Now that would represent a major break-through in manned space operations!
Posted on 03/21/2009 1:56:32 PM PDT by Names Ash Housewares
March 20, 2009 — Spanning the length of a football field (including the end zones) and weighing approximately the same as a loaded space shuttle orbiter, the International Space Station's (ISS) integrated truss, or backbone, was completed in orbit this week after nine years of assembly.
"We're the largest space structure in all of history and it is really amazing to be on-board," exclaimed ISS Expedition 18 commander Mike Fincke on the morning after the final piece of the truss was attached.
The 356-foot, girder-like truss supports the station's living modules and laboratories, as well as eight 115-foot solar array wings that generate as much electricity as would be needed to power 42 2,800 square foot homes.
"It is just a remarkable accomplishment for the NASA team, as well as for Boeing, which designed and built this integrated truss assembly," commented Dan Hartman, NASA's manager for the integration and operations of the space station.
(Excerpt) Read more at collectspace.com ...
It is impossible for me to not think of President Reagan at this time.
"We can follow our dreams to distant stars, living and working in space for peaceful economic and scientific gain". -President Ronald Wilson Reagan 1984
This station will always be known to many of us as "Freedom".
Thank you President Reagan, it was a long road to get to this point, many twists and turns, and international partners added, and more challenges to go to be sure. I know you would be proud of America's resolve to lead on the frontiers.
The nations that lead on the frontiers, dictate the course of human history.
Now that would represent a major break-through in manned space operations!
“It’s an amazing accomplishment.”
Agreed.
Perhaps greater then anything humanity has ever built.
Folks, be sure to try to see the station sometime soon...
Just put in your location here.
Some passes it is very very bright, imposssible to miss.
Agreed.
The spirit of Ronald Reagan is still with us.
And we need to remember that during these times, and if we need reminders, just look up and watch the brightest “star” in the sky pass over.
Sorry, but the space station exists to give the shuttle something to do and the shuttle exist to build the space station.
Really, what does the space station provide, even to space exploration.
Space Station Freedom
This was intended to be the final form of Reagan's space station. Note the assemblies at the end of the booms. These were solar dynamic power generators of novel design, well along in development at one time, but never completed, built, or deployed.
The NASA channel would get a lot more people watching the ISS coverage if the female astronauts would wear uniforms like they have in the first Sar Trek series.
They did keep funding the inflatable space hab after a manner. They handed it off to a private firm and loaned them use of NASA personnel and gave them use of all the patents. Two test articles are flying right now with the follow on habitable module going up possibly next year. Google up Bigelow Aerospace for more info.
Sorry, but the ISS is not space station Freedom. It’s in a Russian orbit for crying out loud.
Sorry, but no “Buzz Killingtons” can succeed today. :P
read later
Space station exists to learn to live, construct and function in space long term.
You cannot do that on the ground.
I am in no mood to debate it today.
Simply to celebrate this day as a milestone.
For example, a senator’s NASA coordinator told me,, that NASA intends to call the ISS a "Research Lab". Sounds like Byrd Station in Antarctica. Doesn't sound commercial.
Call the ISS a "truck stop" on the Earth Lunar highway and now a different mindset is established. Now fly the External Tanks into orbit instead of throwing them away. They would be built and paid for by Exxon Mobile which would be the tank farm at the truckstop. Additional Tanks would carry the excess fuel to the tank farm and then become the strip mall for the small businesses that surround a truck stop. Maintenance sheds means that a Fedex space truck could buy fuel, travel up to that Dish satellite that's not working and return it to the "tank" at the truck stop which is a maintenance shop. Fix or update the satellite and return it to geosynchronus orbit, (the delta v is much less that a new satellite being launched from the ground). Give entrepreneurs a chance and they'll get us there.
The expandable space habs would increase the size of the sleping acilities so the space truck drivers would have a place to sleep before their next trip
The Cargo Vehicles to be used for the Earth Lunar highway would be funded by FEDEX, UPS or Greyhound depending on what they’re carrying.
The lunar truck stop would have the same makeup and the lander/launcher for Lunar surface to Lunar orbit could be owned by SW Airlines or Delta or whomever.
This concept should be expanded using standard entrepreneurial models and the likes of Gates, Rogers, Allen, Bigelow, Musk and Rutan and his fellow aerospace weenies!
Provide a 105% tax credit for any company that invests in space and guess what the truck stop will be up and running in no time
In zero gravity with those outfits? LOL
Now that construction is finished, it's time to move the ISS to a more useful place, such as lunar orbit.
ping to iss sighting opportunities
Spanning the length of a football field (including the end zones) and weighing approximately the same as a loaded space shuttle orbiter, the International Space Station's (ISS) integrated truss, or backbone, was completed in orbit this week after nine years of assembly. "We're the largest space structure in all of history and it is really amazing to be on-board," exclaimed ISS Expedition 18 commander Mike Fincke on the morning after the final piece of the truss was attached. The 356-foot, girder-like truss supports the station's living modules and laboratories, as well as eight 115-foot solar array wings that generate as much electricity as would be needed to power 42 2,800 square foot homes.Now, by way of mischievous contrast let's check out this: [snip] Skylab was the first US space station and the world's first big space station. It was launched on May 14th, 1973 by a Saturn V Rocket... Structure Weight: 91 metric ton (100-ton); Height: 36 metres (118 feet); Diamater: 6.7 metres (22 feet); ...Orbital Mass: 77,088kg; Habitable Volume: 283 cubic metres (10,000 cubic feet) [end]
It's sorry that so many have forgotten or ignored why the ISS is in an orbit convenient for Russia. One of Russia's big contributions to the station is that they provide most of the consumable supplies, like food and oxygen. The craft that bring those supplies up also provide the periodic orbit boost the station requires.
Nobody’s forgotten anything. The Russians should not be allowed to touch our space station, and it should be in a lower inclination orbit. The Russians are testing our air defenses with their bombers, threatening to base bombers in Cuba, flying military jets over our navy, and knocking our satellites out of orbit. Fat lot of good all that touchy feely crap has done.
“Sorry, but the ISS is not space station Freedom. It’s in a Russian orbit for crying out loud.”
Sorry, but there’s no cyring in the exploration of space. That’s the first community to orbit the earth. It’s a myth that the ISS is not a mobile platform........
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The money wasted on the ISS could much better be used on other projects for the exploration of space.
And you’ve “been there, done that”?
Montrose - Space Station Number 5
Start, with the sun
And move on out
The future’s in the skies above
The heavens unfold
And a new star is born
Space and time makin’ love
Chorus:
Oh what a time we had
Living on the ground
I’ve moved to station #5
See you next time around,
Next time aournd
As far you want, as close as you need
It’s all in the mind, you know
This old world hasn’t really seen it’s day
It’s here, time to go
Chorus
Remember when it was so clear
We were young, but the memory still remains
To pick fruit from a tree
Fish from the seas
Now nothing’s left here, but the stains
Well I can’t cry no more
Can only be glad
There’s other places we can be
If the time suits you right
I’m leaving tonight
Come fly away
With me!
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
Oh, yeah
Start, with the sun
And move on out
The future’s in the skies above
The heavens unfold
A new star is born
Space and time makin’ love
Chorus
Like what???? More robotic missions???
For many years, the astronauts aboard the ISS were condemned to be mere housekeepers, without the time or equipment to perform and useful science or engineering tasks. Hopefully that has ended and we can get some return on the effort.
The “ball and truss” structure was also designed, built and tested on orbit in the space shuttle payload bay, but it too was dropped.
Both technologies should be restarted and used to create solar power satellites to beam power down to Earth. The technology is proven. The question is whether it would be cost effective. But that doesn't seem to be a barrier with the current Administration and Congress.
Actually I'm glad that NASA isn't funding Transhab. Rather that Bigelow Aerospace is not only funding Transhab inflatable space stations, they have actually flown in space 2 prototypes that have been functioning flawlessly for a couple of years now.
They also are working on flying a manned inflatable "space hotel" soon. All on private funds.
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