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Paper Session II-B - U.S./ Russian EVA Interoperability Status 1996 (33rd) America's Space Program -What's The Space Congress® Proceedings Ahead? Apr 24th, 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM Paper Session II-B - U.S./ Russian EVA Interoperability Status Richard K. Fullerton EVA Project Office, NASA Johnson Space Center L. Dale Thomas Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.erau.edu/space-congress-proceedings Scholarly Commons Citation Fullerton, Richard K. and Thomas, L. Dale, "Paper Session II-B - U.S./ Russian EVA Interoperability Status" (1996). The Space Congress® Proceedings. 5. https://commons.erau.edu/space-congress-proceedings/proceedings-1996-33rd/april-24-1996/5 This Event is brought to you for free and open access by the Conferences at Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Space Congress® Proceedings by an authorized administrator of Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. U.S./Russian EVA Interoperability Status Richard K. Fullerton EVA Project Office NASA Johnson Space Center ABSTRACT the United States, Canada, the European nations and Japan to create a truly global Guidance for the goals of U.S. and Russian platform for scientific investigations. At cooperation in the International Space present, NASA and the Russian Space Station (ISS) was provided in an Agency (RSA) are cooperating in early addendum to the Program Implementation missions to the Mir space station as Plan, dated November 1, 1993, which was preparation for ISS joint activities and to jointly signed by the NASA Administrator accomplish early scientific and technology and the RSA General Director. development objectives. Many of these Mir Subsequent working level agreements for investigations are described as risk Extravehicular Activity (EVA) have resulted mitigation experiments since they are in joint projects which are building specifically intended to validate new ISS confidence and capabilities for technologies before they become commonality of hardware and operations. operational. Parallel EVA planning and implementation In terms of EVA, there are numerous joint of the Shuttle missions to Mir and the projects underway involving a wide array of assembly of ISS are proving beneficial to technical subjects. both programs. Experience in each program is being fed back into the other Since Mir is in the same orbit as is planned program. This paper describes the joint for ISS, several experiments are being EVA efforts related to the Mir docking deployed and retrieved to learn about the missions which are leading to the effects of the external environment on assembly of ISS. On-orbit EVA plans, spacecraft materials. Mir provides small external experiments, tools, suit experiments with opportunities for long components and training facilities which duration exposures that would not be support specific missions as well as ISS otherwise available. The combination of preparations are discussed. Lessons learned to date show that a considerable U.S. and Russian EVA crewmembers provides a variety of options for external similarity exists in the fundamentals of EVA physiology, hardware design, and task experiment support. performance techniques between the Because the same type of dual EVA systems of both countries. While technical capability will exist on ISS, work is differences do exist, they have not been significant obstacles and have more often underway to provide equipment that will allow both nations to assist each other with led to joint opportunities. Recent ISS assembly and maintenance. Current successes illustrate the possibilities for efforts are focusing upon common tethers mutual assistance and show that the and foot restraints that will work with both opportunities and challenges of ISS EVA U.S. and Russian space suits. It is are achievable. essential that each can safely translate, transport equipment and perform work on INTRODUCTION both U.S. and Russian components of ISS. In 1993, the ISS gained another partner in Though present capabilities are adequate its development and operation. Russia and for infrequent joint EVA, each suit design is its space flight program have joined with 5-27 being studied for possible future One means of accomplishing this learning enhancements that could reduce joint process and validating future operations logistics costs and improve joint concepts is through the development and operations. Radio communication is a performance of specific on-orbit tasks and typical example. Because current suit and ground tests. A Russian crewmember vehicle radio frequencies and modulation operated the Shuttle robotic arm in direct do not match, voice communication is only support of Shuttle based EVA during STS- possible via a relay method. This relay 63. STS-74 delivered a docking module to method is subject to timing delays and strict Mir in late 1995. U.S. crew will conduct an procedural discipline since limited radio EVA on a portion of the Mir exterior during frequencies preclude everyone from talking STS-76 in March 1996. In early 1997 at once. Other examples of possible during Mir-23, an American astronaut will enhancement include common boots, participate in a Russian EVA wearing a gloves, C02 scrubbing canisters, batteries Russian spacesuit. In late 1997, current and thermal improvements. plans call for a joint EVA as part of the STS-86 mission to Mir. External Successful examples of joint assistance experiments will be transferred between the with unplanned contingencies can be cited. Shuttle and Mir and may involve 4 One in particular involved the deployment crewmembers in Russian and U.S. suits of a solar array on Mir’s new Spectr simultaneously. Future Shuttle flights will module. This array did not release deliver other major Russian built payloads. automatically as planned. The Mir-19 crew Each mission is leading the way for joint cut a launch restraint using a special cutter EVA operations on ISS. designed by NASA and delivered by STS- 71. MIR EXTERNAL EXPERIMENTS To prepare for future on-orbit ISS EVA, Russia has considerable experience with neutral buoyancy training facilities in the deployment and retrieval of scientific Houston and in Moscow are also being experiments on their space stations. studied to determine how to best operate Similar U.S. EVA experience has been both types of suits in each water tank. To limited since Skylab. To take advantage of avoid the difficult and expensive Mir as an orbiting platform, the following duplication of all U.S. and Russian experiments are being developed using a mockups in both locations, it is believed combination of U.S. and Russian scientific that it will be more efficient for crews to train instruments and EVA interfaces : for external tasks in the home country where the hardware is designed, Particle Impact Experiment (PIE) - The developed and managed. When container for this passive material supplemented with a set of each other’s exposure device is derived from the French tools, having Russian suits in Houston and Aragatz experiment which was conducted U.S. suits in Moscow should provide earlier in the life of Mir. After launch by considerable training flexibility with Russia inside Priroda, the Mir-21 crew will relatively minor integration costs. Other deploy PIE in early 1996 outside Kvant-2, technologies applicable to joint training are and the Mir-23 crew will retrieve it in early also being investigated. Virtual reality 1997 for return to earth by the Shuttle. A computer simulation shows great potential Russian magnetic clamp serves as the as an easily adaptable training medium. mechanical attachment to Mir. While considerable effort is ongoing with new projects, attention is also being paid to current and historical EVA capabilities. By learning each other’s design philosophies, technical requirements, task techniques, physiological constraints and existing equipment, we are finding common ground for future efforts. 5-28 Mir Sample Return Experiment (MSRE) - launch by STS-81, the Mir-23 crew will The platform for this passive deploy OPM in early 1997 outside the micrometeroid/debris collection device will docking module. The STS-86 crew will reuse the stand and support panels retrieve it in late 1997 for return to earth by already onboard Mir for the completed the Shuttle. A Russian clamp and electrical TREK experiment. A similar experiment connector serves as the external interfaces flew on the top exterior of the Shuttle’s with Mir. Spacehab module. New sample trays to be delivered by Priroda will be attached to the panels while inside Mir. The Mir crew will deploy and retrieve MSRE outside Kvant-2 during the same EVA’s as for PIE. Return to earth will be via the Shuttle. u Hydrogen Maser Clock (HMC) - This large active time measurement experiment will be deployed by the STS-86 EVA crew. No return is planned. It uses the same Russian mechanical and electrical interfaces as the OPM for mating with the Mir docking module. Mir Solar Array Evaluation Experiment (MSAEE) - Russian EVA crew will retrieve several samples of solar cells from old arrays. These old arrays are being replaced by new ones which were delivered by STS-74. Russia will develop the EVA support equipment. The samples will be returned to earth via STS-81 in late 1996. Optical Properties Monitor (OPM) - This active materials sampling experiment was originally intended for the EURECA satellite and has been repackaged for transfer to Mir and EVA handling. After 5-29 External Radiation Dosimeters - The the U.S. or Russian portions of ISS, container for this passive radiation common safety tethers, tool/equipment recording device is based upon a similar transport and body restraint at worksites Russian experiment which was conducted are being developed. Much of this earlier in the life of Mir. After launch by equipment will first be demonstrated on- STS-79, the Mir-22 crew will deploy this orbit during STS-76 by U.S. crew. The Mir- equipment outside Kvant-2 and retrieve it 23 crew will also demonstrate some of the after roughly one month’s exposure for tethers at a later date.
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