Does ISS need more rooms before shuttles demise?

[sftommy]

The function of ISS will change as it becomes a destination for commercial flights. What additional rooms should we add if we can get a few more shuttle slights as Buzz Aldrin has suggested.

 

[nimbus]

There's talk of NASA in touch with Bigelow to hook up some of the latter's habs to the ISS. A single Sundancer or BA330 hab would make a pretty substantial addition to the ISS' volume.

 

[mainmind]

There's talk of NASA in touch with Bigelow to hook up some of the latter's habs to the ISS. A single Sundancer or BA330 hab would make a pretty substantial addition to the ISS' volume.

Mentioned in '09:
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/09/09/332086/nasa-considers-iss-bigelow-module.html

Does anyone know if the BA-330's are currently equipped with the Common Berthing Mechanisms (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Berthing_Mechanism) used on the non-Russian portions of the ISS? Will redesign be necessary for them to link to the ISS? Several pictures in the past have shown Russian Soyuz vehicles, so perhaps they're using Russian interfaces instead?

 

[sftommy]

These all would be welcome.

I was thinking at least three new functions with needs to be met;

Satellite repair and maintenance-including fuels
Tourist and commercial crew accomadations- doesn't NASA have a crew module already?
Larger space constructions projects

There are other needs that I haven't thought of given the Obama plan,

I'd ask these readers for their suggestions:

 

[aphh]

Recently there were some talks about UK participating in the ISS program and building a large lounge module for 1 - 2 billion £. However, now with shuttle program ending the lift capability no longer exists, so I doubt that plan is going nowhere.

 

[docm]

The FlightGlobal article has some clues....

Link....

>
However, internal NASA documents passed to Flightglobal show the US space agency is now interested in attaching a Bigelow module, but neither the company or NASA were available for comment.

The interest in the Bigelow technology follows NASA's decision to permanently attach its Italian-designed and built Raffaello multipurpose logistics module to the ISS.

Raffaello, expected to arrive in September 2010 on the final Space Shuttle mission, will be filled with spares to overcome problems with station logistics once the Shuttle fleet is retired.

In the Johnson Space Center's 8 September edition of its 8th Floor newsletter it is stated that Raffaello will be attached at the space station's Node 1 nadir port, which faces the Earth's surface.

The next major module for the ISS, Node 3, will be delivered in February 2010 and that is also to be attached to Node 1, also known as Unity.

Node 1 has six ports. Five are already in use, for the Z1 truss, the US laboratory module called Destiny, an airlock and two pressurised mating adaptors.

One of the adaptors links Unity to Russia's Zarya module while the other docks the Shuttle. Node 3, also known as Tranquility, will be docked to Node 1 and the Node 1 pressurised mating adaptor used for docking Shuttle will be attached to it instead.

Arriving in September 2010 Raffaello will take up the sixth port, which will be the nadir.

 

[vulture4]

Although not technically "rooms", the ISS is definitely in need of a wide range of earth-imaging and space-imaging systems, which could be mounted either on the truss or in the cupola. These could and should be providing a vast stream of data on the earth and space environments. The alpha-magnetic spectrometer is one such instrument slated for launch. Facilities for docking and servicing free-flying subsatellites for observations that would be sensitive to the gasses and electromagnetic interference near the ISS. Finally, the ISS can always use more test facilities for advanced propulsion, life support, structures, and electronic systems technologies.

 

[menellom]

There's been continued discussion of the possibility of installing one or more BA modules on the ISS, the modules are light enough that they could be launched without the need for an HLV. Adding just one module would be a HUGE increase to the amount of space on the ISS. The station has about 1000 cubic meters of interior space... one BA-330 would increase that by at least 25%!

 

[EarthlingX]

There's been continued discussion of the possibility of installing one or more BA modules on the ISS, the modules are light enough that they could be launched without the need for an HLV. Adding just one module would be a HUGE increase to the amount of space on the ISS. The station has about 1000 cubic meters of interior space... one BA-330 would increase that by at least 25%!

33 %, to nitpick .. :roll:

 

[Woggles]

NASA and the Italian Space Agency announced a new use for an existing Multi Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) known as "Leonardo." It will be transformed into a Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) for the International Space Station.


http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases ... 80552.html

 

[orienteer]

I would like to see a green house attached so we can do some real agriculture research.

After reading another thread about artificial gravity, perhaps a pinwheel could be added to use as an exerciser room.

 

[menellom]

I would like to see a green house attached so we can do some real agriculture research.

A greenhouse would be a nice addition, not sure how well the plants would grow in microgravity though. At any rate there'd probably be enough space on one of BA's modules for something like that with room left over.

 

[EarthlingX]

I guess Russians would know something about it, all the way to vodka ..

Should we ask Suraev ?


There is work on hydroponics all over the place, i think not only one related experiment on the station, but would have to check, probably someone else knows better.

 

[orienteer]

Do the BA's have any windows? A greenhouse would need to be more like the copula.

Hydroponics? I think it would be easier to use dirt. Dirt is lighter than water, and would not float around as much. Think about those upside down tomato plants they advertise on TV. now put a perforated hose up the middle and water it from the inside. I'll bet those astro-cosmonauts would kill for a fresh salad about week 10.

As far as the pinwheel goes, what do you think would be the right orientation? My first thought would be for the hub to be on the x axis( aft to front) but earth gravity should make you feel heavy then light. y axis(port to starboard) and you would be going faster then slower as you merge and fight with the stations momentum and as you react to earth gravity. Z axis(nadir to zenith) would eliminate Earth gravity, but not forward momentum.

 

[EarthlingX]

Ok, how about Aeroponics ?

For rotating habitats you can play with SpinCalc from Relativity Calculator hidden in List of Multiple Threads on the Same Topic.

There is hidden also a thread about orbital installations.

Hope it helps.

 

[samkent]

Does more room translate into more science? Nope. You have the same number of astronauts.
With the US not launching it’s own, I would expect to see fewer experiments.

As far as sat repair. It isn’t going to happen. Especially fueling.
Larger construction projects? Once again not going to happen.

 

[orienteer]

I looked at spin calc. It is a formula that is based on size and speed, which is all that would be needed on a trip to Mars. When orbiting another object, I believe the axis would become relevant also.

 

[MarkStanaway]

Recently there were some talks about UK participating in the ISS program and building a large lounge module for 1 - 2 billion £. However, now with shuttle program ending the lift capability no longer exists, so I doubt that plan is going nowhere.

The proposal was to launch these Hab Modules using Soyuz Fregat for each launch

Do the BA's have any windows? A greenhouse would need to be more like the copula

As these are inflatable structures I suspect incorporating windows or a cupola into them would result in some structural integrity issues.

Mark

 

[EarthlingX]

You don't need to use natural light, day is also not 24h, but depends on the orbit, so you use artificial lightning. A lot to choose from, LEDs are most energy efficient, i think.
(One of the pictures, use 'hydroponics led lightning' on Google)

 

[orienteer]

I am not sure why I would want to collect sunlight , change it to electricity and then convert it to light. Each conversion costs energy, and the tools to do the conversion would wear out sooner or later. Now if we are discussing a trip to Pluto, my opinion would change

As for the 24 hour day, I don't think the plants would mind as long as they get enough light. A 14 day night on the moon would be a problem, but we are talking ISS, with a 35 minute night. If you are correct about having too much light, shades could be drawn.

In reference to vodka, or any type of processing like bread from wheat, that would be phase two of the experiment. For now I would stick to small vegetables like lettuce and tomatoes. Has any one ever made a fruit tree into a Bonsai? Bite size apples, here we come.