Dextre MIA?

Dextre was launched to ISS in March 2008, and was fully tested and
qualifed for space operations a year later in April 2009. Then what?
There has been a complete absence of any news about Dextre. Has it
ever been used? Is there a problem? Is it getting jealous over all
the press the more photogenic Robonaut is getting?

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080401.html

On May 20, 1:27*am, Neil Fraser wrote:
Dextre was launched to ISS in March 2008, and was fully tested and
qualifed for space operations a year later in April 2009. *Then what?

Photo from STS 131:
http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/images/sts-131_iss.jpg
Dancing on the S0 truss.

At least we know he's still up there and hasn't drifted away.

Neil Fraser wrote:
Dextre was launched to ISS in March 2008, and was fully tested and
qualifed for space operations a year later in April 2009.

Was it really launched in 2008 ? I thought it was more recent.

The original specs called for Dextre to be designed to do exactly what
they did with EVA a day or two ago: replace batteries on the truss.

My guess is that astronauts like to do EVAs so they fidn excuses to not
use Dextre. After shuttle is gone, Dextre may have less use than planned
originally, not only because less cargo/spare parts will be sent to the
ISS, but whatever is sent, is liekly to have been sent in a pressurised
ship (Progress, ATV, HTV) and need to get out via Airlock and thus
require EVA anyways.

On May 20, 1:39*am, Neil Fraser wrote:
On May 20, 1:27*am, Neil Fraser wrote:

Dextre was launched to ISS in March 2008, and was fully tested and
qualifed for space operations a year later in April 2009. *Then what?

Photo from STS 131:
*http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/images/sts-131_iss.jpg
Dancing on the S0 truss.

At least we know he's still up there and hasn't drifted away.

Can you see it in this picture?
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/1005/
issatlantistransit_legault_big.jpg

/dps

In article ,
John Doe wrote:
Neil Fraser wrote:
Dextre was launched to ISS in March 2008, and was fully tested and
qualifed for space operations a year later in April 2009.

Was it really launched in 2008 ? I thought it was more recent.

The original specs called for Dextre to be designed to do exactly what
they did with EVA a day or two ago: replace batteries on the truss.

My guess is that astronauts like to do EVAs so they fidn excuses to not
use Dextre. After shuttle is gone, Dextre may have less use than planned
originally, not only because less cargo/spare parts will be sent to the
ISS, but whatever is sent, is liekly to have been sent in a pressurised
ship (Progress, ATV, HTV) and need to get out via Airlock and thus
require EVA anyways.

Part of HTV's cargo volume is unpressurized, and I think this will
be true of SpaceX Dragon as well, once that finally flies.

Moving something as large as the recently-replaced batteries out
via the airlock seems like a real logistical nightmare, considering
there's barely enough room in there for two suited astronauts as it
is, and safety rules apparently prohibit sending one person out
alone. If you have to carry batteries out one at a time via
repeated cycling of the airlock, think about all O2 and N2 this
woudl waste (plus extra wear on pumps and seals, etc.)

--
Jordan.

In message
lid (Jordan Hazen) wrote:

Moving something as large as the recently-replaced batteries out
via the airlock seems like a real logistical nightmare, considering
there's barely enough room in there for two suited astronauts as it
is, and safety rules apparently prohibit sending one person out
alone.

There are two airlocks though. Crew could go out through one, equipment
through the other.

Anthony

"Anthony Frost" wrote in message
...
In message
lid (Jordan Hazen) wrote:

Moving something as large as the recently-replaced batteries out
via the airlock seems like a real logistical nightmare, considering
there's barely enough room in there for two suited astronauts as it
is, and safety rules apparently prohibit sending one person out
alone.

There are two airlocks though. Crew could go out through one, equipment
through the other.

Possibly, but I'd bet it would still be a p.i.t.a. to do it this way.

Jeff
--
"Take heart amid the deepening gloom
that your dog is finally getting enough cheese" - Deteriorata - National
Lampoon

In message
"Jeff Findley" wrote:


"Anthony Frost" wrote in message
...
In message
lid (Jordan Hazen) wrote:

Moving something as large as the recently-replaced batteries out
via the airlock seems like a real logistical nightmare, considering
there's barely enough room in there for two suited astronauts as it
is, and safety rules apparently prohibit sending one person out
alone.

There are two airlocks though. Crew could go out through one, equipment
through the other.

Possibly, but I'd bet it would still be a p.i.t.a. to do it this way.

Yes. In reality anything big is going to go up on an HTV and will never
pass through the station interior.

Anthony

Anthony Frost wrote:

Yes. In reality anything big is going to go up on an HTV and will never
pass through the station interior.

With the demise of the shuttle, have ESA and JAXA made commitments to
increase their originally planned launch rates for ATV and HTV
respectively ?

I remember reading that ESA had originally commited to a fixed number of
vehicles launched over the lifetime of the station. (since it was
expected that the Shuttle would remain the workhorse for cargo haulage).

Are there now commitments for regular launches at fixed frequencies ?