November 2007 - Page 3 of 7

2007-11-20

Test of Orion Escape System

NASA’s Orion crew capsule is getting more and more a reality. I just received an interesting HSFNEWS news release telling that test of the escape system will happen soon.

Report #H07-252

GROUNDBREAKING SIGNALS START OF NASA’S CONSTELLATION FLIGHT TESTS

LAS CRUCES, N.M. – With less than a year until flight tests of NASA’s Constellation Program, work is under way on a launch pad that will host the first of those tests. Workers broke ground on a pad where the agency will test a launch abort system for the new Orion spacecraft at the U.S. Army’s White Sands Missile Range near Las Cruces, N.M.

Orion’s launch abort system will carry astronauts to safety in the event of a problem on the launch pad or during the spacecraft’s climb to orbit. The first of five tests of the system, known as Pad Abort 1 or PA-1, is scheduled for fall 2008. Data from the series will help engineers refine the design of the launch abort system.

“Flight tests are where the rubber meets the road. These tests will help validate our designs or correct any flaws,” said Skip Hatfield, Orion Project Manager at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston. “The goal here is simple: to provide our astronauts a route to safety should anything go wrong at a launch.”

The first launch abort test will include a mock-up of the Orion capsule on the pad. An abort motor will fire for two seconds, sending the boilerplate crew module to an altitude of one mile. Three 116-foot diameter parachutes will deploy to slow the mock crew capsule for landing.

Constellation is developing the Orion spacecraft to send astronauts to the International Space Station and to the moon. Orion will be launched atop an Ares I rocket. The program is also developing a heavy-lift rocket, Ares V, to enable cargo missions to the moon. NASA plans to set up a lunar outpost by 2020, where astronauts will prepare for possible future missions to Mars and other destinations in the solar system.

Video of the groundbreaking ceremony will be available Thursday on NASA Television Video File. For NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

To learn more about NASA’s space exploration plans, visit:

www.nasa.gov/exploration

2007-11-19

syslog GSS-API usage notes

I copy over some usage notes from Peter Vrabec’s intial announcement of the patch:

It adds a new commandline option ‘-g’ to listen for a connection wrapped with gss-api and few new configuration directives:

for server:

$gsslistenservicename <service name>

for client:

$gssforwardservicename <service name>
$gssmode <encryption|integrity|none>

With gssmode set to “encryption” or “integrity” all tcp selectors will be forwarding messages via gss-api.

That’s probably useful while I am getting up some real documentation.

2007-11-19

GSS-API for Rsyslog

I just reviewed and integrated a patch from varmojfekoj into rsyslog – it provided GSS-API support. I have to admit that I have not yet fully understood what it does from a user’s point of view. But I begin to have the feeling that this patch will probably be the most important addition to rsyslog in the later half of this year.

I also have not yet evaluated how this patch relates to the syslog-sec IETF syslog security effort, namely syslog-transport-tls. I guess they are related and the patch probably not only provided non-standard functionality but may even make it harder to implement the standard. HOWEVER, if we look at how slow moving that IETF WG is, I do not bother about any compliance problems. They can be dealt with later. What I find much more important is that we have a real-world answer to real-world security question and we do have this now. So what could be more important? ;)

I keep you updated on the progress.

2007-11-19

Why is the external tank not painted?

I found a student web site with a lot of interesting data of the space shuttle’s external tank. While the site was set up as a think-tank for the student project, it provides generally useful information.

I’d like to quote one section that I found especially interesting:

Why doesn’t NASA apply paint, a cover, or net over the tank? One might remember that we painted the first couple of External Tanks with white paint in the early 1980’s. In both cases, we had a significant amount of foam loss during ascent. Although at face value applying a net or some other foam entrapping method to the External Tank sounds easy, it is not without concern. After careful examination of this approach, NASA’s conclusion is that portions of the net could become in itself an undesirable debris source. Depending on the material used (Kevlar, aluminum, etc.), the density of the netting material would present a more critical debris source than foam to the Orbiter Thermal Protection System. Through a rigid certification process, we would also have to understand if and when the netting material could come off and in what quantities or mass that the netting material could present. Our assessment is that the process of certifying a netting material for flight would take several years and would not be available until late in the Space Shuttle Program life. NASA’s goal remains to eliminate the potential for critical debris from all sources, including the External Tank foam.

At Kennedy Space Center, I was always told to the weight of the paint was the reason that the tank is no longer painted. That sounded logical to me (and for sure is part of the reason). It was so logical that I never thought about it any further. It now makes perfectly sense to me that paint can also be a major source of debris – it may hold loose parts together, forming an even greater lump that could come off.

Thanks to Nicole Sharp for putting this all together.

2007-11-19

being back…

I am now back in Germany for a week. I’ve now managed to get through all these nice “gifts” that were waiting for me while I was in Florida. Today, I think, I’ll be able to resume work on rsyslog. First on my todo list will be solving a problem with ommysql (or, better said, providing some instrumentation to get hold of it) as well as integrating a very interesting patch sent over from the red hat folks. So … stay tuned and expect updates to this blog to happen once again.

2007-11-18

Spacesuit problem solved…

The spacesuit problem that threatened the next ISS EVA (spacewalk) has been resolved. As nasaspaceflight.com reports, the investigation into the issue showed no actual malfunction. As such, the spacesuits are cleared again for EVAs.

This is an important step as the international space station’s crew must do another important spacewalk to permit on-time launch of Atlantis’ STS-122 mission. This can now be carried out as scheduled. As such, Atlantis is still on a good path to a December, 6th launch!

2007-11-17

NASA goes to the Moon again …

On December, 19th 1972 Apollo 17 splashed down into the Pacific. This ended the last and very successful Apollo program. Since then, mankind has reached no farther out than to low earth orbit. Think about it: the international space station ISS is roughly a thousand times closer to earth then the moon is!

Reaching the moon is complicated and it also is very risky compared to the ISS. The ISS is inside earth geomagnetic field, relieving NASA of most worries about cosmic radiation. It can quickly be evacuated in case of emergency. And, and, and …

But NASA is now up to this challenge. As announced by president Bush on January, 14th, 2004, the “Vision for Space Exploration” calls for returning humans to the moon by 2020. Unfortunately, the president’s announcement was not coupled with a major NASA budget increase, so the effort is even more challenging (and unfortunately eating up on the scientific budget, which is under much criticism).

While the 2020 deadline will probably not be met, NASA is very serious about going to the moon. Under the so-called “Constellation” program, new rocket boosters (Ares I and Ares V) as well as a new crew vehicle (Orion) will be developed. Initially, they will be used to ferry humans to the international space station (read my article “Orion as a Space Shuttle Successor“). For that, the Orion capsule as well as the Ares I rocket needs to be ready. Work on both of them is under way with an Ares I test flight being planned for 2009 (the 2009 date is already a departure from the schedule).

The ultimate goal of the moon flights is to set up a permanent moon base – an undertaking that sound complicated, but doable with current and upcoming technology.

After that, NASA shall go and send humans to Mars. This is extra-challenging and requires a number of very good solutions to extremely hard to solve problems. In the very long term, mankind will probably be smart enough to overcome them, but I personally do not expect any immediate results.

I think it is also safe to assume that the new challenges NASA faces will bring up great technology that in the long term also serves all of us down on Earth very well. That new technology will make our everyday life easier and medicine will definitely benefit from research on space radiation. Maybe this technology is the biggest plus of the Constellation program (except, of course, for the inspiration it offers).

So whatever it is – the next years are extremely interesting in astronautics. And, if at all possible, I’ll try to stay on top of the news with my blog!

2007-11-16

Atlantis still set for December, 6th launch…

I just found this nice picture of the Columbus module being moved into Atlantis’ cargo bay on the NASA shuttle home page. It was taken some days ago. I thought it is worth sharing.
Processing flow on Atlantis is still going smooth, the launch is so far on-schedule for December, 6th. This is confirmed by NASA’s latest statement on the home page:

Space shuttle Atlantis will be the stage for the countdown dress rehearsal next week as preparations for mission STS-122 continue toward a targeted Dec. 6 launch. The rehearsal is known as the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test or TCDT.

The seven astronauts who will fly the mission are due to arrive at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center over the weekend for several days of in-depth training.

A practice countdown that includes all the normal launch day activities except the liftoff itself will be conducted on the last day of the crew’s visit. Afterward, the crew will return to Houston.

A program-level review of Atlantis and the European-built Columbus module it will carry was conducted Tuesday. A poll taken at the end of the session called for processing to continue. A second review will be held Nov. 30, and NASA will formally select a launch date.

Please note that “formal selection of the launch date” is NASA speak and in this case most probably means sticking with the originally scheduled December 6th date.

2007-11-16

NASA Tests Lunar Habitat in Extreme Aantartic Environment

After I had started to pull over NASA’s HSFNEWS mission status reports to my blog, I thought it is a good idea to do this in the future, too. After all, NASA doesn’t even archive HSFNEWS, even though it is highly interesting. So here we go with the first non-shuttle issue ;) I hope you enjoy reading them.

Report #H07-251

NASA TESTS LUNAR HABITAT IN EXTREME ANTARCTIC ENVIRONMENT

WASHINGTON – NASA will use the cold, harsh, isolated landscape of Antarctica to test one of its concepts for astronaut housing on the moon. The agency is sending a prototype inflatable habitat to Antarctica to see how it stands up during a year of use.

Agency officials viewed the habitat Wednesday at ILC Dover in Frederica, Del., as it was inflated one last time before being packed and shipped to Antarctica’s McMurdo Station. NASA is partnering on the project with the National Science Foundation, Arlington, Va., which manages McMurdo Station, and ILC Dover, the company that manufactured the prototype structure. All three organizations will share data from the 13-month test, which runs from January 2008 to February 2009. An inflatable habitat is one of several concepts being considered for astronaut housing on the moon.

"Testing the inflatable habitat in one of the harshest, most remote sites on Earth gives us the opportunity to see what it would be like to use for lunar exploration," said Paul Lockhart, director of Constellation Systems for NASA’s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, Headquarters, Washington.

NASA’s Constellation Program is working to send humans back to the moon by 2020. After initial sorties, the astronauts will set up a lunar outpost for long-duration stays, and they will need a place to live. The agency is developing concepts for habitation modules that provide protection for the astronauts and are easy to transport to the lunar surface.

"To land one pound of supplies on the lunar surface, it’ll require us to launch 125 pounds of hardware and fuel to get it there," Lockhart said. "So our habitation concepts have to be lightweight as well as durable. This prototype inflatable habitat can be taken down and redeployed multiple times, and it only takes four crew members a few hours to set up, permitting exploration beyond the initial landing area."

The structure looks something like an inflatable backyard bounce house for children, but it is far more sophisticated. It is insulated and heated, has power and is pressurized. It offers 384 square feet of living space and has, at its highest point, an 8-foot ceiling. During the test period, sensors will allow engineers to monitor the habitat’s performance.

The National Science Foundation also is interested in lighter, easier-to-assemble habitats. It currently uses a 50-year-old design known as a Jamesway hut, which is bulky and complex in comparison to the habitat being tested. Modern variations on the Jamesway, although lighter, are still rigid and difficult to ship, with limited insulation. During the test of the new inflatable habitat, the foundation will study improvements in packing, transportation and set up, as well as power consumption and damage tolerance for this newest variation of the concept.

To enable lunar exploration, the Constellation Program is developing a new fleet of spacecraft and rockets, as well as transportation and power systems for use on the surface of the moon. More information about NASA’s space exploration plans is available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/constellation

The inflatable habitat is being developed under NASA’s Innovative Partnerships Program. For more information, visit:

http://www.ipp.nasa.gov

Video of the send-off event is expected to be available Thursday on the NASA Television Video File. For NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

2007-11-15

STS-122 group on flickr…

Armando Perdomo, a friend of mine, has created a new STS-122 picture group on flickr. so if you go view the launch or have interesting STS-122 pictures from some other source, you are invited to post them there. And, of course, everyone is invited to view the pictures. Typically, content comes in shortly after launch.

Armando did a similar effort for STS-120, I recommend viewing that picture pool to everyone.