19June2008 Johnston Space Center (JSC), Houston

From Houston, we drove to JSC about 25 miles south to check things out. There's 14,000 people working on its 1600 acres. This is where Mission Control Center is. The Space Shuttle missions were monitored and directed at the JSC seconds after launch. Astronauts are also trained here. JSC leads other facilities worldwide on the design and implementation of the International Space Station (ISS). Design and work on the project Constellation is also underway here. Constellation calls for a return to the moon and the construction of a base there. A new generation of space vehicles will replace the Space Shuttles.

The part of the JSC that's open to the public is run by the Manned Space Flight Education Foundation Inc. This is where the visitor can relive past achievements of the various space programs and have a glimpse of what is planned for tomorrow. Great emphasis was given to getting children interested. There were many interactive games and experiences for them. We also saw the moon rocks brought back from the Apollo missions. The 90-minute tram tour gave us a peek into a few of the buildings where the preparations for getting into space are progressing. We also bought tickets for the following day’s Level 9 tour which was supposed to reveal a little bit more.

In 1984, the US conceived of a space station, which will be manned round the clock. Other countries were invited to participate. Several European nations within the European Space Agency (ESA) plus Canada (CSA) and Japan (JAXA) joined. In 1991, Russia, the other nation that had put a man in space, also signed on. Many years of hard work ensued - the most difficult of which was cutting across different cultural barriers and philosophies towards technology, design and engineering. As costs were astronomical - countries bartered and worked out cost sharing arrangements, e.g. Russia would provide two modules in exchange for software from the Germans (within the ESA).
By the time the first module Zarya (Sunrise in Russian) was launched in Nov1998, followed in two weeks by a connecting module (US’s Unity node I), 15 nations and the US were involved in the building and operating of the ISS. The fifteen were the 11 Europeans nations – Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK – plus Brazil, Canada, Japan and Russia.

Why was China not invited to join? The Chinese have expressed an interest. The US weren’t too keen for fear of China’s military getting hold of sensitive technology. There were divergent views on intellectual property rights and patents. Naturally the issue of human rights didn’t help. Then in 2003, China became the third country to launch an astronaut into orbit, using its own hardware. Sun LaiYan, the head of the Chinese National Space Agency admitted that a lunar landing was just a matter of time. It was also evident that China had agreements to co-operate with most nations that had a space program. Furthermore, Russia and China were formulating plans for the exploration of Mars. Following the visit of China’s space facilities last year by NASA’s administrator Michael Griffin, several joint scientific projects have gingerly started. NASA’s boss had said that co-operation with Russia started during the Cold War, so engaging the Chinese now was not so unusual. For many years, the paranoiac US government had made technology transfer very difficult. Foreign companies dealing with US exporters of technology were forced to find alternative sources, resulting in the latter being starved. Now there are signs that this situation may be changing. Still, with China being regarded as the next enemy by many in the US, it remains to be seen whether a meaningful partnership will result.

From 2010, the Space Shuttle fleet commences its retirement. The US will have to depend on Russia to ferry supplies and crew to the ISS. Alternatively they can utilize the Autonomous Transfer Vehicles (ATV) development by the ESA. The replacement for the Space Shuttle, the Orion, will not be ready till 2015.

India also has a space program with its unmanned moonshot Chandrayaan scheduled for next year. Malaysia and Korea are paying the Russians to visit the ISS. It is reasonable to assume that the ambitions of these nations will not stop there.

With other nations in the world working hard to catch up, will the dwindling lead the US has be whittled away in a few decades, or will there be a rejuvenation?
Michael Griffin has urged his government to give education in the sciences greater impetus, commenting that Bengalore had more software engineers than Silicon Valley. With the dismal rate science students are graduating in the US, there will not be enough to support the space program.

Not only is space activity the driver of innovation which is necessary for nations to keep their economies ahead in this knowledge-based world, the benefits that accrue are huge. It was estimated that $220 billion per year was ploughed back into the US economy because of activities in space. Evidently, all nations know that.

Back to the mundane - we had Vietnamese for dinner – the spring rolls were OK but the fried noodles were not.


Distance traveled 57.7 miles



This was on the way to Johnson Space Center. How many overpasses were there? I think the Guinness Book of Records says that Houston holds the record for the most complicated overpass system!


Some really big items were being moved around on the freeways


There is an effort to get kids interested early, the more the better since less than one in a hundred get to be an astronaut and thousands of scientists and engineers are required for the space effort.


Many games and interactive experiences were created to stir the imagination of the young ones.



Although the following information is decades old, I find it fascinating and worthwhile repeating as a celebration of the ingenuity of those involved. I have purposely left out the mind boggling thrust poundage produced by these engines as I think the spanned temperature range says it all.

This is the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME), for now, the world's only reusable rocket engine. At -423F (-253C), supercool liquid hydrogen - the second coldest liquid on earth - is burnt with oxygen inside the combustion chamber to produce the thrust. This reaches a temperature of 6000F (3312C). This is even higher than the boiling point of iron! But liquid hydrogen is circulated around the combustion chamber to keep the whole engine at a relatively cool 1110F (600C). The liquid hydrogen and the liquid oxygen are carried in separate tanks underneath the shuttle, one on each side, separated by the solid rocket booster. To achieve the 17000mph (27200km/hr) required to escape gravity, the three SSME's on each shuttle are fired together for 8.5 minutes and is coordinated with the ignition of the solid rocket booster which lasts only 2-3 minutes. The amount of liquid fuel used per second can fill up a jaw dropping 25 average swimming pools! All of this fuel ends up being water with the combination of hydrogen and oxygen! Based on certification tests, the shuttle engines in theory can be reused 30 times.




Earth looked so pretty from space.
Oh, the sight of the astronaut's space suit reminded me: NASA has just reopenned the bidding on the $745 million contract for 109 space suits, technically known as Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMU), which will be used for voyages to the International Space Station (ISS) and landing on the moon in 2020. The EMU has to withstand long exposure on the moon and have contingency spacewalk capability. It has to protect the wearer against the launch and landing environment (eg spacecraft leaks etc). The space suit has to be certified for 25 walks. I have read some of the painstakingly detailed evaluation notes on a used suit after an actual mission - amazed at the range of practical concerns that had to be taken into account. For instance, a space suit can be examined in detail by dedicated professionals on earth after a short flight. But who refurbishes the suits for the crew on the ISS for an extended period? I thought every astronaut had his or her own suit, but I learnt that the suits are adjustable in length for different users. Adjusting for fit may sound like a no-brainer if it was an 'earth suit' but for an EMU, any seam or joint that is not airtight will have fatal consequences. On the enhanced versions, changes in leg length are by means of metal sizing rings and these can be done in-flight. Airconditioning (temperature control) inside the suit is essential. Astronauts have reported feeling very hot when working out in space, bathed in sunlight. Sometimes, it was possible to adjust the attitude of the shuttle so that work carried on in the shade, but to reorientate the entire ISS is another matter. When the EMU's are in the shade or on the darkside away from the sun, astronauts' fingers felt cold, so the enhanced suits include finger heaters and cooling systems that can be shut off! Other improvements include mountings of flood and spot lights on helmets, new radio with channels which allow five or more people to talk at one time and CO2 cartridges (presumably from the breath of the astronauts) that are reusable. There is a jet-pack "Life Jacket" - SAFER - which enables an accidentally untethered astronaut to return to the ship. Space suits are white because they reflect heat better and can be easily spotted against the dark background of space. Since work is carried outside in pairs, one suit is always marked with four red stripes for differentiation.



This was the moon lander of the Apollo days.
The one planned for the Constellation program is the Altair, technically the Lunar Surface Access Module (LSAM), which will hold four persons. The plans call for a new RL-10 engine with up to 10% rate thrust for Lunar Orbital Insertion and for landings. Haven't checked up on this new engine but it must be powerful and gives the crew a lot more control and manuverbility. The ascent section will hold the four crew members and the descent section will have the four landing legs. The preferred lunar landing sites will be in the polar region which is better for base construction. I don't know whether this type of craft will be used for the inevitable Mars landing. By then, having spent decades on the moon, man will have acquired more knowledge about living and navigating in the hostile environment of space.


The moon rock (Apollo 11 soil sample 10084)turned out to be mostly silicates (Plagioclase, Pyroxine, Ilmenite and Olivine) not unlike 'earth' rocks. Its composition of elements appear to be remarkable in that it has 4.5% titanium. But not being a geologist, this view can be wrong. Will rocks from other regions of the moon be different? Answers will be forthcoming with more lunar landings.


Taking a bath in a space vehicle - this was a full scale replica of a section of the Skylab.


Exercising in space - essential to stave off loss of bone density and muscular degeneration.


Highlighting the fire retardant tiles of the shuttle nose. Orion of the Constellation Project will revert back to the beaker shaped vehicle of the Apollo era. Was it only because of these tiles or was the beaker shape ('tear drop' shape as some call it) better for re-entry? It is no coincidence that the Russian Soyuz and the Chinese SunZhou also have similar shapes.



On the 'tram' ride that took us to various buildings, we passed a tank of liquid nitrogen; can't even conceive minus 320F (-196C), as the coldest I have tried was minus 20C and that was just for a few minutes.


Mission Control Center of the Apollo era - the almost antique hardware was pointed out to us - can you make out the old style telephone dial at the upper right of each bank of consoles? If men landed on the moon with this level of technology, imagine what can be achieved with today's superior computing power, which itself is being outdated as I write.



The Space Vehicle Mockup Facility (SVMF) where training of astronauts took place. We were taken up to an elevated, glass enclosed viewing corridor, which ran along the length of the building. The full-sized mockups were crammed close together presumably to allow easy access and better control, or no one anticipated that there would be so many more units of the ISS.


The 'floor plan' of the SVMF showing units that make up the ISS and the Full Fuselage Trainer of the space shuttle. Mockups for rehearsing repairs on the Hubble Telescope, and models for learning to working the Canadian Robotic Arm were also present.



At this point, we were only into a quarter of the length of this massive 'hangar', looking back towards the entrance of the corridor. In the foreground, the jar-like structure with a cap is part of the Russian space module Soyuz; immediately behind it, the light grey elongated cylinder with a top-like extension crowned by a knob with a hole at the top is the Russian Control Module Zarya (Sunrise); following on, to the right is the Connecting Module Unity (node 1) which links with the US Lab Destiny with the Japanese Logistics Module bringing up the rear.
One has to remember at this point, that many pieces of the 'real thing' - are already in orbit, even perhaps flying over where you live. You can find out the position of the ISS any time.



The Russian Service Module Zvezda (Star in Russian) - a component of the ISS; in space, one end is connected to Zarya (Sunrise in Russian).

Zvezda is Russia's main contribution to the International Space Station.
This module serves as living quarters and contains systems for life support, electrical power distribution, data processing, flight control, propulsion, and communications. Significantly, flight controllers on earth can remotely command the communication system. This module is the functional center of the ISS for the Russians. Although parts and components will be upgraded by regular NASA vehicles, Zvezda will be the main docking port for Russian Progress resupply vehicles. Most importantly, it also has propulsive attitude control and reboost capabilities for the entire ISS, at least for the time being.
The 19,051- kg (42,000-pounds) module boasts a 98-ft solar array wingspan end to end, and is 43 feet long. There are various presurized compartments for work, living and unpressurerised ones for storage of external equipment like propellant tanks, thrusters and communications antennas. There are four docking ports with different receiving capabilities which will host a variety of resuppy spacecraft. There is also the Russian Science Power Platform. But to me, the coolest is the number of windows - 13 in all, (even one in each crew compartment). I know the function of the windows is not primarily for 'star gazing' or 'day dreaming' but gosh, the view must be awesome (a word I learnt to use in the States).

The European Space Agency (ESA) provided the Data Management System (made by a consortium led by Daimler-Chrysler), which served as the "brains" of Zvezda (in exchange for two flight unit docking systems). Zverzda bore the guidance and navigations responsibilities of the entire ISS until Destiny assumed control and management of all ISS operations.



The nose of the 'space shuttle' - the front end of the Full Fuselage Trainer in the SVMF.


The FFT, its cargo bay doors open, with the Candian Robotic Arm looking like a pipe line on the right of this photo.



Back end view of the FFT - very much the look of a simple full scale model, perhaps no training activities were conducted in this section.



The Canadian Robotic Arm here seen attached to a seemingly light weight cylinder. It was explained that in the weightlessness of space big objects were not 'heavy' but there were other considerations which required solutions. Given the huge difference in temperature between being in sunlight and in shade, anything operating in such an environment would have to cope with these extremes - just imagine one hand over a flame and the other in a freezer.


Someone still hard at work down there


Waiting for the last show of the day - Living in Space - a 25-minute live presentation on the challenges of living and working in space. This training module was in fact a first stage of the Saturn V rocket. It was very spacious and crews had their own bunks; there were exercise machines not to mention toilets and areas for meals ,and adequated room for conducting experiments.


Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle approaching the International Space Station (ISS)

The present Space Shuttle fleet - the Atlantis, Discovery and Endeavour will be retired by 2010. The flight to repair the Hubble telescope on 10 Oct08 will be the last one for Atlantis. The ISS partners will have to depend on the Russian space craft Soyuz to ferry crew and supplies to the space station till 2015, when NASA's next generation of reusable space craft - the Orion - is scheduled to be ready.

The space program to follow the Space Shuttle series is the Constellation. Replacing the shuttle will be an Apollo beaker shaped vessel. This will be able to withstand the heat of re-entry better than the Shuttle. The Orion (Crew Module) will have the latest technology in computers, life support, propulsion and heat protection whereas Apollo crews had to make do with the availability of three decades ago. It will be two and a half times the size of the Apollo vessel and can carry a crew of 4 to 6. It is expected to be resuable for up to ten flights. There will also be an Orion (Service Module). The early Orions coming off the line will be tailor-made for crew rotation, resupply of the ISS, and to assist in lunar landings (in conjunction with ALTAIR, the Lunar Surface Access Module) around 2020. Later versions will have upgrades for deep-space exploration.



Scale model of the completed ISS.
After the Cold War, the US (NASA) and Russia (RKA) went into partnership to construct a space station. This would allow crews to spend months orbiting the earth to conduct experiments. The initial plans called for just the combining of US Space Station 'Freedom' and Russia's 'Mirs-2'. Then upon the admission of the Euro Space Agency (ESA) - representing 11 countries with their module Columbia, and the inclusion of Canada (CSA), Japan (JAXA), and Brazil, the current ISS would consist of 14 modules. In Nov 98, the first module, Zarya (Russia's) was sent into orbit by Russia's Proton rocket. This was followed a couple of weeks later by America's Unity. Subsequently, more modules were launched resulting in 75% of the ISS being completed by July 08. If everything goes according to schedule, the last major section of the ISS - the Multi Purpose Lab Module - should be in orbit by Dec2011.

Will prolonged weightlessness cause muscle atrophy, bone loss, unexpected fluid shifts? How will our hearts and other organs react to zero gravity? How will microgravity alter the metabolic processes inside plants and animals? Will this change the course of evolution of different organisms?
On earth, scientists altered the physical properties of materials with changes in temperature, passing of electric currents, and subjection to magnetic fields. The knowledge gained was applied with great success to man's benefit.

Many new experiments wait to be conducted in the absence of gravity for prolonged stretches and not for brief periods on board the Space Shuttles: like the growing of pure protein and inorganic crystals, allowing tissues (living cells) to be cultured, measuring superconductivity. A whole slew of experiments await to further our knowledge in combustion science and material sciences. What about experiments in fundamental physics - like weak forces that could not be studied under the yoke of gravity on earth? On a more prosaic level: leaving an iron farm implement out in the open will invite rusting, what if it were left in space for a long time, what will happen? To put it crudely, there is a whole new ball game out there!


It is exciting to anticipate progress in the sciences resulting from man's grappling with this hostile environment. There will be myriad applications to medicine and all fields of endeavour to the betterment of mankind.


With the way we are polluting the earth, even if everyone and everything became green, earthly resources will still be depleted by our sheer numbers - wait till the majority of Africans, Chinese, Indians, Russians, and South Americans started consuming like Americans! Looking ahead, colonisation of some form will eventuate. Pipe dreams? Rewind thirty years - were there things we thought impossible then, we take for granted now because it is so common place? Would we believe then, if we were told that our laptops decades later will have more computing power than the computers on board the Apollo vehicles? 'Space insiders' say that no Mars landing is planned before 2030. But a landing on a 'near earth asteroid' may have to be considered under certain circumstances! Wow! Twenty years later, some may look back after just such a landing and say, "I never thought that would come to pass."
It is essential that our next generation be more interested in the progress of the International Space Station and developments pertaining to 'space exploration'.