The Three Solutions to Save ISS From Evacuation

Coalition Director Art Harman developed the following steps which during the Soyuz launch crisis could avoid the need to evacuate part or all of the crew from the International Space Station; a $100 billion investment and indeed the most valuable thing in all humanity. These have been discussed with NASA officials and with key Congressional staff; and the ISS office is now assessing these recommendations.

THE THREE SOLUTIONS TO HELP AVOID EVACUATING ISS
DURING A SOYUZ LAUNCH CRISIS
By Art Harman, Director of the Coalition to Save Manned Space Exploration

Download a printable 2-page PDF of these solutions.

The threat to ISS: Without crew, there is a risk which increases with time that in the event ISS is unmanned, a critical equipment failure could endanger the survival of ISS. Last year's cooling pump failure should serve warning that vital equipment can fail at any time.

UPDATE: Russia's loss of the Soyuz 2 in December 2011 demonstrates the continuing risks from a single source for manned launches; and together with the loss of other rockets in 2011 and Phobos-Grunt, that Russia has still not fully understood or solved critical issues in their space program.

Therefore, NASA and the Administration should strongly suggest the Russians implement the following solutions to comply with contractual obligations to provide safe and reliable launch and landing services, and as an ISS partner to avoid the risk from leaving ISS unmanned.

1. Extend the date to return the final three crew members from November 22 to before the December 24th 'expiration date' of Soyuz TMA-02M by landing it at night. According to NASA, Roscosmos will allow night landings in various circumstances. This would only need be considered should the November 14 launch of the crewed Soyuz be delayed beyond the November 22 return date for TMA-02M. It would buy a few weeks time should there be any questions about launch reliability or even for reasons such as weather or crew illness.

2. Establish a Primary Alternate Landing Area for Soyuz in the US or elsewhere for use during winter months when Kazakhstan's weather makes landings more dangerous, or for the periods when a landing would occur during the night. There are weeks of time where orbital paths over Kazakhstan allow only for night time landings, which makes for more difficult search and recovery operations.

The combination of the desire to avoid both winter weather as well as night time landings makes reliance upon a single landing zone less reliable for the safety of ISS crew, and indeed could be negligent given this solution. The shuttles had Edwards AFB and White Sands as alternates, and could land on many airport runways around the world in a true emergency; and ocean-landers like Apollo could likewise land in any ocean or sea if needed.

It is not just a similar crisis or a doomsday evacuation where this matters. A medical emergency could require returning an astronaut on little notice. While an emergency landing could take place at many locations, day or night if absolutely needed, having a prepared alternate zone halfway around the world which is available for routine use in winter months or when Kazakhstan is dark would eliminate this glaring safety flaw. Search and recovery helicopters, aircraft and vehicles could be designated for such use at a nearby Air Force base, and specific equipment can also be stored for use. Plans would be established for emergency responders to take immediate action.

Government land in Nevada or other unpopulated areas in the US, Canada and other countries may fit the needs of such a site. NORAD and FAA aircraft radar systems can do a superior job tracking the descent, and landing in the US also affords greater security and emergency response, as well as rapid access to excellent hospitals.

2a. Designate Emergency Alternate Landing Sites: To achieve near-24/7/365 landing capability, such as for a medical emergency where time is critical, there should be several emergency alternate sites around the world, which would not have pre-positioned supplies and equipment, but would be safe, unpopulated areas to land; are easily reached from air force bases or airports and emergency responders; and are located within some specified distance of a quality hospital. Criteria for selection of emergency alternates would include the ability to get necessary rescue personnel and equipment to the site within the time from when the site was selected for use and/or when the spacecraft undocks.

Read this discussion of Salyut-era emergency landing sites and what if a Soyuz landed in America. Another document shows discussion but no decisions regarding selecting sites in North America: spaceref.com/iss/soyuz/SCLSaG.edit.pdf.  In short, these reveal that while every spacecraft commander is prepared for emergency landings at any time, there is no evidence that specific sites were ever designated for routine use in dark/weather blackout periods, nor is there any evidence they ever designated a number of ideal emergency landing sites.

All US launch providers should also be required to have designated alternate landing areas following these criteria; whether land or water-landers.

3. Unmanned Soyuz Launch & Reentry Capability: The automatic docking and undocking systems on the new digital-control Soyuz capsules have not been tested in flight, as had been the old systemo not have the formerto allow unmanned launches and landings as did the previous generations. In the event of a similar future launch crisis, ISS could remain at full crew compliment for many additional months by sending unmanned Soyuz capsules to ISS to replace on-orbit capsules when they approach their 200-day ‘expiration date.’ An unmanned launch would not risk human lives, allowing a launch when there may not be full confidence in launching a crewed Soyuz. Therefore, Roscosmos should test and be prepared to use the unmanned launch system in the event of such an emergency.

There is precedent for launching and returning unmanned Soyuz capsules. This involved Soyuz 32, 33, 34, and the Salyut 6 space station in an incident in 1979 when an engine failure forced Soyuz 33 to be aborted. 33 had been planned to deliver a fresh capsule for the station crew to later return to earth in. The engine failure on 33 meant that the existing Soyuz 32 already at Salyut was of questionable reliability as it had the same engine as 33. Therefore Soyuz 34 which had a redesigned engine was launched unmanned for Salyut crew to use, and Soyuz 32 was returned unmanned.

The concept of sending an unmanned rescue capsule worked. The plan for the failed 33 had been from the start to provide a fresh capsule for Salyut crew has likewise been tried and proven. Beyond this crisis, Roscosmos must restore the unmanned launch capacity to avoid evacuating crew in similar circumstances. A one week no-crew situation could get stretched to a month or many months as happened with Discovery’s final launch, so returning crew based upon the expectation of a crew launch within days or weeks could backfire.
Additional Action: Stagger the two sets of crews by close to 90 days to allow the maximum time to correct problems in any future crisis before returning crew. This can't help now, but might be important in a future emergency.

Conclusion: Use of one or more of these solutions might prevent or delay the full evacuation if ISS in various launch crisis scenarios. The most important point is that similar crises could happen again before US crew launches begin. These solutions should become permanent, standard procedures to offer greater levels of safety to the crew and ISS.

In evaluating the necessity of adopting the above solutions, it is important to understand many of the critical threats to the survival of ISS as described in the 'International Space Station Independent Safety Task Force (IISTF).'  Operated unmanned, such threats are greatly magnified.
www.nasa.gov/pdf/170368main_IIST_%20Final%20Report.pdf

This website is the source of record for this document. Earlier versions of this may exist on the internet and have been widely distributed. Check www.SaveMannedSpace.com for the latest version.

You are invited to bring these solutions to the attention of current and former NASA personnel, space experts, astronauts, the media, members of Congress, and everyone concerned by this threat to the survival of ISS and indeed our entire future manned space program.

LIKE our Facebook page to get additional and timely info on many space related activities: www.Facebook.com/SaveMannedSpace.com and FOLLOW urgent and timely alerts at www.Twitter.com/SaveMannedSpace.com

Russian Cargo Launch Failure Endangers Space Station

Just seven weeks after the final space shuttle mission, the decisions to kill the shuttle program before American crew and cargo launch systems are in operation are revealed as reckless.

Today, a Russian Progress cargo rocket failed, calling into question when the next crew and cargo missions can occur.
http://spaceflightnow.com/station/exp28/110824prog44p/

Many times this organization and many, many others warned of the dangers of relying entirely upon others for launches. This should wake up Congress and NASA to the need to save the shuttles, and prepare them for "launch on need" in emergencies.

Due to inevitable delays while Russia investigates the accident, at today's NASA press conference, an official stated, "If we keep with a 6-person crew, we'll need a makeup flight." That they even consider chopping the crew on ISS is worrying and a predictable result of scrapping the shuttles.


Both Russia's crew and cargo launches use the same rocket, and the accident investigation will delay crew launches and returns as the accident until both Russia and the US are satisfied the cause has been found and corrected. There are two cargo and two crew launches scheduled between now and the end of the year.

NASA stated that "Progress' Soyuz-U third stage is similar to the Soyuz-FG used for crew, so the program will assess the crew rotation planned for Sept 7 and 21." 


One question which Russia should answer would be if a Soyuz manned capsule left in the same location successfully re-enter, and thus save the crew?


Earlier this year, United Space Alliance offered a serious plan to take over shuttle launches for five year, flying them commercially and supplying ISS for less money than shuttle launches had cost. This offer should be accepted now, or one more Russian failure could threaten the very survival of the space station.

Help Save NASA: Call & Visit "Super Committee" Members of Congress

You can help save NASA. "Super Committee" lobbying calls and visits are needed to save the space program from crippling cuts. The 12 members can save our space program or kill it for a decade or more. Share this with friends and post it everywhere it will help--let's take action now

Cuts in the space program can set us back a decade or more, allowing other nations to out-compete us in high tech.

Senate Republicans: Pat Toomey (PA), Jon Kyl (AZ), Rob Portman (OH).
House Republicans: Jeb Hensarling (TX) Dave Camp (MI), Fred Upton (MI).
Senate Democrats: Max Baucus (MT), John Kerry (MA), Patty Murray (WA). 
House Democrats: Chris Van Hollen (MD), Xavier Becerra (CA), and James Clyburn (SC).

Call any member of the House or Senate via the Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121.

The committee must agree by Nov. 23 on $1.2 trillion in deficit reductions, and to pass the bill by Dec. 23. If they don't, automatic spending cuts of $1.5 trillion will occur, divided equally between domestic and defense spending. Most or all cuts will come from non-entitlements, meaning space could be hard hit unless we convince them it is a national priority. 

See other postings here for additional information useful for lobbying calls and visits.

Share this with your friends and anyone who will help too! Let's roll!

LIKE our Facebook page to get additional and timely info on many space related activities: www.Facebook.com/SaveMannedSpace.com and urgent alerts at www.Twitter.com/SaveMannedSpace.com  

VISIT Your Senators and Representative this Summer Regarding the Space Program

It's August, and members of Congress are spending a lot of time at home and are more available to meet with constituents at their state/district offices, and at Town Hall meetings.

Setting up a meeting with a Representative or Senator or their staff is easier than you might imagine. Call their office at 202-224-3121 and ask to speak to their legislative assistant who deals with NASA.

Ask to meet with the member in the district or state office when possible to discuss the importance of the space program as a national priority, that it should be exempted from across-the-board budget cuts and even increased, and discuss how to get manned space back on track.

You can go with a group of fellow space supporters too. Take any supportive information with you to give them. If you end up meeting with a staff member, ask the Rep/Sen to send you a letter after the staffer briefs him on the visit. You will find it easier than you imagine to set up such a meeting, and if you tell the staff that you are willing to meet anytime during August at the member's convenience, that will make it easier to arrange.

Keep the meeting focused on the subject, don't try to cover every issue under the sun or your efforts to get answers and action on the space program will be diluted.

The space program is very popular with the public. Some recent polls which you can print and take with you on visits:

• New IBOPE Zogby Poll: 6 in 10 Disagree With Ending Space Shuttle and Fear Others Will Surpass U.S. in Exploration 
• New CNN Poll: Most Americans still want U.S. dominance in space
• New Sachs/Mason-Dixon Poll: Americans Want Space Program to Continue 
• New IBD/TIPP Poll: 78% important for U.S. to maintain its leadership in space exploration
• New Pew Research Poll: 58% of Americans Say Space Program "Essential," Americans support US space leadership even in difficult economic times
• 2009 Poll: Americans Place High Value on Space Exploration
• 2009 Gallup Poll: Majority of Americans say space program costs justified
• 2006 Gallup poll--Americans strongly support space exploration

Current debt limit talks indicate many long range spending cuts will be negotiated separately from the debt increase vote, giving us a window in which to get the message across.

During August, there will be many "town hall" meetings too, where you can publicly ask questions. Call their office or check their website or Facebook page for town hall dates. You can video town hall meetings but videoing a one-on-one meeting would likely spoil the desired result.

Try it!  Post the results of your meetings as a comment to this posting, on Facebook, and on space-related websites. Find us at www.Facebook.com/SaveMannedSpace and www.Twitter.com/SaveMannedSpace  

Call radio talk shows too: One call can alert thousands or even millions, and inspire others to call and visit Congress too. Numbers matter, let's get a FLOOD of Americans pushing Congress to truly support the space program!

Pass the word! Blog it, Facebook it! Email your list! Let's get some action going! You can link to this article, and similar postings are on www.Facebook.com/SaveMannedSpace 

Call Congress: Don't Cut Space Exploration, Make it a National Priority

Following how debt limit negotiations are proceeding at this point, decisions on long-term spending cuts will likely be considered separately and later than the debt limit increase.

This gives an opportunity to promote space exploration as a national priority which should not be subject to cuts. Please call your Senators and Representative at 202-224-3121

Apollo Astronaut and Former Senator Schmitt on America's Space Program: Past, Present And Future

Harrison Schmitt on the Moon

The 42nd Anniversary of the humankind's first lunar landing by Apollo 11 on July 20, 2011, followed by the return of STS-135 on the next day, concluding the final flight of a United States Space Shuttle, places a capstone on the remarkable accomplishments of the post-Apollo generations of space engineers, builders and operators.

Those of us who were in attendance at the launch of Atlantis on July 8, 2011, felt both pride in this final accomplishment and sadness at another unnecessary, ill-conceived and excessively prolonged break in America's commitment to lead humankind in space. Pad 39A, the Vehicle Assembly Building, and the Crawler Transporter stand in the Florida sunshine as still functional but unwanted relics of past glories. Unfortunately, these momentous events also starkly frame the deficiencies in American space policy relative to long-term national interests. This policy began its slow decline in 1968-69 when the Johnson and Nixon Administrations began the process to end procurements of the Saturn V boosters and spacecraft advocated by Eisenhower and Kennedy for the Apollo Moon-landing Program.

The absence of any significant national goals epitomizes current space policy. That policy lacks any coherent strategy to lead humankind in space and promote liberty there and on Earth. Failure of all Administrations and Congresses since Eisenhower and Kennedy to maintain a sustainable, indefinite commitment to human deep  space exploration and settlement has undermined America¹s status in the world and the technological foundations necessary for national security and economic growth. We have reached a point where America and its partners depend on Russia for future access to the International Space Station. More critically, we will be ceding the Moon and deep space to China. This should be an intolerable situation to American taxpayers who paid for most of the Space Station and whose Astronauts blazed the trail for humankind to the Moon.

President George W. Bush provided the Nation with a space policy in 2004 that met critical geopolitical requirements. If it had been properly funded by Congress, Bush's policy would have created a replacement for the Space Shuttle by 2010 and, more importantly, provided for a return to the Moon on the way to Mars. Mr. Bush, however, did not ask Congress for the funds necessary to fully implement his Constellation Program. Constellation nonetheless could have been executed fully when President Barack Obama took office in 2009, although with a several year delay in the availability of the Shuttle replacement spacecraft (Orion).

President Obama, however, soon canceled Constellation, reflecting his personal bias against American exceptionalism and anything identified with Bush. His visions of largely unsupervised private contractors providing astronaut transportation to space and an unproductive visit to an asteroid are just that, unproven "visions" but hardly visionary. In light of increases of trillions of dollars in recent federal government spending, the $3 billion per year cost of implementing a "shovel ready" and "employment ready" Constellation Program appears, relatively, very small.

The enormous geopolitical damage to America¹s world leadership role that its cancellation has brought about will cost us dearly in the future.

Atlantis's final arrival in Earth-orbit was historically comparable to the arrivals of the last covered wagon at Western destinations just before the Union Pacific, Central Pacific, Santa Fe and other railroads reached rapidly expanding local economies in the late 1800s. Unbelievably, and unlike the replacement of covered wagon technology with railroad technology, no American replacement exists for the Space Shuttle. Now that
Obama has made NASA largely irrelevant in America¹s future, the next President and Congress must consider how to reverse this damage to national security and to the future motivation of young Americans.

The next President must seriously consider focusing United States' space goals on deep space exploration. Until the Space Station must be shut down and deorbited, NASA can continue to be responsible for managing related international obligations. A separate and intense focus on deep space, however, could be accomplished by reassignment of most NASA functions to other agencies and the creation of a new National Space Exploration Agency (NSEA) [see http://americasuncommonsense.com/, Essay 46]. This would be a proper tribute to the sacrifices made on behalf of America by the personnel of NASA and its contractors since 1958. A clear commitment to deep space would also restore America¹s geopolitical will to lead humankind into the future.

Harrison H. Schmitt is a former United States Senator from New Mexico as well as a geologist and former Apollo 17 Astronaut. He currently is an aerospace and private enterprise consultant and a member of the new Committee of Correspondence.

Radio & News Interviews on the Space Program

This section will not be updated; for the latest interviews, please go to our NEW Media Coverage page: 
www.savemannedspace.com/p/media-coverage.html 

Here are recent and upcoming media interviews of Coalition Director Art Harman, discussing the future of the space program. Listen to and share the podcasts. Radio, TV, newspaper and web outlets are invited to book Mr. Harman for an interesting and informative interview.

Upcoming:  January 31 at 8:10 AM ET on the "Good Mornings" show on WFIN radio in central Ohio to discuss the space program and the ideas of the presidential candidates. www.wfin.com/morning.

Upcoming:  January 30 Time TBA on the Sarah Palin Radio show, with LaDonna Hale Curzon, Executive Producer and Host; to discuss the space program, Newt Gingrich's speech and related developments. www.blogtalkradio.com/sarahpalinradio

Upcoming:  January (this week TBA) on 65 stations affiliated with Florida News Network. 40 second report regarding Newt Gingrich's space policy speech. Stations Also will be featured in a print news story.

Upcoming:  January 30 on the nationwide John Batchelor Show to analyze Newt Gingrich's speech calling for a bold new space program. Segment will be in the midnight to 1:00 AM hour.  Podcast available after show.

January 15 on WQYX and 4 other CBS Radio stations in the Tampa Bay area on the "In Touch With Tampa Bay" show; to discuss recent upcoming events in the space program, where presidential candidates stand on space policy, and how listeners can help support the space program by contacting candidates.  WiLD 94.1, 6:30-7:00 AM; WRBQ 104.7, 7:00-7:30 AM; WQYK 99.5, 11:30-12:00 Midnight; WSJT 98.7, 8:30-9:00 AM; WQYK-AM 1010 6:00-6:30 AM

December 27 at 8:30 CT on KMA AM/FM (western Iowa and Missouri, Omaha Nebraska and eastern Kansas) on the Chuck and Don Show to discuss opportunities and threats to the space program, presidential candidates positions on space policy, and how YOU can help. Podcast: kmaland.com/chuckanddon....mp3

November 21 at 2:30 AM EST on the Goldstein on Gelt Show, on Israeli National Radio and other stations worldwide, to discuss the future of the space program. The world is interested! Goldstein on Gelt Show -- Check out the podcast.

November 1 at 1:15 ET with Jim Lynch on WUSB Radio 90.1 FM to discuss the space program and other issues relating to what made America a truly great nation. Coverage: Long Island, Southern Connecticut, parts of NYC (Brooklyn and Queens), and Westchester County. www.WUSB.fm/ Podcast may be available soon.

October 5 on the nationwide John Batchelor Show regarding the Space Launch System (SLS), Neil Armstrong and Gene Cernan's call for a real vision and plan for manned space, and Lockheed Martin's vision for exciting space missions in this decade. Advance in the podcast to 9:15 for the start of the interview: wabcradio.com/FlashPlayer/default.asp

September 14 at 2:15 PM ET with Patrick O'Heffernan and Chuck Morse on the Fairness Doctrine Show, regarding the future and the value of our space program. Listen to the podcast The program airs on WDIS AM 1170 Boston area; 1490 WWPR 1490 AM Tampa Bay, Florida; KRKQ-FM Ashland/Medford Oregon; and online at cyberstationlive.com/TheFairnessDoctrine

September 14 on a home-page featured FoxNews.com article, where Mr. Harman was interviewed along with former NASA Manned Space Director Christopher Kraft. The article discussed the dangers of evacuating the space station, and briefly mentioned Mr. Harman's solutions which are being evaluated by NASA and are described on this website. Article: FoxNews.com/.../russia-delays-manned-space-launch
Additional Coverage:  DailyMail.co.uk  HuntsvilleSpaceProfessionals.com   GlobalPost.com

September 1 at 12:55 AM on the nationwide John Batchelor Show regarding the dangers of evacuating crew from the International Space Station and one of the solutions Mr. Harman proposed to NASA, which they are evaluating. Listen at the last 5 min of this podcast, right after the show's theme music: wabcradio.com/FlashPlayer/default.asp?SPID=33447

July 22  Interview with Märkische Allgeimeine, a daily newspaper in Potsdam, Germany on the final shuttle flight, and the present and future of the space program, both commercial and NASA. (in German)  www.maerkischeallgemeine.de

July 17 at 7:50 AM Issues and Ideas with Chris Bello, on 4 New Jersey radio stations:  WHCY-FM, Blairstown, WSUS-FM, Franklin, WNNJ-FM, Newton, WTOC-AM, Newton. Info: issuesandideasradio.com
Podcast: issuesandideasradio.com/audio.html - Interview is about 2/3 down the page.

July 12 at 3:20 PM with Pete Ferrand on WRJN Newstalk 1400 AM radio in Racine and Kenosha, WI  http://www.wrjn.com/


July 9 at 12:55 AM on the nationwide John Batchelor Show after the final space shuttle launch, to discuss the post-shuttle world. Listen at the end of this podcast segment:

wabcradio.com/FlashPlayer/default.asp?SPID=33447&ID=2232910

July 8 on KXYL-FM Radio, Brownsville, TX at 8:10 AM on The Big Show, live from the space shuttle launch site.

http://www.wendleebroadcasting.com/NTMRN.html

July 8th, on WDUN AM/FM at 7:40 AM, ET on the Bill and Joel Show, live from the shuttle launch viewing area. WDUN covers Atlanta and north Georgia. Listen on the radio or online at wdun.com/listen/  

July 8 8:15 AM ET on the Michael Patrick Shiels show on 12 stations in Michigan including WJIM Lansing 1240 AM. www.michigantalknetwork.com/

wjimam.com/Article.asp?id=1738704&spid=19546

Podcast: Listen to Coalition Director Art Harman Live From Shuttle Launch Area

July 7 at 1:30 PM on CFAX, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada on Straight Talk with Dave Dickson.

Podcast: cfax1070.com/budftp/CFAX1070_FRIDAY_13_30.MP3

July 7 with Pete Ferrand on WRJN Newstalk 1400 AM radio in Racine and Kenosha, WI  http://www.wrjn.com/


July 7 11:00 AM on the Mike Pomp Show on WTSN Radio, Dover, NH.

http://www.am1270wtsn.com/pages/7545779.php

July 6  7:20 PM on the nationwide Leslie Marshall Showwww.lesliemarshallshow.com/

July 5 with Wayne Metrano and Freddy George's On The Street Show cyberstationlive.com/OnTheStreet | Listen to the podcast

July 1 at 10:50 PM on the nationwide John Batchelor Show. www.johnbatchelorshow.com/ | wabcradio.com/article.asp?id=531472

Podcast: Listen to Coalition Director Art Harman on the John Batchelor Show

June 30 10:20-11:00 AM with Bryan Allen on CKNX AM 920 Ontario, Canada http://www.cknxam920.ca/  Podcast: Listen to Mr. Harman's interview on CKNX Radio

June 30 4-5 AM on KOA Denver on the Rick Barber Show. www.850koa.com | Podcast: Listen to Art Harman's Interview about the Space Program

May 29 WQYX and 5 other CBS Radio stations in the Tampa Bay area on the "In Touch With Tampa Bay" show.

May 25 WBZ Radio in Boston at 8:10 AM with Deb Lawler. http://boston.cbslocal.com/personality/deb-lawler/

May 25 on the nationwide John Batchelor Show regarding the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy's historic challenge to go to the moon "in this decade."

Podcast: Listen to Art Harman's Interview with John Batchelor