NASA Advisory CouncilSpace Operations Committee 1February 5, 2009

NASA Advisory Council Space Operations Committee

Kennedy Space Center

February 5, 2009

NASA Advisory CouncilSpace Operations Committee 2February 5, 2009

• Col. Eileen Collins, Chair

• Dr. Pat Condon

• Dr. Owen Garriott

• Mr. Jay Greene

• Dr. Tom Jones

• Adm. Benjamin Montoya

• Jacob Keaton, Executive Secretary, NASA

Space Operations Committee

NASA Advisory CouncilSpace Operations Committee 3February 5, 2009

Summary of Activities

• ISS Avionics and Software Office• EVA Workshop Outbrief• SpaceX Facility Visit• ISS Crew Video Tour with Mike Fincke• International Space Station Status• Commercial Resupply Service• Shuttle Extension Update (with Exploration Committee)• Safety & Mission Assurance Case Study Training Brief

NASA Advisory CouncilSpace Operations Committee 4February 5, 2009

JSC ISS Avionics and Software Office

• Committee visit on January 27, 2009• Objective was to observe the laptop operations onboard ISS

and the planned upgrade from A31p to T61p model• Reason for upgrade is computer obsolescence• New units are lighter, less expensive, have more memory,

use less power, HD screens, and have a 6 year useful life with better performance in the space radiation environment

• Background• Onboard units are used for science, robotics, video monitor,

spacecraft systems, and crew personal needs• All international partners use the same model

NASA Advisory CouncilSpace Operations Committee 5February 5, 2009

JSC ISS Avionics and Software Office

As an added benefit, the tour included:• the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory to observe Shuttle

crews training for the Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission and for STS-119

• the Inflatable Lunar Habitat

NASA Advisory CouncilSpace Operations Committee 6February 5, 2009

ESMD EVA Workshop• Held Dec 1-2, 2008 in Pensacola/IHMC (NAC genesis)• Co-chairs: H. Schmitt and K. Ford• Attendees:

– Suit engineers, designers, managers, astronauts, from Apollo, Skylab, Shuttle, ISS, Constellation

• Capture experience and recommendations from EVA community

– helmets, gloves, boots, dust and maintenance

– tools, controls, interfaces– fit, comfort, safety– operations, flight rules, logistics,

training– development risks

• Minutes, recommendations submitted to NASA for use in Constellation suit and operations planning

NASA Advisory CouncilSpace Operations Committee 7February 5, 2009

SpaceX Facility Visit

• SpaceX is one of two companies funded through NASA COTS Program (Orbital Science Corp. is the other)

• Space Ops Committee and two Exploration Committee members (Logsdon & Fraser) visited Pad 40

• Visit was hosted by a SpaceX Range Integration Engineer• SpaceX leases Pad 40 from the USAF, facilitated by Space

Florida

NASA Advisory CouncilSpace Operations Committee 8February 5, 2009

• Currently employ 36 on-site personnel; launch will require ~100

• LCC will be near the south entrance to CCAFS• Integration facility is being constructed next to the launch

pad• SpaceX has efficiently scavenged numerous resources

from around CCAFS

SpaceX Facility Visit

NASA Advisory CouncilSpace Operations Committee 9February 5, 2009

• First Falcon 9 launch is scheduled for June 2009– No payload scheduled yet– Test will be going to orbit

• Falcon 9– 9 Merlin engines @ 125,000 pounds of thrust each– Rapid rollout to pad - ~15 minutes– Horizontal to vertical - ~15 minutes– 2 stages – both planned to be recoverable– LOX/Kerosene– Falcon 9 Heavy planned to use up to 27 Merlin engines

• Future plans include crew launch– Dragon vehicle not observed

• Target flight rate is one Falcon 9 per month with facilities currently under construction

SpaceX Facility Visit

NASA Advisory CouncilSpace Operations Committee 10February 5, 2009

International Space Station Update

• Briefing by Mike Suffredini, ISS Program Manager• Objective is to keep Committee members informed of

Station operations to facilitate our position as advisors• Manifest Update (next page)• Soyuz Anomaly Investigation• Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ) Repair• Readiness for Six Person Crew• Processor Assembly (UPA) Distillation Assembly Failure

NASA Advisory CouncilSpace Operations Committee 11February 5, 2009

NASA Advisory CouncilSpace Operations Committee 12February 5, 2009

International Space Station, Nov. 2009

NASA Advisory CouncilSpace Operations Committee 13February 5, 2009

International Space Station Update

• ISS Service Module (SM) Reboost Error• ISS can be reboosted by Progress, Soyuz, ATV, Shuttle & SM Main Engines  

• ISS experienced high loads (vibration) during SM reboost   • Russian MCC uplinked the wrong filter in reboost command  

• No impact to upcoming missions   • Lifetime to 2015 still OK; lifetime through 2020 still under investigation

- positive margins expected

- if necessary, focused structural repairs possible

NASA Advisory CouncilSpace Operations Committee 14February 5, 2009

Commercial Resupply Service

• Commercial Orbital Transportation System (COTS) Phase II: ISS Commercial Resupply Services contract awarded December 23, 2008

• 40 metric tons of cargo needed for ISS between 2011-2015 from the commercial sector

• SpaceX: 12 cargo missions to ISS• Orbital Sciences Corp: 8 cargo missions to ISS

• COTS Phase I is demonstration program already underway

NASA Advisory CouncilSpace Operations Committee 15February 5, 2009

Shuttle Extension Update

• Briefing by John Shannon, Space Shuttle Program Manager• Shuttle extension study still underway

• Looking at cost, facilities, vendors, and workforce impacts• Three options

• Retire in 2010 (current plan)• Extend to 2012• Extend to 2015

• External Tank availability is the limiting factor

NASA Advisory CouncilSpace Operations Committee 16February 5, 2009

JSC Safety and Mission Assurance

• Briefing by JSC Associate Director, Technical, Safety and Mission Assurance

• Outstanding training for S&MA employees includes lessons learned from major human spaceflight accidents and close calls

• This training can and should be expanded to all employees involved in human spaceflight across NASA

NASA Advisory CouncilSpace Operations Committee 17February 5, 2009

RecommendationShort title of the Recommendation: Teaching and Applying Lessons Learned to NASA’s Human Spaceflight Employees Short description of the Recommendation:  To effectively transfer hard-won "lessons learned" to its human spaceflight work force, NASA should institute recurring training for them using a curriculum based on existing Safety and Mission Assurance materials. The training program should include lessons learned from the Apollo, Skylab, Mir, Shuttle, and ISS accidents, incidents, and close calls.  NASA’s human spaceflight organizations (e.g. Constellation, Shuttle, ISS) should incorporate into their programs, from conception to operation, the safety lessons and practices learned from sobering experience.  Such institutions should document training programs and take full advantage of learning tools derived from the Apollo 1, Challenger, and Columbia accidents. Having completed training, Program & Project Management need to verify that new system designs comply with the lessons learned database.  Major Reasons for Proposing the Recommendation:  S&MA has an effective employee curriculum for transferring lessons learned, but NASA is missing an opportunity to teach those principles to all human spaceflight team members. The shuttle transition process and associated future work force turn-over may result in the loss of vital, hard-won knowledge and experience. Recurring training is especially important to preserve a healthy safety culture.  Although Orion operations will differ from shuttle, many generic lessons from the shuttle and earlier programs can improve safety awareness and prevent potential accidents. Regular exposure to NASA's failures and the lessons drawn from them will better prepare both veterans and new employees to operate Constellation systems safely. Consequences of no action on the recommendation:  Failure to expose the next generation of NASA's human spaceflight workers to hard-won lessons learned will expose future programs to unnecessary and avoidable risk. Future programs will avoid repeating past mistakes.  

NASA Advisory CouncilSpace Operations Committee 18February 5, 2009

RecommendationShort title of the Recommendation: Documentation and Teaching of Human Spaceflight Lessons Learned Short description of the Recommendation:  A portion of the NASA training program should focus on lessons learned from the human spaceflight missions in order to retain historical knowledge, as many older employees will be retiring.  NASA should document specific major operational lessons learned from human spaceflight programs.  These lessons learned should be written/presented in a format to facilitate ease of training for the next generation of space workers.  Major Reasons for Proposing the Recommendation:  Concerns exist where the labor force may turn over in sufficient quantity to permit loss of knowledge and experience.  Although the Orion missions will differ from the shuttle missions, there are many generic lessons from which new employees can learn. By documenting certain incidents which are good case studies, both new employees and veterans can be better prepared to operate the Orion launch and flight system. Some examples could be: Gemini-Titan 8, Skylab Rescue Capability, Mir-Progress collision, STS-49 Intelsat retrieve, STS-47 tethered satellite loss, STS-80 jammed EVA hatch, STS-87 Spartan mission loss, STS-83 fuel cell anomaly, STS-93 electrical short and LOX low level cut-off, etc. These lessons should also include major ground processing, launch countdown and personnel incidents.   Consequences of no action on the recommendation:  Insufficient documentation and training for the next generation of space workers may result in repeating generic problems.

NASA Advisory CouncilSpace Operations Committee 19February 5, 2009

Activities for Next Quarter

Site visit:• COTS/Orbital Sciences Corp (OSC) during April 2009 Washington

DC meeting • Attend ASAP Meeting at JSC in April 2009

Fact finding:• SOMD Budget• Space Shuttle Manifest Update• Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Update (with

Science and Exploration)• ISS Briefing (with Science)

• The major ISS objective is to permit experiments in weightlessness and to promote commercial work. Review programs in areas which have been funded, RFPs released or specific investments already made to utilize the ISS.