Tranquility Node to Switch Hatches

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MarkStanaway

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I see from this report that they have decided to attach the Tranquility node (Node 3) to the left hand side of Unity rather than the earth facing nadir port. I am assuming it has something to do with providing more clearance for solar and radiation panels on the Russian section of the ISS. Can anyone clarify this?
It will certainly give a different aspect to the view from the cupola and will render obsolete all those fine graphics of the assembly sequence and final appearance of the ISS.

'The module, known informally as node 3 and formally as Tranquility, originally was to be attached to the Earth-facing port of the Unity module. It will be attached instead to Unity's left-side hatch. "So all the plumbing and the fluid lines, power and data lines, that were built down into the nadir location in node 1, we have to move all that to the port location which is where node 3's going to be attached," Smith said. '

http://spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts12 ... ndex2.html
 
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tadpoletriker

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One thing the move would appear to do is free clearance to the aft Common Berthing Mechanism of Node 3 when installed on the port side, although it might seem there might be more than enough CBMs to handle current plans.

JohnB
 
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Zipi

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I think this is only a temporary installation... After Tranquility has been installed to the left side, they will move Cupola where it belongs and move PMA from nadir port to end of Tranquility. After this Tranquility can be moved to the nadir port where it has been planned to be installed.
 
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Gravity_Ray

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The official line for Node 3 movement from nadir port of node 1 is clearance issues with MRM 1 on the nadir port of Zarya. But to be honest it dont make any sense to me to move Node 3 to the port side of Node 1. If you move Node 3 to the port side of Node 1 then the top and front and back ports of Node 3 will become useless. The copula if it remains on the axial port of Node 3 will lose its great views for robotic work and will have to be moved to the nadir port of Node 3. So PMA 3 will have to be moved to the axil port of Node 3, but how can anything dock to that with the truss right above it?

I think its best to keep node 3 on the nadir port of node 1 and do something else with the russian MRM 1. Seems like alot of work is being done so that the russians will not be inconvinienced. Why?

I have also read on line about ideas to move node 3 to the nadir port of node 2. But that will not work as node 3 must get its fluids and power from the truss and also the shuttle cant dock to node 2 with node 3 in the way. Also what about the Japanese ship docking? No, node3 can not be attached to node 2, but I think they should stick with their original idea of putting node 3 to nadir port of node 1, put the copula on the forward port of node 3 to have good views, and put the PMA 3 on the nadir port of node 3. then tell the russians to figure out what to do with MRM 1, like move it to the nadir port of Zvezda. Here is a good picture of the station:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rassvet_(ISS_module)
 
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Zipi

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MRM1 will be launched with shuttle at next year. MLM is the module which is launched with Progress. MLM has delays because Russians are removing all Ukranian parts from it and replacing those with Russian ones...
 
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MarkStanaway

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MLM (Multipurpose Research Module) is a 20 tonne class module and will be launched by a Proton booster currently scheduled for Dec 2011. It will be attached to the nadir facing port of Zvezda (currently occupied by Pirs)
and will become Russia's primary research facility on the ISS.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multipurpo ... ory_Module

Mark
 
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Zipi

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MarkStanaway":1vugiowm said:
MLM (Multipurpose Research Module) is a 20 tonne class module and will be launched by a Proton

Thanks Mark. I knew this and ment to say Proton, but for some reason I keep saying Progress even I mean Proton. This is not the first time...
 
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MarkStanaway

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In summary this is the way I see the reason for switching Tranquility to the port docking position of Node 1 (Unity).
With six permanent crew members in the ISS the Russians need four docking ports. These are needed for two permanently docked Soyuz ferries and two Progress freighters. One of these latter may be swapped for a European ATV which docks with the axial port of Zvezdaya.
When MRM-1 is attached to the nadir port of Zaraya its axial port will be in the nadir position and become the primary port for one of the Soyuz or Progress spacecraft.

see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rassvet_%28ISS_module%29

This is the area which is closest to Node 1
If the Tranquility node is attached to the nadir port of Node 1 as was originally planned there will be clearance issues with incomming Soyuz or Progress vehicles docking with MRM-1.
Hence they have had to move Tranquility with its accompanying Cupola to the less than ideal port side of Node 1.
This has led to the issues with the ammonia coolant plumbing lines which were originally to be routed to the nadir port of node 1
With this current configuration of the ISS it is difficult to see how the cupola can be placed at the ideal location where it was originally intended to be.
 
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