ISS Adventures: A Kerbalized Recreation of Missions to the International Space Station

[alberro+]

Excellent stuff dude, really looking forward to seeing more pics!

Edited September 12, 2021 by alberro+

[lemon cup]

STS-104....coming soon

 

 

[lemon cup]

STS-104   -   July 12th, 2001

To keep large, complex space stations such as the ISS in good working order requires a regular schedule of Extra-Vehicular Activities - or "Spacewalks" - by astronauts to replace and repair faulty components exposed to the harsh conditions of space. In the station's early years, it relied exclusively on visiting Space Shuttles to carry out these operations, using the shuttles' built-in airlocks as the point of egress and ingress for NASA spacewalkers.

In order for the ISS to gain full autonomy from the Shuttle, which could only stay docked for roughly 2 weeks at a time, the station needed its own airlock module. The "Quest" Joint Airlock was the solution, and was the final pressurized module constructed at Marshall Space Flight Center by Boeing, following the same design lineage as the Unity and Destiny modules..

This was the 24th flight of Space Shuttle Atlantis, and was the first to fly with a new "Block II" main engine (later designated RS-25D) which featured improvements to the fuel pump. This was also the last time a crew of 5 astronauts would fly aboard a Space Shuttle, as all remaining flights would feature 6 or 7 crewmembers. 

Click here to view the full Mission Album

Atlantis arrived in the standard 51.6-degree inclination orbit, with rendezvous scheduled for flight Day 2. In the cargo bay, riding in front of the Quest module, were two Spacelab pallets carrying the four High-Pressure Gas Containers - two each Oxygen and Nitrogen - that would be installed on the module. 

Once docked to the ISS, hatches were opened, and the crew was greeted by the three Expedition 2 members. At this point Expedition 2 had been in progress for 4 months and 5 days. 

After transferring some equipment, the STS-104 crew returned to the Shuttle and closed the hatches again, in preparation for the following days-worth of work.

Due to the angles and distance involved between the Shuttle's robotic arm and the berthing location of the Quest airlock, CanadArm2 was required to do the job. Expedition 2 member Susan Helms commandeered the arm from the workstation in the Destiny module, while STS-104 flight engineer Janet Kavandi operated the Shuttle arm. 

This was CanadArm2’s first official berthing operation of its illustrious career.

The unique layout of “Quest” provided a large area in the front of the module for crewmembers to perform a "Camp-out Procedure" whereby they would isolate for a full day in a reduced-pressure environment (identical to their spacesuits). This greatly reduced the ill-effects of pressure differentials on the human body.

All three spacewalks were performed by astronauts Mike Gernhardt and Jim Reilly. The first EVA was devoted to preparing and berthing the Quest module. The second EVA focused on finalizing connections to the module and outfitting it with three of the four HP gas containers, which would be used to store large quantities of breathable air for re-pressuring the airlock.

The third and final EVA was carried out from Quest itself, marking the first-ever use of the module. Astronauts liken exiting the Quest’s airlock hatch to skydiving from 250 miles up, as the hatch points straight down at the Earth.

Afterwards, the two astronauts focused their attention to the top of the P6 solar array. Frequent component inspections like this were vital to keeping the ISS up and running smoothly.

Mission complete! STS-104 was also referred to as "ISS Construction Flight 7A" within the ISS program, and this was considered the end of construction "Phase 1." With the addition of the dedicated airlock module, the International Space Station was a fully functioning orbital laboratory and able to carry out essential functions on its own. 

On July 22nd, 2001, after 8 days of docked operations, Atlantis departed with her crew of five. At the end of three additional days of free-flight, the Space Shuttle touched down at KSC on July 25th. 

Expedition 2 was now drawing to end. Concurrently to Atlantis touching down safely at Cape Canaveral, Space Shuttle Discovery was being prepped on nearby Pad 39A for its upcoming mission - just 17 days later - to rotate in a fresh team.

UP NEXT, Expedition 3 travels to the ISS on STS-105!

 

Edited September 17, 2021 by lemon cup

[AmateurAstronaut1969]

Hey sorry but what Config is giving the HabTech modules a slight metallic shininess?Is it the TUFX, or is it a Config?

If it’s a Config, please may I have it - I think it would look really good on Freedom 

Awesome work guys

[Jacktical]

12 minutes ago, AmateurAstronaut1969 said:

Hey sorry but what Config is giving the HabTech modules a slight metallic shininess?Is it the TUFX, or is it a Config?

If it’s a Config, please may I have it - I think it would look really good on Freedom 

Awesome work guys

I would like to know this as well. Thanks  

[Kuiper_Belt]

4 hours ago, AmateurAstronaut1969 said:

Hey sorry but what Config is giving the HabTech modules a slight metallic shininess?Is it the TUFX, or is it a Config?

If it’s a Config, please may I have it - I think it would look really good on Freedom 

Awesome work guys

 

4 hours ago, Hatattack said:

I would like to know this as well. Thanks  

That’s actually a textures unlimited config. It’s called Magpie mods and it has a massive list of mods that it turns shiny. It actually makes almost every part shiny, which in my opinion looks very bad… (Especially on insulation parts such as the Space Shuttle thermal blankets, SOFI and what have you) so I’ve deleted and trimmed every config file until everything I don’t want shiny is not shiny and the other way around. It was actually Lemons suggestion to add it to the suite of mods used and I will say that I don’t regret adding it as it really does push it the extra mile! You just need to get your hands a little dirty in the config files! Hope this helps!

STS-105 is coming down the pipe. Hopefully out some point in the next 7 days!

[AmateurAstronaut1969]

1 minute ago, Kuiper_Belt said:

You just need to get your hands a little dirty in the config files! Hope this helps!

Ah awesome! I’ll give it a try, thanks

[Kuiper_Belt]

STS-105 & Expedition 3 - August 10th 2001

Expedition 2 launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery on March 8th of 2001 and officially began on March 10th replacing the crew of Expedition 1. During that time they oversaw experiments The arrivals of CanadArm 2, the Quest Joint Airlock and the first space tourist. Their 163 day mission aboard the orbital outpost was coming to a close, signaling the return of Discovery to pick up her crew and rotate in the crew of Expedition 3. Expedition 3 was composed of Commander Frank Culbertson of NASA, and Fight Engineers Vladimir Dezhurov and Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos.

Standing by at Pad 39-A, Discovery waited for her crew to board. Slated for delivery to the station included the Multi Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo. The MPLM carried several EXPRESS racks and other supplies such as food, water, tools and oxygen.  In front of the MPLM was the Integrated Cargo Carrier or ICC.  on top rested the Early Ammonia Servicer (EAS) and Materials  International Space Station Experiments (MISSE) 1 & 2. 

STS-105 and the crew stood by for launch and became the only Shuttle mission to launch before the scheduled optimal launch time. All other missions launched at or after the optimal launch time in the 10 minute launch window. This early departure was caused by an approaching storm that would have violated launch restraints. Discovery lifted off at 5:10 PM EDT on August 10th bound for the ISS with a planned arrival in 2 days time.

Discovery docked to the ISS on August 12th at 6:41 PM UTC. At this same time and date Expedition 3 began running in parallel with Expedition 2. STS-105 and the Expedition 2 crews began the hatch opening procedures on both sides.

After hatch opening the crew used the CanadArm to lift Leonardo out of Discovery's payload bay and berthed it to the Unity nadir port. Afterwards the crew began unloading the cargo held within.

After several days of internal work on the station, Astronauts Daniel Barry and Patrick Forrester exited Discovery's airlock and began the activities of their EVAs. The crews objectives were to remove launch restraints and install the EAS to the P6 Truss trunnion pin, install the MISSEs on the exterior of the station and lay cables for the future S0 truss. 

After the EVAs, the crew began working to pack and reinstall the MPLM to Discovery's payload bay. 

The crew prepared for undocking after spending nearly 8 days docked to the International Space Station. At 2:51 UTC Expedition 2 ended when Discovery undocked from the ISS. The Shuttle would back off and coast for 2 days before returning to Earth. 

While in free flight before reentry, Discovery released a small payload apart of the Shuttle Small Payloads Project or SSPP. On this flight was the Cell Growth in Microgravity Canister, Microgravity Smoldering Combustion Experiment, and the released satellite, Simplesat.

Discovery would begin to prepare for reentry and landing over the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

At 2:23 PM EDT, Space Shuttle Discovery landed on Runway 15 at the Kennedy Space Center. The crew of Expedition 2 back on Earth after 167 days in space and STS-105 with nearly 12 days in space. Expedition 3 had just begun and looked forward to the next visits and additions to the International Space Station. 

Coming Up Next, Progress M-45!

Edited September 22, 2021 by Kuiper_Belt

[Spaceman.Spiff]

@Kuiper_Belt New TUFX profile? These look really nice.

[lemon cup]

A little earlier than expected, but on par with the events as they happened in real life, here's Progress M-45!

Progress M-45   -   August 21^st, 2001

The day after Space Shuttle Discovery departed from the ISS, leaving the 3-member crew of Expedition 3 to assume full charge of the station, Progress M-45 lifted off into the heavens. It was the fifth spacecraft of this type to visit the ISS and carried a small plethora of cargo items for the new crew.

Progress M-45 launched in the early afternoon from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan atop a Soyuz-U launch vehicle.

The next day, after confirming the successful orbital insertion of Progress M-45, mission control at Roscosmos undocked and deorbited its predecessor craft, Progress M1-6. Now packed with waste material and trash, M1-6 burned up over the Pacific Ocean after 93 days in space.

Rendezvous with the ISS occurred on August 23^rd and successfully docked to the aft port of Zvezda, which Progress M1-6 had vacated just 27 hours earlier.

Unloading of the Progress vehicle began soon after, and was one of the very first tasks undertaken by the brand new Expedition 3 crew.

Up next, the Russian Segment gets a new permanent module - Pirs - courtesy of Progress M-S01!

[Kuiper_Belt]

On 9/22/2021 at 7:08 PM, Spaceman.Spiff said:

@Kuiper_Belt New TUFX profile? These look really nice.

Hey thanks a lot! That’s one of the two configs I’ve been working on in time between missions! I’ve had them for about a month but I have been messing around with others profiles. Glad to hear you like them! 

Edited September 25, 2021 by Kuiper_Belt
Wow! 2 posts at the same time!

[lemon cup]

3 minutes ago, Kuiper_Belt said:

Wow! 2 posts at the same time!

[Jacktical]

Thank you so much for mentioning me as an inspiration! I hope I can be just as good as you one day  

[Kuiper_Belt]

Progress DC-1 & The Pirs Docking Compartment - September 14th 2001

Pirs meaning "Pier" in English was the third major component added to the Russian Orbital Segment of the International Space Station. Pirs provided an additional docking port to the ISS and an airlock for those utilizing an Orlan space suit. Docking to the nadir port of Zvezda, Pirs would adapt the Russian Hybrid SSVP (which in addition to standard SSVP hardware, the hybrid version features an APAS hard docking ring for the permanent mating of space station modules) to the standard SSVP docking system, one that was compatible with the Soyuz and Progress.

Pirs was planned to be the first major module of the ISS to be removed. It was to be replaced with the Universal Docking Module though Russia eventually found their funding issues insurmountable and retooled the planned ROS by moving the Nauka module from Zarya's nadir port to Zvezda's counterpart. Pirs' undocking date was eventually placed in the year 2013 giving it a 12 year stay at the ISS but due to delays with Nauka, Pirs would eventually spend nearly 20 years docked to the orbital outpost, departing the International Space Station on July 26th, 2021, with Progress MS-16. Pirs' spirit lives on with her nearly identical sister module Poisk meaning "Search" still attached to the zenith port of Zvezda.

Pirs couldn't be launched just on its own. Unlike Zarya and Zvezda, Pirs was effectively inert on its own as it didn't feature integrated fuel systems, propulsion or power generation to manage its orbit and sustain itself during rendezvous. RKK Energia's solution to the problem was to launch it aboard a modified Progress. Progress DC-1 replaced the traditionally present pressurized cargo module with Pirs, leaving only the progress service module to manager it's rendezvous procedures. Once docked to the ISS, the service module would be jettisoned leaving Pirs with the exposed SSVP docking port. 

Pirs stood by at Site 1/5 of the Baikonur Cosmodrome on a Soyuz U carrier rocket awaiting launch for the station at 23:34 UTC.

Once in orbit, Progress DC-1 with Pirs coasted in the standard two day rendezvous orbit, making adjustments when necessary.

Pirs docked to Zvezda's nadir port on September 17th 2001 beginning its 7000 plus day stay at the orbital outpost. The crew of Expedition 3 began work to integrate Pirs with the rest of the Russian Orbital Segment.

Progress DC-1 would spend a total 9 days attached to the station, undocking on September 26th 2001 and deorbit the following day over the Pacific Ocean. 

Though with the departure of Pirs' service module and the end of the Progress DC-1 mission, the work of integrating Pirs was not done. Vladimir Dezhurov and Mikhail Tyurin crew of Expedition 2 would conduct 2 spacewalks. The first EVA took place on October 8th, and the second on October 15th. Dezhurov and Tyurin worked on connecting data, electrical and fuel conduits between Pirs and Zvezda while Commander Frank Culvertson directed the EVAs from within the station.

4 days after the EVAs concluded, on October 19th, 2001, the crew boarded Soyuz TM-32 to give Pirs the ultimate test and undocked from the ISS to dock with the new module. The whole relocation took 16 minutes from detachment to capture.

Authors Note: I would like to thank the incredibly innovative  @lemon cup for designing the Pirs module! It looks fantastic  ! 

After boarding the ISS, the crew of Expedition 3 prepared for the primary purpose of the relocation. Soyuz TM-32 had been approaching its designed limit of time in space which necessitated a replacement lifeboat Soyuz. 

Up Next, Soyuz TM-33!

Edited October 3, 2021 by Kuiper_Belt

[bokrif]

Fantastic screenshots of your meticulous work! 

[lemon cup]

Sorry for the delay, everyone! TM-33 will be up in the next couple of days, in the meantime here is another look at some EVAs conducted by the Expedition 3 crew in mid-October of 2001!

The two Expedition-3 members Vladimir Dezhurov and Mikhail Tyurin conducted the first spacewalks from the Pirs module, marking the first EVAs outside of the International Space Station utilizing the Russian Orlan suits. The objective of these spacewalks were to connect cables and install components on the exterior of Pirs. The most notable was the relocation of the Strela crane from PMA-1 to Pirs. 

Soyuz TM-33 coming VERY soon

Edited October 10, 2021 by lemon cup

[lemon cup]

Soyuz TM-33   -   October 21st, 2001

The robust Soyuz vehicle has endured the test of time as a simple and reliable spacecraft, but even the best equipment still has a service life. As such Soyuz vehicles are deemed capable of remaining in the harsh vacuum of space for up to 6 months before needing to be replaced due to component safety concerns.

TM-33 was the second Soyuz replacement, or "taxi," mission launched to the ISS. The mission was hosted in part by the French CNES space agency in a partnership with Roskosmos to achieve a presence in space. Cosmonauts Viktor Afanasiyev and Konstantin Kozeyev were accompanied by French astronaut Claudie Haignere, who on this flight became the first French woman in space.

Check out the full Album HERE.

Launch occurred in the early afternoon of October 21st, 2001 from Baikonur Cosmodrome into clear skies.

Like most vehicle rendezvous to the ISS, TM-33 spent two days in orbit catching up to the station. Approach and docking occurred on October 23rd.

TM-33 docked to the nadir port of Zarya, and the crew disembarked for 8 days of activities alongside the Expedition-3 crewmembers.

At the conclusion of the mission, the TM-33 crew boarded the older Soyuz and undocked from the Pirs module, leaving their newer Soyuz to serve as the replacement station lifeboat.

A safe parachute landing and touchdown in Kazakhstan on Halloween brought the TM-33 mission to an end.

Coming up: some more station activities such as more spacewalks, relocating the new Soyuz to Pirs, and the arrival of the next resupply vehicle, Progress M1-7!

Edited October 13, 2021 by lemon cup

[D0m1nu2]

Amazing as always! 
Just one thing about Soyuz/Progress docking to Pirs and later to Poisk, they doesn't dock at rotation (about 45°) like to Zarya/Rassvet but they dock exactly 0° as you can see here on this picture.

[BekfastDerp13]

Looks amazing! Can't wait for the next mission!

[lemon cup]

5 hours ago, D0m1nu2 said:

Amazing as always! 
Just one thing about Soyuz/Progress docking to Pirs and later to Poisk, they doesn't dock at rotation (about 45°) like to Zarya/Rassvet but they dock exactly 0° as you can see here on this picture.

Very nice observation and thank you for this detail! 

I know that (at least on the aft Zvezda port, and the Zarya nadir port) all vehicles dock at one particular angle, which I understand is to match up the unique air and fluid transfer lines. That allows Progress vehicles to refuel and resupply the station through the docking port. I assume Pirs does not have the provisions for fuel, so I wonder does it still have air transfer lines too? 

Though I’m guessing the main reason for changing the docking orientation is to give plenty of clearance for future modules like Rassvet.
 

 

[Kuiper_Belt]

On 10/12/2021 at 9:37 AM, D0m1nu2 said:

Amazing as always! 
Just one thing about Soyuz/Progress docking to Pirs and later to Poisk, they doesn't dock at rotation (about 45°) like to Zarya/Rassvet but they dock exactly 0° as you can see here on this picture.
 

Thanks! I never really noticed that about Pirs and Poisk but in retrospect it makes total sense! I rotated the docking port for future missions. Thanks for the tip!

On 10/12/2021 at 3:45 PM, lemon cup said:

Though I’m guessing the main reason for changing the docking orientation is to give plenty of clearance for future modules like Rassvet.

Expanding on that, I’m thinking that when Pirs was designed for this rotation was to make clearance for Nauka which was originally going to be placed where Rassvet now rests. In that timeline I believe Pirs would be replaced by the Universal Docking Module.

But in regards to our timeline…

 

Progress M1-7 Coming Soon! In glorious version 1.12.2! 

[D0m1nu2]

On 10/12/2021 at 10:45 PM, lemon cup said:

Very nice observation and thank you for this detail! 

I know that (at least on the aft Zvezda port, and the Zarya nadir port) all vehicles dock at one particular angle, which I understand is to match up the unique air and fluid transfer lines. That allows Progress vehicles to refuel and resupply the station through the docking port. I assume Pirs does not have the provisions for fuel, so I wonder does it still have air transfer lines too? 

Though I’m guessing the main reason for changing the docking orientation is to give plenty of clearance for future modules like Rassvet.
 

 

Yes, as you and Killer belt said it's to make space for future modules. 

But I've been searching some information about Pirs and I've found out that it allowed fuel transfer to Zvezda module so there was some fuel line there.

[Kuiper_Belt]

Progress M1-7 - November 26, 2001

Expedition 3 now in the latter half of their mission aboard the International Space Station have come to the point where they need to prepare for the next Progress resupply mission. Progress M1-7 a fuel biased cargo mission stands by at Site 1/5 of the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on top of the venerable Soyuz-FG carrier rocket. However between the departure of Soyuz TM-32 and Launch of Progress, Several activities occurred.

Vladimir Dezhurov and Frank Culbertson ventured outside the station from Pirs on the 12th of November to check the Strela Crane. They simulated a payload by placing a spacewalker at the end of the crane. In addition they make connections to help activate the Kurs automated docking system. 

Authors Note: I mistakenly used The Sokol Space Suit instead of The Orlan Space Suit. Note to self: Don't mix space suits in the ISS washing machine  

Afterwards,  On November 22nd, 2001, Progress M44 undocked from the aft port on Zvezda to make space for Progress M1-7. It deorbited later that day.

Unbeknownst to the ground or the crew at the time, Progress M-45 left debris on the aft port of Zvezda that would prevent a hard docking to the ISS.

Meanwhile back at Baikonur Progress M1-7 prepares for its midnight launch.

After reaching orbit, Progress M1-7 tweaked its orbit and perfected its approach to the ISS. 

Docking Confirmed! Ground control determines that the docking apparatus cannot support a hard capture with the station due to debris left by Progress M-44. Despite this on November 28th at 19:43 UTC Progress M1-7 made a soft capture with the ISS. The only way to clear the debris was via an unscheduled EVA which was conducted by Dezurov and Tyurin on December 3rd , 2001.

Afterwards the hard docking attempt was successful. This allowed the Expedition 3 crew to begin to unload the cargo delivered by Progress M1-7 and for propellent transfer to begin. 

After receiving Progress M1-7 , Expedition 3 was very close to being complete. As they worked on unloading the food, water, oxygen, and experiments delivered, crews in Florida prepared Endeavour for flight, for she would bring them home and deliver their replacements.

Up Next, STS-108 and Expedition 4!

[lemon cup]

STS-108 coming soon

[lemon cup]

STS-108   -   December 5th, 2001

Rounding out the final manned spaceflight of the year 2001, STS-108 was the 12th Space Shuttle visit to the ISS.

On this mission, Endeavour delivered supplies, equipment, and most importantly: the three-man crew of Expedition 4. Commanding the newest Expedition team was cosmonaut Yury Onufriyenko, joined by astronauts Daniel Bursch and Carl Walz.

The 4-member Shuttle crew, consisting of astronauts that would be remaining with Endeavour and returning along with the crew of Expedition 3 at the end of the 12 day mission, was Commander Dom Pudwill Gorie, pilot Mark Kelly, and flight engineers Linda Godwin and Dan Tani. As was standard practice for ISS Expedition rotations, the Shuttle crew was seated above on the flight deck, while the Expedition 4 crewmembers rode below on the middeck.

STS-108 launched on the evening of December 5th from LC-39B.

Check out the full 24-photo album!

STS-108 was the first Shuttle flight following the September 11th attacks on the United States. It was seen as fitting that Endeavour would carry 3 distinct US flags recovered from the attack sites, as well as sets of police and fire department patches, and 6000 smaller US flags which would be given to families of the victims. Flying flags and other memorabilia on Shuttle missions was a tradition and considered an honor, but this was the first time items were flown in the wake of a national tragedy. 

 

Endeavour's payload bay was outfitted with the Raffaelo MPLM. This was the second flight of the Italian-built cargo module, and mostly contained equipment, supplies, and scientific experiments for the crew of Expedition 4 to outfit them for the duration of their stay aboard the ISS.

Rendezvous and docking occurred on December 7th. The ten combined crew members of STS-108 and the ISS greeted each other inside the spacious Destiny laboratory immediately following the hatch opening.

The next day, it was time to get to work berthing the MPLM to the underside of the Unity module so that unloading could begin.

On the third day of docked operations, Shuttle flight engineers Linda Godwin and Dan Tani conducted the only EVA of the mission. The primary goal was to install specially designed thermal covers on the top of the solar truss. Partial failures had been noted on the mechanical motors that rotated the solar array, and it was thought that protecting them from direct sunlight would mitigate that.

At the conclusion of the mission, the crew of Expedition 3 bid farewell to the ISS after 124 days in charge of the station. Raffaelo was repacked with waste material and experiments completed by the crew during the expedition.

Coming up, the new crew of Expedition 4 carries out some EVAs from Pirs, unpacks the Strea-2 crane, and prepares for the arrival of Progress M1-8!

 

Edited November 3, 2021 by lemon cup