Transcript ISS_Assembly

International Space Station (ISS)
Orbital Assembly
ISS Orbital Assembly
ISS Current Configuration
ISS Future Configuration
Reference Information
Select
Image
ISS Orbital Assembly
1. Assembly Started 2. Living Quarters
Added
4. American Lab
Added
Select
Image
3. First Solar Array Set
Deployed
5. Truss Built and Solar
6. Labs Added
Arrays, Dextre, and Spares
Added
Zarya Control Module is First ISS Element Launched
December 1998 – The Russian
built FGB, also called Zarya, is
seen from the Space Shuttle
Endeavour as the crew readied
the remote manipulator system
(RMS) for Zarya capture as they
awaited the rendezvous.
Endeavour carries the American
built Node 1, called Unity. Unity
will be berthed to Zarya.
The image was recorded by a
STS-088 crew member from the
Space Shuttle Endeavour.
Zarya Control Module Berthed to Unity Module
Zarya
PMA-1
December 1998 - The crew of the
STS-88 Mission began assembly of
the ISS joining the American Unity
node to the Russian Zarya module
in the Space Shuttle Endeavour’s
payload bay.
The image was taken by a crew
member using an IMAX® camera.
Astronauts Jerry Ross (left) and
James Newman are shown.
Unity
PMA-2
APAS
Unity and Zarya Control Modules After Release
December 1998 – The image
was recorded from the Space
Shuttle Endeavour.
Zvezda Service Module Connected to Zarya
December 2000 –The ISS image was
recorded by STS-97 crew members
onboard the approaching Space
Shuttle Endeavour.
ProgressM13
Zvezda
Zarya
Zenith-1 (Z-1) Truss Structure Mounted to Unity
October 2000 - After separation of the
Space Shuttle Discovery from the ISS,
a STS-92 crew member recorded this
"edge-on" image.
PMA-3
Z-1 Truss
Structure
SGANT
PMA-2
(Space Shuttle
Docking)
Photovoltaic Arrays Deployed After Attachment to Z-1 Truss
December 2000 – The Space Shuttle Endeavour was
moving toward the Earth from above the ISS when this
image was recorded by a STS-97 crew member.
The ISS is moving away from the Endeavour.
Photovoltaic Arrays
(240 ft total length)
Soyuz-TMA 31
P6 Segment with
Photovoltaic
Arrays
Destiny Laboratory Module Berthed
February 2001– The Space Shuttle Altantis flew halfway
around the ISS and its new Destiny laboratory before
starting its return to Earth. The ISS was photographed by
one of the astronauts onboard Atlantis.
Destiny Lab
Module
PMA-2
(Space Shuttle
Docking Location)
Destiny Laboratory Module is Outfitted
February 2001 - STS-98
astronauts move a rack into
position aboard the newly
attached Destiny laboratory.
Hatch
Opening
Rack
Stand-off
(4 Places)
Manipulator Arm and Quest Joint Airlock Module Added
July 2001 - The image was record
Space Shuttle Atlantis STS-104 cr
long after the two spacecrafts sep
Quest Joint
Airlock Module
Soyuz-TM 32
SSRMS
Manipulator Arm
Pirs Docking Compartment Module Connected to Zvezda
April 2002 – This image of the
ISS was recorded by the STS110 crew members on board
the Space Shuttle Atlantis.
Pirs
Poisk Docking Module Connected to Zvezda
November 21, 2009 - The Russian
Mini Research Module 2 (MRM-2),
called “Poisk” (Search), with
Progress after the unmanned
spacecraft automatically docked
to the upward facing zenith port
on the Zvezda module.
Progress
Poisk
Poisk Docking Module Connected to Zvezda
May 18, 2010 - In the grasp of the robotic Canadarm2, the Russian-built Mini-Research Module 1 (MRM-1),
named “Rassvet” (Dawn), is attached to the Earth-facing port of the Zarya Module.
Canadarm2
Rassvet
Poisk
Zarya
Integrated Truss Structure (ITS) & Mobile Base System (MBS) Added
December 2002 – This ISS image was
recorded by a STS-113 crew member on
board the Space Shuttle Endeavour.
Center Truss
Segment
P1 Truss
MBS
S1 Truss
Cradle
Assembly
Solar Array Segments Added and P6 Retracted
`
S3/4
Segment
Retracted P6
Solar Array
Set
P3/4
Segment
P5
Segment
June 19, 2007 – A Space Shuttle Atlantis
STS-117 crewmember captured this full
view of the ISS before returning to the
Earth.
Solar Array Segment Relocated
February 18, 2008 – After undocking from the
ISS, a STS-122 crewmember from the Space
Shuttle Atlantis mission captured this image.
`
P6 Solar Array
Set Relocated
S4 Segment
(Solar Arrays
Disabled)
S5
Segment
P5
Segment
Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) Added
March 18, 2008 - SPDM or Dextre
(center), in the grasp of the
station's robotic Canadarm2, is
photographed by a crewmember
on the ISS. Also pictured are
solar array panels (right) and a
section of a station truss (left)
with the Spacelab Pallet (upper
left).
SPDM Characteristics:
• Arm Length is 11 ft
• Body Length is 12 ft
• Shoulder width is 7.7 ft
• Approximate weight is 3,440 lbs
• Handles ORUs up to 1,323 lbs
with accuracy of 0.25 in
Image Courtesy
of the Canadian
Space Agency
STS-126 Shuttle Mission
`
P4 SAW
SARJ
P3 Truss
Element
BGA
P4 Truss
Element
November 20, 2008 - The STS-126 Endeavor Shuttle Mission Astronauts Heidemarie
Stefanyshyn-Piper (left) and Shane Kimbrough continued the repair of the Solar Alpha Rotary
Joint (SARJ). SARJ continuously rotates the two P4 Solar Array Wings (SAW) aligning the
arrays with the sun as the ISS orbits the Earth. Each SAW is also oriented to the sun by the
Beta Gimbal Assembly (BGA) changing the pitch of the arrays. The STS-126 mission delivered
14,400 lbs of equipment and supplies to the ISS including a new toilet and complex water
processing system.
Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ)
T-Rings
-X
`
Rib
P4 Side (Outboard)
Trundle Bearing Assembly
Launch Lock
Utility Transfer
Assembly
Utility Transfer
Assembly
Race Rings
Cable Support
Skirts
-Y
Rotary Joint Motor
Control #1
P3 Side (Inboard)
Rotary Joint Motor
Control #2
+Z
Drive Lock Assembly
Cable
Support
The SARJ has suffered serious erosion and degradation on at least one of its three bearing
surfaces, subjecting the mechanism to high vibration and generating extensive metallic debris.
Prior to the STS-126 mission in November 2008, the joint no longer tracked the sun and was
only repositioned occasionally to improve electrical output.
Solar Array Segment Added
`
March 25, 2009 – The image was taken by a
STS-119 crewmember shortly after the Space
Shuttle Discovery undocked from the ISS.
S6 Solar Array
S5 Segment
Express Logistics Carrier 2 (ELC-2) Added
`
Canadarm 2
ELC-2
November 21, 2009 - The
Canadarm 2, controlled
by Atlantis and the ISS
crews, prepares to mate
the ELC- 2 with large
spare units to the
Zenith/Outboard Payload
Attachment System
(PAS) on the S3 Truss.
Harmony Node and Columbus Lab Added
February 18, 2008 – The image
was taken by a STS-122
crewmember shortly after the
Space Shuttle Atlantis
undocked from the ISS.
PMA-2
(Docking
Location)
Harmony
Node 2
Module
Columbus
Laboratory
Module
Japanese Experiment Module Added
July 2009 - The Japanese Experiment Module
(JEM), called "Kibo," is completed with the
addition of the Exposed Facility.
Pressurized
Module
Logistics
Module
Remote
Manipulator
System
Harmony
Node 2
Module
Exposed
Facility
Inter-orbit
Communication
System
New Crew Quarters Compartment Added
September 1, 2009 - European Space Agency
astronaut Christer Fuglesang (left), STS-128 mission
specialist, prepares to install a new crew quarters
compartment in the Kibo laboratory. The crew
compartment was launched inside the space shuttle
Discovery’s cargo bay in the Leonardo Multi-Purpose
Logistics Module.
September 2, 2009 - NASA astronaut Michael Barratt,
Expedition 20 flight engineer, works on outfitting the
recently installed crew quarters compartment. A crew
member can sleep, work and relax in the
compartment.
Tranquility and Cupola Added
February 2010 - The newly-installed Tranquility node and Cupola are
visible at top left.
Cupola
Tranquility
Node 3
Unity
Node 1
Tranquility Outfitted
February 15, 2010 - NASA astronauts
(left) George Zamka, Terry Virts, and
T.J. Creamer work in the Tranquility
node.
The Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC) is shown
in the Destiny laboratory prior to relocation to
Tranquility during the STS-130 mission in February
2010. The WHC first arrived during the STS-126
Endeavor Shuttle Mission in November 2008. The toilet
is housed in an equipment rack configuration. The
open compartment door reveals the interior.
The WHC is the second toilet facility on the ISS. The
first ISS toilet is located in the Russian Zvezda module.
Toilet
Seat
Cupola Outfitted
February 19, 2010 - NASA astronaut
George Zamka (left) is pictured in a
window of the newly-installed Cupola.
The seven-windowed Cupola is an
observation and control tower for the
ISS with windows that provide a
panoramic view for observing and
guiding operations on the outside of the
station. It gives crew members an
alternative to the video views they have
been using to operate the station’s
robotic arm and monitor approaching
vehicles.
February 18, 2010 - Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut
Soichi Noguchi uses a still camera at a
window in the Cupola. The "bay
window" is the first on the ISS.
The first opportunity to use the Cupola
controls to grab and berth an
approaching spacecraft will probably
come when Japan’s second H-II Transfer
Vehicle arrives in 2011.
Permanent Multipurpose Module
March 1, 2011 - In the grasp of the
Canadarm2, the Italian-built Permanent
Multipurpose Module (PMM) is transferred
from space shuttle Discovery's payload bay
to be permanently attached to the Earthfacing port of Unity. The PMM will be used for
stowage.
Robonaut 2
Robonaut 2 or R2 is the next generation dexterous
robot, developed through a Space Act Agreement
by NASA and General Motors. It is faster, more
dexterous and more technologically advanced
than its predecessors and able to use its hands to
do work beyond the scope of previously
introduced humanoid robots.
15 March 15, 2011- Astronaut Cady Coleman,
Expedition 26/27 flight engineer, poses with
Robonaut 2. R2 was packed with supplies and
equipment for the station inside the Leonardo
Permanent Multipurpose Module. Now that R2 is
unpacked, it will initially be operated inside the
Destiny laboratory during operational testing,
but over time both its territory and its
applications could expand. There are no plans to
return R2 to Earth.
Robonaut 2 Characteristics
 Head - houses the vision equipment.
Specifications:
 Materials: Primarily aluminum with steel,
and non-metallics.
 Weight: 330 lbs
 Height: 3 ft, 4 inches (from waist to head)
 Shoulder width: 2 ft, 7 inches
 Arms’ Wingspan: 8 ft
 Sensors: A total of 350+
 Processors: 38 Power PC Processors
 Degrees of freedom: A total of 42
 Speed: Up to 7 ft per sec
Behind the visor are two stereo vision
cameras for R2 and its operators, and two
auxiliary cameras. A fifth infrared camera is
located in the mouth for depth perception.
 Neck - 3 degrees of freedom allowing R2
to look left, right, up, or down.
 Arms - 2 ft, 8 inches long with each arm
boasting 7 degrees of freedom and the
strength to hold 20 lbs in any pose in
Earth’s gravity.
 Hands - A total of 12 degrees of freedom
with 4 degrees of freedom in the thumb, 3
degrees of freedom each in the index and
middle fingers, and 1 each in the ring and
pinky fingers. Each finger has a grasping
force of 5 lbs.
 Torso - The R2 computer is included.
 Backpack - Holds the power conversion
system allowing R2 to be plugged in on
Earth and on the ISS. Holds the batteries on
the Moon, asteroid or on another planet.
 Degrees of freedom - The number of
displacements and rotations along which an
object can move; a higher number indicates
an increased flexibility in positioning.
Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-02
May 29, 2011 - The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer
(AMS-02), shown (left) attached to the truss, is a
state-of-the-art particle physics detector
designed to operate as an external module on
the ISS. It will use the unique environment of
space to study the universe and its origin by
searching for antimatter and dark matter while
performing precision measurements of cosmic
rays composition and flux. The AMS-02
observations will help answer fundamental
questions such as: What makes up the
universe’s invisible mass? or What did happen
to the primordial antimatter?”
The AMS-02 experiment utilizes a large permanent
magnet to produce a strong, uniform magnetic
field over a large volume. The magnetic field is
used to bend the path of charged cosmic particles
as they pass through five different types of
detectors.
The AMS-02 detector is shown (right) during
integration and testing at the European
Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) near
Geneva, Switzerland.
Robotics Refueling Mission Payload Added
`
July 12, 2011 - With his feet secured on a restraint on the ISS Canadarm 2 robotic arm,
NASA astronaut Mike Fossum holds the Robotics Refueling Mission payload, an
experiment designed to demonstrate and test the tools needed to robotically refuel
satellites in space.
ISS Current Configuration
May 23, 2011 - The full view of the
ISS and the docked space shuttle
Endeavour was photographed by a
Soyuz TMA-20 crew member
following the undocking. The three
crew members landed in Kazakhstan,
Russia later that day completing 159
days in space.
ISS Future Configuration - as of November 2011
ISS Assembly Sequence
Reference Information - Page 1 of 2
Text and Images:
Creating the International Space Station by David Harland and John Catchpole; Pravis Publishing, 2002
- includes the ISS history, hardware description and orbital assembly through April 2002.
Station Hurdle by Frank Morring, Jr; Aviation Week and Space Technology; February 25, 2008; Volume
168, page 21 - includes ISS disabled S4 solar arrays.
Long Haul by Frank Morring, Jr; Aviation Week and Space Technology; November 30, 2009; Volume 171,
page 42 - includes a description of how the large ISS spares are transported and stored in space.
Bay Window by Frank Morring, Jr; Aviation Week and Space Technology; February 22, 2010; Volume 172,
page 33 - describes the Tranquility node and the Cupola observation module.
MIR Human Waste Disposal Unit System image photographed by Mike Snodgrass, September 2010.
Text and Images:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/
http://t2spflnasa.r3h.net/gallery/images/shuttle/sts-104/hires/sts104-723-014.jpg
http://www.space.gc.ca/asc/eng/iss/mss_spdm.asp
http://www.nasa.gov/
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Pictures_and_images
Text only:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/isstodate.html
http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/spacestation/components/zarya.html
http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/spacestation/components/node_1_2_3.html
http://www.boeing.com/defensespace/space/spacestation/components/russian_service_module.html
Reference Information - Page 2 of 2
Text only (Continued):
http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/spacestation/components/integrated_truss.html
http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/spacestation/components/us_laboratory.html
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/assembly/elements/mss/index.html
http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/spacestation/components/docs/P3-P4.pdf
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/
http://kibo.jaxa.jp/en/about/kibo/
http://iss.jaxa.jp/iss/kibo/develop_status_14_e.html
http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/ISSRG/pdfs/harmony.pdf
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/behindscenes/126_payload.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/node3/SEM1XBSJR4G_0.html
http://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEMHOB9ATME_business_0.html
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/node3/SEM4FHSJR4G_0.html
http://www.nasm.si.edu/collections/artifact.cfm?id=A20000786000
http://www.nasa.gov/
http://robonaut.jsc.nasa.gov/default.asp
http://www.ams02.org/
http://ams-02project.jsc.nasa.gov/html/Projectpage.htm
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/RRM.html
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/iss_manifest.html
End
ISS General Information (as of 3-9-11)
ISS Flights
American: 35 Space Shuttle flights
Russian:
2 Proton launch vehicle flights
25 Soyuz crew flights
2 Soyuz assembly flight
41 Progress resupply flights
European: 2 Automated Transfer Vehicle flight
Japanese: 2 H-II Transfer Vehicle flight
ISS Characteristics
Orbit: 247 statute miles altitude; 17,000 miles per hour speed; 51.6 degree inclination
above and below the equator
Weight: 919,964 lbs (460 tons)
Size: length 240 ft and width 356 ft (across solar arrays)
Spacewalks
Space Shuttle-based: 28 spacewalks
ISS-based: 127 spacewalks
Total time: over 973 hours (40.5 days)
Crew Support
In flight: 6 crew members
Ground: more than 100,000 personnel
States: 37
Countries: 16
Zarya Control Module
The Russian Zarya (Russian for Sunrise) module, launched on the Proton launch
vehicle in November 1998, is the first ISS element to orbit Earth. The Zarya module,
also known by the Russian technical term Functional Cargo Block (FGB), provides
orientation control, communications and electrical power for the ISS initial phase.
Zarya is reduced to a storage role in later phases. Zarya is 41 ft long, 13.5 ft wide and
weighs 42,000 lbs.
Unity Module
The American Unity node module, launched on the Space Shuttle Endeavour, STS88, was berthed to Zarya in December 1998. The 25,600 lb, 18 ft long and 14.8 ft
diameter module serves as a connecting passageway between ISS elements using
the six Common Berthing Mechanisms (CBM). One CBM is on each end and four
CBMs are equally spaced around Unity’s circumference. Unity is similar to the
Destiny lab module having 4 standoffs, but it only has 4 equipment racks.
The Pressurized Mating Adapter (PMA)–1 is mounted on a CBM of Unity to provide
access to Zarya. The PMA mates with an exact copy of itself and can serve as either
the passive or active device when mating with another one. The PMAs can be
mounted to any CBMs allowing Space Shuttles and Russian modules to dock.
The PMA-2 is mounted to Unity and it is where the Space Shuttle temporarily docks
using the Androgynous Peripheral Attach System (APAS). The APAS has an active
capture ring that extends outward from a structural ring on the Space Shuttle that
captures a passive mating ring on the PMA-2. After capture, the ring aligns and pulls
the two together to allow 12 structural hooks to deploy latching the Space Shuttle and
ISS with an airtight seal. The APAS was designed by Moscow-based RSC Energia
and it has roots in the Apollo-Soyuz program. Its current design is based on APAS
used in the Shuttle-Mir program.
Zvezda Service Module
The Russian Zvezda (Russian for Star) module, launched on the Proton launch
vehicle in July 2000, is docked to Zarya. Zvezda, 43 ft long and 13.6 ft in
diameter weighing 42,000 lbs, serves as the main living quarters. Zvezda is the
core of the Russian portion of the ISS. Initial control of the station was from
Zvezda by controllers located in Moscow. Zvezda was designed for a crew of
three, and up to six for short periods of time. It contains sleeping quarters for two
people, a hygiene facility, a waste compartment, an American exercise treadmill
and stationary bicycle, and a galley containing a refrigerator/freezer and a folding
table for preparing/serving meals. Zvezda also contains the attitude control and
orbital re-boost propulsion systems located at the end opposite Zarya.
The Russian Progress-M13 logistics supply craft docked to Zvezda in August
2000. Its 280 lb dry cargo included food, clothes and various computers. The
primary cargo was propellant for Zvezda.
Zenith-1 (Z-1) Truss Structure
The American Z-1 Truss Structure, launched on the Space Shuttle Discovery,
STS-92, in October 2000, is attached to Unity. The Z-1 contains the Control
Moment Gyroscope (CMG) attitude control system, communications equipment
and antenna.
The Z-1 will serve as a temporary mount for the Port 6 (P6) power system of the
Integrated Truss Structure (ITS) with its photovoltaic arrays and cooling radiators.
When the ITS has been completed, the P6 segment will be relocated on the far
end of the truss.
The Z-1 Space to Ground Antenna (SGANT) is deployed.
The American Pressurized Mating Adapter (PMA)-3 is mounted on Unity’s CBM.
Photovoltaic Arrays
The American P6 Truss Segment with a photovoltaic power system is
launched on the Space Shuttle Endeavour, STS-97, in December 2000;
mounted to the Z-1 Truss Structure; and its two 240 ft photovoltaic arrays
are deployed. The 17,000 lb P6 segment is comprised of a 45 ft tall truss
structure, cooling radiators and solar arrays. Motors extended the telescopic
masts deploying the photovoltaic arrays from their blanket boxes. The arrays
rotate to track the sun as the ISS orbits the Earth.
The Russian Soyuz-TM 31 Crew Transport docks to the ISS, and three crew
members are the first to occupy the station in November 2000. The Soyuz
and Space Shuttle ferry crew members from the Earth to the ISS and back.
The Soyuz will also serve as the Crew Return Vehicle (CRV) to evacuate the
crew in an emergency during the early occupation of the ISS.
Destiny Laboratory Module
The American Destiny laboratory module, launched on the Space Shuttle
Atlantis, STS-98, is mounted to Unity in February 2001. The 28 ft long, 14 ft
diameter, 32,000 lb, laboratory is constructed from three aluminum cylinders
and a pair of aluminum end cones with a single, 20 inch diameter window
located in the center cylinder. Each end cone has a hatch, 50 inches square
with rounded corners, where the crew enters or exits the lab. The exterior is
covered with insulation and debris shields for protection against space
temperature, debris and micrometeoroids. Control of the ISS is changed from
the Russians to NASA after Destiny is made operational.
Destiny Laboratory Module Interior
Inside the American Destiny laboratory module, four equally spaced
“stand-off” structures provide mounting provisions and space for power
lines, data management, vacuum systems, air conditioning ducts, water
lines and more to accommodate the equipment racks.
The module can hold 24 equipment racks with 6 on each side. Each rack
is 6.1 ft tall, 3.5 ft wide and weighs about 1,200 lbs. Eleven system racks
are required to support the laboratory environment and control system.
Only 6 racks were launched onboard Destiny due to the Space Shuttle
constraints. The remaining system racks and the 13 science racks,
supporting micro-gravity and technology experiments, will be ferried to
the ISS by the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module on Space Shuttle flights.
Remote Manipulator Arm and Quest Joint Airlock Module
The Canadian Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS) with a
56 ft mechanical arm, launched on the Space Shuttle Endeavor, STS-100, is
installed April 2001. The SSRMS arm is an advanced version of the Space
Shuttle 50 ft Canadian Remote Manipulator System arm with seven
motorized joints. The SSRMS can relocate its position by using a latching
end effector (hand) at each end to “walk” from one grapple fixture, mounted
to the ISS, to another. The mobile servicing system supports the assembly of
the station, handling of large payloads and orbital replacement units,
maintenance, and provides EVA support.
The Quest joint airlock module, launched on Space Shuttle Atlantis, STS104, is attached July 2001. The 13,000 lb, 18.5 ft long airlock is used to
support Extravehicular Activity (EVA) by astronauts and cosmonauts. It has
two sections. The largest section is where the crew can pre-breathe, don and
doff their spacesuits and store their EVA equipment. The smaller section is
used to egress and ingress the airlock through a circular hatch.
The Russian Soyuz-TM 32, the lifeboat replacement, docked to Zarya in April
2001.
PIRS Module
The Russian Pirs (Russian for Pier) module, delivered to the ISS by a
Progress service module, is attached in September 2001. Pirs provides a
third docking location for the Soyuz and Progress, and the airlock facilitates
EVA using the Russian Orlan spacesuits during assembly of the station. A
3.3 ft diameter side hatch serves as an airlock for cosmonauts wearing the
Orlan pressure suits. Pirs is 16 ft long, 8.4 ft in diameter and weighs 7,893
lbs.
The Quest airlock provides EVA access to the American modules and the
Integrated Truss Structure, and the Pirs airlock accommodates easier
access to the Russian part of the ISS.
Poisk Module
The Russian MRM-2 or Poisk (Russian for Search) is a docking module
13.3 ft in length, 8.4 ft in diameter and weighs 8,090 lbs. It is almost
identical to the Pirs Docking Compartment and will serve as an additional
docking port for the Soyuz and Progress spacecrafts as well as an airlock
for spacewalks. It provides the third docking port for the Russian segment
of the ISS including: Zvezda, Pirs and Poisk. This is a necessity for the
long-term support of six full-time crew members. Poisk will also provide
extra space for scientific experiments, and provide power-supply outlets
and data-transmission interfaces for two external scientific payloads being
developed by the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The jettisoning of the Progress spacecraft from the Poisk module happened
around 8 December. Progress was destroyed during re-entry into the
atmosphere.
Rasset Module
The Russian MRM-1 or Rasset (Russian for Dawn) is a docking module
16.7 ft in length, 7.7 ft in diameter and weighs 17,670 lbs. Rassvet will be
primarily used for cargo storage and as a docking port for a Soyuz or
Progress spacecraft. It was flown to the ISS aboard STS-132 on May 14,
2010 aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis. The module was designed and
built by S.P. Korolev RSC Energia from the already-made pressurized hull
of the mock-up for the dynamic tests of the canceled Science Power
Platform (SPP).
The SPP was a planned Russian element of the ISS that was intended to
be delivered to the ISS by a Russian Proton rocket or Zenit rocket but was
shifted to launch by a shuttle. SSP would have provided additional power
for the ISS as well as roll axis control capability for the orbital facility. When
an agreement was reached in March 2006 by the Russians and NASA to
provide part of the power for the Russian segments from the four American
solar arrays, the SPP was not needed.
Integrated Truss Structure & Mobile Base System
The simple, girder-like appearance masks the ITS’ multiple ISS roles.
Laboratories, living quarters, payloads and systems equipment are directly
or indirectly connected to the ITS. American photovoltaic arrays, supplying
105 KW of ISS power (enough to light a town), will be attached to the ITS.
Wires and cables snake through the truss to carry energy and information
to the farthest reaches of the station. The starboard side of the truss
incorporates four external attach points for experiments and the port side
two. The ITS also houses batteries, radiators, antennas and gyroscopes.
The Center Truss Segment is attached to the Cradle Assembly affixed to
the American laboratory module Destiny. From the Center Truss Segment,
the ITS will eventually extend on both sides until it reaches a total length of
more than 300 ft. Space Shuttle missions delivered and supported the
assembly of the pre-integrated truss segments. The three truss segments
assembled include:
The American Center (S0) Truss is attached in April 2002.
The American Starboard 1 (S1) Truss is attached in October 2002.
The American Port 1 (P1) Truss is attached in November 2002.
The Canadian MBS was installed in June 2002. The MBS provides lateral
mobility for the Canadian 56 ft robotic arm system along rails attached to
the ITS.
P3/4, P5 and S3/4 Segments Added and P6 Retracted
September 2006 - Space Shuttle Atlantis, STS-115, delivers the American
P3/4 Truss Segment with a second pair of solar arrays. The Atlantis crew
supports deployment of the solar arrays.
December 2006 - Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-116, transports the
American P5 Truss Segment. The P5 segment is attached to the P3/4
segment. The crew also supports the retraction of one of the two P6 solar
array wings.
June 2007 - Space Shuttle Atlantis, STS-117, delivers the American S3/4
Truss Segment with a third pair of solar arrays, and supports the S3/4 solar
array deployment and the retraction of the second P6 solar array wing.
Temporarily installed on the Z-1 truss, the P6 segment will be relocated to
its permanent location on the P5 segment in November 2007.
S5 Segment Added, P6 Relocated and S3/4 Damaged
August 2007 - The Space Shuttle Endeavour, STS-118 mission, adds the
S5 Segment.
November 2007 - The P6 segment is relocated from the Z-1 truss to its
permanent location on the P5 segment and its solar arrays are deployed
during the Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-120 mission.
- Unexpected debris is found in the S4 Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ)
during a spacewalk. The S4 solar array set is not able to track the sun
because the SARJ is damaged. Without the S4 solar arrays, the ISS may
not be able to support operations beyond the delivery of the Japanese Kibo
Pressurized Module.
Harmony Node and Columbus Lab Modules Added
The Harmony node 2 module, launched on the Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-120,
on October 23, 2007, was berthed to the ISS Destiny module. The aluminum node is
31,500 lbs, 23.6 ft long and 14.5 ft diameter. The module serves as a connecting
passage between the European lab Columbus, the American lab Destiny and,
eventually, the Japanese lab Kibo. It also provides a docking port (PMA-2) for the
Space Shuttle and the Japanese HII transfer vehicle and serves as an attachment
point for the Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules (MPLM). The structural and life-support
systems design is based on the MPLM and the European Columbus laboratory. It
was developed for NASA under an ESA contract with European industry. AlcatelAlenia Space is the prime contractor.
The European Columbus laboratory module was launched in February 7, 2008 on
the Space Shuttle Atlantis, STS-122. The 22.5 ft long, 14.7 ft diameter, 28,100 lb
research lab provides for experiments in the field of multidisciplinary research in
material science, fluid physics and life science. External facilities also support
experiments and applications in the field of space science, Earth observation and
technology. Columbus holds 10 racks of experiments, each about the size of a
phone booth. Five NASA racks will be added to the laboratory once it is in orbit.
Each rack provides independent controls for power and cooling as well as
communication links to earthbound controllers and researchers. These links will
allow scientists all over Europe to participate in their own experiments. DaimlerBenz
Aerospace of Bremen, Germany was the development prime contractor for the lab.
Dexterous Robot Provides Extra-Vehicular Support
The ISS SPDM is an extremely advanced, highly dexterous, dual-armed robot with a body
including two shoulder structures providing support for the arms. Each arm has seven joints
terminating with the Orbit Replacement Unit/Tool Change-out Mechanism (OTCM). The OTCM
interfaces the SPDM arm with payloads and tools. The SPDM is equipped with lights, video
equipment, a tool platform and four tool holders. This two-armed robot is able to touch and feel
much like a human. It can sense forces and moments on a payload and automatically
compensate to ensure the payload is moved smoothly.
The SPDM will be controlled by the ISS crew using a robotic workstation and perform many tasks
previously requiring an extra-vehicular astronaut. The SPDM will normally sit on the ISS truss
Mobile Base System. The Canadarm2 will manipulate a payload to within the range of the SPDM
for repair, maintenance or upgrade. The SPDM can also be grappled by the free end of the
Canadarm2 and maneuvered into position next to a payload needing assembly requiring a
delicate touch.
The primary role of the SPDM will be to carry out delicate maintenance and servicing tasks on
the ISS. These tasks include:
 Install and remove small payloads such as batteries, power supplies and computers;
 Provide power and data connectivity to payloads;
 Manipulate, install, remove and inspect scientific payloads;
 Operate robotic tools such as specialized wrenches, and socket extensions for delicate
maintenance and servicing tasks.
MD Robotics, located in Brampton, Ontario, is the main contractor of the Dextre. The technology
behind Dextre is built upon the heritage of its predecessor, the ISS Canadarm2.
STS-126 Endeavor Shuttle Mission
The STS-126 Endeavor shuttle delivered the 14,400 lbs of equipment and supplies
inside the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module that was temporarily attached to the
station's Harmony module.
The two primary objectives of the mission were:
- Continue to repair the starboard SARJ and prepare the port SARJ for continued operations.
- Install the regenerative Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) in preparation
for six-crew operations beginning in the May 2008 timeframe. The new Waste and Hygiene
Compartment (toilet) and complex water processing system design includes conversion of urine
into ultra-pure water for drinking, food preparation, personal hygiene and oxygen generation.
-- The expansion required on-board recycling because expendable launch vehicle servicing
cannot deliver enough fresh water to support six full-time astronauts. Building and perfecting a
closed-loop life support system is a critical first step toward eventual flights to the moon and
Mars.
The astronauts installed a new galley, a refrigerator, a combustion experiment rack
and two new sleep stations that provide privacy and radiation protection.
The shuttle also delivered a spare Rotary Coupler that lets the huge folding radiators
turn to efficiently dissipate heat and brought a depleted coolant system pressurization
tank back to Earth.
EVA astronauts outfitted the recently added Japanese Kibo Module.
The Multi-Purpose Logistics Module was loaded with 3,500 lbs of equipment prior to
being loaded back into Endeavors cargo bay for the return to Earth.
Solar Alpha Rotary Joint Repairs Continue
The SARJ is a 10 ft diameter rotary joint that tracks the sun in the ISS alpha axis
turning the entire P4 Truss Segment. The SARJ can spin 360 degrees using 12
equally-spaced Trundle Bearing Assemblies (TBA) and a servo control system to turn.
- All of the power flows through the Utility Transfer Assembly (UTA). Roll ring assemblies allow
transmission of power and data across the rotating joint so it never has to unwind.
Based on analysis of collected SARJ debris and a TBA removed on the previous
shuttle mission, engineers determined the problem was caused by a lubrication
failure.
- While the damage is too extensive to fully repair, engineers believed a thorough cleaning and
lubrication, and replacement of 11 TBAs would reduce friction to the point where the joint could
be used in the manual mode to improve electrical generation. One TBA was replaced on the
previous shuttle mission.
- After the repair, the SARJ was tested. The post-servicing test showed the joint rotated almost
as smoothly as it did when it was first installed. Additional tests and analysis are planned, but
engineers are hopeful the joint can resume normal or near normal operations.
The long-range solution will be for astronauts to partially disassemble the SARJ and
insert a new race ring to take over from the one that has been damaged.
- NASA intends to bring up another race and attach it to the damaged race and then roll on the
new race. The outboard race will be saved for use later in the life of the ISS.
- The SARJ was not designed to separate and put back together on orbit. It was assembled prior
to flight and flew as an integrated truss.
-- A technique has been developed but the hardware needs to be built. Jack screws will be built
and attached where launch locks had been located. The joint will be separated about 10 inches
and the new race ring will be installed and then the joint pulled back together. The current repair
plan is late in 2010.
S6 Segment Added
March 2009 - Space Shuttle Discovery, STS-119, delivers the American S6
Segment with the fourth pair of solar arrays. The S6 Segment is attached to
the S5 Segment. The Discovery crew supported the deployment of the
solar arrays that completed the assembly of the Integrated Truss Structure
(ITS).
Express Logistics Carrier 1 & 2 Added
The STS-129, Space Shuttle Atlantis, mission was devoted primarily to
delivering critical spare parts and equipment or orbital replacement units
(ORUs) that were too large to be delivered by European, Russian or
Japanese cargo ships and can not fit through the ISS modules’ hatches.
The big spares were transported into space on two pallets called the
Express Logistics Carriers (ELC 1 & 2) that weighed about 27,250 lbs and
filled the orbiter’s payload bay. The major contractors for the ELCs are
Brazil and Goddard Space Flight Center. The ELCs were installed with a
handoff from the shuttle’s robotic arm, which pulled each one from the bay,
to the station’s main arm, Canadarm 2, for final installation on the ISS truss.
Most of the ORUs will remain on the ELCs until they are needed.
- The spare hardware stored on ELC-1 includes: an Ammonia Tank Assembly, a
Battery Charger Discharge Unit, a station robotic arm Latching End Effector, a
Control Moment Gyroscope, a Nitrogen Tank Assembly, a Pump Module, a Plasma
Contactor Unit and two empty Passive Flight Releasable Attachment Mechanisms.
- The ELC-2 was launched with: an oxygen-filled High Pressure Gas Tank (HPGT), a
Cargo Transport Container (CTC-1), a Mobile Transporter Trailing Umbilical System
Reel Assembly (MT TUS-RA), a Control Moment Gyroscope, a Nitrogen Tank
Assembly, a Pump Module, MISSE attachment hardware and one empty site for
future payloads.
Japanese Experiment Module - Page 1 of 3
The JEM, known as "Kibo" (pronounced key-bow) which means hope in Japanese,
is Japan's first human-rated space facility and the Japan Aerospace Exploration
Agency's (JAXA's) first contribution to the ISS program.
- A maximum of four astronauts can perform experimental activities in Kibo.
- Kibo experiments focus on space medicine, biology, earth observations, material production,
biotechnology, and communications research.
- Educational, cultural, and commercial uses of Kibo are also planned.
- Resources necessary for Kibo's on-orbit operation, such as air, power, data, and cooling fluid,
are provided by the US segment of the ISS.
- Kibo consists of six components: the Pressurized Module, the Exposed Facility, a Logistics
Module, a Remote Manipulator System, and an Inter-orbit Communication System.
Pressurized Module (PM) - The PM was launched on the Space Shuttle Discovery,
STS-124, on May 31, 2008, and it was berthed to the Harmony module. The PM
consists of an aluminum cylinder and weighs 33,000 lbs, and measures 36.7 ft in
length and 14.4 ft in diameter.
-The PM is the central part of Kibo where experiments utilizing the microgravity environment
are conducted.
- Ten experiment racks equipped with various devices are located inside.
- The module was built by Mitsubisha Heavy Industries in Nagoya, Japan.
Japanese Experiment Module - Page 2 of 3
The Exposed Facility (EF) - The EF was launched on the Space Shuttle Endeavour,
STS-127, on July 15, 2009, and berthed to the PM where it is exposed to space. The
EF is a box-shaped structure 16.4 ft in width and 17.1 ft length.
- The EF and the truss facilities are the only locations on the ISS where the space environment
can be directly utilized.
-The payloads, attached to the EF, can be exchanged or retrieved by Kibo's Remote
Manipulator System.
- The PM airlock is used when EF payloads are exchanged or retrieved.
The Japanese Experiment Logistics Module (ELM) - The ELM is the first component
of the Kibo laboratory to be installed on the ISS. It was launched on the Space
Shuttle Discovery, STS-123, on March 11, 2008, and it was berthed to the Harmony
module. The ELM consists of an aluminum cylinder weighing 18,490 lbs and
measuring 13.8 ft in length and 14.4 ft in diameter.
- It serves as an on-orbit storage area that houses materials for experiments, maintenance
tools and supplies.
- After the PM was berthed to the Harmony module, the ELM was moved to the top of the PM.
- Astronauts transferred eight racks, including system racks, experiment racks, and storage
racks, to the PM from the ELM.
- The module was built by Mitsubisha Heavy Industries in Nagoya, Japan.
Japanese Experiment Module - Page 3 of 3
The Remote Manipulator System (RMS) was launched attached to the PM. It serves
as an arm to support experiments conducted on the EF. The 32.8 ft main arm
handles large items, and the 7.2 ft small arm can be attached at the end of the main
arm for delicate tasks.
- The main arm is equipped with a TV camera that allows astronauts to monitor the operation
from inside the PM.
Inter-Orbit Communication System (ICS) - The ICS was launched on the Space
Shuttle Endeavour, STS-127, on July 15, 2009. It provides an independent
intercommunications network between Kibo and the Tsukuba Space Center (TKSC,
JAXA).
- Commands and voice data are uplinked from the ground through JAXA's Data Relay Test
Satellite (DRTS), known as Kodama, to Kibo; experiment data, image data or voice data are
downlinked from Kibo to the ground.
- The ICS consists of two subsystem components: the ICS-Pressurized Module (ICS-PM) and
the ICS-Exposed Facility (ICS-EF). The ICS-PM, which is installed in the PM, provides
command and data handling functions. The ICS-EF, mounted to the EF, is mainly composed of
an antenna and pointing mechanism that is used to communicate with the DRTS.
STS-128 Discovery Shuttle Mission
The STS-128 Discovery shuttle, launched on August 28, 2009, delivered 15,200 lbs of
equipment and supplies inside the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) that was
temporarily attached to the station's Harmony module. The MPLM delivered science and
storage racks, a freezer to store research samples, a new crew quarters compartment, and the
COLBERT treadmill.
- The modular crew quarters compartment is a rack-sized container, 6.1 ft tall and 3.5 ft wide, providing the
occupants with their own “personal space.” In their quarters, they can stow their personal belongings, rest,
and spend their recreational time. Each unit provides the crew member with lighting, power, fans, ventilation,
acoustic isolation, laptop computer connectivity, and caution and warning alarms.
- The Combined Operational Load-Bearing External Resistance Treadmill, or COLBERT is named after
comedian and host Stephen Colbert of Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report." Stephen Colbert took an
interest during the Node 3 naming poll and urged his followers to post the name "Colbert" which received the
most entries. The treadmill will be the second on the station. The astronauts spent about 20 hours
assembling the COLBERT. COLBERT is temporarily located in the Harmony module. Later, it will be moved
into the Tranquility node after it is installed.
The mission included three spacewalks to replace experiments outside the Columbus
laboratory, and installed a new ammonia storage tank and returned the used one. Ammonia is
used to move excess heat from inside the station to the radiators located outside the ISS.
Discovery also delivered a new crew member and brought back another after almost two
months aboard the space station.
Tranquility Node 3 & Cupola
Tranquility Node 3
The Tranquility module is used for exercise, storage, and robotics work in connection with the
Cupola. The module was launched on the Space Shuttle Endeavour, STS-130, on February 8,
2010, and berthed to the Unity Node 1 module. The launch weight of the node with the Cupola
was 34,000 lbs. The aluminum node is 14.7 ft in diameter and 22.0 ft long. The module
contains the most advanced life support systems ever flown in space.
Cupola
The Cupola observation module provides a shirtsleeve environment for up to two astronauts
working inside. The Cupola was launched attached to Tranquility and re-berthed to Tranquility
to face the Earth. The module is 4.9 ft in height with a maximum diameter of 9.7 ft and had a
launch weight of 3,979 lbs. The Cupola has six trapezoidal side windows and a circular top
window, 31.5 inches in diameter - the largest ever flown in space.
The windows use advanced technologies to protect the sensitive fused silica glass panes. Each
window has three subsections: an inner scratch pane to protect the pressure panes from
damage inside the Cupola; two 1.0 inch thick pressure panes to maintain cabin pressure (the
outer pane is a back-up for the inner pane); and a debris pane on the outside to protect the
pressure panes from space debris when the shutters are open.
The windows are protected by seven external shutters which can be opened by the crew from
inside. The shutters are closed to protect the glass from micrometeoroids and orbital debris,
and to prevent solar radiation from heating the Cupola or to avoid losing heat to space.
Zvezda and Tranquility Toilets - Page 1 of 2
Zvezda Service Module Toilet
The sanitation and hygiene equipment located in the Zvezda module is in a compartment aft of
the starboard cabin. The Zvezda toilet is the same well-tested design used on the Russian Mir
Space Station. It is manufactured by RD & PE Zvezda. During the Mir/Space Shuttle missions,
the Mir toilet was preferred by the Space Shuttle astronauts to the Orbiter’s own toilet.
Using a toilet in space is a challenge of its own. Astronauts have to clamp themselves to the
toilet in order not to float off. Since there is almost no gravity, vacuum suction is used to draw
away waste. Liquids and solids are treated separately and stored in silver cylindrical
containers; both are disposed of when a Progress cargo ship departs and burns up in the
atmosphere. Urine was recycled on Mir but the Zvezda toilet on the ISS does not have this
capability.
Tranquility Waste and Hygiene Compartment (WHC)
In November 2008, as part of the ISS crew expansion plan, a new Russian-built toilet was
delivered on the STS-126 mission and installed in the Destiny Laboratory. The WHC toilet was
moved into the Tranquility module during the February 2010 STS-130 mission.
Solid waste is stored for disposal as usual, but liquid waste is sent to processing units in the
NASA-designed Water Recovery System to be purified and recycled for various uses, including
potable water for drinking.
Zvezda and Tranquility Toilets - Page 2 of 2
Tranquility WHC (Continued)
The WHC separately channels liquid and solid waste. While the solid waste goes into a holding
tank, the Urine Processor Assembly (UPA), which forms a major part of the Water Recovery
System (WRS) racks, reclaims drinking water from astronauts’ urine. The WRS racks use a
series of chemical processes and filters to treat the astronauts’ urine, perspiration, and hygiene
water, recycling about 93% of the liquid it receives to provide water clean enough to drink.
Water is recovered from urine in the UPA by spinning up a keg-sized distiller to create artificial
gravity. Contaminants press against the side of the distiller while steam in the middle is pumped
out. Water from the urine processor is combined with all other wastewaters and delivered to the
Water Processor Assembly for treatment. The water processor removes free gas and solid
materials, such as hair and lint, before the water goes through a series of multi-filtration beds
for further purification. Any remaining organic contaminants and micro-organisms are removed
by a high-temperature catalytic reactor assembly.
This rigorous treatment creates water that meets stringent purity standards for human
consumption. The purity is checked by sensors, with unacceptable water being reprocessed,
and clean water being sent to a storage tank ready for use by the crew. The WRS reduces the
amount of water that needs to be delivered to the station by about 65% or about 753 gallons
over the course of a year.
MIR Human Waste Disposal Unit
The toilet in the Zvezda and Tranquility
modules is similar to the Mir Space Station
Human Waste Disposal Unit.
The Mir toilet system is shown to the left. It
physically resembled those used on Earth.
Fans sucked waste into the commode. Crew
members used individual urine funnels which
were attached to hoses, and the urine was
deposited into a wastewater tank.
Credit: Technik Museum
Speyer, Germany
The Mir Space Station is the longest-occupied space
station (over 12 years of continuous occupation since its
launch in 1986).
The Mir toilet is shown to the right. Its overall dimensions
were 1.97 ft tall x 1.64 ft wide x 1.64 ft deep and it weighed
Credit: Technik Museum
39.7 lbs.
Speyer, Germany
STS-133 Discovery Shuttle Mission
The STS-133 Discovery shuttle, launched on February 24, 2011, delivered the Permanent
Multipurpose Module (PMM) to the ISS. The 27,160 lbs module measures 21 feet long and 15
feet wide. The PMM was attached to the Earth-facing side of the Unity node several days later.
It was converted from the multi-purpose logistics module (MPLM) Leonardo. The PMM
provides additional storage for the station crew and experiments may be conducted inside it,
such as fluid physics, materials science, biology and biotechnology.
Discovery also carried critical spare components and the Express Logistics Carrier 4 (ELC4) to
the ISS. Express, which stands for Expedite the Processing of Experiments to the Space
Station, is an external platform that holds large equipment that can only be transported using
the unique capability of the shuttle.
The STS-133 mission featured two spacewalks that performed maintenance work and installed
new components. The tasks included: installation of a power extension cable between the Unity
and Tranquility nodes to provide a contingency power source; movement of a failed ammonia
pump module that was replaced in August 2010 from an attachment bracket to a stowage
platform adjacent to the Quest airlock; installation of a camera assembly on the Dextre robot
and removal of insulation from Dextre's electronics platform; and “fill” a special bottle with
space for a Japanese education payload (the bottle will be part of a museum exhibit for public
viewing).
Robonaut 2, or R2, the first human-like robot in space, was transported to the station in the
PMM becoming a permanent resident of the station. With upgrades, it could one day help
spacewalkers make repairs or perform scientific work.
R2 Robonaut
The R2’s current primary job is to demonstrate how dexterous robots behave in space. It is a
state of the art highly dexterous anthropomorphic robot. Like its predecessor Robonaut 1 (R1),
R2 is capable of handling a wide range of astronaut Extravehicular Activity (EVA) tools and
interfaces, but R2 is a significant advancement over its predecessor. R2 is capable of speeds
more than four times faster than R1, is more compact, is more dexterous, and includes a
deeper and wider range of sensing.
Advanced technology spans the entire R2 system and includes: optimized overlapping dual
arm dexterous workspace, series elastic joint technology, extended finger and thumb travel,
miniaturized 6-axis load cells, redundant force sensing, ultra-high speed joint controllers,
extreme neck travel, and high resolution camera and IR systems. The dexterity of R2 allows it
to use the same tools that astronauts currently use and removes the need for specialized tools
just for robots.
Initially, R2 will be deployed on a fixed pedestal inside the Destiny laboratory but over time both
its territory and its applications could expand. The next steps include: a leg for climbing through
the corridors of the station; upgrades for R2 to go outside into the vacuum of space; and then
future lower bodies like legs and wheels to propel the R2 across terrain such as the Moon and
Mars. A four wheeled rover called Centaur 2 was evaluated at the 2010 Desert Field Test in
Arizona as an example of these future lower bodies for R2.
R2 is a collaboration between NASA and General Motors with the assistance from Oceaneering
Space Systems engineers to accelerate development of the next generation of robots and
.related technologies for use in the automotive and aerospace industries.
STS-134 Endeavour Shuttle Mission
The STS-134 Endeavour 14-day mission delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-02 (AMS)
to the ISS. AMS-02, a particle physics detector, is designed to search for various types of
unusual matter by measuring cosmic rays.
Endeavour also transported the Expedite the Processing of Experiment to Space Station
(Express) Logistics Carrier 3 (ELC-3).
- ELC-3 is a platform that carried spare parts that will sustain the station operations once the
shuttles are retired from service.
-- Shuttle mission STS-134 was the final flight for Endeavour and the second to last flight for
the Space Shuttle Program.
The mission featured four spacewalks performing maintenance and the installation of new
components. The spacewalks were the last scheduled spacewalks by shuttle crew members.
- On flight day 5, two experiments were retrieved and a new package of experiments was
installed on the ELC-2.
- On flight day 7, the radiators were refilled with ammonia; the early ammonia system was
vented; and the left-side solar joint and parts of the two-armed robot Dextre were lubricated.
- On flight day 9, a grapple, or handle, was installed on the Zarya module to support robotic
arm operations based from the Russian segment.
- On flight day 11, the astronauts stowed the shuttle’s 50-ft boom on the right-side truss on a
permanent stowage fixture, retrieved the grapple from the station's left-side truss and used it as
a replacement for the grapple currently on the boom. They then released restraints from one of
the arms on Dextre and replaced thermal insulation on one of the spare gas tanks for the
Quest airlock.
Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-02 (AMS-02)
The AMS-02 was proposed in 1995 by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) particle
physicist Samuel Ting, not long after the cancellation of the Superconducting Super Collider.
The proposal was accepted and Mr. Ting became the principal investigator.
- The $1.5 billion (estimate) AMS-02 involved collaboration from more than 600 people in 56
institutions from 16 countries, as well as subcontractors and suppliers from all over the world.
- AMS-02 was installed on the ISS on May 19, 2011.
-- AMS-02 weighs 18,739 lbs and consumes over 2,500 watts of power.
-- The mission duration is through the lifetime of the space station, until at least 2020.
AMS-02 collects hundreds of millions of primary cosmic rays which, after being accelerated by
strong magnetic fields, travel for hundreds of millions of light years before reaching the
experiment. The core of AMS-02 spectrometer is a large Super-Conducting and Permanent
Magnet measuring the sign of the charge of each particle traversing the instrument. The
detectors are:
- Transition Radiation Detector (TRD) - identifies electrons and positrons among other cosmicrays.
- Time-of-Flight System (ToF) - warns the sub-detectors of the incoming of a cosmic-ray
- Silicon Tracker (Tracker) - detects the particle charge sign, separating matter from antimatter.
- Ring-Imaging Cherenkov Detector (RICH) - measures with high precision the velocity of
cosmic-rays.
- Electromagnetic Calorimeter (ECAL) - measures energy of incoming electrons, positrons and
γ-rays.
Electronics transform the signals detected by the various particle detectors into digital
information to be analyzed by computers.
Robotics Refueling Mission Payload Added
The STS-135, Space Shuttle Atlantis’ 12-day mission, delivered the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module filled with supplies and spare parts.
This will help sustain the station operations following the mission when the
space shuttles are retired. The crew returned an ammonia pump that
recently failed on the station to Earth. Engineers want to understand why the
pump failed and improve designs for future spacecraft.
The mission also transported the Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM) payload.
- Before a satellite is launched, technicians fill its fuel tank through a valve that is then
triple-sealed and covered with a protective blanket, designed never to be accessed
again.
- The RRM is an external ISS experiment demonstrating that a remote-controlled
robot can remove barriers and refuel a satellite in space.
-- It is the first NASA on-orbit demonstration of the technology needed to perform
robotic refueling on spacecraft not designed to be refueled.
- RRM is designed to demonstrate that remote-controlled robots can perform refueling
tasks in orbit via ground commands.
- RRM uses DEXTRE (the space station’s twin-armed Canadian robotic “handyman”),
four unique RRM tools, and an RRM enclosure comprised of refueling components
and activity boards.
-- DEXTRE uses RRM tools to cut and manipulate protective blankets and wires,
unscrew caps and access valves, transfer fluid, and leave a new cap in place for
future refueling activities.
ISS Assembly Sequence
Launch Target /
Landing Date
Assembly
Flight
Launch
Vehicle
Element(s)
July 8, 2011
July 21, 2011
ULF7
Atlantis
STS-135
• Multi-Purpose Logistics Module with Robotic
Refueling Mission (RRM) Payload
May 2012
3R
Russian
Proton
• Multipurpose Laboratory Module with
European Robotic Arm (ERA)
• ISS assembly sequence and launch manifest are subject to change.
• Additional flights for crew transport, logistics and resupply are not listed.