Pentagon Using Spy Satellites To Check ISS For Damage

Pentagon Using Spy Satellites To Check ISS For Damage

Astronauts Heard Metallic Noise Heard Last Week

POSTED: 2:56 p.m. EST December 3, 2003
UPDATED: 11:41 p.m. EST December 3, 2003


CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's request, the Pentagon is using spy
satellites to check the international space station for any exterior
damage that might explain the loud metallic noise heard last week by
the two men on board.

"In everybody's minds, there is, 'OK, let's make sure we don't miss
something.' They're keyed up, they're more attentive than they might
otherwise be," said Charles Precourt, a space shuttle commander now
serving as deputy manager of NASA's space station program.

Precourt said Wednesday that the Defense Department has used its
technology to look at the orbiting outpost since the noise was
reported on Nov. 26.

Because of the classified nature of the work, he would not say whether
NASA has obtained any satellite or ground telescope images so far that
shed light on the problem. But he said nothing amiss has been found.

Astronaut Michael Foale and cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri have used the
spacecraft's arm and cameras to inspect the exterior of the
Russian-made living quarters, but the instruments cannot peer into
every corner.

Among the possible explanations given by NASA: a loose or flapping
antenna or cover, or a bit of space junk that hit the station.

"We're trying to nail down what the source might be," Precourt said.
"As of yet, we don't have anything conclusive on that."

The two men may be asked to perform an up-close inspection during a
spacewalk in February, Precourt said. But that spacewalk has not yet
been approved because of concerns about leaving the station with no
one inside.

Three people normally live on the space station, but the crew was
reduced to two last spring because of the indefinite grounding of the
shuttle fleet. Foale and Kaleri had just awakened and were in the
Russian living quarters when they heard a noise that sounded like a
flapping sheet of metal. The air pressure, however, was stable, and
all of the station's other systems seemed to be fine, too.

Foale, who was aboard the Russian Mir space station for the 1997
collision, said he knew the space station had not been ruptured.

When a cargo ship rammed into Mir, his ears popped from the falling
air pressure. That did not happen this time.

Precourt said space station crews often hear "noises in the night" and
know what they are. "This one was unique," he said.

Soon after the Columbia tragedy, NASA announced an agreement with the
U.S. National Imagery and Mapping Agency for the military to routinely
capture detailed satellite images of orbiting shuttles and the
station.

While Columbia was in orbit, engineers had pushed for spy satellite
pictures of the shuttle to check for damage from a piece of foam
insulation that fell off the fuel tank during liftoff. But NASA
managers refused to ask the Pentagon for help.

The shuttle broke apart over Texas on Feb. 1 because of a plate-size
hole in the wing's leading edge that let in the searing gases of
re-entry. All seven astronauts were killed.

http://www.local6.com/technology/2679895/detail.html

Hmm, not being too sure where it is, but could the noise be due to a bit of
that materials exposure experiment coming loose and just touching the iss?
After all, they seem pretty hot on tracking quite small objects in the same
orbit and seem to be able to take some crude avoiding action if the
approach seems near.

And what of that label that was seen some months ago? That obviously came
from somewhere. I'd have thought that with the experience of space the
various nations involved have, they would have avoided items that could come
loose.

Brian

--
Brian Gaff....
graphics are great, but the blind can't hear them
Email:
__________________________________________________ __________________________
__________________________________


"Rusty Barton" wrote in message
...
| Pentagon Using Spy Satellites To Check ISS For Damage
|
| Astronauts Heard Metallic Noise Heard Last Week
|
| POSTED: 2:56 p.m. EST December 3, 2003
| UPDATED: 11:41 p.m. EST December 3, 2003
|
|
| CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- At NASA's request, the Pentagon is using spy
| satellites to check the international space station for any exterior
| damage that might explain the loud metallic noise heard last week by
| the two men on board.
|
| "In everybody's minds, there is, 'OK, let's make sure we don't miss
| something.' They're keyed up, they're more attentive than they might
| otherwise be," said Charles Precourt, a space shuttle commander now
| serving as deputy manager of NASA's space station program.
|
| Precourt said Wednesday that the Defense Department has used its
| technology to look at the orbiting outpost since the noise was
| reported on Nov. 26.
|
| Because of the classified nature of the work, he would not say whether
| NASA has obtained any satellite or ground telescope images so far that
| shed light on the problem. But he said nothing amiss has been found.
|
| Astronaut Michael Foale and cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri have used the
| spacecraft's arm and cameras to inspect the exterior of the
| Russian-made living quarters, but the instruments cannot peer into
| every corner.
|
| Among the possible explanations given by NASA: a loose or flapping
| antenna or cover, or a bit of space junk that hit the station.
|
| "We're trying to nail down what the source might be," Precourt said.
| "As of yet, we don't have anything conclusive on that."
|
| The two men may be asked to perform an up-close inspection during a
| spacewalk in February, Precourt said. But that spacewalk has not yet
| been approved because of concerns about leaving the station with no
| one inside.
|
| Three people normally live on the space station, but the crew was
| reduced to two last spring because of the indefinite grounding of the
| shuttle fleet. Foale and Kaleri had just awakened and were in the
| Russian living quarters when they heard a noise that sounded like a
| flapping sheet of metal. The air pressure, however, was stable, and
| all of the station's other systems seemed to be fine, too.
|
| Foale, who was aboard the Russian Mir space station for the 1997
| collision, said he knew the space station had not been ruptured.
|
| When a cargo ship rammed into Mir, his ears popped from the falling
| air pressure. That did not happen this time.
|
| Precourt said space station crews often hear "noises in the night" and
| know what they are. "This one was unique," he said.
|
| Soon after the Columbia tragedy, NASA announced an agreement with the
| U.S. National Imagery and Mapping Agency for the military to routinely
| capture detailed satellite images of orbiting shuttles and the
| station.
|
| While Columbia was in orbit, engineers had pushed for spy satellite
| pictures of the shuttle to check for damage from a piece of foam
| insulation that fell off the fuel tank during liftoff. But NASA
| managers refused to ask the Pentagon for help.
|
| The shuttle broke apart over Texas on Feb. 1 because of a plate-size
| hole in the wing's leading edge that let in the searing gases of
| re-entry. All seven astronauts were killed.
|
| http://www.local6.com/technology/2679895/detail.html


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In article ,
says...
Astronaut Michael Foale and cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri have used the
spacecraft's arm and cameras to inspect the exterior of the
Russian-made living quarters, but the instruments cannot peer into
every corner.

Do I recall some nice ESC pics of a self-propelled free floating ball
with a camera on it which was being tested on an STS mission a couple of
years ago? Looks like it might be time to dust it off and get one up
there.

--
ICQ 40628243 Tel 07092057581 Fax 07092308800

Peter Harding wrote in
:

In article ,
says...
Astronaut Michael Foale and cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri have used the
spacecraft's arm and cameras to inspect the exterior of the
Russian-made living quarters, but the instruments cannot peer into
every corner.

Do I recall some nice ESC pics of a self-propelled free floating ball
with a camera on it which was being tested on an STS mission a couple of
years ago? Looks like it might be time to dust it off and get one up
there.

That's AERCam/SPRINT. There's a thread about it on s.s.station. This is the
kind of point-inspection that AERCam/SPRINT would be perfect for, except
for one drawback: the current model is EVA-deployable only. If you're going
to go to the trouble of prepping, prebreathing, suiting up, and depressing
for an EVA, you might as well go to the site yourself and see it with your
own eyes.


--
JRF

Reply-to address spam-proofed - to reply by E-mail,
check "Organization" (I am not assimilated) and
think one step ahead of IBM.

"Jorge R. Frank" writes:

That's AERCam/SPRINT. There's a thread about it on s.s.station. This is the
kind of point-inspection that AERCam/SPRINT would be perfect for, except
for one drawback: the current model is EVA-deployable only. If you're going
to go to the trouble of prepping, prebreathing, suiting up, and depressing
for an EVA, you might as well go to the site yourself and see it with your
own eyes.

For this type of inspection, it would be nice if AERCam/SPRINT were
already mounted outside on some sort of mini docking port and could
reconnect with its docking port after the inspection is over. The
port should provide power and replacement N2 gas for the thruster
system, so that you'd only have to bring it inside ISS if something
failed.

Unfortunately, I'm sure this would place all sorts of new requirements
on the vehicle, such as thermal requirements so it could withstand
being outside indefinately.

Jeff
--
Remove "no" and "spam" from email address to reply.
If it says "This is not spam!", it's surely a lie.

jeff findley wrote:
"Jorge R. Frank" writes:

That's AERCam/SPRINT. There's a thread about it on s.s.station. This is the
kind of point-inspection that AERCam/SPRINT would be perfect for, except
for one drawback: the current model is EVA-deployable only. If you're going
to go to the trouble of prepping, prebreathing, suiting up, and depressing
for an EVA, you might as well go to the site yourself and see it with your
own eyes.


For this type of inspection, it would be nice if AERCam/SPRINT were
already mounted outside on some sort of mini docking port and could
reconnect with its docking port after the inspection is over. The
port should provide power and replacement N2 gas for the thruster
system, so that you'd only have to bring it inside ISS if something
failed.

Unfortunately, I'm sure this would place all sorts of new requirements
on the vehicle, such as thermal requirements so it could withstand
being outside indefinately.

Jeff

Yup...but things like that can be overcome. If NASA were serious about
the project, I think they could have a nice utility within a year or so.
And as I've already discussed with Jorge, it would be an evolving
utility that could prove useful for the next several generations of
manned space vehicles and stations.

jeff findley wrote:

Unfortunately, I'm sure this would place all sorts of new requirements
on the vehicle, such as thermal requirements so it could withstand
being outside indefinately.

The demands in the vehicle for an 'indefinite' stay could be moderated
somewhat by a well designed garage.

D.
--
The STS-107 Columbia Loss FAQ can be found
at the following URLs:

Text-Only Version:
http://www.io.com/~o_m/columbia_loss_faq.html

Enhanced HTML Version:
http://www.io.com/~o_m/columbia_loss_faq_x.html

Corrections, comments, and additions should be
e-mailed to , as well as posted to
sci.space.history and sci.space.shuttle for
discussion.

(Derek Lyons) writes:

jeff findley wrote:

Unfortunately, I'm sure this would place all sorts of new requirements
on the vehicle, such as thermal requirements so it could withstand
being outside indefinately.

The demands in the vehicle for an 'indefinite' stay could be moderated
somewhat by a well designed garage.

Taken to an extreme, you could add a "scientific" airlock to ISS that
can deploy and retrieve experiments that are a bit larger than AERCam
Sprint, so you could use AERCam Sprint "as is". ;-)

Jeff
--
Remove "no" and "spam" from email address to reply.
If it says "This is not spam!", it's surely a lie.

I am sure that NASA did everything it could to encourage private
companies to develop a version of Aercam/Sprint that did not need to
be EVA deployable.



"Jorge R. Frank" wrote in message ...
Peter Harding wrote in
:

In article ,
says...
Astronaut Michael Foale and cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri have used the
spacecraft's arm and cameras to inspect the exterior of the
Russian-made living quarters, but the instruments cannot peer into
every corner.

Do I recall some nice ESC pics of a self-propelled free floating ball
with a camera on it which was being tested on an STS mission a couple of
years ago? Looks like it might be time to dust it off and get one up
there.

That's AERCam/SPRINT. There's a thread about it on s.s.station. This is the
kind of point-inspection that AERCam/SPRINT would be perfect for, except
for one drawback: the current model is EVA-deployable only. If you're going
to go to the trouble of prepping, prebreathing, suiting up, and depressing
for an EVA, you might as well go to the site yourself and see it with your
own eyes.