Space Team Online QuestChat

Date: June 20, 2001

Featuring: John (Jack) Bacon

Wed Jun 20 12:27:43 2001

[ Lori/NASAChatHost - 0 - 10:02:43 ]
Please join us Wednesday, June 20, for a webchat with NASA expert Jack Bacon, systems integration engineer, from the Johnson Space Center. Please be sure to read the expert’s profile before joining us, so that your questions will be appropriate to Mr. Bacon’s field.

[ Lori/NASAChatHost - 1 - 10:03:59 ]
You may go ahead and place questions in the chatroom now to be answered during the webchat. Please don't post test messages or repeats -- though you may not see your question, it is in the chatroom. Again, PLEASE do not repeat your questions. Enjoy the chat :-)

[ Lori/NASAChatHost - 4 - 12:24:19 ]
Good afternoon everyone. We are here with Jack Bacon, who will answer your questions about the International Space Station. We already have many questions in the room, so Jack would like to go ahead and get started.

[ Lori/NASAChatHost - 5 - 12:25:15 ]
We also want to welcome Pam's students from Arkansas!

[ JackBacon/JSC - 10 - 12:25:52 ]
RE: [Lori/NASAChatHost] We also want to welcome Pam's students from Arkansas!
Hi gang..

[ JackBacon/JSC - 11 - 12:27:08 ]
RE: [AMBER] I am looking for team members who have worked in NASA 1941.
Actually, NASA didn't exist in 1941. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration formed in 1957 out of a previous organization, the National Advisory Council on Aeronautics (NACA) . . . both my grandparents worked there in 1919!

[ JackBacon/JSC - 12 - 12:28:24 ]
RE: [Mike] What was the Galileo spacecraft the first to observe?
Galileo, I think, was the FIRST spacecraft to take a closeup picture of an asteroid. It took pictures of two of them: Gaspara and Ida. When it shot Ida, we discoverd that even asteroids can have tiny moons. Galileo discovered a little moon called Dactyl!

[ JackBacon/JSC - 15 - 12:29:47 ]
RE: [MrSingh] What planet in our solar system was discovered most recently?
Pluto was the last CONFIRMED planet to be discovered, although this year a team of astronomers announced that they MAY have found a "Planet X", which is really so small that some might call it a large asteroid. The debate is on . . . (Science is sometimes a little bit debateable.)

[ Lori/NASAChatHost - 16 - 12:29:49 ]
RE: [UAM] Hi NASA. Do you read us?
Yes, we do! So glad you are able to join us today :-)

[ JackBacon/JSC - 21 - 12:31:07 ]
RE: [UAMRachelBaker] How do they keep in touch with their families while they are in the ISS? When do you project their families will be able to live in the ISS?
We have radio and TV links, and email every day. Jim Voss's wife works down the hall from me, and she stays in touch with him every day. The families also send letters and gifts up and down on shuttles and Russian spacecraft. They even sent a guitar once!

[ Lori/NASAChatHost - 22 - 12:31:43 ]
RE: [UAMPam] Have you gotten all of our questions so far?
Yes, I have. They are all in the moderation room, waiting to be added a few at a time. Great questions, by the way!!

[ JackBacon/JSC - 23 - 12:33:21 ]
RE: [UAMJAAAMM] What is the purpose of the ISS?
The ISS is there to open up the force of GRAVITY as a tool that we can use in our technology. Sixteen nations around the world are convinced that GRAVITY will have the same effect on our world (and our economy) that other forces like electricity, magnetism, radiation, the genetic code, fire, etc. have all had on us. EVERYTHING we know about life, physics, and chemistry is affected by gravity . . . the ISS is there to explore how we can use it to mankind's advantage.

[ JackBacon/JSC - 26 - 12:34:25 ]
RE: [UAMCharles] Explain how astronauts brush their teeth in zero G.
Very much the same as on earth. However, it is not good to spit in zero-G, so we have a special type of toothpaste that the astronauts can swallow. Otherwise, it's pretty much the same!

[ JackBacon/JSC - 27 - 12:37:01 ]
RE: [Reta] What appears to be the most difficult situation you seem to face on the station?
As an engineer, the biggest problem is getting STARTED. We're building something the size of the Astrodome up there, and it's hard to put up one piece that doesn't need something else to exist. Previous space stations went up already assembled on the ground. This is like building a battleship out in the middle of the ocean. How would you start without having the first pieces sink? We have a LOT of such issues in getting started out in space, if we don't launch it all at once. From a life sciences standpoint, our biggest problem is keeping in shape, and avoiding bone loss. That takes over two hours of exercise every day!

[ JackBacon/JSC - 30 - 12:39:08 ]
RE: [Bill] Hello. I am a middle school science teacher. What advice should I give to my students if they wish to prepare for a career is aerospace?
In the space business, we re-create the entire human existence out in a vacuum, so EVERYTHING we know about life needs to be re-thought, and put into an aluminum can. We need biologists, chemists, engineers, translators, writers, electricians, plumbers . . . space is VERY complicated, and takes the whole range of human skills. The only key is that everyone we hire is typically the best at what they do, because of the unique challenges that we ask them to solve.

[ JackBacon/JSC - 33 - 12:40:41 ]
RE: [UAMPam] What is the Vomit Comet? What is Zero G?
I've been on the Vomit Comet . . . an airplane that drops through the sky at free-fall speeds, letting everything inside "float" for a few seconds, before they have to "pull up". We get just a few seconds to check out ideas before we commit them to space flight, but sometimes, it's REALLY a valuable experience!

[ JackBacon/JSC - 34 - 12:42:50 ]
RE: [UAMJenny] What kind of research are they doing up there now?
We're doing studies on human physiology, pharmokinetics, immunology, materials, and especially crystal growth. Crystals of 1/3 of all animal and plant proteins can ONLY be grown in space, and the crystals are an essential step in studying how to make medicines to fight against the diseases associated with those proteins. We also did some work on insulin, for diabetes.

[ JackBacon/JSC - 37 - 12:47:22 ]
RE: [BobYakusScienceTeacher] My Anatomy & Physiology students once asked me if Astronauts experienced greater blood flow in space due blood not having to fight gravity as compared to wiethlessness? They also asked if Bladder preasure would be less due to less force on the abdominal pelvic cavity once you're in space? We could only quess.
It's complicated, but our understanding is as follows: In zero-G, the veins in your legs keep doing what they did on the ground, assisting the heart by pushing blood back to your torso. This pools blood in your upper body. Your body's blood regulation system is up near your neck, and these "baroreceptors" tell the kidneys to get rid of excess fluid. This is a WRONG thing to do, but the body does it anyway, making a temporary chemical inbalance in the blood, and a lower blood volume. We need to reverse the effect when astronauts come down, and we make them drink about two liters of water on re-entry day.

[ JackBacon/JSC - 38 - 12:48:47 ]
RE: [Mitchel] Would a magnetic field surounding a planet affect meteorites?
Only REALLY tiny iron or nickel ones. Mostly, meteorites are "ballistic" in free space, and punch through the region of a planet VERY fast. It's the atmosphere that slows them down, if they don't make it all the way to the ground!

[ JackBacon/JSC - 40 - 12:50:52 ]
RE: [UAMDrTravis] Will there be cloning in space? Will that occur on this ISS?
No cloning experiments, to my knowledge, yet. There are a LOT of basics that we have to learn yet, both about cloning itself in regular G, and also about all the effects of space on life forms. It would be possibly too confusing to understand the effects if we tried to clone in space...would it be the cloning, or the space that made the interesting phenomenon? Too soon to ask the question!

[ JackBacon/JSC - 43 - 12:54:43 ]
RE: [UAMJenny] What are most of the medications being developed for? Cancer? AIDS? Diabetes? The common cold? Asthma? Have the astronauts caught colds in space?
YES -- to all of the above. The diseases you mention are all related to proteins . . . there are 150,000 different types of them in the human body alone, which says that 50,000 or more of them can only be grown in space. We have decades of work ahead of us to get samples of all of them. Part 2: Yes, the astronauts have caught colds from the "bugs" already aboard the spacecraft. Because they live in a closed, warm, humid environment, there will always be "bugs" in space. The Russians even get their cosmonauts ready for spaceflight by culturing YOGURT with samples of the water from the space station in it, to grow the microbes that are thriving there, so that the cosmonauts can build up immunity. We have done some experiments that show that microbes get more virulent, while the immune system suppresses a bit (isn't as effective) in space. There will be more studies about this.

[ JackBacon/JSC - 46 - 12:57:40 ]
RE: [VikrantNarang] Hello Mr. Bacon, I am a space enthusiast from India. Am following the progress of ISS with a keen interest :-) my question – What’s so special about the design of Pressurized Mating Adapter (PMA)? Are they being used for the first time in a space station. is yes then what was the substitute earlier?
The PMA is a new generation of soemthing we built with the Russians for MIR. It is a zig-zag shape that allows us to use as little of the shuttel as possible for docking mechanisms, while keeping as much of the payload bay as possible available for cargo. It's really just a special tube that adapts from the American end of the space station down to the Russian docking mechanism that we use to dock shuttles to the station. Other than that, they're about the simplest things on the station.

[ JackBacon/JSC - 49 - 13:00:21 ]
RE: [UAMrachel] What do you think is the greatest reward in what you do?
I REALLY believe that we are making huge progress in world peace by doing this. We have 16 countries, 11 languages, and 7 space agencies solving the problems of the most complicated project ever undertaken by our species, and it is our first step in the permanent occupation of the Cosmos. I believe that we are making history EVERY SINGLE DAY, so it is easy to jump out of bed and dash into work each day. Also, the travel around the world is nice . . . 22 countires on 5 continents so far, working on and talking about the ISS . . . and somebody else is always paying for the ticket!

[ JackBacon/JSC - 50 - 13:01:53 ]
RE: [UAMOliviaShaw] 1.How old do you have to be to live in a space Station? Will children ever be allowed to live there? 2. What would they do for entertainment?
Astronauts have flown as young as 27 and as old as 77. The first space tourist just flew a month ago, and there will be many, many more in your lifetime. So, yes, I think that SOMEDAY there will be children in space, and that each of you have a finite chance of going there sometime in your lifetimes.

[ JackBacon/JSC - 51 - 13:03:38 ]
RE: [UAMPam] roots grow down... do roots of plants grow differently in zero g?
Roots grow in spiral, odd angles like steel wool. We have experiments planned in a small centrifuge that will operate on the ISS, to find out just how much gravity is necessary to restore "normal" growth. For instance, will there be enough on the moon (1/6G)? or Mars (1/3 G)?

[ JackBacon/JSC - 53 - 13:06:58 ]
RE: [UAMJAAAMM] 1. What will the living quarters be like? 2. Will it be healthier to live in the ISS than on earth? 3. What medications can only be made in space? Why? and will they be stable on earth? 4. Does the food taste good? 5. Will gravity be available in the ISS in the near future
The living quarters are like small closets (or sleeping bags, depending upon how you look at them). There will, in the future, be cubicles about the size of coke machines. The food tases about the same, but the taste buds are a little swollen in space (see earlier answer about blood in the upper torso) and that keeps them from working as well, so it all tases slightly more bland than on the ground. The crew uses a lot of Tabasco sauce! In general, it is NOT as healthy in the long term to live forever in zero G, but the astronauts take those risks to help us to understand HOW the body works, and that is very valuable information to have. See the answer about protein crystals for the medicines question.

[ JackBacon/JSC - 55 - 13:10:59 ]
RE: [UAMJacey] What do you like best about space?
Space represents a LIMITLESS future, even more than the New World was to Europe. That little moon around the asteroid Ida (Dactyl) was so tiny we never knew it existed. However, it is ALSO equivalent to all of the iron and nickel that the Earth has EVER mined and smelted. If we went to DACTYL for our iron and nickel, we could avoid polluting Earth with our mining efforts, and even more important, we can burn all the enrgy we want without worrying about the change of the environment. That time in our evolution is coming in a couple of generations, and the work we do today will let us make intelligent plans about how much our species can grow and prosper. I traced my ancestry back 1000 years, to the middle ages. NOBODY among my ancestors has ever lived in such an exciting time, as we do!

[ JackBacon/JSC - 58 - 13:15:13 ]
RE: [UAMAngelaSkender] What would they do if someone died up there?
Good question. It's going to happen someday, because we're going to be there forever, from now on. Death is part of the human experience, and especially when challenging the limits of what we know, such as we do every day in the space program. Four Cosmonauts and ten astronauts have already lost their lives in spacecraft accidents (Kamarov, 3 on Soyuz 1, Apollo 1, and Challenger), and we are certain to have accidents SOMETIME, just as people died conquering fire, the wind, radiation, electricty, and the sky in airplanes. If and when someone dies in space, the world will make every effort to get them back to understand HOW and WHY, to try to minimize the chances that it could happen again (as well as bringing them home for a proper funeral). It's part of the human existence, and it will come someday, unfortunately.

[ JackBacon/JSC - 63 - 13:17:25 ]
RE: [Shawna] UA-M____What are the MMZ requirements for the space station and are there any special problems meeting the electrical supply needs. Zachary
I'm not sure I understand the MMZ acronym...not one I use. However, we generate 120 kilowatts of DC electric power from our huge solar arrays, one of which is already up on the station. The rest are coming, and will make enough power to trip the breakers in four 4-bedroom houses. Please repost the question about MMZ, maybe spell it out?

[ JackBacon/JSC - 64 - 13:19:27 ]
RE: [john] what are your plans after you build the International Space Station
I plan to stick around, to help if I can with the science. I'm already a test subject for some of the experiments, and it would be fun to keep doing that, either on the ground, or especially in space, if possible. I also want to write more books, teach, and travel, telling people about this wonderful laboratory we've built.

[ JackBacon/JSC - 65 - 13:21:23 ]
RE: [UAMPam] How do you dispose of body waste?
Body waste is collected in an air-powered toilet. A lot of the water is removed, and sent to an electrolytic furnace where oxygen is generated, and carbon dioxide reduced to methane. The residual waste is sent home on either the shuttle or usually a Progress spacecraft, which burns up in the atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean.

[ JackBacon/JSC - 66 - 13:22:58 ]
RE: [UAMJarrodHays] What requirements do you have to meet to live in a the ISS?
You have to be selected as an astronaut by one of the seven space agencies. In general, be a citizen of one of the partner nations, be in fair health with correctable eyesight, and no known serious medical problems. If you can ride the most violent carnival rides, you're fit enough to travel in space, generally.

[ Lori/NASAChatHost - 67 - 13:23:36 ]
Everyone, we have about eight more minutes -- time for just a few more questions.

[ JackBacon/JSC - 68 - 13:23:43 ]
RE: [KSCJim] Did NASA research help boeing design their new 'sonic cruiser' (seen in USA Today)
I don't know . . . NASA does a lot of fundamental research so that private companies can benefit.

[ JackBacon/JSC - 70 - 13:25:48 ]
RE: [UAMrachel] Who or what inspried you teo beocme interested in space exploration and why do you want to be an astronaut now?
Building out in space has been something I've dreamed of since Alan Shepherd's flight in 1961. Same is true of almost everyone here (most are younger than me, though). It's a lifelong dream, like going to sea, or playing in the NFL. The fun part is working with thousands of other folks with the same dream, from all over the planet.

[ JackBacon/JSC - 73 - 13:28:22 ]
RE: [UAMJAAAMM] Will this ISS become a more permanent living space or will they build new ones? What is the life expectancy of this ISS? What will they do with it after it outlives it's lifespan?
The ISS is GUARANTEED by its builders to operate a minimum of ten years after "assembly complete", which should be in another five years. However, ALL of us on the project expect that it will go decades longer, and that we will maintain and enhance it along the way. At some point, we will start de-orbiting the oldest pieces, and building replacement parts, or even a replacement station. It will help to start that process on the existing ISS, since it is so hard to start from scratch out in the vacuum (see previous answer about the hard parts).

[ JackBacon/JSC - 74 - 13:30:33 ]
RE: [VikrantNarang] The Russian Soyuz space craft design is over 30 years old, what makes is still safe to use it on ISS as emergency return vehicle?
It is VERY reliable, because of the history and experience they have in flying it. New things always carry some risk. All the crews are very comfortable with the safety of the Soyuz . . . it has one of the best track records of any spacecraft, ever. The only thing we'd improve is to try to make it last a little longer in orbit than six months. There's only one more system to improve to allow it to stay longer, and both the US and Russia are working together on that idea.

[ JackBacon/JSC - 75 - 13:32:39 ]
RE: [KOSARBURCU] HI! I AM A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT IN TURKEY AND MY BIG AMBITION IS TO WORK FOR NASA. CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME INFORMATION ABOUT IT? IS IT POSSIBLE OR WHAT SHOULD I DO TO WORK FOR NASA? THANK YOU
There is information about working at NASA at www.spaceflight.nasa.gov. Your country is not currently a partner in the ISS program, but you can get a work visa and clearance to work in most parts of the business, with the right skills. The trick is to excell at something, and then work for someone who has a contract with the US Government for space work.

[ VikrantNarang - 76 - 13:32:56 ]
Thank for your precious time and valuable guidance .. it was a good experience talking to you :-)

[ JackBacon/JSC - 77 - 13:35:01 ]
RE: [UAMJenny] How do the astronauts keep from getting excessive bone loss? What's The average percentage of muscle loss? Is NASA ever going to find a way to prevent or reduce bone loss? Do the people going in to space have to prepare themselves for bone loss, such as drinking more milk or taking vitamins? Are nurses ever going to be allowed in space, and if so, how long? Have you seen any aliens?-Jarrod What kind of contact do the people have with their families while they're in space?
Exercize its the key to reducing bone loss, although we are starting to look at medicines too, that fight the disease OSTEOPOROSIS, since the effect on the bones seems to be the same. I have done some work helping NASA to calibrate the machines that measure the problem. The crew exercises two hours per day to solve the bone problem, but still loses 1.5% of the bone mass every month.

[ JackBacon/JSC - 78 - 13:35:47 ]
RE: [VikrantNarang] Thank for your precious time and valuable guidance .. it was a good experience talking to you :-)
Thank you too. I hope I got all the questions... See you in space!

[ VikrantNarang - 81 - 13:41:05 ]
Sure!! space is the place to be :-) "We live in a Universe more amazing, more mysterious and more incredible than we can ever possibly imagine." -- Dr Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 Astronaut

[ Lori/NASAChatHost - 79 - 13:35:48 ]
I think Jack has answered the last question of the day. I want to thank Jack Bacon for his time & insightful answers to the great questions you all submitted! What an awesome chat, if I might say so myself :-) Join us July 20, when we will have a virtual tour of the ISS -- http://quest.nasa.gov/space/events/jsc/. Have a nice day all . . .