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Natural and Induced Environment Around the International Space Station (ISS) as Observed During On-Orbit Operations of the Robotic External Leak Locator (RELL)The Robotic External Leak Locator (RELL) was deployed to the International Space Station (ISS) with the goal of detecting and locating on-orbit leaks around the ISS. Three activities to characterize the background natural and induced environment of ISS were performed with RELL as part of the on-orbit validation and demonstration conducted in November and December 2016. The first demonstration activity pointed RELL directly in the ram (+X) and wake (-X) directions for one orbit each. The ram facing measurements showed high partial pressure for mass-to-charge ratio 16, corresponding to atomic oxygen (AO), as well as the presence of mass-to-charge ratio 17. RELL's view in the wake-facing direction included more ISS structure and several Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) on-orbit vents were detected, including the Carbon Dioxide Removal Assembly (CDRA), Russian segment ECLSS, and Sabatier vents. The second demonstration activity pointed RELL at three faces of the P1 Truss segment. Effluents from ECLSS and European Space Agency (ESA) Columbus module on-orbit vents were detected by RELL. The partial pressures of mass-to-charge ratios 17 and 18 remained consistent with the first on-orbit activity of characterizing the natural environment. The third demonstration activity involved RELL scanning an Active Thermal Control System (ATCS) radiator. Three locations along the radiator were scanned and the angular position of RELL with respect to the radiator was varied. Mass-to-charge ratios 16 and 17 both had upward shifts in partial pressure when pointing toward the Radiator Beam Valve Modules (RBVMs), likely corresponding to a known, small ammonia leak.
Document ID
20180006801
Acquisition Source
Johnson Space Center
Document Type
Presentation
Authors
Fox, Katie L.
(Boeing Co. Houston, TX, United States)
Deal, Alexandra M.
(Boeing Co. Houston, TX, United States)
Huang, Alvin Y.
(Boeing Co. Houston, TX, United States)
Heiser, Michael J.
(Boeing Co. Houston, TX, United States)
Hartman, William A.
(Boeing Co. Houston, TX, United States)
Mikatarian, Ronald R.
(Boeing Co. Houston, TX, United States)
Davis, Matthew J.
(Boeing Co. Houston, TX, United States)
Naids, Adam
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Bond, Timothy A.
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Johnson, Brien
(NASA Johnson Space Center Houston, TX, United States)
Rossetti, Dino J.
(Conceptual Analytics, LLC Glenn Dale, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
October 24, 2018
Publication Date
August 20, 2018
Subject Category
Instrumentation And Photography
Report/Patent Number
JSC-E-DAA-TN59669
Meeting Information
Meeting: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications
Location: San Diego, CA
Country: United States
Start Date: August 19, 2018
End Date: August 23, 2018
Sponsors: International Society for Optical Engineering
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG17CR69C
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS15-10000
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
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