Talk:Integrated Truss Structure

Talk:ISS Solar Arrays

 * This discussion comes from the old Talk:ISS Solar Arrays page. For unsigned comments or other problems, see the ISS Solar Arrays history.

The launch dates need to be updated, because of the delays caused by suspension of the Space Shuttle Program after loss of Space Shuttle Columbia. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Chillmann (talk • contribs) 22:33, 7 August 2005.

It would be nice to have the mass for the solary arrays listed.

Merge
I'm planning to merge this page with ISS Truss page for information on a convenient page. Big  top  03:57, 10 September 2006 (UTC)
 * Agree. New page name? ISS Truss and Solar Arrays? // Duccio (write me) 11:05, 10 September 2006 (UTC)


 * It seems to be a good plan to merge, but i'm not sure about the abbreviation "ISS" in the title. NASA seems to use the name "Intergrated Truss Structure" here as refering to the truss segments and the solar arrays.. so i would say either International Space Station Integrated Truss Structure, or more simply Integrated Truss Structure so refer to both. Mlm42 15:28, 11 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Seems good to have a merge. I think we should go for the Integrate Truss Structure because it is shorter


 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.

Talk:ISS Truss

 * This discussion comes from the old Talk:ISS Truss page. For unsigned comments or other problems, see the Talk:ISS Truss history.

I'm planning to merge the ISS solar array page with this page for information on a convenient page. Big  top  03:56, 10 September 2006 (UTC)

Plasma contractor
What is a Plasma contractor?


 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.

Merging
I imported here the discussions from the now merged articles and put redirects to this talk page. Some major work needs also to be done on this new article, which is extremely out of date (starting from the ISS rendering, which features elements cancelled years ago like the russian Science Power Platform!) // Duccio (write me) 11:14, 18 September 2006 (UTC)

Nomenclature
I'd like to edit the truss references to be clearer. I'd like to limit the use of the "slash" to the P3/P4 and S3/S4 trusses, and use commas for the rest. The "slashed" truss elements are joined on the ground and delivered as a package, whereas the rest of the truss elements are being delivered individually. Please comment. Srain 21:35, 18 September 2006 (UTC)


 * yup, agreed.. NASA separates them like that as well . for a hugely detailed description of the P3 and P4 truss segments, and apparently how they differ is at the bottom of this article. Mlm42 18:39, 20 September 2006 (UTC)


 * Done.Srain 20:18, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

Additional Assembly
I added a reference to the final location of truss P6 in the text, but I'd also like to add that to the truss assembly table (with dashes in the size/weight columns). Please comment. Srain 21:35, 18 September 2006 (UTC)


 * it would be nice to clarify that in the table as well, if there's a good way of fitting it in.. keeping in mind this is a sub-table from ISS assembly sequence, it may be good to think of that table as well. Mlm42 18:44, 20 September 2006 (UTC)


 * I changed this table - I'm looking at the other page to see if there's a graceful way to add it there, too. Srain 20:18, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

As I recall from memory, the ad hoc fix to the truss was due to the space station going out of control when they closed the electrical circuit in the SAW. The reason for the design change was that the original design created a large magnetic flux at right angles to the largest magnetic flux on the space station. There was orbital decay, and SAW alignment was inaccurate. I believe that this is so for the reason that when I told someone how to fix it NASA did what I said to do. If you can find the video of the astronaut throwing the refrigerator away, you will enjoy it. Clearly he was worried about orbital decay. Frizb (talk) 00:17, 23 August 2008 (UTC)

Current Image
I added an image from STS-115 between the December 2000 image and the computer rendering. I suggest that this should be updated with a current image whenever a major addition is made to the station. I also realize that the orientation of the photo might be confusing, but the image is so compelling I couldn't bring myself to rotate it.Srain 20:18, 22 September 2006 (UTC)

P5 mass
I am extremely surprised that the P5 truss element launched on STS-116 has a mass of 12 tons. The STS-116 article itself says 3 tons, which looks quite correct. Could someone check this figure ?Hektor 16:34, 16 December 2006 (UTC)
 * You are correct. STS-116 Press Kit (http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/162182main_STS-116_Press_Kit.pdf) on p. 72 shows 4110 lbs / 1864.26 kg. Srain 05:54, 24 December 2006 (UTC)

wrong units for battery capacity?
The article currently says the batteries are "capable of storing a total of 8 kW of electrical power". Isn't the right units kW hours or Joules??? Erich 23:36, 13 September 2007 (UTC)


 * Watt is a unit of power where a watt-hour is a unit of energy. Batteries store energy, so I agree the units should be changed.  I found the probable reference for this section at http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=4799 (near the bottom at "Each Battery Subassembly ORU ...") and it quotes the power units, so someone needs to find a better reference.  But this article  directly from NASA includes electric charge and energy numbers: "81-A·hr, 4-kW·hr nameplate capacity".  I'll update the article.  Srain 19:57, 14 September 2007 (UTC)

P6 location
P6 has the torn solar array; why does the current diagram show P6 in red, when it looks like blue is being used for the STS-120 components? Because P6 was already in orbit, but it was moved to where it is shown on the diagram? (SEWilco 03:09, 31 October 2007 (UTC))
 * Correct. If you open the image, you will see that orange color means "already in orbit" where the other colors mean "pending launch by..." --TheDJ (talk • contribs) 08:13, 31 October 2007 (UTC)

SARJs and BGAs
Would be nice if we could get an image like http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/116/iss_arrays.gif added to the article. I'm just not sure what kind of copyright/licensing is on that image. http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/116/STS-116_Archive.html --TheDJ (talk • contribs) 20:30, 9 November 2007 (UTC)
 * It would be nice, especially with the SARJ bearing problem. How about taking a public domain image of the station that we have, and adding labels to it a la the CBS image?  I do not quite know how to do this, but I think it should not be too difficult for someone who knows the tools needed.
 * At the moment there seems to be almost nothing about the bearing troubles either here or in the main ISS article, which appears to me to be a serious omission. I know little about it in detail myself, and came here looking for more info, so if anyone can find the references and write it up, that would be wonderful.  Thanks,  Wwheaton (talk) 06:16, 26 March 2008 (UTC)

The truss rail
We desperately need to add something about the rail on the truss. It's a unique feature that was totally new in space station design. It was already part of the Space Station Freedom design, and the CETA carts on it were already tested during STS-37 http://nix.larc.nasa.gov/info;jsessionid=27art3enil3kh?id=S89-50846&orgid=8 --TheDJ (talk • contribs) 02:46, 17 November 2007 (UTC)

Materials used for truss elements
I could not find in this article any information about the material used for the truss structure itself. Is it made of metal? Plastic? Ceramic? Wood? What are its mechanical properties? How dense is it? How flexible? What stress loads can it carry? Lacking this information, I have reassessed the article from class B to class Start. (sdsds - talk) 21:40, 17 November 2007 (UTC)
 * Aluminium alloy - possibly 2219-T6 aluminum alloy (which is widely used on the ISS). - Rod57 (talk) 09:59, 27 November 2018 (UTC)

A good source
Found this source http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/spacestation/components/docs/P3-P4.pdf on the P3 P4 truss section by Boeing. It provides a lot of useful technical data about this system. No time to properly use it right now myself. --TheDJ (talk • contribs) 23:22, 2 December 2007 (UTC)

Z1 truss segment
in the article it is claimed that Z1 is unpressurized, this is untrue as there is a small pressurized section that is used as storage.

This picture shows the dome when the node 1 zenith CBM hatch is open: http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/118032main_hassman_iss_briefing4_med.jpg

-Ronsmytheiii
 * I just added a note to this effect in the Z1 section. Colds7ream (talk) 21:45, 21 September 2009 (UTC)

Actualy, the vestibule is normaly unpressurized, as well. It is just presurised when the crew has to access it. Multispacer (talk) 12:01, 6 March 2011 (UTC)

Photo To Incorporate
This is a great photo that can be used to demonstrate the subject. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ISS_March_2009.jpg

Merge from Drive Lock Assembly
I noticed the article Drive Lock Assembly; it should probably be merged into this article. Mlm42 (talk) 17:15, 23 December 2010 (UTC)


 * That sounds good to me. The Drive Lock Assembly article is pretty short.  Geoffrey.landis (talk) 22:16, 21 September 2011 (UTC)

Additional Source
I'm a bit of noob regarding Wikipedia editing but I have a source for the "Citation needed" is the Solar Array Rotary Joint section. If someone who knows what they're doing wants to edit that. http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20110015384.pdf — Preceding unsigned comment added by Wolfpack40351 (talk • contribs) 04:39, 22 August 2016 (UTC)

Where is stainless steel used
Intro says it is made from aluminium and stainless steel - but article does not say where any stainless steel is used. Could it be only in the trolley rails (and perhaps some fasteners) ? - Rod57 (talk) 09:19, 27 November 2018 (UTC)


 * Stainless steel is literally only used for trunnions pins and Quick Disconnects on fluid lines. The entire structure itself is machined 2219-T6, even the Mobile Transporter rails.  5 inch plates of aluminum were machined to make bulkheads for S0,S1,S3,P1,P3 and then those bulkheads were bolted (not welded) to longerons and diagonals also machined from aluminum.  The IEA boxes of S4, P4, S6 (portion) and P6 (portion) are also machined from aluminum plate.  I haven't found a reference but from photogrammetry it appears it was from 3" plate.  S4 and P4 are connected to their corresponding SARJ bulkheads with extruded tubular aluminum struts.  The S5 and P5 (Short Spacer) trusses and the portion of S6 and P6 called the Long Spacer truss are constructed of rectangular box aluminum tubes bolted to joints with round tubes used between some joints as diagonals. Hinnersd (talk) 20:39, 30 November 2022 (UTC)

Power conditioning and storage
In this section, it describes the original Nickel Hydrogen batteries.

Would it be within the summary of this section to mention that the original set of Nickel Hydrogen batteries were later replaced by a second set. Also, what happened to that first set of batteries? Were they returned in a shuttle or disposed of by reentry.

Since January 2017, there have been several spacewalks replacing the Nickel Hydrogen batteries with lithium-ion batteries on a two to one ratio. Would this be notable enough for the article? AmigaClone (talk) 10:45, 12 July 2020 (UTC)