20June2008 Johnson Space Center (JSC) - Level 9 tour

With eager anticipation, we went on the Level 9 Tour. It cost more money but we were shown a little bit more.

The thought that many of the best brains in the country gathered here for a unique goal was fascinating. The parking lots serving the various facilities in the JSC told their story. Luxury sedans – there were next to none. Those who parked here had loftier goals than making money. Flaunting of wealth, if any, will surely have been overshadowed by flashing of grey matter inside those dull looking buildings. The Space Center is not unlike a nondescript college campus. However, there are differences – quite a few buildings were of gigantic proportions and had no windows. Instead of sporting the name of some benevolent donor above the entrance as one would have expected on a college campus, one saw only numbers that didn’t make any sense.

Most folks come to the JSC to learn more about what NASA is doing and to enjoy themselves. They marvel at the achievements that lesser mortals could only dream of and snap a few photos. I felt totally frustrated by all the acronyms used. Having prided myself on being quite good at unraveling a jumble of alphabets, it was incomprehensible that the ones encountered here stumped me completely. We looked into the Mission Control Center for the ISS where computer screens were all lit up and flight controllers were intently studying the telemetry. Their job descriptions were posted on clear plastic above each console. But it was no fun if I can’t understand any of them. INCO sounded like a Canadian mining company, and CATO reminded me of some karate bodyguard in a TV show! To be fair, our guide obligingly rattled out the roles each person played. Seriously, I did pay attention. But by the time our group got to the door, I retained ‘zero’!

Level 9 tour members had the privilege of lunching in the JSC cafeteria where the scientists and engineers ate. One might even be lucky enough – which we weren’t - to catch an astronaut masticating his hamburger. I only got to chat briefly with some payload engineer.

Random thoughts, galvanized by the SCTF, NBL, SVMF, jostled in my head. Space exploration is definitely exciting. BUT (not an acronym),only an elite group has qualified for space flights. Over the past few decades in the US, forty thousand or so have applied and less than four hundred have qualified. To join this exclusive club, one must have at least a couple of degrees in science or mathematics, with a military aviator’s background being a major plus. It goes without saying one must have a body that can withstand the rigors of space travel. It is reasonable to assume that the successful applicants now will include more scientists as mission specialists instead of the stereotypical crew cut military test pilot type. How long does the average Joe have to wait before he can make a flight into space? NASA has encouraged commercial enterprises to come up with space vehicles. But when will earth orbital flights be a commercial reality? The earlier we see our blue planet from space, the faster the idea will stick - that we are really one family. We will understand why pollution in a tiny corner of our globe will eventually affect us all. Hazardous materials that we ship to a poor country will one day haunt us all. Come on people, take a wild guess, I need to start saving for my grandson’s trip!


OK, from the sublime to the ridiculous - after JSC, we darted to Galveston to check out Moody Garden, then ended up at Joe’s Crab Shack, stuffing our faces.


Distance traveled 117.7 miles


(The explanatory notes to the photos are not complete. They are only meant to pique your interest. Surf a little to find ISS updates and whatever else you want to know about space.)

TO GO TO FULL SCREEN, JUST DOUBLE CLICK ANY PHOTO

Manley Lanier "Sonny" Carter Jr was a Physician Captain in the Navy. He completed Flight Surgeon School and became a Naval Aviator in '78, then completed TOPGUN Fighter Weapons School in '82 and got through Navy Test Pilot School in '84. After becoming a NASA Astronaut in '85, he was assigned as to the Mission Development Branch of the Astronaut Office as an EVA Rep. In Nov 89, he completed 79 orbits, and clocked 120 hours on Discovery STS-33, as a Mission Specialist. He died in a commercial jet crash on Apl 5, 1991, at the age of 44, whilst on official business for NASA.
Sonny Carter helped develop many space-walking techniques and was a significant contributor to the progress made in the field of space medicine. He also provided inevaluable evaluations of the EMU -remember spacesuit?. The Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL) was named after him in recognition of his tremendous contribution.


The SCTF is also known as the NBL where a gigantic tank of water provides the closest simulation to weightlessness in space. 'Zero gravity' is experienced by space craft and crew, so astronauts are required to spend hours underwater to cope with the dynamics of body motion under weightless conditions. They are also trained to handle very large unwieldy objects encountered in the assembly and the maintenance of the ISS. The NBL also enables designs of space vehicles to be tested. It is indispensible for the development of modules for space stations of the future. Also submerged in the NBL is a full scale mock up of the space shuttle. Other objects that astronauts will have to handle are also in the tank.
The glass paned offices just above the giant water tank are for the test conductors and test directors. Underneath that, the area is for various technicians.

For those interested in numbers, the length of the NBL is 202ft (61m), width 102ft (31m), and depth 40.5ft (12m). What would 6.2 million gallons (23.5 million litres) of water look like? That's what's in the pool.


ISS mock up underwater. In the background, at pool level, is working space for the medical and training personnel; above that, on Mezz I and II are the men's and women's showers and lockers, plus mechanical workshops and storage area for equipment. To the right and in the foreground, not included in the photo, is an area for 'test and integration' - the test consoles and the hyperbaric chamber (HC) is situated here. This is for facilitating recovery from the bends (too much nitrogen dissolved in the blood from being underwater for too long). Hidden from view is a guerney ramp in case someone has to be rushed to a hospital for more treatment.
Underneath the corridor where we were (out of our sight) are the compressors for the HC, fire suppression equipment, JIB crane, air storage and significantly - the Remote Manipulator system lab!
CCTV cameras are strategically situated inside the pool to monitor the activity underwater



Equipment on a rack - dominated by photo of Sonny Carter



Divers seen preparing for astronauts to train in weightless environment.
This end of the water tank is for receiving and assembly of mockups. In the background are areas for 'scuba refills' and 'suit labs'. To the left of the photo outside the 'pool room' are the essential machinery and tanks for compressing of air, oxygen and Nitrox; the boilers for water treatment are there also.

Nitrox, which is piped to the astronauts in the pools, is a oxygen-nitrogen mixture. But it is richer in oxygen than normal air (the latter being roughly one fifth oxygen with the balance being nitrogen, and less than 1 pct inert gases)




Mission Control plaque


Mission Control Center of the ISS - the consoles are manned 24 hours a day with Flight Controllers (FC) working in shifts. On top of each bank of consoles is a 'call sign' denoting the function of the officer on duty.
Unlike a Space Shuttle flight which is relatively short and FC's are in communication at all times, the ISS FC's have time to confer with many experts (onsite and around the world), to anticipate problems and come up solutions. Telemetry is closely monitored for any indications that a catastrophy might be developing. This prophylactic approach is possible because there are remote command capabilities that ISS FC's can use to preclude a potential failure which was not available to the FC's of the Space Shuttle.



The screen which shows the path and actual position of the ISS. The figures shown were explained to our group.



CATO - Communication and Tracking Officer
This officer is responsible for the management and operations of the U.S. communication systems, including audio, video, telemetry and commanding systems.



Flight Director (FD)
This person has the authority to makes final decisions on all aspects of the mission immediately after lift off. The FC's in the Mission Control Room all answer to him. With the ISS being in flight all the time, a Station Duty Officer maybe in charge when the level of communication activities are low but the FD is always on call.

ELCSS - Environmental Control and Life Support System
This Officer is responsible for the systems related to atmosphere control - clean air supply, circulation, cabin temperature and humidity control; also fire detection and supression; lastly, water collection and processing ,and crew hygiene equipment.

PHALCON - Power, Heating, Articulation, Lighting Control Officer
This Officer manages the power generation, storage, and power distribution capabilities.



View of another section of Mission Control Center.

ADCO - Altitude Determination and Control Officer
This FC works in partnership with Russian controllers to manage the orientation of the ISS with the use of onboard Motion Control Systems. Plans and calculations of future orientations are also part of this person's duties.

ODIN - Onboard, Data, Interfaces and Networks
This FC is responsible for the U.S. Command and Data Handling System, and interfaces with the International Partner and avionics systems.


The left screen of Mission Control Center showed a section of the real ISS in space, orbiting around the earth.


I think the room lights in Mission Control go back on when the flight controllers not actively communicating with the ISS.


Apollo Era Mission Control Center from the Flight Director's seat. This was the Mission Operations Control Room - 2 where all the Gemini operations were monitored; the Apollo 11 landing and even some of the early shuttle missions were controlled from here.


Plaques of badges of all the flights into space.


Plaques of some Shuttle trips.


Operation Control Center of the SVMF


SVMF plaque


Harmony
With the addition of NASA's Harmony Node 2 (Unity is node 1), there is 18000 cu ft (500 cu m) in the ISS for working and living. This node connects the lab facilities of the US(Destiny), Japan(Kibo) and Europe (Columbus). It also has connecting ports
for the Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules, the Japanese H II Transfer Vehicle, and the Pressurized Mating Adapter 2 to which space shuttles dock. The Space Station Robotic Arm, Canadarm 2, will operate from a powered grapple fixture on the exterior of Harmony. This NASA module was built via Alenia Spazio (the Italian Space Agency) in Turin with various European subcontractors pitching in.
Harmony is made of aluminum - 23.6 feet (7.2m) long and 14.5 feet (4.4 meters) in diameter and weighs about 31500 lbs (14,288 kg).



Mockup trainer of the aft shroud door of Hubble Space Telescope. Astronauts of the upcoming Space Shuttle Atlantis flight, on 10Oct08, will be making repairs and replacments of parts to extend the life time of the telescope for at least five years. Two new instruments, to be installed in it, is causing heightened excitement amongst astronomers and cosmologists. The new 'Wide Field Camera 3' is ten times as powerful as the one currently in use and the new 'Origin of the Cosmos Spectrograph' will greatly enhance recording at the IR end of the spectrum. The astronauts are expected to work a total of 32 hrs, whilst ordbiting 350 miles (560km) above the earth. Besides upgrading the Hubble, the success of this mission will also mean confidence to take on more complicated engineering and maintenance work in space.


The Full Fuselage Trainer is a full-scale mockup of the Space Shuttle Orbiter, for astronaut training; it is also used as a test-bed for upgrades to the Shuttle fleet. The FFT includes flight quality systems, such as payload bay lighting and closed circuit television.


The humongous vacuum chamber in the Space Environment Simulation Lab (SESL). It is 120ft long and 65ft in diameter. The temperature inside can be set at minus 280F or raised to 260F. A whole space vehicle or huge components can be placed in the chamber. See how tiny the photographer is?


The division that ensures all systems maintain the correct temperatures.


Launchers and rockets of earlier programs


This rocket is huge.


Main burners for lift off from earth



Galveston's main crowd puller for tourists was Moody Garden. This resort has an aquarium, indoor biosphere, swimming pools, hotels and restaurants. There was also a paddle steamer for short cruises. We only had time for a quick walk around.


View across the water from Moody Garden, Galveston



Of course we had seafood by the sea - right across from the fishing boats that brought them in


Joe's Crab Shack - we had crabs prepared the classic way - fantastic. Notice the small portion? Can't eat as much as we used to!



Just kidding, we ate like pigs - this fish and chips dish turned out to be a huge seafood combo! The beer neon sign on the wall gave our feast a splash of gold