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The Kennedy Space Center is actively preparing for a return to manned spaceflight
New carpets, ceiling tiles, appliances and fresh paint are among the improvements made to the crew quarters of astronauts, located in Neil Armstrong operations and controls. Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Here we see the costume room, where astronauts are helped in their pressure suits before leaving the crew quarters for a mission. This room now has three suit containment rooms – one each for Orion, Boeing and SpaceX. (NASA Image)
COUNTY OF BREVARD • KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLORIDA (NASA) – You will have to excuse Lauren Lunde if her enthusiasm is tempered by a little anxiety.
A NASA flight crew specialist at the crew quarters of astronauts at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Lunde helps take care of people who are in the pioneering space and take business from The magnitude
Kennedy is actively preparing a return to manned spaceflight, with Boeing and SpaceX both targeting unmanned flight tests of the commercial crew – followed by crewed missions. In addition, the NASA Orion spacecraft will also carry astronauts into deep space in the near future.
"There is stress and excitement," said Lunde, who holds his current position since 1994. Launches every year, we were always ready.
We knew exactly what to do. When you take seven years – in eight years, you think, "What have we done? How are we prepared? But it's exciting; it'll be nice to go back there. "
In fact, they never got out of it completely.In the Space Shuttle program, the dining room of the crew quarters of the astronauts, located in the Neil Armstrong operations and crates building at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, has been occupied by past and present astronauts., Was a popular place. (NASA Image)
There are important meetings, lectures, Silver Snoopy awards presentations, Critical equipment tests and other official cases that bring astronauts to crew quarters on the third floor.In recent years, the establishment has grown from about fifty to 39, astronauts a year to three times that amount, said Lunde.
"Now we are moving towards something," said Lunde. "And we're going fast."
The neighborhoods of l & # 39; crew occupy about 26,000 square feet and occ up all the west wing of the third floor. Access is limited to this area, which includes 23 rooms – each with a bathroom – and the iconic costume room, where astronauts are helped in their pressure suits before boarding a vehicle for the launch
the quarters also include a kitchen, pantry, dining room, living room, gym, two conference rooms, two laundry rooms, a flight surgeon's office and three examination rooms medical. A group of eight offices, including Lunde, is located just off the main corridor.
A major upgrade, recently completed, will await Commercial Crew astronauts. There are new carpets and ceiling tiles, and fresh paint on the walls. The devices have all been replaced, as well as the audio / visual teleconference system in both conference rooms.
The corridor of the Kennedy Space Center's astronaut quarters in Florida reflects the new carpet and new paint. The crew quarters, located on the third floor of the Neil Armstrong Operations and Audit Building, were recently upgraded in anticipation of Kennedy's return to manned spaceflight. (NASA Image)
The last piece of the costume used in July 2011 for mission STS-135, the last mission of the space shuttle program, was reactivated and reshaped. The area is furnished with new armchairs and tables, and there are now three suit containment chambers – one each for Orion, Boeing and SpaceX.
The final touches are put on remodeling. New works representing Orion, Boeing and SpaceX will be hung in the corridors. These replace the images of the space shuttle, which are by no means abandoned.
They will be suspended in the conference rooms and in the renovated suite as part of a historical exhibition. "Many astronauts have been surprised at how beautiful everything looks and looks," said Lunde.
The astronaut district has been modified several times since it first opened in the 1960s. Before the current improvements, the last major renovation dates back to 1994.
During the shuttle program, it was common for all rooms to be occupied before the mission. Flight surgeons, astronaut support staff and flight operations led astronauts into the living quarters.
"They came here at L-minus-4, and we were excited," said Lunde. "We were rarely complete."
That should change. One of the reasons is that there are fewer crews: space shuttle crews average between five and seven astronauts – up to eight – while future missions include two or four astronauts [19659024]. Astronauts assigned to a mission must stay twice as long in crew quarters, between eight and nine days
The astronauts 'lounge is where astronauts' family members waited for their return at the landing. (NASA Image)
"Because quarantine will be so much stricter, we will reduce it to a minimum of people," said Lunde. "Unless you absolutely have to be here and stay here, you will not be here. You will stay in town.
She said that this should translate into a maximum of 16 to 18 bedrooms leading to crewed missions.
One thing that will not change is the commitment of Lunde and his staff. While the goal of the crew quarters is quarantine and crews, make sure the astronauts are relaxed before their stressful job is so critical.
"It's nice to make their stay comfortable, it's important. we always strive to do that, "Lunde said." The little things mean a lot to them at that time. "
Little things include storing the astronauts' favorite food and drinks, until they reach the end of the day. to specific brands of vinaigrette and condiments Cooks on the staff are very much in tune with these preferences.The movies are important too.The team decides which movies they want to watch before making the trip from the Johnson Space Center , said Lunde.
The lighting of the establishment can be changed to give the impression of being in the middle of the night, or a sunny afternoon, according to the 39, but this light does not enter the bedrooms.
"All rooms are devoid of light so that light does not enter the hallway," said Lunde. "And the rooms are very well isolated ed. It's quiet – very quiet. "
Regarding the quarters of the crew itself, things will not be calm any longer, and that's fine with Lunde, who expects all remodeling to be completed by mid-August, this will enable them to be fully prepared for the first round of non-open spaceships tests.
"We will act as if we had crews. In this way, we can test all our procedures and make sure everything is ready and in place, "said Lunde." We really need to be on our guard. It's going to be an explosion! "
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