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I'm wondering about rotation and trajectory. Do they have engines on the craft to maintain its trajectory? But then if they thrust from one module, given all mo

by tajen 12y ago

I'm wondering about rotation and trajectory. Do they have engines on the craft to maintain its trajectory? But then if they thrust from one module, given all modules aren't aligned with each other, that implies thurst creates a rotation of the craft, so do they have two engines for each dimension? Same question for solar panels: Do they let them rotate so at odd times they're exactly flat in the plane of the sun and receiving 0% energy, or do they rotate other modules of the spacecraft so that the solar panels are always at the sun?

coob 12y ago
100kg flywheels help hold attitude. The Zvevzda module[1] has engines, used rarely. When Progress supply ships are docked, their engines are used for adjustment. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zvezda_(ISS_module) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zvezda_(ISS_module)
Already__Taken 12y ago
I know NASa had a competition running for the public to see if anyone could find a more optimum way of rotating the solar arrays on the station to improve power. They detailed some crazy restrictions like how the panels have to be heated evenly so the thermal expansion does not rip them apart. ahh heres a link: http://www.topcoder.com/iss/challenge-details/ http://www.topcoder.com/iss/challenge-details/
cesarb 12y ago
> Same question for solar panels: Do they let them rotate so at odd times they're exactly flat in the plane of the sun and receiving 0% energy, or do they rotate other modules of the spacecraft so that the solar panels are always at the sun? I think I didn't quite get this question. The solar panels have two rotary joints; the alpha joint (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_Truss_Structure#Solar_alpha_rotary_joint https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_Truss_Structure#Sol...) and the beta joint (related to the beta angle, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_angle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_angle). With both joints operating together, I think there's no angle where the solar panels can't be pointed directly at the sun. They only get out of the sun when it's behind the Earth, or if they have to move the panels out of the way to avoid pluming from a docking or leaving spacecraft.
ilogik 12y ago
I think they mainly use the Soyuz to maintain the altitude. If you point the engines so that you apply the force as close as possible to the center of mass, you won't get much rotation.

by tajen 12y ago

coob 12y ago

100kg flywheels help hold attitude. The Zvevzda module[1] has engines, used rarely. When Progress supply ships are docked, their engines are used for adjustment. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zvezda_(ISS_module) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zvezda_(ISS_module)

Already__Taken 12y ago

I know NASa had a competition running for the public to see if anyone could find a more optimum way of rotating the solar arrays on the station to improve power. They detailed some crazy restrictions like how the panels have to be heated evenly so the thermal expansion does not rip them apart. ahh heres a link: http://www.topcoder.com/iss/challenge-details/ http://www.topcoder.com/iss/challenge-details/

cesarb 12y ago

> Same question for solar panels: Do they let them rotate so at odd times they're exactly flat in the plane of the sun and receiving 0% energy, or do they rotate other modules of the spacecraft so that the solar panels are always at the sun? I think I didn't quite get this question. The solar panels have two rotary joints; the alpha joint (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_Truss_Structure#Solar_alpha_rotary_joint https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_Truss_Structure#Sol...) and the beta joint (related to the beta angle, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_angle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_angle). With both joints operating together, I think there's no angle where the solar panels can't be pointed directly at the sun. They only get out of the sun when it's behind the Earth, or if they have to move the panels out of the way to avoid pluming from a docking or leaving spacecraft.

ilogik 12y ago

I think they mainly use the Soyuz to maintain the altitude. If you point the engines so that you apply the force as close as possible to the center of mass, you won't get much rotation.