What’s actually inside that resupply capsule going up to the ISS anyway?
Ice cream and snacks?
Or actual science?
Personal effects?
Why not all three?
On June 28th, CRS-7, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket exploded on the way to resupply the International
Space Station.
As of this writing the cause of the explosion is still unknown; though it might be an overpressure
event in one of the liquid oxygen tanks... hopefully we'll learn more soon, keep an eye
on DiscoveryNews.com.
But this comes just a few months after Russia's Progress 59 also failed on the way to the
ISS.
I mean, Scott Kelly is slated to spend a full year in space, would this mess up those plans?
How long can they last?
I HAVE QUESTIONS.
Firstly, according to NASA administrator Charlie Bolden, the ISS has enough supplies to last
QUOTE, "several months," with an April presentation saying they could survive until September
5th with current supplies.
Plus, there is a Russian-flown cargo mission slated for this Friday, July 3, and a Japanese
flight slated for August, and another SpaceX flight in September -- so don't get your MAGs
in a bunch about the crew.
The ISS isn't COMPLETELY dependent on us down here!
The ISS uses Water Reclamation and Oxygen Generation systems pioneered for submarines.
Water is reclaimed from washing, humidity condensation, urination and so on, anywhere
they can capture water it's done.
Then they purify it to super-high standards before recycling it for showers, drinking
water and oxygen generation.
To create oxygen, they run electricity through the H2O, splitting the hydrogen from the oxygen
molecules and creating O2 in a process called electrolysis -- boom!
Oxygen (and hydrogen)!
But before you ask those H's are then fed into the Sabatier System -- which uses a catalyst
to combine the hydrogen and exhaled carbon dioxide to create H2O and CH4 -- methane.
The water is recycled and the methane is vented into space.
This can produce about 2 kilos of oxygen per day, enough for about 2 people with a little
extra -- when more people are up there, they have pressurized tanks from Earth too…
Of course, that brings us back to the failed cargo missions.
A Dragon capsule can hold 4000 pounds of cargo (1800 kg), in the 883 cubic feet of space
(11 m3) -- the cargo capacity of about 6 minivans.
The CRS-7 that exploded contained "materials to support more than 30 student research investigations
and more than 35 of approximately 250 science and research
investigations that will occur during Expeditions 44 and 45."
They were sending equipment to examine meteors entering the atmosphere, Microsoft HoloLenses,
and equipment to prep for deep space exploration by testing the effects of microgravity on
astronaut Scott Kelly, and the ability to grow food in space.
The CRS-7 also contained new docking attachments to expand commercial docking with the ISS,
plus food and other standard resupply mission materials.
According to government contractor, Lockheed-Martin, ISS resupply contains hardware, experiments,
food, toothpaste, cleaning supplies, laptops, printers, you name it.
It's essential to pack these items securely and with a plan, in case of leakage or failure.
For example, bleach is never packed with cleaner, because if they leak, the fumes are poisonous.
The Dragon's interior is pressurized and can hold a variety of NASA cargo bags and freezers
for carrying materials such as biological samples!
They even shipped Bluebell ice cream up once!
Obviously, in this case, it was a total loss.
Sure, the explosion is a pretty serious situation, and all SpaceX flights are grounded until
they find the exact cause, but at least no lives were lost.
As sad as it is; experiments, food, and materials can be replaced.
The ISS flies at an average altitude of 248 miles (400 kilometers), and it's one of the
most challenging and dangerous road trips humans regularly undertake.
As Charlie Bolden said in a NASA release on the CRS-7, "This is a reminder that spaceflight
is an incredible challenge, but we learn from each success and each setback."
What do you think of all this?
Should we put more money into the space program?
Or are we wasting our time?