Living and Working on the New Frontier

8/6/2019 Living and Working on the New Frontier

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National Aeronautics a ndSpace Adm ~n~strat ion

ion SummariesPMS 017 (KSC)August 1986

Living and Workingon the New Frontier


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Information Summaries

IntroductionThe idea that people other than highly trainedastronauts would someday live and work in spacehas long fascinated science fict ion fans. Today it

interests professional space scientists and engi-neers as well. The Space Shuttle, in which anyonein ordinary good health can ride into orbit, wasthe first step in turning this dream into reality.The Space Station, planned for initial oper-ation in the 1993-94 time frame, will provide apermanent facility in orbi t for continuingtechnical and scientific work. I t wil l be operatedby rotating crews from Earth, including personnelwho are not career astronauts.Three crews of three astronauts each havelived and worked aboard Skylab, an early type ofspace station launched in May 1973 and occupiedby the final crew until late February 1974.

Skylab could not be resupplied with consumables,and was never intended for permanent occupa-tion. But operating it provided valuable dataneeded by the engineers then planning the humansupport systems on the Space Shuttle orbiter.That data i s sti ll of value to the engineers workingon the manned Space Stat ion today.The Space Shuttle takes much larger crewsinto orb it than any prior launch vehicle. Thework these crews perform varies greatly,according to the particular mission. Some tasksare similar to those done every day on Earth, butmost are unique to the requirements of space-

flight. Early missions were devoted primarily toverifying the performance of the Space Shuttleand i t s associated equipment. Crews on laterflights have operated instruments to performextensive observations of the Earth, studiedobjects of interest in astronomy, processedmaterials in microgravity, and performed bio-logical experiments with seeds, plants, insects andsmall animals. A very important part of the workhas been launching satellites for scientific andcommercial use, and repairing spacecraft in orbit.Some satellites have been recovered from orb itand returned to the ground, ready to be refur-bished and launched again.The Space Shuttle and Space Station are thelargest components in NASA's Space Trans-portation System, or STS. The system willeventually include other small reusable vehiclesand stations as well. The Space Shuttle made 25flights in i t s first five years. The Space Station

i s now in the design phase, and should be opera-tional by 1994. The first of two small reusablesupport vehicles that will be used in conjunctionwith the Space Station i s also in work.

The Versatile Space Shuttle: Workhorse of theNew FrontierThe Space Shuttle i s the first reusable aero-space vehicle. I t takes of f vertically like a rocket.

The winged orbiter then maneuvers in orbit like aspaceship. At the end of the mission the orbiterlands on a runway like an unpowered glider. Thedelta-winged orbiter i s about the size and generalshape of a DC-9 etliner.The Shuttle orbiter can be used as an obser-vation platform, from which instruments can befocussed on the ground passing below, or objectsof strong interest t o astronomers in space. Theorbiter can also carry a small but fully equippedmanned laboratory, called Spacelab, for medical,scientific, engineering, and industrial experi-ments. Spacelabs have been flown on four suc-cesssful missions. The pressurized modules remainin the cargo bay of the orbiter throughout themission.

One of the key attributes of the Space Shuttlei s the relatively low acceleration and decelerationforces exerted on crew and passengers duringlaunch and reentry. These forces reach a peak of3 G's - three times the force of gravity on theEarth's surface- or a few minutes a t a time. Thestrain i s well within the limits which can betolerated by healthy people.The Orbiter Crew Compartment

The living space aboard an orbiter i s relativelyroomy and comfortable, compared to that inearlier manned spacecraft. There are two floors inthe pressurized cabin located in the nose section(see illustration). Together they provide 71.5cubic meters (2,525 cubic feet) of space. Thetemperature can be regulated to stay between16 and 32 degrees Celsius (61 and 90 degreesFahrenheit).

The top level of the cabin is the flight deck.Here the commander and pilot monitor andoperate a sophisticated array of controls that arefar more complicated than those of a giantjetliner. Behind their seats is a \ ~ o r k rea formission and payload specialists. There crew-members operate experiment controls, and checkout and deploy spacecraft carried inside the large,unpressurized cargo bay. The bottom level of thecabin i s the mid deck. This is the living quartersfor the crew, although experiments that requireair, such as plants and small animals, can also becarried here. The mid deck contains lockersfor stowing crew equipment, and facilities forsleeping, eating, personal hygiene, and wastedisposal.


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About half the Shuttle foods and beveragesare preserved by dehydration, which saves bothweight and storage space. There i s ample waterfor rehydration, since the fuel cells that powerthe orbiter produce it as a byproduct whengenerating electricity. (Both hot and cool waterare available.) Some foods are thermostabi-lized - that i s , heat-sterilized and then sealed inconventional cans or plastic pouches. A few, suchas cookies and nuts, are available in a ready-to-eatform.Meals in orbit are both tasty and nutritious.The menu includes more than 70 food items and20 beverages. With so many different choicesavailable, astronaut crews can have a varied menuevery day for four days.What are these meals in space like? The menufor a typical day might start with orange drink,peaches, scrambled eggs, sausage, cocoa and asweet roll for breakfast,; cream of mushroomsoup, ham and cheese sandwich, stewed tomatoes,banana and cookies for launch; and shrimpcocktail, beefsteak, broccoli au gratin, straw-berries, pudding and cocoa for dinner.The carefully selected menus provide about3,000 calories per person daily, although crewmembers are not required to eat that much.Previous space missions demonstrated thatastronauts need at least as many calories in spaceas they do on Earth.Meals served on the Space Station, a t least a tthe beginning, wil l resemble those available on theSpace Shuttle. Later, perhaps small vegetablegardens will supply fresh produce, as well asabsorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere whilesupplying oxygen for the crew.Sanitation in Orbit

Sanitation i s more important within theconfines of a spacehship or space station than onEarth. Studies have shown that the population ofsome microbes can increase extraordinarily inmicrogravity and confined spaces. This meansmany infectious illnesses could easily spread toeveryone aboard.The eating equipment, dining area, toi let,and sleeping facilities in an orbiter are regularlycleaned, to prevent the growth of microorga-nisms. Since there i s no washing machine aboard,trousers (changed weekly), socks, shirts, andunderwear (changed every two days) are sealed inair tight plastic bags after being -worn. Garbage

A favorite early question of people interestedin space was how the astronauts took care ofdigestive elimination. The orbiter travelers use atoilet that operates very much like one on Earth.A steady flow of air moves through the unit whenit i s in use, carrying wastes to a special containeror into plastic bags. The container can be openedto vacuum, which exhaust the water and dries thesolids, and the plastic bags, when used, can besealed.Some of the wastes may be returned to Earthfor postflight laboratory analysis. In the past,such analyses have helped doctors understandhow the body functions in microgravity, includ-ing data on which minerals the body loses inunusual amounts.

and trash are also sealed in past bags. Astronaut Rhea Seddon, right, tests a Shuttle handShuttle travelers have to do many washer under zero-gravity conditions. An airflow causesdishes. Food containers go into the plastic bags, water to rush across the hands, like water flowing from aand eating utensils and trays are cleaned wi th wet tap, then out of the device and into waste water storagewipes. tanks.


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Astronaut John Young shaves in the mid deck area on the STS-I mission. To the right of his hand is a tray w it h severalitems of food, attached vertically t o a compartment door.

Unlike Skylab, which had an enclosed shower, seal rings. A l ife support system comes built in toShuttle travelers can only take sponge baths in the upper torso. A ll earlier versions had separatespace. Water droplets float about in weight- support systems that had to be connected to thelessness, creating a potential hazard for electrical suits.equipment. Water i s obtained from a handgun,where the temperature can be set a t any con-fortable level from 18 to 35 degrees C (65 to 95degrees F ) . Dirty water from the sponge i ssqueezed into an airflow system which conveys itto the orbiter's waste collection tank.Whiskers cu t off in shaving could also becomea nuisance i f they float about, wi th a potential todamage equipment. Male astronauts can avoid thisproblem by using conventional shaving cream anda safety razor, then cleaning off the face with adisposable towel.The sleeping and sanitary arrangements forthe Space Station are still in the design stage.Engineers are drawing on the experience gained inearlier manned space f light programs to plansystems that will be more like those on Earth.Eventually, a visitor to the Space Station shouldbe able to eat a meal or use the sanitary facilitieswithout special instructions.Spacesuits and Rescue Equipment

In earlier programs spacesuits were tailor-made for each astronaut, a time-consuming andexpensive process. Now only the gloves arecustom-fitted. The Shuttle spacesuit i s made insmall, medium, and larae sizes. and can be wornby either men b r worn&. The suit comes with anupper and lower torso, equivalent to a shirt and space-suited astronaut Bruce McCandless goes throughtrousers, and the two pieces snap together with a train ing exercise wi th a personal rescue enclosure.


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The Shuttle spacesuit i s lighter, more durable,and easier t o move about in than i t s predecessors.I t i s only used for an extravehicular activity(EVA) outside the crew cabin. The astronautswore pressure suits, of the kind worn by militaryjet pilots, during early test flights. Now they wearregular clothing.Only two spacesuits are normally carried on aflight. If a transfer from one vehicle to anothershould be necessary in the future, personal rescueenclosures are available for the remaining crewmembers. These are 83.36 centimeter (34-inch)diameter (when pressurized) spheres, each con-taining life support and communications gear.In an emergency in space that requiredabandoning the orbiter, two astronauts woulddon the spacesuits and, i f needed, the MannedManeuvering Units (MMUs). The latter havebuilt-in propulsion systems. The rest wouldenter the personal rescue enclosures. The twosuited astronauts would transfer their crewmatesto the rescue ship. This could be accomplished byrigging a pulley and clothesline device betweenthe two vessels, using the Canadarm RemoteManipulator System, or physically towing theenclosures through space with the power ofthe MMUs.

Recreation and SleepingJust as on Earth, recreation and sleep areimportant to good health when working in space.Astronauts perform a scientifically planned

exercise program, largely to counter the atrophysome muscles experience in a weightless environ-ment. Cards and other games, books, and tapedmusic can be taken aboard. Tape recordersare available.Sleeping accommodations aboard the Shuttlevary, depending on the requirements of theparticular mission. On the first flight, astronautsYoung and Crippen slept in the commander andpilot seats. They wanted to be instantly availableif needed. Later crews slept in their seats, insleeping bags, in bunks, or by simply tetheringthemselves to the orbiter walls.The sleeping bags are cocoon-li ke restraintsattached to the lockers where crew provisions arestored. In microgravity there is no 'up,' and theastronauts can sleep as comfortably in the verticalposition as the horizontal.A bunkbed kit (see illustration) was available 'by the time of the STS-9 mission. Crew memberscould sleep in three horizontal bunks when thesewere installed, and an extra vertical bunk was

The Shuttle orbiter can be out fitted wit h up to four bunks, three horizontal and one vertical.

SLEEP PALLETSLEEP RESTRAINTPERSONAL STOWAGELIGHTVENTILATION INLETREMOVABLE PANELSAND SUPPORTS FORACCESS TO UNDER-FLOOR STOWAGEVENTILATION OUTLETAT FOOT END, ALLSTATIONSOVERHEAD LIGHTSHIELDS


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formation. NASA i s engaged in a longtermprogram to understand the causes underlyingthese changes, in order to develop ways to pre-vent them. This will be particularly important forthe longer tours of duty on the Space Station,where crew members will be in orbit for threemonths or more a t a time.The Future. Living and Working Aboard aPermanent Space Station

The Space Station NASA is now planning anddesigning i s a large facility. I t will be resupplyableand capable of staying in orbit indefinitely, unlikeSkylab. Many of i t s systems will be highly auto-mated, leaving the crew more time for the tasksthat can only be performed by humans. Presentplans call for the initial configuration to be inoperation by the end of 1994.The Space Station will be a permanent,multi-purpose facility operating in orbit. I t willserve as a laboratory, to conduct long-term basicresearch in the almost perfect vacuum andmicrogravity of space; a manufacturing plant,to make exotic metal alloys, super-pure phar-maceuticals, or perfect crystals; a spacecraftgarage and repair facility; and a base for theassembly in orbit of other larqe structures. I t will

Astronaut Sa//y Ride catches f o r t ywinks in the warmth also support fr ee-f l~ ing arth observation,and comfor t of an anchored sleeping bag during the STS-7 and materials processing platforms,mission. among many other applications. There will be atremendous amount and variety of work to do.available i f needed. Each bunk comes completewith an individual light, communications station,fan, sound suppression blanket, and sheets withmicrogravity restraints. The bunks even havepillows.When the bunks must be removed to allowroom in the mid deck for experiments or extraequipment, up to four optional sleeping bags canbe used instead.The Continuing Challenge of Microgravity

Many of the problems that arise from livingand working in space have been resolved. How-ever, the physiological affects of weightlessnessare still not completely understood. Among theseare the leaching of certain minerals from bones;atrophy of muscles when not exercised; and spaceadaptation syndrome, a form of motion sicknessfound only in spaceflight.All the deleterious effects of living in micro-qravitv disappear after an astronaut returns to theground. SO& can be countered while in orbi t byspecial diet and exercise. But even a vigorous Ulf Merbold, a citizen of West Germany working forexercise program does not appear to stop bone the European Space Agency, performs a materials scienceloss, or the decrease in the rate of normal bone experiment during the f irst Spacelab flight.


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Initial plans call for a crew of six to eightpeople in the operational Space Station, sup-ported by resupply and crew rotation flights ofthe Space Shuttle every three months. One majoradvance planned for the Space Station i s aclosed-cycle environmental control and lifesupport system. The oxygen will be recoveredfrom the carbon dioxide exhaled by the crew, andthe wash water, urine, and condensate will bepurified and reused. Present planning calls foronly food and nitrogen to be periodicallyresupplied from Earth.

The Space Station dual keel i s 90.5 meters(297 feet) in length, with an even longer singlestrut across it that supports the solar cell arrays.Overall, it is larger than a football field. The crewwill operate and live primarily in four or more

pressurized modules, located near the center ofthe structure. The standard module will be13.3 meters (43.7 feet) long and approximately4.5 meters (15 feet) in diameter. They will beconnected by tunnels and various support struc-tures. The Space Station will provide far moreworking and living room than any earlier facilitydesigned to operate in space.Several other nations and space organizationsare working cooperatively with NASA t o designand build some components of the Space Station.They too will have personnel living and workingaboard. The Space Station has been called "thenext logical step" in the continuing explorationand utilization of space, the new frontiermankind has only started to explore. Improvingthe living and working conditions of the peopleinvolved is an important part of the total ef for t.

The Space Station, larger overall than a footba ll field, wil l be the firstpermanent, resupplyable facilit y operated in o rbi tby the United States.

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Living and Working on the New Frontier