An overview is presented of the NASA program for the development of the Space Station. A general representation of the initial Space Station complex is shown. The Space Station goals and program objectives are briefly reviewed, as well as the program schedule. An advanced development program and program management approach are also presented

Ambrus, Judith H.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

N87-24496 :
SPACE STATION: A PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Judith H. Ambrus
Office of Space Station
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Washington, D.C.
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https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19870015063 2020-03-20T11:04:36+00:00Z
M a n k i n d  i s  a t  t h e  t h r e s h o l d  o f  a new age .  B e f o r e  t h e  end  o f  t h i s  
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s p a c e .  We w i l l  have  a f a c i l i t y  i n  l o w  E a r t h  o r b i t  c o n s i s t i n g  o f  
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t e n d e d  and  s e r v i c e d  b y  t h e  S t a t i o n  o r  t h e  S h u t t l e  c r e w  ( F i g u r e  
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f i n i s h e d  t h e i r  t o u r  o f  d u t y ,  w a s t e  m a t e r i a l ,  a n d  p e r h a p s  i t e m s  t o  
be  r e p a i r e d  on t h e  g r o u n d .  An o r b i t a l  m a n e u v e r i n g  v e h i c l e ,  a 
r o b o t i c  s n a c e  t u u ,  w i l l  a s s i s t  i n  h a u l i n g  i n  s p a c e c r a f t  f o r  
s e r v i c i n g  o r  p o s s i b l y  l o g i s t i c s  m o d u l e s  d e l i v e r e d  b y  e x p e n d a b l e  
l a u n c h  v e h i c l e s .  T h i s  i s  t h e  v i s i o n ,  b u t  t h e  h a r d  f a c t s  m u s t  b e  
c o n s i d e r e d .  
The i d e a  o f  a Space S t a t i o n  i s  n o t  new t o  anyone  e n g a g e d  i n  t h e  
b u s i n e s s  o f  space .  Even w h i l e  t h e  A p o l l o  p r o j e c t  was s t i l l  on  
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o f  s p a c e  s t a t i o n s  w e r e  b e i n g  d r a w n  up .  O v e r  t h e  y e a r s ,  as  we 
g a i n e d  more  e x p e r i e n c e ,  t h e  c o n c e p t s  changed .  F o r  i n s t a n c e ,  we 
now know t h a t  a r t i f i c i a l  u r a v i t y  i s  n o t  n e c e s s a r y  f o r  men t o  
s u r v i v e  a n d  n o t  s u f f e r  i r r e v e r s i b l e  damage t o  t h e i r  h e a l t h ,  a f t e r  
l i v i n g  i n  sDace f o r  a p e r i o d  o f  a f e w  weeks o r  m o n t h s .  We a l s o  
know w h a t  o u r  t r a n s p o r t a t i o n  s y s t e m  t o  s p a c e  i s ,  i t s  s t r e n g t h  and  
i t s  l i m i t a t i o n s .  These  and  o t h e r  d a t a  a r e  e n a b l i n g  u s  now t o  
r e a l i s t i c a l l y  o l a n ,  d e s i g n  and  d e v e l o p  t h e  n e x t  l o g i c a l  s t e p .  
F i g u r e  1 
* O r i g i n a l  f i g u r e s  n o t  a v a i l a b l e  a t  t ime of p u b l i c a t i o n .  
580 
When t h e  P r e s i d e n t  d i r e c t e d  N A S A  i n  J a n u a r y ,  1984  ( i n  h i s  S t a t e  
o f  t h e  U n i o n  A d d r e s s )  t o  d e v e l o p  a Space S t a t i o n ,  he  s e t  v e r y  
i m p o r t a n t  g o a l s  f o r  t h i s  p r o g r a m  ( F i g u r e  2 ) .  
The n r e l i m i n a r y  d e s i q n  o f  t h e  f a c i l i t y  ( F i g u r e  2 )  m i g h t  
c o n t r i b u t e  t o  t h e  a c c o m p l i s h e r n e n t  o f  a l l  o f  t h e s e  g o a l s .  I t  i s  a 
m u l t i - p u r p o s e  f a c i l i t y ,  s e r v i n g  as a m i c r o g r a v i t y  l a b o r a t o r y  i n  
s p a c e  w h e r e  b a s i c  r e s e a r c h  a n d  t e c h n o l o g y  d e v e l o p m e n t  e x p e r i m e n t s  
w i l l  he n e r f o r m e d  i n  a “ s h i r t  s l e e v e ”  e n v i r o n m e n t .  Some o f  t h e s e  
w i l l  l e a d  t o  e n h a n c e d  k n o w l e d g e  a b o u t  human p h y s i o l o g y  i n  t h e  
w e i g h t l e s s  e n v i r o n m e n t ;  o t h e r s  m i g h t  l e a d  t o  m a t e r i a l s  p r o c e s s e s  
w h i c h ,  o n c e  a u t o m a t e d ,  w i l l  d e v e l o p  i n t o  c o m m e r c i a l  v e n t u r e s .  
S c i e n t i f i c  i n s t r u m e n t s  w i l l  be  moun ted  on t h e  u p p e r  and  l o w e r  
booms f o r  t h e  o b s e r v a t i o n a l  s c i e n c e s .  These  i n s t r u m e n t s  w i l l  be  
s e r v i c e d  o r  c h a n a e d  b y  e i t h e r  c r e w  members v i a  E V A * ,  o r  by  a 
m o b i l e  t e l e r o b o t i c  s e r v i c e r .  S p a c e c r a f t ,  s u c h  a s  t h e  Gamma Ray 
O b s e r v a t o r y  a n d  t h e  H u b h l e  Space T e l e s c o p e ,  w i l l  b e  s e r v i c e d  i n  
t h e  s e r v i c i n g  ba.y. I t  w i l l  a l s o  be  p o s s i b l e  t o  a s s e m b l e  
s p a c e c r a f t  t o  b e  l a u n c h e d  i n t o  o t h e r  o r b i t s  o r  t o w a r d  
o u t e r  s p a c e .  F i n a l l y ,  s e v e r a l  e l e m e n t s  w i l l  b e  c o n t r i b u t e d  by 
t h e  E u r o p e a n  Space Agency ,  Japan ,  a n d  Canada - -  o u r  i n t e r n a t i o n a l  
p a r t n e r s  i n  t h i s  e n d e a v o r .  
F i g u r e  ‘2 
* E V A  ( e x t r a v e h i c u l a r  a c t i v i t y ) .  
58 1 
SPACE STATION PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
The key Droqram objectives that have been set to meet these goals
(Figure 3) take into consideration the environment in which we
have to attain our goals. We are committed by Presidential
directive to have a permanently manned facility in 1994; we also
have limited resources. The facility has to provide more than
useful capabilities. These capabilities will have to be
affordable. We are not yet sure what the most useful aspects of
the Station might be; therefore, we will have to build a Station
which is capable of evolution. Man in space is very expensive;
therefore,we have to design a facility with a judicious mix of
manned and unmanned elements. We also have to make sure that
those expensive man-hours are not used up trying to keep the
Station afloat; thus, development of automation and robotics
technologies is imperative for long-term affordability of the
capabilities. Finally, we have to secure international
cooperation in both building and using the Station.
It is obvious that this is the most challenging program ever
undertaken by NASA. The challenges are both technical and
manaaerial.
o We have to design for "permanence," which means both easy
maintainability and design for evolution
o We have to build to cost and schedule, meeting both the
presidentially mandated milestone for permanent manned presence
in 1994 and the budget constraints placed upon us by Congress
o We have to design within a realistic transportation
environment, which is currently undergoing redefinition
n We have to manage systems engineering and integration for a
program far bigger and more complex then any in our experience
n We have to learn to efficiently communicate without drowning in
paper
o We have to incorporate new technologies, balancing cost,
schedule, and risk; trading off the potential of long-term,
operational cost savings versus the risk of having a new
technology develop unexpected flaws
o We have to try to design operations during the hardware design
stage, so as to design to the operational environment. This will
mean hard choices involving possibly an as yet unknown user versus
a problem here and now, which might delay a launch schedule
o We have to learn new techniques, such as assembly and checkout
on orbit, potentially while harts of the Station are already
operational
582
o Finally, we have to orchestrate the international dimensions of
the program, which involves meshing not only schedules and costs
not under our control but also dealing with unfamiliar technical
and management practices
SPACE STATION PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
• Develop a permanently manned Space Station by 1994
• Provide useful and affordable capabilities
• Enhance space science and applications
• Stay within $8 billion cost envelope*
• Secure international cooperation
• Design for evolution
• Push automation and robotics technologies
• Incorporate potential for man-tended concept in baseline program
• Blend manned and unmanned systems and capabilities
*FY 1984 Dollars
Figure 3
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SPACE STATION PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Because of its complexity, the program has been planned in
different phases (Figure 4). The official program start of 1984
drew heavily on planninn and concept development work
accomplished over the years by NASA and its contractors. Thus it
was possible to convene an in-house Concept Development Group,
which in the span of a year (Phase A) developed the so-called
reference concept, which became the basis of the RFP for Phase B
of the program, the Concept Development and Preliminary Design
Phase. To manage this nhase the work was divided into four "work
packages," each mananed by a different NASA Center and involving
two contractors per work packaqe doing parallel work. System
inteqration was accomplished in-house in the Program Office
established at the Johnson Space Center.
Durina this phase the reference configuration was critically
examined from aspects of user capahility, development cost,
technical risk, maintainability, and other factors to evolve into
the baseline confiquration. The most obvious changes were the
manned base configuration change from the "power tower" to the
"dual keel." This provides a stiffer structure, allows for
placement of the modules in the most favorable microgravity
environment and h_s considerably more space for attaching
payloads. The module pattern was changed from the "racetrack"
configuration which included internal airlocks to a simpler design
consisting of modules with nodes and tunnels to interconnect.
This allowed for easier traffic patterns as well as providing
more volume.
It was also during this process that technologies for the
various subsytems were selected. For example the decision was
made to have a "hybrid" power system consisting of both solar
array/battery modules and solar dynamic modules. The much smaller
area of the solar collectors reduces drag and saves operating
costs and thus has more growth capability. The technical risk of
not having fight experience with a solar dynamic system was
outweighed by the operational considerations and high near-term
power demands. It was also decided to close the Environmental
Control and Life Support System to the point where only nitrogen
would be resupplied to the pressurized atmosphere (the oxygen
being regenerated). Recyclina water would allow only food to be
s,pplied and solid waste to be returned. Again, the long-term
savings in logistic resupply costs were considered worth the
higher development costs of such a system.
584
CY 1984
I
V"
SPACE STATION PROGRAM SCHEDULE
1986 1988 1990 1992
I I I I
PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE TO NASA
V NASA PROGRAM CONCEPT (RFP)
ADVANCED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
DEFINITION & PRELIMINARY DESIGN
1994 1996
I I
/ SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT I
ASSEMBLY LAUNCHES _ .............
POSSIBLE MAN-TENDED CAPABILITY (MTC)
PERMANENTLY MANNED ,/
PLATFORM LAUNCHES _ _
POLAR COORBITING
BASELINE CONFIGURATION COMPLETED _Z_
OPERATIONS f "7
Figure 4
585
ADVANCED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
These choices were greatly aided by the results from the Advanced
Development Program that was conducted parallel to the Phase
B effort (Figure 5). During the early planning process it had
become apparent that there were several promising technologies in
NASA's generic technology base program which, if focused towards
the Space Station application, would have high pay-off in
operational cost savings.
The program was designed for a three year effort in thirteen
d_fferent areas. After the first year some technologies were
selected for prototype development and testing. This program was
also used to establish test beds, which are being used for
prototype testing now, but will be retained for use in test bed
verification of fliqht hardware as well as serve the evolutionary
technologies. Several decisive flight experiments were also
conducted.
It was the advanced development program that lowered the risks to
an acceptable level and enabled the choices mentioned above in
power and ECLSS*. Other examples include the choice of the high
efficiency, two-phase thermal management system (outside the
pressurized volumes), the hydrogen/oxygen propulsion system, the
erectable instead of deployable structure, the sea level pressure
in the pressurized volumes, and others.
As the second phase of the Space Station Program neared
completion, the Baseline Configuration underwent another hard
scrutiny. This had been necessitated by the changed environment
following the loss of the Challencer, which includes the change
in the availability (and possibly mode) of transportation, the
heightened awareness of crew safety, the concern over early uses
of the Space Station and the cost of the baseline configuration
raised by Congress and the management concerns highlighted by
the Roger's Commission. The Administrator, therefore, ordered a
comprehensive technical, cost, and management review of the
program.
*Environmental Control and Life Support Systems.
586
ADVANCED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
• Current technology is, in some areas, inadequate for desired
Space Station capabilities
• Purpose of Advanced Development Program is to provide
advanced technology options that are reliable and cost effective
• Five key program elements:
Focused Technology - provides proper application focus to the generic R&T
base program and continues technology development
through demonstration at the breadboard level
Prototype Hardware - provides for development of protypical hardware that
embodies the advanced technologies
Test Beds - provides for proper testing of the new technologies at
the brassboard or prototype level
Flight Experiments - provides in-space demonstrations of advanced
technologies using the Shuttle
Subsystem Studies - provides for additional studies of technical options
resulting from advanced development efforts
Figure 5
587
CRITICAL EVALUATION TASK FORCEREFERENCECONFIGURATION
The confiquration resulting from this review (Figure 6) has the
following features:
o It combines the nodes and interconnecting tunnels into
"resource nodes." This results in more useable pressurized
volume, thus enabling the inside accommodation and servicing of
instruments, which previously required EVA
n It increased the initial deployed power to allow for early
user operations
o It adjusted the assembly sequence to achieve permanent
habitability in 1994, and user onerations during assembly to
allow for the limited transportation capabilities
Y
Figure 6
588
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT APPROACH
The concurrent management review of the Space Station Program
resulted in a somewhat changed management structure (Figure 7),
with a Program Office being established in the Washington area as
part of Headquarters. This Program Office will accomplish the
system engineerino and integration which involve the interfaces
between the hardware elements developed by four NASA centers with
their contractor teams and the three international partners.
LEVEL A
NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
• Policy and overall program direction
LEVEL A'
Washington Metropolitan Area
• Program management and technical content
'nummm_m_mmmmu_l _
LEVEL C
Various NASA Centers
• Project management: element definition and
development
CONTRACTORS
Multiple Locations
• Detail design, manufacturing, integration
and test, plus engineering and
technical services
Figure 7
589
SPACE STATION PLAN
The Space Station elements with the responsible organization
(NAS_ and international} are shown in Figure 8. Present
activities are focused on the start of Phase C/D, the Design and
Development Phase. The major challenges at present include the
synchronization of four RFPs*, the international negotiations, the
still ongoing cost review, and the effort to define and plan
operations. And while we are working to build the initial Space
Station, we also look toward the twenty-first century, when the
Space Station will be the base from which we plan manned missions
to other planets, to mine the asteroids, and to further explore
our solar system and beyond.
mESA
ELEMENTS:
• PRESSURIZED LABORATORY
MODULE --
• POLAR PLATFOR_ _\
"JAPAN
ELEMENTS:
• PRESSURIZED LABORATORY
MODULE A EXPOSED FACILITY
-- • EXPERIMENT LOGISTICS
MODULE
IGOODARO
ELEMENTS:
• PLATFORMS _2)
• ATTACHED PAYLOAD ACCOM.
• SERVICING FACILITY
• TELEROBOTtC SERVICER
IIMARSHALL
ELEMENTS:
• PRESSURE SHELLS
• LABORATORY MODULE
• HABITATION
)I , _ Ci_: \
t LOGISTICS MODULE (PRESS & UNPRESS) ...... J_
SYSTEMS;
• ECLSS
• INTERNAL THERMAL CONTROL
• INTERNAL AUDIO & VIDEO
*Request for Proposals.
BCANADA
• MOBILE SERVICING
CENTER -.._
"JOHNSON
ELEMENTS:
• TRUSS ....
• MSC MOBILE BASE
AIRLOCKS
SYSTEMS:
• EXTERNAL THERMAL CONTROL
• EVA
• DATA MANAGEMENT
• COMMUNICATIONS & TRACKING
• GUIDANCE, NAVIGATION & CONTROL
• PROPULSION IENG_N_ 'to co BY USrC}
Figure 8
ELEMENTS:
• POWER MODULES •
SYSTEM:
• ELECTRICAL POWER
DISTRIBUTION
POOR QUALITY
590


Space station: A program overview

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