ISS

BTAEC10: SCIENTIFIC WRITING AND COMMUNICATION Submitted by AYESHA FATHIMA 1MS21BT009 Submitted to Dr. T P Krishna Murthy Assistant Professor Department of Biotechnology Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bengaluru

THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

INDEX

OXYGEN FORMATION

REFERENCES

CAN THE ISS BE SEEN

PURPOSE OF THE ISS

ASTRONAUT TRAINING

RADIATION SHIEDING

WHAT POWERS THE ISS

WHAT IS THE ISS

WHAT IS THE ISS

The International Space Station (ISS) is the largest modular space station in low Earth orbit. The project involves five space agencies: NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), JAXA (Japan), ESA (Europe), and CSA (Canada). The ownership and use of the space station is established by intergovernmental treaties and agreements.[10] The station serves as a microgravity and space environment research laboratory in which scientific research is conducted in astrobiology, astronomy, meteorology, physics, and other fields. The ISS is suited for testing the spacecraft systems and equipment required for possible future long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars.

HOW DO FUEL CELLS HELP IN POWER MANAGEMENT?

WHAT POWERS THE ISS?

As part of the Astronaut Candidate training program, Astronaut Candidates are required to complete military water survival prior to beginning their flying syllabus, and become SCUBA qualified .Candidates are also exposed to the problems associated with high (hyperbaric) and low (hypobaric) atmospheric pressures in the altitude chambers and learn to deal with emergencies associated with these conditions. In addition, astronaut candidates are given exposure to the microgravity of space flight.

ASTRONAUT TRAINING

Astronaut candidates attend classes on shuttle systems, in basic science and technology: mathematics, geology meteorology, guidance and navigation, oceanography, orbital dynamics, astronomy, physics, and materials processing are among the subjects. Candidates also receive training in land and sea survival training, scuba diving, and space suits.Pilots training for a specific mission receive more intensive instruction in Orbiter approach and landing in Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA), which are four Gulfstream II business jets modified to perform like the Orbiter during landing.

SOLAR ARRAYS

Solar arrays that convert energy to electricity on the space station are made of thousands of solar cells. The solar cells are made from purified chunks of the element silicon. These cells directly convert light to electricity using a process called photovoltaics.

The solar arrays produce more power than the station needs at one time for station systems and experiments. When the station is in sunlight, about 60 percent of the electricity that the solar arrays generate is used to charge the station's batteries.

FUEL CELLS ARE A COMPONENT IN THE ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEM

FUEL CELLS

Three fuel cell power plants, through a chemical reaction, generate all of the electrical power for the vehicle from launch through landing rollout.

The excess heat is directed to fuel cell heat exchangers, where the excess heat is rejected to Freon coolant loops. The water is directed to the potable water storage subsystem.

The three fuel cell power plants are individually coupled to the reactant (hydrogen and oxygen) distribution subsystem, the heat rejection subsystem, the potable water storage subsystem, and the electrical power distribution and control subsystem. The fuel cell power plants generate heat and water as by-products of electrical power generation.

What are the measures taken to protect the ISS from the effects of radiation and solar proton storms?

Radiation shields

• Whipple Bumper

(Effective at high velocity impacts)It is a single plate of Al, spaced some distance from underlying module

• Stuffed Whipple Bumper
• Mesh Whipple Bumper

Use of H2 rich shielding such as polyethylene in most frequently occupied locations reduces the crew’s exposure to radiation. Polyethylene is 50% better at shielding solar flares and 15% better at shielding cosmic radiation compared to Al. NASA also investigates use of medical supplements to reduce effect of ionizing radiation.

WHAT IS THE TRAINING AN ASTRONAUT MUST UNDERGO BEFORE HE CAN GO ON A MISSION IN THE ISS?

Where do astronauts get their oxygen from?

• The remaining water is used to create oxygen aboard the space station. The OGS, a system designed by NASA, and its accompanying Russian Elektron system utilize the process of electrolysis to split water into its elemental components: hydrogen and oxygen

Electrolysis involves passing an electric current through water from an anode to a cathode, which generates enough energy to separate the atoms. The result is the formation of hydrogen gas, H2, and oxygen gas, O2.

• The space station's oxygen and water system consists of two main elements: the Water Reclamation System, or WRS, and the Oxygen Generation System, or OGS. Each of which depends on the other to function properly
• The WRS collects water from urine, humidity, and condensation, which is then purified to potable standards. But this makes up only a portion of the water aboard the ISS. Some water is also continually shipped from earth to the station to ensure that there's enough "fresh" water being mixed in for the crew.

Production of Oxygen

The Hydrogen gas created by the water splitting reaction is fed back into something called the Sabatier System aboard the ISS. This system combines waste hydrogen with waste carbon dioxide derived from the respiration of the crew to create water and methane through an exothermic reaction. CO2 + 4H2 → CH4 + 2H2O + heat The methane is vented out into space, and the heat is managed through heat exchangers. The ISS and its oxygen generation systems were designed to be able to handle a crew of 7 at maximum. Although, the station is rarely ever staffed up to that level.

Electrolysis of Water

The electricity for this chemical reaction and most of the electricity used aboard the ISS comes from solar panels on the station’s exterior.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF VISITING THE ISS?

The mission of the International Space Station is to enable long-term exploration of space and provide benefits to people on Earth.

PURPOSE OF THE ISS

With six state-of-the-art laboratories, the Space Station will be the premiere research facility in space, four times larger and more capable than any previous space station. It is hoped that it will allow for advancements in medicine, technology and science. For example, studies in micro and hyper gravity will help researchers better understand its effects on humans and offer insight into how the human body works. Growing protein crystals in a space environment can help scientists create better treatment for numerous diseases that currently have no cure.

The Space Station will also serve as the gateway to new frontiers in human space exploration, a place where we can learn how to live and work "off planet." It will allow for the study of long-term effects of weightlessness on the human body and as a test bed to understand what adjustments need to be made to current methods before astronauts are sent to Mars and beyond. In addition, it will allow for critical research in fluids, combustion, life support systems and the radiation environment, which is needed for future human space exploration.

The ISS can be seen with the naked eye but you have to make sure it is above your location when you are viewing it. How will you find out the exact location of it?

Looking for the iss

How to look for the ISS

To spot the ISS, look for a bright, white spot of light moving quickly across the sky. The light will be constant, so if it flashes, or you see red lights, that’s a plane. To find out when the ISS will be visible near you, enter your location at NASA’s ‘Spot the Station’ website (spotthestation.nasa.gov). It’ll tell you exactly when the ISS will be overhead and in which direction to look.

REFERENCES

https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/International_Space_Station/Where_is_the_International_Space_Station

https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/

https://www.pbs.org/spacestation/station/training_2.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Space_Station

THANKS!