Chat Room Transcript - Chat Session, March 31, 2008 @ 7:00 pm

<Amanda Coots> Hello.  I believe I may be filling in for the scheduled NASA person.
> great to have you! Thanks!

<Audrey Katz> hey hey!

<Aaron Hellman> hey!

<Amanda Coots> I work in Mission Control in the Data Processing Systems group.

<Aaron Hellman> wow, try saying that 5 times fast

<Brian Siela 2> lol

<Aaron Hellman> jk, so what does that entail?

<Audrey Katz> haha

<Amanda Coots> Basically, I monitor the shuttle computer systems.

<Audrey Katz> wow

<Audrey Katz> awesome1

<Brian Siela 2> Is that against hackers?

<Brian Siela 2> or some other threat?

<Amanda Coots> Not against a threat per say.  We monitor what the crew is doing.

<Amanda Coots> And make sure that the computers aren't experiencing any problems.

<Aaron Hellman> so they are on surveilance all the time?

<Tehreem Bilal> what kind of problems do you look for?

<Amanda Coots> All of the time between Launch and Landing.

<Aaron Hellman> is that for health reasons? or safety?

<Amanda Coots> Crew safety.  The computers are required to fly the shuttle.

<Amanda Coots> Without the computers, the crew wouldn't be able to come home.

<Aaron Hellman> So its just necessary to make sure thier in prime condition the entire time?

<Amanda Coots> As for types of problems, usually there aren't any...

<Brian Siela 2> usually?

<Amanda Coots> but sometimes there are minor things, like the switch issues, or during this last mission, we had a timer stop working

<Tehreem Bilal> what was that timer for?

<Brian Siela 2> hmmm

<Amanda Coots> It displayed the time to the crew.

<Aaron Hellman> Why would time be needed for them besides launch and landing?

<Amanda Coots> They use time for all sorts of things... time for burns, knowing when they are scheduled to eat or excercise

<Amanda Coots> Madi... I think this was your chat.  Do you want to take over?

<Aaron Hellman> ic ic thx

<Madi Sengupta> Amanda - sure...I'm so sorry I'm late guys, I was running about 5 minutes late + 10 more for technology issues!

<Tehreem Bilal> thank you amanda!

<Audrey Katz> ya, thanks!!

<Amanda Coots> If y'all have any other questions for me, I'll stick around, but I didn't want to usurp Madi's time since I noticed she's here.
> Thank you Amanda

<Aaron Hellman> thanks so much

<Madi Sengupta> Amanda - feel free to jump in whenever, if you're around

<Brian Siela 2> thanks

<Madi Sengupta> Hi guys - again, sorry I'm late...just a little background about me...I was in your shoes roughly 6 years ago. I went on to co-op at JSC and just
    started full-time two weeks ago.

<Brian Siela 2> hmmm

<Victor Lopez> What is your new posisition and congratulations!

<Tehreem Bilal> awesome

<Madi Sengupta> Thanks!  I'm currently working in Station Robotics Training

<Scott Miller> what does that entail

<Madi Sengupta> Our group trains the astronauts and flight controllers how to use the robotic arm(s) on the space station

<Brian Siela 2> Do you train them in that big room with the mock ups that you see on the tour of the center?

<Madi Sengupta> We do, actually!  When you guys go through the tour, you'll see a huge arm towards the end of the walkway - we train on that arm

<Brian Siela 2> Cool I saw that!

<Madi Sengupta> We also use a few other facilities...we've got DSTs (Dynamic Skills Trainers) which are basically like video games - computer monitors show the
    virtual images, and the operator flies the arm

<Brian Siela 2> Like a simulator?

<Madi Sengupta> We've also got a Virtual Reality lab, where the astronauts can practice...the Neutral Buoyancy Lab (NBL) - the big pool - where astronauts train
    in more of a "real" environment

<Madi Sengupta> Brian - exactly.

<Audrey Katz> wow!

<Audrey Katz> thats aesome!

<Brian Siela 2> Do you use the big airhockey table too?

<Audrey Katz> awesome*

<Tehreem Bilal> that sounds like so much fun. is it extremely hard to learn how to use the robotic arm?

<Tehreem Bilal> air hockey table?

<Madi Sengupta> We've also got the Space Station Training Facility (which, I think you guys may be touring) - it's a facility set up for instructor training, as well as
    flight control training

<Madi Sengupta> Brian - Hmm...I'm not too familiar, actually!

<Amanda Coots> I think the "air hockey" table is used for things that don't move in as many dimensions as the arm does.

<Tehreem Bilal> oh. thanks :)

<Madi Sengupta> Tehreem - It's not too, too difficult...especially if you've grown up playing video games...but there are a lot of rules that govern flying, so you have
    to be really careful

<Madi Sengupta> that's probably the hardest part - remembering all the rules!

<Madi Sengupta> Brian - I'm actually not sure whether my group works on that trainer...I think I know the one you're talking about, but I've only seen it in another
    group's class

<Brian Siela 2> Darn gravity bringing us down

<Tehreem Bilal> what are some of the rules?

<Brian Siela 2> Oh okay

<Madi Sengupta> Well, we have "Flight Rules" - so depending on what environment you're training in (the basic simulators or the more advanced ones) you have
    rules about how close you can get to structure

<Madi Sengupta> how fast you can go

<Madi Sengupta> that type of thing

<Madi Sengupta> There are also rules about how you actually control the hand controllers...so, for example, you don't want to press in on one and then just let go

<Tehreem Bilal> what would happen?

<Madi Sengupta> Because that could create heavy arm oscillations, since the arm is so long and the point at which it can rotate is far away from the center of mass

<Tehreem Bilal> how is the arm built?

<Madi Sengupta> Tehreem - do you mean in terms of mechanics?

<Tehreem Bilal> yes, sorry!

<Madi Sengupta> i.e. physically how it's built?

<Tehreem Bilal> yes

<Madi Sengupta> Well, it's got 7 joints...which you can think of just like the joints in your body

<Madi Sengupta> So, let's take your arm, for instance

<Madi Sengupta> You've got three joints, right?  Your wrist, elbow, and shoulder

<Madi Sengupta> So, the SSRMS has something similar

<Scott Miller> what differences are there in training with the arm in gravity and operating the arm in a zerogravity environment?

<Madi Sengupta> It's also got some other joints to translate to motion in different directions

<Amanda Coots> SSRMS - Space Station Remote Manipulator System

<Madi Sengupta> Scott - That's a really good question! Let's see...the trainers here on Earth are run a little differently. For example, the arm in the building where
    you guys tour is actually run on hydraulics (so with water)

<Madi Sengupta> Whereas, the SSRMS works on electricity

<Madi Sengupta> That same arm is actually only 6 joints, v.s. the 7 joints on the SSRMS...

<Brian Siela 2> So really you specialize in arms?
> SSRMS=Canada Arm?

<Tehreem Bilal> haha

<Madi Sengupta> The arm at the NBL is probably the most flight like (other than the actual simulators), but it's also got some limitations...because the pool is only
    so big, it can only reach certain positions, so the astronauts and trainers have to work around that

<Heather Patel> Is it easier to control the arm in a micro-gravity environment, or was it easier in training?

<Madi Sengupta> Brian - Basically :)

<Madi Sengupta> Mark - yep, Canada has built the SRMS (Shuttle arm) and the SSRMS (ISS arm)

<Tehreem Bilal> when?!

<Brian Siela 2> Do you work with the Canadians?
> which one is Canada Arm and Which one is Canada Arm II?

<Amanda Coots> Madi stepped off for just a second.

<Amanda Coots> I believe she does work with the Canadians some.

<Michael Christian> Hey all, sorry I am loate

<Michael Christian> late*

<Amanda Coots> No problem.  Welcome.

<Michael Christian> Hello

<Madi Sengupta> Sorry guys - I had to walk away for a quick second...let's see

<Michael Christian> I just got on, whats the current theme of conversation?
> Hi Daniel

<Daniel Ogilvie> hello

<Madi Sengupta> Heather - I can't speak definitively for the astronauts, but I think they often find that on-orbit operations are at least on-par, if not easier, than
    ground ops...the trainers for almost all systems are so extensive in their training that the astronauts learn how to deal with a LOT of problems

<Madi Sengupta> Brian - I do work with the Canadians...in fact, I'll be traveling up there for some training in the next few months.

<Michael Christian> Oh cool, robotic arms

<Tehreem Bilal> what kind of work will you be doing with them?

<Madi Sengupta> Mark - I'm pretty positive that the SRMS (Shuttle) is Canada Arm 1, and the Station is Canada Arm 2 - but I will double check that for you

<Brian Siela 2> cool
> no worries, just curious

<Madi Sengupta> Tehreem - Since CSA (Canadian Space Agency) was responsible for building the arm, they have a lot of really good knowledge to pass along to
    flight controllers, trainers, and astronauts who will be working with the arm

<Madi Sengupta> So, we actually all have to go up there for training from time to time to make sure we know the background info on how the arm works
    (technically), as well as how to operate the arm

<Tehreem Bilal> are other people going to canada with you?

<Tehreem Bilal> never mind

<Brian Siela 2> Do you ever think of improvements to tell to the Canadians?

<Madi Sengupta> My group is then responsible for providing even more training, specific to flights that the astronauts, flight controllers, and instructors may be
    working

<Bridget Sonnier> how much training is needed to be able to work with them?

<Madi Sengupta> Brian - Since I've just started, I don't have too many suggestions for them :) But, there is always an open dialogue of conversation going between
    us and them...we all would like to make the learning process efficient and detailed, so I think if we have suggestions for them, they definitely take a listen, and vice
    versa.

<Madi Sengupta> Bridget - Well, it depends on the position you're going for. For me, as an instructor, it will likely take me about 2.5 years (at least) to be a
    fully-certified instructor.

<Madi Sengupta> Flight controllers have a similar timeline to become certified to sit in Mission Control during robotic operations.

<Amanda Coots> But she will probably be certified to teach particular classes before then.

<Madi Sengupta> And for astronauts - as soon as a new class comes in, they get basic robotics courses...then as they're assigned to flights, they get more specific
    training focused on the tasks that they have to complete

<Bridget Sonnier> oh, that's cool

<Madi Sengupta> Amanda - thanks!  Yes, I should mention that as an instructor, we do start teaching from the very beginning

<Madi Sengupta> So, we'll start with basic courses, certify to teach them, and move onto more advanced courses...working up to the point where we can train a
    crew of astronauts for a specific flight.

<Amanda Coots> And the Flight Controllers will be certified to work during particular phases, or in backup roles, earlier as well.

<Madi Sengupta> For Flight Controllers, they go through a similar process where they certify to sit "on-console" for a backroom position, and then a
    front-room...front room is what you see on TV...back-room folks provide support for front-room folks during flights and simu

<Madi Sengupta> simulations

<Bridget Sonnier> how real are the simulations?

<Amanda Coots> Speaking as a flight controller, for us, they are very real.

<Amanda Coots> We get data just like we would during a mission.

<Madi Sengupta> Bridget - they're as realistic as we can make them. Between the "video game" type simulations, the NBL (the big pool where they train the
    astronauts), the virtual reality labs, and the big arm in our training facility - the astronauts get a varied amount of experience, in different environments, where they
    learn skills that they can use in flight

<Madi Sengupta> As an instructor or a flight controllers, simulations are very real, as Amanda's said. As astronauts, they are as real as they can get on Earth - of
    course it can't be 100% like space!

<Madi Sengupta> Mark - I did some digging around, and I think what I said about Canada Arm 1/2 is correct from above :)

<Amanda Coots> Yeah, its much easier to simulate realistic data, than a realistic environment.
> thanks

<Tehreem Bilal> is there a certain number of training hours an astronaut must complete before being certified to use the arm?

<Madi Sengupta> Tehreem - I'm not sure if there is a certain number of hours...I'm sure there is, but I'm not positive what the number is.

<Madi Sengupta> Suffice it to say, the astronauts go through many, many, many (!) simulations :)_

<Bridget Sonnier> so in the simulations, other than the big training pool, do you actually move around, or are you just fed information that you have to react to?

<Tehreem Bilal> thanks

<Madi Sengupta> Bridget - both, actually. The astronauts get to fly the arms with the real hand controllers and watch how their inputs translate to motions in the
    arm. In the DST (Dynamic Skills Trainer) and the Virtual Reality lab...these are computer-based sims

<Bridget Sonnier> wow. that's really cool.

<Madi Sengupta> In the training facility that you get to tour through, as well as the NBL - the astronauts get to see how their inputs translate to motion in an actual
    arm

<Tehreem Bilal> are the dst and the virtual reality lab just basically computer programs?

<Madi Sengupta> Tehreem - pretty much :)  They're really advanced, detailed video games, basically :)

<Tehreem Bilal> :)

<Madi Sengupta> So, I know we're supposed to try and be out of here by 8p...but I can stick around a while longer, if you guys have anymore questions!

<Amanda Coots> I'm here as long as there are questions as well.

<Tehreem Bilal> what did you major in when you were in college to do what you do now?

<Amanda Coots> Is that one for me?

<Amanda Coots> or both of us?

<Bridget Sonnier> both :)

<Amanda Coots> I majored in Computer Engineering.

<Madi Sengupta> I majored in Electrical Engineering at UT-Austin...I didn't specifically concentrate on robotics, but it's a natural lead in, because in order to
    understand how the arms work fundamentally, we have to know the electronics

<Amanda Coots> I am a flight controller for the shuttle computer systems.

<Bridget Sonnier> how closely does your major relate to being a flight controller?

<Amanda Coots> The engineering fundamentals are useful, but beyond that, not a whole lot.

<Amanda Coots> The shuttle computers are from the '80s.  So most of my college stuff is too new to apply.

<Tehreem Bilal> for both of you, what is a typical work day like?

<Tehreem Bilal> seriously? why havent they been updated?

<Madi Sengupta> Bridget - I'd also add that as flight controllers and instructors, you really have to know your system inside and out...and to do that, they teach you
    what you need to know

<Amanda Coots> Not on the shuttle, the station has newer computers.

<Tehreem Bilal> oh. i feel smart!

<Bridget Sonnier> sorry, my window closed out... what was the answer to my question?

<Amanda Coots> Tehreem - for the first couple of years, there is a lot of training.  We read, study, take classes, do a lot of simulations.

<Amanda Coots> In the sims, they throw lots of problems into our systems and we have to figure out what went wrong, and what we are going to do about it.

<Madi Sengupta> Bridget - I'd also add that as a flight controllers and instructors, you really have to know your system inside and out...and to do that, they teach
    you what you need to know.

<Bridget Sonnier> thanks!

<Madi Sengupta> Tehreem - I'd also say there really isn't a typical day...you could be sitting at your desk studying one day, and all over the center teaching the
    next!

<Madi Sengupta> or participating in simulations

<Tehreem Bilal> do you enjoy what you do?

<Bridget Sonnier> amanda- how long do the simulations last? as long as an actual mission, or just long enough to fix a problem or two?

<Amanda Coots> Tehreem - the shuttle computer systems haven't been updated because they work, and are very good at what they are designed to do.

<Tehreem Bilal> i mean, not just hey, this is fun, but really enjoy it?

<Madi Sengupta> Tehreem - I love it :) I think the coolest part is that we get to learn so much about our systems and then actually help the astronauts learn them,
    too

<Tehreem Bilal> aaaaaah. thanls.

<Amanda Coots> I really like my job. There are some office tasks that are less fun, but on the whole, it really is fun. I love learning the system and being an expert
    on my particular part of the shuttle.

<Amanda Coots> Bridget - sims are usually 4 or 8 hours, 4 for ascent or entry sims and 8 for sims during the orbit timeframe, but we also have long sims

<Bridget Sonnier> amanda- you said you do office tasks that aren't as much fun... haha... how much time do you actually spend on just mundane office duties?

<Bridget Sonnier> wow.
> 4-8 hours aren't "long sims"?

<Amanda Coots> the long sims are usually two days, and allow us to practice handing over from shift to shift and the timing of the flight

<Tehreem Bilal> :)

<Amanda Coots> Bridget - It depends on the day or the week. During missions, we aren't really doing any office tasks. Early in the training, we aren't doing as
    many either since we are concentrating on training.

<Tehreem Bilal> what kind of office tasks do you have to do?

<Bridget Sonnier> do you train almost 24/7 sometimes?

<Amanda Coots> Never quite that often for us, when we aren't working a mission, we generally work 8 hour days. : )

<Amanda Coots> Though they do have sims in the evening.

<Amanda Coots> The long sims do run 24 hours a day, but not for more than a couple of days.

<Amanda Coots> office tasks - updating our procedures

<Bridget Sonnier> well that's good to hear :)

<Madi Sengupta> hey guys - i actually have to run...feel free to E-mail me questions, though!  my E-mail address is madhurita.sengupta@gmail.com

<Madi Sengupta> Have a great evening, guys!

<Bridget Sonnier> you too! thanks for your time!

<Tehreem Bilal> thanks so much!!
> Thank you so much for your time tonight!

<Victor Lopez> Thank you for speaking with us!

<Amanda Coots> Y'all can email me as well, my address is amanda.b.coots@nasa.gov.
> Thank you as well, Amanda!

<Tehreem Bilal> thank you so much, Amanda, i really appreciate it

<Amanda Coots> We all have different specific tasks.  My main one is dealing with our applications.

<Amanda Coots> No problem.  Does anyone else have any other questions before I head out as well?

<Tehreem Bilal> that timer...

<Tehreem Bilal> what did you have to do fix that?

<Tehreem Bilal> and for similar problems, what is the procedure?

<Tehreem Bilal> sorry!

<Amanda Coots> We turned it off and back on and then it worked.

<Amanda Coots> We have lots of different procedures that walk through how to troubleshoot specific things.

<Tehreem Bilal> ok

<Amanda Coots> For the timer, we don't really have one, but power cycling (which is what we call it when we turn it off and back on) is usually one of the things
    we try with every thing.

<Tehreem Bilal> does it normally work?

<Amanda Coots> In sims, no.  In flights, I don't really know.  I am fairly new as well, so I don't have a lot of flight history knowledge.

<Tehreem Bilal> thanks so much for your time and your information. i'm so sorry for keeping you!!!

<Amanda Coots> Its kind of like turning your computer off and back on when you have a problem.

<Amanda Coots> No problem.  I like answering y'alls questions.  Like Madi, I was a Highschool Aerospace Scholar, several years ago...

<Amanda Coots> and its part of the reason that I'm here now.

<Tehreem Bilal> i think thats so cool.

<Amanda Coots> Do you know what you want to major in?

<Tehreem Bilal> physical sciences

<Amanda Coots> Is there something you are particularly interested in?

<Tehreem Bilal> i'm thinking something along the lines of nuclear chemistry

<Amanda Coots> Unless y'all have last questions, I'm going to head out and let Mark leave as well. : )

<Tehreem Bilal> sorry, had to run to get the phone

<Tehreem Bilal> thanks so much for you time, i really do appreciate it.

<Tehreem Bilal> bye everyone!
> :)

<Tehreem Bilal> er....i'm not logging off....

<Tehreem Bilal> what do i do?
> Thank you very much for your time and expertise tonight.
> just close the window

<Tehreem Bilal> oh. :D thanks

<Amanda Coots> Did you try Room -> Close.
> Bridget...any last questions?

<Amanda Coots> I guess not.  G'night.
> goodnight...thanks again

Back to Chat Room Transcripts