1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,920 How will a space shuttle attach to the ISS? 2 00:00:04,920 --> 00:00:09,960 Describe two ways that the International Space Station will stay in Earth's orbit. 3 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:17,600 Describe the function of the solar arrays, thermal radiators, robotic arm, and truss. 4 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:22,360 I'd like to welcome NASA Connect this morning to the Johnson Space Center here in Houston. 5 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:24,600 My name is Connie VanPray-Cremins and I work 6 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:28,720 with the International Space Station program doing outreach and communications. 7 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:32,160 What we're building in outer space is a world-class research facility. 8 00:00:32,160 --> 00:00:35,840 The United States NASA is the lead integrator of the program. 9 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:41,200 ESA, the European Space Agency, the Russian Space Agency, the Japanese Space Agency, 10 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:45,520 and the Canadian Space Agency all own the International Space Station 11 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:51,720 and as partners bring elements and people and training and research and all the facilities 12 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:54,600 that we're building to our orbiting facility. 13 00:00:54,600 --> 00:01:00,920 In 1998 we began with a Russian-built, U.S. paid-for module called Zarya. 14 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:05,520 What it was is the initial power block and brains of the station. 15 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:07,880 Soon after that we launched Unity. 16 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:10,680 That was a Boeing-built, United States element. 17 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:13,800 Unity is one of three connecting bridge modules 18 00:01:13,800 --> 00:01:16,640 that will be put on the International Space Station. 19 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:20,000 After we put Unity up came the service module. 20 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:22,400 That's an entirely Russian element. 21 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:26,800 It's Russian-built and Russian-launched and the service module actually took over much 22 00:01:26,800 --> 00:01:30,600 of the functions that we had of Zarya and it also is the place 23 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:34,440 where the astronauts live, work, and sleep. 24 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:36,680 How does the shuttle dock to the space station? 25 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:38,400 Well, that's what Unity provides. 26 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:42,120 Unity has six docking ports so the shuttle comes up and docks 27 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:46,160 to a pressurized mating adapter which is attached to the Unity bridge 28 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:49,800 and then through there supplies can be moved into the space station. 29 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:53,640 So how will the station get power for the astronauts to use? 30 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:55,240 From the sun. 31 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:58,120 What the International Space Station has is a series 32 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:02,600 of giant solar arrays, photovoltaic solar arrays. 33 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,520 We have one set of arrays up there right now. 34 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:09,040 There will be four in total that will be aligned along the truss. 35 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:10,680 What exactly is a truss? 36 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:15,920 The truss is a backbone girder-like structure and you'll see this long, 37 00:02:15,920 --> 00:02:19,600 almost like steel beam crate box. 38 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:22,960 And that is literally what these solar arrays are going to be attached to. 39 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:27,840 It's what modules are hung from and the astronauts will be walking along it. 40 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:32,800 Also walking and riding along it will be the Canadian robotic arm system 41 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:34,840 for the International Space Station. 42 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:39,960 Attached to the arm is what we call a special dexterous manipulator system 43 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:44,160 or a very smart hand that can go along and pick up different parts, 44 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:46,280 modules and move it around. 45 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:49,680 Okay, so I know that the solar arrays are on the truss, 46 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:52,000 but what are the other like panel things? 47 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:54,880 Van, you're probably talking about the thermal radiators. 48 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:57,600 That's the heat rejection system. 49 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:01,040 Much like an air conditioning system would function in your home, 50 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:04,200 the job of these radiators is to collect the buildup of heat 51 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:09,280 and power generated internally and use it to move that heat outside the 52 00:03:09,280 --> 00:03:13,040 space station and dump it into space so that we can maintain comfortable 53 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:17,040 levels of working for the astronauts and for the systems. 54 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:19,440 Now I know the ISS is in a state of free fall, Connie, 55 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:21,800 but how does it stay up in orbit? 56 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:25,600 Well, initially we have attitude control thrusters that will continue 57 00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,080 to operate throughout the life of the station. 58 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:32,040 These are the little jets that use fuel to keep our attitude. 59 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,200 What do you mean by attitude control? 60 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:38,320 Well, Jennifer, the space station has to maintain a certain position 61 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:39,920 as it's being constructed. 62 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:44,040 We want to get the maximum exposure to the sun for the arrays, 63 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:48,720 so the attitude control is what keeps this position of the station. 64 00:03:48,720 --> 00:03:51,440 So how do you know the pieces are going to fit together 65 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:52,960 when you get them in space? 66 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:55,800 Well, this is part of the miracle challenge that confronts 67 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,960 the International Space Station program because these major elements 68 00:03:58,960 --> 00:04:02,480 have to fit together with hairline tolerance the first time 69 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:04,080 when they're attached in Earth orbit. 70 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:07,440 All the flight elements are literally put in line on their way 71 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:09,320 to get integrated into the shuttle. 72 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:11,960 What we can't do physically, we're doing through software. 73 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:14,840 In fact, controlling the International Space Station is going to take 74 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:18,040 more than two million lines of computer code. 75 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:20,160 And we're learning valuable things through that testing. 76 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:23,760 We're fixing problems before they ever become a problem on orbit. 77 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:25,000 Thank you so much, Connie.