Losing one's cool

From NYT:

"Space Station Malfunction Prompts Shutdowns
By WILLIAM HARWOOD
Published: August 1, 2010


One of two coolant systems aboard the International Space Station
malfunctioned late Saturday, triggering alarms and extensive power
shutdowns to keep critical systems from overheating. [...]"
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/science/space/02shuttle.html

(Heard this on news radio, but couldn't find it on MSNBC's site yet.)

/dps

Interesting side note to that story is that station residents sleep schedule
may have been affected by the need for emergency remediation.

Are they back down to only 3 aboard the ISS? Seems if we can get back up to
the planned 6 occupants, it will be less stress on the crew when there are
more aboard to be able to deal with (and more importantly monitor) unplanned
situations like these w/o adding to the stress by disrupting their day/night
schedules.

Dave

On 1.8.2010 17:29, David Spain wrote:
Are they back down to only 3 aboard the ISS? Seems if we can get back up
to the planned 6 occupants, it will be less stress on the crew when
there are more aboard to be able to deal with (and more importantly
monitor) unplanned situations like these w/o adding to the stress by
disrupting their day/night schedules.

Dave

There are 6 people on the ISS pretty regularly now; only down to 3 when
part of the crew leaves and the next hasn't yet arrived.

The 6 always sleep at the same time; it wouldn't help to have onboard
speakers, air-to-ground, various exercise equipment etc making noise
when a part of the crew is trying to sleep.

There were "shifts" on some science shuttle missions (such as STS-107)
but shuttle flights are time limited where as ISS is not nearly as much.

--
Mika Takala

So what is the status of the cooling system now, was it a sensor or a real
problem?

Brian

--
Brian Gaff -
Note:- In order to reduce spam, any email without 'Brian Gaff'
in the display name may be lost.
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"Mika Takala" wrote in message
...
On 1.8.2010 17:29, David Spain wrote:
Are they back down to only 3 aboard the ISS? Seems if we can get back up
to the planned 6 occupants, it will be less stress on the crew when
there are more aboard to be able to deal with (and more importantly
monitor) unplanned situations like these w/o adding to the stress by
disrupting their day/night schedules.

Dave

There are 6 people on the ISS pretty regularly now; only down to 3 when
part of the crew leaves and the next hasn't yet arrived.

The 6 always sleep at the same time; it wouldn't help to have onboard
speakers, air-to-ground, various exercise equipment etc making noise when
a part of the crew is trying to sleep.

There were "shifts" on some science shuttle missions (such as STS-107) but
shuttle flights are time limited where as ISS is not nearly as much.

--
Mika Takala

On Aug 2, 12:36*am, "Brian Gaff" wrote:
So what is the status of the cooling system now, was it a sensor or a real
problem?


Florida Today reports, "The first excursion could come as early as
Thursday and the second would come a few days later. NASA managers
approved a preliminary plan for the repair work Sunday."

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/.../8020315/1006/
NEWS01/ISS+cooling+system+fails
or
http://lnk.sk/ahdo

Cause still uncertain.

/dps

They are going to be busy then, as there is a planned one next week as well.
If they are not sure what the problem is its hardly a good idea to go and
try to fix it. I'd have thought with all the sensors they have it would be
bloody obvious by now!
Brian

--
Brian Gaff -
Note:- In order to reduce spam, any email without 'Brian Gaff'
in the display name may be lost.
Blind user, so no pictures please!
"snidely" wrote in message
...
On Aug 2, 12:36 am, "Brian Gaff" wrote:
So what is the status of the cooling system now, was it a sensor or a real
problem?


Florida Today reports, "The first excursion could come as early as
Thursday and the second would come a few days later. NASA managers
approved a preliminary plan for the repair work Sunday."

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/.../8020315/1006/
NEWS01/ISS+cooling+system+fails
or
http://lnk.sk/ahdo

Cause still uncertain.

/dps

On 2.8.2010 18:50, Brian Gaff wrote:
They are going to be busy then, as there is a planned one next week as well.

The planned one was to be this week on Thursday. It will be postponed,
but some of the tasks will have to be done before the next shuttle
mission, I think. The planned spacewalk will be replaced by the pump
module R&R spacewalks, currently scheduled for Friday and Monday.

If they are not sure what the problem is its hardly a good idea to go and
try to fix it. I'd have thought with all the sensors they have it would be
bloody obvious by now!
Brian


They are sure that the problem is somewhere in the pump module, so they
will remove and replace it. Would you suggest that they should analyze
the **** out of it and then take it apart during an EVA, Hubble STIS
repair -style? It would be much more risky, take more money, time and
take consumables...

--
Mika Takala

No I was not suggesting that at all, but the report I read was that the
motor started, but there seemed to be a short in the wiring that tripped the
breaker again. Thus, one wonders if its the wiring to the pump not the pump.

It would be daft to change it only to find micrometeorite damage further
back on the cables.

Brian

--
Brian Gaff -
Note:- In order to reduce spam, any email without 'Brian Gaff'
in the display name may be lost.
Blind user, so no pictures please!
"Mika Takala" wrote in message
...
On 2.8.2010 18:50, Brian Gaff wrote:
They are going to be busy then, as there is a planned one next week as
well.

The planned one was to be this week on Thursday. It will be postponed, but
some of the tasks will have to be done before the next shuttle mission, I
think. The planned spacewalk will be replaced by the pump module R&R
spacewalks, currently scheduled for Friday and Monday.

If they are not sure what the problem is its hardly a good idea to go and
try to fix it. I'd have thought with all the sensors they have it would
be
bloody obvious by now!
Brian


They are sure that the problem is somewhere in the pump module, so they
will remove and replace it. Would you suggest that they should analyze the
**** out of it and then take it apart during an EVA, Hubble STIS
repair -style? It would be much more risky, take more money, time and take
consumables...

--
Mika Takala

On 4.8.2010 9:53, Brian Gaff wrote:
No I was not suggesting that at all, but the report I read was that the
motor started, but there seemed to be a short in the wiring that tripped the
breaker again. Thus, one wonders if its the wiring to the pump not the pump.

They were trying to see if the pump started to turn or was the motor
shorted, and it did start to turn and then overcurrent protection
tripped the RPCM. Keep in mind that its a Pump Module; theres lots of
electronics, controller boards, circuits, EMI filters etc and wiring
_inside_ it that can short as well.

All in all, MMOD hit to wiring from the RPCM to the PM would be possible
but much more unlikely than a simple hardware fault in the Pump Module.

--
Mika Takala