STATION BREAK
VOL. 2, NO. 1
SPACE STATION FREEDOM NEWSLETTER
JANUARY, 1990

NASA Officials Make Some Changes to Space Station Freedom to Reduce Risk

To meet a budget cut of nearly $300 million for fiscal year 1990, and to reduce
technical, schedule and cost risk in the development of Space Station Freedom,
NASA officials have completed an extensive review and rephasing of the program
resulting in some changes to the baseline space station configuration. First
element launch has been maintained in the first quarter of 1995, however
subsequent milestones have been stretched out.

Although rephasing has resulted in some changes to, and deferrals of some
Freedom subsystems and delayed its completion by about 18 month, Freedom's
capabilities will remain intact, said Dr. William B. Lenoir, associate
administrator for Space Flight. "With the rephasing of the program, assembly
complete will come later," Lenoir said. " But we will pay closer attention to
the interim capabilities, and use them. Even when we're part way there," he
said, "it's a great space station."

The Congress passed a bill in October to fund the space station program at $1.8
billion, $250 million less than the Bush administration's $2.05 billion
request. Further reductions to help fund the battle against drugs and enable
the Congress to meet Gramm-Rudman-Hollings budget deficit targets were taken
from NASA, other government agencies. Freedom's share of that reduction was $48
million from the amount agreed upon by Congress, thus reducing station's
operating funds for fiscal year 1990 to $1.749 billion.

NASA began an initial assessment of the Freedom program in July under threat of
a significant reduction in the fiscal year 1990 budget, and to review the
status of the program as it prepared to enter the preliminary design phase of
the project. A team of 17 NASA managers met at NASA's Langley Research Center
for three weeks and developed options. They were directed to hold early program
milestones, including the First Element Launch, support user requirement and
the ability of Freedom to grow to meet future needs, and maintain agreements
with the International partners.

The Langley team's proposals were then handed to workers at the NASA centers
and their contractors, the user groups and the international partners to study
their feasibility. Ultimately, a number of changes to the configuration were
approved. "Essentially, what we're doing is stretching out buying hardware" to
reduce the yearly budget, said Richard Kohrs, director, Space Station Freedom.

Major changes in the configuration included:

Changing from a hybrid AC/DC power system to a solely AC system, and delaying
availability of the full 75 kilowatts of electrical power from February 1997
until November 1997. Although the change to an all-DC system will add weight,
Kohrs said, the cost savings will be significant.

Deferring indefinitely development of new high-pressure spacesuits. Instead,
the existing suits used by astronauts who perform extravehicular activities
from the Space Shuttle will be used.

Changing the propulsion system from one which burns hydrogen/oxygen to modular
units powered by hydrazine, the same propellant which powers the maneuvering
engines on Space Shuttle orbiters.

Allowing engineers building the unmanned polar-orbiting platform to develop
unique hardware, specifically suited to the platform's key role in the Earth
Observing System mission, instead of relying on hardware developed by other
NASA centers and their contractors.

Kohrs said these changes will save hundreds of millions of dollars over a three
to four year period and will not drive up the runout cost of the program.
"Operations life-cycle cost will go up some, primarily because of the hydrazine
that periodically will have to be brought up to the station, but it shouldn't
be significant," Kohrs said the proposed changes would add about one Shuttle
flight every two years. "Delay of some milestones and capabilities was
unavoidable, but the essential station capabilities are maintained and will be
available by assembly complete."

The program has several major studies underway to look at laboratory support
equipment, the availability of ultra-pure water for use in the laboratory, the
need for a pointing system for attached payloads, a system for transporting
living specimens to the station, and the need for a system to monitor
electromagnetic interference, and for an acceleration mapping system.

NASA Administrator Consolidates Offices of Space Flight, Space Station

NASA Administrator Richard Truly last month approved the consolidation of the
Offices of Space Flight and Space Station. The newly formed single office,
headed by Associate Administrator Dr. William B. Lenoir, will be called the
Office of Space Flight.

"The consolidation provides a structure within which the leadership and
accomplishment of assigned programs and division of responsibilities is clear
and the mechanisms to assure coordination are in place."

Officials plan for the Space Flight organization to include four major areas:
Space Station Freedom, Space Shuttle, Space Flight Systems, and Human Resources
Institutions.

Richard Kohrs continues as the director of Space Station Freedom at
Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Robert L. Crippen is the acting director of
the Space Shuttle Program.

While the combination makes no major changes in the Space Shuttle program, the
most significant changes were made to program management organizational
elements of the Freedom program. The change has strengthened the program's
organization and program management was consolidated into NASA Headquarters and
Reston, Va.

The program director's office now will include three major functions:
engineering, operations, and policy. Robert Moorehead, deputy director, is
located in Reston. The deputy director is supported by Richard A. Thorson,
deputy program manager for integration located at Johnson Space Center (JSC) in
Houston, Texas. Thorson is JSC's former deputy manager for the Shuttle
program.

Thorson is supported by two field offices, with James M. Sisson as manager for
element integration at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.,
and Jesse F. Goree Jr. as manager for systems integration at JSC. Sisson is the
former acting deputy director of the Reston program office. Goree is the former
manager for integration at JSC's Space Station Project Office.

At Reston, strong staff offices in system engineering and analysis, management
integration, and safety, reliability and quality assurance are retained.

Sage III: A Payloads on a "Mission to Planet Earth"

In the December issue of Station Break, OSSA highlighted one of the three
payloads for the manned base associated with the "Mission to Planet Earth."
That payload was CERES, which stands for Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy
System. This month SAGE III, the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment, is
discussed.

The Mission to Planet Earth is a major international program to intensively
study our own planet with the goal of improving and preserving the life giving
qualities which are not found anywhere else in our solar system. NASA's
contributions to the attainment of this goal are significant. The Earth
Observing System (EOS), which is the cornerstone of the effort, includes six
polar platforms, instruments to be flown on Space Station Freedom, and
instruments to be flown on the European and Japanese space agencies' polar
platforms.

The instruments selected for development, which are candidates for flight on
Space Station Freedom, are called 'attached payloads.' EOS has proposed nine
instruments as attached payloads. These are divided into two phases, the Space
Station Freedom assembly phase and the operational phase. For the firstphase,
EOS has selected three instruments: (1) Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy
System (CERES), (2) Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE III), and
(3) Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS).

The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III is an instrument that was
proposed to be flown on the EOS polar platform, the European Space Agency (ESA)
platform, and the Space Station Freedom. NASA selected SAGE III for both the
EOS polar platform and an attached payload for Freedom.

SAGE III will provide global profiles, with 1 and 2 kilometer resolution, of
aerosol, ozone, water vapor, nitrous dioxide, cloud top heights, and air
density in the mesosphere, stratosphere, and troposphere. SAGE III is totally
self-calibrating, capable of determining long-term trends, and a simple
algorithm allows prompt archival and data retrieval.

The data provided by SAGE III provides a tool for investigating the spatial and
temporal variability of the measured species and their roles in climatological
processes, biogeochemical cycles, and the hydrologic cycles. The EOS platforms
will provide global coverage whereas Freedom will provide the environment for
obtaining diurnal cycle information.

SAGE III is a natural and improved extension of instruments starting with the
Stratospheric Aerosol Measurement (SAM) instrument on the ASTP 1975 mission,
SAM II on the NIMBUS-7 (1979-1988), SAGE on the AEM-2 (1979-1981), and SAGE II
on ERBS (1984-1988). Freedom and the EOS platforms are expected to provide
continuous SAGE III measurements from 1998 through 2013.

SAGE III is a 60 kilogram limb-viewing instrument developed by NASA's Langley
Research Center in Hampton, Va. It uses about 45 watts, has an average data
rate of 10 kilobits per second, and its nine channels cover the spectrum from
290 nanometers to 1550 nanometers. Ball Aerospace Division in Boulder, Colo.,
will develop SAGE III. The principle investigator is Dr. M.P. McCormick and he
is supported by an international science team of 19 members.

For more information on the Mission to Planet Earth and the EOS program as they
relate to Space Station Freedom, contact Alex Tuyahov at NASA Headquarters,
(202) 453-1723.

Life Sciences Centrifuge Facility Can Create Gravity for Experiments

It is well known that the space environment produces many physiological and
biochemical changes in humans and other living organisms. In order to separate
the effects of weightlessness from other variables in space flight, it is
essential to provide an Earth gravity (1-G) control environment through the use
of onboard centrifuge.

The Life Sciences Centrifuge Facility will provide the means to produce
artificial gravity and accurately controlled acceleration levels on Space
Station Freedom for research using specimens such as plants and small animals.
This research will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the
physiology of humans in space which will in turn advance NASA's charge to
assure health, safety and well-being of space crews.

Both internal NASA advisory panels and independent, external groups, have
strongly and repeatedly endorsed the need for an onboard centrifuge facility.
Without such a facility, it is impossible to conduct the rigorous and
systematic flightresearch that is required, and which is comparable to the
quality of research performed on the ground.

The centrifuge also will provide a test bed for determining the interplay of
artificial gravity with biological specimens within the spacecraft environment.
The long-duration missions possible only on Freedom will allow fundamentally
new research employing comparisons of human and animal systems over durations
similar to those to be experienced on Lunar and Mars missions.

These experiments will help NASA determine whether artificial gravity will be
necessary on extended human space missions, and if so, what gravitation levels
are required, and whether therapeutic exposure should be continuous or
intermittent.

The centrifuge facility, consisting of a large centrifuge, habitat holding
units, modular habitats for plants and small animals, a life sciences glovebox,
and a specimen chamber washer/sanitizer, comprises a suite of hardware ideally
co-located.

These major items, augmented by a variety of laboratory support equipment, will
comprise an on-orbit laboratory for the conduct of non-human life sciences
research, with particular emphasis on gravitational biology.

The modular habitats are especially designed abodes, which, in conjunction with
the habitat holding units and the centrifuge, will provide full life support
for the plants and small animals to be flown.

Specimens will be bio-isolated from the rest of the pressurized volume but will
be readily observable, both directly and via video. The centrifuge will be
about 8.2 feet (2.5 meters) in diameter and will hold a number of habitats
containing animals or plants. Spinning at the rate of about one revolution
every two seconds, the centrifuge will create the effect of normal Earth
gravity on the specimens. This will provide a control against which to study
other specimens which are exposed to the microgravity environment of space. By
adjusting the rate of rotation the centrifuge will be able to produce gravity
levels between .01 and 2 times that of Earth, thereby allowing investigators to
study the effects of different levels of gravity.

The habitat holding units, each a space station double-rack in size, are
support systems for the habitats in the microgravity environment. Like the
centrifuge, each holding unit can accommodate a uniform or mixed up group of
habitats, thus supporting concurrent research on multiple species. The life
sciences glovebox will provide an isolated work area where specimens can be
handled.

Gloves attached to portholes provide access to the interior of the glovebox for
such tasks as manipulating specimens and transferring specimens into and out of
habitats.

Cleaning or replacement of animal cages will be required at regular intervals.
This function will be provided by the specimen chamber washer /sanitizer. All
water used will be recycled for reuse.

The Centrifuge Facility is being developed at NASA Ames Research Center.
Contracts have been awarded to two contractors to conduct design definition
studies.

For more information on the Life Sciences Centrifuge Facility, contact Larry
Chambers at NASA Headquarters, (202) 453-1525.

Two Teams Vie for Space Station's Assured Crew Return Vehicle

NASA officials received three proposals for study contracts for the Assured
Crew Return Vehicle (ACRV). After the initial proposal evaluation, two
proposals remain in competition. One proposal team is led by Lockheed Missile
and Space Co. and includes Boeing Aerospace Electronics and IBM System
Integration Division. The other team is headed by Rockwell International Space
Transportation System Division and includes McDonnell Douglas System Division,
TRW, and Honeywell.

NASA plans to award two parallel contracts providing $1.5 million, six-month
efforts to validate ACRV requirements, to assess feasible configurations and to
examine cost, risks, and schedules. Start of the contracts is planned for early
April.

The contracts also will include an option valued at $4.5 million, which, if
exercised, would provide for systems definition and preliminary design of the
ACRV system.

The basic contracts plus options, with the potential value of $6million each,
will support efforts leading to the planned initiation of full-scale design and
development of an ACRV system in 1992.

The ACRV is conceptualized as a vehicle, continuously berthed at Space Station
Freedom, for crew return to Earth in the event of crew illness or injury or
other contingencies which cannot be supported by the Space Shuttle.

The project will be managed by the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. For
more information, call Kari Fluegel (713) 483-8646.

Lewis Research Center Completes Tests on Solar Array Model

"A series of tests designed to evaluate the performance of solar arrays similar
to those that will be used to power Space Station Freedom have been completed
and are considered to be successful," said Lewis Research Center engineer
Marian Felder.

The tests evaluated panel performance at conditions that simulate the plasma
environment of space at low Earth orbit.

The two solar array panels, each containing two hundred 8 by 8 centimeter
silicon solar cells, were developed by Lockheed Corporation and tested in a
vacuum changer at Lewis, Cleveland, Ohio, which produces a 'space-like'
environment. The panels were subjected to temperatures of 25 to 40 degrees
Celsius while being illuminated by a solar simulator which produces a solar
intensity of 0.3 sun. The arrays were operated at varying output voltages while
being exposed to plasma with ion densities of 100 to a million ions per cubic
centimeter.

Research has shown that there can be electrical interactions between a space
plasma environment and a solar cell power source which can cause probable
short-circuiting and arcing problems. Therefore, Lewis engineers devised tests
to evaluate the effects of these interactions on the materials and operational
characteristics of the panels. Felder indicated that these tests are
particularly important since the panels will be operated at 160 volts, which is
the highest voltage proposed to be used for solar array electric power system
on an American spacecraft.

OCP Sponsors Materials Processing Workshop

NASA's Office of Commercial Programs sponsored a two-day Materials Processing
in Space (MPS) Workshop for U.S. industry on November 28th and 29th in
Huntsville, Ala.

Twenty speakers, representing the Office of Commercial Programs, Office of
Space Station, Office of Space Science and Applications, Marshall Space Flight
Center, Centers for the Commercial Development of Space, and U.S. industry,
contributed to the workshop program.

The workshop theme was "Pathway to Space Station Freedom" as presentations
focused on near-term flight opportunities, results of recently completed
industrial flight experiments, and plans for space station utilization. The
workshop was designed to provide the maximum opportunity for discussion among
participants as NASA representatives answered questions regarding Space Station
Freedom development status, MPS capabilities, utilization planning, and
experiment integration from company representatives. Several events occurring
over the past year, including the resumption of flights under the Space Shuttle
program, continuation of the U.S. sounding rocket program and extensive
preparations for microgravity laboratory flights utilizing Spacelab, have
revitalized commercial interest as well as resulted in greater industrial
participation in space-based research activities.

For more information, contact Dick Ott or Donna Miller, Code CC, at (202)
453-1890.

NEWS BRIEFS

Boeing Aerospace of Huntsville, Ala., awarded a $50 million contract to the
Houston-based firm, ILC Space Systems, a division of ILC Dover Inc. for the
design, fabrication, test and integration of the Space Station Freedom galley
wardroom and associated components.

Equipment to be provided includes the ovens, beverage dispensers, work/dining
tables, handwash, refrigerators, freezers, trash compactors and laundry.

The award is for a portion of the Boeing Work Package 1 prime contract managed
by NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville to design and build the
space station habitation module, laboratory module, logistics modules, and
resource node structures.

Delivery of the first of the flight hardware is scheduled for 1993, with
subsequent hardware deliveries extending through 1995.

NASA officials have decided to stick with the English measurement system for
the design of Space Station Freedom rather than convert to a metric system. It
would cost the program too much money to convert to a metric system, officials
said. Station program contractors estimated that converting to a metric
standard would cost $221 million.

The European Space Agency's Columbus Program Board unanimously approved the
1990 Columbus program budget of about $230 million, an increase of about $120
million.

The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) in December approved funding for its entire
space station, the Mobile Servicing Sys-em. This approval means that the CSA's
project will be completely funded through the critical design review.

Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, is continuing thermal cycle tests of
the solar cell coupon welds. About 80,000 cycles were completed by October's
end without damage.

Equipment setup and comparative tests were completed for the Environmental
Control and Life Support System test facilities (urine processing, carbon
dioxide reduction, carbon dioxide removal and oxygen generation) at Marshall
Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.

Marshall also completed the Thermoelectric Integrated Membrane Evaporation
System acceptance test.

EVENTS CALENDAR

Space Station International Evolution Conference Houston, Texas February 2-8

The Office of Space Science and Application's Utilization Program Review
Washington, D.C. February

Attached Payloads Principal Investigator Conference Washington, D.C. area
March

OSSA Space Station Freedom Contamination Conference Washington, D.C. March

Space Station Science and Applications Advisory Subcommittee Langley Research
Center, Hampton, Va. March