Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Space Station Payloads”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 559 records · Page 31

Space station mobile transporter

The first quarter of the next century will see an operational space station that will provide a permanently manned base for satellite servicing, multiple strategic scientific and commercial payload deployment, and Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle/Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OMV/OTV) retrieval replenishment and deployment. The space station, as conceived, is constructed in orbit and will be maintained in orbit. The construction, servicing, maintenance and deployment tasks, when coupled with the size of the station, dictate that some form of transportation and manipulation device be conceived. The Transporter described will work in conjunction with the Orbiter and an Assembly Work Platform (AWP) to construct the Work Station. The Transporter will also work in conjunction with the Mobile Remote Servicer to service and install payloads, retrieve, service and deploy satellites, and service and maintain the station itself. The Transporter involved in station construction when mounted on the AWP and later supporting a maintenance or inspection task with the Mobile Remote Servicer and the Flight Telerobotic Servicer is shown.

Renshall, James↗

Panel on Space Station utilization benefits

An account is given of recent changes in the NASA Space Station, under the guidance of updated user community payload requirements. The user communities are those of astronomy, the life sciences, earth observation, and international applications. Attention is given to the resolutions that will be achievable by astronomical instruments aboard the Space Station, the testing of prototype earth observation instruments aboard the Station's manned module, and the microgravity research efforts planned in conjunction with ESA.

Rubenstein, Sy Z.↗

Payload vibration isolation in a microgravity environment

Many in-space research experiments require the microgravity environment attainable near the center of mass of the Space Station. Disturbances to the structure surrounding an experiment may lead to vibration levels that will degrade the microgravity environment and undermine the experiment's validity. In-flight disturbances will include vibration transmission from nearby equipment and excitation from crew activity. Isolation of these vibration-sensitive experiments is required. Analytical and experimental work accomplished to develop a payload (experiment) isolation system for use in space is described. The isolation scheme allows the payload to float freely within a prescribed boundary while being kept centered with forces generated by small jets of air. The vibration criterion was a maximum payload acceleration of 10 micro-g's (9.81x10(exp -5)m/s(exp 2), independent of frequency. An experimental setup, composed of a cart supported by air bearings on a flat granite slab, was designed and constructed to simulate the microgravity environment in the horizontal plane. Experimental results demonstrate that the air jet control system can effectively manage payload oscillatory response. An analytical model was developed and verified by comparing predicted and measured payload response. The mathematical model, which includes payload dynamics, control logic, and air jet forces, is used to investigate payload response to disturbances likely to be present in the Space Station.

Alexander, Richard M.↗

Space Station Mission Planning System (MPS) development study. Volume 1: Executive summary

The basic objective of the Space Station (SS) Mission Planning System (MPS) Development Study was to define a baseline Space Station mission plan and the associated hardware and software requirements for the system. A detailed definition of the Spacelab (SL) payload mission planning process and SL Mission Integration Planning System (MIPS) software was derived. A baseline concept was developed for performing SS manned base payload mission planning, and it was consistent with current Space Station design/operations concepts and philosophies. The SS MPS software requirements were defined. Also, requirements for new software include candidate programs for the application of artificial intelligence techniques to capture and make more effective use of mission planning expertise. A SS MPS Software Development Plan was developed which phases efforts for the development software to implement the SS mission planning concept.

Klus, W. J.↗

U.S. Laboratory Module - Its capabilities and accommodations to support user payloads

The U.S. Laboratory Module of the Space Station is discussed, focusing on user accommodations. The configuration and subsystems capabilities of the module are described, including the power, thermal, environmental control, and data management subsystems, the vacuum system, process materials management, and laboratory support equipment. The experimental facilities included in the laboratory are listed. The experiment operations planned for the laboratory are examined and compared with the experimental activities in other manned space laboratories.

Powell, Luther E.↗

A Stream lined Approach for the Payload Customer in Identifying Payload Design Requirements

NASA payload developers from across various disciplines were asked to identify areas where process changes would simplify their task of developing and flying flight hardware. Responses to this query included a central location for consistent hardware design requirements for middeck payloads. The multidisciplinary team assigned to review the numerous payload interface design documents is assessing the Space Shuttle middeck, the SPACEHAB Inc. locker, as well as the MultiPurpose Logistics Module (MPLM) and EXpedite the PRocessing of Experiments to Space Station (EXPRESS) rack design requirements for the payloads. They are comparing the multiple carriers and platform requirements and developing a matrix which illustrates the individual requirements, and where possible, the envelope that encompasses all of the possibilities. The matrix will be expanded to form an overall envelope that the payload developers will have the option to utilize when designing their payload's hardware. This will optimize the flexibility for payload hardware and ancillary items to be manifested on multiple carriers and platforms with minimal impact to the payload developer.

Miller, Ladonna J.↗

Risk Management for the International Space Station

The International Space Station (ISS) is an extremely complex system, both technically and programmatically. The Space Station must support a wide range of payloads and missions. It must be launched in numerous launch packages and be safely assembled and operated in the harsh environment of space. It is being designed and manufactured by many organizations, including the prime contractor, Boeing, the NASA institutions, and international partners and their contractors. Finally, the ISS has multiple customers, (e.g., the Administration, Congress, users, public, international partners, etc.) with contrasting needs and constraints. It is the ISS Risk Management Office strategy to proactively and systematically manages risks to help ensure ISS Program success. ISS program follows integrated risk management process (both quantitative and qualitative) and is integrated into ISS project management. The process and tools are simple and seamless and permeate to the lowest levels (at a level where effective management can be realized) and follows the continuous risk management methodology. The risk process assesses continually what could go wrong (risks), determine which risks need to be managed, implement strategies to deal with those risks, and measure effectiveness of the implemented strategies. The process integrates all facets of risk including cost, schedule and technical aspects. Support analysis risk tools like PRA are used to support programatic decisions and assist in analyzing risks.

Sebastian, J.↗

Gateway Element and Payload Materials Outgassing Analyses: HALO, HERMES, and ERSA

Gateway was intended to be humanity’s first space station around the Moon, but its development has been paused as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shifts focus to achieving the United States’ National Space Policy goals. Instead of an orbiting lunar outpost, NASA will now pursue the development of a lunar surface base to support a sustained human presence on the Moon. Before the program’s pause, Gateway’s Induced Environments team worked to ensure payloads and elements (i.e., modules) complied with induced environment requirements. Methods developed and insights gained from this work will have applicability to NASA’s Moon Base and the potential repurposing of Gateway elements and payloads, as well as to induced environments modeling for future space stations. The Gateway program’s induced environment included molecular contamination, electric thruster plume sputter and redeposition, and lunar dust transfer from the Human Landing System (HLS). Primary sources of external molecular contamination included materials outgassing, chemical thruster plume contamination, and vacuum venting. The focus of this paper will be on element- and payload-level materials outgassing analyses performed for Gateway Configuration 1, extending the previously-developed framework for Gateway system-level external molecular contamination modeling. Gateway Configuration 1 consisted of the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) and the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO). It also included payloads like the European Radiation Sensor Array (ERSA) attached to PPE and the Heliophysics Environmental and Radiation Measurement Experiment Suite (HERMES) attached to HALO. The element- and payload-level analyses to be introduced in this paper for HALO, HERMES, and ERSA enabled high-fidelity descriptions of Gateway’s external molecular contamination environment. Approaches to geometric modeling, meshing, outgassing rate assignment, molecular transport modeling, and analysis methodology will be presented. Element and payload contaminant deposition onto sensitive Gateway receiver surfaces will be summarized and results compared to induced environment requirements. While these results incorporate refinements made over the course of the program, they were not intended to be final. Therefore, modeling assumptions and inputs, potential improvements, and lessons-learned will be documented to inform future work on Moon Base, repurposed elements and payloads, and other space stations.

Gateway↗

Space Station Mission Planning System (MPS) development study. Volume 2

The process and existing software used for Spacelab payload mission planning were studied. A complete baseline definition of the Spacelab payload mission planning process was established, along with a definition of existing software capabilities for potential extrapolation to the Space Station. This information was used as a basis for defining system requirements to support Space Station mission planning. The Space Station mission planning concept was reviewed for the purpose of identifying areas where artificial intelligence concepts might offer substantially improved capability. Three specific artificial intelligence concepts were to be investigated for applicability: natural language interfaces; expert systems; and automatic programming. The advantages and disadvantages of interfacing an artificial intelligence language with existing FORTRAN programs or of converting totally to a new programming language were identified.

Klus, W. J.↗

International Space Station Science Information for Public Release on the NASA Web Portal

This document contains some of the descriptions of payload and experiment related to life support and habitation. These describe experiments that have or are scheduled to fly on the International Space Station. There are instructions, and descriptions of the fields that make up the database. The document is arranged in alphabetical order by the Payload

Robinson, Julie A.↗

Space Communication and Navigation Testbed Communications Technology for Exploration

NASA developed and launched an experimental flight payload (referred to as the Space Communication and Navigation Test Bed) to investigate software defined radio, networking, and navigation technologies, operationally in the space environment. The payload consists of three software defined radios each compliant to NASAs Space Telecommunications Radio System Architecture, a common software interface description standard for software defined radios. The software defined radios are new technology developed by NASA and industry partners. The payload is externally mounted to the International Space Station truss and available to NASA, industry, and university partners to conduct experiments representative of future mission capability. Experiment operations include in-flight reconfiguration of the SDR waveform functions and payload networking software. The flight system communicates with NASAs orbiting satellite relay network, the Tracking, Data Relay Satellite System at both S-band and Ka-band and to any Earth-based compatible S-band ground station.

Reinhart, Richard↗

Using Pre-Melted Phase Change Material to Keep Payloads in Space Warm for Hours without Power

Adding phase change material (PCM) to a mission payload can maintain its temperature above the cold survival limit, without power, for several hours in space. For the International Space Station, PCM is melted by heaters just prior to the payload translation to the worksite when power is available. When power is cut off during the six-hour translation, the PCM releases its latent heat to make up the heat loss from the radiator(s) to space. For the interplanetary Probe, PCM is melted by heaters just prior to separation from the orbiter when power is available from the orbiter power system. After the Probe separates from the orbiter, the PCM releases its latent heat to make up the heat loss from the Probe exterior to space. Paraffin wax is a good PCM candidate.

Choi, Michael↗

An approach to knowledge engineering to support knowledge-based simulation of payload ground processing at the Kennedy Space Center

Planning for processing payloads was always difficult and time-consuming. With the advent of Space Station Freedom and its capability to support a myriad of complex payloads, the planning to support this ground processing maze involves thousands of man-hours of often tedious data manipulation. To provide the capability to analyze various processing schedules, an object oriented knowledge-based simulation environment called the Advanced Generic Accomodations Planning Environment (AGAPE) is being developed. Having nearly completed the baseline system, the emphasis in this paper is directed toward rule definition and its relation to model development and simulation. The focus is specifically on the methodologies implemented during knowledge acquisition, analysis, and representation within the AGAPE rule structure. A model is provided to illustrate the concepts presented. The approach demonstrates a framework for AGAPE rule development to assist expert system development.

Mcmanus, Shawn↗

The Cosmic Dust Collection Facility on Space Station Freedom

The Cosmic Dust Collection Facility is an attached payload on board the Freedom Station that will serve as a long-term observatory of all dust-sized particles, typically of much less than 1 mm, either natural or man-made. Its instruments will measure the trajectories of individual hypervelocity particles and will trap the fragmented, melted or vaporized impactor residues in suitable capture media. The latter will be periodically returned to earth for detailed mineralogic and chemical characterization of these residues. The trajectory information will permit reconstruction of the astrophysical source(s) of natural dust grains, such that the compositional information may serve as proxy-analysis of primitive solar system objects among which comets and asteroids are known to be the most prolific dust sources. Trajectory information and chemical composition of man-made particles will yield clues about the most prolific anthropogenic sources. Direct measurement of the dynamic properties of all particles will contribute substantially toward an understanding of the collisional hazards to current and future space operations in LEO.

Horz, Friedrich↗

Plasma interactions monitoring system

The plasma environment around the space station is expected to be different from that environment which occurs naturally at these altitudes because of the unprecedented size of the space station, its orbital motion, and its high power distribution system. Although there are models which predict the environment around the station, they do not take into account changes in configuration, changes in the natural and induced environments, nor interactions between the different environments. There will be unique perturbations associated with the space station, which will vary as the space station is being developed. Even after the developed space station has been completed environmental conditions will change as the payloads are changed and as the station systems and materials undergo degradation and modification. Because the space station will be a point of many varied activities the environment will continually undergo perturbations from effluents resulting from operations of the reboost module, EVA, airlock operations, and vacuum venting. The use of the Mobile Service Center will cause disturbances which cannot, at this time, be predicted. Also, the natural environment will be affected by solar flares. In addition, the operations of attached payloads, (e.g., ASTROMAG) themselves will undoubtedly cause perturbations to the ambient environment. Finally, the natural environment will change as a result of natural perturbations such as solar flares and geomagnetic storms.

Roberts, William T.↗

Payload Operations and Telescience on ISS

The objective of this paper is to provide future International Space Station (ISS) scientists and/or engineers with an overview of the ISS payload operations and integration process. This process begins with the payload being manifested on the ISS and continued through the integration and operations process. Emphasis is placed on the interfaces and tools that the payload will utilize when going through the process. For each of the Data Sets, the Payload Operations and Integration Center (POIC) provides a Data Set Manager to work with the PD's.

Cissom, Rickey D.↗

Human factors in space station architecture 1: Space station program implications for human factors research

The space station program is based on a set of premises on mission requirements and the operational capabilities of the space shuttle. These premises will influence the human behavioral factors and conditions on board the space station. These include: launch in the STS Orbiter payload bay, orbital characteristics, power supply, microgravity environment, autonomy from the ground, crew make-up and organization, distributed command control, safety, and logistics resupply. The most immediate design impacts of these premises will be upon the architectural organization and internal environment of the space station.

Cohen, M. M.↗