The first commercial airlock is heading to the International Space Station later this year2Nanoracks’ Bishop airlock is slated to fly on SpaceX’s next cargo missionBy Loren [email protected] Sep 15, 2020, 5:06pm EDTLater this year, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will take off from central Florida, carrying a large metal cup destined to be attached to the outside of the International Space Station. The hardware is a first-of-its-kind commercial airlock, designed to get payloads and other materials from inside the pressurized space station out into the vacuum of space.
Yesterday, @BoeingSpace completed the PCBM installation. #BishopAirlock, you are looking mighty fine.
We're getting close. #BishopAirlock
NASA Kennedy KSC-20201007-PH-KLS01_0063 Nanoracks technicians work on the NanoRacks Bishop Airlock inside the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 7, 2020. The next-generation Nanoracks payload facility is being prepared for its flight to the International Space Station on SpaceX's 21st commercial resupply services mission (CRS-21) to the International Space Station. The Bishop Airlock is the first commercially funded airlock for the space station. It will provide payload hosting, robotics testing, satellite deployment, serve as an outside toolbox for station crew spacewalks, and more. CRS-21 is scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Kennedy's Launch Complex 39A. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
https://twitter.com/Nanoracks/status/1318557080479952896
#BishopAirlock News: @esa has pre-purchased five airlock cycles, and @NASA six, with an option for four additional cycles at a discounted rate. Read our announcement here: http://nanoracks.com/bishop-airlock-nasa-esa-purchase #ISS
Quote from: brickmack on 11/03/2020 09:26 pmLooks like they're considering Bishop follow-ons (likely in the form of additional cylinder segments between Bishop itself and ISS) for FRAM-mounted payloads and human EVA. Bishop + this cylinder extension would not be able to clear the radiator berthed at the end of node 3. It would need to move somewhere else to be stacked. In the diagram's case that is BEAM's current berthing port.I wonder if Biglow's financial issues affect BEAM's future. It was previously reviewed for the capability to extend its mission into 2028+.
Looks like they're considering Bishop follow-ons (likely in the form of additional cylinder segments between Bishop itself and ISS) for FRAM-mounted payloads and human EVA.
I don't think I've seen this NanoRacks patent from a few months ago discussed https://uspto.report/patent/app/20200156810Looks like they're considering Bishop follow-ons (likely in the form of additional cylinder segments between Bishop itself and ISS) for FRAM-mounted payloads and human EVA. The human EVA part is interesting as previous official diagrams showed them favoring a stretched single-piece airlock for humans
Quote from: brickmack on 11/03/2020 09:26 pmI don't think I've seen this NanoRacks patent from a few months ago discussed https://uspto.report/patent/app/20200156810Looks like they're considering Bishop follow-ons (likely in the form of additional cylinder segments between Bishop itself and ISS) for FRAM-mounted payloads and human EVA. The human EVA part is interesting as previous official diagrams showed them favoring a stretched single-piece airlock for humansInteresting idea, but a possible issue with putting it on Node 3 Aft port would be clearances with the semi-stowed FGB solar array. I wonder if there's any way they could retract it some more...
About 4 hours until this happens! It’s installation day for the Nanoracks Bishop Airlock onto the International Space Station and her new home on Node 3 @ NanoracksFor all you Airlock super fans out there, some more details:1. We hope some of it will be broadcast on NASA TV but not sure. 🤞 2. Grapple by the SSRMS (robot arm) around 5:20 central time3. Total process will take about 3 hours4. No Airlock activation tonight 😢. Later..
#BishopAirlock out of the #Dragon trunk and on its way to Node 3!
We made it.
I'm wondering how cubesat deployment from Bishop will work with the CBCS reflector in the way?
Good question! The CBCS target is only used for this initial berthing. The target will be removed by the crew after hatch opening. During this first berthing, the robotics team took joint angle measurements at various waypoints on the way to getting us to Node 3. On subsequent Airlock sorties, the robotic team will fly the arm to these waypoints to bring us back home again. Pretty cool stuff by the Canadarm2 and the ISS robotics ream!
How will Bishop depressurisation work? Will you connect up to Quest airlock pump via extension hose to recover any air into ISS? I presume Bishop has its own electrically-operated depress valve?
NASA developed an air save pump called the Pressure Management Device that connects to the Node 3 hatch equalization valve. It will pump the air out of Bishop Airlock into Node 3 down to about 1 psi. The last 1 psi is vented overboard via the PMD. To pressurize the Bishop Airlock , the equalization valve and a valve in the PMD are opened to naturally let the air flow into the Airlock. There are stopping points at various pressures to perform leak checks to ensure crew safety prior to hatch opening and crew ingress.
