STS-120 and ISS EVA 10 AND 11

[dsmillman]

I just noticed that that the iSS flight schedule shows major changes regarding the installation of Node 2.  Peggy Whitson is now scheduled for an EVA dring the STS-120 docked phase.  I also noticed that PMA-2 and Node 2 will be berthed to Destiny before EVA-10.  Can someone provide more details on this - especially the ISS change requests?

[Andy USA]

Where?

[dsmillman]

In the schedule of ISS Flight events posted in the ISS section.  The schedule quotes Bill Harwood on the EVA changes.

[psloss]

dsmillman - 24/7/2007  8:33 PM

I just noticed that that the iSS flight schedule shows major changes regarding the installation of Node 2.  Peggy Whitson is now scheduled for an EVA dring the STS-120 docked phase.  I also noticed that PMA-2 and Node 2 will be berthed to Destiny before EVA-10.  Can someone provide more details on this - especially the ISS change requests?

That is interesting, as the last IDRD for Expedition 16 I saw (link) notes that the PMA-2 to Lab umbilicals would be disconnected on an EVA prior to removing PMA-2 from the Lab and moving it to Node 2...I guess if those umbilicals aren't needed for orbiter undocking they could be done during 10A docked ops, but...

Anyway, if you're interested, that is listed beginning on page 56 of the PDF in the "Stage 15S Tasks" section, but the document is out of date by now.

[John2375]

So Dan Tani is launching board 120 and returning on 122?? Only 6 weeks in space??Why the change from the normal 4-6 months?

[dsmillman]

I wasn't sure what umbilicals attach PMA-2 to he Lab.  I wonder if on the day between STS-120 EVA-3 and EVA-4 there is a possibility that Discovery may move from PMA-2 to PMA-3?  I assumed that Discovery will be docking at PMA-2 because you couldn't get Node-2 out of the PLB if it was docked at PMA-3.  However after Node-2 is berthed on Node-1 there is nothing to prevent this move.  It would take about six hours on FD-9 to close hatches, do leak checks, undock from PMA-2, dock to PMA-3 and re-open hatches. Does anyone have an opinion on this?

[MKremer]

I believe the most needed umbilicals (power/heaters, monitoring) are internal, i.e. they're accessed within the CBM vestibule between the two modules. The external connections are both for additional/final power/monitoring wiring, and (mostly) docking adaptor connections (including SSPTS).

[Ankle-bone12]

John2375 - 24/7/2007  9:12 PM

So Dan Tani is launching board 120 and returning on 122?? Only 6 weeks in space??Why the change from the normal 4-6 months?

Probably because they have so many astronauts that have not been in space yet and the're using all viable solutions to get them up their fast before shuttle is retired. Some have been waiting seven years!

[cookiejar500]

Will Node 2 be opened and entered before it is relocated to it's permanent location?

[ShuttleDiscovery]

cookiejar500 - 28/7/2007  5:24 PM

Will Node 2 be opened and entered before it is relocated to it's permanent location?

I read somewhere in the ISS section that it is not necessary to enter this module prior to relocation, but I think power and other essential systems will be activated whilst docked to the Unity port CBM...

[Jorge]

dsmillman - 26/7/2007  5:20 PM

I wasn't sure what umbilicals attach PMA-2 to he Lab.  I wonder if on the day between STS-120 EVA-3 and EVA-4 there is a possibility that Discovery may move from PMA-2 to PMA-3?  I assumed that Discovery will be docking at PMA-2 because you couldn't get Node-2 out of the PLB if it was docked at PMA-3.  However after Node-2 is berthed on Node-1 there is nothing to prevent this move.  It would take about six hours on FD-9 to close hatches, do leak checks, undock from PMA-2, dock to PMA-3 and re-open hatches. Does anyone have an opinion on this?

There is no possibility of docking to PMA-3 on STS-120 or, for that matter, any shuttle flight prior to Node 3 installation. There is negative clearance between the orbiter and the Soyuz docked to FGB nadir.

MKremer listed some of the umbilical connections. Some others include the "capture" and "undocking" complete sensors on the docking mechanism (used to cause the ISS attitude control system to mode to free drift post-capture and post-undocking), and the attitude moding indicator lights (used to inform the orbiter crew of the ISS attitude control status).

(It is for that reason that some folks really want these umbilical disconnections delayed post-undocking...)

[ShuttleDiscovery]

John2375 - 25/7/2007  3:12 AM

So Dan Tani is launching board 120 and returning on 122?? Only 6 weeks in space??Why the change from the normal 4-6 months?

The STS-117 Atlantis hail storm damage is to blame. It's made the manifest for the rest of this year tighter, despite dropping STS-123 for this years schedule.

Another shuttle crew change like they did for Williams and Anderson (118 moved up to 117) would be pointless as pretty much every flight from 120 onwards for the next year or so (except 124) is having an ISS crew exchange.

So if Tani were to come home on STS-123 instead, Eyharts would only have about 2 months as he would have to come home with STS-124 and be replaced by Reisman, who would get about 4 months. But this would all cause major crew changes, so NASA won't bother.

Personally, if I was going on an ISS mission, i'd wan't go on the Soyuz as you know you are going to get a good amount of time in space!

[erioladastra]

"The STS-117 Atlantis hail storm damage is to blame. "

Only partially.  The real issue is that by having the Shuttle Rotating Crew member (ShRC or 'shrek') is that you have to tie them to a flight for training and planning purposes.  Therefore, you are already deviated from a 6 month rotation.  Then any change in flights affects the stage.  Then you fold in pressure and agreements from the IPs to rotate someone on their flight so they are up there during the stage (of course they will later be disappointed when they discover they won't have as much time in their module as they hoped and used up a crew slot) and you get very short stages.

[erioladastra]

"I just noticed that that the iSS flight schedule shows major changes regarding the installation of Node 2. Peggy Whitson is now scheduled for an EVA dring the STS-120 docked phase. I also noticed that PMA-2 and Node 2 will be berthed to Destiny before EVA-10. Can someone provide more details on this - especially the ISS change requests?"

When STS 120 and 122 swapped orbiters 10A becamse a SSPTS flight.  Therefore, for eas EVA 10 was moved into the docked portion of the mission.

[erioladastra]

"Will Node 2 be opened and entered before it is relocated to it's permanent location?"

Yes, the crew will do some outfitting during the mission and put some stowage in there - the crew will be up to their eye balls in stuff and needs to put is somewhere ASAP.

[Bubbinski]

Is it possible to undock Discovery, and keep the orbiter at a distance of say, 600 feet, while the PMA is moved to Harmony and Harmony moved to Destiny under the watchful eyes of both crews, then the shuttle redocking to Harmony?  I notice with the current plan they'll be moving Harmony to its permanent berth the same day the shuttle lands.

[MKremer]

When Destiny was installed, it took almost a day to attach PMA2, do the leak checks, and the vestibule connections and closouts (including waiting 12 hours for both CBMs to thermally stabilize before driving the CBM mating bolts to final torque). There's also some external cabling to be done before PMA2 will be ready for another orbiter docking (listed last page).

It would be a big waste of mission time to do that during the mission.

[Ben E]

Returning to Tani's (very) short increment, is there any data on how well astronauts readapt after 'short' long-duration slots (ie six weeks to two months) as opposed to 'long' (four to six month) ones? Or does it depend on the individual?

Also, am I right in thinking that Reisman will get a seven-and-a-half-month expedition, breaking Lopez-Alegria's record? He's due to launch on February 14th on STS-123 and, with the postponement of STS-119 and Magnus, will not come home until late September on STS-126. Which gives Magnus a Tani-length flight, too, because she's being replaced by Wakata on STS-119 in November. Is this accurate?

[Jorge]

Bubbinski - 7/8/2007  11:57 PM

Is it possible to undock Discovery, and keep the orbiter at a distance of say, 600 feet, while the PMA is moved to Harmony and Harmony moved to Destiny under the watchful eyes of both crews, then the shuttle redocking to Harmony?  I notice with the current plan they'll be moving Harmony to its permanent berth the same day the shuttle lands.

No. It costs too much propellant to stationkeep that long.