Experiment of the Week: Haptics-1

A ground concept of a haptic input device. The 

Haptic experiments on ISS will one day allow for 

astronauts to control robots on the surface of a planet 

or moon remotely from orbit. Photo Credit: ESA

Starting with this post, I will aim to write about one experiment or science rack each week. This week's experiment is the Haptics-1 experiment.

First, what is "haptics?" Haptics is any form of touch sensation, in particular, relating to perception and manipulation of objects using senses.

Haptics-1 is a European Space Agency (ESA) investigation into remote-controlled robotic operation and how to make human operators "feel" what a robot "feels." According to ESA, future human exploration of planets will almost certainly involve robots controlled by humans. Robots can do specialized tasks in harsh environments, while humans are more fragile. Humans are unrivaled, however, at adaptive quick-thinking - robots are not. Telerobotics allow for a "best of both words" situation where humans can control a robot in near real time. But in order to control something efficiently, feedback is required.

A cell phone has haptic feedback. When you press a button on your on-screen keyboard, the phone usually vibrates to signal that you have pressed something. Robots being controlled from orbit above Mars will need similar feedback for the controller. With the proper feedback, an astronaut could use a robot to adjudge the force needed to grip a rock or tool the right amount.

While work like this could be done on Earth, one major unknown is how astronauts experience haptic feedback in the microgravity environment of space.

NASA astronaut Barry Willmore operates the Haptics-1 

joystick. The simple-looking lever is connected to a 

servomotor that can withstand any force an astronaut 

might unleash on it. Photo Credit: NASA

Haptics-1 aims to answer that question by astronauts using a joystick to control games, and simple tasks. By studying how the astronaut reacts to the feedback, engineers can design systems tailored to future astronauts on journeys to Mars.

The joystick is highly advanced. It can sense motion that humans cannot feel and can withstand an astronauts kick and still function properly. It is strapped to the waist of an astronaut as to not push the astronaut away.

Haptics-1 was the first haptic telerobotics experiment done in space. It was launched on the final Automated Transfer Vehicle, ATV-5, in August 2014. Since then, Haptics-2 and "Interact" have launched. They are a bit more evolved and all three are still being used aboard ISS. Whereas Haptics-1 is more about real-time force feedback, Haptics-2 "extends" the human arm from space to ground. By controlling a lever on ISS, it moves one on Earth. A person on the ground can move that same lever and effectively "shake hands" with the astronaut. Interact goes a step further by allowing the astronaut to control basic functions of a robot on the surface of Earth.

All three are part of the METERON project. METERON stands for Multi-Purpose End to End Robotics Operations Network. The goal is to "test the waters" on human operation of robots from space - something that, until now, has never been done. 

Teleoperating robots requires the Internet to send commands and receive information. Because distances in space are so vast, signal times can take anywhere from seconds (at the Moon) to upwards of 45 minutes (at Mars). The creation of a new network protocol called the Disruption Tolerant Network assures correct operation, even if signal is lost.

For more information visit ESA's METERON page. Learn about the three flight experiments here.

Andreas Mogensen teleoperates the Interact rover from space.

Video courtesy of ESA

New directions for my life

An Atlas V 551 launches with the Navy's fourth Mobile User

 Objective System on Sept. 2, 2015. Photo by me!

This won't be one of my usual blog posts. It's more of a status update for what has been going on in my life.

I am a college student studying mass media at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. School is in full swing at the moment and, while I'm trying to insure that I get decent grades, I am a managing editor for the school newspaper, the Washburn Review.

These two things, alone, take up the vast majority of my time. I have been studying and running a student newspaper. But, I haven't forgotten about this blog. I still believe there should be a source for all things International Space Station.

It gets more complicated though. Right when school started, I got selected by the United Launch Alliance to go down to Florida to be part of their ULASocial to view the launch of an Atlas V 551 rocket. The rocket was launching the fourth Mobile User Objective System for the U.S. Navy.

Because the Atlas V launch was during

 twilight before dawn, the conditions

 were just right for this beautiful contrail

 formation to occur. Photo by me!

While I was down there I met Jason Rhian, who is the founder of SpaceFlight Insider. He offered me a freelance writing gig. Since then I have written seven articles for them.

So now I am doing school, running a student newspaper and writing (as well as editing) for SpaceFlight Insider. I am extremely busy. But I still have a strong passion for ISS and I plan to keep going strong on the blogs and the videos.

Because I have been getting into the role of a managing editor for the Washburn Review, I have had literally zero time for making videos about the history of ISS. I have notes for the Apollo Soyuz Test Project, but no script. As it is fall break, I anticipate that I will have a little bit more time to work on the videos.

In the mean time, I do plan on posting more blog entry's here. I will be focusing more on the science going onboard ISS, and, when I post something on SpaceFlight Insider, I will repost them here.

I hope you all understand and will continue to read this blog. Please follow this blog and tell your friends and, as always, if you or someone you know is interesting in helping, email me.

Ad Astra!

A writer's job never stops. While I was in Florida waiting for the Atlas V to launch,
I still had to help my team in Kansas finish production of the weekly newspaper!
Photo courtesy of Reuben Worthington

The Chinese are going to the International Space Station, sort of...

Credit: NanoRacks

For the first time, a Chinese experiment will be headed to the International Space Station, albeit through a commercial agreement with Houston-based NanoRacks LLC.

The agreement works around a law from the United States Congress that forbids NASA from working in any way with the Chinese. The fear is that China could potentially steal information and/or hardware and use it for their own purposes.

Because NanoRacks, not NASA, is dealing with the Chinese, who are paying $200,000, nobody is breaking the law.

Jeff Manber, who founded NanoRacks, agreed to take a DNA experiment to the ISS next year on board a SpaceX Dragon capsule. The experiment is lead by Professor Deng Yulin of the Beijing Institute of Technology.

According to NASA Watch, a NanoRacks source said the company worked to assure compliance with a 2011 spending bill Amendment which restricts formal NASA cooperation with the Chinese Space Program.

NanoRacks assures that the money flows from China to the U.S. and no hardware or technology flows to China, except the return of data and experiment samples. Manber said the deal is purely commercial and was negotiated with NASAs blessing.


Because of the law forbidding NASA to work with the Chinese in space, China isn't allowed to be part of the ISS program. NASA administrator Charles Bolden thinks the restrictions are too strict and NASA should at least be able to communicate with Chinese officials.



Since NanoRacks flies via the SpaceX Dragon capsule, it is unclear exactly when the Chinese experiment will fly. The Falcon 9 rocket, which carries the Dragon, is currently grounded till at least late September due to a mishap during the June 28, 2015 launch when the second stage over-pressurized causing a rapid unplanned disassembly.

Booze in space

The Suntory space samples - Credit: Suntory

The "best whisky in the world" is getting ready to be launched to the International Space Station.

Suntory, a brewing and distillery company based out of Tokyo, announced they will be sending samples of their whisky - named the best whisky in the world by Jim Murray's Whisky Bible - to the ISS on the next launch of the Japanese cargo ship, the H-II Transfer Vehicle, on August 16, 2015.

These samples, however, are not for the astronauts and cosmonauts. They are for an experiment to test the effects of zero-gravity on the aging process. Their will be six samples of the whisky, in addition to other types of alcohol to learn how the space environment can effect how alcohol ages. 

The samples will be stored on the Japanese Kibo module on the ISS. One group of samples will be returned to earth in about a year, while the rest will stay in space for at least two years.

This isn't the first alcohol to be sent to the ISS. The Ninkasi Brewing Company sent yeast to the station earlier this year to try to brew a craft beer they are calling Ground Control Stout. 

Learning about how alcohol reacts and brews in space is one thing, drinking it is another.

Alcoholic beverages have never officially be part of any American astronauts' space diet. It has, however, been part of Russian cosmonauts' diet.

According to an article written in 2010 by Alan Boyle for NBC news, retired cosmonaut, Alexander Lazutkin said Russian doctors have sent alcoholic beverages to space with the space flyers to help neutralize tension.

During Lazutkin's stay aboard the Mir space station in 1997, a Progress cargo ship collided with the station, causing a leak that nearly forced an evacuation. Lazutkin said he and his crew mates definitely had something to drink right after that.

While adult beverages have been drank on past space stations, and potentially occurs on the ISS too, beer isn't one of those.

Beer is carbonated. Because there is no gravity, there is no buoyant force pushing the gas bubbles upward. This not only effects the taste of the beverage, it makes drinking it somewhat uncomfortable since the bubbles stagnate inside the beverage even when inside an astronauts stomach. Because of that, astronauts can't burp out the excess gas from the carbonation. And when they are able to, the burp can be uncomfortably wet.

The Japanese HTV launches at 8:01 a.m. CDT (1301 GMT) on August 16, 2015. In addition to the samples of whisky, it will carry much needed equipment and supplies to the ISS.

Expedition 44 fully staffed, Russia commits to station to 2024

Expedition 44 crew patch - Credit: NASA

The crew of Expedition 44 became fully staffed at six people when the Soyuz TMA-17M docked with the Russian Rassvet module of the International Space Station.

Launch occurred at 21:02 UTC (4:02 p.m. CDT) on  22 July 2015 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Onboard were NASAs Kjell Lindgren, Russia's Oleg Kononenko and Japan's Kimiya Yui.

Hatches were opened just under eight hours later at 4:56 UTC (11:56 p.m. CDT). Kononenko was the first to enter the space station to join the three currently residing onboard: Russia's Gannady Padalka and Mikhail Korniyenko and NASAs Scott Kelly. 

Kelly and Korniyenko are scheduled to be on the ISS till March 2016.

A little over a week later, Russia formally notified ISS partners that they will continue the partnership at least to 2024.

The United States and the Canadian Space Agency have already committed to 2024 leaving only the European space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency as the only partners yet to make a decision. ESA is expected to do so in late 2016.

Assessments of each of the components of the ISS show that the station could remain operational without any major funding increase for repairs to at least 2028.

Orbital Velocity's History of the ISS begins production

After a couple of months of set-up and research, Orbital Velocity's History of the International Space Station is being filmed. Ideally there will be a video every week regarding that series. Eventually, smaller videos on particular space station parts and experiments will be created. The goal is to create a database of information where people can find out about their International Space Station.

The following is a playlist for the history series, alternatively, you can find it in the menu above under "ISS History."



Feel free to subscribe to the Youtube page, and follow Orbital Velocity on Twitter and Facebook!

Falcon 9 rocket fails during launch of Dragon supply ship

Falcon 9 breaks apart mid-flight. Credit: NASA

Yesterday, Space Exploration Technologies' seventh resupply flight carrying the Dragon cargo ship bound for the International Space Station ended in failure about two minutes 19 seconds into flight.

The Falcon 9 rocket launched on June 28, 2015 at 9:21 CDT at Cape Canaveral. Everything happened normally in flight all the way to, and through, Max Q, the time in the launch where aerodynamic stress loads on the rocket are at a maximum. 

Shortly after that, a small plum appeared near the top of the second stage of the rocket, and quickly engulfed the whole rocket. Moments later, the rocket disintegrated. This was the Falcon 9s first launch failure, and SpaceXs first complete loss of mission since 2008.

 NASA TV coverage of the SpaceX launch

"Falcon 9 experienced a problem shortly before first stage shutdown. Will provide more info as soon as we review the data," said Elon Musk, the chief executive officer and founder of SpaceX, in a twitter post.

A few minutes later on twitter, he reported there was an "overpressure event" in the second stages liquid oxygen tank. He said the data suggests a counter-intuitive cause.

The second stage engine was in the process of getting ready to take over within the next minute of flight, but before staging could occur, the anomaly happened.

International Docking Adapter 1 at the payload processing
facility. A second one was scheduled to launch later
this year. Credit: NASA

The Dragon capsule riding on top of the Falcon 9 was carrying a multitude of cargo for the orbiting outpost. The biggest loss was the International Docking Adapter, one of two adapters that will be used to support commercial crew dockings to the ISS.

This was the third space station cargo ship to fail in eight months. On October 28, 2014, Orbital Sciences Antares rocket failed seconds after liftoff, destroying the Cygnus Capsule. The Russian Progress cargo ship, launched by a Soyuz rocket, failed shortly after orbital insertion on April 28, 2015. Shortly after it was discovered that the ship was spinning out of control, and would not be able to dock to the station. It later reentered the atmosphere.

The CRS-7 contingency press conference.
Credit: NASA/Glenn Benson

During a press conference a few hours later, William Gerstenmaier, NASA associate administrator for human exploration and operations, said the station crew in orbit would be fine for the time being.

There are enough supplies to support the crew, which will increase to six in July, though October. However, a number of supply ships will soon be launching, including the a re-flight of the Russian Progress ship. Additionally, a Japanese HTV cargo ship will be launching in august.

Gerstenmaier said that NASA was working with Orbital Sciences to move up the next launch of their Cygnus spacecraft, which will launch on an Atlas 5 rocket, from December to as soon as October.

Michael Suffredini, space station program manager, said there are parts for a third IDA; the second one will fly on a future SpaceX launch as soon as flight resume.

Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer of SpaceX, said she expects the accident investigation to last between four and six months.

More information will be posted on this blog as it becomes available.