From Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars, discover the arena of human spaceflight with NASA every week at the reliable podcast of the Johnson House Heart in Houston, Texas. Pay attention to in-depth conversations with the astronauts, scientists and engineers who make it imaginable.
On episode 372, NASA mavens talk about launching and returning shipment to the Global House Station and the making plans that is going into turning in a number of months price of provides and an important science to astronauts in area. This episode used to be recorded on February 3, 2025.
Transcript
Kenna Pell (Host)
Houston, we have now a podcast. Welcome to the reliable podcast of the NASA Johnson House Heart. Episode 372, House Shipment. I’m Kenna Pell, and I’ll be your host lately in this podcast, we convey within the mavens, scientists, engineers and astronauts, all to will let you know what’s occurring on the earth of human spaceflight and extra. Consider it like a street go back and forth. There are a large number of issues you want to convey in conjunction with you for whilst you get to the place you’re going, however you most effective have such a lot area to get the entirety to mentioned vacation spot. You’re feeling such as you’re checking out your abilities in a recreation of Tetris, and you’ll’t put out of your mind concerning the passengers too. To not point out you may well be bringing time delicate pieces like meals in a cooler for tenting. Whilst we will be able to all relate to the spatial demanding situations of packing for a street go back and forth. Now consider that very same state of affairs, however for resupplying the workforce at the Global House Station, there are just a few launches a yr, and you have got to get the entirety the astronauts want to stay the analysis going and the station flying. There are loads of shifting items with regards to launching shipment to the Global House Station to ship provides and an important science to area. These days, we’re fortunate to have shipment Challenge Supervisor Keri Baugher from NASA’s Johnson House Heart in Houston, and payload processing supervisor Jennifer Wahlberg from Kennedy House Heart in Florida, to discuss the stairs concerned with getting issues from Earth to orbit, beginning with manifesting via release and arrival and again. Let’s get began.
Kenna Pell
Jennifer and Keri, thank you for becoming a member of us on Houston. We now have a podcast lately. We’re going to hide the fundamentals of shipment, how you’re employed to get that shipment to House Station, and what you all are monitoring all over the challenge and in go back. However first, let’s get started along with your trail for your present function. With the intention to you each, Jennifer and Keri, I suppose over to Jennifer. The place are you from?
Jennifer Wahlberg
Hi, Kenna. I grew up in Indiana, and I went to university at Purdue College in West Lafayette, the place I studied Commercial Engineering, and my plan on the time used to be to stick within the Midwest, however gives got here in as I used to be on the point of graduate, together with one from Kennedy House Heart at NASA. And my a part of my circle of relatives had moved to the Central Florida space on the time, so I assumed, K, I’ll cross down and take a look at this out for some time. And I finished up staying.
Kenna Pell
I like that. And so that you’re there at the House Coast. You went to Purdue. That’s tremendous superior. Did you practice for a place at Kennedy?
Jennifer Wahlberg
I did. I imply, NASA KSC used to be one of the most many corporations and organizations that got here to interview scholars at Purdue. And so I did get a couple of gives from, you understand, production corporations keep within the Midwest. However like I mentioned, operating for NASA looked like a captivating factor to do on the time, and so I selected that
Kenna Pell
I like it, and also you’ve known as the House Coast house ever since. Did you? Did you may have any hobby in area as a child residing within the Midwest?
Jennifer Wahlberg
I’d say I used to be very inquisitive about flight. I don’t keep in mind being, you understand, specifically inquisitive about area, even if my father used to be inquisitive about each. And so I used to be acutely aware of it, almost certainly extra so than different the run of the mill youngsters in Indiana. And did practice the House Trip Program, particularly my senior yr.
Kenna Pell
Very cool. And so that you get the be offering at Purdue, you get the be offering to visit KSC and paintings there. What different roles did you possibly get started with and had? And the way did you get for your present one now?
Jennifer Wahlberg
after I first got here directly to NASA, I labored for the go back and forth program, and I used to be assigned to a logistics group the place we have been in control of ensuring that the spares and maintenance have been carried out for all of the portions at the area go back and forth I labored, specifically the touchdown programs, and so I were given to spend a large number of time with wheels and tires and once they introduced the drag shoots onto the go back and forth. So I labored in that group for a number of years, after which I had some colleagues who had shifted from go back and forth, the automobile, over to the shipment, the payloads that have been flying within the automobile, and I noticed that they have been performing some beautiful attention-grabbing stuff on that aspect of the distance heart. And so it’s been a number of years in the past I shifted over to payloads, and feature liked it and labored it for almost all of my profession. Now, maximum of that has been thinking about payloads and the experiments that fly to area, each for sortie flights and to the Global House Station.
Kenna Pell
Superior. And what’s your identify now?
Jennifer Wahlberg
My identify now could be venture supervisor in my place of job that specialize in the usage shipment.
Kenna Pell
And the way do you describe I used to be chatting with a co employee about this that used to be more moderen to supporting Global House Station communications. What would you ways do you describe what usage is?
Jennifer Wahlberg
Usage is mainly the usage of the assets which can be at the area station to habits science around the spectrum and ranging forms of analysis.
Kenna Pell
Were given it. That’s highest, and I can relay that to my coworker. That used to be means higher than what I mentioned. So began at Purdue, got here to KSC, began in go back and forth, after which sooner or later, after all, with go back and forth that used to be development area station, you advanced into operating payloads for House Station, and also you’re nonetheless doing that. That is superior. In order that’s Jennifer Wahlberg. She’s over at Kennedy House Heart on Florida House Coast, after all, the place we do release the shipment from. However let’s cross over to Keri, who’s right here at Johnson House Heart in Houston, to discuss her aspect of the entirety. And Keri, let’s get started with, the place are you from?
Keri Baugher
Hello, Kenneth. So I’m born and raised in Alabama. I do know the accessory almost certainly provides me away. And I went to university at UAH in Huntsville. I ended up at Athens state. I studied I couldn’t come to a decision between engineering and healthcare after I first began, so I spent nearly all of school as a MAE main mechanical and aerospace, after which I ended up with math and well being science, with intentions to enter, doubtlessly the physician aspect of healthcare, however I were given a role at a college, or whilst I used to be nonetheless in class, doing logistics for a big distribution heart. And it truly simply, it more or less simply unfolded eyes to what I loved. And so I ended college with my math stage, I began truly operating in logistics box. A chum of mine who labored at NASA, you understand, knew my persona. Knew that I liked logistics. I liked, you understand, more or less simply that entire large image and shifting items and and discovering the potency and all of the complicated issues. So he used to be like, you’d be highest for, you understand, stowage at Marshall House Flight Heart that that they had some openings. And so I installed for that, and I transitioned over to the stowage global of ISS spent a excellent selection of years doing that, did a large number of the stowage making plans for the on orbit stowage and and simply truly loved that so much, after which lately have transitioned over to to the automobile aspect of items, and managing the cars as a shipment challenge supervisor. In order that’s kind of my, kind of my tale.
Kenna Pell
I like it.so that you began over at Marshall, and their large toughen to the Global House Station and particularly science, and they have got over there what we name the Payload Operations Integration Heart, the place it’s our backup MCC, our backup Challenge Keep watch over Heart, but in addition they toughen all of the science investigations that happen up there. So tremendous cool. You got here from there, and now you’re over at Johnson, right here in Houston. I did wish to ask, did you may have any hobby in area as a child?
Keri Baugher
You already know, I believe, I truly assume all youngsters are occupied with area, truly, someday. And simply because we are living, you understand, truly with reference to the House and Rocket Heart right here in Huntsville, you understand, you force previous that, you understand, on a daily basis you notice the rocket, you understand, it simply kind of, more or less at all times is one thing that’s at the back of your thoughts of, you understand, hiya, I may, I may wish to do one thing like that once I am getting older. So it used to be more or less at all times a dream. I didn’t truly, you understand, I didn’t truly know the trail to get there, or, you understand, possibly be expecting to paintings at NASA as a result of, you understand, it’s more or less, it may be a little bit bit daunting. And assume, I imply, you were given to be, you understand, only a you were given to be a rocket scientist to paintings available in the market. However there are many other fields for each and every little area of interest. And so my area of interest is, like I mentioned, logistics and potency and so, you understand, packing the cars and integrating, you understand, issues to the distance. Station that’s that’s more or less simply a really perfect have compatibility for me. So I truly, I truly revel in it.
Kenna Pell
Find it irresistible. K, neatly, a snappy icebreaker query earlier than we get into all the shipment questions right here. However what’s the most unearthly, maximum attention-grabbing, or possibly maximum memorable merchandise you’ve helped ship to area?
Keri Baugher
I suppose I’ll cross first. That used to be, that’s a difficult one. There’s, there’s a large number of a large number of amusing, attention-grabbing, like, you understand, simply thrilling issues that we’ve despatched over time. I did a large number of paintings with the payloads group and Marshall, and so we’ve mentioned a large number of stuff. However I believe probably the most amusing that truly stood out to me used to be, used to be almost certainly the slime experiment that we introduced, it’s been plenty of years again, however the workforce had a truly excellent time with that once it used to be amusing to look at them execute the ones ops on orbit, and it used to be a little bit messy, however they appear to truly revel in it as neatly. In order that one used to be a amusing one
Jennifer Wahlberg
Yeah, for me, as Keri mentioned, there’s such a lot of various things that fly to area, and there are such a lot of other pursuits, however something that caught out to me used to be only some years in the past, flew on SpaceX 22 it used to be experiment with Bob Tail Squid, simply little child squids, they usually have been the scientist used to be having a look at The stressors that they underwent in area, and liking it to what sort of microbes would lend a hand them deal higher with the strain, looking to extrapolate that out to astronauts in years yet to come.
Kenna Pell
So between squid and slime. You guys give you the chance to ship up truly cool science that is helping get advantages all of humanity. Let’s cross into our subsequent consultation a few segment about shipment and what’s shipment. And you understand, I already requested you to outline precisely what usage is, and I’ve some other phrase that we’re gonna I’m gonna ask you to outline right here a little bit bit later, as a result of that can get started entering play as neatly. However let’s get started with the apparently easy query, what’s shipment and what forms of pieces are we speaking about? After we use this time period,
Keri Baugher
I will cross first so each and every automobile, it has a novel shipment praise that we take to station, so we will be able to have the rest from, you understand, hygiene pieces, workforce clothes, you understand, meals, you understand, huge ORU’s that they’re going to make use of to fix and improve, you understand, all of the programs that we have got on ISS, you understand, clearly we’re sending a large number of science experiments as neatly. There’s an enormous number of the ones, and all in their, you understand, equipment and the chilly stowage belongings which can be had to take the ones up and stay the ones in a situation that they’re required to be in. So relying at the area to be had, you understand, we may even sneak some treats for the workforce in there, you understand, like ice cream, and within the polars which can be more or less our fridges or freezers at the means up and down. So simply an enormous number of stuff. It’s more or less distinctive each and every challenge.
Kenna Pell
so the entirety from {hardware} like massive sun arrays, non-public pieces for the workforce, meals, and, after all, science, as a result of there’s 1000s of researchers at the flooring, and truly the arms which can be doing that science are the astronauts on board area station. So shipment is a huge time period, or a brief time period for a large number of issues. Jennifer, I sought after to invite you, what cars take this stuff to the distance station, and what sort of do you ship on every challenge?
Jennifer Wahlberg
There are a number of other cars that cross to House Station from a number of other corporations. We now have the SpaceX Dragon. There’s a shipment model and a workforce model. There’s the Boeing Starliner, the brand new workforce automobile. There may be the Northrop Grumman Cygnus module. And we’re coming on-line quickly, expectantly, with the Sierra June chaser. After which JAXA has their HTV automobile. So there’s such a lot of other cars. All of them have rather other functions. However every automobile, shipment automobile is succesful is of wearing, like, 1000s of kilograms to area, a large number of that’s pressurized. And we already discussed, you understand, {hardware} and provides and workout apparatus for the workforce and science, a lot of science. And there’s additionally the unpressurized shipment, the pieces which can be larger, that plug into outdoor or unpressurized platforms at the station. The place they may be able to view Earth. Numerous them are Earth looking at, however some want to the celebs to get acquire extra science all the way through there. And the ones pieces are available in from all over the place the US, all over the place the arena, from other organizations, other governments, other universities. They’re too many to listing needless to say.
Kenna Pell
And so I sought after to invite, you understand, we paintings with Northrop Grumman and their Cygnus spacecraft, after which SpaceX with their Dragon spacecraft, what are the important thing variations between the ones? So one in every of them, for example, comes again and you’ll go back science, after which the opposite one you’ll use to dispose trash. Are you able to provide an explanation for the diversities in that
Keri Baugher
So the NG automobile is our biggest shipment automobile, that it is usually our most effective trash automobile for go back. So it is going up with shipment, after which we, you understand, it sits on station for a longer time frame whilst we load it with all of the trash that’s recently on station and that we generate whilst it’s sitting there. So it’s a truly useful automobile to liberate area on station and take down all of the stuff we don’t want anymore. The SpaceX shipment Dragon, it carries a little bit bit much less shipment at the means up, however it is usually recently our most effective go back automobile to convey {hardware} house, and so it has a shorter challenge period. But it surely’s like I mentioned, it takes up shipment after which we’re ready to convey house, you understand, the the science that’s finished, or, you understand, or use that want to be refurbished, all the ones issues come backpedal on a shipment Dragon, for probably the most phase, the crewed cars, the crewed SpaceX Dragon, they have got an excessively small shipment footprint, so there’s now not a large number of shipment that you’ll release a go back on there. However we do convey some issues up and down on that automobile as neatly, however principally that that automobile is for the workforce to take them to station and and produce them house.
Jennifer Wahlberg
So for the Staff Dragon, we do have a delegated area for shipment. It’s, like Keri mentioned, considerably much less, however we’re ready to ship up very explicit provides that the workforce makes use of, each in flight and a few drugs that switch over for his or her keep on station. We are also ready to ship up and produce house two or 3 powered lockers that comprise conditioned science and different apparatus. And naturally, we will be able to most often ship up some items of EVA apparatus if one of the most or two of the workforce individuals will likely be planning to do some EVAs whilst they’re on board.
Kenna Pell
Were given it k. And Jennifer, thank you. Such as you mentioned, researchers from world wide are sending most of these pieces. And so subsequent I wish to discuss what we name manifesting. And that’s the the following time period I used to be going to invite you, I warned you for an evidence on can both of you provide an explanation for what the time period manifesting method?
Jennifer Wahlberg
So manifesting is simply the easy act of striking it on a flight, more or less like whilst you’re going to fly on an aircraft, they usually ask you, what number of luggage are you going to test? So checking the luggage this is manifesting. However after all, an excessively difficult procedure. It’s an issue of everyone, the other organizations and the other world companions, pronouncing we wish to fly this {hardware} in this flight or in this explicit period of time, after which the shipment Challenge Supervisor place of job is going via and sees what is going to have compatibility at the automobile that they’re operating, as a result of a large number of occasions we have now a lot more stuff that wishes to move up or come house than we have now room for. So then we need to get into priorities of when is that this in fact wanted on board, ISS, how lengthy is it going for use, and when will or not it’s able to come back house? Keri the rest you’ll upload to that?
Keri Baugher
No, I believe that sounds excellent. The one more thing you understand is simply the specifics. So you understand once they manifest it. You already know, we want, you understand, the size, the packaging necessities, the load, all that more or less issues. You already know, for NG, you understand, we’re very mass restricted now and again. And so, you understand, we would possibly most effective be capable of have compatibility sure issues simply because of the load of the pieces themselves. You already know, they upload up. And so, you understand, for SpaceX, it’s quantity restricted most often. And so we’re very a lot keen on the size of the {hardware}, or, you understand, the packaging required, and what sort of larger that’s going to make it the ones kind of issues. Are crucial, and all a part of the manifesting procedure they’re meant to supply to us once they they post their stuff for release.
Kenna Pell
Jennifer, I liked the analogy to checking your luggage for a flight. Within the intro of this, I mentioned kind of like packing for a street go back and forth, however a lot more difficult. There’s such a lot of different demanding situations. And Keri, you discussed weight, for instance, I used to be operating to ship up some sun eclipse glasses for the workforce to view the sun eclipse and take some pictures with the glasses on orbit. And simply one thing that small, even having to verify or take a look at the load and the size and all of that, such a lot is going into each and every unmarried merchandise, and that’s now not even counting which of them we’ll discuss, Jennifer with overdue load pieces that want sure energy necessities and temperatures and such things as that. However Keri, right here in Houston, I wish to ask, how and the place do you obtain most of these pieces which can be being manifested?
Keri Baugher
So one of the shipment is gained in several tactics. So we have now a large number of usual shipment that’s to be had and able to be shipped to CMC right here in Houston, so that they have got time to, you understand, weigh it, package deal it, and procedure it, and get it packed into shipment luggage after which ship it to the automobile suppliers by way of sure dates. You already know, some pieces don’t seem to be able till afterward within the glide. Or, you understand, possibly it’s science pieces that experience constraints and they may be able to’t be packed till simply previous to release. So the ones pieces are in most cases shipped directly to the release websites and packed as overdue because the day earlier than. There may be, you understand, a couple of particular instances the place we’ll hand elevate. So the CMC workforce that travels to pack the luggage on the release website online. They’ll, you understand, take an merchandise with them, if it’s smaller, and one thing of significance that possibly got here in overdue and didn’t make the usual cargo, they’ll hand elevate it with them. And that’s just about, just about, the more than a few choices that they have got.
Kenna Pell
K, and so Jennifer and
Jennifer Wahlberg
I’d upload to that, should you’ll, you’ll let me. So there are specific pieces which can be processed right here at Kennedy House Heart that reside and are, like I mentioned, are crammed right here or no matter. In order that they don’t undergo Houston, however they meet the shipment packing suppliers right here at KSC, after which cross to the automobile without delay from KFC.
Kenna Pell
Were given it k. And Keri had discussed what we name overdue load pieces which can be time delicate, energy delicate, temperature delicate, pieces that want to be loaded on later or nearer to release. Jennifer, I sought after to invite, what’s the House Methods processing facility and what sort of shipment is processed there additionally, what amenities do you may have to be had for all of the science and researchers for his or her overdue load payloads?
Jennifer Wahlberg
The SSPF House Methods processing facility, as you discussed, is our major facility right here on Kennedy House Heart, thinking about ISS we have now a big top bay processing space, a blank paintings space the place one of the higher parts ORU’s or payloads are processed. We even have small labs that vary from 300 to possibly 500 sq. toes that we invite the ones overdue load science processing people to come back in. Principally, it’s a house clear of house for the scientists to organize the ones time vital science pieces and switch them over for ultimate packing into the automobile. Our consumers vary from the massive processing modules the NG Cygnus has been processing right here at KSC in our SSPF top bay for the remaining couple of flights, all of the means right down to the little drugs and dice units that fly pressurized. The SSPF could also be house to a lot of the plant analysis performed at the station in order that’s with the aim of advancing some area based totally agriculture and supporting long term lengthy period missions. As an example the plant analysis staff has helped the orbiting lab crews develop lettuce, and tomatoes, and chili peppers and extra. In order that’s amusing
Kenna Pell
Keri, I believe you discussed the non time vital pieces, and when, once more, do you load the ones into the spacecraft?
Keri Baugher
So it simply relies, you understand, relying at the automobile, you understand, we’ll get started loading stuff, you understand, a number of weeks earlier than release. After which, you understand, we’ve were given a number of other so much that’ll cross in at other occasions, if that is smart. So that you’ll have, you understand, like, an previous period of time load, the place they’ll get started loading, you understand, the basement, or, you understand, previous spaces of the automobile. After which you understand, you’ll do some other cargo, and there will likely be different different pieces which can be loaded. And you then’ll have the overdue load pieces which can be loaded proper earlier than release. So it’s, it’s a number of week procedure that’s actively ongoing. Jennifer, do you may have any longer explicit it’s more or less, it’s more or less varies between the cars. So I hate to mention a particular quantity, as it’s other for every automobile, however a number of weeks is,
Jennifer Wahlberg
yeah, you’re proper. So one of the unpressurized payloads, they’ll get put in within the cars. More than likely proper about one month previous to release, and the L minus 30 days. And as Keri mentioned, the primary shipment so much will cross in, we’ll say round L minus 3 to 4 weeks, after which they’ll be within the subsequent degree, the place the automobile has to move via extra steps of processing earlier than they’re able for the following load of shipment, and possibly the L minus seven to ten day time frame, after which a little bit bit extra processing and getting out to the pad till we load the general shipment proper round L minus 24 hours.
Kenna Pell
Were given it k. And so whilst you say unpressurized like, say, we’re speaking about SpaceX Dragon, and that will be the trunk portion, and that means we will be able to retailer large pieces in there, like sun array upgrades with irosa. I do know now and again we have now large analysis payloads different like NASA payloads, like formats and such things as that. So thanks for explaining each the unpressurized and pressurized a part of that, and I didn’t are aware of it would, you understand, L minus a few weeks prematurely of the release. In order that’s tremendous cool. I sought after to speak Jennifer about overdue load staff, and also you mentioned, now and again across the 24 hour mark, are you able to stroll us via what that appears like,
Jennifer Wahlberg
certain our staff right here does, we have now a staff that hosts labs, in order that they’re going to be in contact with the scientists payload suppliers months earlier than arriving right here, after which we they’re going to have The lab arrange with the apparatus they want and assigned. You already know, this venture goes to procedure on this lab, after which this venture goes to have two or 3 labs down the corridor, they usually’ll be all arrange. So when the scientists arrive, they arrive in they usually get started doing their science issues in lab. In the meantime, the locker house owners, for instance, the polars, the drive, the situation science belongings, are getting ready their lockers with a view to obtain the science and cargo them. So our staff is website hosting most of these guests and making plans forward with the automobile supplier. K, you wish to have us to ship the shipment for your to the pad on the automobile, or to the automobile on the pad at nearly 24 hours, and our staff is operating towards ensuring we have now the best folks concerned. We now have the best badging in position, after which we communicate throughout the timeline right down to, you understand, 5 minute durations to verify we’re we’ve were given the entirety covered up and able to move in order that we will be able to paintings via any pickups that may come via on the very remaining time, so we don’t affect the release time.
Kenna Pell
Jennifer, you jogged my memory whilst you mentioned lockers. Keri, I used to be going to invite, do you may have sure dimension luggage that you just retailer a few of the ones non time vital pieces in? Are all of them other sizes relying at the automobile, or are they most commonly more or less usual and possibly cross by way of weight or so? Sorry, I truly don’t understand how to provide an explanation for that neatly, however possibly you’ll
Keri Baugher
No, no, I perceive. So each and every automobile has what we name usual shipment luggage that they have got agreed to release or have compatibility onto their automobile. And so, you understand, there’s a number of other sizes. You already know, there’s there’s huge luggage, you understand, 10.0’s, 8.0’s, 6.0’s, 4.0’s and every automobile, you understand, has a distinct praise that they’ve agreed or that they’re able to wearing. Many of the non vital pieces cross in, you understand, the ones higher luggage within the previous so much. We even have some 1.0’s and halves which can be which can be smaller for non vital pieces. And significant pieces so much we haven’t, you understand, a large number of of the ones smaller luggage within the the early destow space of the automobile that’s obtainable instantly. So we do nonetheless have a large number of the vital pieces in there. It’s now not simply conditioned stowage, additionally they have a few of the ones within the passive bag. So excellent number of luggage on every automobile, and every automobile can elevate, you understand, a distinct quantity, so simply will depend on the automobile that you just’re sending.
Kenna Pell
Were given it. K, Neatly, I wish to ask you each this query. Keri, again to you, how do you get ready for the surprising? And do you ever run into any remaining minute adjustments?
Keri Baugher
Yeah, so remaining minute adjustments and demanding situations are simply it’s? It is vitally not unusual. You already know, you continuously have shipment that must be got rid of from the flight. You already know, it doesn’t. Perhaps it didn’t, you understand, didn’t take a look at in addition to that they had deliberate. Or, you understand, possibly they have got problems, you understand, all over manufacturing, in order that they should be pulled from the flight. We now have a large number of, you understand, oftentimes science very overdue within the glide, you understand, possibly even whilst we’re on the release website online, you understand, you understand, it it is available in or or possibly it doesn’t arrive. You already know, the science is not able to be shipped to. Because of more than a few problems that they’ve had. And so we need to backfill that area as a result of, you understand, we want, we want complete luggage, and we additionally want to make certain that the mass of the bag remains very with reference to what we put it up for sale that it will be to the automobile supplier. So we at all times come able to the release website online with what we name filler pieces, you understand. And most often that’s workforce provisions, you understand, wipes, you understand, towels, you understand, meals is at all times a excellent filler. So we at all times convey stuff like that and feature it to hand simply in case there’s surprising voids or area that we want to fill for the challenge. I can additionally say that, you understand, oftentimes there’s one thing that breaks on orbit, or, you understand, one thing occurs that used to be now not anticipated. And you want to be requested to, you understand, re plan your manifest, you understand, simply earlier than release even. And so we at all times needed to be ready for that. And, you understand, what can also be got rid of if we wanted to create space instantly. So we at all times more or less elevate that operating listing in our minds of of what we might do if, if one thing had to be got rid of or added, to stick ready.
Kenna Pell
I didn’t know that concerning the filler pieces, which makes general sense, simply to maximise the distance, and no pun supposed, however the area within the spacecraft, as it’s no it’s now not like a grocery run, proper? I imply, it’s, necessarily, however it’s now not like your on a regular basis you’ll simply cross as much as the grocer. How again and again a yr do you all ship up those shipment missions? Is it two to 3, 3 to 4 more or less relies.
Keri Baugher
I believe it truly relies. And Jennifer, proper me, if I’m unsuitable, I believe, you understand, in most cases, we shoot for, you understand, 3 to 4 in step with yr. It was much less in earlier years, however, you understand, the remaining couple of years, there were a minimum of 3 to 4 shipment missions annually.
Kenna Pell
You all stay truly busy, and there’s such a lot of other folks concerned with every of those missions. To have 3 to 4 years is so much. I did wish to cross over again to you, Jennifer, and ask the similar query, how do you get ready for the surprising after which operating into remaining minute adjustments? How do you take care of that?
Jennifer Wahlberg
Neatly, we attempt, in the most efficient of our talents to devise for the worst and hope for the most efficient. I imply, many people have carried out overdue load processing again and again over, so we have now an concept of the way the glide goes to move, however then we’re at all times mindful that issues occur and we need to modify the timeline, or we need to pull in a distinct useful resource that we weren’t anticipated. So it’s all within the making plans and figuring out who to name. We at all times have, you understand, a listing of folks, mavens, you understand, in again rooms or around the nation, pronouncing, Hello, we bumped into an issue with this. What are we able to do about it? Can we want to restore it or change it? And now and again it’s simply the time we’re coping with k, we ran in right into a extend in getting the shipment able, so we talked to the automobile supplier about, hiya, are we able to extend this, however convey you this more thing as an alternative and get again heading in the right direction? So it’s very dynamic, however we have now a large number of excellent folks operating, and it indisputably takes a staff a large number of folks concerned to tug the entirety in combination.
Kenna Pell
Dynamic is a brilliant phrase that we use so much round right here. And I did wish to ask Jennifer one query that I simply considered, however with overdue load and, you understand, anticipating or getting ready for the surprising, say, a release scrubs and you want to convey the payload again right into a lab. How continuously does that occur? Or do a large number of occasions, if you put that overdue load merchandise onto the spacecraft. Does it have a, you understand, a few days, or does it truly simply rely on what that analysis merchandise is?
Jennifer Wahlberg
It does rely so much on what the analysis merchandise is, after which what sort of situation it’s in. If it’s a frozen merchandise, then that’s almost certainly going so that you can keep packed for an extended time frame. But when it’s one thing that’s refrigerated, it’s going to most effective have 48 hours or 72 hours that it may well sit down at the pad earlier than we want to exchange it out, as a result of then the timing is such that when it will get to station they usually get started the experiment on it, then the samples may have handed their top time. So we, the the we, as within the higher NASA groups, and the payload groups plan for the ones and so a large number of them will come to the processing aspect the release website online with a number of units of samples, two or 3 units of samples. They’ll have a chief set that’s packed first. After which if we get into a longer release extend, pronouncing “We haven’t introduced in a pair 3 days”, then there are specific pieces of that overdue load supplement, of the payloads that we will be able to convey again to the SSPF, we will be able to unpack the ones pieces, hand them again to the scientist and. They’ll change out what they want to do, or refresh what they want to do, give them again to the packing integrators, then we’ll take them again to the automobile, and that most often has to occur in a 24 hour time frame. So it’s a snappy turnaround. However once more, we put the ones schedules in position so everyone understands up entrance, if a scrub is known as, you then’re going to get your science again to your arms at roughly this time, and you want to provide it again to us to get it again to the automobile inside this time period in order that we will be able to get started all over the place once more.
Kenna Pell
Were given it k? So timing truly is the entirety with having to refresh pieces if there’s a release extend, after which one thing I by no means considered used to be having the ones spares too.
Jennifer Wahlberg
Yeah, and now and again payload suppliers don’t have a backup set of samples, and so they have got to come back in to release and claim in advance to the science group, the analysis group, that lets them fly. So hiya, if we don’t release by way of this actual time, or if we don’t get began on our experiment by way of this actual time, there would possibly or will likely be a lack of science. And so once they get manifested. They’re requested to quantify about what proportion of science may well be misplaced if we will be able to’t get this delivered in a nominal time-frame.
Kenna Pell
Were given it k, and earlier than we shut out this segment, I did wish to ask if there’s a layperson means to provide an explanation for bridge the connection between Keri, your staff right here at JSC, Johnson right here in Houston, after which Jennifer, your staff over on the release website online at Kennedy House Heart in Florida. So how would you provide an explanation for that? Is it, you understand, a large number of the manifestation and making plans comes from JSC, after which, you understand, the motion with the packing and liftoff over at Kennedy. Is there, is there the rest I’m lacking in between, or is it truly, you guys are each doing the entirety?
Keri Baugher
yeah, I believe we’re each closely concerned with it all from starting to finish. However I can say that, you understand, at the JSC aspect of items, you understand, we’re in most cases tremendous closely concerned within the manifesting and the mixing into the shipment luggage and the supply of the ones luggage to KSC. And naturally, we’re nonetheless concerned within the loading of the automobile, however I think just like the KSC aspect of items is, is could be very sturdy and really heavy within the integration of the luggage into the automobile and that overdue load science, and, you understand, offering them with the amenities that they want to get that ultimate packing of the ones, the ones vital pieces, able and loaded onto the automobile. I believe the KSC aspect could also be tremendous concerned within the unpressurized which occurs in an previous period of time. So Jennifer, you you’re employed on the KSC aspect greater than I do, however that, simply from my standpoint, that’s more or less the easy means to take a look at it, is we do the mixing into the luggage and ship it over there. And they’re very closely concerned within the the mixing into the automobile and the within the ops that it takes for the sunshine load shipment.
Jennifer Wahlberg
I’d consider that evaluation. That’s beautiful excellent. JSC specializes in the main points of what’s within the luggage and when it’s wanted, and with regards to KSC, rather than the pieces that we’re serving to to procedure to position into the ones luggage too. We’re extra shifting the packed luggage itself and speaking and coordinating with the cars to get them moved to the best position on the proper time.
Kenna Pell
Easiest. K, let’s transition to submit release, after liftoff all over the challenge, as soon as it arrives to the distance station and its go back. The primary query that I had used to be, what do you all observe whilst in challenge? So Keri, as soon as the entirety lifts off and it arrives to the distance station, do your analysis portfolio managers, which is nearly just like the venture supervisor for one investigation, after I say investigation, one science analysis payload, necessarily, do you cross that off to the analysis portfolio supervisor, or are you continue to monitoring it as soon as it will get to the distance station?
Keri Baugher
So we’re nonetheless tremendous concerned, you understand, the the analysis managers, they’re, they’re concerned with, just like the manifest aspect of the home, you understand, and simply the whole, I believe bureaucracy path for probably the most phase. You already know, the the PD’s, the true payload builders, are closely concerned within the personal orbit aspect of the home. For us, we’re, you understand, we’re nonetheless concerned to make certain that all of the challenge, you understand, pieces for the challenge are performed as deliberate, as a result of we, you understand, for the the returning flights, you understand, we want to make certain that this stuff are nonetheless going so that you can be packed, and that, you understand, our plan that we have got for go back remains to be legitimate. We see a large number of churn, you understand, all over shipment ops with, you understand, pieces now not being discovered, or further pieces being discovered that want to go back. You already know, pieces now not becoming like they must. So, you understand, those problems are all, you understand, a large number of the time delicate. And you understand, we want an alternative plan, or, you understand, a snappy choice from from the CMM to to stay their shipment ops operating easily, to verify the automobile loading remains heading in the right direction. As a result of in the end, you understand, they’ll come to us. You already know, I say, We’ll to to look, you understand what, what we wish to do if possibly an merchandise doesn’t have compatibility within the cushion. Have you learnt, is it k to take away the cushion? You already know, this merchandise doesn’t have compatibility on this bag with an alternative bag that they may be able to put that during. And in order that’s more or less our activity, to make certain that we offer them with the ones solutions, to stay the automobile ops, you understand, going, you understand, in a well timed model, and that the workforce isn’t ready on that kind of factor, so..
Kenna Pell
While you say CMM, you’re pronouncing, is that shipment Challenge Supervisor?
Keri Baugher
This is proper? Sure.
Kenna Pell
K, so, should you’re the shipment Challenge Supervisor, are you truly cradle to grave, the entire level, even on go back to supporting that,
Keri Baugher
sure, proper for, you understand, the SpaceX shipment Dragon, you understand, it’s, it’s up and down. So if, if we’re the CMM for that automobile, we’re wearing it all of the means up and all of the long ago house to, you understand, till the entirety is is again as deliberate, in most cases, we’ll have a distinct CMM for release than we do for go back, simply because there’s, there’s such a lot that is going into each and it’s taking place on the similar time. However sure, our staff works either side of that.
Kenna Pell
Were given it k? After which Jennifer, I sought after to invite you, with regards to your pieces, so say, an orbital alternative unit or an ORU, such as you discussed, does your staff observe that down at KSC, or is that with Keri because the shipment challenge supervisor?
Jennifer Wahlberg
So for probably the most phase, we’re gazing and looking ahead to the shipment challenge managers to let us know that one thing’s coming house, and so we will be able to be able to obtain it as soon as it’s again house and unpacked, and we will be able to be able to transport issues once more the place it must get to,
Kenna Pell
K, After which upon that go back, you guys are operating in combination as soon as once more, as a result of as soon as it splashes down, there’s a staff who is going and gathers all of the science, particularly that point vital science, and brings it again to the House Methods processing facility, or the SSPF down at Kennedy, I sought after to invite Keri or Jennifer, what forms of shipment are returned, and the way do the groups lend a hand the astronauts on station get ready for this stuff to be returned.
Jennifer Wahlberg
the forms of issues that returned indisputably come with the science pieces that you understand they wish to get again and be processed and known or checked via earlier than that gravity similar has time to set in. One of the vital pieces are samples on from orbit, like, how is the water gadget dealing with? In order that they’ll ship again microbial samples or water samples to be analyzed to verify the entirety’s nonetheless excellent on station. Some such things as Keri discussed earlier than, are pieces that experience damaged and want to come again house to be repaired, refurbished and despatched again once more. So we have now a lot of issues, however the a large number of issues that we focal point on right here at Kennedy are getting the time vital science again, again at the flooring, unpacked again into the arms of the scientists, or a minimum of installed some other approach of stasis to deal with the science won on, on ISS’s microgravity, till they may be able to get again to their house lab and get into extra intricate research.
Keri Baugher
You already know, we go back, like Jen mentioned, a large number of the ORU’s that want to be refurbished and relaunched on a later flight. The workforce, you understand, go back a few of their non-public pieces that which can be now not wanted on orbit. We now have a large number of science that’s been performed that’s able to be returned to the analysis groups you understand. Numerous that you understand can also be the rest from you understand. You already know, it might be the the ambient blood or frozen blood, or, you understand, simply various things that experience, which were accumulated whilst they’re up there. Numerous the experiments which were operated and are a success they usually’re able to to be returned to the labs on Earth to additional the analysis. So the workforce is, is equipped directions to pack all that up. You already know, they load the bag onto the automobile. You already know, they’re given automobile places in conjunction with, you understand how the bag must be orientated, and extra steps for, you understand how to put in the strapping and such things as that to make certain that it’s safely returned.
Kenna Pell
Is there the rest, Keri, distinctive about packing shipment for go back as opposed to release.
Keri Baugher
I’d say that packing for go back is, is exclusive, simply because, you understand, the pieces will not be within the config that you are expecting them to be. You already know, will have been up there some time, or, you understand, possibly, possibly it’s, it’s long past via some some operations on orbit. So, you understand, the staff that manifested it won’t, won’t notice that it’s in a distinct meeting than it than it used to be when it to start with introduced. So, you understand, it won’t have compatibility within the bag as you assume it must in keeping with the ideas that you’ve. It takes a large number of backward and forward. You already know, continuously the workforce must take footage simply to lend a hand us perceive, you understand, what’s the factor? Why received’t this have compatibility? You already know, simply, simply to resolve what the true factor is. So then you’ll cross paintings it. After which you want, you understand, the extra time to paintings the change plan there’s, there’s additionally most often some demanding situations with the comm and simply ensuring that that you’ve equipped them transparent steps on, on easy methods to, you understand, pack one thing into the bag, and by way of the directions that the the the PD has equipped for your to you, it’s, it’s really easy to to interpret steps another way, and so, you understand, you spend a large number of time on wording and phrase smithing and ensuring that, you understand, steps are very transparent they usually’re now not open to interpretation. Principally, you’re simply, you’re development an excessively intricate plan for any person else to execute. In order that’s, that’s at all times difficult.
Kenna Pell
Yeah, k. And I wish to return to simply the query earlier than this used to be Jennifer and speaking about returning science again to these labs. And I really like how complete circle all of it is. You already know, you get started with the overdue load pieces, the time vital pieces within the labs, after which upon go back, you convey them again. However now and again other experiments would possibly keep up there for longer period. So, Jennifer, do it’s important to plan, possibly an absolutely other plan to be used of the labs in keeping with go back, as a result of some pieces will have introduced on previous flights within the yr?
Jennifer Wahlberg
Sure, that’s proper. I imply, our release supplement of labs, you understand, the labs we’re getting ready for all of the science this is launching, that most often adjustments for the go back supplement on those dragon missions coming down, you understand, 30 days later or so, one of the pieces would possibly cross up and are available backpedal, however a excellent a lot of them do exchange. And so our staff works. As quickly because the release science is cleared out, they’ll go out that lab, they usually’ll filter out and blank up what used to be there from the former staff processes and in it and reconfigure it and set it up for the go back scientists coming again.
Kenna Pell
I wish to ask, How does it really feel gazing the science and researchers getting to look their release and their paintings that possibly has taken many, a few years to get in combination and manifested and at the rocket and in fact lifting off? What’s it? What’s that have like gazing the science and researchers, the scientists and researchers
Jennifer Wahlberg
I’ll say it’s beautiful it’s thrilling and it’s humbling too. You already know, for an individual who has labored such a lot of of those missions and observed so such a lot of of the similar issues are however other come via through the years. You already know, if, if I didn’t prevent to to take a look at what used to be occurring round me, I’ll I may just assume, Oh, that is simply some other challenge, but if we get a possibility to have interaction with those people coming via and simply be reminded that that is what they manage to pay for part their profession into it places a degree of pleasure and an honor and be capable of lend a hand those people permit them to do what they’re doing. So it truly is thrilling, after which we watched the release and simply applaud them and need them neatly and hope for excellent effects. Nice effects.
Keri Baugher
It’s truly neat. You already know, it’s really easy to get slowed down within the pressure of the challenge, and you’re employed it for a number of months, and there’s simply at all times such a lot of demanding situations and problems, and it’s really easy to get stressed and call to mind the negatives. However once you, you understand, see the luggage getting loaded onto the automobile, and, you understand, you communicate to one of the PDS who’re simply, they’re so excited, you understand, they possibly it’s their entire existence paintings that they’ve been operating on, and this is more or less the instant they’ve been looking ahead to, like, perpetually. And so they’re simply, they’re tremendous excited. And so you’ll’t now not want them the most efficient and hope that the entirety works out, and do the entirety you’ll do to make certain that it returns, you understand, safely within the configuration that they requested for it to be in. So more or less simply, it’s a little bit extra wind to your sails, you understand, they’re in opposition to, in opposition to to get you via to the tip of the challenge, since you more or less have one thing to to attempt for, it will give you, it will give you more or less a face with the challenge, if you are going to, makes it profitable.
Kenna Pell
I like that humbling, profitable, truly, truly great. And to look the ones scientists get to look their, such as you mentioned, careers paintings, lifting off, heading to the distance station. Neatly, Jennifer and Keri, I believe we’re nearly out of time. I do know you each are tremendous busy operating present manifests now that everybody in this podcast is aware of what we imply by way of manifest. Thanks such a lot for becoming a member of us lately to discuss how shipment is distributed from Earth to the Global House Station.
Kenna Pell
Thank you for sticking round. I am hoping you realized one thing new lately. Test nasa.gov for the most recent information and to determine extra about shipment launches, you’ll take a look at nasa.gov/commercialresupply. You’ll in finding all our episodes at nasa.gov/podcasts. and we’re on social media as Johnson House Heart on Fb, X and Instagram. To be informed extra concerning the science on or heading to House Station, take a look at our ISS_research on x and ISS on Instagram. Use #AskNASA for your favourite platform to post your thought and you should definitely point out it’s for Houston We now have a podcast. This episode used to be recorded on February 3, 2025 because of the Houston we have now a podcast staff. Will Flato, Daniel Tohill, Dane Turner, Courtney Beasley and Dominique Crespo. I’d like to provide a unique because of Nicole rose and Jenny Hamilton from the Global House Station program’s analysis communications staff for serving to to craft this dialog and the nice questions that got here with it. And naturally, thank you once more to Jennifer Wahlberg and Keri Baugher for taking the time to come back at the display. Give us a ranking and comments on no matter platform you’re taking note of us on, and let us know what you call to mind our podcast. We’ll be again subsequent week.
