Andrew Farnaby's ISS model

[bh]

I feel I owe the Celestia and Orbiter communities and above all Andrew Farnaby of the Project Alpha ISS an apology. He has however been kind enough to give me permission to continue to host his converted ISS models...phew!

It never was and never will be my intention to 'rip-off' anyones work.

Many thanks Andrew.

Regards...bh.

[bh]

The ISS page has been updated...Andrew has tweaked the ISS complete model specifically for Celestia, with a new texture pack. This must be the difinitive model of the ISS for Celestia users!

http://www.berasan.com/celestia/iss.html

Regards...bh.

[selden]

Overall, it looks great! Andrew obviously spent a lot of time on the model.

However,....
(you knew that was coming, right? I can always find something to quibble about )

The JEM-Kibo assembly could be improved somewhat.
As best I can tell from various "official" pictures, the model's JEM ELM-PS is a little taller than it should be, and the JEM remote manipulator arm seems to be missing.

A simplified reference diagram of the complete ISS is at http://spacelink.nasa.gov/Instructional.Materials/NASA.Educational.Products/International.Space.Station.Assembly/components_large.jpg
a drawing of the JEM section is at
http://aerospacescholars.jsc.nasa.gov/HAS/cirr/Images/jemoutlg.jpg

Apparently the JEM module already has been delivered to NASA. It's too bad the entire ISS never will be completed.

[Bob Hegwood]

Apparently the JEM module already has been delivered to NASA. It's too bad the entire ISS never will be completed.

Can one ask why you say that, Selden? Sorry, but I haven't heard.

Thanks, Bob

[selden]

Bob,

I was referring to the fact that the ISS project has been repeatedly scaled back due to massive cost overruns and schedule slippages. It now is planned to be much smaller than the original design.

The February, 2003, congressional report on the situation is available at http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/tech/space/stations.pdf
It includes a history of the cutbacks and the most likely assembly sequence for what's left.

The simplified reference diagram that I mention in my previous posting above corresponds to Andrew's model. It optimistically includes "Node 3."

In 2001, President Bush directed the indefinate deferral of "Node 3" and its associated "Habitation module" and crew return vehicle. He also cancelled the Propulsion Module, which isn't in the diagram or in the model. It would have projected from the "Pressurized Mating Adaptor" that is adjacent to the JEM module that I was quibbling about.

*sigh*

While I agree with the people who say that robotic exploration is much more cost effective than manned spaceflight, I also believe that manned spaceflight is an essential part of our future.

[Bob Hegwood]

Thanks for the explanation, Selden, but now I'm really confused.

Since when does the president dictate the details of NASA's operations?
I thought, perhaps naively, that these things were decided on by congress?

Oh well. doesn't surprise me. You'd think that *someone* might realize
that the future of the whole human race lies "out there" somewhere though.
<shrug>

[selden]

Bob,

Congress proposes, the Executive branch disposes

The agencies are actually controlled by the executive branch of the government. Essentially congress specifies how much money is available, but then the executive branch tells them what to do with it, so long as it doesn't violate provisions in the appropriations bill.

Bush wants NASA to send people to the Moon and Mars, not to low orbiting space stations.

[Bob Hegwood]

Bush wants NASA to send people to the Moon and Mars, not to low orbiting space stations.

Well, if *that's* the case, he can let the whole ISS fall into the ocean then
for all I care.
So when do we leave for the Moon?

As always, thanks for the excellent information.

Take care, Bob

[selden]

Unfortunately, there are contractural commitments to other countries that require a lot of money continuing to be spent on the ISS for another decade or so, and NASA hasn't gotten enough more money for the manned deep space program, so they're having to drastically reduce or eliminate many of their other programs.

A copy of Bush's announcement is at http://history.nasa.gov/SEP%20Press%20Release.htm

and a description of NASA's Exploration Strategy is at http://www.exploration.nasa.gov/documents.html

[Bob Hegwood]

A copy of Bush's announcement is at http://history.nasa.gov/SEP%20Press%20Release.htm

and a description of NASA's Exploration Strategy is at http://www.exploration.nasa.gov/documents.html

Damn...

Sorry, Selden. I had *no* idea that all this was going on. I guess that I
should scan the news occasionally, huh?

Thanks *very* much. Now I don't feel so bad about paying all those taxes.

Take care, Bob

[bh]

Yes...I think the project might well be headed for the sea...much like Mir. I'm trying to get some craft to dock with 'our' ISS model to complete a 'Future ISS scenario'...more to come I think.

Looks like shuttle launches to the ISS are again put back....though this time by Mother Nature!

Regards....bh.

[Jeam Tag]

Yes...I think the project might well be headed for the sea...much like Mir. I'm trying to get some craft to dock with 'our' ISS model to complete a 'Future ISS scenario'...

First: this is a great work, congratulation!

Bob, I want to update my OLD ISS and Shuttle pages, so I want to clarify some details:
0/ To make sense of your projects, must I delete the references about your ancient works? Can you tell me a listing of what you exactly want to be avaible or known? I had no really time to correct all my pages, alas, but I want to do, step by step...
Questions:
1/ The Evolution ISS Models were created by Dave Hopkins, the 'Final' ISS -Orbiter default model- by Andrew Farnaby. Correct?
2/ Do you have a particular .ssc files for this last one to follow the previous ones, or the better way is to replace the default Celestia ISS (the two solutions have different trajectories) ?
3/ I have corrected the Infos I've provide sometimes ago for the ISS history: there were some bugs in it, and some links quoted seem now down. (Can't access http://www-ss.ksc.nasa.gov/mission/ etc, for example...)
I purpose now (in english!) a quasi-complete main Readme/Info about the Evolution/Chronology of the ISS, but add the InfoURL link into the .scc files for each stages: seem to me a better way to link that. Can I send you (where?) these updated files ?
Many Regards,
Jeam jeamtag@wanadoo.fr

[bh]

Jeam...I'm sorry about the confusion on this and I must take some blame here. As to your first question...the bh shuttle/ISS page is as up-to-date as is at the moment...as far as I know all credits to the various creators are correct...I'm open to corrections on this though!

1/...As far as I'm aware...this whole series is based on Andrews model...I need to research the Dave Hopkins connection if there is one...I don't want to end up in another 'crushed salad' over this...If you know Dave is involved with these models then more permissions will be required. Perhaps you could get in touch with him?

2/...No...I think TERRIER and Grant were kind enough to extract the data for these...it's just not my field I'm afraid...sorry.

3/...If you would like to update the info page, that would be great...I just don't have the time at the moment.

Jeam...I'm sorry If it seems like I'm copping out of the work...I just wanted to see these great models realised into Celestia! I agree I could have done it better and I should have researched the model sources more vigorously!

More on these and the shuttle later.

Still hoping that Don Amy will submit his excellent translation of his Orbiter shuttle for us to work on!

Regards...bh.

[bh]

I hope to get Jeam's new ISS data for the info sheet up to date by the weekend..sorry Jeam! I've had a few probs of late and have not been able to give this project the time it needs.

Regards...bh.