December 9th, 2002
Up December 9th, 2002 December 16th, 2002 January 6th, 2003 January 13th, 2003 January 20th, 2003 January 27th, 2003 February 3rd, 2003 February 10th, 2003 February 17th, 2003 February 24th, 2003 March 3rd, 2003 March 10th, 2003 March 17, 2003 March 24, 2003 March 31, 2003

 

This week I realized how huge my EQ is.  I took up an entire whiteboard with a tree diagram concerning everything I related to improving the science and research yield on the ISS.  Now I truly understand how big a problem NASA has to overcome in the future.  I also dislike the critics of the ISS who say that there is not enough science.  ISS isn’t even finished yet!

As huge as the EQ is, its very difficult for me to pick a single part of the ISS to focus on.  I am interested in everything about the ISS, everything.  In fact, I had briefly considered changing the entire focus of my Senior Project to Linux so I wouldn’t have to narrow my focus.  A bad thing to do the week before presentations, but I did consider it.  I talked with John Ranta about both avenues, and he asked all the right questions to help evolve both EQs. 

With Linux an EQ could focus on the complexities of the Open Source movement, a very nontraditional approach to software development that according to ways of capitalism shouldn’t work at all.  Apparently, it does work, and work well, with the use of Linux and other Open Source software growing each year after Linus Travolds created the Linux kernel in 1991.  The other avenue to take with Linux is a more technical aspect rather than social, determining if Linux is a better solution to Windows in a school environment.  An obvious applied piece would be to convert the Writing Lab to Linux, as the machines in there are old and run Windows 2000 and Microsoft Office very slowly.

There are many challenges surrounding the ISS’ science agenda, but the most obvious is the lack on manpower.  In order to have that manpower, there needs to be a way to get them there and a place for them to stay once they arrive.  SpaceHab was originally going to supply living quarters for an extended crew but President Bush has recently terminated that project.  There is the U.S. Shuttle, and the Soyuz, but both have significant drawbacks.  A new space vehicle needs to be designed to allow easy passage to and from the ISS, allowing for larger crews and with more specialized scientists.  Thanks to John’s excellent prodding questions, I have decided what to do for my Senior Project – develop a Crew Transfer Vehicle, or CTV, for the ISS.

Over the next week I plan to create my Senior Project Proposal.

This project is dedicated to the crew of STS-107.

May we learn from our mistakes and improve the safety of manned spaceflight.