Author Topic: General ISS Q&A thread  (Read 922039 times)

Offline Jim

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #20 on: 09/21/2006 07:34 pm »
same as APAS.  It will use the same tunnel on the CEV.   APAS will be used for ISS and LIDS for LSAM

Offline Spiff

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #21 on: 09/26/2006 08:58 pm »
Quote
Jorge - 21/9/2006  7:07 PM

The hybrid probe & drogue hatch (of which Zvezda zenith is the only open port) is 1100 mm, or about 43.3".
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I didn't know this existed.
In which way is it 'hybrid?' is it meant for new kinds of russian vehicles/modules? Or something else?
I always consider space to be the FIRST frontier.

Offline Jorge

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #22 on: 09/26/2006 09:09 pm »
Quote
Spiff - 26/9/2006  3:41 PM

Quote
Jorge - 21/9/2006  7:07 PM

The hybrid probe & drogue hatch (of which Zvezda zenith is the only open port) is 1100 mm, or about 43.3".
--
JRF

I didn't know this existed.
In which way is it 'hybrid?' is it meant for new kinds of russian vehicles/modules? Or something else?

It's a hybrid between the standard probe & drogue and APAS. The standard probe & drogue is intended for docking small spacecraft like Soyuz/Progress while APAS has a wider structural ring with higher stiffness for docking hundred-ton vehicles together like Buran/Mir. The hybrid interface uses the APAS structural ring but with a probe & drogue capture mechanism.
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JRF
JRF

Offline Spiff

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #23 on: 09/26/2006 09:14 pm »
Can it only be used with a probe & drogue? Or also with an active APAS on the other side?
After all APAS implies that it's Androgynous, and that 1 active side can dock with a passive side.
I always consider space to be the FIRST frontier.

Offline Jorge

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #24 on: 09/27/2006 12:13 am »
Quote
Spiff - 26/9/2006  3:57 PM

Can it only be used with a probe & drogue? Or also with an active APAS on the other side?
After all APAS implies that it's Androgynous, and that 1 active side can dock with a passive side.

The Hybrid probe can only be used with a Hybrid drogue, but the mechanism can be swapped in-space with a passive APAS to accommodate an active APAS. That was the plan for docking the Interim Control Module to the FGB, had that become necessary.
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Offline reubenb

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #25 on: 10/05/2006 05:02 am »
What are the computer systems like on the ISS? I always see those laptops in the videos. What are the specs on those? Are these used to actually control the ISS systems or just used for experiments and email and stuff?

Also, is it true that computers in space are usually a couple years behind because they need to be hardened and tested with radiation to make sure they'll be ok?

Offline Jim

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #26 on: 10/05/2006 05:29 am »
The laptops are the crew interface.  At assembly complete, there will be 44 Multiplexers/Demultiplexers(MDMs) that run all the ISS systems.

Offline hop

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #27 on: 10/05/2006 06:34 am »
The laptops are IBM thinkpads http://www-03.ibm.com/ibm/history/exhibits/space/space_thinkpad.html

That article as a bit old, most (if not all) the 760XD have been replaced with A31p

This page describes the modifications to the older models http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewnews.html?id=213

Offline MKremer

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #28 on: 10/05/2006 07:52 pm »
The Thinkpad/laptop decisions for the major computing capabilities for the ISS have done remarkably well. (ok, once the hard drive situation was taken care of :) )

Unless you want to spend big, BIG, dollars for 99.99% rad-hard computing capabilities, you just have to live with random downtimes due to bit-flips, reboots, and resets. Fortunately, the ISS data processing hardware/software folks took all that into consideration and have done a tremendous job planning and keeping everything up and running, even through random, individual faults/failures.

Offline Jim

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #29 on: 10/05/2006 08:07 pm »
The laptops are only for crew interface.  The MDM's are the real controllers

Offline bobthemonkey

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #30 on: 10/06/2006 07:54 pm »
Any specs on the MDM's

Offline bobthemonkey

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #31 on: 10/06/2006 07:54 pm »
Any specs on the MDM's

Offline bobthemonkey

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #32 on: 10/06/2006 07:54 pm »
Any specs on the MDM's

Offline bobthemonkey

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #33 on: 10/08/2006 08:12 pm »
darn - triple post  - sorry

Offline reubenb

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #34 on: 10/10/2006 08:08 pm »
Thanks for the responses.

I'm a little confused though, isn't an MDM just a device for encoding/decoding communications signals? Does this mean that all critical systems are actually just controlled from the ground and commands are sent up?

Offline Jim

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #35 on: 10/10/2006 11:09 pm »
It depends on how you define the MDM.  On the ISS, they are computers.

Offline rosbif73

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #36 on: 10/11/2006 03:05 pm »
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nethegauner - 11/10/2006  1:59 AM

I have a feeling, STS-119 will be dropped from the manifest for good with S6 remaining on the ground. Of course, I do not have an insider's knowledge -- it's just a gut feeling.

I've taken the liberty of quoting the above speculations from a current L2 thread - after all, they're just speculations, not privileged information.

Anyway, this begs the question of how much power margin the finished station will actually have.

Would there actually be enough power to operate the entire station, including all the international modules, even without the S6 arrays?
Or if problems arose during the P6 retraction or relocation leaving P6 inoperable for some reason?

Offline dutch courage

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #37 on: 10/11/2006 04:19 pm »
A shuttle not launched is a billion dollars saved.

However if there's a failure in one of the other solar arrays - an MMOD hit for instance - you would be happy with a pair of extra wings.


Offline Jorge

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #38 on: 10/12/2006 03:28 pm »
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dutch courage - 11/10/2006  11:02 AM

A shuttle not launched is a billion dollars saved.


Only at the end of the program, if it helps you retire the fleet earlier and eliminate the overhead costs of the program.

Mid-program, a shuttle not launched simply puts a three-month hole in the manifest. The program would still burn through a billion dollars every three months anyway, just as it did during the post-accident grounding period.
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Offline dutch courage

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Re: General ISS Q&A thread
« Reply #39 on: 10/14/2006 11:13 am »
Does anybody know what tasks will be preformed during the november 22/23 EVA by Tyurin and Lopez-Alegria?


 

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