During End-to-End testing in late January 2000, Mission Control Houston had problems with the downlink audio voice quality. An Interim Problem Report (IPR 114) was generated, and most of the parties involved in the End-to-End test reconvened at KSC in early February 2000, at the end of the Mission Sequence Test, to gather more data in an attempt to better characterize the problem. Once again, I borrowed a digital camera and took some more pictures at the Space Station Processing Facility.
The U.S. Lab in its test stand.
The main reason I took this picture was to show the
gray acoustical blankets that had been draped over the
Aft end.
The Z1 Truss.
It looks like this shot suffers from severe pincushion
distortion.
Not so.
The truss is actually curved as shown.
The truss is under a clear plastic tent with an air
purge going on to contain any possible ammonia leaks.
Lindsay Nute, the Boeing audio lead, listening to the
OIS headphone and talking on the telephone at the same
time.
I don't remember who took this picture; it wasn't me.
It was taken in the Multi-Element Integrated Test
control room.
In Aliens 5, Ripley (Lindsay Nute) is attacked by
an alien facehugger.
The alien is actually the Portable Breathing Apparatus.
The PBA has a microphone in it, and we tested the PBA
with the audio system during the IPR 114 troubleshooting.
Wearers sounded a little like a
dimestore imitation of Darth Vader.
Two of the several astronauts to be involved in this test
are looking on.
Some of the audio equipment I used during this test.
There is an acoustic test mannequin at left.
We put one of the standard-issue hairnets on it to make
it blend in a little better.
Also shown is a Bruel & Kjaer 2133 real-time analyzer.
In the background is the forward end of the U.S. Lab,
but you can't see it for the acoustical blankets that
Boeing installed to try to keep noise from the test
facility from getting into the Lab.
The S-Band Test Set in all its glory.
The audio A/D and D/A converters are at right center.
The acoustic test mannequin at the Aft Audio Terminal
Unit.
This is probably the noisiest location in the U.S. Lab
as currently outfitted.
Someone apparently decided that they didn't
want the dummy in the Lab naked.
The tape in front of the ATU was part of a kludge that
I came up with to try to keep the Push-to-Talk button
activated.
It didn't work.
What did work is shown in the next picture.
To perform a Diagnostic Rhyme Test with the acoustic
test mannequin (right), it was necessary to keep the ATU
front-panel microphone activated at all times.
The noise level in the Lab was apparently not enough to
keep the VOX activated continuously, so it was necessary
to have someone (in this case, the unfortunate technician
at left) hold down the Push-to-Talk button on the ATU for
the full duration of the test, which was about 40 minutes.
I am told that this technician did eventually regain full
use of his index finger.
I'm not totally certain, but I think that the MSS #2 rack is at right.
Lindsay Nute with the acoustic test mannequin.
A KSC technician (possibly the one with the iron finger)
took this picture.
The S-Band High Gain Antenna.
It is wearing a black antenna hat.
Another view of the S-Band High Gain Antenna with its
black antenna hat.
We were delayed getting started on the test by some
manipulation of the Common Berthing Mechanism rings.
Shown here are two rings with two ringleaders.
More of the Ring saga.
This ring is being moved to its stand by crane.
A CBM ring on its fixture, with my audio stuff in the
background.
The Leonardo MPLM.
Superficially, it looks much the same as during my
earlier visits.
The Raffaelo MPLM.
I'm tempted to say that if you've seen one MPLM, you've
seen them all.
Author: Porter Clark <jpc@suespammers.org>
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Last update: December 31, 2001
