Space Station Freedom. a Foothold on the Future. INSTITUTION National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC

Home , Habitation Module, NASA Pathfinder, Space Station Freedom

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AUTHOR David, Leonard TITLE Space Station Freedom. A Foothold on the Future. INSTITUTION National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC. Office of Space Sta.:Ion. REPORT NO NP-107/10-88 PUB DATE 89 NOTE 49p.; Colored photographs and drawings may not reproduce well. PUB TYPE Reports - Descriptive (141)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Aerospace Technology; Engineering Technology; Planning; *Satellites (Aerospace); Science Materials; *Science Programs; *Scientific Research; *Space Exploration; *Space Sciences IDENTIFIERS *Space Station

ABSTRACT This booklet describes the planning of the space station program. Sections included are: (1) "Introduction"; (2) "A New Era Begins" (discussing scientific experiments on the space station); (3) "Living in Space";(4) "Dreams Fulfilled" (summarizing the history of the space station development, including the skylab and shuttle); (5) "Building a Way Station to Worlds Beyond" (illustrating an approach to building the space station); (6) ''Orbital Mechanics" (discussing the maneuverability of the space station, including robotic application);(7) "Evolving with Versatility" (describing blueprints for expanding a space station); and (8) "Foothold on the Future" (discussing the future plans of the space station program). (YP)

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U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Once of Edacanona Research and elprovement EDUCATIONAL. RESOURCES INFORMATION keCENTER (ERIC) Thts document has been reproduced as awed from the person or organaahon ongtnatatg .t C Minor changes have been made to mpnave reproduction csualdy

Faults of new or opm,ons stated m th,sdoCu ment do not necessarily represent othaat OERI posMon or pokey

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SPACE STATION FREEDOM

A FOOTHOLD ON THE FUTURE

by Leonard DA id

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National Aeronaums and Space Administration

Office of Space Station

IntroductIon

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Building a \l'at Stamm to Worlds Bet ond . 26

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Freedom will be an international research center in space, and an orbital base for future missions to extend human presence out of Earth orbit and into the Solar System. INTRODUCTION

hroughout the long sweep of histon, the quest to push back frontiers on Earth has started with disco\ ery and exploration, followed by settlement and economic doelopment. Indeed this is how the length and breadth of our country was developed. In a senses therefore, Space Station Freedom signals the early stage of our permanent settlement in low- earth orbit. Backed by mer three decades of scientific data gleaned by space satellites and human space mal.yrs, this new international laboratory. anchored in Earth orbit and inhabited and tended by humans, will help us master and develop the space frontier. The United States is not alone in its attempts to tame space. Many nations see a bright tiiture in exploring and exploiting the space frontier for world promi- nence, national strength, and commercial profit. Japanese, German, and French indus- trt -gm em anent teams are currentl formulating space- based programs in micro- gra it) research and other space sert ices, including remote sensing of Earth. And since 1971 Sot let cosmonauts have been regularl departing to and from Earth to operate stations in spacewhieve- ments that lead many experts to expect bolder Soviet missions in the tiiture, perhaps a mission to Mars. During the early planning tears, experts called a space station the next logical step for America's space program. Today, that space station, christened Freedom 1w President Reagan in 1988, is becoming part of America's foothold on the frame. If America is to demonstrate

An artist's view of an evolutionary space station serving as a "Spaceport" in low Earth orbit.

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or aggressive leadership in understanding of fundamen- space, we cannot rest on our tal laws of nature, to laurels. Space Station America's future economic Freedom w ill go far to prosperity, and to the quality ensure our comp.:tune edge of life on Earth fig all human in space, and contribute to kind. American pride and prestige. The loss of Shuttle The ultimate purpose of Challenger and its crew Space Station Freedom is to soled notice that pioneering tier c as our rite of passage the space frontier is not into the solar system, honing without risk. America, our technical expertise and how ex er, must remain )ielding xaluable experience steadfast in its aspirations. By about fixing and working in a assembling a permanent nearlgravity-free medium. habitat aboxe Earth, America B) pros iding an ex olunonar) w ill find itself cons emently base fig expeditionar) crew s, anchored orrshore, reads to and storage for hardware, sail for still longer voyages propellants, and supplies, into space. In this way we Freedom will become a will increase our storehouse gatew ay to the Moon and of knowledge, gain a new the distant surface of Mars. perspectixe of Earth and the Research on Freedom w ill unit erse, open new opportu- spawn new scientific and nities fbr commercial benefit, technical breakthroughs that and nurture our spirit of will contribute to our exploration.

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Freedom will provide an evolutionary base for expeditionary crews, a gateway to the Moon. De ;< 1474 D,v.r.69, America's space program of today is built upon a foundation of over 3 decades of pioneering achievement. From the tentative steps of human space exploration, to the first steps on the Moon, to the Space Shuttle, the Freedom Station symbolizes a commitment to maintain leadership in the exploration and utilization of space.

Ozone concentrations in the Southern Hemisphere as photographed by an orbiting satellite. Sensors aboard Freedom's manned base and polar platforms will study our globe from space, probing the relationship between human activity on Earth and the planet's delicate biosphere.

The Soviet Union's "Mir" space station,orbiting Earth since February 1986, is The distant surfaces of Mars. replete with a special docking port to enlarge the station over its many years of productive life in space.

r J 5 A NEW ERA BEGINS

n the mid-1990st1Our member crew will climb out of a Space Shuttle, pass through an air lock, and board Space Station Freedom. Satch housed more than 320 kilometers 200 miles aboLe Faith in a pressurired emironment appro\unating that on Earth, the astronauts \Lill then w atch as their transport L chicle is piloted away from the Freedom station for ieentrL. For the nev 30 years or more, Space Station Freedom w ill be permanently occupied. Slipping through the harsh L aCtItInt of space, it w ill circle the globe in a low- inclination orbit 428.5 degrees to the equator. Over time, the drag of thin, remnant atmosphere will Pull Freedom tow and Earth, but periodic bursts from onboard thrusters w ill prod the facility balk into operational altitude. Inside Freedom's pressu- lied modules, eLely available area w ill be in use, with elling. wall, and floor space all designated for even- wins, storage, Lontrol panels, and electrical power connections. Of course, without the persistent pull of a one-graLitfierce, there is no up or down in space. Freedom's designers, therefore, \Lill use lighting, Lompnter displays, controls, and LI en air lot to recreate some of the up-and-down feeling humans are used to on Faith.

Crew members pass from a docked Shuttle orbiter into Freedom's habitation module through a pressurized "resource node." Astronauts monitor docking froma cupolamounted atop the node.

Conducting Science in Space the pennanenth manned pher these stnicture, Once assembhof facilits are ads ances L n stallographers CO a) Freedom is ciunplete. eight materials %demi: and life biological molecules to ...rem members the sciences.I hese are the org,anwe slllctric,llls into commander, opelatins, cientifis areas that Lan most stals big enough to studs. pas load speLlalists, and benefit from Ileedoin's 11110 b()1111).11ti these mole. u mission scientists front the estensne opanilmcs and tart..111,111% ssuh X E.1' s. to United State. and %p.ane tiom human supers ision and L teak. diffraction pattent., partner eountrie ill be interaction. s's Inch computers anals re. in board. Floating free One important reseakh Gross mg protein en %tall% inside Freedom' preurwed astis its to be Londustcd good enough to studs is nu or tethered outside aboal d Freedom kill sons ell es. trcinch .1111k-ult.Despite to its miss. thes kill kiwi, as trate on the bask struLtule ofticniendous effims, research integrated teams in 9 hour prinCln molt:stiles, the ers !we LstallIted relatuelv shins, 5 &us a keel,. building blocks of life less proteins successful's, and Outfitted kith a &saw Protein el)stallographs, imperfections often mai the set of hard are and elaboratetechnique to be implemented rare large Clsq.111% gross it 111%1 le1113 I loll. Freedom using des IL es in the under normal circumstances. kill be an upkard, dolor laboraton module, is a Fhus es er. space sAperiments x% and inuard looking reign els nos and esciting suggest that larger and more international research base. It discipline that kill be further erfeLt ci)stals l'orni in the kill be a site for conducting stimulated bs space borne absence of gra\ its. basic research in plush s oft:runt:ins. Cnstallogra Pres ious esperiments !lase ehemistn, and life sciences. ph} is a pokerful ka)to demonstrated the feasibility tot processing materials, for determine the three dimen of grossing largeprutc ill monitoring 1-..irth's fragile sional structures of large %I.111% III micrograsny ens minmentmd for nmlecule. Knok ledge of kithout the formation of des eloping nos teshnolo structure punish:. a Iscs to multiple seeds. khich ItieSersicing of attached understanding the bash produce. nlerou.ms small 'imminent% and reusable mechanisms of life. Mans of CIN %WINO 111.11ssould spacecraft, and assembls and the molecules essential 14 Llieckinit of large structures king mechanisms -espe kill be perfiinned at Space clans the proteins and nucleic acids-- are sell large molecules kith emu:Indy complicated three dimen ional structure.,ho deco (

Station Freedom. L'Iti matels, Freedom kill be A point of departure to inter- planetary space. Comple\ esperimentsss ill be performed kithin Freedom's pressuriied, shirt sleeL e laboratories, prosiding many important chie to the basic lass. of physics that govern the delicate interaction between gravity, hu man., and materials. The primary research objectives of 8 11 Irosawmur The U.S.buill laboratory module will house hardware designed to conduct materials and life sciences Investigations. Equipment will be similar to devices found in well-equipped groundbased laboratories.

Protein crystals. like these...

may prove to be of major benefit to medical technology.

Configuration of U.S. modules shows the habitat module (lop center): laboratory module (below habitat module); logistics module (far left) for storage and transport of supplies and experiments; and resource nodes which interconnect the modules and house command and control systems.

I 9 preclude study by X-ray diffraction techniques. Protein crystals grown aboard Freedom will be large enough, and of sufficient quality, to be studied by conventional crystallography. Once their three-dimensional molecular stricture has been determined, these new products may be synthesized on Earth through bioengi- neering techniques, and steps can be taken to alter, en- hance, or eliminate the protein cffixts in the human body. There are potential applications to the treatment of human diseases and disorders, and to organ transplants and implants. Other flintiamental areas of investigation to be explored within Freedom's laboratory module include properties of pure metals, segregation effects in alloy solidification, the microstruc- ture of castings, nucleation and growth phenomena in the absence of container-wall effects, and the process of rapid solidification of highly undercooled melts. For example, the formation of dendriteswhisker-like growths similar to structures found in snow flakesmay be studied in detail. Dendritic growth is an important feature of solidification, with implications for the strength of castings. The high vacuum of space also may be utilized in metallurgical studies. In combination with containcrless processing, a vacuum system offers unique opportunities to study metal Ability to perform materials sciences investigations, similar to purification and the basic those performed here by Byron Lichtenberg on the Spacelab 1 mission, will be dramatically enhanced by Space Station Freedom. properties of ultrapure or high corrosive materials. The understanding of room-temperature and ciyogenic fluid behavior is a key to microgravity research generally, since nearly all materials are processed in their fluid state. Specific experiments performed aboard Freedom could examine processes and phenomena related to droplet and bubble dynamics, phase transitions, capil

10 Right: Spacelab 3 payload specialist the behavior of liquid drops Taylor Wang manipulates sphere in a to the processing of molten device which served as a forerunner to a containerless processing facility materials at high tempera being developed for Freedom. tures.

Below: Life sciences investigations, like this heart-monitoring Space Station Furnace echocardiograph being connected by Facility for study of etal Dr. Rhea Seddon to Jeffrey Hoffman and alloy solidification and during a Shuttle mission, will study the effect of microgravity on plant, crystal growth with applica animal and human organisms. tions to electronic des ices and des elopment of materials with unique or improsed properties. Modular Combustion Facility to study fimdamen tal combustion processes and phenomena and pros ide data for comoustion-related applications such as tire safety and control and advanced furnaces.

Fluid Physics/Dynamics Facility to pros ide a better understanding of fundamental fluid behavior which is essential to developing processes that take full advantage of the microgras AliffitriN ity environment. lar processes, forced multi- cesses and living organisms Equally important are phase flows, nucleation and at the cellular level. This detailed studies in life cluster phenomena, and facility would permit a sciences. Life on Earth, from electrohydrodynamic effects. detailed study of the microbe to man, has been Additional fundamental response of various cells to shaped by gravitational forces research will provide im- microgravity under carefully in ways that are only now provements in measurements controlled conditions. beginning to be resealed bs of thennophysical properties space investigations. Previ- and furnish data relevant to a Advanced Protein ou,. space missions have wide variety of applications, Crystal Growth Facility to confirmed a complex interac- including liquid propellant grow high-quality crystals, to tion bets, een gran in and life, storage and uanster, micro- obtain the highest degree of but these has e been too encapsulation of biomedical long range order in the limited or constrained to materials, meteorology, and crystalline lattice, which permit authoritatise biologi- the study of planetary determines the precision withcal research. Space Station interiors. which X-ray crystallographers Freedomoffering con- Space Station Freedom can determine the structures trolled examination of a will give researchers a of these complex biologically variety of species in long- powerful facility for conduct- active molecules. duration micrograsity under ing research in the micro- the skilled supervision of a gravity sciences. Micrograv- Modular Containerless resident crew ill present itv research presents oppor- Processing Facility to research opportunities tunities for fundamental provide basic support for a unparalleled in the histors of research advances, some of wide range of-experiments lite sciences. which could have landmark that require the positioning Freedom's laboratory impacts on science and and manipulation of samples module will permit extraordi- technology. Six microgravit without physical contact. nary advances in biologs. facilities planned for Free- Acoustic, electromagnetic Variable-gravity research dom Station's laboratoty and electrostatic fields will conducted aboard Freedom module are: provide the forces to ma- will seek to advance our nipulate the sample. Experi- knowledge of fundamental Biotechnology Facility ments to b5 performed in biological processes. A to study the microgravity this facility Will range from major objective of this effects on biological pro- tests of theories that describe 11 4 Given FreeJrim's vantage point, experiments can be carried out to observe Earth's solid surface, atmosphere, oceans and ice deposits.

research a deeper under- further into the solar system, desire to studs. Experiment- standing of the relationship and are expected to has e ers now hope to produce a between gray iry and life, as wide-rangiwt, clinical applica- dynamic model of a resealed through ssnergistic tions on Earth, such as in the mammal's neural network, experimentation across a treatment of bone-degrading which could be used as a suite of species ranging from diseases such as osteoporosis. model to design machines single-cell organisms to Gras in plays a key role in capable of artificial intelli- human beings. the development of num, it gence. In the area of space not biological systems. Experimental nu xieling of phssU)logs, researchers ss ill The opportunity to examine gas-grain interactions can exploit the ambient micro- microorganisms, plants, and also be carried out in grasiry environment, to- animal species throughout gether with the sariable multiple life cycles in a gra% its produced by special's mien)gras its- ens inmment is designed research centri- unprecedented in the histoiy- fuges, to examine the of biology. Experiments ss ill phssiological effects of fi)cus on identifying the gra% as on mammalian organ or site of gras its ss stems, especially human reception; determining the systems. Experiments will effect of gras its on reproduc- f():11% on the mechanoins bs tion, development and which gm its influences maturation. and ins estigating tone and muscle, fluid and physiological responses. In hydrostatic systems, orienta particular, this program will non in space, homeostatic sponsor scientific studies of control, and response to life Joni and raised beyond ens ironment. Data gleaned Earth. Research in this field tram these experiments will may has e practical applica- help lift the seil of mysters tions fin computer scientists. Mockup of 1.8 meter centrifuge for life surrounding human adapta- The disci)sel that gra% ity- sciences investigations. tion to space flight, a sensing cells in mammals also necessary feat before extend- act as parallel processors ing the human presence gives scientists a simple

12 3 :7) technology for use within thedented study of the origin spacecraft. This ,esearchsill and es olution of matter in investigate the use of plants the gala by direct sampling and microorganism% to of galactic material. The perlomf in space the same eperiment will produce a functions performed on magnetic field one thousand Earthproduction of times the strength of Earth's oxygen, potable water, magnetic field, 10 achieve food from biological waste,. its superconductis its, the One of the practical benefits do ice ss ill be cooled 1), of desigbin!..; agricultural liquid helium brought up by systems for use in space is the Shuttle and resupplied that it could contribute to periodically by Freedom's developing new intensive cress. farming practices in ctreme Freedom will also support environments on Earth. The eobioloy.ty and solar system design of small, efficient research. Freedom pros ides plant grow th chambers may an unprecedented opportu- also has e practical value in nity to collect intact frag- urban areas, in regions where ments of interplanetar dust growing conditions are not particles, the "tbssil," of early right for a particular crop, or solar system development, in extreme environments and possibly interstellar such as the Antarctic or particles for post-tlig,:it deserts. And, aside from its anal sis. For example, a importance in food produc- Cosmic Dust Colletmr, tion, closed ecological life attached to Freedom's truss, support system research may will snag the finely di% ided pros ide a model of other solid mattera substan,:e closed environments, such as that may offer clues to the modern insulated houses, origin of the universe. A where plants could act as high-resolution, Astromctric Freedom's laboratories, with natural "scrubbers" to Telescope Facility, designed applications to the origin of remove air pollutants, to peer deep into the stir life, particularly the cosmic Freedom's evansiye rounding universe with history of organic molecules horizontal truss w ill pray ide superior pointing accuracy, from the tbrmation of attachment points for may also be mounted to biogenic elements to their payloads designed to study Freedom's frame. This incorporation into living the Earth and its ens iron- des ice will look fin- planets organisms. ment, the sun, other bodies around other stars. Research on Freedom will in the solar system and We are just beginning to promote the development of cosmic objects. Attachment appreciate the complex and a bioregenerative life-support to Freedom Station offers a highly solatile Sun-Earth number of ads antages, ;relationships. Equipment including provision of fitted outside Freedom's electrical pow er, communica pressurized modules, such as tions and some pointing the Solar Terrestrial Obsena- capabilities furnished by ton, promises to advance our Freedom itself, together with understanding of solar opportunities tbr resupply of feature% and properties and consumable% and instrument of the ebb and floss of exchange by Freedom's electrical plasma, the solar resident crew. wind east otr from the Sun NASA has already identi- before interacting ss ith fied many promising candi- Earth. Other prospective date payloads that can attached payloads include a benefit from Freedom's Large Area Modular Array of orbit, configuration and Reflectors for surreys of operation. One exciting cosmic X-ray sources at low experiment under study is resolution and high sensitn Making use of the Freedomits crew and high sensitive instruments Astromag, which would use ain-, and a Pinhole Occulter Earth's star, the Sun, can be powerful superconducting Facility for mapping of-solar continuously observed. Dynamic Sun- Earth relationships, studied from the magnet tbr unravelling X-rays. Station, may yield valuable clues aspects of mysterious cosmic Although the manned about the effects of solar phenomena rays and begin an unprece- base is only a less hundred on the Earth. 13 miles above sea level, it is similar in many wars to a remote laboranny the .Arctic. In both case., transportation across an expanse of space limns laboraton access to a select number of researchers trained to perform on site studies far from most of their counterparts. Nei ertheless, through a process called "telescience," scientists on the ground will be able to interact with their experiments and the crew on-board Freedom and with colleagues dispersed on Earth b% networking, through %oice communication, computer data links, and other communications technologies. In this way, man% Ongoing research actnities on Earth can be integrated with research aboard the Freedom Station. No doubt there will be moments both in space and on Earth w hen nothing more than a touch of serendipity sparks c exploration, and discos en%

Earth Observing System in Space There is now strong oidence for global changes in the Earth's atmosphere, oceans, and land surfaces, Above: ESA payload specialist Dr. Ulf Merbold, shown here, was a crew caused in part by human member on Spacelab 1. Scientists industrial and agncultural from the U.S. and other nations see actnit. The extent and the Freedom as a nexus to innovation and creativity. long-term character of these global trends have generated worldwide concern and led complement the Eos mis- to the initiation of interna- sions of the United States tional research programs to platforms and ma% earn out imestigate their causes and other in% estigations. consequences. Instniments on Freedom's Space technology will plat} U.S.-built plattbrm will be a ke% role in Ibture Earth designed primarily to study observing systems designed the Earth's surface and to study global change. The atmosphere. Other instru- United States will provide ments, proposed for place- leadership in this area by ment on the manned base, providing, as part of the would measure tropical Freedom program, the first rainfall extent and intensity polar-orbiting platfirrm to in the tropics, gather accu- become part of the Earth rate wind measurements Observing System (Eos). using advanced laser tech- The U.S. platform is sched- niques, and perform low- NASA will encourage private sector uled to be the first of two latitude surveys of the Earth's participation in space research aboard U.S. platfirmrs for Eos. surface under a wide %ariety the Freedom. Charlie Walker, a Additional plarlomrs plannedof illumination Londinons. McDonnell Douglas engineer, flew on several Shuttle flights in support of by ESA and Japan will his company's Continuous Flow Electrophoresis System. 14 1 '4 A New Commercial microgravity as a next tool Environment fOr basic and applied research Experiments aboard in space. Apollo, Skylab, the Space And in a role similar to Shuttle, and Spacclab offered that of a research laboratort tantalizing glimpses of was on Earth, Freedom's manned to use space to create entirel base and its associated free- new classes of products and flying platforms can be stimulate major advances in utilized to add information ground-based production to an existing data base. techniques. In consequence, Other prix ately fundedork a cadre of private companies in Earth remote-sensing, is planning to use Freedom\ communications research manned base and platfOrms, and development, and all seeking a return from industrial SON ice% is antici- space-engendered research pated. and development. In The hard-nosed business addition, cooperative community is looking at the govemment-industry commercialization of space academic etlims are contem- with guarded optimism. plated for Freedom, increas- This is to be expected since, ing the bank of science and for the most part, business is technical data that keeps attuned to expecting short- American industfy competi- term profit from short-term tive and aggressive and investment. No one know s nourishes the free enterprise how this business philosoph system. will be extended into space. In the low Brat itv of In this regard it is instruc- space, for example, materials tive to look at what other can be manipulated through nations are doing. In Japan, processes impossible on Germany, and France, for Earth. One U.S. company is example, industry-govern- drawing on results of aca- ment teams are formulating demic and industrial research broadly based programs in carried aboard previous space microgravity research and flights to develop hardware other space services, such as for cultivating crystals in remote sensing of the Earth. space. By minimizing the Teams of Sm iet cosmonauts effects of gravity, and thereby in their Mir space station decreasing the number and already hate processed the distribution of defects, first industrial specimens of aystals can be grown that are semiconductor materials in larger and more uniform orbit. A stated Soviet goal than their Earth-grown fbr 1990 is to acquire large counterparts. T he sc larger, quantities of made-in-space purer crystals could mean semiconductor material tbr faster and more powerful application in super-high- computers, data processors, speed andsuper -large and special sensors. integrated circuits tbr Small quantities of sonic infrared and laser technol- Crystai-growth experiments, like this one developed by Boeing Aerospace experimental space-produced ogy; dedicated modules for for launch aboard the Space Shuttle, pharmaceuticals will be made carrying out this work are to will be flown on the Freedom. in space with the resulting be docked to the Mir. knowledge applied to Thus, as other nations cast ground-based production an eye toward commercializ- methods. Ultrapure, bubble-ing the vast potential of free glass fir use in optical space, U.S. companies must instruments, collagen fibers take care not to be left to replace injured human behind at the launch pad. connective tissues, and heat- Although the risks tbr quick resistant ceramics tbr a wide return on investments in range of high-temperature space are high, the long -terns applications all are payoff fir opening the candidate materials that may economic frontier of space be enhanced by harnessing may be substantial. LIVING IN SPACE

he cozy common areas inside Freedom's habitation VA module feature a wide selection of out-of this-w orld amenities. One end has areas for quiet-time and personal actw ales At the opposite end is an area for socializing I !trough a nearkindow the crew can obscne earthscape fleeting k, with a sunset or sunrise occurring - ex en 45 minutes. Between the two living areas arc the waste manage- T77: 7-3 -73 ment and personal 11 giene facilities. Simple tasks like washing hands are grcatl compounded in the micro graxit. world of space. Crew members theretbre will xvash their hands in cylindrical plastic bubbles outfitted with holes rimmed with cuffs. A shower stall provides a combination of flow Mg air and warm water to take oil a dax's accumulated grit and grime. A combination washer -diver for clothing is currently under design. An environmental-control and lik-support sYstem will pros Mc the crew with a breathable atmosphere, supp4 water for drinking, bathing, and tood prepara- tion, remox c contaminants from the air, and process biological wastes. The system will be partially )sk.d, thus cm-nutting %%att.r and carbon diosadc to be R.Lox cred and proLLsscdto pro xide oN. gen,potable water, and ltx giene water for the crew's reuse. Dining tinder the stars takes on new meaning aboard Freedom. A table and the proper restraining devices accommodateall the crew. With a refrigerator- freezer, a miL rowave, and

Habitation module will include exercise equipment to maintain cardiovascular fitness, and work control stations.

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a v %. 3 . * * 4 ' ", Itrowontrommo4 4 ' ^ " , " ^ r A01 ,u, u)11 cntiunal ln en on boatel, tucked into I 5 etibie meters meals w ill be a tai el.\ from 53 cubic feet, of space and the food squeezed out of weighing a modest 545 toothpaste -like tubes during kilograms (1,200 pounds), space flights in the 1960s. the HMI' holds a micro- NASA dieticians, therefore, scope, clinical chemistries are putting together aastl) analyzer, radiographic expanded menu drawing on imager, and hematology frozen entrees, refrigerated laboratory do ice. Also in items, stable shelf foodsmd this electronic doctor's bag a aria\ of be erages. For a are a patient restraint system change of pace, ethnic foods and tools for performing will be wiled; a surprise minor surgeand dental birthday cake can Oen be procedures and administer- \\ hipped up in the gallo. ing anesthesia A data After the meal is finished, a displascreen is aailablefor compactor w ill crush trash, reading the various instru- including disposable cooking ments. A computerized data and eating utensils, into base, tied to the HMI' and manageable sizes for storage dow nlinked to a consultant and later transfer to Earth. net\ ork of physicians, ensures speedy access by Staying Healthy in Space ground-based doctors to "Is there a doctor in the integrated medical intbrma house:" When you're fir tion. Nino\ ed from Earth, the Because there won't be queix takes on 110\ meaning. room aboard Freedom for an No longer required to pump extensix e library of Medical blood against the pull of refercace books, researchers gra\ ity, muscles atroph and at the Johnson Space Center the heart gets laz.in space. are do eloping a medical Weightlessness cal, Also cache operations data base tbi use temporal) motion sickness aboard the manned base. Multi-purpose activity table where with aecompam mg disonen Researchers at the Unnersit) crews will eat, work and relax is talon. In flights lasting shown in module mockup at MSFC. of Hot Ida, under contract to Observation windows and video longer than a month, a NASA, also are do eloping a monitors will be located throughout significant percentage of red microcomputer-based Freedom's modules. blood cells arc destroyed, a medical decision support form of space anemia not yet system that can present a understood. Sickness and small library of essential disease are easily spread in medical knowledge to close quarters; potential medical personnel on bouts with injury, psycho- Freedom Station. Aside logical trauma, exhaustion, from its use in space, such a and depression must also be computerized medical library anticipated. could ultimately be put on To maintain physical laser disks and be made fitness each crew member available to physicians in any will go through two 45- office with a personal minute, individualized computer. exercise programs a day using the treadmills and Privacy in Space stationary bicycles in the Each astronaut will be habitation module. In assigned a sound-proofed addition, a Health Mainte- compartment measuring nance Facility (FIMF) in the about 4.2 cubic meters (150 module will wive as an on- cubic feet), which the board sick bay. There, illnessastronaut can decorate or minor injuries can be according to his or her taste. treated, or a more seriously In this nook, a little larger injured crew member can be than a train berth, will be a stabilized. TV set, a video playback A compact package of unit, and stereo system; diagnostic and therapeutic telephone and video links medical hardware neatly will permit private conversa- tions with familics and friends baLk un Larth. prix ate quartersNN Inalso be equipped with a Lomputei terminal that the astronaut can use for entertainmait, report writing,, o simply updating a daily log. A sleeping bag hung erticall on a wall will serge as the astronaut's bed. Once Earth observation window, shown here ths. astionaut Junk into ths. in habitation module mockup at JSC, bag to go, to' sleep elastic would provide an ideal perspective of the world as well as possible view of 1 f. , t111 t!l, exterior activities. imparting the fLchng ofa bud\is ing huri/untalls on a bed.

Safety in Space 11-h.L(1114.k rt Nak ha% rs inLorpulated to Frecdom's designspwal LarLum stances a fire or explosion withina module, a microme teorite, or a chunk of space, debris slicuT through the Freedom's hull could Washing hands in microgravity will be aided by this device now in place cress members in development. Located in Freedom's jeopardy. At least two galley area, the clamshell type separate parts of the facility, device also permits the scrubbing of

utensils. y 4R.,QA# therefUre, will be designated as spots where crew members an galas., to a... .s an emergency and then take appropriate aLuon. At present, NASA is examining ways to deal with emit gcnsAL s aboard 1fLidum that do not fall Ns ithin the capabilities of safety designs or the safs. !wen philosophy, such as an extended dow n time I'm the Shuttle, of a medial cmel gent., onboard that Lannot be treated in the Freedom's crew members will have Mockup of the Health Maintenance Mockup of Freedom's galley, or individualized compartments located Facility at JSC. This electronic kitchen, in JSC mockup of habitation tik fi Ld11, in the habitation module. Each of the version of a doctor's bag will help module. NASA Ns ill examine the use private rooms will be outfitted with a maintain the health and safety of the TV set, stereo system and possibly a Station's crew. of Cress Emergency Return computer terminal for entertainment Vehicles ( CFM's ), as well as and work. Crew members will sleep In a bag hung vertically on the wall. alternatis es for human tC4045,.:46otooklii44, transportation to and from Freedom. Under the CERV concept, a spacecraft would always be located at the manned base to es acuate cress members on a moment's notice and return them safely to Earth. A Space Shuttle, or some other type of manned schiele that Exercise programs include use of a To supplement the Station's onboard Lutikl be launched when treadmill to avoid deconditioning of safety features, NASA is examining needed, is also being exam- the cardiovascular system during concepts, such as the one shown here, extended stays In space. Here, for an emergency crew return vehicle. ined. astronaut Gulon Bluford runs on a treadmill during a 1983 Shuttle flight.

19 DlitRIVIO FULFILLED or hundreds of years the idea of an orbiting facility in space has fueled the fantasies or ssriters, scientists, and engineers. Not until the great burst or scientific acts icy marking the turn or the 20th centuiv, how ex er, did the first truly thoughtful, pros ocatis e concepts ibr a space station emerge. Penned mostly bs scientists and engineers, not one postulated a station in space vs. as an end in itsell. Instead, the visionaries saw space stations as seeing enduring purposes: enlarging our understanding or the cosmos, servicing Earth, and p pros iding a way station to worlds beyond. In Russia, scientist Konstantin Tsi- olkos sky clearly spelled out so. the possibility of orbital "0" stations forming the heart of a program of space conquest that would esentually lead to "cities in space." To this day, Sosiet e\ploits have kept Axe Isiolkos sky's assertion that "the planet is the cradle of mankind, but one cannot spend one's litc in a cradle."

The Space Era is Launched I. On October 4, 1957, when the SOX ref's .Spunnk rumbled sky's and to give birth to the Space Age, the stuff of science fiction mos ed a notch closer to becoming science tact. With the creation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in 1958. American cis ilian space planning eilbrts were central- ized, and the United States set out to become the lead space-raring nation in the

The Apollo program achieved the goal of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth. Twelve men walked on the Moon during Apollo. One of the last to visit the Moon was Apollo 17 scientist- astronaut Harrison Schmitt shown here next to a deployed U.S. flag. The Earth, 240,000 miles away, is visible in the background.

t. ill:. 6. sue-" Astronaut Edward White conducts the first American space walk June 1965 during a Gemini IV mission. Rendezvous and docking techniques. mandatory for the Apollo lunar landing effort, were developed during the Gemini program.

IA odd. One ear later, an that is, using a pace station led to an aiternatis e approach club') onic space mdustn, as a staging base for a flight !Or the Apollo program. a coupled with NASA, began to the Moon. As an adcLA take oil' crtnn Earth to be design studies of a manned bonus, the station xxas to followed bx a lunar orbit space laboraton, soon to remain in place after the rendeAous, 111th one become poptilarb, know, n as lunar landing. Within 10 astronaut (orbiting the :.tun a pace station. ears, cloy major ness as tau others landed on the program being proposedosed )1. Mo.ft on and explored it. The Challenge of Apollo space was dependent on a On May 25, 1961, space station. The Legacy of Skylab President 1°1.13 Kennedy Numerous designs were Sk lab was the first launched the Apollo pro ofered. The ranged from American experimental space gram, calling on the nation %en large stations placed in station to be built. Puraish- to -commit itself to achiex orbit b!, giant boosters to Mg a wealth tit experience ing the goal. before this inflatable balloon like between 1973 and 1974, decade is out, of landing a structures, retrofitted rocket Sk lab acluoed its funda- man on the noon and stages, and cannisters mental obiecti e, to deter- returning him saIxel to arranged in a spoke conligu mine human ability to adapt Earth." ration that were then spun to to prolonged weightlessness. Kennedy's call also create artificial graxit (her 270 multidisciplinaly gals aniied strong support for Esentually, limited fluids ins estigations conducted b an Earth-orbit rendeivous, and the President's deadline Skylab also provided un-

22 t)*-- i9..) 4.

Original Mercury astronautswere announced on May 8, 1961. Left to right: Donald Slayton, Walter Schirra, Gordon Cooper, Scott Carpenter, Virgil Grissom. John Glenn and Alan Shepard.

Dr. Wernher von Braun contemplated use of large space stations in the 1950's to support exploratory treks to the Moon and to help send oll spaceships to Mars.

precedented solar 'lso, a larth resource studies, and tests of space manufac- turing techniques. Far Nio% edl "rum the %email': Station now under way, this modest orbital workshop was actually a com ened, left -over, Saturn V third stage used to launch the Apollo astronauts to the Nloon. Astronauts were n to and from the 91,.,o0- kilogram t 100 ton r An Atlas booster roars oll its Florida launch pad carrying Scott Carpenter on Mercury-Atlas 9. The Mercury program opened wide the doors to space orbiting laboratory, the sire exploration by humans. of a three-room house, in a small Apollo spacecraft, a transportation system limited to single up-and-down trips. To this day, Skylab's dimen- sions, which encompassed 353 cubic meters (12,700 (I 23 N. "A cubic feet) of work area along its 35-meter (117 foot) length, exceed those of any U.S. or Soviet manned spacecraft. Skylab was not designed to support a permanent human presence in Earth orbit. During its lifetime, three separate teams of three astronauts each took up residence On Skylab for a total of 171 days, 13 hours, and 14 minutes, and took nine space \yolks totalling 41 hours, 46 minutes. They demonstrated that spending up to 84 days in space presented minimal physical or psychological problems. They also found that scientist-astronauts could function almost normally in a microgravity environment, working in tandem with ground scientists and perfbrming major assembly and repair tasks.

The Next Logical Step Subsequently,the inaugu- ral flights of the Space Shuttle program showed that large structures could be built in space, with the Shuttle capable of ferrying the supplies and crew between Earth-orbit and Earth. Together v ith the Manned access to space came of age with the reusable Space Shuttle. At the end of the Apollo program, NASA planners proposed developing the Shuttle and Apollo and Skylab triumphs, the Freedom as a matched pair, providing the necessary infrastructure to carry all these space accomplish out ambitious manned and unmanned missions in the next century. ments gave credence to the \\ ords of America's rocket space station. This interna- adapted to a wide array of pioneer, Robert W. Goddard:tional invitation opened the space operations and mis- "Real progress is not a leap \vay tbr other nations to sions, some fbreseeable and in the dark, but a succession share in the exciting scien- others vet unknown. of logical steps." tific, technical, and commer- On January 25,1984, in cially profitable enterprises Reusable space trans- his State-of-the-Union that lie ahead. portation, such as the Space message, President Ronald NASA thereupon estab- Shuttle, pros ides the essen- Reagan committed the lished internal task fiwce tial means for trucking parts nation to building and teams, along with teams of a space station into space, inhabiting a space station. from major NASA contrac- and tbr rotating its crew s and Reagan fbresaw the space tors, to define the bask supplies. station as one way to stimu- architecture of a space late quantum leaps in station.the first major With a Space Shuttle in Science, communications, studies led to SC\ oral key operation, \\e have a way to and the development anew decisions: construct and add on to a metals and pharmaceuticals. space station in stages. He also appealed to the best A space station can be of our collectise instincts, used as both a technological Power Towers and Dual Keels using the occasion to invite research center and a scion One of the first good our allies to "help us meet tific laboratory. candidates for a space station these challenges and share in configuration that could the benefits" posed by a A space station can be es olve over time came to be 24 27 known as the "power toss er." Its name matched its look: a girder 136 meters (450 feet long that would circle the globe in a gravity-gradient attitude. Pressurized laboratory modules, service sheds. and docking ports were to be placed on the end always pointing downward; instruments tbr celestial observation would be mounted skywardmd the solar potter arrays were to be mounted on a perpendicular boom, halfivav up the tower. After intensive review, the power tower was supplanted by a double truss, rectangular-shaped arrangement that shortened the height of the space station to 91 meters (300 feet). This "dual-keel" design made fir a stronger frame, thus better dampen- ing the oscillations expected during operations. The design also would move the laboratory modules to the station's center of gravity to allow public and prit ate- Top: Astronauts will assemble the Freedom over the course of 20 sector scientists and materi- separate Shuttle flights. Assembly als-processing researchers to concepts were demonstrated using work near the quality experiments called EASE and ACCESS, which were assembled in space by microgravity zone in the Shuttle astronauts. station. Finally, the dual keel Above: In response to user needs, the ofkred a far larger area tier dual keel configuration was adopted. positioning facilities, attach- It provided a better microgravity environment, structural stiffness and ing payloads, and storing structure for attached payloads. supplies and parts.

A number of designs were evaluated before selecting the configuration of today. Among them, shown here, was the power tower.

Skylab was America's first space station. Launched in 1973, the laboratory was visited by three separate teams of 3-man astronaut crews. Skylab supported solar and Earth investigations, materials Astronauts Ed Gibson and Gerald Carr processing experiments and proved demonstrate weightless environment humans could efficiently work and live of space during Skylab mission. in space for extended periods of time.

25 BUILDING A WAY STATION TO WORLDS BEYOND

o maintain tight control over costs, engineers are taking an olutionary approach to building Space Station Freedom. The baseline program includes the U.S. elements, international components, and two unmanned platImms. The next phase will bring in additional capabilities. Observers on the ground will witness the construction of Freedom as it grows from a small to a brilliant dot crossing the night sky. The heart of Freedom's manned base will be a horizontal boom structure, 154 meters (508 feet long. Four special-purpose modules two U.S., one European, and one Japanese w ill subsequently be attached to the boom at midpoint. Each module will hate an atmosphere nearly identical to Earth's: 80 percent nitrogen and 20 percent oxygen kept at sea- lex el pressure. In these modules, eight men and women will superintend the space complex, perform experiments, maintain equipment, handle repairs, eat, sleep, and relax. It will take 20 Shuttle trips cr 3 years to assemble, outfit, and logisti- cally support the manned base. Assembly of Space Station Freedom in orbit will be a challenge of enormous proportions, how ever the task w ill blaze the trail for ambitious missions in the future which will require on- orbit assembly, test, checkout and operation. Where possible, flight elements will

Freedom baseline configuration.

26 e -' Canada's contribution to Freedom, th2 Mobile Servicing System, is essential in assembly, maintenance and servicing of Freedom's systems and payloads.

be tit checked on the groundcontrol s stems, and remain- MILESTONE FLIGHTS betbre they are carried into ing solar panels, will then be orbit aboard the Shuttle. ferried up on subsequent High-fidelity mockups and flights. Once Freedom has electronic simulators will be been permanently occupied, used to ensure the compati- logistics modules will be bility of elements that cannotinterchanged at regular be tested on the ground. intenals, approximately every FIRST ELEMENT LAUNCH The first Shuttle flight other Shuttle flight, until the carrying elements of Space assembly task has been Station Freedom will be completed. These modules launched into orbit about will serve as a delisery system 1995 from the Kennedy and holding area for experi- Space Center in Florida. It ments, equipment, food, will consist of a collection of supplies, and propellants and linkable struts made of other critical items needed to MAN TENDED CAPABILITY strong, yet lightweight sustain Freedom and its crew. composite material, one set Two polar plattimn.,, one 01 solar arrays and the developed by the United necessary electronic compo- States and the other b the nents to make it capable of European Space Agency, trill operating as a tillly-timction. also be boosted into orbit in Mg, independent spacecraft the mid-1990s. The U.S. PERMANENTLY MANNED CAPABILITY after the Shuttle has returnedplattirm will be launched to Earth. During the flight, from the Vandenberg, an astronaut construction Western Test Range in team will piece the trusses California:, the ESA platform together in Tinker-Toy will be lotted b France's fashion, and then deposit the Ariane rocket from Korot', ASSEMBLY COMPLETE assembled structure in space. French Guiana. The plat- Other basic elements of forms will circle Earth from Freedom, such as airlocks, pole to pole. One will ily Computer-drawn images of major milestones during the assembly of the the pressurized modules, over the equator at the same Space Station Freedom. 28 0 .i. Growth phase of the Space Station Freedom, as currently envisioned by NASA, includes upper and lower keel structures, solar dynamic power system, a servicing bay and a on- orbiting unmanned platform (not shown). -

The U.S. polar-orbiting umanned platform is an integral part of the interior concept of the laboratory modules where Freedom s crews will work. Freedom program. The free liyei w Crew members are shown working on a modular experiment rack, mondoring carry a variety of Earth observatiuc. experiment status at a worksiala.n, and instaiiing bioiogicai samples into the instruments as pail utan extensive floor-mounted centrifuge. . program to study the Earth as a system.

Close-up artist s concept of a Shuttle orbiter docked to the Freedom. Canadian robot arm is shown on mobile base. Sky-viewing instruments are mounted on a pallet- fare of Interior concept of the habitation module. Galley and hygiene facilities are in structure situated on the upper forward end of the module, while individual crew compartments are toward the the Station's truss rear. :

and position astronauts for first moduli.in place, astio access to its xarious parts. nauts can start equipping the Mounted atop a NASA built laboraton to earn out flatcar, to be des eloped in a experiments xx hilt. the future phase of the Freedom Shuttle is ducked, periods program, the MSS will be xx Inch could extend from tit 0 able to move along weeks to a month. A Space Freedom's extensixe truss Shuttle will deposit the Logistics modules will be used to bring experiments, supplies and perishable stricture. habitation module at the items to the Station. Two of the pressurized orbiting construction site modules that will be attachedseveral flights later. With the to the horizontal boom are addition of the forward being supplied by the United nodes and logistics module, local time, morning and with a manipulator arm, xxill States. One will sent: as a Freedom xx ill be reads for night md the other will also be installed to assist inlaboraton, the other as a permanent occupation. cross the equator at another Freedom's assembly The luting area. Each module The Japanese and Euro- local time, afternoon and MSS is based on expertise will be taken up mdixiduallx pean modules, slightlt night. Data collected bx acquired in creating Cana into space inside the smaller than their American instruments aboard darn, the xersatile robot arm Shuttle's cargo bay Astro counterparts, are scheduled Freedom's unmanned Earth used extensixelt in U S. nauts, assisted bt the ma to arrn c, respectix eltther observers will enable scion Space Shuttle missions. The nipulator arm, willremote Freedom is permanentlt tists to study the intricate MSS's robot arm will the modules from the Shuttlestalied. The Japanese interaction of the oceans, perfinm jobs controlled from and secure them in their Experimental Module JEM) land masses and atmosphere, work stations situated both propel locations on the lit illaccommodate scientific and solar phenomena on wir inside and outside Freedom's Freedom station's trusswork. and technological des clop planet's ens ironment. pressurized modules. This Each U.S. module is merit research, including During the earls stages of arm will reduce the need fin nearlt 13.6 meters 145 feu) micrugras itt experiments. A assemblt1 U.S. made Flight space ss alks, and ex entualls long and about 4.5 meters space-exposed deck will hold Telerobotic St stem will aid help deploy dock, and A 15 feet) in diameter. Larlt a xanett of experiments that in the construction of the redeplot a xisiting Shuttle in the assemblt sequLnee, thecan be reached bt a manipu manned base. A Canadian orbiter, assemble, retries c, laboraton module will be lator arm. The J EM will built Mobile Senicing and transport payloads positioned on Freedom's include a detachable, exiled- System (MSS), equipped around the Freedom station, supporting frame. With this mem logistics module that would hold consumable goods, experimental specimens, and cariouc kinds of gases for the Japanese Experiment Module. This logistics e.mnister can be hauled into orbit aboard the Shuttle, of by a Japanese expendable launch Neill& w Inch w dl be operational by the mid-1990s. ESA's design for a peana- nentl mached laboratoiy module s based on Spacelab, as contribution to the Space Shuttle program. Spacelab has suecessitill Sown several times in the cargo bay of a Space Shuttle. Derived from that design, the ESA module " s w ill consist of four cylindrical segments forming a pressurized module. Once it is permanently attached, the ESA laboratory module will become a research site tbr crews to pertOrm experiments in the physics of fluids, life sciences, and materials rescar_h. At that Mockup of cupola, which will give astronauts a panoramic view for scientific and point, the basic foundation operational observations. rir living, w orking, and studying aboard Space Station Freedom will be in place. ESA is also del eloping, as part of its contribution to Space Station Freedom, a Man-Tended Free Flyer (NITFF) to be made up of two Spacelab segments and a resource module that holds supplies. The N1TFF w ill Detailed model of the Japanese function independently of The Shuttle, as it might appear Experiment Module. The JEM features the manned base. preparing to dock with the Freedom, a pressurized laboratory module, exposed workdeck and robot arm. As a self-contained provides the means to incrementally construct the facility, resupply it and The smaller module on top is an automatic laboratory circling rotate its onboard researchers. experiment logistics module. Earth, this spacecraft could produce space-grown crystals and other specialized materials in an undisturbed environment. Exchanging the harvest of MTFF- produced products with raw stock would be handled by Freedom's crew, Space Shuttle astronauts, or the crew of the European space plane Hermes, now under development. Freedom's crew members will move between the various modules through four interconnecting resource nodes, or sets of Freedom resource nodes will connect the habitat and laboratory modules. pressurized cylinders. The 30 3 visiting scientists and a logistics module, loaded w ith new supplies, to exchange Nvith the logistics module alread in place. To further sustain the Freedom station with new' supplies and experiments, unmanned rockets, possibly including ESA is providing several elements to Japanese or European the Freedom program, including a boosters, may also be permanently-attached laboratory module like the one shown here. commissioned. Recently, with their space laboratory Mir, the Soviets have sho An that humans can live and work in space fbr almost a year w ithout the benefit of artificial gra N ity. NASA plans to halve the crew members serve tours of duty on Freedom that will gradually expand from 90 to 180 days as more is learned about the physiological effects of prolonged weightlessness. Space Station Freedom, Artist's concept of Freedom baseline which NASA and its partners configuration. , w ill assemble in space, w ill be much more than a collection of Earth-circling girders and cylinders housing hard- nodes are spacious anti cells, which are deplored orking astronauts and from the power modules outfitted with command- scientists. located on the ends of the It is also a com- stations, control-work mitment to the bold pursuit stationsipd other hardware. horizontal boom. The fbu know ledge, The forward node will outstretched solar arrays at of sci technological prow essind contain the primary and each end of the boom new commerce all ingre- backup docking ports for contain a total of about a dients essential to meeting Shuttle orbiters. half acre of solar cells. The the demands and opportuni- Two nodes are fitted w ith solar arrays provide all the ties of the 21st century. airlocks through which power needs during the astronauts can leave for work sunlit portions of an orbit. outside Freedom's pressur- In addition, they provide ized modules. The forward electric power to charge nodes are sure to be a batteries which then provide favorite lookout point. With all the power needs during two windowed cupolas, one the dark portions ()leach looking toward Earth and orbit. Together, the solar the other looking outward toarrays and batteries will be space, they oiler on-top-of- able to provide 75,000 w arts the-world sightseeing at its of electricity, enough to best. The panoramic view of power about 25 all-electric all space above and below honks on Earth. The largest the manned base will permit electric power level required astronauts to monitor an in space to date, it will incoming Shuttle, guide support all the housekeeping robot arms performing loads as well as the power external payload assembly or needs of scientific equip- maintenance tasks, conduct ment, computers, communi- scientific observations, and cations equipment, and observe fellow crew members equipment such as materials- on EVAs. processing furnaces. Electric power fbr Regular visits to Freedom Freedom's manned base will by the Space Shuttle will come from arrays of solar bring new crew members, 31

t. - MECHANICS

he impact of a permanenth ocetipicd space station mill be felt from its barn to support the sen icing of scientific platforms and satellites in space.the first m orbit repair took place in 1972 during the SI:\ lab program hen more ',Libitum% missions hale been accomplished from the Shuttle. The Leasat communications satellite and the scientific Sun matcher, Solar Max mere also repaired in orbit and put back into %mice. As a result, nem genera- tions of spacecraft are being built specifically for space tune-up and changeout. Carr\ mg critical, replaceable hardware, the include the great obsen atones the Hubble Space Telescope, the Gamma Kay Obsenatew, the Adlanced X-Ra Astrophys- ics Facility, and the Space Infiared Telescope Facility all expensive eyes on the unnerse being readied tin. operation ()ler extended lifetimes. In time, astronauts controlling a Freedom-based unmanned robotic tugboat, called an Orbital Maneuver- ing Vehicle (ONIV), will be able to retriel e spacecraft from ()ler a thousand miles amai. Once the spacecraft is retries ed, a space-suited crew mill replenish fuels and vital liquids, and overhaul, add to, and adjust equipment on the spacecraft. Space assets which may benefit from this capability range from scientific instruments nixed to Freedom's tnisswork, to unmanned materials processing plattOrms orbiting within range of the manned base, to the large astronomical

Artist's concept of the Hubble Space Telescope atter deployment from the Shuttle. The HST, as well as other large astronomic facilities, are candidates for on-orbit servicing supported by Freedom. 3 Cf.

it The multi armed Flight Teterobotic Servicer will be used to assist astronauts in the assembly of Freedom, and will help maintain scientific instruments located on the complex.

ol'sei atories planned ti or endure from 2000 to 3000 des elopment in the coming hours of c\tras ehicular decade. actisitylEVA i a year, ten If a small component times longer than all EVAs fetched from a disabled conducted to date. Once spaceLraft requires detailed inside the high pressure suit, %sod., astronauts ssiii carrytt an astronaut can mime in and into one of Ilvedi out of spaLe rapidls %sallottt laborators modulesis an the time consioning piL airlock. 1 hen, in the Liim breathing session currently tOrt ()fa shirt %les:se atmos required to rid the blood pheie, a (Jess member sitting stream of nitrogen Ns hen at a %sod. bench %s ill solder, shifting !him a high to a test, or change nit printed loss pressure utsirorunent. cirLuit boards. The versatile ONIV ssill then propel the Supplementing Human (is erhauled spacecraft back Ingenuity into orbit. Automation and n)botie Freedom's cress ss ill also applications can pros ide be able to perform repairs in preusion, and a High-pressure space suits, such as spaLe, positioning the msi. Is Ls tireless LapaLits to perfinin this one, are under study for use on and the satellites they are Freedom where EVAs will be a routine routine, repeutis e, and practice. The Zero Prebreath Suit sLrs king in limitless oricnta sometimes high risk tasks, allows astronauts to avoid extensive tions.Indeed, ss it h appro Past Tau: espluits, !tosses er, depressurization period required when going out in space with current priate tools and restraints, show that human ingenuity Shuttle based suits. human beings can sometimes is necessary to evaluate a ss ork as eflectivel in space as situation, develop a course of on Earth. Special spacesuits, action, and implement a easy to maintain on board plan. Often such human the Freedom station, are intervention has made the therefore being designed to difkrence between the failure 34 " t 4 and success °fa mission. In 1984, Congress directed NASA to studs the job of melding human and machine proficiency in the service of the national space dim. The congressional directise has begun to produce (\ching results. A'While still a far civ from those losable wiener fiction robots, ('3P0 and 12 1)2, the Flight Telerobotic System $ t, has become an integral part (lithe $6. Freedom program.'1 he space robot can be con trolled by an operator on the Freedom station or on the ground.It will 11111111411cl% 1-$ have the work capabilits of a space-suited astronaut and will help in the on orbit assembly and maintenance of the manned base, thus minimiiing the amount of human etrasehicular actinits and the risk insols ed. Adsanced telerobots, equipped with sophisticated, finger like manipulators Maintenance and repair of Earthorbiting satellites has been demonstrated on approaching :Inman de \ ter Shuttle flights, such as the Solar Max repair mission. Freedom will also be its, would be able to perform capable of maintaining, upgrading and repairing space assets, thus extending their value and productivity. such sensiti% e, specialiied tasks as sen icing parts of Freedom or refiieling a spacecraft. Adsances in computer 5 ision with soicc command links will also allow robots to sere as "go fers," Think fur%tirsell automatons also are cspo.ted to come out of N.1sA's automation and robotio, programs. Other earls goals Hull's'e automating the guidance., control, and nas 'gall(in functions. Stud% is also Robots, like the FTS, will perform highrisk tasks like satellite repair, shown underway on less-lung the here, or spacecraft refueling, under remote control of Freedom'olcrew members. astronauts' workload b% using artificial intelligence (Al) to control and monitor temperature and electrical power distribution, w am of potential hardware failure, and keep inventories of tools, equipment, clothes, and food. Spaceborne AI tech nology could also network many of these jobs so they talk to each other; by making use or expert systems, they can also infer, reason, learn, An Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle prepares to dock with the HST. In the distance Is and act appropriately. an enhanced configuration for Freedom where maintenance will be performed.

35 3 S EVOLVING WITH VERSATILITY

rehminan mork aboard I-reedom is e \peeled to stimulate still more uses. Space Station I-reedom, therefore, is being attuned to plulosoph% oladaptabilit and change. Its design, for eample, features "hooks and scars," electronic and mechanical interfaces that albs I-reedomss designers to ewand capability. In this ma, nem and upgraded components, such as cant puler lurch\ are, data in agementsofissare,and poser systems, can be installed The concept is similar to bming a home press ired fisteSentual hookup to a F's cable system een though the cable company has not set reached your area.

Adding On Fngmeers base also blueprinted a configuration for ewanding eedom that builds on the initial struc Lure In this adunced sermon, Imo 103 meter (34(1 foot 1 longs ertical spites sa ill connect With the hori/ontal cross boom. With a near rectangular shape comparable in sue to a fOotball field, the frame mill be much stiffer and also ample room for a bey) of no% payloads. On the upper beam, for L samplc, Losink. r.a). (Arai mots, solar and astnimetric telescopes and related detectors, solai cell and spacecraft materials, and coating studies can he oposed to the em irons of space. To boost electricity levels, a pair of solar dynamic generators featuring reflect- ing mirrors can also be

A Freedombased Orbital Transfer Vehicle could be assembled, serviced and fueled at the complex. The OTV could propel astronauts and hardware to high Earth orbits or exploratory targets. The umbrella-like structure is used for aerobraking. 4111011"

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4(j attached to the struL ture Lollecung heat from the intense rays of the Sun, parabolic mirror segments will locus this energy on a fluid which then drives a turbine engine that generates electricity, supplementing Freedom's pow cr by another 50,000 watts. Also envisioned as part of dr,: enhanced Freedom are u manned co-orbiting plattbrms. Such platforms could be equipped with large antennas that scan the universe for radio chatter from distant communities. Or, they might tbcus on astrophsics research, solar obsenation, or a wide variety of Emit-oriented or astronomical endeavors. A large servicing bay, 60 meters (200 feet) long and nearly 30 meters (100 feet) across, to house an entire "great observatory" spacecraft, also is planned on the enhanced Freedom. Once an observatory is parked inside the cavernous hangar, astronauts could easily align, clean, and e en recd at Rocketdyne, NASA's contractor for the astronomical Instruments in a Station's power system, has pressurized emironment., developed a functioning prototype of lea mg their cumbersome the solar dynamic power system which is expected to furnish additional spacew alkmg suits on the power for the Station in the future. rack. Another evolutionary path for Space Station Freedom calls fin' added reliance on automation and robotics, particularly for building Future unmanned spacecraft, designed for on-orbit servicing from sizable structures in Earth the Freedom, include the Advanced orbit. Such space structures X-Ray Astronomy Facility and will be able to accommodate large cargoes of equipment, fuel, and other materials that can perpetuate Freedom's growth and use. Other growth scenarios might include attached modules to hold plants grown in space as part of a closed ecological life-support study, or which serve as a the Space Infrared Telescope Facility. quarantine area for studying These spacecraft would be placed in precious samples of comets an orbit near the Station where crews can periodically exchange and update or Martian soil brought to scientific instruments. Freedom by robotic spacecraft. A module could also become a biomedical study center assigned the duty of d:veloping and evaluating 4 33 4 With an eye toward future selfsufficiency on the Moon or Mars, a potential future module could serve as a space garden, as shown in this artist's concept. Robots would tend the garden which would supply food for the astronauts.

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Astrometric Telescope Facility, which would search for pianetary systems around other stars, could operate as an attached payload on Freedom's upper keel. countermeasures to the dinclop a facilit, capable of effects of microgras its on simulatingditkrentartificial humans. graity conditions, using Freedom's components. The Branching Out facility would consist of a NASA calls it "branching" module connected to a a Freedom-based acti%itv counterm eight at the end of a so fruitful that it can branch long tether. Capable of oil into its own facility. A rotating at different rates, common branching concept thereby ielding different The enhanced configuration for the calls for a human-tended artificial conditions, this free- Freedom features added structure, additional power, and a servicing bay. facility where made-in-space flying variable gravity products, such as rare metals,research facility could lead to glasses, and electronic new biomedical data neces- material, can be processed in sary to "flight qualify" an absolutely vibration-free humans tbr journeys to environment. This research worlds beyond the Earth. base could even lead to Another branching another branching financed candidate is a shipyard in by a high-tech industry that orbit. This depot could act wants its own production as an assembly, service, and facility in space. fueling spot tbr a host of As little as scientists know space vehicles. An Orbital about human adaptation to Transfer Vehicle (0TV) microgravity, even less is stationed at Freedom, could known about the long-term be used tier propelling eficts of exposure to the astronauts and hardware to one-sixth gravity of the orbits higher than the Moon or the one-third manned base's operating gravity of Mars. One altitude, even to geostation- suggestion, theretbre, is to ary orbit, or the Moon.

39 that the nation will hr able FOOTHOLD ON to regain and retain leader- THE FUTURE ship in space only ithas "a clear strategy in place, and its goals for the future detined reedom's permanentn and itsand dot:loped.- The report mr of human aptitudes and goes on to state that thture technologies %%ill add an space scenarios depend on evraortimar% dimension to the research, hardn are the achitnemcnt of long- de% elopment, and successful term space goals. An ideal use of automation, robotics, final point for collecting and other technologies and pertimnance data on space abilities gleaned from Space technologies, Freedom %%ill, Station Freedom. ft)r tn.ample, accommodate According to the study, the assembly and testing 01 four inniati% es pro% idc a antennas too large or too framenork for the future: fragile to assemble On Or launch from Earth. Inpanded studies of Fluid management Parth that characterue our technology can also be home planet on .1 global enhanced through testing, on scale, Freedom. Krum inhors to safeh store and transfer fuels An enhanced program microgravay is a p erequi- of Solar System tnploration site to establishing large thel using. robots, depots in orbit. Advanced spacecraft materials and Establishment of a coatings that arc tnentually permanent outpost On the to be used in optical deux- Moon that builds on the tors, mirrors, and solar cells Apollo program, can be proofed by tnposure to the space cm ironment. A program to send Long-term effects of .tonic humans to Mars, leading, to oyg,en and a near %acuum, the e% ennui establishment of including, bombardment by a permanent Martian base, ultra% iolet rays, electrons. and protons, car also be The report also included a studied. scenario for a human return High-putt er energy to the Moon by the year %%stems, laser-communica- 2000, folloneil in the vears tion equipment, ad% anced bx an outpost 384,500 life-support concepts, kilometers i 240,000 miles )mplin automation and attar on the Nloon and robotic hardn are, nen sheltering, the astronauts tor propulsion st stems se% eral necks at a time- technologies %duch are ( irca 2010, up to thirty pi% otal to enlarging the lunar explorers can be sphere of space operations 'working at the outpost over abutFarthall can benefit a period of months. This trim prehnunan assessment lunar mitratil C., concludes the in orbit. Taking athantage tit 111 nurture the 1)1 Freedom's capabilitt to eperience, eveime, and test bct-ore tasking will confidence needed to multiph the accomplish- commit the Nation to an ments of the cnilian space astronaut outpost on Mars program o% er the coming 320 million kilometers (200 decades. million miles a%% ay i by the year 2010. A Framework for Tomorrow The National Commission on Space In a 1987 report to NASA determined a settlement on Mars in Administrator James the 21st century could be achieved. Fletcheri task tierce led by The first steps toward expanding human life to such distances begins Dr. Sally Ride, America's tirst with Space Station Freedom. woman in space, concluded 40 4

Freedom will support technology development and buildup of vehicles, such as as Cargo Vehicle Propulsion element, for use in a piloted Mars mission and outc, planet robotic exploration missions.

loll et er, concludes the make their wax through the full throttle in the United report, "Until the Space Solar St stem. Indeed, as the States. Indeed, that recut en Station is occupied and Solar St stem becomes process is predicated in good actual long-duration testing humanity's extended home, measure on pressing forw and is begun, we 11111 lack the the umbilical to Earth could to a new future in space a know ledge necessart to et entuallt be cut. future symbolized bt Space 4 design and conduct inter- Certainly, there is no Station Freedom, our question that lisioneet Mg is I'. planctart flights or to inhabit fothold on the future. lower-gravity surface bases." alive, well, and running on Mars Observer, scheduled for launch in 1992, is designed to follow up on Similar goals w ere cham- knowledge gained from Mariner and pioned in a 1986 ryort to Viking missions to the planet, and President Reagan from the serve as a precursor for future Mars exploratory missions. National Commission on Space. This blae-ribbon group noted that the move- ment of human life outside Earth requires the dex clop- ment of a space station. Oler time, the space station will ex oh e into an "earth spaceport," serving as a hub for both unpiloted and $.6? human traffic. This economic transfer of passengers and %chides w ith Earth would fat the ground, so to speak, for a "highw at to spice" as well as a "bridge Permanent outposts on the Moon, building on the success of Apollo, have been proposed as a future space goal. between worlds," initially to the Moon and subsequently to Mars. Humans living along this space frontier, hypothesizes the Commission, would live otIthe land, deriving energy and materials from planet- circling moons, asteroids, and planetary surt'aces as they 42 Samples, collected during unmanned missions to Mars, could be brought back to Freedom for early analysis prior to transport back to Earth for detailed investigation.

Future goals for the civil space program include an enhanced program of solar system exploration. Shown is the great nebula in Andromeda.

A future program to send humans to Mars could involve hardware depicted in this artist's concept.

Freedom's large photovoltaic arrays could support development of high- performance, low-mass, high- reliability solar power for the early phases of lunar or Martian outposts.

Freedom will support development and flight-testing of advanced Earth-orbit Moon walker Charles Duke salutes the technologies developed under NASA's Pathfinder project. American flag during his 1972 Apollo mission. America's preeminence in the exploration of space was clearly demonstrated by Apollo's achievements.

Next Page: The Freedom Station will pave the way to making the solar system numadity's extended home. 43 G 4. -4!

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