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Space Forum / Shuttle / July 2007New NASA System Will Help Space Station Crews Breathe Easier
A new oxygen generation system tested between July 11 and 14 aboard the International Space Station will allow the orbiting laboratory's crew size to increase in 2009 http://theanalystmagazine.com/pr/g156.htm > A new oxygen generation system tested between July 11 and 14 aboard > the International Space Station will allow the orbiting laboratory's > crew size to increase in 2009 > > http://theanalystmagazine.com/pr/g156.htm Nice to see ECLSS hardware I worked on for SSF 15 years ago finally getting a chance to fly and operating as intended (even if it was only a test). :-)  SignatureFear is the path to the dark side... Fear leads to anger... Anger leads to hate... Hate leads to banjos... Banjos lead to suffering! > A new oxygen generation system tested between July 11 and 14 aboard > the International Space Station will allow the orbiting laboratory's > crew size to increase in 2009 Running a device for a couple of days should not allow anyone to declare "victory" and declare the device is ready to support 6 crewmembers. Elektron also is able to work well a couple of days at a time. But it doesn't make it "relaible". And what about CRDA ? Have they been able to make it run reliably since it was installed on the station years ago ? And will the USA make use of O2 candles ? The arcticle mentions O2 in Quest before the candles as O2 sources. Yet, I do not recall the uSA every releasing Quest O2 into the cabin, even during Elektron failures. And I also have not heard of any plans by NASA to refill those tanks beyond 2010 when the shuttle ceases to fly. Once the ability to refill those tanks is gone, whatever O2 and N2 will be left in there will be considered extrememely precious and I am not even sure NASA will want to conduct EVAs from Quest unless some new way is found to refill those tanks. > The arcticle mentions O2 in Quest before the candles as O2 sources. Yet, I > do not recall the uSA every releasing Quest O2 into the cabin, even during > Elektron failures. http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/oct/HQ_SS06044_station_status.html From above, "Oxygen is being supplied in the station cabin by tanks on the outside of the U.S. Quest Airlock while an onboard Russian oxygen-generation system, called the Elektron, is not working." Still, the preferred source is from the Progress tanks since if you don't use it, you lose it when the Progress leaves the station and burns up in the atmosphere. The next preferred source is from the Russian oxygen "candles" since those do "expire" after a period of time, so again, use them or lose them. > And I also have not heard of any plans by NASA to refill those tanks > beyond 2010 when the shuttle ceases to fly. Once the ability to refill > those tanks is gone, whatever O2 and N2 will be left in there will be > considered extrememely precious and I am not even sure NASA will want to > conduct EVAs from Quest unless some new way is found to refill those > tanks. If commercial access/resupply to the station begins, I'd guess this would be one of the items they'd be delivering to ISS. Failing that, NASA could use the CEV for station resupply. Worst case, you do more walks from Piers using Russian suits to conserve the US O2/N2 supply for emergencies. Jeff Signature"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety" - B. Franklin, Bartlett's Familiar Quotations (1919) > http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/oct/HQ_SS06044_station_status.html Thanks. This is the first I heard of this happening. I the past, during Elektron failures, they USA had never announced that O2 from Quest would be used. (I would have thought that at one point, they would have at least wanted to test it out in order to ensure that the automated systems released the right amount of O2. Of course, since much of that time happened during a shuttle standdown, it is understandable that NASA wouldn't want to touch Quest's tanks. > If commercial access/resupply to the station begins, I'd guess this would be > one of the items they'd be delivering to ISS. Look at how long ATV took and it has yet to fly. Do you seriously beleive any commercial delivery company might have something that could dock to the USA side right after the Shuttle is retired ? Has NASA even begun to THINK about outfitting PMA2 with whatever would be needed to let something like ATV dock to PMA2 with the right docking collar ? There are only 2 automated docking systems on the horizon: Kurs and the ATV one. HTV is still vapourware. 2010 is coming VERY quickly. > Failing that, NASA could use > the CEV for station resupply. Well, if we start to allow mythical vehicles, why not discuss NX01 docking to the space station to give it O2 ? Unless NASA scrambles to develop something that can deliver CMGs and other bulky items in an automated fashion to the station, by the time that CEV thng might actually fly, it isn't a given that the station will still be functional. > Worst case, you do more walks from Piers > using Russian suits to conserve the US O2/N2 supply for emergencies. Yep. Especially since there will be very little capacity to return used US EVA suits and bring back new repaired ones. One possibility though would be to fit a Progress with an extra O2 and N2 tanks inside, and use long flexible hoses to connect the progress tanks to Quest's pumps so that Quest could then extract the gas from Progress and pump them into its own tanks. What is susprising is that we don't hear NASA discuss its options to keep Quest alive after the shuttle is retired. >If commercial access/resupply to the station begins, Pigs will sprout wings and fly first. D. SignatureTouch-twice life. Eat. Drink. Laugh. -Resolved: To be more temperate in my postings. Oct 5th, 2004 JDL >>If commercial access/resupply to the station begins, > > Pigs will sprout wings and fly first. Good thing I live near Cincinnati, home of the Flying Pig Marathon. http://www.flyingpigmarathon.com/ Jeff Signature"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety" - B. Franklin, Bartlett's Familiar Quotations (1919) |
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