrum analyzer as well and I have the proper mount for the antenna.





If you just want to pick up a signal from ISS, get into ham radio.

Been there - done that.  KB1IPD.

I'm interested in giving this a shot and I honestly don't know if it will work or not.  I think there's a pretty good chance I'll get nothing whatsoever.


If you think this is all folly and don't want to offer any info then fine.  However, I'd still like to give this a shot.   If anyone could just give me the info I requested then I'd really appreciate it.  It would make it all a lot easier.

Offline erioladastra

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1056 on: 07/06/2009 04:02 am »
Hi-

Apparently the ISS now has a wifi system onboard, having been added with the Japanese research module with the Joint Station LAN now is avaliable via a series of Netgear access points.

Does anyone have any idea where I could find info as to whether the network is encrypted or not and what the SSID of it might be?   


First, the WiFi LAn was not brought up with the JEM - it predates that.

Second, the information is secured for very obvious reasons.

Offline Nomadd

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1057 on: 07/06/2009 11:24 am »
 There are no "wi-fi connections over hundreds of kilometers". Although you could pick up the signal over a million kilometers with good enough antennas, wi-fi has a basic limitation of about 29 miles because the protocol can't handle the propogation delay after that. Any connection would have to be a different protocol.
 And getting any signal at that distance would require high gain antennas on both ends since background noise would probably be higher than the signal you're looking for at that distance.
 If you were terrestrial even a non amplified 40mw 2.4ghz signal would be fairly easy to pick up at 100 miles with a pair of 40db antennas if you had a good line of site. When one end is nothing but leakage through a metal shell and is moving about 14,000 mph, not too likely.
« Last Edit: 07/06/2009 11:25 am by Nomadd »
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.

Offline arkaska

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1058 on: 07/06/2009 02:30 pm »
Does anyone know if everybody onboard needs to be able to speak Russian? I have noticed during the press confereces that the russians onboard speak very little english so how do they communicate with the rest of the crew?
« Last Edit: 07/06/2009 03:10 pm by arkaska »

Offline drbuzz0

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #1059 on: 07/06/2009 05:53 pm »
There are no "wi-fi connections over hundreds of kilometers". Although you could pick up the signal over a million kilometers with good enough antennas, wi-fi has a basic limitation of about 29 miles because the protocol can't handle the propogation delay after that.

A two-way connection is not possible over that distance without some minor protocol hacking, but you can still read the network ID and detect network broadcasts.   There have been connections using 2.4 or 5.8 wifi by using some workarounds like piggybacking other protocols onto unaddressed signals, which can require firmware modification.   Anyway, I don't anticipate a 2-way connection would be possible.



And getting any signal at that distance would require high gain antennas on both ends since background noise would probably be higher than the signal you're looking for at that distance.
 If you were terrestrial even a non amplified 40mw 2.4ghz signal would be fairly easy to pick up at 100 miles with a pair of 40db antennas if you had a good line of site. When one end is nothing but leakage through a metal shell and is moving about 14,000 mph, not too likely.

I didn't say success was guaranteed.  If nobody did anything that seemed like it might be unlikely nothing would ever progress.   I'm using an extremely large antenna system that is going to eventually be used for EME.   The feed does not connect to a simple wifi adapter, it's connected to a low noise amplifier that splits it off to a spectrum analyzer and a passive sniffer along with a standard low-noise wifi adapter.


 

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